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![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/AeIMmBZ.jpg) Boondock Wastes(by Travis "Caustic" Willis)Tileset: Tarsonis Map Size: 148x148 Published on: [AM] [EU] [KR] [SEA]+ Show Spoiler [Rush Distances] +These times are based on TLMC standard: the time it takes for a worker to reach one town hall location to another, give or take a second due to human rounding.
Adjacent Spawns
Main to Main = 55 seconds
Natural to Natural = 40 seconds
Cross Spawns
Main to Main = 65 seconds
Natural to Natural = 50 seconds ![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/vaHfkGwl.jpg) ![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/oJneoPPl.jpg) + Show Spoiler [Eye Candy] ++ Show Spoiler [Version 1.0] +
Changelog:
+ Show Spoiler +v1.2General- Updated for Heart of the Swarm
- Neutral supply depots replaced with HotS unbuildable rocks
Aesthetics- Numerous doodad adjustments
- Texture refinement
Gameplay- Removed unpathable air barriers
- Mineral line adjustments
- Added a stepped path into the mains
- The small high ground pods outside the natural ramp are now pathable
v1.1Balance- Added neutral supply depots at the bottom of main base ramps, per tournament standard
v1.0General
Map Concept:
After creating Khalani Sanctuary, I wanted to continue building upon my 4-player mapmaking skills. The general vision I had in my head was a map that would be a bit more aggressive than Khalani Sanctuary while retaining the overall map size and feel of a 4-player map. I also wanted to play around a bit with line-of-sight blockers, because I've always felt they're really cool. Some of my most memorable games back earlier in SC2's life involved making strategic use of LOS blockers on those beta maps.
Above all else, however, I always aim to make a map that feels and plays solid. I'm not a fan of making gimmicky and/or imbalanced maps for the sake of hitting some vague goal of having an "innovative" or "unique" map. I've had my last couple of maps called "boring" during critique, but that's exactly the point in some ways. What does a standard, balanced, all-around boilerplate 4-player map look like? I don't think that question has been adequately answered. Name me a 4-player map used in either tournaments or the ladder, either past or present, that hasn't been afflicted by one of the following:
a. Racial balance issues
b. Certain positions disabled due to severe imbalance
c. Some sort of terrain/layout imbalance
It's only once we find a working standard that we can look to innovate from it, in my opinion. I think certain standards have been found, such as 16 bases (4 per quadrant) and an ambiguous choice of third bases to determine one's expansion path based on spawning positions, but not much else beyond that. Map sizes are all over the place (144x144, 148x148, 152x152, 158x158, 160x160, and even 176x176 thanks to Tal'Darim Altar, amongst other non-square dimensions), rush distances vary greatly based on the map size/dimension, and mapmakers are busy making unorthodox terrain layouts on top of it all, sometimes to the detriment of map balance.
Boondock Wastes represents another milestone, after Khalani Sanctuary, in my journey to find the answer to the question, "what makes for a balanced 'standard' 4-player map?" That doesn't necessarily mean I've reached my destination yet. Either way, I hope you all enjoy following me on my journey. 
About Galaxy eSports:
We're an organization focused on helping build the SC2 mapmaking and North American competitive scenes. Follow us and keep up with our progress!
Twitter: @galaxyesports
Google+: +Galaxyesports
Facebook: http://facebook.com/galaxyesports
Website: http://galaxyesports.com
Contact the mapmaker by email at caustic [at] galaxyesports [dot] com
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I think other standards could include 4 or 1 watcher tower, high grounds in or around the middle, and drop defense.
This looks like a good map, perhaps a little chokey, but good indeed.
And I love Khalani Sanctuary!
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On November 19 2012 06:44 lorestarcraft wrote:
I think other standards could include 4 or 1 watcher tower, high grounds in or around the middle, and drop defense.
This looks like a good map, perhaps a little chokey, but good indeed.
And I love Khalani Sanctuary!
I'm glad you like my maps! Regarding chokes, this map is actually a little bit more open in nature compared to Khalani Sanctuary, so I think you'll be pleasantly surprised in that regard.
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Looks like fun. I agree that it might be a tiny bit on the chokey side, but I think part of that is an optical illusion because the LOS blockers make it look a little chokier than it actually is.
edit: Looked at your twitter. Glad I'm not the only one who thought the kespa maps weren't too great lol. But of course the reddit thread was full of "omg theyre so creativ and good!!1one". Dem fanboy blinders
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On November 19 2012 09:00 Fatam wrote:
Looks like fun. I agree that it might be a tiny bit on the chokey side, but I think part of that is an optical illusion because the LOS blockers make it look a little chokier than it actually is.
edit: Looked at your twitter. Glad I'm not the only one who thought the kespa maps weren't too great lol. But of course the reddit thread was full of "omg theyre so creativ and good!!1one". Dem fanboy blinders
I don't think anyone really liked the KeSPA maps because they know they'll produce good games, I think people (including myself) just appreciate the fact that they're intentionally breaking the (increasingly stale) metagame to produce more variety in strategies.
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On November 19 2012 09:11 -NegativeZero- wrote:Show nested quote +On November 19 2012 09:00 Fatam wrote:
Looks like fun. I agree that it might be a tiny bit on the chokey side, but I think part of that is an optical illusion because the LOS blockers make it look a little chokier than it actually is.
edit: Looked at your twitter. Glad I'm not the only one who thought the kespa maps weren't too great lol. But of course the reddit thread was full of "omg theyre so creativ and good!!1one". Dem fanboy blinders I don't think anyone really liked the KeSPA maps because they know they'll produce good games, I think people (including myself) just appreciate the fact that they're intentionally breaking the (increasingly stale) metagame to produce more variety in strategies.
