• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EST 03:40
CET 09:40
KST 17:40
  • Home
  • Forum
  • Calendar
  • Streams
  • Liquipedia
  • Features
  • Store
  • EPT
  • TL+
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Smash
  • Heroes
  • Counter-Strike
  • Overwatch
  • Liquibet
  • Fantasy StarCraft
  • TLPD
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Blogs
Forum Sidebar
Events/Features
News
Featured News
[ASL22] Finals Preview: Sweet Victory!12[ASL22] Ro4 Preview: Mirror Mirror6[ASL22] Ro8 Preview: Within Reach5[ASL22] Ro8 Preview: In A Tizzy11[ASL22] Ro16 Preview: Holy Diver5
Community News
Weekly Cups (October 19-25): Clem triples first in 5.0.175Evil Geniuses - shutting down21ISSL (IntoTheTV x SOOP SC2 League): Premier7Weekly Cups (October 12-18): 5.0.17 era begins1[$1250] International ShieldBattery League99
StarCraft 2
General
Behind the Blue - Team Liquid History Book No more SC2 streamers on team liquid? 5.0.17 Patch Notes - October 7, 2026 Evil Geniuses - shutting down SC2 Power Rank: epic29
Tourneys
ISSL (IntoTheTV x SOOP SC2 League): Premier Stellar Fest TWO the Moon (Dec 16-20) Sparkling Tuna Cup - Weekly Open Tournament RSL goes to London! 2026 Offline Finals Nov 21-22 RSL 2026 Offline Finals LCQ Sign-Ups
Strategy
[H] ZvP Mid-Late Game: Stalkers Collossi HT
Custom Maps
[D] the control group Simple Questions/Answers [G] How to playtest arcade maps [A] Nemrods 1/4 players
External Content
Mutation # 550 Graveyard Shift The PondCast: SC2 News & Results Mutation # 549 Endless Sparkles Mutation # 548 Shining Bright
Brood War
General
ฉันสามารถซื้อที่นอนขนาด 3 ฟุตคุณภาพสูงทางออนไลน์ได BW General Discussion Top Players of October 2026 (EBPD Rankings) Rollback Netcode in Brood War Mathematicians needed to calc "Low Econ Epicness"
Tourneys
2v2v2v2 Tournament Stage 1: Community Poll [Megathread] Daily Proleagues [IPSL] IPSL Winter 26-27 Ro24 is HERE! [$1250] International ShieldBattery League
Strategy
50,000-Word Terran Builds Memo 2026-10-22 Cliff Jump Revisited (1 in a 1000 strategy) Simple Questions, Simple Answers
Other Games
General Games
Deus Ex 3!? Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread Nintendo Switch Thread Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Armies of Exigo - YesYes?
Dota 2
Dota 2 Champions League Season 3 Begins April 25!
League of Legends
[TL LoL EUW IHs] Teemo shall perish
Heroes of the Storm
Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Deck construction bug
TL Mafia
TL Mafia Community Thread
Community
General
US Politics Mega-thread The Chess Thread Russo-Ukrainian War Thread Things Aren’t Peaceful in Palestine Canadian Politics Mega-thread
Fan Clubs
Reynor Fan Club The Flash Fan Club Serral Fan Club
Media & Entertainment
Anime Discussion Thread Movie Discussion! [Manga] One Piece
Sports
Football (Soccer) Thread TeamLiquid Health and Fitness Initiative For 2023 MLB/Baseball 2023
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
Computer Build, Upgrade & Buying Resource Thread
TL Community
Recent Gifted Posts
Blogs
Why I built Repalyzer (1.1.…
BlueStar
Innovate or Game Over?
TrAiDoS
ShieldBattery on Mac
Kraekkling
[ASL22] Ro4 Day1 Ticket Giv…
bITt.mAN
Can Bots Beat Pros?? Starcr…
namkraft
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 11625 users

New Ladder Maps Announced - Used at IEM Katowice

Forum Index > SC2 General
62 CommentsPost a Reply
1 2 3 4 Next All
Waxangel
Profile Blog Joined September 2002
United States33712 Posts
January 04 2023 02:34 GMT
#1
Facebook Twitter Reddit
AdministratorHey HP can you redo everything youve ever done because i have a small complaint?
Nakajin
Profile Blog Joined September 2014
Canada8991 Posts
Last Edited: 2023-01-04 02:45:48
January 04 2023 02:45 GMT
#2
On one hand I'm kind of happy that Kato will be played on a new patch and on new maps and that stuff will be fresh, on the other hand it really feel like a cheap shot to the players.

