Lockout

Lockout is an asymmetrical Halo 2 multiplayer map. It was remade as Blackout in Halo 3, Shutout using Forge in Halo 4, and as Lockdown in Halo 2: Anniversary.

Description
Fictionally, Lockout is a research laboratory designed by the Forerunners in the icy mountains of Installation 05.

Gameplay
This map is heavily favored by MLG professionals and skilled snipers. The superbounces on this map make for interesting gameplay and tactics.

It is usually played solely as a close quarters map because of the nature of the course and map default spawns. It is no less uncommon to have three-man matches than to have ten-man matches; it is simply guaranteed to be more chaotic as more members enter the game.

Lockout consists of three levels. Most of the fighting occurs around the center of the map, either the upper or lower level. A small room exists on the bottom floor with small, damaged, green-glowing chambers and at the end there is a gravity lift back to the upper deck near the center. The towers abutting the center arena are used to get a better view of the upper level, as well as surprise attacks for people beneath them.

Lockout is, overall, a very straightforward map hence its popularity among MLG players, and the map default weapons are generally close-quarters minded with longer range weapons acting as power selections, if used correctly.

Territories

 * Gravity lift/Top of gravity lift rower
 * Center/underneath Center
 * Sniper Tower (right side when coming up gravity lift)
 * Battle rifle tower (left side when coming up gravity lift)
 * Elbow (connects the lower lift room to Sniper Tower)

Tactics

 * If playing CTF, a Brute Shot jump will carry a player from the base at the top of the battle rifle tower to the Elbow; unless the player has uncommonly good aim with such jumps, the only way to avoid dying is to lunge at a player on the catwalk with an energy sword.
 * There is a common Superbounce on this map, used to get on top of the gravity lift tower. Be aware of its existence and predominance in the game. Snipers will use it ad infinitum, and are hard to pick off due to the natural cover that it provides.
 * There is also a lesser known Superbounce on this map, used to get on top of the Sniper Tower. Not everyone uses it, but make sure you know that it is easy and probable that you may run into someone who can snipe you from up there. Also, if hiding in the right spot, it is easy for anyone to avoid danger, so the best way to eliminate someone using this bounce is with a sniper rifle, someone else or you super-bounce up there, or plasma grenades. It is easy to be a Juggernaut on the battlefield when up there. You can also butterfly to any high location.
 * In the bottom floor, underneath the center panel of the top level, you can hide in the corners and remain stationary, and surprise and kill anyone whom walks in with a shotgun. This can be countered by clearing the room with a grenade before entering it; if anyone survives the blast, you will hear static from the player's shield.
 * In Sniper matches, it is common practice to stand at the far end of the course, on the lower level, and snipe people across the level. Since the hall is continuous, there isn't much chance to react to a good sniper. This has given this hallway the nickname 'Sniper Alley'.
 * The default place for the sniper rifle to spawn is at the top of the Sniper Tower. You can easily kill anybody standing up there trying to snipe people by blowing up the explosive barrels at the back of the platform. This will also kill anyone in the turret on the platform.
 * By default, the battle rifle spawns on the top section of the gravity lift tower, and on the tower opposite the Sniper Tower. Remember it, since in Map Default games, mostly populated by dual wielding, distance can give you the win.
 * A good way to kill an enemy is to ambush them when they float up from the gravity lif. But make sure you hide near the "drop-down-holes" and when they're just about to touchdown, assassinate them.
 * Be constantly alert for the player wielding the energy sword or anyone trying to take it from you.
 * If you don't have the energy sword, use the shotgun. If the sword-wielder lunges, you have a fraction of a second in which you can kill your opponent with a single blast to the chest before your opponent kills you.
 * A good player can use only the sniper rifle and the energy sword and win with a score more than double of the player coming in second. Stay on the tower that the sniper rifle spawns on. From there, you can hit people all across the map. Just remember to alternate at different times what level of the tower you are on to avoid being sniped back. If anyone tries to invade your tower, slash him or her.
 * When traveling, search the room you are walking into. Use your motion tracker and slightly angle yourself to have better luck getting someone ambushing you. If you have frag grenades, throw one (two if you are entering a large room) to kill any enemies in the room or to alert yourself to their presence. In team games, always keep your teammates posted on where you are to prevent being betrayed in this way.
 * When you're playing on this map, if you use a rifle or a single dual-wielding weapon, don't enter enclosed spaces. In close-quarters fights, Shotguns, Energy Swords and dual combos nearly always win against rifles.
 * Remember what is above and below you. You can take vertical shortcuts and avoid being ambushed in this way.
 * The first and second floors of the Sniper Tower are the hottest section of the map. Avoid going here unless you are sure that all resistance has been eliminated.  There are two good ways to attack players on the Sniper Tower:
 * Crouch-jump from below the sniper spawn to the landing of the ramp just below if you have a close-quarters weapon or a dual combo.
 * If you have a rifle, attack from the top of the battle rifle tower.

Glitches

 * It is possible to super jump to a tower, which is a very good sniping place.
 * It is also possible to get your body stuck to the ceiling of the level.

Production notes

 * Lockout was originally named "The Cage" and was intended to be released with Halo: Combat Evolved. However, it didn't make the cut and instead made its debut in Halo 2, albeit with some significant changes since initial development. The original version of The Cage appears in Halo: Reach as a Forge World map variant shipped with the game. Lockout was the smallest map of the original set of nine small-scale "arena" maps designed for Halo 2 by Max Hoberman and Chris Carney and was originally envisioned as a one-on-one map.
 * The hallway with the shotgun and the green pods was inspired by a section of the Marathon multiplayer map.
 * The Halo 3 map Guardian is similar to Lockout in terms of design because they both share the 'green Shotgun hallway', two main central levels of the map and four bases branching off of the main section. They also both have a main large gravity lift. These similarities have been confirmed by Bungie to be purposely put in the game.
 * Lockout was originally planned to be featured as a map variant on Halo: Reach 's Forge World and to be near the waterfalls. However, the map was never finalized and was eventually removed from the final game.
 * Halo 4 Forge remake of the map, Shutout, made by Big Papa SaLoT and based on Ravine map, was featured in matchmaking Community Forge Test playlist in January 2013.

Miscellaneous

 * The only way one can get a good view of Installation 05 is by Sword Canceling from down below to someone jumping on a pillar above, flinging you to the top of the level. Once atop the huge structure, drop down at the first part and keep walking down the slope until you reach the back. There, the material of the floor seems to turn bluer, and if you look at the landscape, you see a lot of snow, mountains, and the Halo.
 * The beings in the green, cryo-like chambers resemble Spartans wearing Mark V armor. If you look at the particles on the tanks, they look like the Flik'ta from the Marathon series. They can also be seen on the level The Oracle in the chamber where you first encounter the Flood on the level. One of the green chambers is open, which could mean something escaped or broke out of the chamber, similar to the broken cases on Cold Storage.
 * If one looks at the mountains, the texture looks like it has a face on it.
 * If you throw a grenade into the gravity lift (even a frag) there will sometimes be a slight electrical discharge.
 * Sometimes if you blow up yourself next to one of the explosive canisters, you will die and it will say, "Killed by the Guardians".