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Why the 2v2 map pool is stunting the matchup. - Page 3

Forum Index > SC2 General
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Gryffes
Profile Blog Joined March 2010
United Kingdom763 Posts
February 07 2012 14:08 GMT
#41
The team game map pools in general are awful.
www.youtube.com/gryffes - Random Gaming Videos.
Pyre
Profile Joined July 2010
United States1940 Posts
February 07 2012 14:10 GMT
#42
The 2v2 Maps are slightly better now then they were on release. Some of the release maps were tiny with backdoor rocks. It was brutal to defend. I find it frustrating that 1v1 maps are bigger then all 2v2 maps and about the same size as 3v3. Blizzard has some weird theory about maps. They think if maps are to big casuals won’t have fun. I'd like them to make maps where thirds weren’t impossible to hold.

I remember starcraft 1 had some giant maps for release. Now i don't want maps that encourage 200/200 carrier armies but stepps of war esc maps in team games. is not fun. It becomes battle of who has the best all-in or cheese tatic.

I had to veto colony V. It just has to many issues, the multiple attack paths. The mineral line being right by a cliff that can be sieged or cannoned is just silly. The natural on low ground that is super hard to hold promotes 1 base all-ins. The giant ramp to your main makes walls really difficult without 2 terrans. This map has a lot of issues as well as a few others.

Nice read, I have to agree 100%

PS. I have been complainging about the RT vs AT bull since beta


Nice read, I have to agree 100%

PS. I have been complainging about the RT vs AT bull since beta

Toboe
Profile Blog Joined February 2010
United States276 Posts
February 07 2012 14:19 GMT
#43
On February 07 2012 21:38 413X wrote:
I made a video response of my opinions. Instead doing a huge amount of pics in paint, i just put on xsplit and explained some.
+ Show Spoiler +




From a master arranged team member that's played around 2k 2v2 games, 413X here is absolutely correct. Even if it takes him longer to explain it than it takes me to read this entire thread and write up this response to what he says in the video :

Lunar Colony:
413X is absolutely correct. The expansion path that the OP gives is foolish and after you try it once or twice it should be clear that taking that low-ground-with-a-back-door-from-hell "natural" is far worse than taking the side expansions behind the other natural.

I would suggest, if getting that base at all, the player that gets their 3rd faster can take that low ground expansion but always be ready to let it die in favor of getting a better engagement between your main armies (either they sent a small contingency to take out that base in which case their main forces are smaller, or they send their entire army in which case you have the whole time that they're killing it to get a good concave and your splash units set up right).

Scorched Haven:
I agree with the expansion path given in the video completely. Taking golds is really either if you're already ahead and just want to safely end the game, or if you're so far behind you hope the other team makes the mistake of letting you mine enough from them to catch back up. If you can get spotting obs at the front of their naturals, it's often times better to take your second third on the outside opposite from your 1st third instead of what is suggested in the video. You can set up closer to that 2nd third because the third that's on the same side as your mains/naturals is just really far away from your enemy. With the spotters by their front and your army set up closer to that second 3rd, you can always meet them in time to get a good engagement.

This is a great thread for 2v2 players to read so we can share good expansion paths, but I'm including these two comments to get more novice 2v2 teams thinking critically about larger concepts of the game and hopefully improving the 2v2 community:

Watch out for odd ideas like "you must always expand away from your opponent". This isn't necessarily true. If you're turtling and doing large timing pushes you actually want to expand towards the other player if possible on the map. Since you're turtling you can defend easier, and removing the space between you and your enemies gives them less time to react to your big push. However, if you macro and play defensively/reactively then you should expand away.

Similarly I don't believe "splitting the map evenly" is quite right. You want to split the map in a proportion that matches the cost effectiveness of your units compared to the enemy's. If you're using units that are cost inefficient against theirs (which by the game's design usually give you more map control to expand faster), then you need to have consumed more of the resources on the map. Then, by the time both of you get into your desired late game composition (where you're both using the most cost efficient units you have available), it ends up even or hopefully a little in your favor. Splitting the map this way can manifest in taking a base on their side or even just denying their expansions long enough that your late game kicks in to "catch back up" from using those cost inefficient units earlier.

Tyrador Keep:
I'd just like to add that, in general, zergs that favor fighting in open spaces will take the outside natural as the first expansion of the team because it spreads creep there defensively. The choke to the natural is a bit better than letting your enemy take over your ramp (and screwing over the player that spawns closer to it), and if they take the back door down then they have to get well into the main (a nice open space) before you have to engage and you have a flank opportunity through the open exit from your main.
What's really bad about this map is the symmetrical imbalances. And I don't mean spawning counter-clockwise from your enemy where they can just siege your in base natural. I'm talking about if you spawn in top right and the spawn in bottom, the gold you can take (the one furthest from your enemy) is significantly farther away from you than in any other position. It's... just not good map execution on Blizzard's part.

