[M] (2) AEM Sol Dios

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NewSunshine

United States4184 Posts

May 16 2014 04:57 GMT

AEM Sol Dios - version 0.3
Uploaded - [NA] [EU] [KR] [SEA]

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2 players
playable 128x128
1 xel'naga tower
12 8m2g bases(10 expansions)/1 6hym2g expansion

Pictures!
+ Show Spoiler [Pictures!] +

Changelog!
+ Show Spoiler [Changelog!] +

0.1 - original
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0.2 - main ramp orientation changed
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0.3 - added 8 decals
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Recent Works:

ESV Burnt Ice
ESV Sleepwalker
ESV Geryon

phantomfive

Korea (South)404 Posts

May 16 2014 05:20 GMT

All the third expansions are on low ground, that is the first feature that really stands out to me.
The gold base seems like a good place to hide a Stargate.
The ramp to the main is very close to the ramp to the second. I feel like that might be conducive to zergling runbys

opisska

Poland8848 Posts

May 16 2014 06:06 GMT

I don't think that the collabsible rock on the island will ever come to play. It's a nice touch, but probably completely useless. Nobody is going to drop there or waste time on mutas/banshees for that. Actually, for island expansions, if you can that the other player is aiming for them, it is better to let them start and then lose money on cancelling/losing buildings with the same army.

Also, the gold base in the middle doesn't seem to me to be a very good idea. It is to some extent acceptable to have a "middle" base as a point of contention, but making it gold I feel makes it too much of an advantage - once you hold it, you have essentially won the game (considering its strategic position also).

WedRine

Denmark64 Posts

May 16 2014 10:05 GMT

Stunning! - I love how different the games can play out depending on what expansions are taken.
the XNT is also a really cool feature although i believe it might favor T a little too much because... Reapers, but who knows, maybe thats what T needs.
Would absolutely love to see some high level games on this one!

Yonnua

United Kingdom2306 Posts

May 16 2014 11:06 GMT

On May 16 2014 15:06 opisska wrote:
I don't think that the collabsible rock on the island will ever come to play. It's a nice touch, but probably completely useless. Nobody is going to drop there or waste time on mutas/banshees for that. Actually, for island expansions, if you can that the other player is aiming for them, it is better to let them start and then lose money on cancelling/losing buildings with the same army.

The value of the collapsible tower is that to safely take the island, you need to destroy the tower AND the rocks before you take it, because if you riskily take it otherwise, you run the risk of the other player destroying it and dealing enormous damage to your base instantly.

algue

France1351 Posts

May 16 2014 15:55 GMT

On May 16 2014 20:06 Yonnua wrote:

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A collapsable rock has 500hp (+3 armor) and deals 500 damage to anything under it. A CC/Nexus/hatch has 1500hp (+1 amor), you'll deal more damage by attacking the building directly than by attacking the collapsable rock. This collapsabl rocks only use is to block the expand but as opisska said, nobody is going to drop there or waste time on mutas/banshees for that.

Edit : When is blizzard going to give us some protoss themed destructible plates ?

iamcaustic

Canada1448 Posts

May 16 2014 20:19 GMT

That nat design seems painful for ZvZ and TvP at first glance. I really like the overall concept of the map, though. If the nat doesn't end up being a problem I'll give it 2 thumbs up.

Uvantak

Uruguay1380 Posts

May 16 2014 21:56 GMT

Regarding the collapsible rocks i also don't think the rocks will see much play, the reason the rocks are there is to deny the base for your enemy, but since the rocks are so much into the island means that you must drop or move your air units/army into the island to take the rocks out, and i don't know how much is that worth specially since you could take that base yourself instead if you have a sizable air based army that can spare the time to take down the rocks

My idea for this issue is to rotate the island base 180º and leave the minerals more exposed so when the rocks collapse they collapse on top of the minerals like this + Show Spoiler +

that way the players can send a small squad to take down the rocks that that way negate not all but a part of the income in a more permanent fashion, you could also place both vespene geysers there instead so when the rocks collapse the vespene geysers of that island base disappear.

About the layout itself it's a nice standard map there are a couple of things that worry me tho the first one is the central path , there aren't ways to get good surrounds in that area which could be problematic, for this you could move the xel'naga to that small lowground, the one that has the huge protoss engine doodad, that would open the center of the path a bit leaving an area were surrounds can happen. Another possible issue is that central gold base, because of his spot in the map that base will most of the time be taken when one of the two players is very ahead of the other and b/c is a gold base it will only make that player be even more ahead, as a fix for that i see a couple options, first to just remove that base and make a couple pathways/bridges blocked with rocks, the second option is to change the amount of resources in that base to 6min/3g, we don't see much play with resources in other maps but this map has a chance to use a nonstandard amount in this base.

Oh also! about the name! It should be Dios Sol, remember that the grammar in spanish is inverted in comparison to english :b

NewSunshine

United States4184 Posts

May 16 2014 22:09 GMT

The tower on the island is just an extra option for players, just like the gold base and the other corner base. If I happen to be using drops and don't want the island myself, I can send one just to knock the tower down, and now I know you won't be taking it. If it doesn't end up doing anything, oh well who cares. The map is designed to let you do pretty much whatever you want.

And the name is a reference, it comes from the same place as my TL name, screw grammar.

