KDraconis' Maps

In light of the soon-coming publishing feature in the next patch, I have decided to post some of the maps I have been working on, which have mostly been 4v4 maps.

Fully Completed Maps:

Hollow Mounts (4v4)
http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/3...ntstopview.jpg

Akamura Castle (4v4)
http://img576.imageshack.us/img576/9...tletopview.jpg


Incomplete Maps:

Coastal Shallows (1v1, 2v2, 3v3, 4v4)
http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/8...owstopview.jpg

Havenbrook Dreams (4v4)
http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/5...rookdreams.jpg

I realize that these overhead views aren't very detailed, so if there's any specific part of a map you wish to see, let me know and I'll get a closer screenshot.

Try taking the picture from an angle instead of top down. Maybe 45 degrees to get a sense of depth.

I suggest adding in a bit more asymmetry and less straight edges if you're going to use organic cliffs.

Some of your Watch Towers seem pointless or redundant.

When you start adding doodads don't increase their size too much, such as the fossils on your beach map. Their pixels don't scale and they can look plastic or out of place.

I'm working on a map perfect for 2v2v2v2 and I duplicated a XenWat and made it see a range of 48. The problem is that it can seem to go beyond a sight range of about 30. It really sucks :(

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DemolitionSquid

I suggest adding in a bit more asymmetry and less straight edges if you're going to use organic cliffs.

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I'm planning to touch up on Coastal Shallows. It looks too plain, so I haven't worked on it for a while.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DemolitionSquid

Some of your Watch Towers seem pointless or redundant.

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Which ones in particular? I'm still figuring out what positions make the best use of watch towers.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DemolitionSquid

When you start adding doodads don't increase their size too much, such as the fossils on your beach map. Their pixels don't scale and they can look plastic or out of place.

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The problem with the beach map is that barely anything underwater is visible. I tried to scale everything up to make them pop out, but the water is too murky to see details.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by KDraconis

I'm planning to touch up on Coastal Shallows. It looks too plain, so I haven't worked on it for a while.

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I meant ALL your maps.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by KDraconis

Which ones in particular? I'm still figuring out what positions make the best use of watch towers.

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Watch towers need to be useful in scouting, and useful to both sides. They should be placed to see high-traffic areas of the map so you can see you opponents attack plan.

For example, on hollow mounts you have watchtowers in the mains. Since you'll have so many units and buildings in there already giving vision, the watchtower doesn't serve much purpose. And if the enemy is already in your base he really doesn't need that vision either. So those towers are redundant.

On the flip side, the tower in the center of Coastal Showers is a good placement. High ground but exposed, showing an important intersection.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by KDraconis

The problem with the beach map is that barely anything underwater is visible. I tried to scale everything up to make them pop out, but the water is too murky to see details.

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You're better off adjusting the water setting than the doodads.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by KDraconis

I'm planning to touch up on Coastal Shallows. It looks too plain, so I haven't worked on it for a while.

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Actually, coastal shallows looks nice. Completely different from the dark maps in the game. I like it. Looks like a sunny day at the beach. Publish it i want to test it :P

I second the positive comments on Coastal Shallows. That map immediately stuck out for me due to its bright aesthetic. It could use a little work in the doodad and strategy departments, but I would absolutely love to play that map; it's a totally deceiving landscape for a war game.

Wow, epic maps. I've never really played 4v4 so I can't offer much opinion on the gameplay dynamic. But I wanted to suggest using both the Data->Generate Lighting Map and Data->Export Map Image tools, in that order.

In Export Map Image, set the View Options in there to Custom, and enable Points and Points - Start Locations only. You could also enable range display, too, I never noticed that until now.

This way, your map overviews will be rendered with full shadows, which makes seeing where the cliffs are, and thus the structure of the map, much easier.

I also recommend rendering to a huge size file like 2400x2400, then shrinking the image down in an image manip program to 600x600 or whatever. That way the images are clear and smooth, since the Export Map Image tool seems to love exporting with the most atrocious lossy compression otherwise.

