The entries are all in and judged. So it's now time for the fun part!
First off, congratulations to everyone to entered a map into TLMC11. This was the largest contest we've ever had with over 170 maps submitted, including 70 in the standard category alone. Not only was this the most maps we've seen but the quality of the submissions was incredible. The judges remarked that if you removed the finalists from the map pool that they would be able to select another sixteen maps to take their place without much problem. This means choosing the finalists this season was very competitive and there were good maps that were not selected - we hope to see those maps resubmitted in future seasons.
The contest was shaken up a bit this go around with the addition of the Challenge categories and we were happy to see so many rise to the challenge. In fact, across the board we had a very high number of submissions so competition was fierce. Stay tuned to WardiTV for the TLMC tournament so you can be informed on who to vote for in the final stage of the competition.
One last note before we get into the finalists, our amazing judges! Without them we wouldn't be able to bring you this contest, so please give a special thanks to: JuggernautJason, UpATreeZelda, TLO, Snute, and Uvantak!
FINALISTS
Standard Maps
A total of 64 maps were submitted to this category. In this category, the judges looked for maps that were well-executed or gave us slight deviations from what we're used to.
Crystal Cavern | Meavis
Crystal Cavern is one of the more colorful maps in the contest with each quadrant being color-coded.
This map also features a long reinforcement time from main to natural.
Cyber Forest | Pklixian
Cyber Forest features destructible elements near the potential third bases which can significantly open them up to attack.
The main bases are very open and may allow for drops or probes to hide if not properly secured.
Kairos Junction | Solstice245
Kairos Junction is the map with the shortest rush distances in this category.
Beyond the short direct route, however, there are alternate paths and no Watch Towers to assist in scouting.
Reminiscence | Youngrustler
Reminiscence features a circular design where the mains are drawn slightly into the middle.
Slightly wider natural ramps will also provide a unique challenge.
Year Zero | AVEX
Year Zero features has the longest rush distance among the Standard Maps with the option to open an even faster route.
The northern Watch Tower will also be a key strategic location early in the game.
Macro Maps
A total of 46 maps were submitted to this category. For this category, judges focused on the ones that truly promoted macro play and had interesting layouts throughout the entire map.
Automaton | RQM
Automaton features main bases that are (relatively) close together by air but the natural expansions are more protected.
This is one of the smaller Macro Maps to have been selected.
King's Cove | SidianTheBard
For a Macro Map, King's Cove has main bases on the smaller side so space may be tight as the game progresses.
The potential third bases also force a decision between the close option or the open one.
New Repugnancy | Sanglune
New Repugnancy has a fairly congested center area which could prove problematic for the maneuvering of large armies late in the game.
Destructible rocks on the top and bottom of the map can enable different routes to later bases when focus is most heavily taxed.
Port Aleksander | Youngrustler
Port Aleksander is the largest of the Macro Maps with a 46 second rush time between naturals.
For all their distance, the main bases are very vulnerable to air attacks should units be able to skirt the edges of the maps.
Challenge #1 Maps
Antigonus | Xancake
Antigonus also meets the challenge by having a base that's very open to air and very hard to attack by ground.
If both players survive the early air attacks, they will have an easy time securing three bases but the fourth will be very difficult.
Extraction | themusic246
Extraction takes the challenge and applies it to the naturals in a big way.
The walking rush distance is the longest of any Challenge #1 Map but the proximity by air more than makes up for this.
Lotus | themusic246
A bridge connecting the backs of both gold bases is one of the most unique features present in our finalists.
Lotus also features a pair of Watch Towers which are only accessible by air or by the removal of rocks.
Stasis | NewSunshine
Aesthetically, Stasis is one of the most unique maps in the competition.
The "close by air" challenge is also mirrored in this map by the natural expansions which are very vulnerable to air-based harass.
Challenge #2 Maps
Crystalline Addiction | Xancake
Crystalline Addiction takes a much lighter touch with the Renegade Missile Turrets.
This is also one of the smallest maps in the contest and the walking rush distance is very short through the turret hallway.
Ritual Moopy Temple | IeZaeL
Ritual Moopy Temple makes extensive use of the Renegade Missile Turrets and ensures they will be a relevant factor at all points in the game.
In exchange for the high risk to air units, this map will allow for relatively safe expansions.
Sudden Awakening | JaleVeliki
Sudden Awakening uses the Renegade Missile Turret challenge to separate the main bases and also give some flavor to the one gold base on the map.
While the removal of but one set of rocks can dramatically shorten this map, the rush distance with the rocks in place is a whopping 50 seconds.
What's Next?
The mappers have done their work so now it is time to discuss! Which maps do you think stand above the rest? Who best implemented the new Challenges? Pick your favorites and make your case.
If you're still undecided, or just enjoy fun Starcraft, tune into Wardi's tournament and see the maps in action! After that we'll allow a brief adjustment period for the mappers to implement your feedback and then it's time to vote.
This is pretty damn solid. Though I personally would of liked to see other maps than what selected (the more pretty ones but what we got are solid.) And I'm personally glad that I'm a finalist. Cyber Forest, a map I made soon after Temple Overgrowth. You did not fail me, and I hope you can make it to the very end. To my other maps, well Temple Overgrowth I was expecting to be a finalist, as I spent far to long making it. So much love and care and late night coffee hours.
To Voided Reality, well it was a pure rush map that was designed for ground aggression. I was not a fan of challenge 1 so this map not being a finalist is perfectly fine. I'll just perfect it and submit it on another TLMC :l or use its theme concept in another TLMC.
