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Active: 1238 users

Interview with TLO on the need for new/better maps

Forum Index > SC2 General
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Slasher
Profile Joined September 2007
United States1095 Posts
Last Edited: 2013-10-24 22:06:15
October 23 2013 22:16 GMT
#1
I interviewed Liquid TLO at IEM NYC about his performance, WCS 2013, and his thoughts on the current state of SC2. He says one factor he'd like to see improvement on is maps, where he believes there is a hole to fill. He says that while it may be difficult for professional players to play on many different maps, it would be good for the scene overall if there wasd more variety.

"I think the game will be more interesting if we play different maps. I wish Blizzard would support map makers more"

Note that TLO was sick at at the event so his voice is a bit off! Huge thanks to him for doing the interview anyway

:
SigmaoctanusIV
Profile Blog Joined April 2010
United States3313 Posts
October 23 2013 22:25 GMT
#2
TLO brings up some really awesome points I like his thinking on changes.
I am Godzilla You are Japan
Timetwister22
Profile Joined March 2011
United States538 Posts
October 23 2013 22:29 GMT
#3
TLO bringing more attention to the broken map scene. Always greatly appreciated!
Former ESV Mapmaker | @Timetwister22
Spectreman
Profile Joined February 2012
Brazil52 Posts
October 23 2013 22:31 GMT
#4
I miss scrap station
Ushi
Profile Joined September 2008
United States21 Posts
October 23 2013 22:37 GMT
#5
Maps are so huge to balance. It is night and day which units become viable like siege tanks/brood lords. Rush timings/gimmicky plays are so affected by the terrain that it's a wonder that maps are so bland and similar. I hope some maps are balanced between 2-base timings and 3 base games while still allowing gimmicky 1-base all-ins to be legit. Easier to defend naturals that are harder to take can slow down macro just long enough for games to be interesting without hitting a deathball stage. I just hope mapmakers are given more support in the future because they balance the game more than Blizzard ever could with patches.
kochanfe
Profile Joined July 2011
Micronesia1338 Posts
October 23 2013 22:38 GMT
#6
Some great points by TLO. Hope Blizzard listens.
"The flame that burns twice as bright burns half as long." - Lao Tzu
Darkdwarf
Profile Blog Joined December 2012
Sweden960 Posts
October 23 2013 22:48 GMT
#7
Haha, gamespot cutting off Slasher's usual ending tirade was really hilarious to me (for some reason).

Teams: IM, Jin Air, Invictus || Players: Maru, GuMiho, INnoVation, Ryung, sOs, Squirtle, NaNiwa, Has, Zoun, Life, Rogue, Dark
MagnuMizer
Profile Blog Joined February 2012
Denmark384 Posts
October 23 2013 22:56 GMT
#8
Yeah wow, i completely agree with TLO... I always thought there were too few ladder maps, and definitely too few good ones..
Eury
Profile Joined December 2008
Sweden1126 Posts
October 23 2013 23:01 GMT
#9
Have to partly blame the players and the community for the limited map design. Players especially are very conservative when it comes to anything outside the established norm for maps. Also many of them want as small map pool as possible and the same for every tournament.
Shield
Profile Blog Joined August 2009
Bulgaria4824 Posts
Last Edited: 2013-10-23 23:10:42
October 23 2013 23:08 GMT
#10
On October 24 2013 08:01 Eury wrote:
Have to partly blame the players and the community for the limited map design. Players especially are very conservative when it comes to anything outside the established norm for maps. Also many of them want as small map pool as possible and the same for every tournament.


You can have a small map pool & new maps at the same time. It's how iCCup's MOTW worked. Thus said, Blizzard may implement MOTM (Maps Of The Month) or something. They may also go back to their MOTS (Maps Of The Season), too.
Plexa
Profile Blog Joined October 2005
Aotearoa39261 Posts
October 23 2013 23:46 GMT
#11
Good points TLO!
Administrator~ Spirit will set you free ~
TeslasPigeon
Profile Joined March 2012
464 Posts
Last Edited: 2013-10-24 00:06:34
October 24 2013 00:05 GMT
#12
On October 24 2013 08:01 Eury wrote:
Have to partly blame the players and the community for the limited map design. Players especially are very conservative when it comes to anything outside the established norm for maps. Also many of them want as small map pool as possible and the same for every tournament.


