Medusa is a map+Mode set for Halo 5: Guardians’ custom games, allowing gamers without sight (GWS) to play alongside or against their sighted counterparts in both Slayer and Oddball gametypes on at least a fairly even playing field. This gameplay is facilitated by linear map design, as well as a number of audio cues around the map.
This document serves to underline the rules that were utilised during playtests of this map and should be used in community run events using the maps and modes featured herein.
How does Gaming work for GWS?
Similarly to how fighting games can be played using any number of controller styles, from a standard controller to a full on arcade setup, so too can GWS play mainstream videogames (i.e. those not designed specifically for the niche market of “blind” players) with a variety of different methods. These range from getting sighted assistance, to trial and error, to using software to recognise the images that are on the screen and extrapolate text from them.
Actual gameplay, as opposed to navigating menus (which the above methods are primarily used for), is facilitated by audio cues and additional elements of practice and luck, though the 3 key components (audio cues, dedicating time to a game and sighted assistance where required) can change on a game-by-game and a case-by-case basis.
Mainstream videogames (simply game or games from here on out) have only really started including accessibility features in the years since the release of Halo 5: Guardians (though examples can be found from before that) and with online multiplayer experiences that can be customised, it is often up to the communities surrounding those games being willing to assist and work with what’s available in terms of in-game toolsets or mods to make the experience as accessible as possible.
With that piece of clarification out of the way, let’s explore the process of actually coming up with a forge map and mode and the some of the issues encountered along the way.
Concept and creation
The earliest ideas for a map+mode designed for relatively balanced combat between sighted players and GWS can be found in a 1v1 mode that I had assistance in creating for just such a purpose after discussions with a number of individuals who wanted to play against me in a scenario where no truely unfair advantage, like vision, would be a deciding factor.
Such a map and mode can be seen in this non-commentated video from the early days of prototyping such a venture. Though I am really not great in terms of skill (especially compared to how the newer iterations have allowed me to improve and implement strategy), I really felt I had an interesting idea with this initial concept.
From this, I carried on playing with sighted players, most of whom thought the idea was certainly interesting if nothing else.
Eventually, I had an idea about expanding the 1v1 format seen above into one that would be, hopefully, closer to “true Halo multiplayer” or “the true Halo experience”, which lead, pretty much, to the creation of Medusa’s map+mode format.
The map was actually created out of an idea I had about Halo players running down corridors, avoiding crossfire and getting multiple kills as a result, similar to Star Wars sequences. With this in mind, I put out a call for creators to help make this map an actual working prototype. This was, in part, to see how viable it would actually be to have matches take place between gamers without sight and sighted players who, at this point in my Halo multiplayer experiences outside of campaign, had caused me nothing but frustration other than in 1v1 melee weapon battles as previously referenced.
Fortunately, this tentitive request for assistance was met with a positive response from the community and thus the prototyping commensed, with just one solitary Forger and myself as the members of this initial team.
Prototyping and playtesting
Within 5 hours of our discussions, we had a prototype map up and running with the same mode that had been used in previous 1v1 playtests. Footage of this prototype can be seen in this video. That served its purpose well enough until we added new features and weapons, as well as focusing on the core gameplay experience and feature set, including increasing movement speed to allow players to move to fights more quickly.
As more forgers were drafted in to assist in the map’s construction and playtesting, we discovered that the threat marker was able to be used as a method of lining up to players who were in front of you, allowing you to shoot them in the back as they, for example, run up the side of the map or return from an existing firefight at the centre. Once that was discovered and we realised how effective this attachment could be, we began considering what other weapons would be useful that could work with it. Testing SMGs and other more overpowered weapons for the entertainment value alone, we began to seriously investigate what would work for actual match scenarios. Footage of testing of SMGs, amongst other weapons, can be seen in this 2v2 test run.
One of the original starting loadouts was an energy sword and gravity hammer combination, derived from the 1v1 mode that was used to test the prototype. This morphed into an assault rifle and gravity hammer loadout, with an energy sword placed at the centre of the map.
During one playtest about half-way through the cycle, the energy sword was deemed far too overpowered with the ability to kill a hammer-wielding enemy from far out of their own range by aiming down sites. Consequently, the energy sword was removed in favour of a shotgun in the same location which, though difficult to use, proved to be very satisfying if you can get kills with it.
