Infested Caverns
Second attempt at a 2-player map for my TL Contest entry. Was inspired by some conceptart for Heart of the Swarm when I got my idea for this map.

Playable: 108x140
Expands: 8 (10 with active mains)
XNT: 1
Uploaded on EU

FOR THE SWARM!

Overview 1.3
+ Show Spoiler +

1.2
+ Show Spoiler +

1.1
+ Show Spoiler +

1.0
+ Show Spoiler +

Beauty Pics
+ Show Spoiler +

Analyzer pics will come tomorrow when I get home from work.

NewSunshine

United States5938 Posts

October 26 2011 23:01 GMT

I love the aesthetics achieved with the green pools, but the layout of the resources needs some work. the main ramp runs straight into a vespene geyser, making a really small choke leading to a ramp. And in general, the mineral lines all looked smashed against the edges of the map.

[]Phase[]

Belgium927 Posts

October 26 2011 23:02 GMT

aesthetically looking real good. Could use some shmuck on the edges and in main I guess, but I like the setting you are going for, I would love to see some more char-esque maps with lot of zergy buildings around.

From zerg POV : seems like a good map for terrans to drop my main, as my spines would be all the way in the front of my nat (I like the idea with the geysers and ramp, just feels far out for me)
3rd base far off but no rocks, so thats nice too. Don't know about entrenching at the gold for terrans, but seems I can get around that too, atleast its not as bad as XNC, tho its quite a walk.
(id move the gold just a few hexes away from the ramp, not too much, so siege tanks cant hit everything coming down the ramp while sitting on the gold, but yeah, zerg bias here)
Cliff behind nat seems VERY lost temple-like, and it seems hard from preventing a drop up there as they can fly over the water and stay out of harm.
So : id say terranfavored, and dropplay very viable

Anyways you can only figuere out big flaws by testing it imo, so if you need a tester, im on EU Phase - 170, master zerg

Mashmed

Sweden198 Posts

October 26 2011 23:27 GMT

+ Show Spoiler +

On October 27 2011 08:02 []Phase[] wrote:
aesthetically looking real good. Could use some shmuck on the edges and in main I guess, but I like the setting you are going for, I would love to see some more char-esque maps with lot of zergy buildings around.

From zerg POV : seems like a good map for terrans to drop my main, as my spines would be all the way in the front of my nat (I like the idea with the geysers and ramp, just feels far out for me)
3rd base far off but no rocks, so thats nice too. Don't know about entrenching at the gold for terrans, but seems I can get around that too, atleast its not as bad as XNC, tho its quite a walk.
(id move the gold just a few hexes away from the ramp, not too much, so siege tanks cant hit everything coming down the ramp while sitting on the gold, but yeah, zerg bias here)
Cliff behind nat seems VERY lost temple-like, and it seems hard from preventing a drop up there as they can fly over the water and stay out of harm.
So : id say terranfavored, and dropplay very viable

Anyways you can only figuere out big flaws by testing it imo, so if you need a tester, im on EU Phase - 170, master zerg

The cliff behind the natural will only be aestetical to switch some things around, if anything that feature is zerg favored because you can safely scout the natural of other races. Tanks at the gold can barely hit the ramp if they also want to cover the edge of the Planetary on the gold.

+ Show Spoiler +

On October 27 2011 08:01 MisfortuneS Ghost wrote:
I love the aesthetics achieved with the green pools, but the layout of the resources needs some work. the main ramp runs straight into a vespene geyser, making a really small choke leading to a ramp. And in general, the mineral lines all looked smashed against the edges of the map.

The ramp leading right into a geyser doesn't really matter does it? Since the only thing I can see this ever affecting is if a terran would build a bunker there while bunker rushing and your zerglings would have to run a bit further. But if you don't have stuff down there before the bunker getting up then I'd say you're fucked anyhow.

FlaShFTW

United States10497 Posts

October 26 2011 23:32 GMT

pretty map and good layout. im still one of those completely orthodox style people who dont like it when people make their gas geysers weird (3rd base) but its fine xD

NewSunshine

United States5938 Posts

October 26 2011 23:33 GMT

On October 27 2011 08:27 Mashmed wrote:
The ramp leading right into a geyser doesn't really matter does it? Since the only thing I can see this ever affecting is if a terran would build a bunker there while bunker rushing and your zerglings would have to run a bit further. But if you don't have stuff down there before the bunker getting up then I'd say you're fucked anyhow.

I suppose it doesn't really matter, but it's untidy. Also, building placement behind a mineral line can be important, there needs to be some room for it at each mineral line, with the most room typically at the main.

Mashmed

Sweden198 Posts

October 27 2011 00:04 GMT

Updated the naturals and some other bases to make the areas behind mineral lines larger.

Also here is what I'm thinking of going with on the XNT. Used it on one of my older maps and ppl seemed to like it. Rocks that defend 'Your' XNT from your opponents path in the early game.

Mashmed

Sweden198 Posts

October 28 2011 00:39 GMT

BUMP

I made the map prettier, fixed the outsides and such. I can't decide which maps to send to the TL Contest do you guys think I should make a portfolio thread with my maps so that TL can chose which to send?

Overview
+ Show Spoiler +

FlaShFTW

United States10497 Posts

October 28 2011 00:42 GMT

wait so bottom spawn gets a free command center??!! TERRAN IMBA ON THIS MAP!

lulz jk, nice improvments i like the different XNT addition and the 3/9 oclock change

The_Templar

your Country52798 Posts

October 28 2011 01:04 GMT

#10

Make the top nat mineral line like the bottom nat mineral line.

Mashmed

Sweden198 Posts

October 28 2011 01:17 GMT

#11

Wops

Fixed that. Small mistakes that happen when you try to fix many things at the same thing

Published it aswell so now the newest overview is what's on bnet

Gl!tch

United States573 Posts

October 28 2011 02:00 GMT

#12

I love these aesthetics, cant wait for HotS with all the new stuff (not that i've even scratched the surface when it comes to aesthetics atm).

Plexa

Aotearoa39261 Posts

October 28 2011 04:02 GMT

#13

I would push the golds forward a bit into where the green stuff is and change the corner expos so that the geysers dont mess with pathing or anything (else that base might get a little messy!) Otherwise, looks awesome!

Treadmill

Canada2833 Posts

October 28 2011 06:26 GMT

#14

You might want to open up the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock expansions with a path to the middle, to allow for flanks and the like. This map seems like it might be a little too easy to just turtle on 4 bases and go for a giant push, opening up the middle to the sides would maybe make it easier to stop a big push. Just a thought.

Mashmed

Sweden198 Posts

October 28 2011 14:19 GMT

#15

Overview
+ Show Spoiler +

Made some edits to the 3 and 9o'clock expanions. Also added a new route from the middle to those bases. Not sure if I should put rocks or not... Not sure it will matter at the time which you would take that base anyhow.

Mashmed

Sweden198 Posts

November 02 2011 12:19 GMT

#16

Made a new overview image that changes some stuff.

· Changes the mineral/geyser locations of Mains and Third.
· Changes the highground at the third to make the gold more easily accessible.

Overview 1.3
+ Show Spoiler +

One idea that I had and I'd like your oppinion on it, what if I switched the gold with the "4th" above/below the mains, in my oppinion that base would be harder to take than the current gold in my oppinion.

Like this
+ Show Spoiler +