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Terra Therma. Lately most maps were epic, but this one is the worst of the bunch and should be reworked. Reasons:
1. It is hot. Generally there should be maps with higher and lower HS efficiency, but we have too many with lower HS efficiency and only one (+night version) with higher efficiency. Given that energy loadouts are right now uncompetitive and can't match ballistics builds (who don't care about heat that much or don't care at all) in DPS and those subpar builds are further hurt by having heat issues on most maps, it is very poor decision to introduce lava map. It is a pain with intensity somewhere between shooting yourself in the leg and getting an arrow in the knee. Why can't lava map be cold? They are only hot when active, you know.
2. Bad design. Almost no open fields and little to no transition possible from unique corridors that run in right angle from the center ring. Basically a "sun" layout, central circle and beams comming from it. The map is too big to get to other parts of it fast, basicaly every road on this map is a bottleneck. High hills prevent JJ from being effective.
3. Size, already mentioned it. Either make it flat and big or smaller and hilly. But hills that take away travel speed, heat you so that you can fire up to 4 times per battle and then overheat AND where you can't even deploy any reliable tactics because there is simply no space for it? Yikes.
4. Players hate it. I can't play a single game on this map without someone intentionally disconnecting. For extreme cases of this please see the screen attached. We lost BTW.
Not only MM sucks with -1 players on both sides, but 4 players DCd simply because this map is a suffering. That doesn't mean that the map is inherently bad, but there are few things that together make this map a painful experience.
A few ideas on how to make the map better:
Don't make it so hot. We already have many hot maps, do something cooler, or at least lower the temperature a bit.
Rework the central circle. While I like the idea of a central place where both teams can fight and with a bit of imagination even attempt to flank, the circle is too far from battle. Either make it lower, add more accessible roads leading to it or provide more protection up there. Fences, barriers, or something else. Anything. Right now who gets in first wins, which is lame.
Also, the circle is in the center. While that may be fun at the first sight, why don't you change the location so that the circle woul be at top or bottom? Currently the map is too convenient, too symetric and if players would like symetric maps they wouldn't ever stop playing Bomberman in the first place.
Last idea, LOWER THE HILLS! There is no reason why they should be so high. We need them lower so that JJ can shine, so that LRMs can fly over. We need a map where we can actually set up a trap, not just round up at the nearest bottleneck.
Other than that, the map is OK. The way PGI works with space is great and general artistic vision is great too. It is just that this map is too pain to play to appreciate it.
Now you can polish your rocks and start throwing them, I expect you will. Too many players told me personaly that they hate this map to ignore the issue though, so any kind of constructive feedback is welcome.
Edited by Mordin Ashe, 10 November 2013 - 02:51 AM.
