About map pools and such

[Blodir]

A lot of people have had difficulties understanding where I'm coming from with my opinion on map pools, I generally want less maps on both ladder and in tournaments. Today I had a random conversation with Mephi the Great (FAF World Champion ), which apparently helped him understand my point of view. I figured if it worked on Mephi, maybe some other people would be interested too. So naturally I pastebinned it and am now posting it on forums: http://pastebin.com/i2mbTY4g

[This_Guy]

Its an interesting idea, and I think you're trying to focus on the pro players, but tbh i get bored when i play the same map like 3-5 times in a week. I like the diversity of different maps. I know people wont be the best player on every map, but i personally enjoy variability and not having to play the same map with the same terrain/reclaim just to have a few strong BO.

Again, this is just my opinion, im not saying its a bad idea or that youre wrong, just that I personally dont enjoy playing the same maps on repeat.

[XenoJade]

I like playing on similar maps and seeing how people improve (myself included) each time. Or do something new and totally fail!

[Morax]

Improvising takes a strategic mind and knowledge of the tools at hand. To limit that to raw micro-precision on a map sounds awfully boring.... Seeing what people do under pressure when they crack is the best entertainment.

[Morax]

Blodir: i just think it would be super cool to see games where people know exactly what they are doing etc

This is never going to happen with a map rotation like we have now. People are only going to focus on what is in the rotation, then adapt when it is changed again. The majority of the community consists of players like myself who don't dedicate NEARLY as much time to "mastering" each map as we simply cannot do so. Only a few select, call them the top players, have this ability or are willing to give the time to do so.

For your ranks (Mephi & Blodir) this makes sense as you guys are at a whole different level than the "bunch of us."

I would strongly like to see the giant map pool back so people learn to improvise and master maps enough to be good at a larger pool. With the current system of a small pool in 1v1, people learn those maps, and when it comes tourney time where random maps are selected, they may end up in a situation where they have no f'ing idea what to do.

Why make people suffer by only focusing on certain maps to only see different ones in tournaments?

[This_Guy]

I agree with Morax in that i also would like to see the map pool go back to like 50 maps. As i said earlier i get bored playing the same maps over and over again, i would like there to be a massive diversity to maps played. Yes there will be some you dont like, and others you do, but I think it would be a better option than the current small pools where you can still get the same map 4 times in a row.

[biass]

stop repeating maps and ill be fine tbh http://imgur.com/a/yqXXw

[Iszh]

I dont play ladder from the time this mini map pool with big maps started. I was a friend of zep system with 90 maps. Sure on one hand it is super competitive to play only one map for one month 200 times but on the other hand it is stupid and boring. I play this game to have fun and not to get a world champion title (like most of the players i beleave). And you know increasing competitive play will always decrease your player number. Since you start with low player number you should maybe think again about small map pool

For tournaments it might be easier to realize and there i could understand it better. Useful to find really the best player to play the same map from begin to end of tourney ....

For ladder was another reason why i played zep system times more often. Maps have been mostly medium and small maps according to the vote system. TA forced people to play same amount of big maps like small maps. Games took to much time i played a 1v1 game when i didnt have time to spent 1 hour in a teamgame. Ladder games have been fast. Meanwhile i dont play it because i can hardly find enough time and especially strength after a working day to play a stressful 1 hour lasting 1v1 game. Teamgames are more relaxed same as ladder on smaller maps. Increasing stress level of the game again decreases number of players and only attracts freaks.

If you want to improve this and keep both kind of players maybe you simply increase rating for bigger maps. For example:

Victory on mini map gains/loses you 50% of rating e.g. blasted rock
Victory on small map gains/loses you 75% of rating e.g. standing stones
Victory on medium map gains/loses you 100% of rating e.g. loki
Victory on big map gains/loses you 125% of rating e.g. vya
Victory on mini extra large map gains/loses you 150% of rating e.g. pizza map

All you need to do is adding a list for all 90 maps which size it has and add this function to ladder rating calculation. Thats not to much demanded. Reason for this is that it is more difficult to play bigger maps and therefore more precious to win them. To win against zock is possible for everybody on a mini map. To win vs zock on a extra larger map is pratically impossible for lots of people.

[Nepty]

Learning maps are too critical in FA. In games like Starcraft 2, you can just focus on the fighting and strategy. Learning maps shouldn't be such a huge factor.

IE: You lose because you didn't rush middle for economy. Not very present in Starcraft. You just have to look for choke points and drops/jump zones in Starcraft 2. You see them as soon as the game starts most of the time.

Tons of tricky retarded maps doesnt mean it's better. 10 maps is enough for me in FAF. I dont want 50 or 80 or even 9000.
Brand new maps only for tornuments sounds great. "Oh no, what do I do?" That's okay just use a default BO. Use skill and strategy.

I also like the single map tornuments (king of theta or etc.) Skill and micro will shine. Personally I'm okay playing on theta Passage forever. It doesn't get boring to me. People act like there's one absolute strategy for each map or something. If it is, then you guys should find another RTS to play.

Either way I only play costum. I love choosing maps that every faction has an even chance on. Non tricky maps. "You didn't know mass was hidden on the beach? You lose. (EOTS)". "You was UEF on a Aeon/Seraphim map? You lose." Lame...

[Mad`Mozart]

Uhm not going to read that wall of text but good point on tourneys.
Been trying to convince Stups for a while not to put those random teamgame maps in 1v1 tourneys, doesnt make sense imo since many of them are just poorly designed for 1v1 purposes.