Advent Unlimited
These days are so far displaced from the ones which came before that I struggle to remember what changed along the way. I can recall with effortless nostalgia how things were the first day downloadable content had been made available for Halo 2, in late April of 2005. And just as easily, I can fondly evoke the memory of the day when the next pack was released, roughly sixty days after the first.
Nine maps in sixty days.
Nine maps. Sixty days. And not just any maps, but some of the best Halo 2 offered when it was all said and done.
For Halo 3, something has definitely changed. It’s difficult to determine if this is the maps themselves or the gaunt, three-piece packs they’ve been released in, stretching out now at seven maps over the course of a year and a half. It’s probably a little bit of both. Of course, this isn’t Bungie’s fault, nor is it the fans’. We often forget, until we’re aggressively reminded, that downloadable content isn’t all about extending the life of a title — to the effectors of policy, it is all about business.
The unfortunate side effect of this reality has forced us to endure almost an entire year while the Mythic Six have hidden in the background, silently lying in wait. For the most part, we know them only by name: Assembly, Orbital, Sandbox, Citadel, Heretic and Longshore. They are the last bastion of the Halo 3 multiplayer experience; Bungie’s final opportunity to carry the title deep into the years after its release, hopefully bridging a gap to their next big thing, whatever that may be.
With the publisher’s decision to divide the Mythic Six, even more pressure has been placed on the first wave of this multiplayer content stream, the second wave now being delayed until sometime this fall with Halo 3: ODST. Not only are these three maps walking into a deathly drought of Halo multiplayer content, but they must now bear the load of two map packs, staving off a waning interest in the Halo multiplayer experience for the next six to eight months until the other three are delivered.
Ascendant Justice has had the privileged opportunity to play through the first batch for almost a week now, sinking our teeth into the multiplayer environments you know as Assembly, Orbital and Sandbox. The question at hand is whether the front end of the Mythic Six will send the title into the ground once and for all — or if it will set the stage for the golden era of Halo 3 multiplayer…
[Page One]
As always, great article.
I was already excited for all 3 maps, but now I really want to jump around on Assembly.
I often felt like there was something Halo 3 multiplayer was lacking and I think these maps will help complete the experience. Now we just need Headlong 2.0
Comment by Duncan — February 24, 2009 @ 4:15 am
Great read. The maps are really fun to play on. I would reserve my opinion regarding Sandbox and see what other forgers come up with, but Assembly and Orbital are great to play on and could be potentially on the list of my favorite Halo 3 maps.
Comment by Merguson — February 24, 2009 @ 12:50 pm
good read….i want the maps so bad…
Comment by Jeff — February 24, 2009 @ 9:26 pm
Apparently you have to be giving out codes for people to come to your sight and leave a comment. Thanks for the awesome article hopefully some of the people who read this will stop yelling at Bungie for being awesome.
Comment by EthanDog — February 24, 2009 @ 9:32 pm
I cant wait for the new maps.
literally!
i want to see what the community has in mind for new forged maps.
Nice Job Bungie.
Comment by Chewy — February 24, 2009 @ 9:37 pm
I wish that heritic, longshore, and cidedal came with it 2
Comment by Denzel — February 24, 2009 @ 9:41 pm
i am sorry i am a noob and ive never heard of these maps where would i happen to find them at? 🙂 id like to play on some new maps
Comment by Noobis Khan — February 24, 2009 @ 9:46 pm
This is great, I always love reading about the Mythic Map Pack. I can’t wait until they come out.
Comment by Paul — February 24, 2009 @ 10:16 pm
These maps look like what I have been looking for. I hope they play as well as their Halo 2 predecessors.
Assembly looks like the best of the bunch, with nice looking gameplay featured at MLGpro.com (go there now!)
Orbital looks like it could play well as a large/small map, confined but big. Look great for zombies too!
Sandbox is much better than that piece of crap Foundry, which absolutely sucks. The depth is amazing, never expected multi floors
Comment by Jordan — February 24, 2009 @ 10:25 pm
Thanks for the very informative and Brief explanation, I have been looking forward to these maps for a while now. I can’t wait to play orbital (figure out how the map is built) and assembly. I also can’t wait to forge on SANDBOX! Thanks for the map variant it will come in handy. Only a few more days and I will be exploring away on these maps (I hope). You’ve just built up my excitement more and I hope to maybe sometime run into you in MM.
Comment by LiteLeaf — February 24, 2009 @ 10:38 pm
Always an indepht analysis of the subject material and a great job in the writting. You guys always do a fantastic job when diving into one of the most interesting universes we as gamers get to play in. Can’t wait to play these maps!
