Since I'm rather settled in in my new place (Just graduated) I started another 4 player melee map. I tried making each starting spot have roughly the same space. I put cliffs everywhere, in purpose for splitting up armies and chokepoints. I tried making sure no player has extra chokes by there entrances, and tried making each side rather equal.

In the center is a floating island, with Rich minerals fully surrounding its sides, with a few Rich Geysers in there also. And to prevent quick take over, I threw in a bunch of destructibles (Weak ones). So taking this spot over and be a bit crucial, since anyone who has full control of this spot will have a huge advantage. So taking it over and keeping control is a bit important.

I also made sure I killed the pathing on the bunch of cliffs meant to choke armies/split them up. To prevent reapers from hiding, same with collosi.

I haven't really added any doodads or Xel'Nagas yet. This is all pretty rough in making, expect fine toon-ups in the future.

However feedback and suggestions would be great.

Attachments:

Post a screen. I can't take a look at it right now in game, but I would like to see it.

http://www.staredit.net/valug/Starcraft II Maps/spacecontrol.png" style="max-width:500px; max-height:500px;" onclick="javascript:show_image(754852483)" id="image_clickable_754852483" class="image_clickable">

To be honest, I am not a big fan of the "random cliff" ideal you have been using. It's not that its imbalanced, but it seems like its a easy way out of designing a unique map with unique features to create chokepoints and points of interest. Which leads to my next issue, points of interest. There are none. There is no reason to attempt to control any part of the map expect the middle and the mains. Considering the map is rather large, that's a lot of unimportant space.

And as for the middle, positioning a building there is very awkward, I could only find one place where you could build a command center, and its on the right side of the island. I also fell that the island is TOO important, since there is no other expansions on the map, you are forced to attempt to fight over the island if you want your team to make it into the endgame. This may be what you wanted, but the races are not really balanced to have a map that's nearly 100% focused on air control. Not to mention 5 gas geysers and a ton of gold resources makes anyone who can take it early be at a huge advantage. In fact, I would consider floating straight there at the start as terran.

Another little thing, there should be some room behind the mineral lines, especially at the mains. Harassment from air can only be countered by air when you do not have room to move units or build turrets and such behind the mineral line.

The dirt side's naturals are a tad bit more secure then the platform sides, because of the way the ramps face. The bottom left base's mineral line is the only one that does not face towards the outside of the map, which in the current case, actually makes it better, since you can defend air harassment with ground units there.

To sum up what Ive noticed so far:

• Boring - No real points of interest expect the extremely valuable middle. Map is large, but the majority is unimportant.
  
• Middle is probably too good - So good that it becomes the focus of any strategy on this map, which in turn favors some races over others.

I'm not using the cliffs method for a easy way out. I like the method, and I'm still working on improving it. And this is the second map I've used this on. In the future the map isn't going to be bleh in look, it is right now, because its still rough in making, virtually no doodads yet, this is basically the rough and early design of the map, if I was to publish it on b.net it would be in lot better quality. I bring my designs here so I can improve them, see how people like the idea, while also working on it.

Second, the map still needs work, I made this in about 10 minutes, and I improve it over time. Just like the other map, I made it in about 10 minutes, and look at it now

And concerning the middle, theres a reason I made those destructibles all over the middle , so it would be harder for command centers to simply lift off and float over there. If those little ones aren't good enough, I can replace them with bigger ones. Finally controlling the middle rather is a focus and key point to control, as I stated in my first post. Though I do understand how for races like Zerg, it would take them longer to expand. If nessesary I can make a bridge on the bottom and top of the isle, so it doesnt favor a race like Terrans more.

Ohhhh, those are really small destructibles! Well, I found a place where you can land a command center and avoid them, I thought those were foliage and proximity to minerals/gas was stopping me from making a command center.

Units can't go on the random cliffs.

And I threw this together in a few minutes.

Also its nice to know I can't come here with a map I threw together that will get a lot of work over time without being insulted and swayed into not coming here. Great way to lose members.


EDIT: Wow this is extremly retarded... I type all the new updates for the map and information about it, then attach a file and it all resets.. I don't feel like re-typing it all.

Remade the rough design from before, this one took me a while, trying to get each corner relatively equal, and things spaced the right distance. Next I'm working on the base designs, including Doodads, kill up that open space in each starting zone. In my opinion this version is a vast improvement. (Fyi those 1x1 Destructs in middle have 50 HP instead of 1500 HP). I post my maps here, whether in early stages or later stages, to get feedback and suggestions while I work on them. And over time my maps do look a lot better.

And heres a pic for those who dont want to open the map



I'm pretty much finished with the basic design... Now its the details and additions/filling up space. (Starting zones will look better)

Post has been edited 1 time(s), last time on May 25 2010, 8:42 pm by PunWisp.

looks a lot better (devlin removed my previous post D: .. so basically Ex can say all the negative things he wants because he's a moderator, but others can't.. pretty unfair dudes)

I still think a true natural is required for the map to be balanced due to the need for zerg to have "creep highways".

I'll likely add one to each base then.

EDIT:

-fixed some pathing issues
-added a natural expo to each base
-added sight blockers to all Xel'Nagas

And a few other adjustments

Post has been edited 1 time(s), last time on May 25 2010, 10:01 pm by PunWisp.

Your sight blockers are NOT FACING THE SAME NEAT DIRECTION AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Lawl

Please don't have giant empty spaces 6 times the size of your main. Kthx.

Its fine, don't read anything else I've said >.>