343 Industries have revealed some new information on the Halo 4 map called Vortex. The map has been modified a bit to fit the game and was originally intended to be a much larger map, with a greater focus on vehicles. Here’s their explanation for trimming it down. One of the main reasons was that the map was so big that it was effectively not creating engaging matches.
“One difficulty we encountered when shrinking the map was that it made vehicle paths more constrictive, so we had to slowly expand the roads,” says Bs Angel, who is a contributor to Halo Waypoint. Via Examiner.
“This expansion impacted the placement of the bases, which we had to adjust in order to line them up along the highly geometric, symmetrical axes of the Forerunner architecture. Through subsequent iterations, large rocks were added and the bases became more closed off to focus the encounter spaces.”
The map has been modified enough to accommodate players of all playing style. They have added winding caves and other things like rocks to breaking the pacing up a bit.
“One small piece of advice, though: getting caught in the open on the vehicle paths will result in a one-way ticket to Splattersville. Consider yourself warned.”
We also have details on every Forge map and items, check them out below. (Again courtesy of Examiner)
IMPACT
Description: This observation outpost was established to examine the site of a spectacularly violent meteor collision recorded by an ONI patrol drone in 2547. When researchers first arrived, they were startled to find a non-native fragment of the impacting agent had actually survived and was of unknown origin. More recently, interest in the site has grown as the fragment has proven to have originated from long before the earliest of known Forerunner artifacts.
RAVINE
Description: When ONI dispatched its first expeditionary group to this sector, it was believed that these impressive citadels were individual constructs strategically organized to protect this portion of Requiem. Teams on the ground now believe that they are actually the ramparts and battlements of an impossibly large structure below the surface of the sea.
EROSION
Description: With hundreds of human colonies now razed in the wake of the Covenant War, the UNSC has dispatched large numbers of advanced pioneer groups to survey potential new worlds. The discovery of Eudemon X49-05 was considered lucky, but concerns remain about the moon’s structural integrity.
List of weapons and items:
WEAPONS
Human Weapons
- Magnum
- Assault Rifle
- Battle Rifle
- DMR
- Sniper Rifle
- Rocket Launcher
- Shotgun
- Sticky Detonator
- SAW
- Railgun
- Spartan Laser
- Frag Grenade
- Mounted Machine Gun Turret
Covenant Weapons
- Plasma Pistol
- Storm Rifle
- Covenant Carbine
- Needler
- Beam Rifle
- Energy Sword
- Fuel Rod Cannon
- Gravity Hammer
- Concussion Rifle
- Plasma Grenade
- Mounted Plasma Cannon
Forerunner Weapons
- Boltshot
- LightRifle
- Suppressor
- Scattershot
- Binary Rifle
- Incineration Cannon
- Pulse Grenade
Armor Abilities
- Jet Pack
- Thruster Pack
- Active Camouflage
- Hardlight Shield
- Autosentry
- Promethan Vision
- Hologram
- Regeneration Field
Gadgets
- Explosives
- Fusion Coil
- Landmine
- Fuel Canister
Man Cannons
- Cannon, Man
- Cannon, Man, Heavy
- Cannon, Man, Light
- Gravity Lift
- Gravity Lift, Heavy
Gravity Volumes
- Gravity Volume, 5×5
- Gravity Volume, 5×5 Inv
- Gravity Volume, 10×10
- Gravity Volume, 10×10 Inv
Trait Zone
- Trait Zone
Teleporters
- Receiver Node
- Sender Node
- Two-Way Node
Shields
- Shield, One Way, Small
- Shield, One Way, Medium
- Shield, One Way, Large
- Shield, Door, Small
- Shield, Door, Medium
- Shield, Door, Large
Special FX
- Colorblind
- Next Gen
- Juicy
- Nova
- Olde Timey
- Pen and Ink
Toys
- Dice
- Golf Ball
- Kill Ball
- Soccer Ball
- Tin Cup
Lights
- Light, Red
- Light, Blue
- Light, Green
- Light, Orange
- Light, Purple
- Light, Yellow
- Light, White
- Light, Red, Flashing
- Light, Yellow, Flashing
Initial Spawn
- Respawn Point
- Initial Loadout Camera
- Respawn Zone
- Respawn Zone, Weak
- Respawn Zone, Anti
- Respawn Zone, Weak Anti
- Safe Area Boundaries
- Kill Area Boundaries
Initial Drop
- Random Drop
- Objective Drop
Objective Objects
- Flag Stand
