Thransaria

[Moderator]

21:29, 13th May 2015
StoPCampinGn00b: See SF's review.

 

[Tash]

this map is unprotected. Feel free to use it.

 

[FullBasher]

good map.. but it's only for navy battle cuz due to its many waters and small islands but i like it.

 

[Tash]

Thanks!

 

[Shadow Fury]

Hmm this is your first template right? Well, it's not bad but you sohuld really work on this more. These are the issues I found in your map:

- The terrain is mostly water (and I guess it's intended) yet this really limits the usage of the map. If over 75% of the template is water, not only do you waste filesize but also restrict the playable area. Providing a larger part of land would be better since people can very easily change a beautiful landscape to water but not vice versa with the same simplicity!

- Having a look at the 4 islands, I notice they have common problems. One of them, for instance, is the lack of decorative doodads. Putting mostly trees and a few other environmental doodads is just not enough for a successful template. Another point is the lack of tile variation. I see you didn't even touch the tiles Dirt, Grassy Dirt and Rough Dirt. Why not? Especially in a template, it is much preferable to use all available tiles (hence sometimes people even add or replace tiles from other tilesets). Lastly, avoid making your islands so small and restricted. That part of the human village is far too tiny to be utilized for any purpose. Even worse is the bridge...

Unfortunately, your map isn't ready to be approved. I'd highly recommend working harder on this template, reading tutorials about terraining and then uploading a map of higher quality. For now, I am forced to vote for rejection but please don't give up for this.

 

[Tash]

Map updated.

 

[StoPCampinGn00b]

Requested Check Over
I structured it rather oddly, but it'll do

Not having a lot of water to conserve file size shouldn't be stressed. Those hunting for templates would be helpful for that demographic. But it all depends on what your vision of the map is an how you can improve it. So I won't go and call for radical change.

Back to the actual aesthetic of the map. It's a tidy looking one, but it simply is too small for people to care for. If a map was this size and has top notch quality, it would be rated high. But for now, your map's quality aesthetically wise isn't acceptable.

The way you used water and water doodads in this map does not look pleasant to the eyes for most I'd predict. It's too much of depressed feeling contrast. If you notice, there are a handful of barrens themed maps, not only templates, that change the water color. While blizzard usually keeps the color, they also keep barrens maps... well more barren than other type of maps. You don't have the barrens feeling in this map, especially with the vibrant sunken ruin trees, flowers, etc. I personally suggest you go one way or the other, that being a barren map or a lushes map. Changing the water color would be the first step.

Secondly, the doodad placement was only sub-par. Of course I'm not suggesting to spam it or make it extravagantly impressive (unless you have the effort to!), but to simply add more one by one that fit. A wise man once told me, decorate your map like your decorating your mothers house. If you don't think you could add more, downloading custom doodads and applying them appropriately might be your best bet in getting hire ratings. Places you an add doodads are near and on the boundary areas of the map, in the open water, and simply around other doodads to complement them. I don't recommend you add some in the open areas you intended you leave open.

Thirdly, I suggest you smooth your shores a bit more for a more blended look. Right now it almost seems like humans built these islands by dumping chunks of land in designated areas. The tile variation was fine all around. I don't think it can get too much better.

Good luck on your map, this stays as rejected for now.

 

[Tash]

Project is now being continued. Expect major changes maybe next week.