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[M][2] Leviathan Isle

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Coppermantis

United States845 Posts

April 14 2013 04:54 GMT

Leviathan Isle, v1.0
148x124
Published on [NA][HOTS]

Overview:

Aesthetics:

+ Show Spoiler +

Texture set:
+ Show Spoiler +

Other:
+ Show Spoiler +

FFE

Loading Screen

I'm still a pretty noobish mapmaker, but I think I'm getting better. This one's got a more interesting layout than my usual work, I think.

EatThePath

United States3943 Posts

April 14 2013 06:58 GMT

Not to sound snippish, but this is the kind of thing that should go in the WIP thread. Or maybe everyone's given up on it? I realize it's slow in there but this map is finished neither in layout or aesthetics. Nevertheless...

Your FFE choke is smaller than it needs to be. 9-10 squares is standard, you have 7. This allows for some questionably exploitable plays like a walloff with a depot and a CC first. Also your unbuildable blocker is on the "wrong" side of the ramp.

This is indeed an interesting layout though. I think you need some proportions refinements, and possibly some reworked pathways. It looks kind of hard to attack before 4 bases because of the travel distance and the long time between changing attack paths. Not sure you designed it as a "macro" map but I would think about providing more connectedness or directness from the middle and across the map to give better aggressive options. Possibly a small connection with rocks to narrow or block it.

Coppermantis

United States845 Posts

April 14 2013 08:34 GMT

I did post it in the WIP thread but no one said anything about it...

I'm not happy with the aesthetics, but I had no other choice for feedback on the layout.

Although, most of the out-of-map stuff doesn't actually show up in-game, so it can basically be disregarded.

I'm not sure what makes the rocks on the "wrong" side of the ramp though. I wasn't even aware that there was a difference.

algue

France1436 Posts

April 14 2013 08:54 GMT

You should just widen everything

Callynn

Netherlands917 Posts

April 14 2013 12:27 GMT

I don't really like all the straight lines in your map. You should roughen it up a little bit to make it appear more natural. The textures are a bit dull as well. The layout seems quite good though.

Caviar

70 Posts

April 14 2013 14:22 GMT

For just starting its not to bad. I think an overhaul of middle could completely change the feel of things. Right now your only 45 degree ramps (direct paths base-to-base) are on the widest part of the map. Perhaps connect the middle to make it all level 2 or change the ramps. It just feels a bit awkward as it stands. Good work though keep mapping

ScrubS

Netherlands436 Posts

April 14 2013 15:42 GMT

I think that ledge at the third covers both the third and natural with tanks. Tank drops on the ledge would be kinda OP just like it was on Lost Temple back in the days

Coppermantis

United States845 Posts

April 14 2013 19:15 GMT

On April 14 2013 21:27 Callynn wrote:
I don't really like all the straight lines in your map. You should roughen it up a little bit to make it appear more natural. The textures are a bit dull as well. The layout seems quite good though.

The straight lines (I assume you're mostly referring to the ones in the middle) Are actually man-made cliffs, but it's hard to see from the overview. I personally like the texturework, but that's a matter of opinion I suppose.

On April 15 2013 00:42 ScrubS wrote:
I think that ledge at the third covers both the third and natural with tanks. Tank drops on the ledge would be kinda OP just like it was on Lost Temple back in the days

Those were not supposed to be pathable, but I can put some props there to make it obvious.

I put up a new overview with the small, easy changes in. I've got a lot to do today so I'll work on the problem of the middle later on.

Agh

United States1036 Posts

April 14 2013 19:48 GMT

I actually like the overall design and layout of the map. Some definite improvements which I have highlighted for you.

Upon giving it some additional thought, It might be best to reposition and reface the middle ramps, making the main to main distances shorter.

Fatam

1986 Posts

April 14 2013 21:08 GMT

#10

The #1 thing that would make this more aesthetically pleasing is to make sure no cliffs have a straight line for longer than like 4-6 of the smallest grid squares. (assuming it's a natural area and not manmade) The mains and some other areas here would look a lot better with those straight cliffs eliminated.

@ the layout i think it has some potential. I do think it looks sorta hard to take a 4th, and it's probably just about impossible to take the bases below the XNTs.. so maybe those are some things that could be changed. The choke going to the linear 3rd from the nat miiight be too narrow as well, not 100% sure. anyway GL

Coppermantis

United States845 Posts

April 14 2013 21:10 GMT

#11

The black border already does represent the edge (although you can't tell from my overview), and yeah, the pods around the third are undroppable.

I don't understand what you mean by "Make sure symmetry is accounted for," though. The rest of it is understandable .

This is what I have planned for the center right now. It maintains a similar layout but provides more of a direct attack route that EatThePath suggested.

Gene(S)is

Sweden419 Posts

April 15 2013 02:49 GMT

#12

And here I was hoping for an island map

EatThePath

United States3943 Posts

April 16 2013 07:19 GMT

#13

Copper, I kind of like that idea for connecting the highgrounds. But the way you've drawn it loses one of the aspects of the map I do like which is the curviness. I know this is kind of contradictory to what I was saying, but: one of the strengths I see in the design of the map is how you need to have a plan beforehand for moving your army around. You can't just a-click the minimap mindlessly, except maybe if you're camping outside your natural and you need to defend one of the first 4 bases.

Maybe adding an additional ramp instead of extending the highground would work just as well? If you make it like you drew, you create kind of a Planet S situation where the middle isn't really useful to move through except in very particular army position situations, and it isn't valuable to hold at all really. (That's fine it just seems like it's not really what this map is about.) That's kind of a complete 180 from how the map was before where holding the middle was amazingly good.

So it's an improvement I think but you're losing something that I don't think it's worth trading. Does that make sense? Hope this helps.