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Last Updated 24th February 2011
HQ image 2048x2048
LQ Overview
+ Show Spoiler [Analyzer] +
Specifications:
2 Spawnlocations
10 mineral bases
-main has 8 patches
-natural has 8 patches
-expansions have 8 patches
00 gold bases
02 Xel'naga Towers
Size: 128x128 playable
Notes:
The rocks on the ramp upwards the small plateaus are now tight.
Cant walk any large units to the Watchtowers, but you can drop them.
Cant place any buildings at the Watchtowers.
Takes 2 creep tumors to connect main to natural.
Feedback is always highly appreciated.
You can catch me on irc in #teamliquid @ quakenet.
greetings, madsquare.
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Looks really good, super aesthetic map. But I'm a bit scared of terran having a huge advantage of this map with tanks on the corners and then just getting up three bases and doing a huge push, but otherwise super aesthetic map (I have a weakness for green maps with trees)
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dezi
Germany1536 Posts
Please get rid of this square in the mid. Doesn't fit the theme. Also the analyzer pics seem to not load properly.
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I like the general layout but I think it lacks any real defining features. Where to start...
I'm not sure how much use the Xel'Naga towers will see. Island towers are difficult to use until the late game and even then it usually requires drop play. It may favor Terran considering the ability for Vikings to land there. Though, do changelings activate the towers?
I don't like your use of destructible rocks. You say the rocks on the ramps near the center are not tight, so units are able to move around them? That seems OK, but it depends on the room (hard to tell) since it determines what units can fit through. The other rocks seem like they close off some variety to your map. I would think that removing the long rocks blocking that base from the natural would give the player a choice for a third. Otherwise, with the rocks there, the third listed on the analyzer image will probably be taken instead. I'm not sure what the rocks are preventing other than making that expansion less appealing as a third base.
The map isn't big but it feels really big. The main looks large, yet according to the analyzer they aren't. It could just be the placement of the minerals. It looks like it may take a few creep tumors to reach the natural for Zerg. Also the fourth base is just a big huge open space. It feels rather bare and I'd like to see the space used more effectively in some way.
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Very creative way of putting those high ground points that lead to the thirds, protect the naturals, and connect to the middle with DRs. Great idea. Also, I like how the XWTs can watch the back entrances to your high ground plateau, but I also believe that island XWTs favor Terran. Maybe connect it to a ramp with DRs on it? You could connect them to the middle with ramps, making them vulnerable. Just an idea, do what you feel is right for this map though.
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I like how you encourage the players to split the map basically in half. This seems to be a common theme in most maps (blistering sands, lost temple, etc.) It also makes for epic battles in the center of the map.
One thing i would change is the island XWTs. Might be a little imba for terran because they tend to get medivacs in most games, while protoss dont really get warp prisms and zergs dont really get ventral sacs. Instead, make a ramp to the center so their easier to take/fight over.
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What is the purpose of the watch towers if you can't even use them without a warp prism, overload sacs, or by virtue of being terran? (And even then if you start putting up sensor towers watch towers are essentially negated.).
Aesthetically it looks very nice apart from the ugly square and piles of rocks everywhere. However, it looks like it would be very 'awkward' to play in the late game, with the way the map seems to be want to have a vertical split. Also, please think of the poor protoss. Ling counterattacks would be STUPIDLY BRUTAL to deal with on this map. Just look at it all the entrances, it may not be blistering f*cking sands but seriously.
Overall, I don't think it would be a very fun map to play, sorry. 
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Arg, this map mixes really good ideas with really bad ones!
Good:
Holding the plateau gives you good control over a 3 base area.
The map has a natural 'split' to it.
The watch towers are in a good spot to "peek" at the opposing plateau.
Aesthetically, its really pretty on the bottom level.
Bad:
Watchtower islands - for all of the above reasons.
That square terrain in the middle :facepalm.jpg:
4th base is stupidly easy to defend because of that tiny ramp.
Aesthetically, its a little blah on the map itself. You can definitely fix that!
Also, I would widen the ramp that goes from plateau to natural a bit.
The ramp heading from the plateau towards your nat should be wider though imo.
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Instead of listing my thoughts, which have been spoken by others, I'll give you a wacky plan of changes to address the criticisms.
My views parallel BoomStevo's pretty much. The plateau is great. The long diagonal rocks are somewhat odd. The rocks to mid are okay in my opinion, but I would like a neater arrangement. The island tower favours terran too much. I like that it is for fighting over in lategame though. The wide open highground 4th is... undesirable, but not awful.
The plan: Take out the long diagonal rocks to give an optional third. If you want, put rocks blocking the build site. Put small rocks on either side of the ramps to middle, instead of one big one in the middle. Chop a ditch in the 4th highground, and create an alternate path to the clockwise 3rd from center. Put a lot of hostile marines on the towers, to block drops and delay getting them.
These are just ideas to help you get cooking. I like it, look forward to seeing how it develops!
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That square in the middle is madness!
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Updated.
Rocks from 'plateaus' to center are now tight
Watchtower are now low ground and connected to the third
Some texturing changed in the center
Fixed image issues in OP
The Watchtower were something I hard a sharp eye onto. There was something i disliked but i couldnt find a solution. After reading through the replies and staring at the map for a while i figured one. They belong to third and have the purpose to give sight over the ramps nearer to the opponent.
Now Im with the opinion that its better to hand these towers easier to the players and encourage an early third.
The rocks plateau-center are now tight. I thought its a cool idea to have one unit (any exept siegetank and thor) passing through originally. So you could get units up but not if somebody was actually defending there. Unless you take those rocks down of course.
However it causes too much trouble early game having to worry about an extra flank if you take an early natural. So I scrapped that.
I agree the square looked too indimidating. I add those when Im releasing the map so I didnt look at it much. But it really stood out. However, as long as Im working by myself, these will be part of my maps so Im not removing it  Instead, I made it less outstanding.
On December 07 2010 08:35 BoomStevo wrote:
The other rocks seem like they close off some variety to your map. I would think that removing the long rocks blocking that base from the natural would give the player a choice for a third. Otherwise, with the rocks there, the third listed on the analyzer image will probably be taken instead. I'm not sure what the rocks are preventing other than making that expansion less appealing as a third base.
Holding the platea and the watchttower gives you all vision you need to hold your third and the entrances leading to it. If those rocks wouldnt exist, there would be one additional ramp that cant be covered easily and would also be on the other side of the map. That would be against the concept of the map; Control a few certain areas to hold your bases, have a hard time taking a defended base down, open space for clashes in the center.
Also, I dont think its that bad. A player who wants to take that base can still take it, but he has to take down some rocks, wich is quite common on many maps.
On December 07 2010 08:35 BoomStevo wrote:It looks like it may take a few creep tumors to reach the natural for Zerg.
Requires two of them. No need for perfect placement.
On December 07 2010 16:59 Cyber_Cheese wrote:
That square in the middle is madness!
A mad square.. I think I heard that somewhere before..
Feel free to leave some more Feedback!
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This map seems a bit turtle-favored..
If any early rushes are defended, I think it'll be too easy for both players to sit around and expand until they max out and push because it's so difficult to attack into the other and it's so difficult to hold a position anywhere near the center of the map.
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Updated once more.
The high ground of the fourth is now smaller.
The smaller ramp from fourth - center is now a bit bigger
The rocks that have been blocking the path center - 6'/12' have now been moved to the ramp 6'/12' - fourth.
Should play smoother and more variable now 
cheers,
madsqaure.
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EPT![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/TR95o.jpg)
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