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This is now out of date, the map has been renamed to TPW Phantasm and the thread can be accessed here.
TPW Enigma v0.1 by wrl Published now on NA.
High-res Top View High-res Angled View Close Ups
Features: Map Size: 114x162 Rush Distance: Long XWT: 0 Bases: 10+2 half bases
Description: So this all started with a conversation with Icetoad a while back about in-natural thirds where you would defend the cliff above your third instead of the base itself. He produced a map that included this concept, but I always wanted to take my own shot at it. The important factor was that the area above the third still needed to be defendable as if it were a normal entrance to a third. It seemed that this would be easiest to shape on a narrow map, and having a great love for narrow maps, I took a shot at it.
The second concept I wanted to include was that a narrow map could have a middle that was actually quite wide by ground-distance. By creating a zig-zagging pattern through the mid it makes a variety of attack paths, further amplified by the lack of watchtowers. This making map awareness essential to victory.
Finally, no base beyond the natural is 'safe.' The third and counter-clockwise fourth are both very vulnerable to harass with their exposed rears. The main-hugging base has a narrow entrance, but is a long distance by ground. The sixths are certainly possible to take, but are very difficult to keep and if a player is on the ropes and turtling, they can send hitsquads to take out the enemy's sixths to great effect.
Overall I tried to limit the gimmicky-ness of the map because the third was already a bit hard to swallow, hopefully it turns out to be really interesting to play on and I look forward to seeing everyone's results on it.
The best compliment anyone can receive, the ragoo Seal of Approval:
Can a mod fix the name to Enigma? I'm a typo master.
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At first I was: Wow, I'm really dizzy. Then I was: Hey, a natural with 2 entrances: Then I was: Oh, 3 bases behind one choke Then I was: Oh wait, this is really cool, the third can easily be harassed from the high ground.
Anyway, apart from the map overview making me nauseous, it looks like a really cool and intricate map.
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design-wise it looks absolutely stellar. There are also some interesting stuff like the high ground near the minerals at the third. This might be a problem in PvZ as the long rush distance doesn't make up for it as it might against T as a Z - Generally the path(alot of chokes and open fields make up for many tactics I think) and the lack of XNTs (I hope i saw that right) But you might change the thing the thing with the third as it is not very funny to see, executed or to defend if somebode just hammers from the highground onto your minerals.
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The third is meant to be defended from the WRL logo, and yes there are no XWTs. The mid is designed to put great emphasis on map awareness and utilizing multiple attack paths.
The overview may be confusing, but in game it looks fine.
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Looks like a really interesting map. The angeled view is much easier to understand though, maybe actually spoiler the image in OP? ^^
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Cool map. Even though the orange border things look cool, I'm curious if it wouldn't be easier on the eyes to just have black fog or black space on the outsides. That way you have busy contrasted with plain, rather than busy + busy. It might be fine in-game tho
Layout is fairly interesting; we've seen some thirds before that are harassable from a highground, but usually you have to go out of your way to do it instead of the highground being a main path. That on top of it being only a 3/4 base I hope it's not more risk than reward.
There's 1 thing that makes me think it might be ok - the attacker takes a slight risk going above the third to attack it because the defender can send a group around to flank and then the attacking group is trapped. I think you have to approach it this way as the defender, because if you just a-move out of your natural choke to attack, the other guy will have a way better concave.
edit: if those highground pods are droppable, tank(s) on the pod right outside the nat zoning the defender out while other units attack the third mineral line from the highground could be good, maybe too good idk. Would be interesting to see games on the map.
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The long rush distance and terran's general weakness currently led me to leave the high grounds droppable. Blue is pathable, orange not. It is far more clear in game.
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Aesthetics are really good. Layout is a bit boring, but well done overall!
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On January 27 2013 13:12 Semmo wrote: Aesthetics are really good. Layout is a bit boring, but well done overall! How can you call this layout boring? It's one of the most original layouts of late?
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Remake of your other map? I like this better. ragoo quote ftw
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I like it a lot. My head hurts from looking at the aesthetics but oh well They're quite nice, just hard to make out from the overview. And the orange is somewhat painful to dissociate from the blue.
Anyway, I had an idea to make a 2gas third available for zerg. It involves adjusting some ramps that ultimately improve the map in a couple ways, imo. There's still an issue that more than 5 bases per player is tough to do on this map. The fourth is just so close to the base that hugs the opponents main. You might consider making it have only a single tiny entrance or make it an island/semi-island.
[edit] For some reason it didn't show up in the drawing, but you could also move the ramp near the natural so its a shorter distance to the 2gas third.
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Love the aesthetics and those logos are cute :D
"Sixth" base scenario would be very, very interesting if the game lasts that long.
I like.
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It not a rework although similar to Peaks of Alamar. Narrow and complicated. Calling this boring I demand a closer analysis.
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Really cool look! I'd like to see some games on it!
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I don't think it's overcomplicated but it certainly isn't a boring layout. You found a good medium.
Also, just noticed those high ground pods are pathable, that's a nice touch.
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Monitor: Definitely things I already considered and you are certainly right, but the first implementation of this map was to force Zerg to adapt a little bit rather than suit their strengths. It would be easy to tweak things to be a bit easier for them.
Here is a random gif I put together. I lost a whole version of this map when my comp crashed, that version had a lot of interesting elements that are now all but dust in the wind, but here is what I have:
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I like that we both start out drawing a map in belshir dirt.
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United Kingdom12021 Posts
I really like the map, the harder to defend minerals at the third force units to be produced or atleast spines from a zerg and the more "chokey" nature gives mech a much better chance against protoss late game.
I usually hate super easy to take thirds, but it'd be nice pushing forward early and getting a tank to deny dem minerals until they push me back.
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Yeah it's an interesting dynamic.. a third that is very, very easy to take but harder to mine from safely 100% of the time, lol
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United Kingdom12021 Posts
On January 27 2013 19:23 Fatam wrote: Yeah it's an interesting dynamic.. a third that is very, very easy to take but harder to mine from safely 100% of the time, lol
It's only hard to mine from if you refuse to make any units for the first 15 minutes ala WOL Zergs. I'd say if anything the only time a tank push would be super viable on those minerals is if you get a super contain super early, which is hard enough as it is.
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