EPTAs of today I'm re-starting my efforts to make this a success, hoping that more people will participate in attempt #2! Please sign up, join the channel and have fun! Give good feedback and nominate Community made maps YOU think deserve extra attention and testing!
Leave a post with your In Game Name, Friend Code, Server, League and Race. channel "TLMapTest".
Lots of love, Toastie
Community Map Testing: Official Thread
Hello TL.net!
We've got #Dreampool coming up for Season 4. If you haven't heard of it yet; this is what the Dreampool is: Thread: #Dreampool Finalised. I fear this ladder might not be the most preferred place to play for a lot of people. To take advantage of that, this is a golden opportunity to get more people into playing Custom Games and Community made maps!
+ Show Spoiler [Reasoning for starting this thread] +
Some people might not be too fond of the new (old) maps we'll be presented with. It might be fun to play around for a bit for nostalgic reasons, but both balance and fun are highly concerning factors to me, and most players with me. Some maps may not be too great with certain new units, have a history of allowing absurd all ins with Ridiculous winrates to run rampant, odd designs that encourage turtling, etcetera.
Because I fear a lot of people will be like, "meh", I came up with an idea with multiple benefits. I will attempt to bring the spotlight on community made maps. Big J made a post about attempting to inject maps that finished high on the Map of the Month contest into tournament play (Thread: Tournament Mappool and Map Spotlight).
WCS causes a big problem for the map making community in that it highly limits the fielded maps to the 7 Blizzard selected for the seasonal map pool. A tournament featuring different maps will not be allowed to give out WCS points and as such lack incentive for players to come to. There's a problem in being able to playtest community made maps because they are not being fielded (because they are probably slightly imbalanced because they aren't playtested well because.......).
Because I fear a lot of people will be like, "meh", I came up with an idea with multiple benefits. I will attempt to bring the spotlight on community made maps. Big J made a post about attempting to inject maps that finished high on the Map of the Month contest into tournament play (Thread: Tournament Mappool and Map Spotlight).
WCS causes a big problem for the map making community in that it highly limits the fielded maps to the 7 Blizzard selected for the seasonal map pool. A tournament featuring different maps will not be allowed to give out WCS points and as such lack incentive for players to come to. There's a problem in being able to playtest community made maps because they are not being fielded (because they are probably slightly imbalanced because they aren't playtested well because.......).
I want to use the current 'off season' to draw attention to the people that make excellent, gorgeous maps. These people do not get the recognition they deserve for all their effort and hard work. My goal is to get people to play and enjoy the Community Made Maps. I want to give attention to these maps and the mapping scene, learn new things about maps, push boundaries, develop the game!
I want to use this thread to start a platform for players and mapmakers to communicate. I want to pick 3 maps that we can thoroughly test for 2 weeks. Next 2 weeks, different maps. We can give good feedback, provide replays and give attention and praise to those people that create maps.
Participating
It can be hard to find people of the same level and interest to play custom games with. That's why you can leave your information here. Leave a post with your In Game Name, Friend Code, Server, League and Race. I'll compile those into the OP. The information is located at the end of this post. You can also join the channel "TLMapTest".
For the first two weeks, we'll use three maps that popped up in the previously mentioned thread. For the following weeks, I'll try to make a good, diverse selection from the options that come up in this thread and in my inbox. For additional information about the maps and for their discussion threads, you can find the link beneath the overview.
Cactus Valley by Ferisii
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/NUzaUrE.jpg)
Thread: Cactus Valley
Interesting aspects of this map include the non-straight forward expanding (depending on spawns and preferance, mostly) and the very interesting center!
Scorpion 61 by Big J
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/CWNFHiA.jpg)
Thread: Scorpion 61
This is a reasonably sized 2p map with 12 bases (of which 2 are high yield). There is a wide variety of attack paths and expanding beyond a third base becomes increasingly difficult. And it has Tennis Courts ^_^!
Cassiopeia by Xenotolerance
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/jPNCExe.png)
Thread: Cassiopeia
I like the way this map looks for positional play. The first three bases are relatively easy to take, but defending the ramps might prove to be quite hard. The natural is vulnerable to aerial assaults (just like King Sejong Station) and overal, the map looks very interesting as well ^_^!
+ Show Spoiler [Signed Up Players] +
+ Show Spoiler [EU] +![[image loading]](http://wiki.teamliquid.net/starcraft/images2/c/cb/BronzeMedium.png)
![[image loading]](http://wiki.teamliquid.net/starcraft/images2/2/22/SilverMedium.png)
![[image loading]](http://wiki.teamliquid.net/starcraft/images2/5/55/GoldMedium.png)
![[image loading]](http://wiki.teamliquid.net/starcraft/images2/2/2b/PlatinumMedium.png)
Jay.727, Terran
Gwavanoob.810, Terran
![[image loading]](http://wiki.teamliquid.net/starcraft/images2/9/90/DiamondMedium.png)
Toastie.869, Random
Jay.727, Zerg
IeZaeL.684, Protoss
Velvex.882, Zerg
Ejwoda.197, Zerg
![[image loading]](http://wiki.teamliquid.net/starcraft/images2/2/26/MasterMedium.png)
Speedy.540, Zerg
Downfall,367, Zerg, Protoss
Dynge.1135, Terran
![[image loading]](http://wiki.teamliquid.net/starcraft/images2/5/5f/Grandmaster_49x48.png)
Downfall.367, Terran
+ Show Spoiler [NA] +
GoStu.361, Protoss
TheTemplar.234, Random
Trfel.542, Protoss
BueBz.325, Zerg
Topin.523, Terran
Flume.219, Protoss
Defenestratr.483, Zerg
+ Show Spoiler [KR] +
+ Show Spoiler [SEA] +
Jay.727, Terran
Gwavanoob.810, Terran
Toastie.869, Random
Jay.727, Zerg
IeZaeL.684, Protoss
Velvex.882, Zerg
Ejwoda.197, Zerg
Speedy.540, Zerg
Downfall,367, Zerg, Protoss
Dynge.1135, Terran
Downfall.367, Terran
+ Show Spoiler [NA] +
GoStu.361, Protoss
TheTemplar.234, Random
Trfel.542, Protoss
BueBz.325, Zerg
Topin.523, Terran
Flume.219, Protoss
Defenestratr.483, Zerg
+ Show Spoiler [KR] +
+ Show Spoiler [SEA] +
+ Show Spoiler [For Map Submissions] +
If you wish to see your map in one of the coming weeks, please send a PM to SC2Toastie. Include the map thread, a short summary of the maps flow/creation and preferably some replays. We strife to use maps that are as balanced as possible, so make sure your map doesn't have large exploits. Thanks for your time!
Please discuss the maps, the initiative, maps you'd like to see in coming weeks, replays, fun stuff that happened, new friends you made!
Kind regards, and have fun,
Toastie
TL;DR
3 Community Made Maps. Every 2 Weeks. Leave a post with your In Game Name, Friend Code, Server, League and Race[/b]. channel "TLMapTest".
!
