Blackout

Blackout is a multiplayer map featured in Halo 3 and is a remake of the classic Halo 2 map, Lockout. It is featured as one of the three maps in the Legendary Map Pack that became available on April 15th, 2008.

Rather than a Forerunner facility, like its predecessor, this map takes place in the Arctic. on Weather Station z/41. The layout is almost identical to that of Lockout, but features more grenades and now includes equipment. Most of the jumps, even the crazy ones from Halo 2, are still there. However a number of things have been modified or removed such as one area which was altered to make it more difficult to lock down that part of the map.

Blackout's code name was Moonlight Sonata during its development due to the levels dark nighttime sky. It replaces Purple Reign in the Halo 3 Legendary Map Pack. Purple Reign will be included in a later map pack. Rather than the blue gravity lift that was featured in Lockout, Blackout has a red air shaft, which appears to fit the atmosphere better.

Bungie almost didn't make the map, because they already had Guardian, but with fans still asking for one, they went ahead and made it.

Geometry and Forge
In the most recent ViDoc, multiple forge items from Blackout were revealed. They include stair cases, man-cannons, standard dooring to block doorways, shield doors, and newly edited shipping crates which stay once they are placed on. Another new object is the FX. Using these will change the tint, contrast, brightness, and over all color of the map, and it is recommended to experiment. You may combine them to make cool effects. A full tour of this map can be viewed here. According to 1UP's update, Blackout contains a basket ball hoop and the BR tower is now featured with windows compared to being fully opened.

Trivia

 * Blackout's codename was "Moonlight Sonata" (an allusion to one of Beethoven's works)
 * The Aurora Borealis is visible on this map.
 * This is the only map located on Earth that is not in Africa.
 * The layout of the map is a direct remake of Lockout from Halo 2 (albeit with a Human theme instead of Forerunner). The only other direct remake in Halo 3 is Last Resort which is a remake of Zanzibar.
 * Bungie claims that the model for Blackout was rebuilt because the original model of Lockout was too messy to work with.
 * The only weapon spawn point differences is that the spawn points where the Needlers used to be have been replaced by Brute Spikers.
 * The old death defying jumps for Halo 2's Lockout can still be accomplished.
 * Blackout has more Plasma Grenades than Fragmentation Grenades. It is the only map in Halo 3 for which this is the case.
 * There is a basketball hoop located in the Barracks building in the right corner.
 * The Laboratory building contains ice core samples, suggesting that the workers at the platform conducts research on ice besides weather.
 * The map is slightly larger than Lockout in some areas, the Battle Rifle tower is larger, the Barracks are smaller, and the Platform next to the Sniper tower is larger.
 * Upon falling off the platform, a splash can be seen after your character lands in the water. On other occasions, if your character lands in the water flat on his/her back or stomach he/she will land and slowly sink downward into the ocean.
 * Bungie has increased the size of some rooms and spaces, and got rid of the "sniper alley" from the bottom of the sniper tower to the bottom of the BR tower, and the window that was in lockout's "Library" area.
 * Getting out of the map is easy, just float down under the platforms and you're there. However, you can't build anything down there because of something called "Map Gradation". If you stay out of the map too long, you will die and the game calls it falling to your death and things placed are automatically deleted.