To Military Wasteland and Axes Station. Military Wasteland I could of just removed the turrets and submitted it as macro. It was my best map for its size, but besides that. It wouldn't cut out for a finalist spot in my eyes. And to Axes Station, well you were a failure. 5 base behind 1 choke speaks about that a lot.
And finally to Ruined City. Well you were the best I could do for challenge 1. I expected no success, it was just my lazy map. And it not making it made me happy.
For all of the finalist, Good Job! I'm glad to be standing alongside you this TLMC and may I hope to see who will come out into the top 5 at the end! and to those who didn't make it. Many of you (of what I've seen) had maps far prettier than mine. and continue with the great work and get it next TLMC! may the light of Cylixia cover you all.
I felt a little bit like puking when KING'S COVE brought back flashbacks of boredom, due to how long abysmal reef overstayed it's welcome with me. Then I saw TLO was on the judges panel, may god have mercy on my ladder experience...
On the plus side, not all the maps use depressing color palettes this time around
Wow, not only did the judges manage to include some hugely mediocre maps as usual, they also repeated the mistakes of TLMC6 by making the half the finalists fit some idea they want to push (in this case 'Ulrena' style spawns).
Blizzard already made a category that is a superset of that, they really didn't need to only pick maps like that for the renegade turret category too.
Probably the worst judging since TLMC8 (and that time the time constraints could be used as an excuse). We can count ourselves lucky that Enekh is gone on military service, since with judging like this I have no doubts he would have swept the contest.
"Not only was this the most maps we've seen but the quality of the submissions was incredible."
- still 3 of those finalists have already been submitted to older TLMCs and didnt make it. One of those even submitted twice i think. Quality wasnt THAT high after all it seems
there are some good maps in here, but i really wish the judges had been more creative with the challenge categories - the challenge 2 winners all have the exact same concept with the RMTs, just rotated in different directions.
On July 31 2018 08:24 ZigguratOfUr wrote: Wow, not only did the judges manage to include some hugely mediocre maps as usual, they also repeated the mistakes of TLMC6 by making the half the finalists fit some idea they want to push (in this case 'Ulrena' style spawns).
Small correction, King Sejong Station was a map that was included as an exemplar for the category. Ulrena style wasn't the only style of map that was permitted here.
Oh and for anyone wondering the squares on Crystalline Addiction do not contrarily to the map description allow only 'small' units to pass, or even allow everything but Archons, Ultralisks, Tanks, and Thors like the squares on Neon Violet Square do. They allow every unit in the game except for Tanks and Thors to go through, which I'm sure terran players will love.
On July 31 2018 08:24 ZigguratOfUr wrote: Wow, not only did the judges manage to include some hugely mediocre maps as usual, they also repeated the mistakes of TLMC6 by making the half the finalists fit some idea they want to push (in this case 'Ulrena' style spawns).
Small correction, King Sejong Station was a map that was included as an exemplar for the category. Ulrena style wasn't the only style of map that was permitted here.
I know that's what Category #1 was described as--but clearly what the judges wanted to push was Ulrena spawns, since half of Category #1, all of Category #2 (which really didn't need to be that) + Year Zero are like.
The most inexplicable finalist to me (though not the worst finalist) is Crystal Cavern. I can even begin to fathom the reasoning for including it among the finalists out of all 64 (or 70, the article contradicts itself) standard maps submitted. It just doesn't seem to have any merits (except for being boring which is probably a merit to some of the judges tbf).
crystal cavern isnt that good tbth, huuuuuge reaper ledge thats super abusable, not sure how its not 'macro' as you have 4 bases tucked in the edge/corner with realistically 2 chokes. cyber forest is ok kairos is good reminis is... pretty boring nothing interesting i like automaton quite a bit kings cove is a worse abyssal reef, nothing really interesting new repub is ok, not my favorite sang map port aleksander i like, but im a bit biased as i did the aesthetics some time ago antigonus is probably a bit too macro for sake like whats the point of a KSS style if you have an inbase nat extraction is just a weaker KSS imo lotus would be cool if the mineral wall did something stasis was one of my favs crystalline is ok, but then you realize the unpathable squares are super broken (Winter figured out a bunch of issues with them and big armies on stream) moopy temple is not interesting imo, its really really hard to harass anything and i liked sudden awakening, just needs some tweaking in the main center
Congrats all! I was hoping Dunes of Destiny would do well as that was my favorite entry of the bunch...and probably the most interesting with pathing but King's got in so that's cool. Funny too because last season I convinced myself King's would be a finalist and then it wasn't, so I did a couple changes to it and just threw it into my submissions because I didn't care to make another map lol.
Fun times.
Also, come on, No 2f0rt?!?! The turrets really made the map 110% better!
Pretty sad to see these results. There are a handful of submitted maps of stellar quality that seem to have been skipped over in favor of pretty boring stuff. Ephemeron, Red Mad Thief, and Shamrock Fane come to mind. There are solid finalists in the Standard & Macro categories, but the challenge map selections are especially inexplicable.
Crystalline Addiction's presence in the finalists is probably the most confusing detail to me. Aside from issues raised earlier about bugs in the NVS-style choke hallways, their presence overall makes no sense on a map of this size. In a mid-late game scenario, the map literally becomes just two chokes. Category 2 had an enormous variety of submissions. Might as well play Paranoid Android
EPT
![[image loading]](https://i.imgur.com/HOEPe8G.png)
