Halo Infinite News

Welcome to our third instalment of Forge Features – our final one for 2022 before the Holidays!



The community continues to make amazing Forge content that we at 343 are thoroughly impressed by; every week is made all the more exciting with the knowledge that we’re going to see some truly inspired creations, so let’s take a look at a selection of some of our latest favorites.

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[h2]Maps & Modes[/h2]

[h3]Mausoleum[/h3]
Credits: Pwn Jones, RANMAN10, TheHoodedManZ, microbistic9576
Bookmark: Mausoleum



Mausoleum is a map that is inspired by and takes elements of The Pit from Halo 3, something that you can see in the screenshot above, and reforges them into something altogether new.

I love the Delta Halo-inspired aesthetic, the angular simplicity and symmetry, the creative use of decals – all of which come together to make this map feel like a true, living location as well as a stellar multiplayer map for some good ol’ fashioned Slayer action!

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[h3]Absolution[/h3]
Credits: Anvil Prime 52, Savesme6464, b0b is here
Bookmark: Absolution



Absolution has some familiar aspects of a few different maps. You might find yourself thinking of Guardian from Halo 3 at times, Sanctuary from Halo 2 at others, and you’ll notice that this is also very aesthetically reminiscent of the ancient structures seen on Delta Halo. There really is just something about those weathered stone structures...

This is a fantastic 4v4 map which supports Slayer, CTF, and King of the Hill. Hop in and give it a go with some friends!

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[h3]Sandtrap Remake[/h3]
Credits: JRGodoy
Bookmark: Sandtrap Remake



The culmination of these ancient and weathered stone-based structures naturally brings us to a remake of this iconic favorite.

It’s Sandtrap as you know and love it! Well, if you want to get technical, it’s actually Sand Tarp – the variant of the map in Halo 3 without Elephants.

I hear this version of the map is so loyal to the original, JRGodoy has ensured exactly the same number of grains of sand are present on this remade version. I leave the task of confirming the veracity of that statement (which I definitely didn’t just make up) to you.

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[h3]Betrayal[/h3]
Credits: Dellsoto
Bookmark: Betrayal



Betrayal might be one of my favorite maps I’ve seen thus far. If you’re a fan of the Forerunner aesthetics of Halo: Combat Evolved, that fascinating mix of alien materials which evoke stone and metal, you’re going to have a great time just walking around this incredible interior space.

No expense has been spared in paying close attention to detail, and you might well imagine that this could have been a real Forerunner space in the campaign.

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[h3]LG Jump Progression (Parkour)[/h3]
Credits: Lord Guntaz
Bookmark: LG Jump Progression



Trick jumps in Halo. Are they super cool? They sure are! Can I do them? Absolutely not...

But if you’re among those skilled movement artists with a penchant for chain slides, curbslides, equipment jumps, and so on, you should totally check out this movement course from Lord Guntaz.

Current record time is apparent 5 minutes and 50 seconds by Exi, so go and see if you can beat them!

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[h2]Community Creations[/h2]

Moving over to additional Community Creations, we’re kicking off with DEWtheMCCOY who is now on day 34 of expediently covering the things you’ve been making.

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Of course, it always helps to be reminded of the basics, right? Koma has helpfully put together a Forge tutorial which covers just that, which will hopefully be helpful for folks just joining us – or those who simply want a reminder of the new systems and features of the Halo Infinite Forge Beta.

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And finally, PengiPlays has put together a tutorial on how to script player traits through nodegraphs. Active camo, additional shields, infinite ammo, player gravity, headshot protection... all of these and more are options at your disposal!

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And that’ll about do it for this issue. With the Holiday break coming up, we hope you all have some time to rest and jump into Forge to let loose your creativity.

Forge Features will be back in January, and we can’t wait to see what you’ve made!

Roadkill!



Complete all of your Weekly Challenges and the Ultimate Challenge to earn this week’s Ultimate Reward – the Splatter backdrop.

A new Ultimate Reward will become available every week, so be sure to keep an eye on your Challenges and take advantage of these free rewards.