Around the time of the addition of the Shotgun, I started discussions of how long-range weapon/gunplay would work when all players have no sight whatsoever and what would sound and play in a satisfying way. Looking through a few weapons, we eventually settled on the DMR (Designated Marksman’s Rifle) and the Battle Rifle (the Halo 5 variant).
Though the DMR was, in the first discussions of gunplay, the only weapon available for players to pick up and use as part of their loadout and placed at the bottom middle of the map, we realised that in order to insentivise players to utilise all areas available to them, we had to give them a reason. Said reason came in the form of the Battle Rifle (BR) which, whilst not completely effective at long ranges, can be deadly as an up close to mid-range powerhouse. After a while, the BR and DMR were moved to mirror each other at the top left and right of the map, as discussed later as part of the map description.
Movement around the map changed significantly as well during iterations, with the realisation that Spartan charge should be removed coming early on in development. The movement speed was increased to allow for players to actually get to firefights in progress in time to participate, as the default movement speed would not allow for this. Boost and sprint were also altered, providing maneuverability options that weren’t previously available on default settings. These changes only served to heighten the relative frequency of player vs player interactions and allow for intense exchanges of fire that could be escaped from relatively easily with enough practice. Such alterations also enabled human error to be a greater deciding factor in obtaining kills, making for some interesting and sometimes comedic moments during gameplay with several playtesters.
For the lore heads
As you can see if you’ve looked at the map in more recent footage, it has a distinctly Sangheili aesthetic. For the uninitiated in Halo lore, the Sangheili are commonly known as Elites by members of the United Nations Space Command (UNSC).
The narrative reason that I came up with during development runs close to the following, though at the time I never thought to write it down so it may differ from my original concept, if only slightly:
After The Arbiter and the UNSC became allies, it was decided that the Spartans, as good as they were, were currently not as efficient as they might be in low-light, non-earth-like environments. The Arbiter was consulted as to the suitability of any areas of Sanghelios, his homeworld, for combat training purposes.
Whilst studying old records of plans for the various keeps, he discovered a series of catacombs not present on any map, including an area that he thought would be ideal for the training that the UNSC wanted to undertake. After making sure that the area would fully serve the purpose, the UNSC began construction on the Medusa project for “combat training under adverse conditions”.
The codename for the project stems from the Greek mythological figure of the Gorgon, specifically Medusa herself. The creature was said to possess the ability to turn any living thing that gazed upon her into stone. Since the result was fatal and this training program was designed to emphasise the importance of adjusting to a complete lack of light, as one would have to when closing their eyes to avoid this mythical demise, the codename was chosen and resultantly stuck. Participants jokingly summarised it as “you look, you die”, but a more formal rendering was along the lines of “if you open your eyes, we’ll know”.
The floors of the traning facilities were outfitted with materials that, whilst they wouldn’t be present in all combat environments the Spartans would fight in, would allow them to gain an understanding of navigation without the aid of sight that had become such a cruch through most of their original training and combat exercises.
The Medusa project is a classified part of ONI’s initiatives to further the Spartn Program and there is hope that it will improve the combat abilities of the UNSC’s arguably greatest assets as time goes on.
The map itself
Though parts of the map have already been referenced, here’s some clarification as to its construction.
The map is relatively straightforward. It’s a symmetrical map with a square as its exterior, with two lines connecting the top and bottom and right and left edges. All of these lines (the outer edges of the square and the interconnecting lines) are actually corridors that a player can run through, converging at the centre of the map in a nexus point.
The outer square is composed of metallic material, with the interconnecting corridors at the midpoint of each side of the square being composed of glass. Consequently, as you move through the map, you will hear your footsteps change (unless your orientation is off in which case this may not function as intended).
Important Audio Cues
Each of the corners on this map, as well as the central point, have audio cues associated with them to better facilitate easy comprehension of the player’s current position, as follows:
- Bottom left corner: water dripping
- Bottom right corner: rodent-like sfx.
- Top left corner: flying/wing movement/electricity sfx
- Top right corner: small rocks falling away.
- Centre of the map: Wind sfx.
