| Anchor 9 | |
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| Map overview | |
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Metal space station interior, space |
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Symmetrical |
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2-8 |
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| “ | Orbital dockyards provide rapid refueling and repairs for a variety of UNSC vessels. | ” |
Anchor 9 is a multiplayer map in the Noble Map Pack for Halo: Reach.[2]
DescriptionEdit
Anchor 9 is set in a UNSC Sabre engineering facility inside the refit station Anchor 9 in low orbit over planet Reach. In the distance, Sabres can be seen flying around, close to the two Paris-class heavy frigates and near the other side of the station.
OverviewEdit
LayoutEdit
This map features many close quarters combat sections. It is fully symmetrical with a two-leveled base at each side and a long spine separating the map into the "Weapons" side and "Repair" side. Both sides feature a large shield door that allows access to a narrow walkway outside the station for low-gravity combat.
Anchor 9 Map.
A heatmap of Anchor 9.
CalloutsEdit
The following are locations on the map that are so named on the player's heads-up display during gameplay:
- Repair Control
- Repair Wing
- Weapons Wing
- Observation Deck
- Control Room
- External Platform
- Space
- Hangar
- Sabre
- Repair Ledge
- Repair Operations
- Access Tunnel
VariantsEdit
- Unanchored[3]
Production notesEdit
Anchor 9 was designed to emulate The Pit from Halo 3, featuring symmetrical team-based combat, multi-floor engagements, and different approaches to the center area.[4] During development, the developers implemented a switch on the map that disables the shield doors, pulling objects out of the repair bay and creating a zero-gravity environment in the indoor space. Ultimately, the feature was taken out after being proven to be "not fun" after repeated playtesting.[5] The map was apparently a favorite among testers, and saw very few layout changes.[4]
The level was built by Michael Milota, who created interconnected spaces with windows and drop-downs to allow for more movement on the map; Milota envisioned the map as a heavily damaged space station[4] — an idea later executed by Certain Affinity for Condemned on the Defiant Map Pack. Concept art of the map was produced by Steve Chon.[6] Environment artists that worked on the map include Samuel Jones,[5] Steve Cotton, Frank Capezzuto, and Kentarou Taya.[4] According to Jones, the map required more art than the team expected, which posed as a challenge during the development.[5] 3D artist Milton Cadogan created the missile cart and the engine service module, notably minimising the memory needed for their bitmap textures.[4]
Despite the name of the level being Anchor 9, the actual space station does not look like the Anchor 9 from campaign. The colors of the station are more white and yellow as well as the geometry of the station is quite different. There was likely a discrepancy introduced when the map was named mid-development.[4] Using Pan Cam, the player can see that the playable area is actually a floating cube, separated from Anchor 9's superstructure.
TriviaEdit
- Anchor 9 is the fifth level and the third multiplayer map in the Halo series to expose players to the vacuum of space, after Boarding Action, Cairo Station, Long Night of Solace, and Zealot.[2]
- The grenades fired in the space areas from the Plasma Launcher behave strangely; they travel upwards unless locked onto a target or fired directly at the surface of Reach, where the gravity of said planet pulls the grenades down to the surface.
- Unlike most known UNSC vessels in the game, the two frigates stationed outside do not have visible names or hull classification symbols.
GalleryEdit
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Browse more images in this article's gallery page. |
Development imagesEdit
Concept art of the map's exterior area.
Concept art of Anchor 9's cargo bay.
Concept art of one of the map's various hallways.
Concept art for the level.
Concept art of an ordnance loading system on the map.
The central area of the map.
Outside the Sabre repair bay.
Comparison between the in-progress and finalized Anchor 9.
Comparison between the in-progress and finalized Anchor 9.
ScreenshotsEdit
A battle at the shield doors.
A battle in the vacuum of space.
Two players using jetpacks in space.
An Elite in the center of the map.
A Spartan pursues an enemy flag carrier.
An Elite firing the M247H machine gun.
A flag carrier flees from the battle.
A flag carrier crossing the center of the map.
A battle atop the Sabre.
A Spartan with an assault rifle.
Two players using jetpacks in space.
A Spartan perform an assassination in space.
A team defending the flag.
Two Elites defending the flag.
An Elite firing the M247H machine gun.
A Spartan meets three opponents in space.
A Spartan escorting a flag carrier.
A Spartan pursues an enemy flag carrier.
Red team intercepts an enemy flag carrier.
A flag carrier pursued by an enemy.
SourcesEdit
- ^ Halo: Reach Editing Kit, game file
HREK\tags\levels\multi\dlc\dlc_slayer\dlc_slayer.scenario - ^ a b Bungie.net, Noble Map Pack (Retrieved on Oct 31, 2013) [archive]
- ^ Bungie.net, Bungie Weekly Update 02/04/11 (Retrieved on Feb 7, 2011) [archive]
- ^ a b c d e f YouTube - Bungie, Halo: Reach - Quick Look Breakpoint (Retrieved on Nov 20, 2010)
- ^ a b c Bungie.net, The Bungie Podcast - 12.02.10 - Noble Map Pack Edition (Retrieved on Apr 25, 2011) [archive]
- ^ Bungie.net, Halo: Reach (Retrieved on Apr 25, 2011) [archive]
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