Sandbox

Sandbox is a map that will be included in the Mythic Map Pack. It was stated by Bungie to be the "ultimate Forge map".

Introduction
Sandbox's setting and architecture are similar to Sandtrap, but its forging capabilities greatly surpass Foundry. The map consists of three distinctive layers: the main ground area best for vehicle-based maps, the "Sky Bubble", a location high above that can be used to create floating maps with falling death barriers, and "The Crypt" underneath which is the best way for making enclosed arenas. The layers are separated by default, but can be accessed and connected in Forge.

Sandbox, along with the other two Mythic maps, Assembly and Orbital have been confirmed to be shipped with the Limited Edition of Halo Wars. Bungie has confirmed they are working to get these maps available on Marketplace as soon as possible after Halo Wars' release on February 26, 27, and March 3 2009. The release date for the other three Mythic maps is unknown, although it is confirmed that they will be released with Halo 3: ODST in fall.

Setting
Sandbox is set in the midst of a barren desert surrounded by many rolling sand dunes, similar to Sandtrap. Large Forerunner towers can be seen in the distance. Bungie hinted that, similar to Sandtrap, the Covenant may have also conducted archaeological excavations here. The map is based at sunset, with a crescent moon in the sky, and a setting sun on the horizon.

It has been confirmed that Sandbox's watchtower has the ability to seek out and destroy players and Forge items if they move outside Sandbox. If the player moves outside of the barrier, the watchtowers will shoot out lasers which will instantly destroy them, even if they are inside a vehicle.

Default Sandbox
The default Sandbox is perfectly symmetrical, and considered by Bungie to be a medium-large map. It contains two bases opposite each other, with cover laid in between. The map's vehicular arsenal includes a Chopper, Warthog and two Mongooses for each team. The infantry has Rocket Launchers and Missile Pods to counter them, and an Overshield is located on top of a pillar in the center of the map.

The structures are similar to Sandtrap's, being constructed of weathered rock and other similar materials. The surrounding terrain is composed of sand dunes, with large Forerunner walls in the distance. In Forge, the default Sandbox has a grid to help line up objects.

Sky Bubble
The Sky Bubble is essentially an area in Sandbox that can be reached via teleporter, so you can play on both the normal map and the Sky Bubble at the same time. It is located high above Sandbox's ground level, and has another grid system to help line up objects.

The Sky Bubble is completely flat, and based on screenshots, appears to be larger than the ground area of the default Sandbox. The tops of the watchtowers from the ground floor are higher than the "ground" of the Sky Bubble; they cast light over the area. When the player falls off the edge of objects he or she has placed, there is a death barrier between the Sky Bubble and the ground below, so maps like Guardian and Ascension could be accurately remade.

The Crypt
The Crypt is a large, enclosed area located under Sandbox. It can be accessed by removing the block shaped structure in the center of the map and dropping down the shaft, which is very long and dark. The area of the Crypt is on the same scale as the main area of Foundry; it is suitable for Grifball without any Forging. The floor is square-shaped and the height is the same as the width. The blue grid also appears down in the crypt.

The Crypt has a very high ceiling, and the walls seem to be constructed of black stone. There are lights in the walls that emit an eerie glow in the area. Since the Crypt can be accessed via teleporter and the shaft, it will be possible to play in the Crypt, the ground level, and the Sky Bubble in one map.

Forge
""Sandbox combines large-scale vehicular combat with a limitless amount of Forge customization. Boasting a tiered, open-world layout, “Halo 3” players will be able to build their own unique game experiences using the Forge map editor. Sandbox is a map unlike any Bungie has ever created.""

- Bungie.net

The center of the main level of Sandbox is a flat, empty floor, similar to Foundry but visually resembling Sandtrap. The map is built from Forge-editable blocks, pillars and ramps. The map is said to include "just about every kind of building block you could ever want", for example tunnels, crouch-only doorways and quarter-pyramids; see here for a full list. The item limits have been loosened: for example, unlike Foundry's 20 wall limit, in Sandbox it is possible to place 40 walls. Sandbox supports every vehicle in Halo 3 Multiplayer except the Elephant.

A new Forge item included in Sandbox is an orb of light that colors its surroundings in either red or blue; it can be used to differentiate the two bases, similar to most maps made by Bungie. Another is the "Kill Ball", a large orange sphere that kills anyone who comes into contact with it; a total of four are placeable. Another new addition is a golf club and ball along with a cup to hit it in. Like the soccer ball, it is purely for ascetic purposes and in no way will score you a point. In Forge mode, a blue-grid appears on the map to help the player place objects the way they want it, with accuracy and precision.

The Grid only appears in Forge, not in actual gameplay modes such as Slayer, Capture the Flag, or Infection. There are many new items to be placed in Forge. These are mostly Sandtrap-themed, to keep within the style of the map. All full list of Sandbox objects is located here.

Skull
Sandbox features a hidden skull known as the Sandbox Skull. This skull, if obtained, unlocks the Sandbox Skull Achievement and 25 gamerscore. The crest of the hidden skull on this level appears to be a likeness of the Monitor.

Like most of the skulls in Campaign, the Sandbox Skull is hidden outside of the map. It is on the right side of the tower in front of the setting sun. Getting to the Skull may be difficult because the watchtower will destroy the player if he or she goes outside the playing area. See this video for a tutorial on getting all the Mythic Map Pack Skulls.

Trivia

 * Sandbox has the same type of Guardians on Sandtrap; a Sentinal Beam fired from the towers to trigger the mines.
 * Technically, Sandbox was the first Mythic Map to be revealed to the public. Upon inspection, the two settings for Bungie's acceptance speech videos were in the "Sky Bubble" and "Crypt" areas of Sandbox.
 * The default vehicles on map, which are the Mongooses, Warthogs and Choppers at each base, are the same as Sandtrap, with the only difference being 2 less Warthogs.
 * After Blackout, it is the second map to be set in the dark, though the lights emanating from the pillars in the distance negate it. It is also the third map with a setting sun, behind Standoff and Ghost Town.
 * On the IGN interview with Dan Miller, he stated that Sandbox could be considered the biggest map in the game, but this may be because of the extra area the "Sky Bubble" and "Crypt" occupy. It is also likely to be the tallest map in the trilogy due to its tiered design.
 * The Red Vs Blue quote, "it's under the sand," was likely to be a reference to the Crypt under Sandbox.
 * This map is the spiritual successor to two previous Halo maps: Foundry, and Sandtrap. Sandtrap because of aesthetics, and Foundry because of the Forgeability.