what makes a good XTA map

[1v0ry_k1ng]

was thinking, what makes a good XTA map:

METAL
1) not too many metal spots: things tend to get confusing when there is metal spots every where and plays lose the perception that expanding gives much benefit. Keep the number of spots down, and roughly clump spots together to give important areas that will be build up on/fought over, and vacant areas where flanking will happen

2) not too much metal; one of the best maps is Foothills, a map where pushing to the center of the map will still only give you 11+ metal tops in a 3v3. taking your opponents area can boost this to about 16+. these are IDEAL values for XTA.

3) max 3 metal spots, usually 5 second walk apart in player start. force players to expand in every direction for metal. highest concetration of metal in the middle.

ENERGY

1) Trees are always a good additon; they block missles and direct fire weapons forcing diffrent stratergies, and a clever player can run an economy off reclaiming them/ metal makers.

2) wind should be cost effective so people go wind. good values for wind then might be around 5-20.

WATER
assuming its a water map.

1) the player going water should be able to get a good underwater mex economy going

2) the water should be placed so its possible to get ships near other players start position and hence bombard bases.

3) placing small islands with 2-3 mex in the sea is always good, encouraging varied tactics and units.

4) shallows suck

CHOKEPOINTS

1) keep these to a minium.

HILLS:

hills are good, not with metal on them (so they have to be taken for tactical reasons), though shouldnt be central or too easy to porc.

ROCKS:

good maps give a bonus for going air, such as handy drop zone or two (charlie in the hills), islands (supcom) or reclaimable rocks (supcom)for early economy

[knorke]

I like trees too.
Islands in big waters are also a must-have.

If there are hills, it sometimes becomes a "capture the hill and win" gameplay. Thats why I like for example Small Divide, because there are two hills, each player can get one. They are still important areas but not "insta-win"

[1v0ry_k1ng]

when I say hill i mean a small clump which is about 2-3x a commander height, with enough space on top for a lab at most

[Dead.Rabit]

i dunno, if you bring it back to basics of what makes a good xta game.

personally i think that the longer an xta game is, with everyone expanding, then a stand out around the centre of the map. thats when you start seeing really diverse tactics.

you could try winning with buildings
nukes EMP's burthas etc

air assault, trying to take out energy supplies with bombers so you can get your land army close enough to the enamy frontline to destroy it

mass land army

big units

stealth units

etc etc... theres an infinite number of routes to take when you reach that stand off point where you cant expand into enamy range, and he cant expand into yours. until 1 player or the other is eventually overwhelmed.

so metal in the middle may not be so good, as soon as 1 player inches forward, he can dramatically increase his econamy and win.

metal evenly distributed everywhere, in all directions. i do agree with, maps like comet-catcher etc have been 1 of the top played maps for years now because of this.

choke points arent always bad, choke points that are needed to advance but are not instant win make maps worthwhile

fewer underwater metal points, so that not all players on a team can go water, adds group tactics.

crossing points instantly become choke points if your not careful, so i think you can have choke points everywhere, or none at all

D.R