Callouts
Motivated by the championship streams that I’d watched whilst conceptualising the map in the early stages, I decided to make callouts for it as well so that I could explain more accurately to players how things worked, as well as being aware of threats should team communication ever be discussed as part of future playtesting.
The callouts work as follows:
The map is discussed as if from a top-down perspective, as if you’re looking down on the map from above. Also, it was described by one co-forger and playtester as being “like a photo frame, where you’re holding it up in front of you”. The method of comprehending these callouts does vary from player to player, though if you’re all using the same terminology, it shouldn’t matter how you perceive the map in the first place.
Top is the top edge of the map, right is the right-hand edge of the map, left is the left-hand edge of the map and bottom is the bottom edge of the map. Finally, Mid is the centre of the map. All fairly self-explanitary so far.
Within those edges are callouts for the glass interconnecting corridors as well, with edge+mid being the correct way to indicate these areas (i.e. I’m running from bottom mid towards bottom right or, I’ve got the DMR and I’m coming back through top mid). Speaking of the DMR…
Starting weapons and weapon placement
Regardless of gametype, players have the same weapons available to them. Players start with an assault rifle with threat marker and a gravity hammer, as well as a pair of frag grenades. Around the map, on the corners and mid points of each edge frag grenades and plasma grenades are available to make sure that players never lack the ability to kill clusters of enemy players or to possibly distract enemies who might think they know where their opponent is.
Also featured on the map are 3 powerful guns designed to accommodate everything from short to longer-range playstyles which, whilst partially covered by the assault rifle, are enhanced and improved with these new additions to your arsenal. Specifically, these weapons are comprised of the DMR, a weapon that seems to be half-way between a Sniper and the next gun on the map, namely the battle rifle. The final gun of the 3 available is the shotgun, specifically the Blaze of Glory variant.
All 3 of these guns are designed for differing combat scenarios. The DMR works as a primarily long range weapon and the BR at mid to close range, with the shotgun for very close-quarters scenarios. These can vary of course depending on playstyle (the BR has been known to hit at extremely long ranges even if it doesn’t kill) and you’ll discover these variations as you play.
As for placement of these three important items, the BR is placed at top left, the DMR at top right and the shotgun is at mid.
The DMR and BR are easier to get kills with, but if you’re feeling confident, take that shotgun and show your opponents what you’re made of.
Rules
There are a number of rules that must be put in place in order to play Medusa effectively. Players who don’t follow these rules should be coached as to their importance and made to understand that breaking them jeopardises the game for everyone, not just a small set of participants.
- Play without sight: First and foremost, the maps+modes that are part of this set must be played with a complete lack of sight on the part of all players. It doesn’t matter how this is achieved (turning off monitors, putting a shirt over your head, sitting under a desk and facing away from the screen, etc) as long as you can’t see anything and you are playing purely through the audio alone. There is an understanding that this excludes deaf players. However that is not a deliberate course of action and, were there a way to make this completely even to facilitate easier interaction between deaf players and GWS, or if one is discovered, it will be looked into by the forging team at the earliest opportunity.
- No right stick: as players all face the same direction and the map is composed of straight lines, there is no need to look left/right. Moreover, if your orientation is off-centre or if you think it is, just throw grenades against a wall. If one connects successfully a single one will reset your orientation and respawn you. This is due to the grenade damage settings.
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No “backwalling”: This turn of phrase refers to the practice of simply sticking to the very back wall at the bottom edge of the map. Whilst it can be prevented forcefully (namely via the use of gravity hammers), I prefer to just advise players that doing so hampers their playstyle and they’ll never get the ranged guns that are better at scoring kills in a majority of scenarios.
Author’s Note: There was a glitch discovered late in playtesting that enabled a player to be very difficult to hit by grenades or shot if they just positioned themselves right at the very corner of the map, which is why Gravity Hammers are recommended for displacing foes in such positions. Unfortunately this glitch is very hard to resolve though the team is working to do what it can. Hopefully improvements might be possible in the next game’s Forge mode, should it come with one at launch or be released after the fact.
Strategies
Medusa Slayer
You may be forgiven for thinking that the best way to achieve victory in Medusa Slayer is via running in and trying to kill any players who come your way the instant you get an opportunity. The key difference between this and the mode in practice is that you should also be focusing on your lines of danger as well as your lines of sight.