I never understood this reasoning. I would think the tournaments are the ones to blame. Take DH for instance, if they introduced a new map pool for Winter players would still show up and compete for prize money.

In 2012 we had a nearly universal map pool between IEM, DH, IPL, and MLG. If these organizations would change the maps between tournaments players wouldn't cease showing up.

But I do agree that it would be nice if Blizzard changed their maps more often. Like every season they get rid of 4 maps and replace them with 4 new ones, then the next season get rid of 4 older maps replacing them as well so that by the end of the year you have a map pool that is completely different than the beginning of the year.
PineapplePizza
Profile Joined June 2010
United States749 Posts
October 24 2013 00:32 GMT
#13
I'm 100% certain that mapmakers, if given the liberty to make magic happen, could make wonderful new maps that could bring new life and better gameplay for Terran and Zerg.

I'm also 100% certain that Protoss will just veto or allin every single game on every good map they create.

I think we should just ignore Protoss and make maps for interesting matchups.
"There should be no tying a sharp, hard object to your cock like it has a mechanical arm and hitting it with the object or using your cockring to crack the egg. No cyborg penises allowed. 100% flesh only." - semioldguy
Quakecomm
Profile Joined April 2012
United States344 Posts
October 24 2013 00:36 GMT
#14
On October 24 2013 07:31 Spectreman wrote:
I miss scrap station

yeah well...
maybe if u used the symetry tool
gorkey island is the only good map
Plexa
Profile Blog Joined October 2005
Aotearoa39261 Posts
October 24 2013 00:39 GMT
#15
On October 24 2013 09:05 TeslasPigeon wrote:
Show nested quote +
On October 24 2013 08:01 Eury wrote:
Have to partly blame the players and the community for the limited map design. Players especially are very conservative when it comes to anything outside the established norm for maps. Also many of them want as small map pool as possible and the same for every tournament.


I never understood this reasoning. I would think the tournaments are the ones to blame. Take DH for instance, if they introduced a new map pool for Winter players would still show up and compete for prize money.
That happened once, the two maps they introduced weren't played very much. http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/sc2-international/leagues/2701_2012_DreamHack_Eizo_Open:_Stockholm/main -- see Frigid Pass and Vicious.
Administrator~ Spirit will set you free ~
Phanekim
Profile Joined April 2003
United States777 Posts
October 24 2013 00:39 GMT
#16
He does make good points though so it doesn't seem like sour grapes. There are potential things they can twerk the game up.
i like cheese
Ben...
Profile Joined January 2011
Canada3485 Posts
Last Edited: 2013-10-24 00:55:38
October 24 2013 00:49 GMT
#17
On October 24 2013 09:32 PineapplePizza wrote:
I think we should just ignore Protoss and make maps for interesting matchups.
Wait, they don't already do that?

With maps like Polar Night and Derelict Watcher, it shouldn't be surprising that Protoss all-ins every game on them given how hard expansions are to take. And then there's Akilon, where long games against Zerg are insanely hard if Zerg goes swarmhost/mass static defence, so Protoss is incentivized to finish the game fast or die by after two hours of fighting locusts.
"Cliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiide" -Tastosis
Slasher
Profile Joined September 2007
United States1095 Posts
October 24 2013 21:59 GMT
#18
On October 24 2013 07:48 Darkdwarf wrote:
Haha, gamespot cutting off Slasher's usual ending tirade was really hilarious to me (for some reason).


GameSpot.com/esports doesnt exist anymore, so I don't have anything to say...yet
NeThZOR
Profile Blog Joined November 2010
South Africa7387 Posts
October 24 2013 22:07 GMT
#19
The matchups surely need a tweak, and the only way to do that subtly without making people moan about balance is to change the way maps are laid out. You have to leave balance intact.
SuperNova - 2015 | SKT1 fan for years | Dear, FlaSh, PartinG, Soulkey, Naniwa
ott
Profile Joined April 2011
United States74 Posts
October 26 2013 16:24 GMT
#20
omg i totally forgot about unbuildable terrain, would love 2 see areas where forcefields cant be placed
A truly creative person rids him or herself of self-imposed limitations. ROOT4ROOT! 'this is a strategy made of balls'- tasteless
ReachTheSky
Profile Joined April 2010
United States3294 Posts
October 26 2013 16:26 GMT
#21
Just remember one thing. Smaller maps lead to more aggressive play which is ALWAYS more entertaining. Maps like whirlwind and that new map blizzard made are way too big and lead to boring gameplay.
TL+ Member
lolfail9001
Profile Joined August 2013
Russian Federation40190 Posts
October 26 2013 16:33 GMT
#22
On October 27 2013 01:26 ReachTheSky wrote:
Just remember one thing. Smaller maps lead to more aggressive play which is ALWAYS more entertaining. Maps like whirlwind and that new map blizzard made are way too big and lead to boring gameplay.

