Official Forge Academy BETA Signup

[Insane54]

Hey guys, we're in the works on the newest addition to Forge Hub, the Forge Academy. What we'll be doing is giving people who are serious about learning a chance to have personal 'classes' with 'teachers', select Premiums, Loyals, and Staff, and learn what their speciality is. We're not trying to say we're the best, or that we know all, we're trying to pass on what we know to the rest of the community, to whoever's serious, and hopefully it will become more common knowledge through the student teaching it to others.

Let me reiterate this: we are only taking people at the moment who are clearly serious about learning. If you're not sure, if you're just in it to meet the guys or in it to learn something without being totally serious about following up, this is not the place.

Now that we have that down, we're going to have a closed beta of this. Here are the classes. Mind that there is extremely limited space, but keep checking in as classes will have open spots or new classes may start up.

Insane54
Steps Towards Map Design Mentality
In this class we'll be backwards engineering Bungie's and other people's maps to figure out what the creators were thinking. From there we will eventually come to an understanding about how map design works, and how to go about thinking about an area in terms of proper design rather than aesthetics.
Size of Class: 4
Duration: 3 Weeks
If you have a capture card, mention it

Insane54
Map Design 201
In this class, we'll take what we've learned with Map Mentality and apply it to a map idea, and attempt to go through the entire map design process. We will start with paper and move on to Sketchup and completing a map design.
Size of Class: 4
Duration: 3 Weeks
Prerequisites: Must have a decent sense of map design mentality, or have taken Steps Towards Map Design Mentality class. This must be able to be easily proven (through sketches or a paragraph on design). People who have just finished Steps Towards Map Design Mentality will be priority admitted.

Shock Theta
Player Manipulation
This class focusses on how to manipulate player movement to reinforce the design goals of your map. We will cover some design basics if necessary, or to more clearly illustrate an example, but in general it assumes you are already capable of designing and producing a logical and playable map.
At the end of the course you should be better armed to realise the full potential of your map, and ensure that even complex maps you create are able to accommodate a wider variety of player skill levels, remain approachable for first time players and offer sufficient depth for the more experienced.
Size of Class: 2 CLASS IS FULL!
Duration: ?

Pegasi Delta
An Introduction to the Forge
This is somewhat of a double-barreled course, the first aim being to teach basic forge techniques and also address how to use them effectively when building maps. The next stage of the course is to address the nature of Forge itself, how it should be approached and viewed as a map editor, and how this impacts upon design, building and testing phases.
Size of Class: 3
Duration: ?

MickRaider
The Remakers
Being able to remake a map is a skill that few people truly appreciate. A thorough understanding of map design is needed to properly remake a map so as to include all important aspects of the original while still making it feel unique and appreciated in its own regard. Remaking a map is one of the best ways to learn the forging basics, from proper map planning, correct forging techniques, and a thorough understanding of map design elements.
Size of Class: 5 CLASS IS FULL!
Duration: ?

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Again, don't sign up if you're not totally serious. We'll be choosing some select people from here who will be given access to the Academy section.

To signup, provide the following in a reply to this thread. Realize that the more information you give will show how much motivation you have, along with letting us see if you really do fit the class

• ForgeHub username
• Xbox Live gamertag
• Any official positions or achievements acquired at ForgeHub
• Your expected schedule in which you are 100% sure you will be able to be there. If you are not there, you will probably be dropped from the class and/or beta testing.
• Which class are you most interested in? Why? Explain IN DETAIL
• How motivated are you to learning? Explain IN DETAIL.
• Give us a quick rundown on what you know in Forge, and what you'd like to improve on or learn.
• Explain what you expect to learn in your class of choice
• Optional: Add any information you would like to convince us that you should get in your class of choice
• If I am given access, I will not leak codes to allow others in, and all information there will be considered confidential unless specified elsewise (Y/N)
• I agree that all decisions made by the staff in this matter are final and I will not protest these (Y/N)

Good luck.

[stickmanmeyhem]

Forge Hub username: stickmanmeyhem
Xbox LIVE Gamertag: stickmanmeyhem
Special permissions/Achievements aquired on Forge Hub: Junior Member of the Testers Guild
Schedule: 5:00-8:00 PM (PST) on weekdays
Class interested in: Steps Towards Map Design Mentality
How motivated are you?: I am very interested in learning the details about great map making. I have never been a great forger, but that is my goal. My downfall when it comes to making a great map is designing. I design a very nice map and then I'll forge it, but then the gameplay will be short of amazing. This is why I want to take these classes, to get that extra little push and hopefully be able to come up with original well playing map ideas.
What you know, and what you want to know: I know most, if not all, forging techniques out there. However, I am not as talented at designing maps. I want to learn how to design a well playing, aesthetically pleasing map.
If I am given access, I will not leak codes to allow others in, and all information there will be considered confidential unless specified elsewise (Y/N): Yes. Erm... No... Well, I wouldn't leak the codes or information...
I agree that all decisions made by the staff in this matter are final and I will not protest these (Y/N): Yes.

