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Team Liquid Map Contest #18: Voting

Forum Index > SC2 General
4 CommentsPost a Reply

Team Liquid Map Contest #18: Voting

Text byTL.net ESPORTS
May 29th, 2023 16:10 GMT
TLMC18
Voting for Team Liquid Map Contest #18 is now open! Pick which of the sixteen finalists you want to see on the ladder and in professional competition.

Voting is open from May 29th to June 4th. Scroll down to the voting section to cast your votes.

Check out Wardi's Twitch Channel to catch up on the matches from the TLMC test tournament, featuring all sixteen finalists.


Standard

+2 Judges' picks

Medium sized maps. Players tend to have more flexibility on these maps to open with a wider variety of strategies and/or builds.

Hecate

By: volumin
Hecate is a standard map with 14 bases, two of which have 4 blue-4 gold mineral patches and 2 normal geysers.

The ramp in front of the natural is partially blocked with 6x6 rocks to help with the relatively short 29 second natural-to-natural rush distance. The most distinctive features of the map are three narrow bridges that connect wider paths.

Map Features
Click to expand


Infestation Station

By: Zuratu
Your station has an infestation. Can you eliminate it?
  • Many rocks to choke up the middle for early game.
  • Standard rock and mineral usage.

Map Features
Click to expand


Sidetracked

By: KillerSmile
A standard map with a preferred triangular 3rd base and a relatively short rush (30s) rush distance for the category. The linear 3rd has open high ground in front of it from where it can be attacked, but to help with a surround you can destroy some rocks to open up the high ground for easier access.

There are 8 bases per player, 2 of which are unusual. One is a forward high ground base with a blocked off purple geyser, and right below it there is a gold base along the Sidetrack of the map.

Map Features
Click to expand


Oceanborn

By: Marras
Oceanborn is a standard map set in an underwater world. The map features 14 blue bases in total, rocks that can be destroyed to open up paths around the map and plenty of line of sight blockers to hide your units behind.

There is no Overlord pillar at the natural and there is also a good amount of airspace around the main and natural.

Map Features
Click to expand


Sleepwalker

By: Marras
Sleepwalker is a standard map with 14 bases total and two third base options.

No Overlord pillar at the natural. Line of sight blockers are situated along the main lowground path. Destructible rocks are found on some of the ramps leading to and from some of the expansions and the very middle of the map.

Map Features
Click to expand



Rush

+1 Judges' pick

Maps that favors early aggression and offensive play.

Interitus

By: Agaton
In a place retaken by nature, two ridges cut through the terrain, dividing the map in two. The small ramps outside the natural expansions are blocked by weakened debris, begging to be cracked open. Due to the map's expansion pattern and the attack paths leading to the natural expansion, army positioning and high mobility will become keys to success as the game progresses.

Notable features:
  • Small patches of bushes will keep players on their toes when moving through the map
  • Debris can be destroyed to open another high ground attack path toward the triangular third.
  • Weakened debris is blocking the smaller ramps outside the natural expansion.

Map Features
Click to expand


Carnivore

By KillerSmile
A short map where the 3rd bases are protected by rocks.

The paths to the 3rd bases naturally diverge and make armies explore the map, which creates dynamic play.

Map Features
Click to expand


Solaris

By: KillerSmile
Acceleration zones help small armies get to the opponent quicker and surround siege units hiding behind the big pillars.

To open the map up in the later game two long rocks in the middle can be destroyed.

Map Features
Click to expand


Hard Lead

By: MayOnFire
Short rush distance and multiple paths will force players to split their armies or take the forward base that secures the natural high ground and cuts off the main attack path in order to defend.

Features:
  • Short rush distance through the vision blockers
  • Free flow of units and many paths for run-bys
  • Forward base that secures the natural high ground
  • Xel'Naga tower that provides vision on the sides of the map, but not the center

Map Features
Click to expand


Macro

+1 Judges' pick

Maps that favor defensive play and encourage players to reach end game unit compositions.

Institute

By: volumin
Institute is a 16 base macro map with a lot of expansions close to each other, but with a very short rush distance. There are 3 potential options for 3rd base, a walled off second entrance to the natural is leading to one of them.

Note: Because of the mineral wall, blink options are limited so Stalkers can't blink directly to the main from the walled-off third base. They can double-Blink using Reaper cliff or try getting to the natural first.

