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Forge is a new addition to Halo 3. It allows players to insert, edit and remove objects on existing maps. Most objects, vehicles and weapons can be moved, changed or deleted.

If you think you’ll get lonely editing maps by yourself, have no fear: Forge is multiplayer, which means you can have outside input on editing the map and testing. You can play with local players, system linked players, or Live players.

Forge is accessed the same way as custom matches. Simply switch lobbies and select “Forge”. Once you’re in the Forge lobby, all you have to do is choose what map you want to edit, select “Start Forge” and get to it!

Modes
When you get into Forge, don’t be surprised when you start with your regular player controls. There are two modes in Forge: Player and Editor. Player is just what it sounds like, run around as a character, explore the level, shoot people, blow stuff up. Editor mode is also exactly what it sounds like; you edit the level. To access Editor mode, simply press up on the D-Pad.

Editing
Once in Editor mode, your display will change slightly. So will your appearance. When you become an Editor you fly around as a little monitor, and yes, you can take damage. The controls in Editor mode are relatively the same as Player mode. Except, the R Trigger doesn’t fire. And, instead of chucking grenades, the L Trigger boosts so you can zoom around the map and edit at the speed of light. Whee!

Moving objects
To move an object, first, you have to pick what you want to mess with.
After that, fly up to said object. If you cannot edit the object, then your display will not change, and you will have to choose a different object. If you can edit the object, however, your crosshair will turn green, and an open hand symbol will appear. To pick up the object and move it, press the A button. If you did it right, then the little hand symbol will now be a closed hand, and you can carry the object around with you wherever you go. The only exception is, if an object is editable, but someone else has already grabbed it, then your crosshair will turn into a red “no” symbol, and you won’t be able to grab it. Once you’ve grabbed an object, simply press the A button again to drop it.

Rotating objects
Rotating objects is a bit tricky at first. To rotate an object, all you have to do is press and hold the R Trigger, which switches your controls to rotation rather than movement. There are eight axes to rotate an object on:

Right Stick left-right: Spins an object like a carousel.
Right Stick up-down: Spins an object like a wheel.
Left Stick left-right: Spins an object like a steering wheel.
Left Stick up-down: Slightly different. This control moves an object closer or farther away from you.

Adding objects
To add an object, find where you want to put it, and then press the X Button. A menu will appear on the bottom right of your screen. If you’re thinking, “WTF? I can’t make a good map with only these!!”, don’t be alarmed. Just use the left and right bumpers to cycle through all the different menus.

Deleting objects
Probably the easiest part of Forging a level. All you have to is place your cursor on the object you wish do delete and press the Y button. Voila!

Saving maps
No matter how much you Forge, your map won’t do anything for you unless you save it. To save your map, press Start, then select “Save As New Map…” The keyboard will slide out, allowing you to name your new map. When you finish, hit “Done”, and your map will be saved to your storage device.

Using maps
To use your brand-spankin’-new map in a Custom game, simply head over to the Custom Game lobby, and select your map. Your map will be located under the built-in version of the map it was based off of. Or, if you came directly from Forge, your map will already be selected.

Sharing maps
Ah, the moment of truth. Once you’ve saved a map and are currently in a lobby, hit the Start button. Under “Media”, choose “File Share”. File share allows you to share not only maps, but also videos, screenshots and game modes of your own design. Pick an empty upload slot, choose the map you want to share, and then watch it upload. Once something’s uploaded, it will stay shared even if you turn off your system.

Okay, so you’ve got everything done and saved.

…Sorta.
If you wanted to place more objects, and you can’t, well, have no fear. Why that is will be explained right now.

Inventory
Inventory is a very simple thing. It just means how many of a certain kind of object can be placed on a map. Each item has its own inventory, meaning you could place x amount of object A, but only y amount of object B. Once you’ve used up the entire inventory for an item, no more of it can be placed on the map, even if you can afford to.

Budget
Unlike inventory, which is for specific objects, budget is for all objects. See that little meter in the bottom right corner? That’s your budget. Once you’ve maxed it out, even if you can fit more items on the map, you won’t be able to because you can’t afford them. Each item has a specific value relative to budget, so item A would cost x amount, item B would cost y amount, etcetera.

More to be added