Raaascal writes:
No beavers allowed.
I will only be providing you with a brief introduction today, as it seems I have run out of character space. Here's Jackal Creek by A 3 Legged Goat.
Q. Who are you and why do you forge?
A. I'm A 3 Legged Goat and I'm responsible for FAQ and HUB threads during Reach's development, as well as many complaints about the final game. But despite my frustrations, I love Forge and I've adopted it as a creative outlet. I was very new to it before I discovered ReachingPerfection. They are a talented, helpful, and insightful group of designers--especially Jonzorz 124, whom would later become a co-author for Jackal Creek.
Q. What was your inspiration for Jackal Creek?
A. When I walled off the area I noticed that there was a creek running through the middle. I didn't want to rebuild Beaver Creek, but I chose to borrow a bit of its design. Beaver Creek's defining features were the unique bases and teleporter system. As a result, Jackal Creek's bases are also very unique and my favorite part of the map. They are accessible, functional, and Jon and I managed to make them look cohesive.
Q. Where is Jackal Creek located and why did you choose that location?
A. I panned Forge World for days before I found this curious corner of the Island. I noticed it had some symmetrical qualities to it, so I placed a middle mark and worked from there. I wanted to make a terrain map that felt like it was built by actual map artists and not forged pieces. Jon always said how the space chosen for Jackal Creek felt like it was built for Jackal Creek, and that thought fueled the map's construction.
Q. Did you employ any unusual forge techniques in making Jackal Creek?
A. The most radical design theory that I followed was "asymmetry within symmetry". Because Jackal Creek is a terrain map, Jon and I decided to give each area of the map distinctive advantages and disadvantages. For this idea, we looked to Valhalla for inspiration. On JC, you'll have to play a little differently depending on which side you start, much like Valhalla. But don't worry--no side is ever doomed from the start.
Q. What separates your map from other maps?
A. I think when players experience Jackal Creek, the one thing that really stands out to them is its polish. JC just looks like a finished map and the gameplay experience feels refined. It may not do anything revolutionary or incredibly innovative, but we did have a passionate group of players building and testing it for months and it shows. It was quite difficult to build the majority of the map without rotation snap. Nevertheless, I'm thrilled that we were able to use the terrain and compliment it with unique structures as well as we did.
Q. Are there any tips that you have and would like to share with other enthusiastic forgers out there?
A. It's imperative that designers take their time to develop a concept thoroughly. Jackal Creek was redesigned 22 times over 3 months before it arrived at what you see here. I watched all the playtest films from each players Perspective to see what changes I had to do to polish JC. But a map is never finished--even after it's in Matchmaking.
Q. Anything else people should know before they download?
A. The way the structures are designed cause combat to flow all around the map, which makes it great for FFA and CTF. It was also designed with the Ghost in mind, so don't be afraid to use it!
Thank you for your time Raaascal, and thank you B.net for the wonderful opportunity to share Jackal Creek with you. We're just getting started...
Download:
Jackal Creek