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You came, you thaw, you conquered.



Break the ice with the bone-chilling additions of the Frostbite kill effect, Cold Shoulder armor effect, Ski Rack armor effect, and the Verglas Dream mythic effect set.

Now, get out there and snow no mercy!

In the spirit of the Holiday season, how about some early presents for Halo Infinite?

On the heels of the Winter Update, which launched just last month, we’re tremendously excited to deliver our latest game update for Halo Infinite which brings with it some brand new features and a variety of key improvements to the game experience.

The team has been working hard on addressing player feedback, and so – before we break for the Holidays – we’re bringing you a new (yet familiar) map, free armor cores and coatings, some quality-of-life improvements, and the early release of the Custom Games Browser…

The latest update is available now, for free, on Xbox and PC. So, let’s talk a little bit more about what’s just arrived!

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Visit the Halo Support site to review the official patch notes.

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[h2]Custom Game Browser[/h2]

Since the release of the Forge Beta with the Winter Update, just a month ago, the floodgates have well and truly opened to a barrage of incredible community-created maps and modes. For a look at some of our favorites, be sure to check out our Forge Features blog series!

Of course, in order to unlock the true potential of Forge and make these wonderfully unique experiences (which have long been such a definitive aspect of Halo) more accessible to everyone, we’re excited to announce that we’re debuting the V1 of the Custom Game Browser today – months ahead of our original target!



Previously scheduled to release in Season 3, we fully agree with players who felt that the Custom Game Browser should be a priority – it’s a key support structure for what players create in Forge and a pillar for the community. The team worked incredibly hard to land this feature so much further in advance, but with that comes the caveat that this is a “V1.” It is therefore likely to have some rough edges, but we felt it was more important that we get this in the hands of players sooner rather than later. The CGB will, of course, continue to evolve with support over time.

For more information, including instructions on how the CGB works, please refer to this article on the Halo Support site.

Give us your feedback here and be sure to report any bugs and issues on Halo Support.

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[h2]Enter Empyrean[/h2]

The Pit has come to Halo Infinite!

This beloved map from Halo 3 has been officially rebuilt in Forge by the 343 Industries team and is now reborn as Empyrean.

Empyrean is a reimagining of The Pit, complete with some refreshed aesthetics over its familiar layout, and no expense spared on attention to detail.



For those of you familiar with The Pit (or even its Halo 4 incarnation, Pitfall), you already know the dance. The immediate rush to grab the rocket launcher, the sniper duels atop its two opposing towers, the potential close-quarters perils of the control room – but this time, there are some new notes to be added to this symphony as it comes with the additional layer of Halo Infinite’s gameplay and sandbox features.

How do Halo Infinite’s toys, like its limited-use Equipment, alter some of those dynamics and affect how you traverse the combat dance floor? Maybe the enemy team managed to grab the rockets first, but you went and acquired the Repulsor to protect yourself (and hopefully your teammates as well). We can’t wait to see what new memories are forged in this proving ground!

Empyrean is available now in Matchmaking and Custom Games.

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[h2]Complimentary Cosmetics[/h2]

Over the last year, we’ve received a lot of feedback around Halo Infinite’s armor customization, and we are keenly aware that players – both new and returning – may have missed out on some unique content from over the course of Seasons 1 and 2.

We want to ensure that all players have a suite of customization options open to them from the get-go, and as a result of that feedback we are hoping that this update opens a number of those doors.

• All present Armor Cores are now available to all players. This means that all players now possess the Mark VII, Mark V (B), RAKSHASA, YOROI, and EAGLESTRIKE Armor Cores for free
  
• All 10 Cadet Coatings have been added to existing Armor Cores. Similar to the above, each Armor Core now has a starting suite of 10 Cadet Coatings – this includes the non-default Cores, and they will also be included with all future Cores

Variety, as they say, is the spice of life, and we hope that having these options as the bedrock of customization in Halo Infinite provides players more options to outfit their Spartan to their liking.

Simply log into Halo Infinite and these Cores 'n' Coatings will be automatically added to your cosmetic inventory.