Map Features
Click to expand


Calliope

By: volumin
Calliope is a macro map with 16 bases. There are 2 gold expansions with one gas each, located in the middle section of the map, far away from main bases and can be reached from multiple directions. Reaper cliffs connect the main with both the triangle 3rd and 4th base. There's also a small Reaper ledge connecting natural and triangle 3rd, which can be walled off with one 2x2 building.

Note: There's not a lot of room for blinking, but Stalkers can blink from behind the triangle 3rd minerals or use the Reaper cliff.

Map Features
Click to expand


Shipping News

By: depressed1
Shipping news is a 4-level macro category map. It was created to enlight an old idea and revive the hybrid mineral bases. The idea is that the 6-patch (3 gold, 3 blue) hybrid base has the same mineral income as a 'normal' base, but with less workers needed.

The hybrid base only has one gas, and is placed between the natural and third. Players might want to skip the natural base in order to get a hybrid base first for some sort of early aggression that's mineral-heavy (like 2 base all-in or timing attack). But it has only one Vespene geyser because we need to prevent any type of early gas-type build orders and any form of disadvantage for Terran players.

For the rest the map has a defensive and technical layout. The triangle third has an additional narrow path with a slow zone. It was created in order to have easy access to Xel’Naga tower, and a slow zone should stop an opponent from sneaking in.

Xel’naga towers give you full control over the center of the map but not high grounds.

The front ramp that leads to the hybrid/natural base is blocked by 6x6 rocks.

Map Features
Click to expand


Goldenaura

By: Marras
Goldenaura is a macro map with diagonal symmetry. It features a total of 13 blue bases and one golden base in the bottom left corner of the map.

No Overlord pillar right at the natural. There are two Xel'naga towers, one at the high ground near the gold base and another at the lowground in the top right. There is also a good amount of airspace around the map. In the middle of the map there is a 'ramphill.'

Map Features
Click to expand


Freestyle

Maps in this category explore new ideas for how StarCraft II can be played. This category is intended for unorthodox, outside-the-box maps.

Harbinger

By: Sha
This map has standard opening and expansion setups around edges of the map.

What's unique on this map are the Slow Zones and Rock Towers/Collapsing Rocks and their interaction. Should a Rock Tower be destroyed on this map, they will fall on the Slow Zone and destroy them, completely sealing off the path or creating a choke point.

However, another twist on this map is the central area with two highground ledges which contain a Xel'Naga Tower each. These Xel'Naga Towers provide complete vision of the middle while truly reinforcing high ground advantage in the middle.

Map Features
Click to expand


Equilibrium

By: Agaton
Equilibrium is a mirror-symmetry macro map with many bases in close proximity. The most notable feature is the rich expansion located nearby, boasting six rich patches and a rich geyser. However, the expansion is placed in a rather exposed area that also serves as a pathway, so tread carefully. Another feature is the destructible rocks that split the entry to the high ground third, making the entry a focal point until the rocks are taken down.

Features Description:
  • A low ground rich expansion (6 rich patches and 1 rich geyser) is located in front of the low ground third. The area also serves as a path that connects the high and low ground areas.
  • Destructible rocks split the entry to the high ground third and make rotations much longer. Once destroyed, it opens up a second entry to the triangular third as well as a path down to low ground expansion.
  • A watchtower is located in the upper center of the map to help with scouting.

Map Features
Click to expand
Map Features
Click to expand


Stadium

By: RQM
Stadium is a map of normal distance with some irregular features.
  • Initial distance trend toward standard gameplay.
  • Breaking one of the connected collapsible-terrain will break every other one at once.
  • Collapsible rocks and towers are exclusive to each other.
  • To block a path completely, players should break the collapsibles from both sides (left+right).
  • The middle path cannot be completely blocked in this way.

Map Features
Click to expand


Voting

TLMC uses a ranked preference voting system where voters assign points to their top five maps in order of preference. Please follow these instructions when voting:
  • You may only vote for a total of FIVE (5) maps.
  • Among your top five maps picks, assign your points/votes as follows:
    • Highest rated map: 5 points
    • Second highest rated map: 4 points
    • Third highest rated map: 3 points
    • Fourth highest rated map: 2 points
    • Fifth highest rated map: 1 point
  • You may only assign each specific point value once (only one map can be awarded 5 points, etc).
Vote Now!


