How To Review - Melee Maps

[StoPCampinGn00b]

How To Review - Melee Maps


Introduction
This is the first of the 'How To Review' discussions. It's likely there will be ones for different types of maps, but it isn't guaranteed. The reason I did this was to strengthen up the quality of reviews to make it more professional and fair for the author. I especially did this for melee maps because this is a map type that users tend to always review even if they aren't an expert at it. Why is that the case? Melee maps are perceived to be an easy one to review because of it's simplicity, but in truth melee maps aren't as simple as many think.


What are melee maps?
There has always been a debate on what classifies as melee. After some research digging through a few melee map threads with users debating about this subject along with some melee nation threads, I have an answer.

A melee map is a map that doesn't have custom content that heavily changes default blizzard melee gameplay. This means a map can still be classified as melee on Hive even if it wears the gears (

) icon rather than the duel swords (

) icon. Usually the case with melee maps that have a gears icon is that there are altered / imported doodads, destructible, or terrain tiles. There are times when there are customized creeps, but as long as they make the similar impact on players as default creeps, it should be fine. Any customization to the races themselves would make the map not melee.


How do I evaluate melee maps?
Review a map with the style you choose, but it should be made sure that factors in evaluating a melee map include:

• Balance

• Ambience and Aesthetics

• Originality and Creativity

Note that I am not suggesting melee maps are rated with these categories or these categories only, I am suggesting that these factors are in part of the evaluation process of reviewing a melee map.


Balance
The balance of a melee map may be the most important for competitive players, but it shouldn't be overwhelmingly a more influential factor in a rating process.

There are two types of balances in melee maps. One is the balance between the races and one is the balance between locations. Things that influence these balances include creeps, item drops, terrain layout, resources, neutral buildings, height leveling, and even critters. The essential details of things that affect balance are contained in Filmting's highly recommended Competitive Melee Map tutorial.

Note that not all melee maps are intended to be as balanced as possible. In what case would a melee map be a good melee map with not-so-great balance? It would be if the other factors cause the balance to be imbalanced, but only if the other factors cause a map to be higher quality.


Ambience and Aesthetics
A melee map with ugly terrain is usually distasteful for most. What you want to rate here is how pleasing the map looks to the eye. I'm sure all members of the group know the difference between high quality and low quality terrain, but Morbid's A Guideline to Terraining and the Hive's Terrain Board sticky thread can be an excellent source for all things terrain no matter the level you're skill level. Sub factors may or may not include tiles, height leveling (also a balance factor), doodads, weather, water, and special effects.


Originality and Creativity
Sometimes, we get the same old melee map over and over again. A map that is original and creative deserves to get some positive points because of it. After all, Hive has always stressed original and creative work. Melee maps are not an exception.

Some ways melee maps are original and or creative are by having unique layouts or unorthodox additions to it. Maybe a pathway is skinny on purpose, or a creep drop in the middle is abnormal yet powerful. Remember, different doesn't equate to bad / low quality.


Conclusion
None of the three main factors that determine a quality of a melee map on Hive should overpower the other two. Although it really is up to the reviewer on how they want to review, this is the bar I'm setting. Feel free to comment.​

 

[StoPCampinGn00b]

Changelog:
1.00 - Posted

 

[Sclammerz]

I will read this.

 

[Shadow Fury]

Pretty useful for we map reviewers though I am surprised you didn't add a category concerning item drops and creeps. After all, a good melee map must have suitable drops and creeps otherwise it will fail.
Then, I am afraid that when we touch the topic "originality", people tend to add things in their melee maps that should NOT be added. For example, adding campaign units like a Forgotten One, Hydralisk and such breaks the harmony of melee maps. They are overpowered monsters created for "campaigns" (hence the name of their category). Besides, making heroes part of a creep camp is wrong as well in my opinion though people might call it "original". However, this mistaken idea should be cancelled. For me, a melee map can be classified as such when: the races are left untouched completely (exception ONLY for changing models/icons/skins of units and structures), creep camps have no abnormalities, item drops do not have legendary or campaign items like Killmaim, Serathil, Bladebane Armor etc... and finally when there are not a lot of runes being dropped otherwise the map would turns more into an RPG-ish map.