I would be livid if I had to throw out months of preps just week before the biggest event of the year.
Writerhttp://i.imgur.com/9p6ufcB.jpg
The_Red_Viper
Profile Blog Joined August 2013
19533 Posts
January 04 2023 02:52 GMT
#3
On January 04 2023 11:45 Nakajin wrote:
On one hand I'm kind of happy that Kato will be played on a new patch and on new maps and that stuff will be fresh, on the other hand it really feel like a cheap shot to the players.

I would be livid if I had to throw out months of preps just week before the biggest event of the year.

They still have 4 weeks to prepare for these maps, that's easily enough time to do so, especially because all these "new maps" are more or less just the same archetypes of maps we've seen since forever with new skins on top.

The balance patch is a bigger issue, and that one will likely hit before katowice too i imagine.
IU | Sohyang || There is no God and we are his prophets | For if ‘Thou mayest’—it is also true that ‘Thou mayest not.” | Ignorance is the parent of fear |
buzz_bender
Profile Joined August 2019
446 Posts
January 04 2023 02:58 GMT
#4
On January 04 2023 11:45 Nakajin wrote:
On one hand I'm kind of happy that Kato will be played on a new patch and on new maps and that stuff will be fresh, on the other hand it really feel like a cheap shot to the players.

I would be livid if I had to throw out months of preps just week before the biggest event of the year.


I'm almost certain that they would have told/announced that to the players before the public announcement of these new ladder maps. It was like that for DH Valencia where the players were already practising on these new maps way before they announced it.
luxon
Profile Joined August 2012
United States117 Posts
January 04 2023 03:09 GMT
#5
Showtime mentioned they already knew about it but were not allowed to announce it, which is why he wasnt sure if he could play them on stream today. The patch hitting before Katowice would be wild, and incredibly unfair imo, esp since the online discussion atm is that it's quite poorly balanced. Literally could be taking 10% of some players' annual income away because of some untested experiment.
tigera6
Profile Joined March 2021
3516 Posts
January 04 2023 03:39 GMT
#6
To quote my own post

On January 04 2023 10:09 tigera6 wrote:
So they removed all the short distance map with potential for 2 base all-in and give back the standard macro 7-8 base map? And this happen at the same time with Ghost nerf? Why am I not suprised about this?


And I am just not a fan of having huge change right into a big tournament without having extensive public play testing before that. I know players are aware of this and have been practicing it, but they probably wont reveal any possible bug or glitch with the map until the main tournament time, aka Parting vs Solar.
Beelzebub1
Profile Joined May 2015
1005 Posts
January 04 2023 03:41 GMT
#7
This patch going through before IEM is unacceptable, they are still making changes to it and some of the changes are still highly questionable and definitely in need of further testing.
Athenau
Profile Joined March 2015
590 Posts
Last Edited: 2023-01-04 03:42:33
January 04 2023 03:42 GMT
#8
Better the patch go in ASAP (as in this week) rather than being shoved in right before Katowice. At least that way they have a month to make adjustments, and if it truly is broken then people can raise a stink about it.
geokilla
Profile Joined May 2011
Canada8255 Posts
January 04 2023 04:01 GMT
#9
Of course the game gets patched before the biggest tournament of the circuit where winning literally means everything. I wish ESL would take the approach Riot does with League of Legends.
Mizenhauer
Profile Blog Joined February 2015
United States1970 Posts
Last Edited: 2023-01-04 04:30:26
January 04 2023 04:24 GMT
#10
How easily we forget that blizz once did a balance change two days before a Code S Semifinal. This is a gift compared to that.
┗|∵|┓Second Place in LB 28, Third Place in LB 29, Fifth Place in LB 30 and Destined to Be a Kong
buzz_bender
Profile Joined August 2019
446 Posts
January 04 2023 07:17 GMT
#11
Can anyone who watched Wardii's TLMC tournament on these maps comment on them? I don't know what to make of these maps and who they favour. It does look like Terran 2-base all-in will not work on these maps.
digmouse
Profile Blog Joined November 2010
China6333 Posts
January 04 2023 08:44 GMT
#12
Big balance patch hitting right before Katowice is absurd, either do it now and give players time to adapt or stick to tradition and only release them after major tournaments.
TranslatorIf you want to ask anything about Chinese esports, send me a PM or follow me @nerddigmouse.
syndbg
Profile Joined February 2018
43 Posts
January 04 2023 09:05 GMT
#13
On January 04 2023 17:44 digmouse wrote:
Big balance patch hitting right before Katowice is absurd, either do it now and give players time to adapt or stick to tradition and only release them after major tournaments.