To illustrate by way of example, if I run to top left for the BR, my opponents have a couple of options:
- Try and intercept me at the pickup. If they do this, I have to defend myself or back down and wait to obtain the weapon at a later point, or move for the DMR for example, potentially evading the imminent firefight for a few extra seconds.
- Await my arrival at one of the locations for the 3-way chance shot (bottom mid, bottom left or bottom right). Once I’ve gathered the BR, I have to run down one of the 3 lanes on the map. Before I get to the corridor connecting left/right mid (one of a couple of through-routes available to me), there’s a chance that I could be taken down from the very bottom of the map or from a position slightly further up from one of the three previously referenced locations.
The utilisation of “through-routes” can be crucial to your survival when playing Medusa Slayer, as opponents can have a line of sight on you through varying scenarios. Working with the connecting corridors, regardless of whether you’re obtaining new weapons or trying to enter or leave a firefight, can allow you to potentially stay alive for a longer period of time, as well as maybe even giving you the drop on an unsuspecting foe.
Medusa Oddball
What is Oddball
Oddball is one of those elements of Halo that I’d never really seen or got into, but once I heard about it wanted to try and recreate. Fortunately, given the way Oddball works it turned out that Medusa, in an unmodified state other than a few scripts to allow the ball to emit sound, was very well-suited for this intense and interesting gametype.
How does it work?
Medusa Oddball is straightforward. When the match starts, a ball is spawned in at mid. All players spawn in and the first objective is to go in and obtain the ball. There are a number of strategies for how you can handle this as a player, some of which will be covered below.
The first player to reach the victory score of 150 points, or the highest scoring player at the end of the match if that cap isn’t reached by anyone, wins.
As much as you might want to be the first player on the ball on Medusa, it might not be the best idea. Moreover, you might not have any choice in the matter. If this is the case, here’s a couple of strategies to help:
- Should you wish to avoid the bloodbath that can be mid at the beginning of the match, you can feel free to hold back, move to bottom mid and throw grenades up to in and around centre, or be at one of the sides ready to run in and take down the ball carrier or any opposing players, potentially being in relatively less danger of a direct hit from the back.
- If you don’t have a choice and are unable to get to the ball yourself, be prepared to move through the map and listen for that ball cue. Once you hear that, be ready to either thro grenades to take the ball carrier, or move in and battle for the ball directly via hammers. For less risk, try and obtain a DMR or BR and flank the carrier as they run up an edge or through mid. Opponents can also be taken down with assault rifles and this starting gun can be surprisingly powerful when used effectively.
Being a Ball Carrier
Carrying the ball, or being the Ball Carrier (or sometimes just carrier for short) is straightforward as well. Run to the ball, press and hold X when you’re in the correct range and you’ll pick up the ball. From that point forward until you drop the ball or die, the cue for said ball follows you whereever you go. What this means in practice is that other players can locate you and take you down. You’ll have to be light on your feet and familiar with the map, as well as how to both release and retrieve the ball in the middle of a firefight. It’s an intense role that requires you to put even more focus into listening for surrounding players than Medusa Slayer, at times.
Parts of the above strategies also intersect with medusa slayer, but you’ll likely find a playstyle as you keep running the map and understanding how scenarios can change based on player numbers as well as levels of experience.
Developer Walkthrough
If you want to see all of the above elements in action as part of a 1v1 scenario in the latest version of the map and mode, here’s the Developer Walkthrough.
The caveat For GWS
For those GWS interested in playing this, there is a large barrier to entry in the sense that a sighted player has to set everything up and invite you in. With the progress that Microsoft is making with game accessibility though, maybe this won’t be an issue if a second version of Medusa is constructed in a future title.
I want to play this. Where can I get the files?
The files are available from Spartan Blood 1, one of the main co-forgers of this map. They can be found and bookmarked via Halo Waypoint at the links below.
Slayer
- Map: Medusa Slayer (Map)
- Mode: Medusa Slayer (Mode)
Oddball
- Map: Medusa Oddball (Map)
- Mode: Medusa Oddball (Mode)
Feedback
Do you have any suggestions or improvements to put to the team? Make them known via the contact page
Also let us know if you have any interesting stories about your experiences with the map and they’ll be placed in a separate section on this page.