|
Finalist in this month's Map of the Month tournament!
Available on: EU / US Updates:
V1.2: - The tank-blocking doodads at the 'outside' third have been changed to better represent their purpose to players. - The graphical bug with the broken wall sections showing up off-colour on low graphics settings has been fixed (using a custom texture).
V1.1: - Added additional doodads to block siege tank access to the area behind the 'outside' third - Other minor aesthetic changes Introduction: + Show Spoiler +Sanctuarium is my first 4 spawn rotationally symmetric map, something I've shied away from until now primarily because the nature of rotational symmetry often creates imbalances when players spawn at close positions. With that in mind, I tried to create a map that alleviated these problems as best I could.
I think the biggest (typical) problem with maps like this is the third base. Either the third is easier for one player than the other (in close positions) or if the thirds are equidistant they're often quite far away - so I decided to give each player 2 options; regardless of spawns they can always expand towards or away from their opponent, to a relatively close third base. The thirds themselves are designed to be quite equally appealing and safe, one is nearer the middle of the map but a bit tighter and harder to attack, while the other is nearer the outside of the map but more open and is usually a bit harder to defend.
In the mid to late game, the central high ground is typically the best place from which to launch an attack, and there is a central watchtower which encourages players to use this area, though it's vision can be circumvented by manoeuvring around it's perimeter.
Some other notable features include the small "drop zone" (no LOS blockers) in each players main which also doubles as a great location to place a pylon for low ground warp-ins, some lush pathways around the middle of the map with LOSB's, and a rather unique natural choke. Map Details: + Show Spoiler +Spawns: 2, 5, 7 & 11 Size: 136x136 (playable) Bases: 16 Watchtowers: 1 (central) Rocks: None LOSB's: 4 strips in the grassy areas around the middle Tileset: Huge mix of Agria, Aiur, Bel'Shir, Korhal and Xil.
(SUPER-HQ) Top-Down View (SUPER-HQ) Angled View
Map Analyzer Images: + Show Spoiler + Vanity Shots: + Show Spoiler + Hope you guys like it and give it a try! Please let me know what you think
|
First!
[edit] I think that's the only time I'll ever do that, lol. I'm so glad to see you in top 5 again, func. I love the aesthetics on this map, it hurts to love the layout so much too. I don't know what to say, very nice. ;D
User was warned for this post
|
looks pretty nice and fun to play
|
I love this map, it's really simple but looks fun and balanced Definitely my favorite for MotM#3 together with Leviathan .
|
Absolutely brilliant!
When I saw this map posted I thought to myself: I seriously need to step up my game. This map accomplishes a lot of the things I failed to achieve with my map Thunder Temple.
After so many attempts at a rotational layout, it´s so cool to see a map that just nails it!
|
United States9925 Posts
i love the map because no matter which 3rd base you take, it will have its risks.
10/10
|
@EatThePath - Not going to hide it, but I'm glad I made the top 5 too! ;D I was honestly more worried this month than last month, as always loads of great submissions. I suppose your lack of words is in a way the best possible compliment
@forelmashi - Thank you! I implore you to try it out in game if you have the time.
@Ragoo - cheers man, glad you like it, though Leviathan scares me :S
@Johanaz - I wouldn't agree that you need to seriously step up your game at all, Mud Rock for example was awesome, and I really liked Thunder Temple and Zhakul Strife too. I'm hesitant to agree I nailed the layout just yet since it's my first rotational 4 player map, I guess we'll have to wait and see how the tournament goes. Happy you like it though!
@FlaShFTW - You really hit on what's basically the key theme of this map, a balanced variety of options to expand, something good for all races in any spawn position. Therefore it warms my heart that you like it especially for this reason :D
Thanks for the replies guys!
|
|
Needless to say (sicne Im last to say it) beautiful in many ways. Even your logo rocks. Did you change the lighting btw, I think the shadows looks deeper? Anyways I toyed aroudn with lighting some and messed it up by making the map darker, lower saturation and higher contrast. I thought it looked great for the textures, etc but the untis looked different and ugly .. portraits were parely seen, noone could see anything in the fog of war, etc.
|
Wow this is a really good map. Better aesthetics than I could ever dream of doing :O
The layout is really well done, although its really simple. Looks balanced though. One of the best customs I've seen in a while.
This map doesn't really have any issues that you should change, but in the future I think you should try to avoid 4bases being bunched up like they are. It makes really turtle games, especially TvT with tanks. And it leads to a million hidden expos which is kinda gimmicky and annoying (watch StarTale IMS on Neo Enigma, oh my god lol).
