1v1 Maps Carrying Over:
(2) Scrap Station
(2) Xel'Naga Caverns
(4) Delta Quadrant
(4) Metalopolis
1v1 Maps Removed:
(2) Blistering Sands
We wanted to reduce the number of rush maps in general, and Blistering Sands was one of them. On top of that, Blistering Sands matches resulted in too many all-in games due to the rocks into the main base. The frequency of all-in roach/speedling, 4 warpgate push, or even mass marine/marauder stimpack push by breaking the rocks was a bit too high, so we decided to pull this map from the ladder.
(2) Jungle Basin
Jungle Basin has a few traits that make it extremely favorable for terran, so we decided to remove it from the ladder. These include:
It's possible to set up siege tanks right below the main base of your opponent and harass his natural expansion while preventing his forces from leaving his base.
Too many choke points everywhere on the map made it difficult for zerg to deal with marines, marauders, or siege tank-based skirmishes.
Difficult access to second expansion
High ground right in front of the ramp leading down to main. Setting up units at both this high ground as well as part of the low ground was too powerful, especially for terrans that use siege tanks.
(2)Steppes of War
Again, we wanted to reduce the number of rush maps, and Steppes was the most rush-friendly rush map we decided to cut. It’s not that we don’t like rush maps, but we have learned over the course of season 1 that two-player rush maps are generally more one-sided than four-player rush maps. For the ladder map changes, the rush-possible maps we’ll have will be four-player maps only.
(4) Lost Temple
Problems of Lost Temple:
If one side controls one of the center watch towers, there's no alternate ground-based route to half of the map, meaning it's too easy for the game to become a stalemate with each side taking half of the map.
Small islands in the corners were problematic in that they were difficult to assault as each of the three races. We noticed it's possible to hold out at one or both of these islands and drag on a game for longer than needed. It was also problematic in that in some matchups, these islands were just free expansions that almost never get attacked, which is not what we wanted in an expansion.
The choke point by the natural expansions were too small; it was possible to block them off easily using only a few buildings.
(4) Shakuras Plateau
This map we decided to remove for a different reason. There isn't a huge problem with this map, but we feel there aren't enough interesting features. The natural expansion is easy to take and defend; there are only two possible attack paths, only one of which is generally used, and main bases aren’t easy to harass. For a change, we wanted to replace this relatively plain map with something new.
1v1 Maps Added:
(4) Backwater Gulch
Backwater Gulch has a familiar main to first expansion layout. Early gameplay on this map should feel familiar, and there probably aren't too many early-game threats or difficulties in terms of gimmicky strategies you need to worry about. The second expansion, however, features a high ground area that is accessible by two ramps, meaning it can be easily harassed. The center area has two watch towers as well as two high-yield expansions that will be difficult to maintain, and the key to victory in some games could come down to how long you hold one or both of these center expansions.
(4) Slag Pits
Metalopolis was one of two favorite maps across the different skill levels of players. We decided to introduce a very similar map, but slightly more macro heavy. We took out Shakuras Plateau, which was a very plain macro map, and added this map instead. Some of the key features of this map are the low-ground high-yield expansions, the two lines of shrub area that can be used to position units, as well as the low-ground watch tower that watches over all of the low-ground center.
(4) The Shattered Temple
The Shattered Temple is a newer version of Lost Temple that's more balanced. Improvements to Lost Temple found in this map include:
Wider center area
Watch tower changed to cover only a part of the center of the map. It's possible to sneak units around the corners of the central area without getting detected by the watch tower.
Rocked-off islands. This creates an alternate attack route and reduces stalemate situations that islands cause.
Larger choke point by the expansion makes it more difficult to block off.
(4) Typhon Peaks
This map has a lot of the fun traits of previous maps. Rocks by the sides of the map are positioned similarly to Scrap Station to reduce rush distance in vertical start locations. The center has two watch towers and provides the main attack path like in Shakuras Plateau, and the second expansion is similar to the setup of Xel'Naga Caverns. Even though this map is brand new, players will be able to utilize some of their existing strategies that have been used on other maps, and potentially combine them to fit the unique play style of this new map.
Es ist zwar viel rumgeheule, was viele aber dabei übersehen, sind die Posts, die wirklich die Tatsachen aufdecken und zeigen, warum es schlechte Maps sind. Blizzard zeigt seit Jahren, dass sie keine guten Maps machen können, sei es BW, WC3 oder SC2 - warum sollte man also gerade den Part an sie abgeben, wenn es in der Community Leute gibt, die sich sehr viel mehr damit beschäftigen als sie selber.
Der Text steht schon Ewigkeiten im Mapthread, ja.