#custom mapping

Are you pushing your Lexmoto LXR 125 to its limits and still craving more? We get it. That 125cc engine is great, but what if you could unlock a whole new level of performance? A big bore kit for your LXR 125 is a game-changer. It increases your engine’s displacement, giving you the raw power you’ve been dreaming of. But simply bolting it on isn’t enough. To unleash its true potential, and ensure…

Are you a motorcycle enthusiast always seeking to optimize your ride’s performance, refine its power delivery, and experience a truly personalized riding experience? Many riders find their bikes held back by factory settings, and you’re likely searching for a solution to unlock that hidden potential. Bike ECU remapping is precisely that solution, offering a pathway to a more responsive, powerful,…

From the archive: Mapping for the University of Maryland, Baltimore. 2017

https://www.behance.net/gallery/66429015/Mapping-for-the-University-of-Maryland-Baltimore

Custom Watercolor Map Mobile Phone Cases

This is such a cool product and process! Jace Design teamed up with Stamen, a world-leading provider of data visualization and mapping design, to create a way for you to choose any location in the world and have it rendered in watercolor for your Apple, Samsung or Pixel mobile phone case. (more…)

I recently got my hands on the new Defiant Map Pack for Halo: Reach. Last week I offered my first impressions of the three new maps after a couple days of playtime. Here is my review after I put a few more notches on my belt:

Highlands—16 players

Highlands is a huge map that supports Big Team Battle, Team Objective and Team Slayer. Each base has a warthog nearby, with a couple mongoose and ghost locations. As I said before, the size of this map promotes sniping and the jetpack will put you in prime locations for doing so. There are a couple backdoor tunnels to safely circumvent the No-Man’s middle area and they are not often used. The Spartan Laser and Plasma Launcher make for some hilarious cross-map kills, but are otherwise unused in favor of the sniper and DMR. On Slayer-type games, you will be shamed by the amount of times you are headshot from some unknown location.

Headhunter is pretty fun here, since it tends to draw players closer to collect skulls. This is definitely a shooter’s map, so if you are good with the default DMR then you will find yourself at the top of the score list. I am told by the Forge veterans this map is difficult to work with, so if you enjoy custom mapping, keep that in mind. All in all, a very good-looking map that is destined to be the most popular of the Defiant pack.

Condemned—12 players

Condemned is a midsize map that supports Free for All in addition to Team Objective and Team Slayer. This battle takes place in a space station, which means plenty of close combat. There is a very cool low-gravity area that often becomes the focal point of skirmishes. It seems like players are naturally drawn to the low-G area; battles will rarely ensue outside of here. A long sniper sight line extends through the low-G section, so keep that in mind when you are slowly floating upwards like a clay pigeon. In contrast to the Highlands, the space station is dimly lit in places making it ripe for assassinations.

The energy sword, my personal favorite, will always be in someone’s hands; unfortunately, carrying the sword puts you in the spotlight and draws players like a moth to open flame. The rocket launcher, combined with close quarters, makes for a lot of messy kills. I thought Crazy King was a great mode on this map, especially when the hill was in the low-G area. Action was easier to find on this map, so I preferred it over Highlands.

Unearthed—Firefight

Unearthed is a firefight map that is home to the standard firefight modes is addition to Generator Defense. This map feels a lot bigger than other Firefight maps, especially since the waves drop off a good distance from home base. There is a very conveniently placed missile launcher warthog, which is always nice, but Unearthed doesn’t appear to be a Firefight revelation.

I was never really impressed with this map. Set in the desert, the scenery is bland compared to Highlands and Condemned. I wish the map pack had 3 multiplayer maps instead of 2 and 1 Firefight map. It would have been a good value to have the 3 multiplayer maps with a bonus Firefight map, but it seems a cheap to call a Firefight map a legitimate third map.

If you are thinking about buying the map pack, consider how much you play Firefight versus regular multiplayer. Defiant offers two new multiplayer maps and one Firefight map for 800 MSP; with only two new multiplayer maps, I think $10 is asking a little much.

Overall: 7 out of 10