Today is a very special day for Starcraft II. Two years ago today was the release of Starcraft II to the world. In that two years so much has changed about how the game is played, and maps are no exception. Maps have evolved from the original maps like Steppes of War and Kulas Ravine into the beautiful and complex maps you see now like Cloud Kingdom and Daybreak, among with many others. It's this time last year the ESV map team took a look back at this history and see what lessons we can take from it moving forward.

For this year we have decided to continue this tradition and going back even further than just Starcraft II. As a team we have decided to take 5 different Brood War maps and bring them up to date with Starcraft II. In the process the idea was not to make another standard Starcraft II map (highground main, choked nat, easy 3rd base, etc) and instead look at new innovative thinking to bring in the best of both worlds from Brood War and Starcraft II. Keep in mind, these are not simply ports with updated graphics, but complete overhauls of the maps keeping the core concepts intact, and in the case of two maps, breaking the barrier on what can and cannot be done with a Starcraft II map.

This is our celebration of the game we all love and spend endless hours being involved in, and I hope you like what we have came up with! All maps are currently being published across all the servers (except China) so make sure and check them out!

(2) - ESV Odd-Eye AE by Timetwister
+ Show Spoiler +

(2) - ESV Bloody Ridge AE by Monitor
+ Show Spoiler +

(2) - ESV Gauntlet AE by Gfire
+ Show Spoiler +

(3) - ESV Colosseum AE by Superouman
+ Show Spoiler +

(4) - ESV God's Garden AE by Namrufus
+ Show Spoiler +

Here's to another great year of Starcraft II and the game we have all come and know to love!

Plexa

Aotearoa39261 Posts

July 27 2012 04:24 GMT

Props for making a reworked version of Gauntlet :D

United States6173 Posts

July 27 2012 04:24 GMT

Nice! Most of those maps actually look pretty good for SC2 with all the changes you guys made.

Looms

United States4624 Posts

July 27 2012 04:24 GMT

wow nice job guys. they really look nice and i like that you decided to adapt them to SC2 as much as possible.

DRob

United States30 Posts

July 27 2012 04:27 GMT

I actually have been thinking about this recently how so many SC2 maps have a lot of similar features. Part of what made BW battles great came out of smart map design. I think these maps will bring about new ways of playing SC2 that will reward smart, tactical, and creative play. Well done!

Diamond

United States10796 Posts

July 27 2012 04:31 GMT

On July 27 2012 13:27 DRob wrote:
I actually have been thinking about this recently how so many SC2 maps have a lot of similar features. Part of what made BW battles great came out of smart map design. I think these maps will bring about new ways of playing SC2 that will reward smart, tactical, and creative play. Well done!

Thanks!

Bibbit

Canada5377 Posts

July 27 2012 04:37 GMT

Forgive me for being dumb about maps, but which barriers did you break and where? :D

They're certainly nice in any case, nicely done ESV!

Diamond

United States10796 Posts

July 27 2012 04:38 GMT

On July 27 2012 13:37 Bibbit wrote:
Forgive me for being dumb about maps, but which barriers did you break and where? :D

They're certainly nice in any case, nicely done ESV!

Can't 4 gate those rampless mains PvP on Colosseum and Bloody Ridge.

ExO_

United States2316 Posts

July 27 2012 04:38 GMT

omg its God's Garden!

Blazinghand

United States25562 Posts

July 27 2012 04:39 GMT

#10

Awesome map pack! Check out the bridges on Gauntlet <3

Torte de Lini

Germany38463 Posts

July 27 2012 04:40 GMT

#11

Congratulations on your anniversary.

Looms

United States4624 Posts

July 27 2012 04:42 GMT

#12

On July 27 2012 13:40 Torte de Lini wrote:
Congratulations on your anniversary.

its SC2's second anniversary, but congrats nonetheless

prodiG

Canada2016 Posts

July 27 2012 04:46 GMT

#13

Woohoo! :D Play the maps guys~

Vindicare605

United States16126 Posts

July 27 2012 04:46 GMT

#14

Awesome!

NoGasfOu

United States1117 Posts

July 27 2012 04:46 GMT

#15

Incoming MLG maps:

MLG Odd-Eye AE
MLG Bloody Ridge AE
MLG Gauntlet AE
MLG Colosseum AE
MLG God's Garden AE

With giant "MLG" logo on the loading screen of each map.

Lumi

United States1616 Posts

July 27 2012 04:47 GMT

#16

Sweet, and nicely presented post man. Gonna see if some friends want to play around on these before the Code S finals tonight.

lazyitachi

1043 Posts

July 27 2012 04:55 GMT

#17

GG GJ. The maps look good.
Hopefully you can get some tourney hookup to use as exclusive maps and get more recognition!

Golbat

United States499 Posts

July 27 2012 05:02 GMT

#18

Three player maps are the shit! My favorite map of all time is Testbug, and I really hope that Colosseum takes off as a competitive map, just because of how exciting watching games on three player maps are.