Why do you think the players don't know, test or practice on the PTR changes way before it's released?

Besides its 4 weeks in advance.
MJG
Profile Joined May 2018
United Kingdom1451 Posts
January 04 2023 10:17 GMT
#14
On January 04 2023 18:05 syndbg wrote:
Show nested quote +
On January 04 2023 17:44 digmouse wrote:
Big balance patch hitting right before Katowice is absurd, either do it now and give players time to adapt or stick to tradition and only release them after major tournaments.


Why do you think the players don't know, test or practice on the PTR changes way before it's released?

Besides its 4 weeks in advance.

They're still updating the PTR.
puking up frothing vitriolic sarcastic spittle
youaremysin
Profile Joined August 2015
119 Posts
January 04 2023 10:38 GMT
#15
On January 04 2023 18:05 syndbg wrote:
Show nested quote +
On January 04 2023 17:44 digmouse wrote:
Big balance patch hitting right before Katowice is absurd, either do it now and give players time to adapt or stick to tradition and only release them after major tournaments.


Why do you think the players don't know, test or practice on the PTR changes way before it's released?

Besides its 4 weeks in advance.


They make multiples changes, sometimes on the same day: like libs going to 2 supply reduced damage, only to be removed and just change the cost. Raven changes are also completely differents from a week ago. It's okay to have no Idea about what you're doing and trying things out but in that case give it time.
Vindicare605
Profile Blog Joined August 2011
United States16127 Posts
January 04 2023 11:04 GMT
#16
lmao. The patch just got an update like a couple days ago. Everyone knows the patch isn't ready yet and yet they are not only going to push the patch out for IEM but a brand new map pool as well?

Seriously what the fuck is ESL thinking?! Do they think they need to do this shit to get people to watch? It's fucking Katowice OF COURSE we're going to watch but now we're going to watch knowing that everything that happens in this tournament is a gigantic asterisk because it's being done with a huge set of massive changes right before it.

This is stupid. I no longer consider Katowice the "world championships" anymore. They keep doing shit like this that completely compromises the competitive integrity of the tournament. They don't deserve to be called "World Championships" if they are going to do shit like this consistently.

On January 04 2023 13:24 Mizenhauer wrote:
How easily we forget that blizz once did a balance change two days before a Code S Semifinal. This is a gift compared to that.


And so the lesson to be learned is that we're going to do that AGAIN? Oh and that balance patch? Massive favor to Zerg, just like this one is.

Typical. Typical.
aka: KTVindicare the Geeky Bartender
syndbg
Profile Joined February 2018
43 Posts
January 04 2023 11:35 GMT
#17
On January 04 2023 20:04 Vindicare605 wrote:
This is stupid. I no longer consider Katowice the "world championships" anymore.


I am sure they're gonna remove the world championships from the name, just cause you throw a hissy fit
KillerSmile
Profile Joined November 2018
Germany96 Posts
January 04 2023 11:43 GMT
#18
This is probably easier on the pro players than have the map pool and the game balance change on two separate occasions.