L3monsta

New Zealand149 Posts

May 17 2014 01:08 GMT

#10

This map is beautiful! It reminds me of Naro station:
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I also like Uvantak's idea for the island base.

NewSunshine

United States4184 Posts

May 17 2014 01:14 GMT

#11

I love pretty much all of Jacky's maps, each of them has had some noticeable influence on my maps in one way or another.

For the island, I don't want anything gimmicky like a mineral block or gas disappearing, I just want a simple block, which I don't think is as useless as everyone is saying. I'ma just leave it as is.

ATTx

Korea (South)162 Posts

May 17 2014 04:13 GMT

#12

WOW fantastic map!!!!!!!

just perfact

SidianTheBard

United States2207 Posts

May 17 2014 04:23 GMT

#13

This map is pretty awesome actually. I think it's sweet because most likely zerg will expand to the north side because it's much more open where as protoss/terran will expand to the south because it's a lot more choked off.

With that said, the bottom might be too choked off with all the ramps and such that it might be too strong against a zerg. Yes, if they are expanding to the south and constantly pushing to the south they could take the gold base in the north, but I really don't think it'll help as much since it's extremely close to the enemy natural.

I also dislike how seperated the northern and southern sections are. There are only single paths to each section so it does seem a little dull. I almost think, adding "bridges" where uvantak suggested but flipping the gold base 180 degrees would make it much better imo. Then it would kind of connect the southern and northern sections together more and thus create better flow.

Aesthetics look very simple yet it looks extremely well done. Props on that! Although, come on, add some more protoss or desert doodads yo! That 4th picture on the "pretty" section is...bleh! More forcefield walls, add some protoss decals to the high ground, maybe some blue flames! ehhh???

Either way, sick map bud. Well done! I know AlloyE is newly formed but this is definitely the best map produced from you guys.

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I bet that last sentence just got Timetwister jealous looool <3

edit:
Honestly, it's maps like this that really make me want to open the sc2 map editor and create something new because looking at this map just gets me inspired. Good job bud!

JessicaSc2

Poland123 Posts

May 17 2014 07:32 GMT

#14

Great map.

-NegativeZero-

United States2094 Posts

May 17 2014 10:47 GMT

#15

I like how you've managed to make blink awkward despite having a very exposed main cliff - I'll definitely be ~~plagiarizing~~ using similar ideas in future maps.

IeZaeL

Italy966 Posts

May 17 2014 11:53 GMT

#16

You fucking win NewSunshine. Pretty awesome map , definitely top 3 of your works.

MarcusRife

343 Posts

May 19 2014 05:20 GMT

#17

Found a bug.

+ Show Spoiler +

eTcetRa

Australia819 Posts

May 20 2014 10:52 GMT

#18

I really like the texturing and doodad work in the mains. Nicely done!

Samro225am

Germany982 Posts

May 28 2014 22:04 GMT

#19

the map has lots of style and a nicestraight forward layout. yet i am not sure, if it is not a tad bit too straight forward.

one point that was not discussed so far is that there are mainly three lanes that cut the map in section and that connect the two sides. along these paths the bases are lined up. only two of these three lanes connect at one single point near the XWT. i find it really interesting, yet problematic. it is in or out, do or die. there is no flanking or multi pronged attacks except by air and super strange "positioning" or rather timing when to move into the choke. while the visuals are nice and clean, that layout might be too simplified or restricted. I am really afraid it narrows down the spectrum of play styles too much.

edit: maybe a diagram could help me to understand what kind of positioning you had in mind? e.g. when on four or five bases?

iamcaustic

Canada1448 Posts

May 29 2014 07:11 GMT

#20

On May 29 2014 07:04 Samro225am wrote:
the map has lots of style and a nicestraight forward layout. yet i am not sure, if it is not a tad bit too straight forward.

one point that was not discussed so far is that there are mainly three lanes that cut the map in section and that connect the two sides. along these paths the bases are lined up. only two of these three lanes connect at one single point near the XWT. i find it really interesting, yet problematic. it is in or out, do or die. there is no flanking or multi pronged attacks except by air and super strange "positioning" or rather timing when to move into the choke. while the visuals are nice and clean, that layout might be too simplified or restricted. I am really afraid it narrows down the spectrum of play styles too much.

edit: maybe a diagram could help me to understand what kind of positioning you had in mind? e.g. when on four or five bases?

I heavily disagree with the assessments made here. What I particularly love about this map is how its design forces better planning and positioning to successfully perform flanks and multi-pronged attacks. It's a concept that used to matter in StarCraft, but got lost along the way due to more open map designs that reactively allow anyone to spread out their army or retreat in a different direction, making the game more about who has more money than who uses their units better.

Some of my fondest memories of SC2 come from 2011. I specifically remember my Shattered Temple TvP mid game revolved around baiting my opponent with only half my army so the second half could cut off his escape path back to his base. Protoss would be caught performing a last stand on the watch tower with their 2 colossus timing (popular at the time) completely surrounded. Instantly won many games like that.

When you look at the map designs of the current ladder pool, the only two maps where real flanking tactics can even be performed (Habitation Station and Merry-Go-Round) happen to be my favourite maps. Sol Dios isn't about brainless macro like Frost or Alterzim Stronghold, and in my opinion makes it a far superior StarCraft map.

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