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![[image loading]](http://a.imageshack.us/img188/6431/devotionthreadbanner.jpg)
I'm going to stop saying "I think," and just say this is my tenth creation. [GE]prodiG's Map thread and view the iCCup map pool here: iCCup Mapmaking Team & Map Pool
Devotion is named after the song Devotion by Nuclear Blast Allstars feat. Jari Maenpaa (of Wintersun, Ensiferum). It is a 4 player map largely inspired by Gaia, a popular SC:BW map. I've decided that rather than straight-up remaking Brood War maps, I'd take some key features from them and do my spin on them in SC2. I definitely outdid myself this time, there's 4000 doodads on the map. Valhalla only had 2100 and Starchild only had 1900. I have received complaints of lag but I believe it to be fixed, as most if not all of it comes from weather effects which I stripped almost all of out. I can't test it myself since my PC can run the map just fine (8 cores, 16gb ram, GTX280, flex e-penis), but I'm not sure how slower computers will do with it. If the effects I've left on the map are still too much, I'll reluctantly take them out.
The map is intended for 1v1.
To play the map, search "iCCup" in custom games. Map is only on US atm. See changelog section for changes.
Version 1.0
![[image loading]](http://a.imageshack.us/img217/7748/devotion10.jpg)
+ Show Spoiler [Additional Images] +30% Complete![[image loading]](http://a.imageshack.us/img338/4476/devotion30.jpg) Beta version![[image loading]](http://a.imageshack.us/img835/816/devotionbeta.jpg) Original Sketch![[image loading]](http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/8192/devotionsketch.jpg)
Features
-Inspired by Gaia, an SC:BW map
-Natural has ramp to shared 3rd expansion
-LOS blockers blocking vision to the open center area
-Xel’Naga Towers to spot beyond the LOS blockers
-High Yield expansions blocked by destructible rocks
Tips from the designer
-The gold can be sieged into from the mains, but only if the player has a spotter. Be sure to build some anti-air if you take the gold. (The trees around the main block LOS)
-No, the blue thing between the mains is not pathable, it's only for aesthetics (it looks so cool :3)
-Your natural is fairly easy to simcity if you're creative and use your hatch/nexus/cc as part of the wall (Metalopolis-style simcity).
-Mains have close air positions, but the distance by ground is quite long. Here are the times for a probe to make it from one ramp to the other:
11 to 7oclock ramp to ramp = ~25s
11 to 2olcock ramp to ramp = ~32s
11 to 5ocklock ramp to ramp = ~37s
-Nydus worms, forward pylons or medivacs to ferry units around come in handy when trying to break inevitable contains
+ Show Spoiler [Changelog] +
Version 1.1
-Removed 75% of the weather effects to boost framerates
Version 1.0
-Map published on US
Version 0.9
-Natural made a little tighter
Check out my other maps!
Ground Xero
Impervious
Fighting Spirit
Neo Tornado
Neo Metalopolis
Redemption
Match Point
Valhalla
Starchild
View all of my projects here!
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I really like this map. Very well decorated and cool looking. I don't really see any balance problems atm. But it may be hard to try and fast expand. And what's the extra ramp behind the gold? it looks extremely blue. Is it just there for looks?
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I like the artistic style, but I think the expansions have a pretty garbage layout, seems like the safest way to take a 3rd is by taking one of the other mains.
I would like to see how that middle-area layout would work for the races, I have a feeling that zerg (if able to expand past a natural) would be very happy with the ability for surrounds, flanks etc.
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On August 17 2010 09:59 deth wrote:
I like the artistic style, but I think the expansions have a pretty garbage layout, seems like the safest way to take a 3rd is by taking one of the other mains.
I would like to see how that middle-area layout would work for the races, I have a feeling that zerg (if able to expand past a natural) would be very happy with the ability for surrounds, flanks etc.
I wanted the middle to be more open than any other map than I've ever seen. Hopefully this proves to be fairly balanced, as it was in Brood War.
Why do you say the expansions have a "garbage" layout?
On August 17 2010 09:58 McCheese wrote:
what's the extra ramp behind the gold? it looks extremely blue. Is it just there for looks?
all that stuff is just for aesthetics 8)
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It definitely looks nice. And I do find it kinda hard to try and take a 3rd, expecially if 4 players are playing, or if you and your opponent spawn on the same hemisphere. Meaning if you and your opponent are Up or Below one another.
Edit: If the air distance is longer. xD
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[QUOTE]On August 17 2010 10:03 prodiG wrote:
[QUOTE]On August 17 2010 09:59 deth wrote:
I like the artistic style, but I think the expansions have a pretty garbage layout, seems like the safest way to take a 3rd is by taking one of the other mains.
