|
Brood wars didn't have very many unique map features for competitive play. You have high ground, cliffs, ramps and empty space, but that's about it. This makes it easy to balance the game because there are fewer chances for a strong imbalance, but it can also simplify the game to a degree that it becomes less interesting. As I see it there are a few ways that you can make a map: take the original philosophy and just make maps with no watchtowers, no gold expansions and no vision blockers, make standard SC2 maps with all of that stuff and finally you can take advantage of the map editor and make maps that start as islands but have the water lower mid game until it turns into a normal map, multiple levels of high ground, gold starting positions and other shenanigans.
So, what do players think are the best options? Do we go for consistency or variety? I'd at least like to see some experimentation at the higher levels since map variety allows for more unique strategies and can force players to be creative throughout the game.
Poll: Which do you like best?Everything should be used (28) 80% Everything should be basic (6) 17% Gold minerals and towers are fine, but nothing else (1) 3% 35 total votes Your vote: Which do you like best? (Vote): Everything should be basic (Vote): Gold minerals and towers are fine, but nothing else (Vote): Everything should be used
|
The new map features i think are incredible. They add new dimensions to map making and strategy
I know there are a lot of "Gold Haters" but really gold bases tend to have even less minerals than standards, 6 instead of 8, and each crystal still has 1500 gold or blue. The only difference is you gather gold faster.
|
I think implementing some of the wackier things for gameplay should become standard, maybe not for top tier professional tournaments, but I'd love to see pros play a game like that Island Map with water lowering, or some sort of king-of-the-hill melee map with that big-ass-cannon from the campaign providing field advantage to whoever can control it.
|
whatever works, bw pro maps now have gates that only workers can go through. which could be cool
whatever leads to balanced and exciting games
|
Ah, damnit. I accidentally voted for "Everything should be basic" when I meant to vote for "everything should be used". Sorry.
I don't theorize that it creates huge imbalances. Maps must be balanced to provide approximately equal access to things like gold expos, and watchtowers, but if ANY player can have this advantage, then it isn't really an imbalance, just a play of who is smart enough to take and hold these advantages.
|
I've been experimenting with a few concepts such as a map where the terrain changes over the course of the game to open/close paths and expansions, forcefields to block expansions, river crossings with water that slows and lava that damages units and some other stuff. Making a good map takes a lot of time though and I don't want to spend tons of time on something if people will just go "this sucks its so different".
Thats one of the problems I have with making melee maps with SC2 - I feel like noone is gonna play them anyway (I keep making them anyway but still).
There are also other things such as how long should the rush distances be? I try to keep it at around 32-38 seconds. How small can bases be? How big can they be? Is the base -> ramp -> natural -> choke -> open space the only recipe for success? Innovating isn't very easy imo since people will often simply reject your entire idea, not because its bad but because it's different to what they're used to.
|
I feel like one concept blizzard should explore in the expansion is terrain that damages units over time. Would add a new dimension to gameplay.
|
Hum I cant give a definitive opinion because I think that we must let Sc2 "expand" a bit + before having a good idea of what works, whats funner and better.
|
|
|
|