[M] (4) Blockbuster

This map is intended for the TL Map Contest instigated by Blizzard. The concepts that I am playing with in this map (I think) are maybe not as extreme as in some of my other maps. The particular idea that I based this map around is "quick" and "easy" four base play. Whether this map accomplishes that may be debateable, but I think the ways in which I have tried to bring that about at least make for some interesting discussion and game play.

So the first thing I didn't want to do was to create the same old zig-zag nat-to-third expansion layout that plague so many four player rotational symmetry maps (not that I particularly mind that per-se, but that seems to be what most of the people who are looking for innovation have a beef with). What I was tempted to do, was to just simply make a HUGE open square main base and just put resources in each corner with some sort of funky choke that was safe early but could be widened greatly later or something like that. But I figured, that would be too over the top for the contest (although, I'm sure we would find *something* like that on a Blizz headquarters computer somewhere ). But I still liked the idea of having four opposing corner bases, so I decided to make a sort of horseshoe shape out of them. In this way, the third is actually toward the center of the map instead of just toward the perpedicular edge of the map -- it isn't until the fourth base that you might decide to expand in this direction.

So, with that in mind, I had to choose a fitting aesthetic... well, what kind of tile set would be fitting to host what is essentially the product of a bunch of large squares (rectangles)? Urban, right... So what I've come up with is essentially a rooftop battle on a mega building that spans the area of a decently sized town (right? or is my sense of proportion off?).

But... now that I'm here, what do you do to make a rooftop aesthetically pleasing? Making a rooftop city/town out of it? Make it more rooflike? How? Obviously something needs to be done on this roof, maintenance at the very least (especially if there are going to be, you know, wars and explosions up here). Well, I did my best, and as far as textures go it is somewhat of a minimalist approach, but hopefully, it is good enough. I'm still up for suggestions before the contest is over.

So what have I done with this roof so far? Well, instead of the standard use of cliffs to separate bases, I use a combination of dead space and line of sight blockers, which I think creates a really neat effect. Interspersed amongst the LOSBs are some roof-like doodads: antenna, serach light, AC unit, etc. On some of the walls I put alarm lights in case of emergency (wink). And then there are some street lights... because... well, maybe maintenance crews need that kind of light up there! Although, I need to figure out how to get the streetlights lit (sigh, omni lights why wont you work!?).

Anyway, your main base is a pretty straightfoward big thirty (30) CC rectangle of building top. It has a single choke (what? I made a map with a single Main Choke!?) of six (6) tiles wide that can be walled off with a fairly standard configuration (slightly shifted). It can also be walled competely with two 3x3 buildings. Two sides of the main have air space/LOSB walls that separate it from the natural and the fourth.

The natural is a slightly smaller rectangle (square?) of building top. It has two chokes aside from the one from the main. The one choke goes toward the third and is the same size as the main choke. The other choke is a single-wide, cardinal direction ramp leading down a path toward the fourth of another spawn. The base location sits in the corner against the edge of the map and the LOSB wall to the main, so basically the same positioning as the main.

The third also has two exits besides that to the nat, and is slightly smaller than the nat. There is a 4-5? wide, cardinal-direction, double-layer ramp toward the middle of the map (toward the third of the spawn of the player whose fourth the natural back path is toward). The choke to the fourth is similar to that of the choke from the main to the nat, and the nat to the third. The base location sits in the corner against the wall toward the middle and the wall toward the fourth, and as such is the first base really vulnerable to any sort of siege-type play.

The fourth and final base of the quadrant sits in a position much like that of the main and nat tucked in the far corner. However, while this base area is as long as the main, it is only as wide as the third and has a very wide (10-12?), cardinal-direction, double-layer ramp directly in front of the base location. This ramp is partially covered on the side toward the middle with three large chunks of debris, making it slightly safer but still fairly vulnerable. Needless to say, taking this base has its risks.

(For visualization purposes -- The low ground is a huge plus sign between the quad bases. Each quad base is a horseshoe shape with the main in the corner of the map, the natural clock wise of the main, the third clock wise of the natural, and the fourth clockwise of the third. The quad bases are rotationally symmetrical to each other.)

All of these bases are on the same level ground (high) and are split with air-space/LOSB walls which are not pathable (sorry nukers -- while we are on the subject of apologizing for blocking certain abuses, Protoss warp ins *do not* extend far enough to get into the main from the nat/fourth). There are two sections of mid ground, one is the path between nat/fourths, and the other are the walls in the middle which also have LOSB walls on top of them (these are much more cosmetic than anything else, since most things that can see over the wall would see over the LOSBs) and are pathable. The rest of the space between the quad bases is low ground that runs in a circuit such that there is a path through the middle and a path around toward the edge of the map for close bases. There is a Xel'Naga tower in the middle which reveals everything to the tippy corners (of the third) of the quad bases. There are four more Xel'Naga towers in the middle of the mid-ground wall that can see almost all of that half of the map's low ground, and peeks up into the nat/third and third/fourth of two of the quad bases. These four towers can be captured from either side of the wall, but does not allow normal ground pathing through the middle of the wall. These side towers are surrounded by small chunks of debris (since there is no standard debris large enough to cover the tower without being able to still activate it) to not make them as overpowering in the early game. The each set of debris acts as if it is connected, so breaking down one side will break the whole ring.

So I didn't quite get the four-opposing-corner-square of bases, but I think this works out pretty nicely. Again, if anyone has suggestions for to improve upon the aesthetic I'd like to hear your ideas.

Oh yeah... the name. So originally, I was thinking of something like "Fourplay" indicating the "quick" and "easy" four base play I had envisioned. But... that doesn't necessarily capture the rooftop, element. Same with "Freebasing", and both have possibly objectionable connotations for a Blizzard ladder map name. But then as I was about to ask for suggestions in this regard, the current name popped into my head, because well, you have this "block" of bases and you are just to "bust" your opponent's "block" of a base.

I think that's all there is to say about it -- enjoy! Please playtest it and leave feedback!

Overview
(90 degrees)


(Game angle, full map)


Analyzer (The changes to the terrain that are apparent between these old analyzer images and the updated overview picture have a negligible to non-existant effect on rush distances. As such, the analyzer pictures will not be updated at this time. It should be noted however that for whatever reason, the AI chooses to take a very slightly longer route between mains through the backdoor of the third which is about 42 seconds, even though the analyzer still shows going through the fourth is faster and forcing the path through the fourth is still closer to 41 seconds.)
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Details
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+ Show Spoiler [Siege range] +