I would like to see how that middle-area layout would work for the races, I have a feeling that zerg (if able to expand past a natural) would be very happy with the ability for surrounds, flanks etc.[/QUOTE]
I wanted the middle to be more open than any other map than I've ever seen. Hopefully this proves to be fairly balanced, as it was in Brood War.
Why do you say the expansions have a "garbage" layout?
Well, i don't see close positions being particularly fun, and will probably devolve into 2 base v 2 base because the expansions are so open, and have multiple entrances etc.. I would prefer tighter chokes just leading into naturals and the 3rds. Because of the layout of the nat's and 3rds, I feel like the other mains are safer and easier to expand to, and I just don't like that..personal preference maybe?
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On August 17 2010 10:10 McCheese wrote:
It definitely looks nice. And I do find it kinda hard to try and take a 3rd, expecially if 4 players are playing, or if you and your opponent spawn on the same hemisphere. Meaning if you and your opponent are Up or Below one another.
Edit: If the air distance is longer. xD
I think the map is meant for 2 people...
Seems like this map would help out the Zerg players a little, with wide open area and few cliffs to abuse. Also your nat is relatively easy to take and hold, unless it was 1 O'clock vs 5 O'clock (or 11 vs 7), and they are able to attack from both the high ground and the ramp.
Aesthetically, the map is beautiful. I just really wish you could actually play some games on these with other people  damn you Blizzard and your custom map system, limited ladder map pool, and your lack of chat channels!
Anyways, great work!
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I have been waiting for a while for someone to remake Gaia from BW. This map is even cooler than Gaia! How'd you get the vespene geysers to be blue? That's so cool!
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On August 17 2010 10:36 emperorchampion wrote:Show nested quote +On August 17 2010 10:10 McCheese wrote:
It definitely looks nice. And I do find it kinda hard to try and take a 3rd, expecially if 4 players are playing, or if you and your opponent spawn on the same hemisphere. Meaning if you and your opponent are Up or Below one another.
Edit: If the air distance is longer. xD I think the map is meant for 2 people... Seems like this map would help out the Zerg players a little, with wide open area and few cliffs to abuse. Also your nat is relatively easy to take and hold, unless it was 1 O'clock vs 5 O'clock (or 11 vs 7), and they are able to attack from both the high ground and the ramp. Aesthetically, the map is beautiful. I just really wish you could actually play some games on these with other people damn you Blizzard and your custom map system, limited ladder map pool, and your lack of chat channels! Anyways, great work!
All you have to do is grab a friend and search iCCup 
Nonetheless I can't say I'm pleased with the system, but I make do with what I've got. I'll be getting this published on EU soon enough~
EDIT: This map is intended for 1v1.
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On August 17 2010 10:46 prodiG wrote:Show nested quote +On August 17 2010 10:36 emperorchampion wrote:On August 17 2010 10:10 McCheese wrote:
It definitely looks nice. And I do find it kinda hard to try and take a 3rd, expecially if 4 players are playing, or if you and your opponent spawn on the same hemisphere. Meaning if you and your opponent are Up or Below one another.
Edit: If the air distance is longer. xD I think the map is meant for 2 people... Seems like this map would help out the Zerg players a little, with wide open area and few cliffs to abuse. Also your nat is relatively easy to take and hold, unless it was 1 O'clock vs 5 O'clock (or 11 vs 7), and they are able to attack from both the high ground and the ramp. Aesthetically, the map is beautiful. I just really wish you could actually play some games on these with other people damn you Blizzard and your custom map system, limited ladder map pool, and your lack of chat channels! Anyways, great work! All you have to do is grab a friend and search iCCup Nonetheless I can't say I'm pleased with the system, but I make do with what I've got. I'll be getting this published on EU soon enough~ EDIT: This map is intended for 1v1.
I tried to play a game on it earlier, but I got terrible terrible lag one game, then the next game it crashed while loading I don't know if it's the doodads (my laptop isn't that great, but it plays everything every other map decently), or the map file or something.
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The lag should have been fixed. As for the crashing, that's new 
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This map looks really well made and fun to play on. It's not too complicated, but it looks like it would allow for tons of variations in play. I can also tell that it's been very well polished.
I can only hope that Blizzard will start to adopt maps like these.
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Must say this map looks really nice. One thing I worry about is the pathway between the nat and the 3rd. Seems to give an angle of attack that would make it very hard to hold a nat for Zerg against a 4gate, similar to Xel'Naga Caverns.
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On August 23 2010 05:15 Numy wrote:
Must say this map looks really nice. One thing I worry about is the pathway between the nat and the 3rd. Seems to give an angle of attack that would make it very hard to hold a nat for Zerg against a 4gate, similar to Xel'Naga Caverns.
