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![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/HAgJ8.jpg)
ESV TV, The home of the Korean Weekly!
Published on EU and NA.
Ladder, GSL and Proleague Season 2 map.
ESV Cloud Kingdom by SUPEROUMAN
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/fF4sb.jpg)
I wanted to make a map named Cloud Kindgom from... let me count... four years now. My decoration inspiration comes from Total Annihilation's planet Temblor (amazing game if the pathing wouldn't be shitty).
I started my preliminary works of this maps three months ago, it took me a very long time to find the good 3rd/4th transition as well as the middle.
My goal with this map is area control. To do so, i used tiny chokes mixed with very large areas which are next to expands. I also wanted the players to think about their attack angles, the longer path you take, the better position for your army to attack. The direct path has four 3-sized ramps partially blocked with rocks to make them 1-size in the early and midgame. The rocks are necessary to make army movement better in the late stages of the game.
They key of this map are flanks, if you engage an army straight, you will probably lose the battle. So please, don't 1a here, it won't work. However the middle of the map might be too tight for zerg against protoss, so i'm thinking about making the center ramps bigger and put long diagonal rocks to make the area wider.
Map explanation:
Circle = defender's army
cross = attacker's army
lines = army movement to defend and the width of the choke to defend
Army position after taking the natural
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Army position after taking the third
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Two choices for the 4th
First choice
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Second choice
The light blue shows how well is the main protected from drops.
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Army position after taking the fifth
This is what i love, while having your army in front of the middle ramp, you can defend your 4th and 5th moving accordingly to the opponent and thus you can defend you entire base but there is still a threat of counter attacks from the corner expand.
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Map informations:
Main to main distance: 58 seconds (with probe)
Natural to natural distance: 35 seconds
Overlord distance to overlord spot: 3:28 (First marine out at 3:10)
Map size: 126*132
Textures:
Lighting: Aiur (Modified) 1.4 Exposure instead of 1.2
Pretty pictures!
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Most inspiring use of Protoss Decals I have seen in a while!
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your Country52798 Posts
"Main to main distance: 58 seconds (with probe)
Natural to natural distance: 35 seconds"
Are you sure those numbers are correct?
Nat to nat does not seem that short.
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really like this map, hope it wins over haven's lagoon. But both really nice maps.
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SpoR's seal of approval, f yeah! :D
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This is straight up the best aesthetics of any map I've seen in this game...the 'atmosphere' feels a little uncomfortable to play on at first but that doesn't take long to get used to. I can't really comment on balance too much but there's no glaring flaws in that regard. Really hope we get to see this on ladder/in tournaments.
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Love this map btw, LOTS of different expansion/army position possibilities.
I wanted to offer another possibility for a 4th expansion (perhaps for a Zerg to take against a terran or protoss. With my own *snazzy* drawing! I'm no pro or anything, so I can't guarantee that this actually makes sense, but it did come to mind when I looked at your map.
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I look forward to hearing what you guys think!
EDIT: Also just thought that Muta harass would become effective after an opponent takes a third base because the minerals in the main and third are very close together.
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i love the color theme of the map, really unique and cool. Haven't seen or played the map enough so far to comment on anything balance wise (which is a good thing i guess). Its pretty drop save thats all i found out, which i like.
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United Kingdom10823 Posts
Do you guys have a website with a set of guides for map making? Every time I want to make a map, I get scared because it looks so complicating 
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your Country52798 Posts
On November 17 2011 22:07 Hassybaby wrote:Do you guys have a website with a set of guides for map making? Every time I want to make a map, I get scared because it looks so complicating
Make them really simple but big first.
As time goes on and you get feedback, you will learn about the correct sizes and preferrable layouts.
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Awesome map, i will try it today on Bnet 
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On November 17 2011 22:07 Hassybaby wrote:Do you guys have a website with a set of guides for map making? Every time I want to make a map, I get scared because it looks so complicating
Just open up a few ladder maps and use them as your guidelines.
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Feel free to tell me if the lightings are not too dark now. I had some issues with it, i hope it's fixed now.
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Whoever helped you test out the placement of the watch towers should be awarded IMHO
Such a unique and well-thought map from an excellent map-maker that has been around for a long time now. Expect nothing less from SUPEROUMAN and the ESV team. Definitely one of my favorite maps.
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I thought about this placement after i came back home that night ^^
This way, the map split isn't from natural to natural and make the corner expands not behind every other expand and thus, less protected.
you make me blush, go away
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Actually this map probably won't win because it's too much like a combination Typhon Peaks and Dual Site. But I still think it's better than both.
Also, would you be inclined to make a flipped ground level version? All high ground becomes low and vise versa?
The reason being, is the middle of the map (map control) is already a great thing in itself. If you make it low ground though then it becomes a little less powerful and requires more map control around that area.
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While i agree that it would be good to reverse the terrain in the middle, it would be bad to do so for the area near the nat and the 3rd, it removes the defender's advantage.
I prefer to let players defend well against all-ins and strong timing pushes and then fight for the control of the middle than giving the attacker the advantage at the beginning of the game.
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United Kingdom20332 Posts
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Oh my GOD! I'm falling in love with this map already! Great work!
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Map updated with better lightings, fixed the brightness of the decals especially on low graphics.
Also moved the expand near the natural closer to the edge, it's less on the path now.
The paint art symbolize the previous expand placement.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/Veq46.jpg)
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