Visit the Armor Hall today to explore these updated customization options!

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[h2]Quality of Life Improvements[/h2]

As we continue to support Halo Infinite, we have been working to bring various fixes and improvements across the title which are directly aimed at addressing key areas of player feedback.



Here are a few notable callouts that have come with this update…

• Mouse & Keyboard: Improvements have been made to mouse and keyboard input. This includes aiming improvements, enabling red reticle, adding a walk button (which has its own suite of custom options around speed and hold/toggle), and improvements have also been made to the mouse scroll wheel input
  
• Networking & Desync: Improvements have been made to networking, which should reduce instances of “desync.” Vehicles desycning, melee attacks not registering, and blank shots (due to fake reloads) should all see improvements with this update
  
• Player reporting: In-game player reporting has been added to the scoreboard (accessed during a match by pressing the Back button) and post-game carnage report. Players can also be muted from the Back button scoreboard
  
• Sandbox updates: Melee clang logic for the Energy Sword has also been updated—if both players have no shields and melee each other, both players will now trade melees and die in order to prevent the Energy Sword from tearing through teams without tradingCheck out the details in our previous Sandbox blog

Find the full patch notes on Halo Support.

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[H2]Thank You![/h2]

The last thing we want to say to close this update out is thank you!

Thank you to all our players who continue to provide us with feedback that enables us to continue supporting Halo Infinite, forging it into a better experience as we move forwards.



This first year of Halo Infinite has been one of many tough lessons learned, but we are confident that we are turning that corner in 2023 as we look forward to delivering Season 3 and more – more content, more features and options, more weapons, more cosmetics, more updates – on a regular cadence that keeps the Halo hype rolling all year long.

In the meantime, be sure to hop into Halo Infinite to check out the Winter Update. This free content update brought with it Campaign Network Co-Op and Mission Replay alongside some new Achievements, the Forge Beta, a free 30-tier Battle Pass, new maps, a new mode, and we’ve got two free new events as well (Winter Contingency 2 in December and Joint Fire in January).

We’re excited to continue taking these positive steps forward together, and on behalf of the entire 343 Industries team we hope you have a wonderful Holiday season. If you're interested in the press kit, you can grab a copy for yourself from here!

See you in 2023!

The best thing is when a Halo player logs into the game and says those three magical words: “It’s Forgin’ time!”



It’s barely been a month since the Winter Update released, bringing with it the long-awaited Forge Beta, and already we have seen the floodgates well and truly open to endless waves of excitement and creativity over what people are making with this tool.

And so, that naturally brings us to our second Forge Feature, where we showcase some of our favorite community-created content. Let’s get right to it!

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[h2]Maps & Modes[/h2]

[h3]Banished Narrows[/h3]
Credits: AngelitoCO
Bookmark: Banished Narrows



Narrows from Halo 3, as you’ve never experienced it before...

We’ve not even given you a Banished-themed Forge palette yet, but here it is, plain as day (or, well... night) – Narrows has been revamped with an all-new aesthetic and it looks utterly spectacular.

You know this dance floor well. Man cannons on either side of a long, multi-level bridge – perfect for those intense sniper duels. Rockets on the light bridge at bottom-mid, Overshield and Active Camo on opposing sides. It’s a map that rewards strong teamwork and precise coordination, and it looks pretty as both Forerunner skybridge and a Banished outpost.

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[h3]Uneeq | Lockout Remake[/h3]
Credits: UneeQ TV, Soxxxie, Saucy Situation, wild1551, Surasia
Bookmark: Uneeq | Lockout Remake



While we’re on the subject of map remakes, this one is a 1:1 recreation of Lockout from Halo 2.

Return to perhaps one of the most iconic multiplayer maps in all of gaming, whether that’s to 1v1 a friend of yours and settle a score or if you’re looking for some classic team-based 4v4 action.

This Lockout remake supports classic modes – Slayer, King of the Hill, Oddball. Grab your friends and indulge that Halo 2 nostalgia.

