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Heartstone Canyon 0.7
Graphics somewhat better, though sloppy in places.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/gvddj.jpg)
- Players: 2 - 1v1 design, 8/2 o'clock starting.
- Size: 156x120 playable
- Expansions: 12.
- 10x 8 mineral expansions. 2 gas..
- 2x 6 rich mineral expansions. 2 gas.
- Rush Distance: 40 seconds, main ramp to main ramp.
- XWTs: 2.
- Destructible Rocks: Protects Third's backdoor.
- LoSBs: Plants around XWTs.
- Servers: EU
Concept: Ugh, why can't I design a normal map.
Confessedly, this map was the result of me having idle hands whilst watching various events. I wasn't thinking too heavily about the design, but somehow ended up having a main surrounded by walls.
Either way, this developed into a canyon of sorts, and after fiddling around I found an expansion layout I was comfortable with, and decided to separate the map with bridges.
They lead directly towards/outwards from the naturals but give a fair bit of breathing room.
There's a couple of things that bug me which I can't put my finger on, but overall this is finally at a stage where I'm happy to at least preview it.
Overview:
+ Show Spoiler +
Map Analysis and Rush Distances:
+ Show Spoiler +
Detail Shots:
+ Show Spoiler [Towers] +
+ Show Spoiler [Eye Candy] +
Changelog:
- 20/08/2011 - v0.1 - Initial map published!
- 20/08/2011 - v0.2 - Bridges widened, area outside natural given more terrain to compensate.
- 31/08/2011 - v0.3 - Huuge Graphical update, natural choke made closer to third, rocks cover backdoor to third.
- 05/09/2011 - v0.5 - More Graphics tweaking, mostly balance changes on the middle regions.
- 02/10/2011 - v0.7 - Overhaul on the distant expansions, spreading them out a little more, pushing one closer to the natural.Reduced amount of dead space. 12 and 6 o'clock expos now made gold.
Concerns:
Download:
Other maps by me:
(2) Heimdall's Sanctuary
(2) Mountain Retreat
(4) Revolution to the Origin
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The only 2 gas expansion is your natural? That, and the fact that only 4 narrow bridges in the center would create very drawn out, split map scenarios because no one would want to attack through there.
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The bridges are far from narrow. They're a little wider than the equivalent on metalopolis.
As for the expansion/gas issue, that's my bad. While a one-gas close third is good, there was no need for me to be too enthusiastic about it. That's easy enough to rectify, however. I can just put it back on the far expansions.
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your Country52798 Posts
It's good, but the third seems far away. You should probably make the 6 o'clock and 12 o'clock 3rds have 2 gasses, as it seems hard to hold and not quite worth it. As Soluhwin said, It's difficult to attack and the map leads to low gas scenarios (late game) I would suggest having a total of 6 2 gas expansions: Naturals, 12 o'clock 3rds, and 1 of the corner expansions in each corner. I would also widen central bridges, and maybe open up the middle (or remove it).
By the way, I like your previous map's eye candy (Heimdall's Sanctuary  ), so I can't wait for aesthetics!
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Opening the middle would ruin a lot of the map's flavour and really impair the rush distance, but I might widen them a little more.
..Hmm, actually I have an idea - gimme a minute, I'll work on something, and maybe push the 12/6 third a little closer...
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The lack of double-gas expansions isn't a great idea IMO. The thirds should have double gas
And surrounding your main in walls is even worse than the old cliff on lost temple in terms of getting pwned by siege tanks or thor drops
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Those cliffs above the main, please tell me siege tanks can't get up there.
Us zergs are begging you.
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For a second I thought the mains were the 3 and 9 o clock bases. Is that viable? It sure makes taking a third more viable, and you can chose which direction you expand. ^_^
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On August 21 2011 03:08 FoxyMayhem wrote:
For a second I thought the mains were the 3 and 9 o clock bases. Is that viable? It sure makes taking a third more viable, and you can chose which direction you expand. ^_^
Originally, I had an idea to do something like that - in the end, I realised it was a bad plan to have two alternate spawning points unless I wanted to do so from the beginning.
...are the thirds really that hard to take?
I'll have to rethink things if that really is the case - It seemed fine to me, too. : (
But that's fine, this sort of thing is precisely why I'm posting now and not later - I'm not experienced enough.
Anyway, posted a quick update - now to watch some TL Opens.
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For people asking about cliffs, if you look at the analyser pics, they're greyed out. I'm inexperienced, not stupid. :p
They'll be coated with all sorts of junk when this map is fleshed out.
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All I really have to say is: Siege Tank drops 
But otherwise I really like the map, just some of the areas need to be made a little less tank/colo frendly.
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On August 21 2011 03:36 SwitchAUS wrote:All I really have to say is: Siege Tank drops But otherwise I really like the map, just some of the areas need to be made a little less tank/colo frendly.
If you are refering to the high ground spots above the mains and many bases he already said he has blocked them with pathing.
As for the map, i have to agree with above posts that the third is quite hard to take.
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I'll spend more time thinking about this, but is something more like this more suitable? (I'll tighten around the geysers, but this is a very rough plan - there is a ramp there at the north still, even if it is a bit hard to see)
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/IbA6w.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/y9ja3.jpg)
I did consider rocks on the ramp way back, but had figured that that wasn't too big a problem in the first place. Now I'm not so sure, although no-one really explained why the third was difficult.
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The third was diffucult (Imho) because your army would have to travel from within your natural (where most army's remain parked unless moving around the map) all the way around that little jut of high ground. Say somebody sends like 5 marines to harass a bit, you send your army to compensate and they have to walk around that high ground part, then the terrans main army could hit you right there and get a perfect concave every time. (To sum this up, its easy for a player to park his main army between your nat and third).
Your change i believe helped this, as now you can park your army at 1 large choke and defend both your main and the northern ramp of the third.
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On August 21 2011 05:27 Gl!tch wrote:Your change i believe helped this, as now you can park your army at 1 large choke and defend both your main and the northern ramp of the third.
Which is what I wanted to avoid in the original design, but the back ramp to the third answers that I guess, while also providing side attack routes.
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I see your point, though. Why did I not think of just moving the choke south a bit. >.<
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Map Update. Think I overdid the foliage in some places.
Will try to get some test matches done on EU server tomorrow~
Also, I love me some rock doodads. 1630 doodads total.
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I like the improved visuals (Saw that you posted a ridge on the map art thread)
As for any aesthetic improvments, my only suggestion would be to add some variation. The map seems monotone (orange/rusty red throughout)
Possibly adding different textures in the main or center.
all in my opinion... i see no major balance changes.
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Updated.
Map analyser isn't perfect, as it can't track the fences in the middle.
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If theres sand and metal next to it for example, its never a 'clean' seperate area. Theres allways dust and sand blowing over or people walking it transfering on the metal. Try to incorporate that in your texturing.
Just gives it that nice finished look. Right now it looks waaaaay too clean for something with sand n dust 
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On September 05 2011 23:59 ihasaKAROT wrote:
If theres sand and metal next to it for example, its never a 'clean' seperate area. Theres allways dust and sand blowing over or people walking it transfering on the metal. Try to incorporate that in your texturing.
I agree, already a good looking map, that will just make it that much prettier.
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Pretty big update - Tried to make better use of the space available, though I still don't quite like what I've done with the high ground at 3 and 9. Any suggestions that are better than rocking one ramp?
Also, any other criticism is welcome.
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