Voting is open for

Public voting via TL.net determines the final rankings in TLMC #18. All sixteen finalists, as selected by the judges, receive $200 per winning entry. The top five entrants, as determined by public vote, will be awarded additional winnings as follows:

First - $200
Second - $125
Third - $100
Fourth - $75
Fifth - $50

Maps that place high in TLMC #18 are not guaranteed to be added to the competitive ladder. ESL will reference the finalists, as well as other highly rated runner-up maps, and choose which maps to add at its own discretion.

Prize money has been provided by Monster Energy, and we thank them for their support of the map making community.

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TL+ Member
sidasf
Profile Joined February 2023
97 Posts
May 30 2023 21:20 GMT
#2
Goldenaura: 5 points
Sleepwalker: 4 points
Hecate: 3 points
Oceanborn: 2 points
Calliope: 1 point

Lots of real nice looking maps here. To be frank, I think the current map pool is very drab outside of Dragon Scales and Neohumanity. I'm glad to see some more visually appealing choices here that take advantage of SC2's graphics system-one that is old but IMO has aged very well.

It was very difficult to choose my top 5.

Goldenaura is stunningly beautiful and well designed. I would really love to able to play this map on the ladder.

I really like Oceanborn as well and want to give it more points but it is almost blindingly bright especially when playing Protoss. I hope it's possible to fix this before the map is released, if it is chosen for the final pool. Calliope shares the same problem although not quite as bright.

Thank you Monster, mapmakers, and best of luck to all!
Beelzebub1
Profile Joined May 2015
1004 Posts
May 31 2023 03:25 GMT
#3
Oceanborn - 5 points for sheer aesthetic beauty, reminds me of abyssal reef, like the above poster said I'm ready for some more visually dazzling maps after this latest pool which seemed to use more drab colors. I like the way the middle is set up, looks like a good flowing map.

Harbinger - 4 points I usually don't rate the freestyle maps as highly, but this map got played alot on the TLMC and I got to see alot of different match ups on it. First off, like Oceanborn, this map blew me away aesthetically, but the game quality also seemed really high as well.

Carnivore - 3 points this one is a little more plain jane in comparison but it's still a very pretty map that also like Harbinger just seemed to pump out good quality games overall. I like that it's claustrophobic enough to force alot of action but you can expand horizontally and still build up an economy of some kind. Plus the natural has that tight choke so a nice little defenders advantage.

Calliope - 2 points nothing really stands out to me but it is a good looking map but the reason I give it an edge over Golden Aura is that it just looks bigger and more spaced out. If I'm getting a macro map, I want that sucker to be big.

Hecate - 1 point just seems like a good, decent normal map with enough pretty thrown on it to make me give it at least 1 point.

Big thank you to Monster and the map makers and Team Liquid for always making sure the maps stay fresh, appreciate you guys!
MayOnFire
Profile Joined March 2021
England47 Posts
May 31 2023 18:09 GMT
#4
Shipping News, Hecate, Institute and Solaris are my picks. I used a remaining vote on my own map. The maps this TLMC are all really good, only Stadium seems unbalanced to me, taking a 5th on that map seems impossible.
Ladder Map Pool : Curious Minds, Amphion, Cosmic Sapphire, Royal Blood, Dragon Scales, Hard Lead, Whispers of Gold + four times TLMC finalist, and other sc2 related content // https://liquipedia.net/starcraft2/MayOnFire
Nightmarjoo
Profile Blog Joined October 2006
United States3360 Posts
May 31 2023 20:38 GMT
#5
It was really hard to choose between some of them--the average quality of the maps is very high this tournament.

For me, Sidetracked and Hecate stood out as being the best two by far, and I think the former edges out the latter, but they're both really good. Inheritus stood out as the clear 3rd place map, still very good, but not as interesting as the first two.
The last two was a tough contest between a lot of maps, but I settled on Shipping and Carnivore, with Oceanborn a really close runner-up.
aka Lyra; My favourites: July, Stork, Draco, MistrZZZ, TheStc, LastShadow - www.broodwarmaps.net - for all your mapping needs; check my stream: high masters mech terran: twitch.tv/lyrathegreat
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