EPT
With the WardiTV TLMC Test Tournament concluded, it's time to start the official voting for TL.net Team Map Contest #4. Of course, thanks to Monster Energy for supporting TLMC and StarCraft II's teamplay community.
Public voting will determine the final rankings in TLTMC #4. All fifteen finalists will receive $220 per winning entry. The top five entrants, as determined by public vote, will be awarded additional winnings as follows:
While public voting will be taken into consideration during the selection process, maps that place high in TLTMC #4 are not guaranteed to be added to the competitive ladder. ESL and Blizzard will reference the finalists, as well as other highly rated runner-up maps, and choose which maps to add at their discretion (a Google account/login is required to vote).
Voting has closed.
Time remaining:
Once again, here are our list of finalists, alongside detailed maps and commentary from the mapmakers.
Start the map with separate nearby bases and expand to a shared partially rocked-off natural. A variety of expansion patterns allow you and your teammate to expand together or separately. Take down the large central rocks to open up more direct paths.
Did you know, Rohana does not mean family?
Start out with two small entrances into the natural, each of which can be easily walled off. Work together with clustered expansions to defend common choke points. Take down the large rocks to open up a larger attack path into the highground.
Hinterland is a fortress-style 2v2 map where players share defensive choke points. After securing their natural expansions, teams can choose to expand together to standard blue bases, or take the riskier backdoor gold base or forward high yield gas base. Traverse the center carefully to apply pressure or catch the enemy off guard!
Key Features
Welcome to the Crimson Forest! A place that's rumored by legends of horrible eldritch beings and tales of madness caused by the corrupted soil, but also a prime location for some scientific exploration! Surely all those rumors are just fairy tales. Right?
Key Features
A large macro 2v2 map with plenty of safe expansions, but has a relatively short rush distance
Deco courtesy of Marras.
Key Features
Teams are split into fortresses with some easy expansions, the remainder of the map contains contested resources that could determine which side wins
Key Features
Prodigy is a 3v3 map with 24 bases total. The main is shared and has two entrances, one small ramp for one player and a larger one for the other two. The natural has one large ramp leading to it, partially blocked by rocks. There's also a second entrance to the natural blocked by a mineral wall (two rows 10 each node).
White Chamber is a semi-fortress rush category map, and at first glance this map can seem unusual due to the additional base in each natural area. But this is done on purpose—you can choose which base you may take. It depends on the combination of races you are playing.
As an example, Terran can take a closer base to an opponent for all-ins. Or Zerg can take it to promote an aggressive creep spread for Queen-Roach all-ins.
So the map should be aggressive. On the other hand, the center of the map has a very narrow space. The high grounds on the left and right from the center with Xel’Naga towers should become the cornerstone of the game. This should be the general place for movement and maneuvering.
My goal was to create an equal game for everyone. This is the hardest part in multi-spawn map design. Because there is always an issue with randomness. So regardless of pattern and race the natural expansion bases were designed so that it is possible to play as a Zerg. Therefore, there is an additional base that is located a little away from the main ramp. And three normal ones, one of which faces the enemy. So you can take three bases and have a decent way to spread the creep left and right. Another thing, you can wall-off as a Zerg at natural expansions that are close to ramps like in 1v1 maps. So it must be more stable in my eyes.
I also tried to сreate a map with a small rush distance but with high ground in the middle of the map. So you can’t play turtle style. But at the same time the key to your progress lies by controlling the center of the map.
There are locked (Zerg debris) rich Vespene bases in the corners of the map. And it is close to both sides. So it should be a cornerstone in late game. Zerg debris prevents players from taking it early like a ninja base.
I thought it would be right to increase the number of bases from the standard. This is necessary to ensure the possibility of equivalent development for all three players within this specific layout.
Megastructure is a semi-fortress map that promotes pretty standard design for modern days. All work was aimed at creating a pretty standard layout about objectively equal to everyone. This should guarantee that no one takes your space. The map promotes more regular openings with less rushes.
I decided to add a pocket base only because I wanted to achieve stability if you will play Zerg. So that players can choose directions and safely make a transition from natural to third expansion. Natural expansions can be walled-off like on competitive 1v1 ladder maps (Zerg included). All necessary conditions are provided. To a large extent, this map collects the requirements for normal functioning like any modern LOTV map.