I will say that Shallows looks way too big for a 1v1 match up. Having 7 bases you have to scout out, as well as having > 20 expansions would make the match last potentially hours. Maybe cool to play against a good friend, but I don't see people on b.net having the patience for that kind of match. Even 2v2 would go for ages.

Other thing with shallows, having 2 natural expansions on each players' peninsula seems way too lenient. Starvation is a great tool for forcing conflict. Given the large number of gold expansions in the map, I would cut the second naturals from each player, force teams to move out and try to hold ground.

For details, I suggest keeping grass for the higher ground, since the tide would likely kill any plants on lower ground.

Also, how you've terraced some double-height cliffs to stagger ramps up them, you don't need to do that with StarCraft 2, you can just add a ramp straight to any height cliff and it will do it... yet another wonder of the new editor :D

Anyway, just some suggestions.

I like Coastal Shallows! It seems almost cheerful as KadajSouba mentioned.
I like the tight paths all around. Chokes everywhere. Terran Heaven! :D
I'd love to put some tanks on this map.... oooh, I get the shivers :cool:

I've made a new map, which I made taking into consideration the suggestions/comments that were given.

Havenbrook Dreams (4v4)
http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/588...rookdreams.jpg

Another 4v4 map, but the first one I made that doesn't use the full 256x256 map size. The travel distance between the two bases isn't ridiculously long, so hopefully that solves the problem of zero early-game aggression on my other maps. I gave the Xel'Naga Towers better placement in the map; each one gives sight to at least two places of importance that a player may want to keep an eye on. Also, this one doesn't look as bland as my other 4v4 maps (it'll look better with texturing/doodading :P).

Any thoughts or suggestions?

That is an odd looking map - I would love to play on it.

Havenbrook looks sweet!!

Main things I see: you need some kind of physical divider between the mains up on the plateaus. Otherwise a Zerg player's creep might overrun into the ally's base and prevent him from building things. Just make a little canal between them or something.

There's only 2 expansions per side that aren't right near the middle of the map. That means 4 of the 8 players are going to have a tough time doing any serious teching, limitting the strategies viable on the map. The mains on the plateaus are huuuuge. You could easily make some space there for 2 more naturals, I reckon.

Once again, I've never really played 4v4, so it's only a guess by me. I'm just applying 2v2 principles of "everyone should get a natural". :)

This map has the potential to look gorgeous, too.

So... an update.
Here's Havenbrook Dreams as it looks now:

http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/5...rookdreams.jpg

It's not fully completed yet, because I still need to touch up on the texture in a few places.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gastrop0d

Havenbrook looks sweet!!

Main things I see: you need some kind of physical divider between the mains up on the plateaus. Otherwise a Zerg player's creep might overrun into the ally's base and prevent him from building things. Just make a little canal between them or something.

There's only 2 expansions per side that aren't right near the middle of the map. That means 4 of the 8 players are going to have a tough time doing any serious teching, limitting the strategies viable on the map. The mains on the plateaus are huuuuge. You could easily make some space there for 2 more naturals, I reckon.

Once again, I've never really played 4v4, so it's only a guess by me. I'm just applying 2v2 principles of "everyone should get a natural". :)

This map has the potential to look gorgeous, too.

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I tested it out, and creep doesn't reach the other base. There's enough room there for the non-Zerg player to make buildings and such.

As for expansions, I'm still considering adding an expansion on the main plateau, but I don't want to create too many expansions. I found that in almost every 4v4 game, it turns into a "mass Tier-3 and attack" game, and I want to try to break that.

This map is undoubtedly pretty. However, I don't see much room for sneaky shenanigans. What do you think about cordoning off the cliffs between the high bases and low bases with vision blockers (for the south base, that would be 12 o'clock and 9 o'clock; for the north base, that would be 3 o'clock and 6 o'clock) and turning them into potential blind spots?

I think this would be an interesting addition as those areas would have high strategic value. For the defenders, they would be strong defensive points as the enemy would require either an air unit or a ground unit inside in order to target the defenders positioned there. For the attackers, they'd be fantastic for proxy Pylons and Nydus Worms.

I love that last map