Welcome the the iCCup Pro Map-Balance Thread
Here, top level players give their opinions on iCCup Custom Maps featured in the iCCup Map Series (IMS). We are thrilled that the maps are being played and that great matches are being cast every week, but the idea is that these players help the maps evolve; and they are helping.
Below, top players are quoted and before and after images of the maps are posted to let you see how the iCCup map makers interpreted the opinion through the map editor.
Not all opinions are balance related and not all opinions lead to direct and significant change. Like all good maps, the iCCup maps must evolve and we need to continuously come back to the drawing table to consider changes.
This thread will be updated weekly after the IMS.
If you have a balance suggestion of your own, or simply agree/disagree with changes made to a particular map, this is the place to voice your opinion.
We are thankfull for all of the continued support and we look forward to further great matches in the weeks to come. Also keep in mind an article being posted on GameReplays.org as there will be a showmatch to promote the support from GameReplays.org in the near future (date pending). The matches will be casted live on iCCupTV.
Thank you you to the community, and thank you also to the players who have competed on the maps and provided us with their feedback.
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Balance Contributers: QXC, Antimage
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Maps
Sanshorn Mist:
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QXC
"- The expansions on this map are super far apart which I'm still not sure how I feel about.
- It almost feels like whoever secures it [island expo] first and throws down a bunch of AA has it particularly when protoss can warp in and zerg can potentially nydus. Not sure whether that's good or bad.
- I would almost prefer to remove the destructible rocks from the gold patches. The fact that they are almost adjacent to your opponent's base by air seems like a disadvantage enough although that would require some play."
Antimage
"- Corner towers are to powerfull, they sight the 4th and the gold.
- Mains could be wider
Kinki: the maps im gonna be releaseing are generally going to have a walk distance of cross positioned LT or 2 - 3 seconds longer, im looking to encourage longer more macro orientated games and the necessity of force splitting
Antimage: ya that looks great i really liked having that
Kinki: you think it encouraged that kind of flow?
Antimage: it makes for more entertaining games... well look at my game =P
Sanshorn Mist (before)
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Sanshorn Mist (after)
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Changelog:
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1) Main ramp moved one tile awau from patio ramp to fit buildings
2) Minerals rotated, 1 tile width added to the main
3) Tower shifter towards the interior of the map, still spots 4th
4) Gold shifted slight to the exterior of the map avoiding detection from the corner tower
5) Islands no long can be hit by seige
6) Islands increased slightly in size
2) Minerals rotated, 1 tile width added to the main
3) Tower shifter towards the interior of the map, still spots 4th
4) Gold shifted slight to the exterior of the map avoiding detection from the corner tower
5) Islands no long can be hit by seige
6) Islands increased slightly in size
Orbital Divide
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Antimage
"- Middle expo is too powerful for Terran. Tanks and turrets make it very hard/costly to take it down. Should be lower ground and more compact, as middle expos should be riskier and high reward, not easy to defend with high reward.
- Middle rocks are bugged, units can slip by.
- Pathing of units at the middle is bad. Again, too powerful, too large with too many vantage points for tanks.
- Good thing about the map: placement and features of each expo. I like how there's only one expo at 12:00, and only one island base. Makes those bases more valuable and somewhat game-changing, and focus will be on several spots on the map in the late game."
Orbital Divide (before)
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Orbital Divide (after)
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Changelog:
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"- Middle expo is too powerful for Terran. Tanks and turrets make it very hard/costly to take it down. Should be lower ground and more compact, as middle expos should be riskier and high reward, not easy to defend with high reward.
- Middle rocks are bugged, units can slip by.
- Pathing of units at the middle is bad. Again, too powerful, too large with too many vantage points for tanks.
- Good thing about the map: placement and features of each expo. I like how there's only one expo at 12:00, and only one island base. Makes those bases more valuable and somewhat game-changing, and focus will be on several spots on the map in the late game."
Orbital Divide (before)
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Orbital Divide (after)
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Changelog:
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1) Tower moved to low ground path
2) Middle LOS blocker path made wider by half a tile set
3) Rocks do not allow units to bypass without destruction
4) Gold expo made low-ground. Walls surround to prevent tank harass from the sides.
5) Small ramp added to the back of the tower to give access to gold expo
6) Chokes to 3rd widened
7) Islands no longer in range of siege from base drop zone
8) *not numbered* Mains widened around the access ramp to nat to make pathing around builds better
2) Middle LOS blocker path made wider by half a tile set
3) Rocks do not allow units to bypass without destruction
4) Gold expo made low-ground. Walls surround to prevent tank harass from the sides.
5) Small ramp added to the back of the tower to give access to gold expo
6) Chokes to 3rd widened
7) Islands no longer in range of siege from base drop zone
8) *not numbered* Mains widened around the access ramp to nat to make pathing around builds better
Valhalla
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QXC
" - There isn't a lot of interesting terrain where battles will take place (most of them will occur in the center and then smaller skirmishes will take place at expos)
- Glad to see a map use a mineral only base as this is mostly absent in sc2 maps."
Valhalla (before)
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Valhalla (after)
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Changelog:
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" - There isn't a lot of interesting terrain where battles will take place (most of them will occur in the center and then smaller skirmishes will take place at expos)
- Glad to see a map use a mineral only base as this is mostly absent in sc2 maps."
Valhalla (before)
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Valhalla (after)
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Changelog:
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1) Spires added to all intervening chokes to the center giving the middle increased strategical importance and making the nat/3rds more defensible.
Crop Circle
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Crop Circle (before)
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Crop Circle (after)
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Changelog:
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Crop Circle (after)
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Changelog:
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1) Main is now very-high ground
2) Moved main mineral formation
3) Added LOS blocker inside the main
4) Added rocks in the gold expo
5) Lighting changed to "bel'shir sunset"
2) Moved main mineral formation
3) Added LOS blocker inside the main
4) Added rocks in the gold expo
5) Lighting changed to "bel'shir sunset"