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![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/y3Pli.jpg) Marred Crossing (version 1.4) Made by: Gfire Published on: [AM] ![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/v73Rg.jpg)
This map was designed based on an idea I've been fiddling with for a while. It revolves around the backdoor.
On Blistering sands, the backdoor with rocks was very problematic, mostly because of two things: The distance backdoor-backdoor was very short, and also, the distance from the natural to the backdoor was shorter on the outside than the inside. Neither of these should be a problem on my map.
It's somewhat inspired by Destination in BW, but mostly only the idea of putting the backdoor ramp very close to the frontdoor ramp... I would actually call it more of a sidedoor than a backdoor. There's also an expansion right under this ramp, so there's more of a benefit in knocking it down for the defending player.
This brought the map to be somewhat similar to Crossfire, and I kept with the concept. Having a much closer base in the back, this map doesn't have the difficult-to-take third issue that Crossfire has. I included a gold base setup similar to Crossfire.
+ Show Spoiler [Analyzer] +
+ Show Spoiler [Angled Overview] +
Data
- Playable Bounds: 116x180
- Number of Starting Positions: 2
- Number of Bases: 6
- Number of XWT's: 2
- Number of Rocks: 2
- Main Choke <-> Main Choke Distance(s): 44 seconds
- Nat Choke <-> Nat Choke Distance(s): 34 seconds
- Number of Resources / (Map Width * Map Height): 8.71
- Texture Set: Tarsonis
- Number of Doodads: 3777
+ Show Spoiler [Change Log] +
1.4 - Polished Textures and Foliage
1.3 - Generated Foliage
1.2 - Adjusted upper left and lower right bases to allow more room around them, added additional doodads and polished textures
1.1 - Increased space behind middle(ish) blue bases
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I like the layout of the map, and the over asthetic is very pleasing to the eyes. I will leave the balancing portion to those more credited to give such advice. Goodjob~
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Yeah, Barrin covered it. I'm going to have to chew on this for a while to come up with any sort of nontrivial criticism. Really nice advancement and work.
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There's nothing particularly amazing about this map, but there isn't anything horribly wrong with it either. It basically seems like a slightly better Crossfire conceptually with a possible third. The problem with Crossfire is that vZ it is almost impossible to get a third base, so having the third closer like this seems like a very good idea.
Regarding what Barrin wrote, I really don't think that putting the gold bases on higher ground is a good idea. Gold Bases give such an advantage already (especially to Terran) that if you make them easier to defend AND harder to scout it just makes it too good for Terran (I'm saying this from the point of view of a Terran player by the way).
Just as a hypothetical situation, were I to play this map and you were to put the Gold bases on higher ground, I can tell you right now that I would expand to the natural, to the base between the main and the gold, and then finally to the gold. Now, if I'm playing a Zerg opponent, I've cut the distance to his main in half, he has to attack up some ramp to get to me, and now I'm also well within striking distance of any of his bases. Granted, any Terran could do that with the Gold on the low ground, but i just feel that were it on the High Ground it would be too strong of a position.
The map--as I said--reminds me a lot of Crossfire, but you fixed the parts of the map that make it so hard to win TvZ against a strong Zerg. I actually think that in doing that you inadvertently made a map that would be easy to win TvZ since you can expand in the direction of your opponent without too much trouble. Slow and methodical Terrans (ThorZaIN and Jinro come to mind ^^) would be able to expand towards the Zerg relatively safely while still being covered.
I haven't had a chance to play it yet, but I just feel like TvZ could be problematic.
I'll be completely honest, I don't like the aesthetics of the map, I just don't like Tarsonis. But other than that it seems like a really great map.
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Thanks for all the comments.
Seems like at this point some testing is needed to be sure of any necessary changes.
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Just played a few games (against the computer, to be sure since i have no friends ) and it was pretty fun ^^
Nice that you can expand towards or away from your opponent, and that opening up the 'side door' isn't exactly a suicide move. The ability to counter a siege on your gold by moving up the ramp on the other side of the high ground knob is awesome~allows for some nice bio play in TvT, and zergs won't be crying tears of pain every time they try to take a gold ^_^
However, as The Final Boss said, a slow push/expo TvZ (especially with mech) might be a tad hard to stop. My primary concern is the distance between the natural and the third near the gold. A few tanks should be able to easily cover the distance, but i'm not a mapper or a pro so i don't really know if its actually imba and/or what you should do about it ^_^
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Yeah, it's pretty close. If you choose to take that as your third, I think you'd be spread pretty thin, though, and the zerg could take down the rocks and attack you that way.
This concept of always having another base to take that isn't too far away, I thought was good for zerg because they could always stay up a base. There's no point were you reach 3 or 4 bases and then after that it becomes really difficult. On maps like that, the players end up even on that number of bases which is bad for zerg. My theory is that this is why Metalopalis is so good, because the third is close but the fourth is just as far from the third as the third is from the natural. It makes the map much more comfortable to play as well.
It's interesting how you point it out as Terran favored though, in this case where the bases you can take push towards your opponent. They don't push directly, though, but along the side, and hopefully the fact that they open you up to counterattacks makes it balanced.
I could add some other vulnerability to that third base I suppose. We will see.
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Blazinghand
United States25563 Posts
Overall, this map looks very solid. I like how you addressed the sweet spot problem. It feels like a less choked-up Crossfire, and it plays like one too. I got together some people and played a couple games:
http://drop.sc/46578
http://drop.sc/46579
VoDs: http://www.twitch.tv/blazinghand/b/298139644
Both TvZs
Engagements in this map seem much more approachable for the terran player with the way the center of this map. I wasn't able to stumble across any major issues. The only thing I noticed is that creep from the 4th base is visible from the xel'naga tower if zerg plants a hatchery there-- I don't know if there's a way around that, or if it's good or bad or whatever. I'm talking about the base in the upperleft or lowerrightmost corner.
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Although it's not really intended, the creep thing probably isn't bad. I could push the base further into the corner, though.
I think I'll move the base a little towards the corner and rotate the minerals to the side. So the hatchery is further back but the minerals aren't really. With this change, you can only see creep from the gold from the watchtower, which I think is preferable.
Edit: And the ramp on this map faces the other way to to FFE I think you'll have to wall in at the lower ramp, not from main ramp to nexus.
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i see we have gained another good mapmaker on TL  . i like that map quite a bit and its well designed as far as i can tell from the overview. no major screwups.
here is a drawing which shows what i would change:
-main minerals look out of place
-natural could be a little bit closer to the ramp
-more space behind the minerals at the base with the green stuff
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/YFPDj.jpg)
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I already added space behind those lines, I was going to include it in the next release.
The other ideas are interesting... I'd like to hear a bit more about the reasoning behind them. They would change the vulnerabilities of the bases somewhat. It's pretty minor, though, it would be hard for me to make that call without a good number of games played probably.
I'll update it with the newer version now.
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EPT![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/Tm4o1.jpg)
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