EPT
I see a lot of threads popping up of SC2 people wanting to try out BW. This isn't so much a 'how to get good BW' thread so much as ideas on how to make it fun. For some people, overcoming the iCCup skill gap is inherently fun and I certainly do love the challenge. But for a lot of others, that's not necessarily fun. I got into BW through LAN parties and am a strong believer of getting into the game through fun first, challenge/ blood sweat and tears later once you've decided it's fun. (Or the challenge is fun.)
Content:
There's a variety of modes and maps that one can play BW without laddering on proleague maps and I'm hoping to compile a list of fun maps- specifically allied shared bases.
Mode:
Team Melee-
Take any map and go Team Melee with a friend/ ally. Basically you and your ally control the same race, which can be pretty hilarious if you're bad at coordinating and fight over the same units.
It's actually possible to make more than one race for you to both build. Top guy chooses the race and second guy chooses a different race and you'll get one worker of another type. If you choose the same race, your supply cap is actually 400. You could have 3 people controlling the same race, but I find this is pretty redundant.
Race Wars-
For those of you who don't know what Race Wars is, it's basically, everyone goes random, and then you ally people of the same race. It's mad wicked fun, here is a battle report (from my perspective) of one of the games.
Race Wars EverydayFun Maps:
I would remiss to not mention:
Big Game Hunter
+ Show Spoiler +
![[image loading]](http://imgur.com/ZI1Ds.png)
If you don't know why BGH is awesome, then let Day9 tell you:
Day9 Daily 50 BGH 2v2v2v2
Day9 Daily 65 BGH 2v2v2v2
The BGH Community
There was a very good thread on BGH strategy, but I couldn't find it.
Tandem Starcraft
I bring this one up a lot, but I love this one so much. Basically you and your ally are separated the entire game, but everytime you kill an enemy, your ally gets that unit (minus the upgrades.)
Tandem Starcraft 2v2 by Chef (or Frogmelter or oberon depending on which version.)
Tandem Starcraft
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![[image loading]](http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/8629/tandemsc24.png)
(Also a version of this on 2 Destination maps laid side by side.
-Players on the left map cannot send units to the right, and vice versa.
-Units killed on one map spawn around a civilian on the other.
-If one player loses all his buildings, his ally's units are destroyed.
-If your civilian is killed, you are punished by having all your minerals and gas reset to zero.
+ Show Spoiler +
(Also a version of this on 2 Destination maps laid side by side.
-Players on the left map cannot send units to the right, and vice versa.
-Units killed on one map spawn around a civilian on the other.
-If one player loses all his buildings, his ally's units are destroyed.
-If your civilian is killed, you are punished by having all your minerals and gas reset to zero.
The nice thing about this map, is you don't need 4 equally skilled players. You can have to C+ players duking it out across the water to two D- players if you wish.
Now the true purpose of this thread. A database of allied shared maps. 2V2 didn't last very long in the proleagues and there never really were a lot of shared base maps that were made, so the ones I have are community made. I don't know if shared bases promotes better play. But I do know all my casual Starcraft friends prefer to play allied share bases and that's the purpose of this thread.
Shared Bases
Empathy 2v2 by Nightmarjaroo
This one is made by an actual mapmaker from Broodwarmaps.net
http://www.panschk.de/mappage/comments.php?mapid=3417
+ Show Spoiler [Image] +![[image loading]](http://www.panschk.de/mappage/(4)Empathy.jpg)
This map was used in tl's xmas 2v2 tourney http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=84509
Empathy is a shared-mains 2v2 map. While playable in melee mode, you can only best play the map in ums mode where you can decide which team you are on (the first team being the southern base, second being the northern (player 1 is bottom left, 2 is bottom right, 3 is top left, 4 is top right, always)). While not having anything drastically different from any normal map, it should play quite differently at the same time.