That would be a legitimate argument if not for Guillotine.
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Yeah I think they just need to do a little research before they make maps for SC2. Not necessarily to box themselves in (because I love it when mapmakers aren't scared to do something risky), but to see what has been tried and failed already.
Putting those 2 gold bases right next to each other on Desert Flower was like .. I can tell they just switched from SC1 and opened the editor w/out playing the game much or looking at any maps or reading anything.
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On November 19 2012 09:50 iamcaustic wrote:Show nested quote +On November 19 2012 09:11 -NegativeZero- wrote:On November 19 2012 09:00 Fatam wrote:
Looks like fun. I agree that it might be a tiny bit on the chokey side, but I think part of that is an optical illusion because the LOS blockers make it look a little chokier than it actually is.
edit: Looked at your twitter. Glad I'm not the only one who thought the kespa maps weren't too great lol. But of course the reddit thread was full of "omg theyre so creativ and good!!1one". Dem fanboy blinders I don't think anyone really liked the KeSPA maps because they know they'll produce good games, I think people (including myself) just appreciate the fact that they're intentionally breaking the (increasingly stale) metagame to produce more variety in strategies. That would be a legitimate argument if not for Guillotine.
That one's probably just for the old BW fans, same with Bifrost and Gaema Gowon
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On November 19 2012 11:18 -NegativeZero- wrote:Show nested quote +On November 19 2012 09:50 iamcaustic wrote:On November 19 2012 09:11 -NegativeZero- wrote:On November 19 2012 09:00 Fatam wrote:
Looks like fun. I agree that it might be a tiny bit on the chokey side, but I think part of that is an optical illusion because the LOS blockers make it look a little chokier than it actually is.
edit: Looked at your twitter. Glad I'm not the only one who thought the kespa maps weren't too great lol. But of course the reddit thread was full of "omg theyre so creativ and good!!1one". Dem fanboy blinders I don't think anyone really liked the KeSPA maps because they know they'll produce good games, I think people (including myself) just appreciate the fact that they're intentionally breaking the (increasingly stale) metagame to produce more variety in strategies. That would be a legitimate argument if not for Guillotine. That one's probably just for the old BW fans, same with Bifrost and Gaema Gowon
It's one thing to make a Brood War port. It's another entirely for it to look like that.
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Oh I really like this map, I love complicated terrain like this, the only major criticism I can see at first glance is that the main ramps are too far from the minerals, basically, it makes it hard to FFE to the nexus, but most importantly, it's really annoying in ZvZ if you can't' block the ramp with queens which can still defend the hatch.
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On November 19 2012 20:24 SiskosGoatee wrote:
Oh I really like this map, I love complicated terrain like this, the only major criticism I can see at first glance is that the main ramps are too far from the minerals, basically, it makes it hard to FFE to the nexus, but most importantly, it's really annoying in ZvZ if you can't' block the ramp with queens which can still defend the hatch.
Glad you like the map! However, I believe you're mistaken regarding the distance between main ramp and natural resources. The distance from the natural to the main ramp is 4/5 units diagonal, which is comparable to something like Daybreak, which is 5 units horizontal. Here are some quick images I cooked up to showcase FFE and basic Zerg simcity:
Protoss FFE at Nexus:
+ Show Spoiler +
Protoss FFE at natural ramp:
+ Show Spoiler +
Basic Zerg simcity:
+ Show Spoiler +
Also as a side note, it only takes one creep tumour to connect the main and the natural with creep.
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Updated the OP to include the map as part of the current Galaxy map pool.
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United Kingdom281 Posts
Cool map. Fairly standard choosable 3rds setup but is different enough to make it interesting. The XNTs are a bit close to the expansions for my liking, makes them strong for the attacker. I'd also like to see some more variation in texture.
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On December 04 2012 23:57 OxyGenesis wrote:
Cool map. Fairly standard choosable 3rds setup but is different enough to make it interesting. The XNTs are a bit close to the expansions for my liking, makes them strong for the attacker. I'd also like to see some more variation in texture.
XNTs are where they are to help accomplish the aggressive nature I wanted for the map. At 148x148 and with 16 bases laid out as they are, I didn't want the map to become a boring passive-fest. :0
Tarsonis textures have a tendency to look a little bland (it's a wasteland set, after all), but I don't think it's nearly as bad when viewed up close. There's a lot of dirt in the mains, but becomes much more grassy as you move down levels toward the thirds; I don't think the overview does it justice. If you've played on the map in-game and still think there's not enough variation, just let me know and I'll see what I can do about that.
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Boondock Wastes has been updated to version 1.2!
v1.2 Patch Notes
General
- Updated for Heart of the Swarm
- Neutral supply depots replaced with HotS unbuildable rocks
Aesthetics
- Numerous doodad adjustments
- Texture refinement
Gameplay
- Removed unpathable air barriers
- Mineral line adjustments
- Added a stepped path into the mains
- The small high ground pods outside the natural ramp are now pathable
The changes continue toward an emphasis of aggressive and strategic play on a 4-spawn map, which traditionally encourages passive macro. This also brings the map forward to Heart of the Swarm, reintroducing it to the general player base, as well as opening the map to additional regions beyond the Americas.
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I've updated the OP to include TLMC-standard rush distance information. This map will also be one of my two 1v1 TLMC 4 entries along with Sol Crossing.
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