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Map Reviewer
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- Feb 19, 2011
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Review - Valorwind
(Version March 4th 2025)
Synopsis: Valorwind is a two-player melee map featuring a lush Sunken Ruins and Summer tileset mixture. With three expansion mines for each player, the map has possibility for extended games, while nothing prevents players from direct clashing early-on.
Map Aesthetics: The map visuals look really good. A very good mixture of darker greens with beiges of sand and ruins tiles. Good work here. The ruins (top left) section could have a tiny amounts of raise/lower tool to make it look more organic - zero-variation flat looks unnatural on such large areas. Visual clarity is excellent with good placement of decorative doodads and props. Small detailed areas that are irrelevant to gameplay are also very nicely decorated to keep the thematic aesthetics on-point. Creep camps make coherent thematic bunches, overall, very good job.
Map Layout: The layout is clear and clean - good job here too. The gates can be a bit controversial but I'd say the execution with them is good. The layout is quite open with large areas but chokepoints also exist in good fashion and offer strategic stress points here and there. Gating the health fountain behind gate creeps as well as the fountain creeps is a nice touch as it makes the whole fountain more player-specific investment. The central area has couple of camps that block the path (although I guess it might be possible to sneak past 'em - not sure if I am the biggest fan of these camps as they are also placed ontop of a ramp so it can catch an unfamiliar player off-guard.
Neutral Objectives: As previously mentioned, the fountain guarding creeps are nicely implemented, as are most other creep camp placement: not a huge fan of the central pathway creeps (but they can be there, just a personal opinion of mine). Also, some gold mine creeps should be not-camp mode. Item drops and creep strength looks appropriate, good job.
Map Gameplay: A very good melee map for two players. A good amount of creativity with gates and creep camp placement. Many expansions to play around with for longer games too - perhaps one expansion could be lower level for easier taking to rhythm the game a bit - up to you. Solid work, good job.
Comment: Some of the gold mine creeps should be on not-camp mode to prevent building townhall nearby before actually taking the camps.
(Version March 4th 2025)
Synopsis: Valorwind is a two-player melee map featuring a lush Sunken Ruins and Summer tileset mixture. With three expansion mines for each player, the map has possibility for extended games, while nothing prevents players from direct clashing early-on.
Map Aesthetics: The map visuals look really good. A very good mixture of darker greens with beiges of sand and ruins tiles. Good work here. The ruins (top left) section could have a tiny amounts of raise/lower tool to make it look more organic - zero-variation flat looks unnatural on such large areas. Visual clarity is excellent with good placement of decorative doodads and props. Small detailed areas that are irrelevant to gameplay are also very nicely decorated to keep the thematic aesthetics on-point. Creep camps make coherent thematic bunches, overall, very good job.
Map Layout: The layout is clear and clean - good job here too. The gates can be a bit controversial but I'd say the execution with them is good. The layout is quite open with large areas but chokepoints also exist in good fashion and offer strategic stress points here and there. Gating the health fountain behind gate creeps as well as the fountain creeps is a nice touch as it makes the whole fountain more player-specific investment. The central area has couple of camps that block the path (although I guess it might be possible to sneak past 'em - not sure if I am the biggest fan of these camps as they are also placed ontop of a ramp so it can catch an unfamiliar player off-guard.
Neutral Objectives: As previously mentioned, the fountain guarding creeps are nicely implemented, as are most other creep camp placement: not a huge fan of the central pathway creeps (but they can be there, just a personal opinion of mine). Also, some gold mine creeps should be not-camp mode. Item drops and creep strength looks appropriate, good job.
Map Gameplay: A very good melee map for two players. A good amount of creativity with gates and creep camp placement. Many expansions to play around with for longer games too - perhaps one expansion could be lower level for easier taking to rhythm the game a bit - up to you. Solid work, good job.
Comment: Some of the gold mine creeps should be on not-camp mode to prevent building townhall nearby before actually taking the camps.