+ Show Spoiler [Image] +
This map was used in tl's xmas 2v2 tourney http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=84509
Empathy is a shared-mains 2v2 map. While playable in melee mode, you can only best play the map in ums mode where you can decide which team you are on (the first team being the southern base, second being the northern (player 1 is bottom left, 2 is bottom right, 3 is top left, 4 is top right, always)). While not having anything drastically different from any normal map, it should play quite differently at the same time.
LOLDessert beta 1.1 3v3 by oxidized
Okay here you go, hope you find it somewhat enjoyable:
+ Show Spoiler [Map Preview] +![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/36fKr.png)
Notes:
- Must play on UMS mode for teams to spawn on same side.
Download link: http://www.mediafire.com/?208dtt2m2i8pblu
+ Show Spoiler [Map Preview] +
Notes:
- Must play on UMS mode for teams to spawn on same side.
Download link: http://www.mediafire.com/?208dtt2m2i8pblu
Dyad 2v2 by CardinalAllin
Map (4) Dyad 2v2 thread
+ Show Spoiler +![[image loading]](http://www.panschk.de/mappage/pics/4519.jpg)
Defeat screen only when you and your ally have both died
Map is greyed out at the start of the game rather than blacked out, so the layout of bases and terrain is visible
Peon Prison
+ Show Spoiler +
Defeat screen only when you and your ally have both died
Map is greyed out at the start of the game rather than blacked out, so the layout of bases and terrain is visible
Peon Prison
Lloyds Beacon 2v2 by CardinalAllin
Map (4) Lloyds Beacon 2v2 thread
+ Show Spoiler +![[image loading]](http://www.panschk.de/mappage/pics/4505.jpg)
Defeat screen only when you and your ally have both died
Map is greyed out at the start of the game rather than blacked out, so the layout of bases and terrain is visible
Peon Prison
+ Show Spoiler +
Defeat screen only when you and your ally have both died
Map is greyed out at the start of the game rather than blacked out, so the layout of bases and terrain is visible
Peon Prison
Other maps by CardinalAllin
+ Show Spoiler +
Revolver 3v3 by CardinalAllin
Map (6) Revolver
+ Show Spoiler +![[image loading]](http://www.panschk.de/mappage/pics/4504.jpg)
Defeat screen only when you and your ally have both died
Map is greyed out at the start of the game rather than blacked out, so the layout of bases and terrain is visible
+ Show Spoiler +
Defeat screen only when you and your ally have both died
Map is greyed out at the start of the game rather than blacked out, so the layout of bases and terrain is visible
Axiom 4v4 by CardinalAllin
Map (8) Axiom 4v4 thread
+ Show Spoiler +![[image loading]](http://www.panschk.de/mappage/pics/4497.jpg)
Defeat screen only when you and your ally have both died
Map is greyed out at the start of the game rather than blacked out, so the layout of bases and terrain is visible
+ Show Spoiler +
Defeat screen only when you and your ally have both died
Map is greyed out at the start of the game rather than blacked out, so the layout of bases and terrain is visible
RedRidge 3v3 by CardinalAllin
Map (6)Redheart Ridge thread
+ Show Spoiler +
![[image loading]](http://www.panschk.de/mappage/pics/4428.jpg)
A 3vs3 player map where allies spawn together under Use Map Settings.
The map is designed to feel familiar to current 1vs1 Korean tournament maps, especially Bloody Ridge but adapted for team play.
Shared base version of the same map
Redheart SE thread
Snowflake Sandwich 3v3 by CardinalAllin
Map (6)Snowflake Sandwich thread
+ Show Spoiler +
![[image loading]](http://www.panschk.de/mappage/pics/4470.jpg)
A 3vs3 player map where allies spawn together under Use Map Settings.
Features
1.Defeat screen only when you and your allies have all died.