- Capture Plate
- Hill Marker
- Extraction Decal
Extraction Targets
- Extraction Crate, Small
- Extraction Crate, Medium
- Extraction Crate Cylinder
Dominion Objects
- Base Terminal
- Base Turret
- Base Stripes
Dominion Base Shields
- Base Shield, Small
- Base Shield, Medium
- Base Shield, Large
Dominion Vehicle Pads
- Vehicle Pad, Ghost
- Vehicle Pad, Banshee
- Vehicle Pad, Wraith
- Vehicle Pad, Mongoose
- Vehicle Pad, Warthog
- Vehicle Pad, Rocket Hog
- Vehicle Pad, Gauss Hog
- Vehicle Pad, Mantis
- Vehicle Pad, Scorpion
Dominion Barricades
- Line Upgrade Barricade
- Corner Upgrade Barricade
- Winged Upgrade Barricade
Base Status Monitors
- Base Monitor
- Monitor, 4Foot
Turret Status Monitors
- Turret Monitor, Small
- Turret Monitor, Large
Antennas
- Antenna, Small
- Antenna, Large
Visuals
- Terminal Battery
- Terminal Case
- Terminal Light
- Terminal Wires, 1
- Terminal Wires, 2
- Terminal Wires, 3
- Terminal Wires Junc. Box
Scenery Objects
- Camping Stool
- Folder Chair
- Street Cone
Barricades
- Barricade, Small
- Barricade, Large
- Jersey Barrier
- Jersey Barrier, Short
Crates
- Crate, Small
- Crate, Large
- Crate, Packing, Small
- Crate, Packing, Large
- Container, Small
- Container, Open, Small
- Container, Large
- Container, Open, Large
Sandbags
- Sandbag Wall
- Sandbag Corner, 90
- Sandbag Endcap
- Sandbag Pile
- Sandbag Single
- Sandbag Triple
- Sandbag Group
Pallets
- Pallet
- Pallet, Large
- Pallet, Metal
Vehicles
- Mongoose
- Warthog, Default
- Warthog, Gauss
- Warthog, Rocket
- Scorpion
- Mantis
- Ghost
- Wraith
- Banshee
- Shade Turret
Structure – Impact
- Station, Console
- Station, Core
- Station, Corridor
- Station, Ramp
- Station, 90
- Station, 45
- Station, 4 Way Lrg Cap
- Station, 4 Way Lrg
- Station, 4 Way
- Station, T
- Station, Airlock
- Station, Transistion
- Station, Door Jam
- Station, Door Jam 2
- Station, Airlock, SML
- UNSC Tower
- UNSC 2 Story
- UNSC 1 Story
- Silo 1
- Silo 2
- Silo 2, Closed
- Silo 3
- Central Floor Cap
Nature – Impact
- Rock, Small
- Rock, Flat
- Rock, Medium 1
- Rock, Medium 2
- Rock, Spire 1
- Rock, Spire 2
- Rock, Seastack
Structure – Ravine
- Artifact Base
- Base 1
- Base 2, Left
- Base 2, Right
- Bridge Wall
- Catwalk 1
- Catwalk Lip
Nature – Ravine
- Rock 1
- Rock 2
- Rock 3
- Rock 4
Structure – Erosion
- Pipe, 1×2
- Pipe, 45
- Pipe, Cross
- Pipe, Curved
- Pipe, End
- Pipe, Slanted
- Pipe, Y
Nature – Erosion
- Rock, Flat
- Rock, Medium 1
- Rock, Medium 2
- Rock, Seastack
- Rock, Small
- Rock, Spire 1
- Rock, Spire 2
Building Blocks
- Block, 1×1
- Block, 1×1, Flat
- Block, 1×1, Short
- Block, 1×1, Tall
- Block, 1×1, Tall and Thin
- Block, 1×2
- Block, 1×4
- Block, 2×1, Flat
- Block, 2×2
- Block, 2×2, Flat
- Block, 2×2, Short
- Block, 2×2, Tall
- Block, 2×3
- Block, 2×4
- Block, 3×1, Flat
- Block, 3×3
- Block, 3×3, Flat
- Block, 3×3, Short
- Block, 3×3, Tall
- Block, 3×4
- Block, 4×4
- Block, 4×4, Flat
- Block, 4×4, Short
- Block, 4×4, Tall
- Block, 5×1, Short
- Block, 5×5, Flat
Bridges and Platforms
- Bridge, Small
- Bridge, Medium
- Bridge, Large
- Bridge, XLarge
- Bridge, Diagonal
- Bridge, Diag, Small
- Dish
- Dish, Open
- Corner, 45 Degrees
- Corner, 2×2
- Corner, 4×4
- Landing Pad
- Platform, Ramped
- Platform, Large
- Platform, XLarge
- Cylinder Large
- Y Cross
- Y Cross, Large
- Sniper Nest
- Staircase
- Walkway, Large
Buildings
- Bunker, Small
- Bunker, Small, Covered
- Bunker, Box
- Bunker, Round
- Bunker, Ramp
- Pyramid
- Tower, 2 Story
- Tower, 3 Story
- Tower, Tall
- Room, Double
- Room, Triple
Decorative
- Antenna, Small
- Antenna, Satellite
- Brace
- Brace, Large
- Brace, Tunnel
- Column
- Cover
- Cover, Crenellation
- Cover, Glass
- Railing, Small
- Railing, Medium
- Railing, Long
- Teleporter Frame
- Strut
- Large Walkway Cover
Doors, Windows, and Walls
- Door
- Door, Double
- Window
- Window, Double
- Wall
- Wall, Double
- Wall, Corner
- Wall, Curved
- Wall, Coliseum
- Window, Coliseum
- Tunnel, Short
- Tunnel, Long
Inclines
- Bank, 1×1
- Bank, 1×2
- Bank, 2×1
- Bank, 2×2
- Ramp, 1×2
- Ramp, 1×2, Shallow
- Ramp, 2×2
- Ramp, 2×2, Steep
- Ramp, Circular, Small
- Ramp, Circular, Large
- Ramp, Bridge, Small
- Ramp, Bridge, Medium
- Ramp, Bridge, Large
- Ramp, XL
- Ramp, Stunt
Grid
- Grid