The Cage

The Cage is an asymmetrical map built into the Lagoon area of Forge World. It is reminiscent of Lockout from Halo 2 and Blackout from Halo 3, but retains its own unique layout. It is roughly the same scale as Lockout and is built around an open center, but features longer sight lines and paths that are strictly one way.

Locations
Note: These names are unofficial and are being used as a map directory.


 * Man Cannon Deck: This area of the map holds the man cannon and is the place that holds the sniper spawn. The Cannon launches you up to a platform near Death's Turn and a ramp leading to the Bellow Deck.


 * Death's Turn: Be careful when using the evade move on this turn. If you execute a roll on one of the two ramps leading to this turn, you will most likely get thrown off. Death's Turn also serves as a good vantage point over the Center Stage.


 * Center Stage: This is the middle of the map, with two rooms on either side and a ramp leading to the Bellow Deck. The room facing Cliffside has a glass cover that protects you from players on the Central Highway. At the back of the room is a tiny platform you can use to snipe players on the Cliffside. The other room has a door leading up to Death's Turn and another one leading to the Central Highway.


 * Central Highway: The main road, connecting the Center Stage to the Apartment. The distance to cover going from place to place is long, leaving you open to snipers.


 * Apartment: This area of the map is the 2-Story tower tucked in the corner. This area serves as a major spawning point. Nearby is the shotgun spawn.


 * Cliffside: This describes the whole area next to or on the cliff face. There is a small bridge attached to the cliff that has a raised platform at one part. You cannot reach it by jumping, it's mostly used for players on the other areas of the stage to get to the Cliffside.


 * Below Deck: This area is the platform under the Center Stage. The platform near the edge serves as another major spawning point.

Map variants
Uncaged adds a few new walkways, most notably allowing faster access from the cliffside to the central area.

Production notes
During the development of Halo: Combat Evolved, The Cage was the name given to the predecessor of what would come to be Lockout in Halo 2, albeit changed heavily. The Cage in Halo: Reach was designed using some of the original pre-Lockout layout ideas, and originally built on the original version of Forge World, which was based in a New Alexandria skyscraper, with the working name "Blockout". Following the revamp of Forge World into the map known today, designer Chris Carney was challenged by other employees to build a full map just using the Forge tools to prove it could be done. Carney did a week of design on paper, before moving into Forge to construct the map. Originally, the elevated section of the map was to be situated next to the cliff, but this was instead turned around to provide the players a visual reference point for where they are on the map, alongside the addition of a Forerunner spire and a blinking red light.