 

[Deleted member 238589]

There has always been a debate on what classifies as melee. After some research digging through a few melee map threads with users debating about this subject along with some melee nation threads, I have an answer.

A melee map is a map that doesn't have custom content that heavily changes default blizzard melee gameplay. This means a map can still be classified as melee on Hive even if it wears the gears icon rather than the duel swords icon. Usually the case with melee maps that have a gears icon is that there are altered / imported doodads, destructible, or terrain tiles. There are times when there are customized creeps, but as long as they make the similar impact on players as default creeps, it should be fine. Any customization to the races themselves would make the map not melee.

You should also point something that people often tend to forget. That they should always set the map to Melee (Latest Patch). The maps with duel swords maybe don't have edits or imported resources, but they are using outdated patches.

 

[StoPCampinGn00b]

Pretty useful for we map reviewers though I am surprised you didn't add a category concerning item drops and creeps. After all, a good melee map must have suitable drops and creeps otherwise it will fail.

Item drops and creeps fall into the balance category. The reason being is that every creep and item contributes to the balance of the map. They aren't seperate from the balance, so that is why I listed item drops and creeps as a sub-factor of some sort in the balance category.

Then, I am afraid that when we touch the topic "originality", people tend to add things in their melee maps that should NOT be added. For example, adding campaign units like a Forgotten One, Hydralisk and such breaks the harmony of melee maps. They are overpowered monsters created for "campaigns" (hence the name of their category). Besides, making heroes part of a creep camp is wrong as well in my opinion though people might call it "original". However, this mistaken idea should be cancelled. For me, a melee map can be classified as such when: the races are left untouched completely (exception ONLY for changing models/icons/skins of units and structures), creep camps have no abnormalities, item drops do not have legendary or campaign items like Killmaim, Serathil, Bladebane Armor etc... and finally when there are not a lot of runes being dropped otherwise the map would turns more into an RPG-ish map.

Ah, I knew someone would ask about this. This is why we have balance of power. If something tips the balance, than it usually will be a negative point. However, if a map is very creative and only tinkers with balance a little, it doesn't make a map bad. If there is a custom creeps from that doesn't do too much harm to the balance, or no harm at all, then that shouldn't be a problem. You can already see pure melee maps and non pure melee maps based off of the two icons most of the time. If not, you can look in the description. If there still is no sign, you can check the comment section. Now things like legendary armors easily destroy the balance, so it would then not be classified as melee anymore.

Of course radical things will cause a map not to be melee. It all depends on the severity of it straying away from blizzard melee maps but things like that are usually determined on a case by case basis.

You should also point something that people often tend to forget. That they should always set the map to Melee (Latest Patch). The maps with duel swords maybe don't have edits or imported resources, but they are using outdated patches.

Interesting. I'll find a place to add that bit of info.

 

[sonofjay]

You should also point something that people often tend to forget. That they should always set the map to Melee (Latest Patch).

All my melee maps are not set to the Latest Patch if I remember it right. lol

Nice guideline btw.

 

[StoPCampinGn00b]

What we have to know is, should melee maps be set to the latest patch? I think we should recommend it, but not take a way points because of the patch no being the latest.

 

[Deleted member 238589]

We should recommend it, but it's really up to the map maker. But it's less likely that someone (who has a clue about what he's doing, at least) will play that map, due to things such as OP Spell Breaker and such (things that were changed, because they were imbalanced). *cough* Blademaster
EDIT: Also, I'm surprised no-one pointed this out before me.

 

[StoPCampinGn00b]

I just want to put a reminder out there that flexibility is a thing not to overlook for melee maps. If a map seems to small or too big for comfort, that is not something to stand in a way for approval. Indeed a map pushing too large or too small is not professional and horribly imbalanced for pros, but there undoubtedly are people who want unorthodox melee maps. You can rate it low, but I highly recommend for people to not vote for rejection or needs fix because of something preferable instead of something necessary.