Comment by Argosprtn — February 24, 2009 @ 10:46 pm
These 3 Mutiplayer Maps well Complete the ingame Vision The Fans Have So Been Wanting and Wish everyone a Great Time Getting Ur 1 Foot On Mythic!!
Chris Christian”aka Bigdummy
Comment by Chris Christian — February 24, 2009 @ 10:50 pm
Cool! I can’t wait until I get to play on them!
Comment by waterise — February 24, 2009 @ 10:53 pm
Beauty Mate! Nicely said. I’m picking up my Halo Wars LCE in less than 6hours. Ah, the perks of living in New Zealand.
Comment by DragonFire FEAR — February 24, 2009 @ 11:11 pm
Mythic Six.
Sounds like both of us have been watching too much Lost.
I’ll read the rest after I can get my essay done. I’ll have something too look forward to!
Comment by Grimmy ^_^ — February 24, 2009 @ 11:29 pm
This was really intresting. i read this and can not wait for these maps. it sucks that i cant get halo wars though. im excited
Comment by UnREaL TRiGGeR — February 24, 2009 @ 11:48 pm
man i wish they all came together i really want sandbox and longshore
Comment by cleeborp7 — February 25, 2009 @ 12:20 am
U ROCK BUNGIE!!!!! KEEP UP TEH GREAT WORK:) IF I
T-BAGGED ANY MEMBERS I DIDNT KNOW SORRY. I HOPE RECON ARMOR COMES OUT SOON:):)!!!!
Comment by TEXFINLEY — February 25, 2009 @ 12:40 am
Well, it is actually an insightful read. Thank you for showing everyone that the maps aren’t like whole new games, and are only there to stall for bungie…..
Comment by jarhead642XD — February 25, 2009 @ 12:47 am
I was hoping you guys at Ascendant Justice would get a chance to mess around with the new map pack. I hold a higher regard of your opinion then any other’s on the web,(except that of Bungie of course when it comes to Halo content. Really glad to see Bungie still looks out for the smaller guys.
Anyway now that I know everyone here at Ascendant Justice enjoyed the what could be, the savior of Halo 3 online, I am even more excite then ever before about these new maps.
Great job and as always keep up the great work.
-Erk
Comment by Yo Erk — February 25, 2009 @ 1:29 am
Bangarang Voc! Good job as always 🙂
Comment by Maj Williams — February 25, 2009 @ 1:44 am
What sandbox allows is for me to finally create an excellent long distance sniping map. Boarding action possibly too.
@Vociferous.
How high are you able to forge in the sky “bubble” before hitting an invisible barrier?
Comment by Guy — February 25, 2009 @ 2:18 am
very interesting read. i hope these maps are as good as they sound and i cant wait to play the forgers dream level: Sandbox!!!
Comment by iComz Warmup — February 25, 2009 @ 2:38 am
i hope these maps are the best awesome
Comment by jared — February 25, 2009 @ 8:10 am
I love what you guys do at bungie like:new maps, recon contest, mythic map pack giveaway, making halo 3 mods. those are the best thing in the world you guys could do. I strongly admire you guy’s work at making new things each day. keep doing the greatjob guys.
love, your greatest fan, boxie69
gamertag: boxie69
Comment by matthieu arsenault — February 25, 2009 @ 8:56 am
I LOVE BUNGIE,
gamertag,boxie69
Comment by matthieu arsenault — February 25, 2009 @ 8:57 am
I think the best level of the pack might have to be the Sandbox because, it has the tomb in the bottom of it for a great Grifball game and it is like a younger brother to Sandtrap.
Comment by Sgt Stacker344 — February 25, 2009 @ 10:42 am
Another wonderful article. I swear… if Bob Woodward and Ray Bradbury had a baby, it would be Ascendant Justice.
Comment by Full Time Loser — February 25, 2009 @ 1:16 pm
Fantastic article, best I’ve read on the new maps so far.
Thanks Vociferous!
Comment by Dayman — February 25, 2009 @ 5:56 pm
I always wondered why I had acheivements available for six Mythic maps when only 3 were coming out. Now I know. I think I’m going to have the most fun in Sandbox. I’m sure with the limitless possibilities, a lot of people are going to freeze up their 360s from the rediculous amount of items they put in them.
Comment by MC Warhammer — February 27, 2009 @ 2:19 am
Say, whats the deal with the Transport Hornet?
Comment by Tom-Tom — March 7, 2009 @ 6:56 pm
The Transport Hornet is the Hornet from Avalanche. The regular Hornet is the one from the shipped maps (and campaign). Sandbox has both.
Comment by Cocopjojo — March 7, 2009 @ 6:58 pm