funcmode's Melee Map Thread

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This map is my second collaboration with gundream; who provided a basic layout sketch which was then slightly tweaked, more subtle changes were then made during creation. Here are the initial sketches;

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The most significant changes were slightly relocating the natural, adjusting the natural choke point and adding a second ramp to the 4th/5th high ground expansion. The shape/size of the main base was also changed slightly.

Players spawn at the 10 and 4 positions on a sizeable high-ground base and can then expand away from their opponents to their natural. The natural expansion is tucked away and very close to the ramp, but there is still a path behind the mineral line for harassment and turret placement.

Destructible rocks (scrap metal) block a wide ramp entrance from the natural to the third base/second expansion. A second wide ramp then leads from the third base to the 4th and 5th expansions. One of which is farther from your opponent but on low-ground and more open, whereas the other is on high-ground and harder to attack but is at a closer proximity to your opponent.

In the centre of the map is a large piece of high-ground which houses the two high-yield expansions. There are 4 ramps, two in the middle and one each at the north-east and south-west.

There are 4 watchtowers on Lost Arcanum which provide significant vision around the middle of the map. Two of the towers allow spotting of the gold expansions, and the other two are more out of the way but provide useful sight of potential flanks. All of the watchtowers are surrounded by LOS blockers for sneaky tactics.

I tried to keep the following at the forefront of my mind while making this map;

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A 4 player map, designed primarily for 1v1 play. The layout is influenced strongly by both Lost Temple and Metalopolis, in the hope of recreating the well-balanced nature of those maps, while including enough major and subtle changes to create an all-new experience.

Players start in a corner of the map, with a large high-ground base, leading to an easily defended natural expansion and a manageable choke. A ramp with destructible rocks (or in this case scrap metal) leads up to a 2nd "semi-island" expansion which is shared with the opposite main base. Two gold expansions can be found in the centre of the map to the north and south. The small patches of high ground on either side of the gold expansions are mostly unpathable (to stop siege tanking the main mineral line).

There are 4 watchtowers in the centre of the map, providing vision of much of the middle ground. However, flanking unnoticed is still a possibility. The towers themselves are surrounded by high ground on one side and LOS blockers on the other.

Rush distances vary greatly depending on spawn. Hopefully this will lead to a lot of variety in how games play out, akin to Lost Temple.

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A 2 player map. Players start cross-spawn (2 & 8) with a large high-ground main base leading into a safe natural expansion and quite a narrow choke. A second expansion lies just north/south of the main bases and is quite open, but is still protected by watchtower coverage and the nearby main high-ground.

A 3rd expansion can be found in the 11 and 5 positions, on high-ground but with 3 potential entrances. There are two gold expansions in the centre of the map, in the most open position.

There are destructible rocks protecting back door entrances into the main bases, as well as rocks blocking alternative routes from the natural to the 3rd (11 and 5) expansions. The rocks themselves are shielded by LOS blockers.

Two watchtowers can be found in the centre of the map, on small high-ground structures. They provide significant vision of the centre of the map (especially if both are controlled) but alternative/unseen flanking routes are still a possibility.

The centre of the map is flooded slightly, but still mostly pathable. See pictures for a better explaination.

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This map is based on an original design by gundream (thread link). He decided that he didn't have the time to commit to actually making the map himself, so requested a volunteer to make the map based on his sketches. The design and layout of the map intrigued me, so naturally I offered to give it a go.

Twin Skulls is probably the most unconventional out of these maps. It features 2 middle-ground mains in the 10 and 4 positions, high ground natural expansions each with 2 potential chokes (a medium sized ramp and another narrow choke leading into the base itself). The main choke is quite wide (about 4 supply depots across) but the rush distances are quite long to compensate. Near the main choke is another medium sized ramp with destructible rocks leading down to a 2nd low-ground expansion.

The close proximity of the entrances to the main, natural and 2nd expansion means one can defend all 3 quite easily from a pure ground-based force, but the distance between the bases themselves makes air harass and drops quite powerful against a highly immobile army.

Gold expansions are located in the 2 and 8 positions in very open territory. There is a nearby strip of high ground with two entrances north and south, and LOS blockers to the east and west. There are destructible rocks on the entrance closest to the gold minerals, this in tandem with the LOS blockers, encourages players to attack the gold expansions via the high ground.

In the centre of the map is a large circle of high-ground with 4 medium sized ramps. To the east and west of this are Xel'Naga watchtowers with LOS blockers which provide vision of most of the high-ground and alert players to forces pushing directly through the middle. It's possible to sneak around the sides of the watchtowers vision unnoticed, but naturally the route is a lot longer.