Edit: Someone had to start the replies... First!!

[IndigoBeef]

damn it insane! i've spent the last couple of months working on my own forging school and now you come out with this and my plans are completely scuppered. :( sadfaic

*edit*
now after i think about it i guess our two schools could work side by side as my school is more about matching students to a teacher with specific talents rather than held classes. so good luck with your classes, i might apply for one.

[Bloo Jay]

Forge Hub username: Bloo Jay
Xbox LIVE Gamertag: HomerSPC
Special permissions/Achievements aquired on Forge Hub: Known by almost if not all of the regulars (as in active people).
Schedule: Anywhere from Noon to Midnight, Weekends
Class interested in: Steps Towards Map Design Mentalty
How motivated are you?: I try my hardest to make maps, and alot of them actually would play really well. I put enough time into every map, just to have some lines of sight bad, or something wrong with the map. Even though, I continue to try to teach myself how to create an extremely good looking, and well playing map
What you know, and what you want to know: I can do every technique I believe, from basic Interlocking, to Ghost Merging, etc. I would like to learn Sight Lines, Spawn Placements (Weapon and Respawns), and just overall Flow for a competitive map.
If I am given access, I will not leak codes to allow others in, and all information there will be considered confidential unless specified elsewise (Y/N): Yes.
I agree that all decisions made by the staff in this matter are final and I will not protest these (Y/N): Yes.

[Aaronator]

Aaronator

I_Aaronator_I

Finally releasing a good map. I also started the contest Minigame Forge-off (starting in Nov again). I'm also a member of the Tester's Guild.

I'm open for almost any times.

I would like to learn how to control peoples movement through the map. Understand the mentality of a player, and what they think in combat. While I can control LoS and can make things look aesthetically pleasing, I lack the knowledge of player manipulation. I hope this class can change this. I'm not sure who's class this would be but this is what I want to learn.

I am very serious about learning and would like to make a name for myself on ForgeHub.

I know all Forging 101 techniques. I need more knowledge of map design.

If I am given access, I will not leak codes to allow others in, and all information there will be considered confidential unless specified elsewise (Y/N) Yes

I agree that all decisions made by the staff in this matter are final and I will not protest these (Y/N) Of course

[Insane54]

I would like to learn Sight Lines, Spawn Placements (Weapon and Respawns), and just overall Flow for a competitive map.

I want to clarify that I'm not teaching specific points in depth or how to use them. We'll be basically backwards-engineering Bungie maps to see why things were done, in an effort for the students to begin to think in designs (it all kind of comes at one time, but there's many of parts to it, the most basic of which we'll go over in the class)

[IndigoBeef]

• Forge hub username: IndigoBeef

• XBL gamertag: IndigoBeef

• Achievements/Special permissions: created a map that was used on two pod casts from different sites (TRR & Zoxin it up!)

• Schedule: 6PM - 10PM weekdays, 3PM - 10 PM weekends (all in GMT London)

• Class: Insane’s class because ever since I have started forging my main weakness has been map design, not because I'm too lazy (I’ve literally spent hours trying to design maps) but because I find it difficult to visualize what I will be building before I start work on it.

• Motivation: This is something that I have wanted to learn in to do since joining forge hub over two years ago. I have read guides and spoken to many forgers about map design but none of them have ever really helped me so I hope that this class can be the push I need to finally learn map design.

• My forging abilities: I can do all types of merging, most I can do fairly well but my geolocking and tear drop merging could be improved. What I would really like to learn is map design, I always seem to fall down on this when making a map so being able to learn even the basics of good map design would help m greatly.

• If I am given access, I will not leak codes to allow others in, and all information there will be considered confidential unless specified else wise: Yes

• I agree that all decisions made by the staff in this matter are final and I will not protest these: Yes

[Aaronator]

Insane how will you instruct these classes? in forge? instant messaging? special section on forums?

[Insane54]

Depends on the class. For me, we'll be talking in the pregame lobby, then we'll move to a couple maps for examples. I'll give out some stuff to do at the end over the week, I guess an equivalent of homework. It will almost always be sketches on paper (or another medium that works as well or better), usually able to be taken very lightly or done for hours.

[Bloo Jay]

Originally Posted by Insane54

I want to clarify that I'm not teaching specific points in depth or how to use them. We'll be basically backwards-engineering Bungie maps to see why things were done, in an effort for the students to begin to think in designs (it all kind of comes at one time, but there's many of parts to it, the most basic of which we'll go over in the class)

Alot of that incorporates the sight lines and placement of spawns and weapons, or well, from what I've been shown before.