Oh, and er... please let us know if you spot any supernatural occurrences. It’s been said that old places like these are known to have the odd ghost...

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[h3]Banshee Battle: Space Cove[/h3]
Credits: zreakz
Bookmark: Banshee Battle: Space Cove



Look, sometimes you just wanna get together with your friends, hop into some Banshees, and shoot at each other while navigating a bunch of asteroids. Sometimes, that’s what Halo is all about.

Zreakz knows this well, and has created just such a map to satisfy that need.

Play Banshee Battle: Space Cove with up to 28 players and jump in with either FFA or Team Slayer modes for some dogfighting carnage. Zreakz recommends setting the respawn timer to instant for more hectic gameplay, and I think that’s a recommendation worth listening to!

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[h3]Outcast[/h3]
Credits: RyzenFox64
Bookmark: Outcast



Are you a fan of Derelict from Halo: CE? Outcast from RyzenFox64 isn’t exactly that, but it certainly feels like it’s got a lot of that map in its DNA – the Forerunner aesthetic of the original Xbox has been lovingly recreated with Halo Infinite’s modern fidelity, and that same eerie sense of isolation in a long-forgotten place is palpably present from the few glimpses you can get of the outside (ring)world.

Also, seeing the blocky green teleporters from Halo: CE recreated in Infinite just really hits the spot!

Hop into the map to explore the artistry that went into its creation, or try it out for some 4v4 Slayer and King of the Hill.

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[h3]Solution[/h3]
Credits: I Crush All, unsorted guy, Black Picture, Foge, b0b is here, MythicFritz, NightAvenger01, CertifiedChamp, tdubfed1, Max Extra, Kabe, The Xzamplez
Bookmark: Solution WIP



Solution is one of those maps where every detail in every corner had me saying “Wow!” out loud. The screenshot above gives just an impression of the space, which is dense in its immersive atmosphere.

Both at a glance and upon close inspection, it’s a map that you could quite convincingly tell someone shipped with the game. With an extensive credits list of the dirty dozen collaborators who contributed to this map, the overall cohesion and thoughtfulness of this map really is admirable.

2-12 players are recommended. If you somehow find yourself stuck wondering what to play next during a customs night, this is your Solution. (Come for the map recommendations, stay for the toe-curlingly terrible puns!)

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[h2]Community Creations[/h2]

In case you missed it, just the other week we sat down for a Community Corner chat with Red Nomster, who has provided us with some insight into his journey as a Halo fan and content creator for both lore and Forge.

If you’re looking to get started with Forge and are wanting some advice from a seasoned map maker, then be sure to give it a read for some helpful tips!

[h3]Community Corner: Red Nomster[/h3]

DEWtheMCCOY has been posting daily videos that showcase Forge content from the community. The dedication is thoroughly admirable, as he’s posted these videos (along with individual map showcases and “top ten Forges of the week” round ups) twenty-four days in a row. If you’re looking for a constant stream of Forge content to check out, you’re definitely going to want to keep an eye on DEW’s channel.

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Looking for some more tutorials to get a better understanding of the myriad systems and tools at your disposal in Forge? UnknownEmerald has got you covered!

In their latest videos, UnknownEmerald has helped us understand Bot Movement & Scripts, Setting Up Gametypes, and Spawns & Weapons.

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Looking at some of the more practical elements of how to publish your maps and how to update your published maps in Halo Infinite, Ducain23 has put together a handy guide.

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Finally for this issue, if you're wondering how to use navigation markers in your map, be sure to give this helpful guide from Soft Sharp a watch.

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We continue to be in half-jawed awe of the Forge community’s cunning creativity on a daily basis with the flurry of content that continues to give players countless hours of fun and unique experiences as a result of this tool. Even just hopping into these maps to look at how they’ve been crafted and feel inspired is great!

Looking to give us feedback on Forge? Head over to the forums here or on Halo Waypoint and leave us your thoughts.

Also, while sharing your Forge content online, just like with other community creations, be sure to tag it with #HaloSpotlight.

We’ll catch you in the next Forge Features blog!