IMO the 3rd and naturals do not need to be edited. It's like Metalopolis, and that map is pretty balanced.
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This map is epicly huge!
I love it! I've only played comps on it though...
I'll try to convince some of my really talented friends to get some matches in on this one.
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beautiful map aesthetically
in terms of gameplay, i might vertically lengthen those little hills with the watchtowers, and tuck the 3:00 and 9:00 expansions back a bit to make them a bit easier to defend
also you might want to shrink or obstruct the huge ramps leading to those expansions
edit: also you might want to make the big bridge into the naturals into two smaller bridges to make the natural a bit tighter
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I've played a few games on this map and here's my feedback:
So you know where I'm biased:
I play zerg
I like long macro games
I dislike terran turtling forever
I like short air rush distances.
The swirly vortex thingies that you have at the 12/6 oclock positions and above the watch towers are fps sinks and are very distracting, although cool, I think they should be removed.
The third is pretty nice with its large ramp makes it more difficult for protoss or terran to turtle hard with.
I think because the map is so open and huge that there should be 2 more xel'naga watch towers (one at each gold, next to the zealot statue) so that terran and protoss have a better chance to react to a large zerg push if they can control the towers.
A thing to consider is between the spawns you might want to consider a small island expansion (at the 12 and 6 oclock positions) to allow another option for terran and protoss that don't want to try to defend the huge choke at the 3rd. You might also want to experiment with a large cliff in the middle of the map to allow siege tanks and colossus to take more defensive positions.
Overall I really like the map because I play zerg and the big open spaces means you can spread tons of creep and flank very easily with a huge army but I think terran and protoss would have a very difficult time attacking or defending effectively without many small chokes or cliffs.
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this is a bad map for zerg. And it favors terran imho. Any close position spawn dictates which 3rd base the zerg will choose. (either gold or blue). Regardless of that choice, the terran can slow push towards the opponent while expanding themselves.
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am i the only one that this screams "metalopolis" to? It's practicallt the same except the expansions are harder to defend.
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On August 23 2010 10:06 CharlieMurphy wrote:
this is a bad map for zerg. And it favors terran imho. Any close position spawn dictates which 3rd base the zerg will choose. (either gold or blue). Regardless of that choice, the terran can slow push towards the opponent while expanding themselves.
This map has such a huge open middle that if you dont spawn on horizontal positions they cant slow push because you can just run around and bust their front while the tanks are sieging along.
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On August 23 2010 10:26 Munk-E wrote:
am i the only one that this screams "metalopolis" to? It's practicallt the same except the expansions are harder to defend.
thats kinda funny
now that i think about it, gaia does look quite a bit like metalopolis
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It's been about a week or two since I last played on this map, but it's also one of my favorite maps. There are a few problems, though. That's if you haven't changed them yet. I'm not sure.
The top gas on the left side expansion can not be turned into an assymilator. The right side gas on the bottom center expansion can also not be turned into an assymilator. I found no way to let it put me down an assymilator. I attempted to use Pylons and other things around the gas to maybe bug the game out and let me lay down an assymilator, but it refused to no matter what buildings or units I placed around it.
Besides that, this is one of my favorite maps as it does not attempt to force chokes and cliffs and other bullshit every five feet. You have no idea how thankful I am to see people using good sense in their map design.
=3
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On August 31 2010 11:54 Niji87 wrote:
It's been about a week or two since I last played on this map, but it's also one of my favorite maps. There are a few problems, though. That's if you haven't changed them yet. I'm not sure.
The top gas on the left side expansion can not be turned into an assymilator. The right side gas on the bottom center expansion can also not be turned into an assymilator. I found no way to let it put me down an assymilator. I attempted to use Pylons and other things around the gas to maybe bug the game out and let me lay down an assymilator, but it refused to no matter what buildings or units I placed around it.
Besides that, this is one of my favorite maps as it does not attempt to force chokes and cliffs and other bullshit every five feet. You have no idea how thankful I am to see people using good sense in their map design.
=3
i fixed this the next day lol
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ZvT is imbalanced, as everyone knows. I have played this map vs my friend (ZvT scenario).
Maps like these make ZvT less imbalanced (I still lost, but take my word on it). We need more maps like them.
P.S. Anyone know where I can find a God's Garden remake? I really liked that map and would like to see it in SCII.
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I removed 1000 doodads in the latest version up on US in an effort to alleviate some of the lag issues that players are encountering. I got a ~10fps boost in the latest version, but I'd love to hear from players with slightly weaker machines :}
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EPT
