Holynanner's Map Workshop

[Holynanners]

Hello everyone!

To keep it short, I'm going to say that I'm not a very experienced SupCom mapper, just started working on my real projects, but I will be making some PvP maps that you'll hopefully like. I'll try to make maps a little bit different than the usual. -snip- I will be uploading maps on their due time, because 8 hours aren't enough ( ͡° ͜ʖ̫ ͡°).

*Click images to download the maps or search them on the vault by the name*

Cloud Kingdom LE:


- Current Version: 9
- 5x5 Map
- 19 Mass spots (distributed on not so easy to defend positions) (They will be lowered/distributed differently once some people play it)
- Outer ring that's only available for Air and Navy, making it a way to destroy expansions. (It was only available for air originally.)
- Gap in the middle with reclaim and mass points.
- T2 wrecks in the gap and reclaimable rocks on the sides.
- Most expansions are exposed to air coming from the outer ring.



Changelog:

Spoiler: show

V1:
- Initial release

V2:

- Added better textures
- Removed some mass points
- Removed some reclaim rocks

V3:

- Changed some mass points to encourage raiding
- Changed hydro position

V4:

- Moved a mass point from the sides into the middle, encouraging raiding a little bit more.
- Fixed reclaim, mirroring it correctly.

V5:
- Discarded due to incredible amount of graphical bugs thanks to my failed efforts of using custom skybox and waves.

V6:

- Retextured the whole map, changed to a desert-like theme.
- Made water look better.
- Added better reclaim distribution.
- Lowered the amount of mass points drastically. (This was after receiving feedback from different players)
- Made the map look better in general.

V7:

- Made a better distribution of the reclaim.
- Graphic improvements including water and terrain.

V8:

- Added an Easter Egg.

V9:

- Reworked reclaim distribution.
- Fixed the position of a mass point to allow adjacency bonus from both mass and hydrocarbon points while building a factory.

Descriptive videos would be very appreciated (I'd really appreciate it!)
Casts on the maps will be placed on the post (With caster's permission of course!)

Be sure to leave reviews on the Vault page or by posting below!

[nine2]

so much secure mass at your base so no need for map control.
large groups of units might have trouble pathfinding around all that stuff.
so maybe this maps really favours the turtle? which isn't necessarily a bad thing.
anyway looks interesting

[Holynanners]

It is quite turtly, but imo this encourages drops, bombing, and quick runs through the front line. I guess it should just go how the players decide to. I could change some mass points or delete them, or I could place them in more dangerous places, like more on the side bases. We'll see, I'll be waiting for more feedback.

[Vee]

Only 8 of 44 mexes are actually contested

[speed2]

Well uhm, this is very embarassing, I broke the map trying to fix some stuff and now I don't know how to fix it Just waiting for a response so it can be removed from the Vault so I can add a clean version

It wont be removed, but you can upload new version and only the new version will be showed in vault.
How to do that and much more: http://wiki.faforever.com/index.php?tit ... ap_Version

[speed2]

ok, so now actually some feedback since I got time to look at it.
Lets start with heightmap.



These height difference are unneccessary and makes it look bit ugly. Hill in the corner doesnt ned to be that big at all, water doesn't need to be that deep. Do it on some normal level. So you can hide your ACU there if you want, doesn't need to be accesable (only for drops maybe) but definitely not that deep.
Also you have that black plane bug there cause there is too big difference in heights, so you will solve that one as well. If making hill lower and water shallower won't help, have a look at this: /viewtopic.php?f=53&t=8439&p=79786&hilit=black#p79739



You should use unsharp brush (maybe bit blur as well) on these cliffs, they look much better after that. And this one peak, if you want to keep it there, make it smaller and also unsharp (you can exceed it bit to the right side and it will look better).

The idea with two hills in the middle is nice, but they take too much space, especially towards the sides there isnt enough room to move units efficiently. And also bit variety in shape wouldn't hurt. Play a bit with elevation brushes.

Overall you should use unsharp brush on every cliff. (Where to find it Heightmap Editing section of this tutorial: http://wiki.faforever.com/index.php?title=Map_Editor )

Now to Textures (Stratum)
Using one grey one to highlight all cliffs will improve look of your map a lot, also makes it easier for player to know where he can move units.
Then mixing into grass some other will also help, some dirt, bit more painting. If you look at Texturing part of that tutorial you will see that if you mix those textures, it will look much better. Yes it takes time, but its worth it.

Decals
You dont have a single decal there Decals are what makes difference betweek okish looking map and pretty map. (Its also in that tutorial) Combination of strata and decals on cliff will improve their look by 1000% Then placing some decals everywhere on the map, on place there trees are for example. And erosions decals everywhere. There is quite few of those so you have to choose from

Resources
To the mex placement, first thing I dont like is that there is so many mexes on such a small map. As an experienced player I know how many mexes +- to place on map to make it intresting. And this is way to much.
Id recommend 3 at the starting plateau ,for different gameplay from other maps (thats always a good thing to have ), maybe place hydro down so you need to walk a bit toward it, but thats not necessary.
This is my suggestion:


It's still not perfect, but I belive this is a way to go.

Reclaim
I would not place rock reclaim everywhere, cause it turns into APM fest. Whoever can click more manual reclaim will get advantag. So maybe just few reclaim spots where you place some rocks (2-3 per side) And definitelly not everywhere on map, especially mixed with trees like this.
Then the trees, you can use tree groups so its easier to reclaim them, also mix different trees.


Now Im gonna be honest. This map is playable but as it is now don't expect many plays on it yet. If you want to make it great, you can do it, but its gonna take time. And Im looking forward to see this map great

[nine2]

I would place rock reclaim everywhere, cause it turns into APM fest.

did you mean to say you would not place reclaim everywhere?

[Vee]

Mixing single trees with stones is never a good idea because then automatic reclaim becomes even worse compared to manually clicking the stones. I'd put stones in one spot trees in another.

[Holynanners]

I'm working on a new version on the map, so far:

Mass Points:

- Removed one from the platform starting area, moved it just down the ramp.
- Moved the three mass points that were down the ramp near the starting zone to the side bases, encouraging raiding.

Hydro:

- Moved the ones on the side bases a little bit over the ramp near the two mass points to encourage raiding.

Reclaimable rocks:

- Removed trees near them
- Added a little more for each side

Environment:

- Changed lighting so it looks more appealing.
- Actually added good looking textures now.
- Water level was lowered.
- Removed the mountains on the side.

Here's a picture of it:

[Holynanners]

so much secure mass at your base so no need for map control.
large groups of units might have trouble pathfinding around all that stuff.
so maybe this maps really favours the turtle? which isn't necessarily a bad thing.
anyway looks interesting

I changed some of the mass points in V3 and 4, you'll notice you have less secure mass points, there is now a total of 14 mass points near the middle of the map.