Hey there buddy, here is my little review:
[+] - Everything is set properly
[+] - Map size is fitting for 1v1
[+] - There is merc/merchant/laboratory
[+] - Two exp goldmines (Bit too much gold though, myb 9k and 13k for exp?)
[+] - Enought creep camps, drops seems OK (I'm no expert in this)
[+] - It has nice thematic feel indeed. Good job.
[+] - Creeps won't agro when they shouldn't
[~] - Those ramps man, I know you can do better. Try to smooth them out using raise/lower tool. (I like you have putted unbuildable terrain there though)
[~] - While critters are present they are mostly vultures. They don't leave a corpse behind when killed, so I would suggest adding more "on foot" critters near biggest camps for undead creeping.
[~] - Found few gaps in the trees, not a big ones though so it is more of an nitpicking.
[~] - Some creeps and shops are off by few units. Not a big deal, just not 100% symetricall. (I believe you didn't intended to be offset)
[~] - Some of those custom rocks felt quite weird to be honest. At first I touhg they are unwalkable just to be suprised later. I guess it is not a big deal though, it is just a matter of getting used to it.
[-] - Narrow paths leading to merc & gob. merchant. You can get easilly blocked by 3 - 4 units.
[-] - While some parts of the map are goergous, some need more love when it comes to tile variation (Between mid expo and tavern for example, or merc) (I probably don't like this tileset though . . .)
[-] - While technically spawns are far away from each other, gargo rush or any kind of air rush could be abused here, since bases are quite near by air.
[-] - Off map decoration (black borders) is non existent. While it is permanently in FoW, you still can see it in game.
Overall, it is a good map that needs only a few touches to be considered a high quallity melee map. I will be more than happy to have a look at it once again, after changes had been made.
1) "Those ramps man, I know you can do better.", then you don´t know me, I have problems with the diagonals ramps, is one of my worst weak points.
2) "While critters are present they are mostly." we can talk hours of critters, while mafe thinks there should be some, I only put with creeps that dont leave corpse, other than that I dont use them never, Since undead have advantage against humans because the statue destroyer, I prefer to cut the necromancers.
I have a posture and I follow it, I may be wrong but never heard of undead loosing because there werent critters in the map.
3) I always put effort in put wood with no gaps, it may happen that one or two slipped, I can check that (I fixed that bug in 7 maps of mine, and from them I avoid it mindfully)
4) "rocks felt quite weird,just a matter of getting used to it." see my other maps and you will get used, those dodads are smaller than a mushroom and the shrubs of Blizzard, a foot man walk above and you still see it ok.
5)"Narrow paths", yeah well they are not path they are dead ends, dead ends tend to be narrow, I mean U areas, since markets and mercenary camps are far away, hardly you will ambushed there from behind. I always try to avoid narrow paths following the 8 pixels rule, you see the center you can have two armies there.
6) "some need more love when it comes to tile variation", first forest map, i am kinda learning, to much green is saturating, thats why I wanted some only brown terrain area even if it looks a bit simple and empty, again I wanted a diferent area, just that.
7) "ny kind of air rush could be abused here", many things to reply:
a) I think anti air units may counter easy an attack of only air units, the human girocopter, nerubians, orc wind riders, and NE archers + wells , if the player is smart, it should be safe.
b) if the attack is countered, it is a gift of exp, and it can be dangerous later having the enemy more powerfulls heroes.
c) Since the first expansion is near and easy, the gold suply should be mantained even if the main base is attacked by aerials, to do it interesting.
d) I did not invent this layout, I somehow emulate it, nothing is perfect in this world, I was just tired of the classic, players opposite at the corners, I have 10 1vs1 melee map, unless I try new things, I hardly will continue doing old layouts.
Ten Paces
Twin Peaks
I saw these maps and others similars and I wanted to give a shot to do something diferent. I copied Normalice, to me is one of the first masters of melee mapping who only focused in melee mapping.
I can always add fly blockers in some parts to make the air path more restringed if is really necersary. But I also like the idea of using zeppelings and aereals for a full assault, thats why goblin labs are defended with level 19, thats for middle game or more.
8) Off map decoration (black borders), totally agree I just forgot it, I usually cover all with wood to make it as continue. I will fix that for shure
thanks for your time and your very complete review,
v 1.03
Off map decoration (black borders) is non existent. While it is permanently in FoW, you still can see it in game. (fixed)
- Added wood outside the camara limits so it won´t look empty.