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Hello TL maps community, I was thinking lately about map styles, and the different styles of maps that exist today, or in the past. As a still learning map maker I wanted to try and make old map styles better.
Map name: Shomem
Made by: Mosko
Published on: [EU] and [NA]
I was always a fan of short air distance / long ground distance kind of maps, like Scrap station or Desert oasis, so I wanted to try and see if I could make it work.
I started by taking the skeleton of Desert oasis and tweaking it alot until I came to be satisfied (but I am willing to change things if people deem it necessary).
I give you, Shomem:
Replays: (They are not high level at all, its either master players offracing or diamond players, but they can maybe still give some indication about the map)
http://drop.sc/174374
http://drop.sc/174373
http://drop.sc/174372
I know Desert oasis was imbalanced and they look very alike, but don't judge it before you try it  even that, I am still in need for advice, if you see any thing to improve, or change, I will be glad to hear it.
Updates: hopefully finished the map, textured the best that I could 
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The 12 and 6 o´clock bases look a little weird. You should align them to the edge of the playable ground a bit more. You should also flatten some of the hills a bit.
The texturework is quite nice.
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I would add the other 2 towers back in, this is one map where excessive towers is a good thing because of the ridiculous split paths. Would be interesting to see how this map played out these days, it looks like it's possible that it'd be okay. This version is definitely more "fair". Still, the neutral bases (3 and 9) on top of the split pathing are asking for trouble now that you added a route directly to the corner only blocked by rocks. Either stack 5 rocks and add a mineral block (like BW) or move the neutral bases into a position where they are clearly for one side or the other, imo. As they are, it's not really possible to take it as a 3rd, so as a last base it's just so easy to deny.
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EatThePath, I don't like towers covering all possible ground paths, since then there could be no ground surprises if you have the 2 side towers. I don't know what you mean in the other part of your comment, but back door rocks are pretty balanced. If you ment something else, I don't understand it sry
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They're definitely balanced in terms of assualting / defending that base. What I mean is that once each player is on 4 bases, it's really hard to take those bases at 3/9 because no matter what they're next to an opponent's location. If you got rid of that pathway, you could take the center base in clockwise direction more readily. But removing that pathway entirely gives a very easy 4th base, which is why I suggested the stacked rocks. I also suggested towers because without them the risk of being caught out of position is too great (with no map vision). If you include the towers, counterintuitively the players can go out on the map a lot more because they have much greater security in knowing they have pushed their opponent back, not sideways.
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I think that this map is alittle choke heavy. Of course I am a zerg, but it seems to me that being aggressive and punishing a risky 3rd would be too difficult. Also I'd like to see how useful that Xel-Naga Watchtower is. I feel like it would not be important enough to draw conflict to the middle. I also feel like the rocks to the 4th just above (or below) the 3rd are not helpful. I say this because if you are using that passage to defend an army coming in from the other ramp, you will be filling your units into a bad engagement angle. I am also curios do those rocks leading into natural allow a siege tank to hit that gas? I like the aesthetics, and I love how your trying to mix in some of the older map's styles. Looks good keep up the good work!
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Hmm, I don't think I want to stack rocks, maybe I should just make that pathway smaller, and the base closer to the 3rd, so it is more easy defend it. The tower in the middle is mostly for vision at the start, and later in the game for air awareness.
About tanks, I made sure you can't hit the mineral line from anywhere, even though you can hit very close to it, but they can hit the gas, if they stand in the right place next to the natural non-blocked entrance, I don't think that is game breaking, since you can easily charge their position from the natural.
About adding 2 watch towers, while it can be good, I think in TvT it will make turtling in each player's middle high ground much easier, but I will still consider it, since it can make some interesting games in other match ups.
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Hi all,
I just wanted to let everyone know that this map has now been published on NA. I fear I published it as "Shomen" instead of "Shomem" but I will fix it tomorrow if that is the case. Very exciting map to play!
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the game has changed so much since desert oasis that i'm not even sure it would be imbalanced at this point... of course it could still very well be imba. in any case, theres no need to reinvent the wheel COMPLETELY. might as well start by using some BW maps as a template. chain reaction and circuit breaker are maps with short air, longer ground distances.
i feel like as it stands, the difference in distance is too extreme. but like you say, gotta test.
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This map is NOT desert oasis, while they look alike they are very different, you could notice it easy after playing the map.
About the rush distance, while it is very long, I don't think it is to much, it takes 55 sec for a drone to get from main ramp to main ramp and 45 sec from nat choke to nat choke, also it takes about 2:30 min for an overlord to go through main to main. I don't think these values are to severe, but I can always cut them down a bit if it is needed
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Canada5565 Posts
Looks interesting! I'll test it out later today
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Hmm, you should show us a picture of Desert Oasis so we can see how it is modified, oh and I love scrap station
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You can simply look in the battle net.. but ok, here: http://wiki.teamliquid.net/starcraft2/Desert_Oasis
As you can see there are many differences and they are simply not the same map same style though, I think people were so afraid of this style will make similar imba maps such as scrap station and desert oasis they forgot about this style (long ground distance, short air distance), but in fact this style can make much different style of play, which is interesting (I think it will encourage much more air play from both sides, since air is so much stronger).
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Looks like Desert Oasis.
+ Show Spoiler + Trolol. I actually think that short air rush distance maps should be used more often. Playing from corner to corner is cool but yeah, different playstyles
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Lol Victor, almost went full rage on you before seeing the spoiler
EDIT: upgraded the map a bit, the base behind the rocks looks better now, also I deleted some flying doodads and made the ground more smooth at some places
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trying to upload the newer version to NA, but running into technical difficulties. Will alert y'all when I get it through.
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Looks cool. I'm a bit concerned about the size of the mains with the minerals being placed the way they are. I'm not sure if you can really fit a lot of production facilities in there and still have room to move your units around.
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Well if there is not much room in the main I am sure you can place buildings in the natural but I will make the mains larger if it really becomes a problem. By the way, the minerals are placed this way so you can't hit them with tank shots from unreachable places, like behind the rocks.
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Updates: hopefully finished the map, at least texture wise, textured the best that I could, now I am happy with the result. If anyone has any feedback on the balance part I would love to hear, or replays of you playing so I can see / put in the OP.
Shamefully I did the changes too late for the MotM, but ah well
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But it _does_ look exactly like Desert Oasis, not that that is necessarily bad.
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EPT![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/kgviV.jpg)