Looks like the main and natural mineral lines can bother be sieged. I don't think it matters since the tanks are right in the attack lane (and the map is a boss). Again, just try to avoid this in the future.
edit: have to say, the map could have a less confusing to spell name
|
@adso - you're most welcome!
@Meltage - Yes, I did tweak the lighting a bit, but not a huge amount. It's easy with the editor to go nuts with the light settings and think it looks awesome (and in a way, it often really does look awesome) but it doesn't take much for it to be quite distracting in-game, or as you say make units or the FoW look weird. So yeah, I actually started with the Zhakul'Das lightset (since it's awesome, I think it's because the specular levels are slightly above normal which makes textures pop nicely) and then all I really did was alter the Global, Key and Fill colours slightly to give the map a slightly more blue hue instead of the bright green of Zhakul and that was pretty much it I think. 'Grats on making the top 5 btw, good luck in the rest of the tournament
@monitor - Thanks man, really appreciate the reply. You mentioned the "4-base-bunch" when I showed you this map a while ago, and I experimented with having just the one third base instead of two but it just felt so bland and unoriginal (perhaps with good reason). I did however move the more central thirds slightly further away from the natural choke and removed part of the small wall next to it to make it a bit harder to defend (with tanks especially, since it's typically the more attractive third for terrans over the other races).
There's definitely potential for hidden expo's, but it shouldn't be too difficult to scout them due to the bases close proximity. As for tanking the main and natural, I did test this out a couple of times and it never really seemed overpowered or too difficult to defend, it's actually very hard for tanks to even get in position. Regardless thanks for pointing this out, it's definitely something that should typically be avoided.
As for the name, it was a last minute thing. Literally an hour before I submitted the map for MotM#3 I still hadn't come up with one (it's probably one of my biggest issues when making maps...). 'Sanctuary' seemed fitting but not very original so I added 'ium' at the end =/. After reading dezi's thoughts on judging the competition this month I feel like I should steal prodiG's idea and call it Jurassic Park ;D
Thanks for the comments
|
Well I guess it's been said already, both layout and aesthetics are 10/10.
I hope this map will be as succesful as Testbug, it's maps like these we want to see in highlevel play and tournaments. I wish you best of luck with it and hopefully some influencial people agree with me
|
dezi
Germany1536 Posts
Only concern i have in terms of aesthetics is that you didn't hide the cliff bug (between the 2 different cliff types).
|
@Archvil3 - Thanks! I hope some influential people agree with you too ;D Though I'm not going to get my hopes up just yet, will have to see what happens.
@dezi - Where? I did my best to cover up most of the ones that were visible or would be visible in game, can you point out some areas specifically which aren't hidden? Perhaps I missed some.
|
dezi
Germany1536 Posts
It's most noticeable in the editor but also ingame you might some akward cliff merges.
|
Ouh my god, its actually possible to take a 3rd on close positions??? :O You sir, have amazed me...
|
funcmode, you truly are a genius. it seems like you have found the most perfect solution to the rotational symmetry balance problem using these double ramps at the natural entrance :D
|
@dezi - I'll take another look over the map and see if there are any major gaps I missed. I did however leave a lot of the gaps as they were intentionally as you can't see the hole from the in-game perspective (even if you rotate the camera) and I didn't want to ruin the appearance of the edges by having unnecessary doodads there just to cover up a hole you can't even see, but like I said I'll take a look.
@julius33 - heh, that's the idea yeah I'd still like to see some more games on the map before I'm totally convinced I'm happy with the layout though.
@lefix - The double ramps are indeed a key part of the maps layout and were one of the first parts I designed. I'm not sure if it makes me a genius, but regardless thank you for the comment
As I said, I'd like to see some more games before I'm convinced with the design, so if anyone wants to help out by sending me replays you can either PM me or just send them straight to funcmode(at)gmail(dot)com - I'd really appreciate it, thank you!
|
i played it yesterday and i had a small problem with my third. these little highgrounds really limit the space there. i would prefer u remove those.
|
On March 12 2011 22:06 Mereel wrote: i played it yesterday and i had a small problem with my third. these little highgrounds really limit the space there. i would prefer u remove those.
You really think this is not enough space? Personally I think that expo would be far too hard to hold without that small wall or at least something there, but no-one really brought it up before so I guessed it was fine. Anyone else willing to weigh in on this issue?
|
|
|
|