The gold base is facing the enemy. It can be taken after the third one, but it is very unsafe.
Tunguska is a semi-fortress 4v4 map that promotes and conveys all the necessary attributes of modern standards of 1v1 ladder maps. The only unusual feature of the map is the gold bases with rich Vespene geysers.
The corners of the map have been cut a bit, but this is not such a disadvantage, as it allows to avoid unnecessary bases and the dominance of long games.
Slowdive is a 4v4 semi-fortress map. The layout is pretty straightforward. The map is quite open, so it should not feel too cramped nor too favorable for turtling play. It can be expected that players will not sit back and should be more active and play around the center in order to protect their bases on the low ground.
While the number of total expansions is on the high side, the layout of the map should prevent it from being a problem. The design emphasis is on allowing players to move comfortably in pairs.
A backdoor mineral wall in the natural provides access to a gold base. Work with your teammate to secure expansions along the sides of the map.
On this large 4v4 map allies spawn on the same high ground, but have their own ramps. Rocks help secure those ramps as well as the 3rd bases out in front. To find 4th bases the teams have to expand horizontally.
On this 4v4 map allies spawn on a large high ground on which they find their natural expansion. The area below contains four, third bases and a path to a watchtower. From here you decide which side of the map you explore together. The lowground in front has rich gas bases. The side high ground holds 2 more watchtowers for corner control.
Public voting will determine the final rankings in TLTMC #4. All fifteen finalists will receive $220 per winning entry. The top five entrants, as determined by public vote, will be awarded additional winnings as follows:
First - $100 (per category)
Second - $50 (per category)
Second - $50 (per category)
While public voting will be taken into consideration during the selection process, maps that place high in TLTMC #4 are not guaranteed to be added to the competitive ladder. ESL and Blizzard will reference the finalists, as well as other highly rated runner-up maps, and choose which maps to add at their discretion (a Google account/login is required to vote).
Voting has closed.
Time remaining:
Once again, here are our list of finalists, alongside detailed maps and commentary from the mapmakers.
2v2 Maps
Rohana
By: themusic246
Start the map with separate nearby bases and expand to a shared partially rocked-off natural. A variety of expansion patterns allow you and your teammate to expand together or separately. Take down the large central rocks to open up more direct paths.Did you know, Rohana does not mean family?
Yellowjacket
By: themusic246
Start out with two small entrances into the natural, each of which can be easily walled off. Work together with clustered expansions to defend common choke points. Take down the large rocks to open up a larger attack path into the highground.Hinterland
By: monitor
Hinterland is a fortress-style 2v2 map where players share defensive choke points. After securing their natural expansions, teams can choose to expand together to standard blue bases, or take the riskier backdoor gold base or forward high yield gas base. Traverse the center carefully to apply pressure or catch the enemy off guard!Key Features
- Players can mine out a backdoor path from the natural to access the gold base. The backdoor is blocked by three rows of single-trip gold minerals (7 each).
- A destructible rock at the natural choke point can be broken by attackers, or by defenders for a faster rotation to the third bases.
- Teams can expand together, or split up for rewarding but vulnerable high yield expansions.
Crimson Research Lab
By: CharactR
Welcome to the Crimson Forest! A place that's rumored by legends of horrible eldritch beings and tales of madness caused by the corrupted soil, but also a prime location for some scientific exploration! Surely all those rumors are just fairy tales. Right?Key Features
- A backdoor pocket base that are shielded by Xel'Naga blockades (fancy rocks)
- 2 gold bases close to the center of the map along the rush path.
Undercurrent
By: CharactR
A large macro 2v2 map with plenty of safe expansions, but has a relatively short rush distanceDeco courtesy of Marras.
