[M] (3) Cloudburst

SmashHammer

United States148 Posts

March 14 2011 21:34 GMT

Cloudburst 1.2

Map Info:
- 1v1
- 155x144 playable size
- Zhakul'Das mostly (also Bel'Shir, Aiur, & Agria)
- 12 normal blue bases (including mains)
- 1 XWT in center
- rush distance 145 to 153

Idea: Water/Thunderstorm themed 3-player map. This tutorial by NullCurrent was the only reason it came out somewhat decent.

Details: The natural is open to the center of the map, but also has a small backdoor opening blocked by DRs. After getting to two bases the player can expand in either direction depending on where their opponent is located. There is one central XWT which provides vision over the main attack route as well as a wall of LOS blockers through that same route. It is possible to circumnavigate the central XWT but it requires taking the long way around the edges of the map. The central area is relatively open while the paths around the edge are slightly more choked.

Map Pics:
90-degree view
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('Protoss Decal' doodad south and slightly east of the XWT is glitched in the picture due to being zoomed out so far)

Angled view
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('Protoss Decal' doodad south and slightly east of the XWT is glitched in the picture due to being zoomed out so far)

Analyzer
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Summary
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Main-to-Main distance
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3-7
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11-7
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11-3
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Details
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not most up to date

Ideas/Concerns:
- general balance
- openness and layout of center, thinking if i should add more bases in the center
- proportionality (does the layout seem to be rotated properly?)

Plans:
- trying out center bases locations

Change Log:
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1.2 updated doodads and textures

1.1 changed the center layout. preliminary textures and doodads done. altered map bounds to balance openness around the mains.

Comments and Feedback Welcome!
Out on NA if you want to try it out!
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Thank you for reading this far!

Magrath

Canada292 Posts

March 14 2011 22:28 GMT

Nice Layout. Reminds me of the 8-player Blizzard map.

May want to look at distance between bases for the northwestern main. The third isn't right beside it like the rest according to the analyzer. May point to openness and distance between natural and third.

SmashHammer

United States148 Posts

March 14 2011 22:46 GMT

Ahhh, yeah. the labeling in the summary analyzer pic is off. The labeled third for the north western main base should be the expansion in the counter clock wise direction. I'm not sure why it labeled it that way. Either way the third would depend on where the opponent spawned. This is what i envisioned + Show Spoiler +

. I think i will end up changing the positions of the third bases slightly until the analyzer labels them properly.

EatThePath

United States3943 Posts

March 15 2011 04:28 GMT

The symmetry is pretty close, but it looks off-kilter. Usually it's easier to appear symmetrical with less ramps, but I actually like how you use the split ramp outside the natural. I think the ramps elsewhere could go, improving the 120deg symmetry (especially visually). I don't understand those little highground paths above the LosB lines, nor the dRocks tucked against them. If this is meant to provide some tactical terrain, I would suggest scrapping the entire middle area and creating some kind of hill, donut, spiral, or other class of neutral center terrain. The tower coverage is a nice proportion that doesn't see the immediate exit of the natural. However, the center is quite large and open. If you can, try to tighten up the total size of the map, with the main bases sticking out and the diameter of the whole thing--I think it could be smaller.

I just want to note how the split ramp from the natural lets you go to the righthand 3rd much more smoothly. That's a nice feature that is aesthetically pleasing too. So props on that. =)

SmashHammer

United States148 Posts

March 15 2011 20:28 GMT

I experimented around with the center and here (pics at bottom) is one variation that i liked. It places more emphasis on the central XWT because now the paths around it are longer. I also tried squishing the mains closer to the center to reduce the size, but didn't end up liking it. The reason is that it either made the main mineral line/base able to be hit by siege tanks from the outside or took up to much of the surrounding expansions space. If i squished it and made it not siegable then the other expansions would have to be shifted which would mess up the layout.

pics:
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SmashHammer

United States148 Posts

March 20 2011 02:45 GMT

The textures and doodads are mostly done and its published if anyone wants to try it out.

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[M] (3) Cloudburst

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