With the recent map contests such as the IPL Map Contest and the Team Liquid Map Contest (and lets not forget the Map of the Month Organisation here) there has been an increase in activity of the TL custom map forum and an increase in map interest in general, so it's about high time we had a little more community interaction beyond map feedback. IronmanSC has started this off in good fashion with his Map Design Threads.

So I thought I would try kick off some aesthetics exercises for people to show off their artistic skills and for readers to draw some inspiration from (as I have from sc2mapster).

So with out further ado,

Weekly Aesthetics Challenge #1 - Alien Jungle.
For this weeks challenge the idea is to showcase an unusual jungle, and this week's theme should not be taken too seriously. Don't get too focused on the jungle side of things while we're getting started here, so have fun with it! Also it does not need to be a full scale melee map, it can be as simple as a scene or a 76x76 field if need be.

I'll start with some screenshots of my latest map oZz Genesis, which is available on SEA.

+ Show Spoiler +

Johanaz

Denmark363 Posts

January 11 2012 18:31 GMT

I have spent a good deal of time trying to create an alien jungle theme. So far I have 3 different types:

+ Show Spoiler +

I never went full jungle because I needed to fit the themes into a competitive melee map. If I find the time I´ll try to make some jungled up screens and edit them into this post

Gfire

United States1699 Posts

January 11 2012 23:39 GMT

I was actually getting together a concept for a map with an Alien Jungle sort of look. Maybe I'll make something for this as a test for the aesthetics there or maybe the map will be done in time for me to actually use it.

I don't think this is supposed to be a competition, but I think it would be cool if we had polls just to get a good idea of what everyone liked the most to help us all get better. Maybe that ruins the creativity when you start comparing them, though. (Edit: more of an upvote thing would be more appropriate I guess.)

eTcetRa

Australia822 Posts

January 12 2012 03:20 GMT

On January 12 2012 03:31 Johanaz wrote:
I never went full jungle because I needed to fit the themes into a competitive melee map. If I find the time I´ll try to make some jungled up screens and edit them into this post

I always have found it difficult to crate a full jungle theme for a real melee map, because like you said it does need to be playable :3

IronManSC

United States2119 Posts

January 12 2012 08:14 GMT

On January 12 2012 12:20 eTcetRa wrote:

Show nested quote +

I always have found it difficult to crate a full jungle theme for a real melee map, because like you said it does need to be playable :3

Think about all the maps you've made that are playable.

Now think about a full-blown alien-jungle theme added to one of those maps.

You just need to spend the extra time on the aesthetics =)

Samro225am

Germany982 Posts

January 12 2012 09:15 GMT

nvm

misread quote

edit: Johanaz wins.

sCnDiamond

Germany340 Posts

January 12 2012 12:43 GMT

On January 12 2012 18:15 Samro225am wrote:
edit: Johanaz wins.

I agree. He johanaz'd this contest already ^_^.

Ferisii

Denmark199 Posts

January 12 2012 13:38 GMT

Guess I might aswell throw in my creation(s) of jungle themed maps.

Here's some screens from my map, [M] (4) Sump

+ Show Spoiler +

Ragoo

Germany2773 Posts

January 12 2012 13:44 GMT

Ver nice idea. I will look if I can design a bit of Alien Jungle when I find the time

FoxyMayhem

624 Posts

January 12 2012 13:45 GMT

#10

Looks to me like johanaz has a challenger, Ferisii has some nice work there!

ihasaKAROT

Netherlands4730 Posts

January 12 2012 14:11 GMT

#11

-edit-

nm , its not alien, its a normal jungle

my bad

Johanaz

Denmark363 Posts

January 12 2012 14:25 GMT

#12

On January 12 2012 22:45 FoxyMayhem wrote:
Looks to me like johanaz has a challenger, Ferisii has some nice work there!

True. That shot of the pond is already in the Best of the Best Gallery in the map art thread

eTcetRa

Australia822 Posts

January 12 2012 14:30 GMT

#13

Agreed, that river-pond thing is gorgeous!

Namrufus

United States396 Posts

January 14 2012 07:10 GMT

#14

here's a theme that incorporates stuff from a number of different maps I've made.
Aiur jungle highground with volcanic and smoggy (but thickly vegetated) lowground.

+ Show Spoiler [Antares III] +

The remains of ancient machinery litter the surface of this unstable jungle moon.

+ Show Spoiler [tileset] +

^^^ that should say "tarsonis natural cliffs" instead of "tarsonis manmade cliffs"

and a link to the mapfile (48x48):
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/15345289/alien_jungle.SC2Map

eTcetRa

Australia822 Posts

January 14 2012 09:25 GMT

#15

Thats perfect, exactly what I had in mind with these little challenges.

Looks amazing too!

Samro225am

Germany982 Posts

January 14 2012 10:27 GMT

#16

looks really great namrufus. too dark for playingm, but that is not the challenge here.

Ruscour

5233 Posts

January 14 2012 11:08 GMT

#17

There are SEA mapmakers? WHY DIDN'T ANYONE TELL ME?

Also, I've been randomly dragged into the "clan oZz" channel heaps of times, what's up with that :-/

eTcetRa

Australia822 Posts

January 14 2012 11:41 GMT

#18

Probably by Kice or someone else.