Tempest:
This is a terrible map as 413X says. The middle is a single circle that fits within the radius of a single xel'naga watch tower. I've found the first team that rushes to siege the middle has full map control and forces the other team to either build up and break out or do some crazy drop/nydus antics. The point being that the map severely limits you in the ways you can effectively play it.

Magma Core
This is a pretty sweet map for expands as said in the video. I've got nothing to add.
Immortals are your friend, you can tell by the way they waddle at you
LAN-f34r
Profile Joined December 2010
New Zealand2099 Posts
Last Edited: 2012-02-07 14:24:24
February 07 2012 14:21 GMT
#44
Rather than maps getting bigger as the number of players increases, they tend to get smaller :S. Some 3v3 maps have a natural each, then 2 other bases. Tal'darim has more bases as a 1v1 map than a 3v3 map.

But yea, as a masters 2v2 player who's favorite format is 2v2, the map pool definitely needs a change. It might not cure rushes completely, but hopefully it will give a lot more chances to go into a long, drawn out macro games.

also, its ruining E-sports D:
The only barrier to truth is the presumption that you already have it. It's through our pane (pain) we window (win though).
-Kyo-
Profile Blog Joined August 2010
Japan1926 Posts
February 07 2012 14:21 GMT
#45
I think regardless of maps people will still do some "strong" push timings because they're quite a bit harder to hold in 2v2 than 1v1 since unit comps can compliment one another so much. So unless you have like a hugeeeeeeee map, which is kinda >.>... Don't think too much will change. I think just higher level players need to get more into it ^_^
Anime is cuter than you. Legacy of the Void GM Protoss Gameplay: twitch.tv/kyo7763 youtube.com/user/KyoStarcraft/
TL+ Member
FeyFey
Profile Joined September 2010
Germany10114 Posts
February 07 2012 14:40 GMT
#46
play metropolis, yes i know the bases are so far away we would have to scout to defend from a push of the opponent, horrible.
I guess nothing stops you from commissioning a 2v2 map from a mapmaker to use it in one of the 2v2 tournaments. And maybe rant at blizzard that you want a macro map in 2v2 pool.

My take on lunar colony would be, neat you can take 1 expansion for 3 base pressure and you can take 3 expansions + a gold for a macro game (only having to defend 2 positions that take longer for the opponent to reach, giving you enough scouting time, unless they take the way through the middle which is basically a deathtrap). So the map itself is quiet nice, like steps of wars was (nice layout on the bases, but short rushdistance to really use it), but i guess the problem is the short. But i doubt you have problems holding the north or south of this map if you want.

Anyway i would say better then ranting randomly at blizzard maps without thinking about them (seen how the op wants to take expansions on lunar). Is if good 2v2ers would work together with a mapmaker to improve this, a good 2v2 map would promote the mapmaker also as he can expect to have the map used in every 2v2.
Ranting and just playing ladder won't help 2v2 though at getting a place in teamleague tournaments. (i so hate this allkill fomat, want some funny 2v2, with stuff you never see in a 1v1, even if its just zzvzz all the time)

Still good luck with your 2v2 thing and hopes Blizzard listens and releases a bigger macro map. With just one path like they did with shakuras and say here you go, you can expand without thinking if its good or bad.
Bagration
Profile Blog Joined October 2011
United States18282 Posts
February 07 2012 14:44 GMT
#47
Great post. There is so much potential in the 2v2 scene, but if only there were good map pools. After all, 2v2 helps build the team aspect of SC2 as well as potentially set up for some amazing comebacks (1 player manages to comeback against 2 opponents after their ally was overwhelmed or whatever). Hopefully this can spur mapmakers to start on creating some better 2v2 maps.
Team Slayers, Axiom-Acer and Vile forever
HaXXspetten
Profile Blog Joined October 2009
Sweden15718 Posts
Last Edited: 2012-02-07 14:58:59
February 07 2012 14:46 GMT
#48
Pretty nicely discribed.

I've always liked, and played team league quite frequently, and I know exactly what you mean, most of the maps are just so hard to expand, and does nothing but favour boring one-base play, as if that wasn't strong enough as it is in team league. There are a few good maps, but they come in rarity in team games

Edit: 4v4 maps arent that much better, 3v3 is really the only good team league, it outclasses the others in comparison imo.
-ForeverAlone-
Profile Joined June 2011
274 Posts
February 07 2012 15:05 GMT
#49
Completely agreed with the OP. My friend and I focus on 2v2s. The team/communication aspect adds a nice depth to playing SC2, however the map pool makes it painful a lot of the time.
omg terran is hard to play
BoilOlo
Profile Joined April 2011
United States139 Posts
February 07 2012 15:16 GMT
#50
On February 07 2012 21:38 413X wrote:
I made a video response of my opinions. Instead doing a huge amount of pics in paint, i just put on xsplit and explained some.
Show nested quote +