It is unfortunate ofc that you can not separate the individual influence, how much win rates changed for one race over another because of maps vs because of the balance patch. However having both change makes for exciting times, tho I'm gonna be a bit sad to see my own map leave the pool.

Also great to see that we get the ESL versions before the ladder versions, so they get to have proper playtesting again and any oversights on the maps hopefully won't make it to ladder. Some people in here are complaining that changing so many things at once so close to a major event to some degree invalidates the tournament outcomes as a measure of the player's skill, but adapting to new circumstances and coming up with new strategies should be part of the skill of playing a god damn strategy game.
Mapmaker, author of Mothership LE, 10000 Feet LE, Data-C, Solaris, Ley Lines, Torches and Reclamation LE
Vindicare605
Profile Blog Joined August 2011
United States16127 Posts
Last Edited: 2023-01-04 12:00:58
January 04 2023 11:54 GMT
#19
On January 04 2023 20:43 KillerSmile wrote:
This is probably easier on the pro players than have the map pool and the game balance change on two separate occasions.

It is unfortunate ofc that you can not separate the individual influence, how much win rates changed for one race over another because of maps vs because of the balance patch. However having both change makes for exciting times, tho I'm gonna be a bit sad to see my own map leave the pool.

Also great to see that we get the ESL versions before the ladder versions, so they get to have proper playtesting again and any oversights on the maps hopefully won't make it to ladder. Some people in here are complaining that changing so many things at once so close to a major event to some degree invalidates the tournament outcomes as a measure of the player's skill, but adapting to new circumstances and coming up with new strategies should be part of the skill of playing a god damn strategy game.


Here's why this doesn't play.

The players are qualifying and being seeded for this tournament based on how they performed LAST year, under last year's maps and last year's patch. It makes ZERO sense for any Championship Tournament to completely change the rules of the game during the "finals" of the season. It's completely ridiculous.

It's bad enough that ESL has been doing this with maps, including last year's HILARIOUSLY terrible Pride of Aldaris being included in the finals map pool, but now they're going to be opening the finals of the year with a brand new map pool and a brand new set of balance changes that will have no time to be properly settle in the meta before the tournament has to start.

Not only is it unfair for the players to have to deal with, but it's an absolute disgrace to anyone that understands ANY sport to call this scenario a world championship. This would be as if the league had introduced a brand new set of regulations for how to referee a game right before the playoffs start, or forced players to play with a brand new ball, or on a brand new surface for the court. It's absurd.

I would have hoped that ESL would have learned their lessons about this shit already from 2019 where Nydus Worms took over the tournament out of nowhere, or from last year when the map pool was obviously extremely Zerg favored. But it doesn't seem like they WANT to learn these lessons, as long as people keep giving them excuses to do whatever they feel like.

Not this time. These are huge changes that even the players themselves do not want included in the tournament. If they are going to push this shit through anyway then they deserve to be criticized for it.

Blizzard NEVER did shit like this before with Blizzcon, even if it would have been good for it like again in 2019 because as the "World Championship" event there's an onus on being the fairest representation of the season you are awarding a title for as possible. IEM Katowice has consistently decided they do not believe in this idea, that they can make radical changes to their tournament that negatively impacts the competitive integrity of it, and still call it a World Championship. I don't agree.

They only got the title of "World championship" because we as a community agreed to let them have it after Blizzcon dissolved. They only get to keep using it as long as the community agrees to keep acknowledging them as the best tournament of the year.
aka: KTVindicare the Geeky Bartender
Charoisaur
Profile Joined August 2014
Germany16103 Posts
January 04 2023 11:57 GMT
#20
On January 04 2023 20:43 KillerSmile wrote:
This is probably easier on the pro players than have the map pool and the game balance change on two separate occasions.

It is unfortunate ofc that you can not separate the individual influence, how much win rates changed for one race over another because of maps vs because of the balance patch. However having both change makes for exciting times, tho I'm gonna be a bit sad to see my own map leave the pool.