Yet whirlwind usually generates one of the best and action packed games. Especially TvZs.
Maps that have easy to establish economy and are well splitable lead to boring gameplay though, see all those split map pfftfests on Daybreak and Akilon.
DeMoN pulls off a Miracle and Flies to the Moon
Moonsalt
Profile Joined May 2011
267 Posts
October 26 2013 16:37 GMT
#23
I really like the idea to bring back the old terrain from Brood War for example a type of terrain where you can't build proxys at certain locations... Starcraft 2 needs more attention from map makers because everytime there are like only Terrans/Zergs/Protosses in the semifinals they tend to nerf the shit out of them where as the real problem maybe in the poor map design.
digmouse
Profile Blog Joined November 2010
China6330 Posts
October 26 2013 17:27 GMT
#24
On October 27 2013 01:37 Moonsalt wrote:
I really like the idea to bring back the old terrain from Brood War for example a type of terrain where you can't build proxys at certain locations... Starcraft 2 needs more attention from map makers because everytime there are like only Terrans/Zergs/Protosses in the semifinals they tend to nerf the shit out of them where as the real problem maybe in the poor map design.

Proleague map Fighting Spirit has that feature. Most part of the middle is unbuildable.
TranslatorIf you want to ask anything about Chinese esports, send me a PM or follow me @nerddigmouse.
IronManSC
Profile Blog Joined November 2010
United States2119 Posts
October 26 2013 17:33 GMT
#25
On October 27 2013 01:37 Moonsalt wrote:
I really like the idea to bring back the old terrain from Brood War for example a type of terrain where you can't build proxys at certain locations... Starcraft 2 needs more attention from map makers because everytime there are like only Terrans/Zergs/Protosses in the semifinals they tend to nerf the shit out of them where as the real problem maybe in the poor map design.


I think the problem is the races and how they're simply designed. If we give a map that has a far third do you really think that will somehow fix balance? Or will it get veto'd by 40% of the players because the third isn't easier?
SC2 Mapmaker || twitter: @ironmansc || Ohana & Mech Depot || 3x TLMC finalist || www.twitch.tv/sc2mapstream
Vicissitude
Profile Joined October 2013
Sweden28 Posts
Last Edited: 2013-10-28 00:02:25
October 27 2013 23:55 GMT
#26
On October 27 2013 02:33 IronManSC wrote:
Show nested quote +
On October 27 2013 01:37 Moonsalt wrote:
I really like the idea to bring back the old terrain from Brood War for example a type of terrain where you can't build proxys at certain locations... Starcraft 2 needs more attention from map makers because everytime there are like only Terrans/Zergs/Protosses in the semifinals they tend to nerf the shit out of them where as the real problem maybe in the poor map design.


I think the problem is the races and how they're simply designed. If we give a map that has a far third do you really think that will somehow fix balance? Or will it get veto'd by 40% of the players because the third isn't easier?


Of course it's a problem, but that is also why a veto system for maps even exists. If a map is made in a way that makes it thoroughly broken in certain matchups, they will be vetoed, and should definitely be. The point TLO is trying to raise is that there is so much unused potential. If map makers were more creative, or rather, if there were more of an incentive to be creative with maps, games could play out more differently than if all of them, like TLO also pointed out and according to little me, follow the same pattern.

A map that screws up a MU's balance will always trickle through, but if there is a veto system to safeguard against the majority of this while at the same time allowing more map diversity, and above all, game diversity that brings totally new builds, strategies or even unusued units into the game, then I'm fully behind it. The issue here might be (I'm still a new poster and haven't got the best insight into Blizzard's recent actions or statements) the fear Blizzard seems to have in doing more sweeping changes, or maybe they haven't fully realized how much map making made SC1 into what it is.
Unless stated otherwise, my posts are from the view of someone who watches SC2 and want to improve it from that perspective, and those opinions will most often have little to do with what experience when I actually play.
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