Description:

This map is a 2 player mirrored map with a forcefield barrier blocking air unit between the mains. This negates the short air distance and allows the games to be played from the corner of the map. An fairly open natural and long rush distance means that the choice between greed and safety will almost always play some role here. FFE from the ramp to the nexus is fairly easy.

Rkynick

85 Posts

July 26 2014 16:52 GMT

I like the premise of the map quite a bit (i.e. the main->main layout) but a few things worry me:

1. Is it FFE-able? I don't personally think this is the biggest deal but some people swear by this as a necessity
2. there's only really two paths through the middle of the map, which makes me worry about harass potential on this map. The top-most gold expansion layout is really cool but I'm not sure if it'll get taken often enough to open up a third path (maybe put rocks there too?)
3. this isn't a concern but one thing I think would be interesting is if you flipped the expansion nestled between the main and the natural around so it was an in-base expansion with an easily harass-able mineral line. This isn't a suggestion for this map, just something I want to try now.

lorestarcraft

United States1049 Posts

July 26 2014 18:50 GMT

On July 27 2014 01:52 Rkynick wrote:
I like the premise of the map quite a bit (i.e. the main->main layout) but a few things worry me:

1. Is it FFE-able? I don't personally think this is the biggest deal but some people swear by this as a necessity
2. there's only really two paths through the middle of the map, which makes me worry about harass potential on this map. The top-most gold expansion layout is really cool but I'm not sure if it'll get taken often enough to open up a third path (maybe put rocks there too?)
3. this isn't a concern but one thing I think would be interesting is if you flipped the expansion nestled between the main and the natural around so it was an in-base expansion with an easily harass-able mineral line. This isn't a suggestion for this map, just something I want to try now.

I designed it so the natural would be about the easiest ramp to nexus FFEs possible. a forge and 2 pylons a nexus and a cannon seals things up fairly well. Of course I think that the gateway expo is also viable vs. zerg. The middle has only few "main" paths, but I think that the open ares, plus circular pathing make up for this. Your third idea a cool one, you should give it a try.

Sholip

Hungary422 Posts

July 26 2014 18:56 GMT

The aesthetics looks really solid. Couple of notices:
I think you should put debris on the narrower ramp from the natural so as to make FFE possible.
Also, does the force field barrier stop units from attacking through it? I mean is it possible to shoot with a Siege Tank or Tempest to the other base?
One thing that would be really cool in my opinion would be hiding the terrain cells on the main ramp beneath the force fields and thus making it transparent blueish.
Anyway, I would have to like this map just because it reminds me of my map, Aeons' Citadel, in quite some parts (even in name

lorestarcraft

United States1049 Posts

July 27 2014 18:02 GMT

On July 27 2014 03:56 Sholip wrote:
The aesthetics looks really solid. Couple of notices:
I think you should put debris on the narrower ramp from the natural so as to make FFE possible.
Also, does the force field barrier stop units from attacking through it? I mean is it possible to shoot with a Siege Tank or Tempest to the other base?
One thing that would be really cool in my opinion would be hiding the terrain cells on the main ramp beneath the force fields and thus making it transparent blueish.
Anyway, I would have to like this map just because it reminds me of my map, Aeons' Citadel, in quite some parts (even in name

I thought about the debris, might try it. Tanks really don't have the range to do anything, and of course someone would need vision for the tempest, unless someone stacked all their tech at the very edge it shouldn't be too big of a deal to handle.

subtlerevolution

France37 Posts

July 28 2014 15:53 GMT

<3 the name reference

+1 for force field barrier action = very cool

EatThePath

United States3943 Posts

July 28 2014 20:50 GMT

mech mech mech mech mech, not to mention swarmhost

6 bases all on the same general attack path 5-10 seconds walk from each other; it'd be nice to see some part of the map a little more isolated and not just the gold corner. For example the innermost highground bases not directly cliffable and on a ground path at least 15 seconds long to reach, but that uses up a lot of space so I dunno...

Overall I'm not sure this made the best use of the ability to cram main/nat into the corner using the air barrier design.

I love the routes though, and the aesthetics are nice and clean but still compelling and interesting.

lorestarcraft

United States1049 Posts

July 28 2014 22:15 GMT

Thanks for the love @subtlerevolution

@eatthepath, if the map does work out to a a singular path feel to it, them I think swarm hosts would be kinda boring. Mech, i think, is liked enough that perhaps people would welcome a meching map. I made the "5th" bases cliffable to create more of a choice to draw people to the gold and cause some late game resource scarce friction. I hope that the circular paths around those areas and the openness of the middle would discourage people from truly immobile hulk armies.