2. Map is greyed out at the start of the game rather than blacked out, so the layout of bases and terrain is visible.
Blueprint 3v3 by CardinalAllin
Map (6) Blueprint thread
+ Show Spoiler +![[image loading]](http://www.panschk.de/mappage/pics/4484.jpg)
A 3vs3 player map where allies spawn together under Use Map Settings.
Features
2 obs slots
192x192
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A 3vs3 player map where allies spawn together under Use Map Settings.
Features
2 obs slots
192x192
Magnus 3v3 by CardinalAllin
Map (6) Magnus thread
+ Show Spoiler +![[image loading]](http://www.panschk.de/mappage/pics/4486.jpg)
A 3vs3 player map where allies spawn together under Use Map Settings.
Features
2 obs slots
Watch Towers If a unit is in the square marked on the central hills, the whole team gains vision of the centre. Players can operate both Watch Towers.
+ Show Spoiler +
A 3vs3 player map where allies spawn together under Use Map Settings.
Features
2 obs slots
Watch Towers If a unit is in the square marked on the central hills, the whole team gains vision of the centre. Players can operate both Watch Towers.
Alcazar 3v3 by CardinalAllin
Map (6) Alcazar thread
+ Show Spoiler +![[image loading]](http://www.panschk.de/mappage/pics/4485.jpg)
A 3vs3 player map where allies spawn together under Use Map Settings.
Features
2 slot obs
Working gates. Put a unit in the square next to a gate on your half of the map to open it. You cannot operate the enemy gates.
+ Show Spoiler +
A 3vs3 player map where allies spawn together under Use Map Settings.
Features
2 slot obs
Working gates. Put a unit in the square next to a gate on your half of the map to open it. You cannot operate the enemy gates.
Heights of Succession 2.1 2v2v2v2 by Falling
UMS setting has these teams locked, but one could reasonably do 4v4 or most any combo.
+ Show Spoiler +
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/IDEfE.jpg)
Warning: Although I tried to apply Nightmarjaroo's Map Making Guide, it will look a little different as I was trying to accommodate for nooby friends that don't like to expand. It's meant to be a halfway step between BGH/ Fastest Possible big money maps and the low money pro-maps. Hence the safe expansions behind the mains. (Although the back is droppable AND all minerals and vespene are low money/ not stacked.)
Heights of Succession download
Upper Kurast 2v2v2v2 by Falling
UMS setting has these teams locked, but one could reasonably do 4v4 or most any combo.
+ Show Spoiler +
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/jnw17ST.png)
Upper Kurast download
The Dead Marshes 2v2v2v2 by Falling
Again teams can be flexible.
+ Show Spoiler +
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/LJUUq.jpg)
Note: There really aren't many pro island maps and certainly not with shared bases so I didn't have much to work off of. Island maps are usually imba against Zerg, so I gave all the starting islands their natural expansions. I guess everyone will be fast expanding, but maybe that'll help the Zerg's gas shortage?
The Dead Marshes download
Misc:
UMS Database:
SC Nibbits
Another Map Database:
Renaka Starcraft
Foreign map making community
Broodwarmaps.net
I know it's slowed down, but it has a LOT of maps to try out.
Conclusion: Hopefully this was useful. If you have any more suggestions of fun maps to play beyond the pro-league maps please let me know and I'll update. Especially if there are any more good allied maps.
One final note- if you are starting BW for the first time, I would recommend recruiting someone else you know to also play. LAN parties are awesome (although my computer is not so portable anymore.) Furthermore, you can usually balance out teams with 2v2v1, offrace, disallow certain units (Terran no tank is fun.) Mono-battles would work just as well in BW as it does in SC2.
And if not that, maybe if you join a low level clan like sGs, you might find some other players that would be willing to try some non-proleague maps every now and then.
So: Go forth and have fun.
Map Making Resource:
[Guide]Map Making
Thread that inspired this thread:
http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=231185
I was going to bump it with my new map (Dead Marshes), but I thought I'd consolidate all the shared base maps instead.
