EPTI present to you...
[Char] Spark
Uploaded on: NA, EU, KR
Uploaded on: NA, EU, KR
Overview
![[image loading]](https://i.imgur.com/WP9C20j.png)
4 player, all spawns enabled
Bounds + rush distances
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152X152 (23,104)
Close spawns
Main to Main:41 seconds
Ramp to Ramp: 33 seconds
Nat to nat: 29 seconds
Cross spawn
Main to Main: 44 seconds
Ramp to Ramp:38 seconds
Nat to Nat: 34 seconds.
Close spawns
Main to Main:41 seconds
Ramp to Ramp: 33 seconds
Nat to nat: 29 seconds
Cross spawn
Main to Main: 44 seconds
Ramp to Ramp:38 seconds
Nat to Nat: 34 seconds.
My rambling thought process before I get to the concept (or just ignore this giant wall of text I know I would)
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Personally, I'm not a fan of limiting spawns on 4 player maps even if it is a useful way of limiting imbalance and/or randomness.
So instead I tried to limit the aspects of 4 spawn maps that screw people over while still keeping all spawns enabled
Ignoring maps in general for a second, Protoss is affected the most vs random players because it affects where they have to wall in different matchups and what else can screw them over in each matchup.
Now when it comes to 4 player maps who cares the most about the random scouting?
- For Terran, it's not a huge deal because worst-case scenario you send the scv to 2 empty bases and scout last with the reaper.
- Zerg doesn't really care so much either.afaik
- Protoss gets screwed over the most, most specifically when it's hard to scout early pools in PvZ due to the randomness of spawns and not being able to scout early enough.
Alright, so trying to take into account scouting + dealing with early pools let's see if we can try to mitigate this.
Mirrored maps vs rotational
Mirrored maps and rotational maps have their own limitations, but also pros
With mirrored maps you either have to:
- make really large maps to account for the close spawns
- make longer, bending routes to make the close spawns further
- disable close spawns and make a smaller map. (Which I Wanted to avoid)
but there's no rotational imbalance, there might be a spawn imbalance depending on the map layout, but it will either be like you're playing on a normal mirrored or rotational 2's map.
With rotational maps the close spawns will always be the same:
but you have to deal with more pronounced spawn imbalance depending on the spawn.
so what I did is make a rotational map while trying to put the bases as close to a mirrored layout as possible to make expanding in any direction depending on where your opponent spawns easier.
I'm not pretending there's no spawn imbalance at all, just that this is my attempt at reducing it.
So instead I tried to limit the aspects of 4 spawn maps that screw people over while still keeping all spawns enabled
Ignoring maps in general for a second, Protoss is affected the most vs random players because it affects where they have to wall in different matchups and what else can screw them over in each matchup.
Now when it comes to 4 player maps who cares the most about the random scouting?
- For Terran, it's not a huge deal because worst-case scenario you send the scv to 2 empty bases and scout last with the reaper.
- Zerg doesn't really care so much either.afaik
- Protoss gets screwed over the most, most specifically when it's hard to scout early pools in PvZ due to the randomness of spawns and not being able to scout early enough.
Alright, so trying to take into account scouting + dealing with early pools let's see if we can try to mitigate this.
Mirrored maps vs rotational
Mirrored maps and rotational maps have their own limitations, but also pros
With mirrored maps you either have to:
- make really large maps to account for the close spawns
- make longer, bending routes to make the close spawns further
- disable close spawns and make a smaller map. (Which I Wanted to avoid)
but there's no rotational imbalance, there might be a spawn imbalance depending on the map layout, but it will either be like you're playing on a normal mirrored or rotational 2's map.
With rotational maps the close spawns will always be the same:
but you have to deal with more pronounced spawn imbalance depending on the spawn.
so what I did is make a rotational map while trying to put the bases as close to a mirrored layout as possible to make expanding in any direction depending on where your opponent spawns easier.
I'm not pretending there's no spawn imbalance at all, just that this is my attempt at reducing it.
Features:
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2 building natural wall
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Main scout path + XNT + Speedzones
+ Show Spoiler +![[image loading]](https://i.imgur.com/d474Iaf.jpg)
Main scout path + XNT
By forcing the main scout path through the direct center early on and having them be watched by the all-seeing xelnaga tower, You can hold a unit at the center and potentially see any early attack that could come at you from any direction.
+ Speedzones
The new addition of speed zones makes this idea viable and (I feel) is used best on 4 player maps.
the problem with 4 player maps is that normally either
A. The map is huge so that the vertical/horizontal spawns aren't unreasonably close, but the cross spawns are super far.
or
B. The map isn't so big but the vertical/horizontal spawns are super rushy.
So the idea here is: make a fairly large 4player map But the use of speed zones cuts down the time it takes to cross the center of the map significantly. Which is an idea I stole from GSL Nautilus (Praise ATTX, god of 4 player maps).
Natural Debris
+ Show Spoiler +![[image loading]](https://i.imgur.com/kkdSVZT.png)
Depending on your race/matchup and choice of expansion direction, you may want to take down the debris to allow easier access to the outside middle expansions.
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Wall #1
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Wall # 2
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Remember when I said protoss has the hardest time dealing with fast pools on 4 player maps? I figured why not just give them a low surface area, Deathaura-styled 2 building wall? which would mitigate the effectiveness of early pool builds and it's not as bad if you're playing some random player if they're not Zerg because you have 1 less building to be potentially killed at the natural.
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Low surface area 2 building wall, archons can't pass
![[image loading]](https://i.imgur.com/8DIWxLR.jpg)
Wall # 2
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Higher surface area 2 building wall an archon can fit through.
Note that if the openings are against the debris an archon won't be able to fit through.
![[image loading]](https://i.imgur.com/3EeY3qh.png)
Adept is on hold position and the probe is unable to pass until the adept moves.
Note that if the openings are against the debris an archon won't be able to fit through.
Adept is on hold position and the probe is unable to pass until the adept moves.
Remember when I said protoss has the hardest time dealing with fast pools on 4 player maps? I figured why not just give them a low surface area, Deathaura-styled 2 building wall? which would mitigate the effectiveness of early pool builds and it's not as bad if you're playing some random player if they're not Zerg because you have 1 less building to be potentially killed at the natural.
Main scout path + XNT + Speedzones
+ Show Spoiler +
Main scout path + XNT
By forcing the main scout path through the direct center early on and having them be watched by the all-seeing xelnaga tower, You can hold a unit at the center and potentially see any early attack that could come at you from any direction.
+ Speedzones
The new addition of speed zones makes this idea viable and (I feel) is used best on 4 player maps.
the problem with 4 player maps is that normally either
A. The map is huge so that the vertical/horizontal spawns aren't unreasonably close, but the cross spawns are super far.
or
B. The map isn't so big but the vertical/horizontal spawns are super rushy.
So the idea here is: make a fairly large 4player map But the use of speed zones cuts down the time it takes to cross the center of the map significantly. Which is an idea I stole from GSL Nautilus (Praise ATTX, god of 4 player maps)
Natural Debris
+ Show Spoiler +
Depending on your race/matchup and choice of expansion direction, you may want to take down the debris to allow easier access to the outside middle expansions.
Concept
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The concept of this 4 player map is that you have 3 easy Kings Cove styled bases (depending on the spawns) and the scouting paths in the early game are forced through the direct center of the map completely in the view of a central xelnaga tower. However, the acceleration zones greatly reduce the scout time as you are taking a longer path through the middle. The map becomes more open as the blockades get taken down and open up more direct routes.
![[image loading]](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/806913556862730271/849702333146857532/unknown.png)