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eW9pgTMZBaE



great vid...thx for taking the time to post it. my friend and i play 2v2's while on skype and alot of how we play is " i don't like this map, i can't expand...let's rush". it got to a point where we were rushing on like 90% of our games doing all ins and i got sick of playing that way, so i enjoy 2v2's less now. here's hoping Blizz will be adding better 2v2 maps next season.
never cook bacon naked.
TheDougler
Profile Joined April 2010
Canada8304 Posts
February 07 2012 15:19 GMT
#51
Couldn't agree more. I'll try to add more later but essentially I'm just voicing my support for everything said in the OP.
I root for Euro Zergs, NA Protoss* and Korean Terrans. (Any North American who has beat a Korean Pro as Protoss counts as NA Toss)
DoubleReed
Profile Blog Joined September 2010
United States4130 Posts
February 07 2012 15:27 GMT
#52
Actually think magma core has the opposite problem. It's far too easy to turtle on five bases.

But the OP has some the best points I've seen in awhile, (other than the obviously bad expansion paths). Kudos for that.
Atreides
Profile Joined October 2010
United States2393 Posts
February 07 2012 15:39 GMT
#53
I think I am the minority in that I play a lot of team games, and yet think that the whole point of team games is 1-2 base timings and thats the way it should be. I just don't get it. If you want to macro greedily than play 1v1. (Master across all brackets btw)

I think clever, tricky, timing builds are very cool in 2v2 and am fine with that being the meta game. Still some of the maps just suck majorly, not denying that. I just don't think a map has to give an "easy" third to all players to be good.

3v3 and 4v4 are going to be a shitfest no matter how the maps are, so yeah don't think they matter too much there. But there are a couple that I despise still.
Silo Phylumists
Profile Joined July 2011
Netherlands16 Posts
February 07 2012 15:42 GMT
#54
We just need way larger maps, most of the maps you're unable to take thirds or fourths let alone fifths...

Because of this people lean towards 1 or 2 base plays and try to end the game there. Take a look at Ruins of Tarsonis, this map makes me cry a little inside

[image loading]

Nice job making this thread.
"When every build you do is weird and gimmicky, sometimes they don't work and you look retarded" IdrA
th3rogue
Profile Joined February 2010
Germany683 Posts
February 07 2012 15:43 GMT
#55
As a tournament organizer, please tell me what 2v2 maps that we should use that are available right now?
ESL Community Manager SC2, http://www.esl.eu/eu/sc2
Apom
Profile Blog Joined August 2011
France655 Posts
February 07 2012 15:53 GMT
#56
Fields of Strife

As well as the other two honorable mentions of the Team Liquid map contest (Citadels of Gaia and Hipster Heaven, if memory serves).
Mondieu
Profile Joined November 2011
Romania803 Posts
February 07 2012 16:00 GMT
#57
I feel like blizzard will start fixing team games and other interesting features that people enjoy when they see that only 10-20% of the whole sc2 original buyers will upgrade to HotS, myself included.
Scorch
Profile Blog Joined March 2008
Austria3371 Posts
February 07 2012 16:03 GMT
#58
As mainly a 2v2 player, I fully agree. Me and my friend (both zerg) enjoy long hard-fought macro games, but they barely ever happen. There isn't even a natural for both players on some maps, much less a third one could realistically take and defend. Not on a single ladder map in two years. It's just sad.
413X
Profile Joined April 2010
Sweden203 Posts
February 07 2012 16:04 GMT
#59
On February 08 2012 00:43 th3rogue wrote:
As a tournament organizer, please tell me what 2v2 maps that we should use that are available right now?


I would say;

The entire map pool of 2v2 with the exception of high orbit and that means;

lunar colony v
The boneyard
magma core
ruins of tarsonis
tyrador keep
discord iv
scorched haven

Also having in the best map at the top and the least good map in the bottom. Depending on how you want the map pool. However, that said. If you really want to punish players who generally play 1vs1 and reward players who play 2vs2. I would suggest scorched haven. That map have some insanely powerful rush possibilities that 1vs1 players have no possibility in stopping with the exception of blind counter. But if your a 2vs2 player, you should be able to recognize the threat and deal with it correctly. The only reason for this is due to seperate bases. But you should concider this map for short games.
The pro noob
Sylailene
Profile Joined February 2011
91 Posts
February 07 2012 16:11 GMT
#60
I play team games a lot, I think if you add more rocks, and I don't mean rocks blocking and expansion, it would help, like... I don't remeber the map but its a 3 player map, with rocks blocking lanes, and a middle high ground lane between the 2 teams
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