Key Features
- 6-7 bases per player
- A pocket natural for one player
- An area small enough for a 3 gateway walloff at the forward natural
- Forward golds with high grounds tucked around them
3v3 Maps
Voracity
By: Meavis
Teams are split into fortresses with some easy expansions, the remainder of the map contains contested resources that could determine which side winsKey Features
- In-base expansions
- Xel'Naga Watchtowers
- Island bases
- Rocks on ramps
Prodigy
By: volumin
Prodigy is a 3v3 map with 24 bases total. The main is shared and has two entrances, one small ramp for one player and a larger one for the other two. The natural has one large ramp leading to it, partially blocked by rocks. There's also a second entrance to the natural blocked by a mineral wall (two rows 10 each node).White Chamber
By: depressed1
White Chamber is a semi-fortress rush category map, and at first glance this map can seem unusual due to the additional base in each natural area. But this is done on purpose—you can choose which base you may take. It depends on the combination of races you are playing.As an example, Terran can take a closer base to an opponent for all-ins. Or Zerg can take it to promote an aggressive creep spread for Queen-Roach all-ins.
So the map should be aggressive. On the other hand, the center of the map has a very narrow space. The high grounds on the left and right from the center with Xel’Naga towers should become the cornerstone of the game. This should be the general place for movement and maneuvering.
Lost July
By: depressed1
My goal was to create an equal game for everyone. This is the hardest part in multi-spawn map design. Because there is always an issue with randomness. So regardless of pattern and race the natural expansion bases were designed so that it is possible to play as a Zerg. Therefore, there is an additional base that is located a little away from the main ramp. And three normal ones, one of which faces the enemy. So you can take three bases and have a decent way to spread the creep left and right. Another thing, you can wall-off as a Zerg at natural expansions that are close to ramps like in 1v1 maps. So it must be more stable in my eyes.I also tried to сreate a map with a small rush distance but with high ground in the middle of the map. So you can’t play turtle style. But at the same time the key to your progress lies by controlling the center of the map.
There are locked (Zerg debris) rich Vespene bases in the corners of the map. And it is close to both sides. So it should be a cornerstone in late game. Zerg debris prevents players from taking it early like a ninja base.
I thought it would be right to increase the number of bases from the standard. This is necessary to ensure the possibility of equivalent development for all three players within this specific layout.
Megastructure
By: depressed1
Megastructure is a semi-fortress map that promotes pretty standard design for modern days. All work was aimed at creating a pretty standard layout about objectively equal to everyone. This should guarantee that no one takes your space. The map promotes more regular openings with less rushes.I decided to add a pocket base only because I wanted to achieve stability if you will play Zerg. So that players can choose directions and safely make a transition from natural to third expansion. Natural expansions can be walled-off like on competitive 1v1 ladder maps (Zerg included). All necessary conditions are provided. To a large extent, this map collects the requirements for normal functioning like any modern LOTV map.
The gold base is facing the enemy. It can be taken after the third one, but it is very unsafe.
4v4 Maps
Tunguska
By: depressed1
Tunguska is a semi-fortress 4v4 map that promotes and conveys all the necessary attributes of modern standards of 1v1 ladder maps. The only unusual feature of the map is the gold bases with rich Vespene geysers.The corners of the map have been cut a bit, but this is not such a disadvantage, as it allows to avoid unnecessary bases and the dominance of long games.
Slowdive
By: depressed1
Slowdive is a 4v4 semi-fortress map. The layout is pretty straightforward. The map is quite open, so it should not feel too cramped nor too favorable for turtling play. It can be expected that players will not sit back and should be more active and play around the center in order to protect their bases on the low ground.While the number of total expansions is on the high side, the layout of the map should prevent it from being a problem. The design emphasis is on allowing players to move comfortably in pairs.
Riptide
By: themusic246
A backdoor mineral wall in the natural provides access to a gold base. Work with your teammate to secure expansions along the sides of the map.Ashen Cradle
By: KillerSmile
On this large 4v4 map allies spawn on the same high ground, but have their own ramps. Rocks help secure those ramps as well as the 3rd bases out in front. To find 4th bases the teams have to expand horizontally.Unlimited Alchemist
By: KillerSmile
On this 4v4 map allies spawn on a large high ground on which they find their natural expansion. The area below contains four, third bases and a path to a watchtower. From here you decide which side of the map you explore together. The lowground in front has rich gas bases. The side high ground holds 2 more watchtowers for corner control.
