@mafe Hello! I didn't have enough time to reply last week.
I agree with the overall statement concerning the 'tileset flaws' vs design choices. While I've tried to offset some of the innate features (which camps should sleep at night and which are fine being insomnious, etc.), my main goal for the contest was to push some concepts further. Realistically speaking, I may have overdone some of these as they indeed feel kinda sketch during the game.
To be honest, the idea for this map started from the concept of Rock Chunks :P as a gateway to destructible terrain. I believe I only saw this being used once in a 2v2 map, protecting the backyard expansions (which is kinda boring, imo). So I decided to give this feature some love.
And while I wouldn't remove most of the features I've put forth, I am willing to discuss them and make necessary adjustments as to soften some of the rougher edges, gameplay-wise.
-Very long direct paths from main base to main base. Scouting or rushing seem to be very hard.
1. This is an overlook on my part. I've tried to amend it before the deadline, but the issue is still present. However, I've seen some players chipping 1 Rock Chunk from the middle-entrance to scout, bypassing the creep camp.
I think I'll nudge this creep camp to the side while reducing the Rock Chunks HP (big entrance: 250 → 150, small entrance: 150 → 100) to promote this way of scouting. Properly opening the entrance would still require defeating the creep camp.
-Attacking base on highground with only one (default) entrance can be very hard, as in a 1v1 your primarily will want to win the army vs army fights and sieg units rarely play a part in that. So you may know you have essentially won the game after winning a decisive fight, yet it might take several further minutes before you can really close of the game with a main base attack if the enemy keeps turtling.
2. Yes. This is the reason for the adjacent 'siegebreaker' ramps: you can put a unit there for the highground vision or contain the defender with a group of ranged units while pushing forward with melee units. As for the siege units themselves, I'd like players to sometimes include 1-2 of those when they are planning to attack the main base. These units aren't used that frequently so it may or may not be an attempt to promote them.
And while we're at the main base:
-Good decision to put the lab right next to the ramps blocked by trees. Maybe make it so that a single sapper can already open up the ramps?
3. Thanks! I find this interaction quite intriguing myself. :) As for the Sappers, I would agree on that wholeheartedly as they are very expensive units. But on the other hand, there is a Bloodmage and a Keeper, who can destroy the same amount of trees virtually for free. I will iterate on these tree patches some more and if I find a composition, where one Sapper would be able to open it, while BlM and KotG would need 2 spellcasts to do the same, that would be golden.
-No AoW-Creeping possible with easily accessible trees to heal.
4. There are currently options to creep the Merc Camp (and/or probably the adjacent Voidwalker camp) and the Lab (harder due to Searing Arrows). I will add more trees around the map, especially near the green camps.
-Not a fan of guaranteed drops tbh, but I can see why your might feel otherwise.
5. I've read your tutorial, including the Items paragraph, while in the process of making the map, so I understand where you're coming from. I've tried to make these drops as fair as possible, simultaneously trying to soften the impact of universally-hated Mana Burn creeps. Still, I'll try to tone it down a bit in the update.
-I also most of the time dont like destructable rocks and on this map I feel that in particular removing the destructable rocks (and the creeps nearby) would greatly improve the playability of the map.
6. Partly answered above, but there's another idea showed up: move the big Rock Chunks to another spot, including creeps. After all, they do not have to block the very middle of the map. Won't promise it in the next update, but I'll play around with the placement.
-Expansions are kinda in a small dead end.
7. There, I don't really see what exactly the problem is. Initially I wanted them to be a safe, but inferior option to the middle expansion. If you mean the terrain layout around it, I think I can shape it in a more non-linear way.
Oh, I kinda see what you mean, when thinking about Terenas Stand corner expos. Yeah, that's not good.
Big thanks for reviewing! I'll try to make an update within the following week.
Let me know what you think. We should give Rock Chunks a chance, in my opinion. :)
Approved