Also great to see that we get the ESL versions before the ladder versions, so they get to have proper playtesting again and any oversights on the maps hopefully won't make it to ladder. Some people in here are complaining that changing so many things at once so close to a major event to some degree invalidates the tournament outcomes as a measure of the player's skill, but adapting to new circumstances and coming up with new strategies should be part of the skill of playing a god damn strategy game.

shouldn't it be the other way? Maps being tested on ladder first before they get played on in tournaments?
Imbalanced maps on ladder don't matter, but in tournaments they affect the livelihood of pro players
Many of the coolest moments in sc2 happen due to worker harassment
1 2 3 4 Next All
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
Next event in 3h 20m
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
Codebar 0
StarCraft: Brood War
Rain 2570
Hyuk 207
Larva 205
Bisu 185
sorry 82
Mong 70
Leta 61
Killer 56
ggaemo 44
ZergMaN 26
[ Show more ]
Shine 26
soO 22
Aegong 17
Sharp 17
yabsab 17
Noble 16
Dota 2
ODPixel348
League of Legends
JimRising 796
Counter-Strike
fl0m3106
Super Smash Bros
Mew2King111
Other Games
summit1g13833
ceh9446
Sick31
crisheroes0
Organizations
Other Games
gamesdonequick766
Counter-Strike
PGL447
StarCraft: Brood War
lovetv 5
[ Show 11 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• intothetv
• Kozan
• IndyKCrew
• Laughngamez YouTube
• Migwel
StarCraft: Brood War
• BSLYoutube
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
Dota 2
• lizZardDota2253
League of Legends
• Stunt471
Upcoming Events
WardiTV Weekly
3h 20m
Ultimate Battle
3h 20m
Rush vs BeSt
Replay Cast
14h 20m
Rogue vs Classic
Patches Events
1d 4h
PiGosaur Cup
1d 16h
Kung Fu Cup
2 days
Replay Cast
2 days
The PondCast
3 days
KCM Race Survival
3 days
IntoTheTV X SOOP
5 days
herO vs Rogue
Reynor vs Solar
ByuN vs SHIN
Clem vs MaxPax
[ Show More ]
WardiTV Invitational
5 days
IPSL
5 days
WorsT vs nOmaD
Dewalt vs andersOn
IntoTheTV X SOOP
6 days
WardiTV Invitational
6 days
IPSL
6 days
Azhi_Dahaki vs ggnore13
Double vs WIZARD
Replay Cast
6 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

Proleague 2026-11-01
Blizzard Classic Cup 2026
HCC Season 3

Ongoing

Acropolis #5
KCM Race Survival 2026 Season 4
International ShieldBattery League
BSL Season 23
IPSL Winter 2026-27
IEM Beijing 2026
PGL Masters Bucharest 2026
Stake Ranked Episode 5
1win Private Club #2
Thunderpick World Champ. '26
ESL Pro League Season 24
Stake Ranked Episode 4
1win Private Club #1
Logitech G Play Connect 2026
SL StarSeries Fall 2026
FISSURE Playground #3
BLAST Open Fall 2026
Esports World Cup 2026

Upcoming

1xBet Invitational
SC4ALL II: Brood War
BSL 23: Non-Korean Championship
HSC XXX
Stellar Fest 2: Lunar Cup
SC4ALL II: StarCraft II
Kung Fu Cup 2026 Grand Finals
RSL Offline Finals
BLAST Bounty Winter 2027
eXTREMESLAND 2026
PGL Major Singapore 2026
Stake Ranked Episode 6
BLAST Rivals Fall 2026
TLPD

1. ByuN
2. TY
3. Dark
4. Solar
5. Stats
6. Nerchio
7. sOs
8. soO
9. INnoVation
10. Elazer
1. Rain
2. Flash
3. EffOrt
4. Last
5. Bisu
6. Soulkey
7. Mini
8. Sharp
Sidebar Settings...

Advertising | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | Contact Us

Original banner artwork: Jim Warren
The contents of this webpage are copyright © 2026 TLnet. All Rights Reserved.