What I think makes a good map

Maybe I have too much time, but I like to share a couple of things that I think make the most balanced, fun and good map.

I don't know but a couple of maps which go into my favorites. These 2 are cyclopean and snowbound.

Now, to tell what makes them better maps from some others: Both teams start from walled and lvl3 turret defended base with 2 refinerys right next to CV. This gives both teams equal start and helps against early rushes.

Then there are the same kind of smaller "bases" in the corner of both of these maps without the walls. In the new version, you can't get rax in both of them, so, both teams must choose between them at first. This causes in a good and fair fight. The whole time both teams receive more or less the same amount of resources, either team isn't in an advantage over the other simply because they have more resources like in some maps.

Then in both of these maps, there is a big open space in the middle, that prevents the game from becoming a big, endless stalemate. Also, a couple of refinerys in the middle give some advantage without ruining the balance.

In these maps, the team working as a whole makes all the difference.

Now, why am I telling this? Because, I don't know how to map, nor have I time to learn it because I've so much other things to do. But still I'd like to see maps thought more from this perspective. It's a good thing that mapper can choose what kind of map he want to do, but random placing of refinery points around the map ain't helping anything. I think there should be more well-thought-out points where the fight for refinerys and territory is supposed to be.

And one more fact that makes a big difference. Placing trees, making cover for infantry is necessary. Big open space with nothing is a place for infantry massacre. Cover makes fighting more fun. Proning in a desert and being afraid you'll be noticed ain't that fun.


This is just my personal opinion.
What do YOU think makes the best map and why?

 

hills

<filler>

o. Because.

 

emp_canyon = most popular map

EDIT:

Mapping for empires is all about inconsistencies.

Infantry cover - space to build
hill - space to build/tank driving
alot of architecture - engine restrictions
Water/cliffs - suicidal cv's
chokepoint stallment - randomness in the open
asf...

 

Lies. Hills = tank driving.

It's much more amusing to drive tanks in bumpy terrain, as you can't drive backwards and know you won't hit anything ever while shooting at someone behind you. That is a huge issue with classic empires maps.

 

So you like cyclopean. good to know.

I quite like nomis, where did that go?

 

Hill means no room for placing buildings

 

how much room do you need for 1 or two bases though? that's all you really need ever. often times a team will win with 1 vf, 1 radar, 3 barracks an a couple of armories, maybe a repair pad.

 

Its about that you can place your base on different places, however empires
would need maps twice as big as now to put everything in it.

 

being able to place a base anywhere is pointless, as it doesn't guide the gameplay, nor does it give anywhere any importance unless it's narrow enough for an engineer to wall off.

Now, if you add only a small amount of base compatible areas, fighting will be focused in those spots rather than at choke points. Choke points in the middle of the map suck. Choke points that enable you to hold your main base or a very small corner of the map are fine, As they can just be ignored for the most part.

Overall, huge must capture choke points are bad for the current gameplay unless They are only choke points for tanks, and infantry have little or no restrictions.

 

a barracks needs alot of flat space to be placed

 

I dislike barracks spam. And barracks can be replaced by a flag capped spawn area. that has eye catchers and spawning ammo boxes.

Armory is the only thing that should be spammed across the map, as it's purpose is only to support.

 

Delta is keyed towards field units rather than commanders. Commanders can control the flow of battle by giving orders and such. Their main is support, not control and dictatorship over the map. Com refusing to place a barracks isn't a negative for delta, though it can be a positive. there are areas to place the barracks at each corner, and just outside the main bridge to each base protected by hills. So, 6 barracks spots, a possible 7th in the very center. those 6 locations can fit most of a base, though they may not fit unless you conserve space well.

I just think limiting the way empires play to how "it's originally first meant to be played" is stupid. There are numerous ways to play a game. If empires was flat and 1 dimensional in gameplay like that, then it wouldn't be popular.

 

Empires has a lot in place to turn what would be boring open fields into fun warzones. Canyon is still my favorite map yet it is pretty open. Even the 2 "canyons" are bigger than the passes in for example slaughtered.

The map when just compiled is as boring and empty as it'll ever be. When playing it these empty fields will be filled with huge buildings, defensive walls restricting access and providing cover, and dangerous turrets making a pass that first looked too big to become a chokepoint an area of chaos.

I have often thought ingame that when the map does not restrict the empires system, games turn out to be more fun. Empires has everything it needs to make for fun gameplay, and trying to do too much with the map just restricts this.

That said not all maps must be as open as duststorm. In fact duststorm is the limit imo.
Areas of interest are sometimes nice. I'm no fan though of "king of the mountain" map types where one team controls a certain area and eventually wins the game because of it. Also i do feel that places like this are not really necessary for a an rts hybrid like empires. It all depends on a team's strategy. Whatever their plan one area will become more important than the other. If you add places of interest however, tactics become useless as for both teams they will just be "get there first and hold it".
Having open fields does not mean infantry should have no cover. Quite the contrary. Canyon does this well, as it has huge fields, but with trees all around the areas for infantry, and here and there a few rocks and trees in the area itself. Placing buildings and walls will further make areas more interesting, while leaving enough room for vehicles to manouver.

 

To be honest you can win those open maps by buying a light
tank and destroing all those unprotected bases by yourself.

 

How should a modeler fix it that on open maps at least half of the bases
are unprotected?