49 replies to this topic

[Chris Lowrey]

So the MWO World Championship 2018 is coming and I'm looking for feedback regarding the Map Pool for the upcoming "Open Season" of the 2018 MWOWC.

Last Season's Map Pool consisted of:

• Canyon Network
  
• Tourmaline Desert
  
• HPG Manifold
  
• The Mining Collective
  
• Polar Highlands

I am looking for feedback regarding the five map pool in consideration for the 2018 open season. If you have any thoughts or input on what you would like to see or not see in regards to the map pool for the incoming open season portion of the MWOWC, now is the time to express that here.

[PoorDecisions]

Rubellite
Polar Highlands
Mining Collective
Tourmaline Desert
Grim Plexus

[Throe]

[deleted by user]

Edited by Throe, 09 November 2018 - 12:44 PM.

[CK16]

Alpine Peaks
Caustic Valley
Rubleite Oasis
River City
Solaris Ciry(?)

[Chris Lowrey]

Throe, on 07 May 2018 - 02:06 PM, said:

I think you should throw out all these maps this year, and use 5 other maps entirely. Mix it up a little.

Edit: removed comments not pertinent to the subject of this thread.

I'm open to other kinds of feedback past just straight up map recommendations as well if it helps move the discussion along to what pool will make the incoming MWOWC season as engaging as it can be for those choosing to participate. So as long as it keeps along that path, I'm open to hear it.

[Tarogato]

Part of me wants to see the map pool consist of only unusual maps (Bog, Caustic, Rubellite, Frozen, Forest, Terra Therma) so that teams will have to be creative, and so that the picks and bans might be widely varied for once. Or maybe I just want to see the world burn a little.




----------------------------------------------------------
Opinion-vomit:

HPG is interesting (though annoying) from a competitive perspective. I would expect it to be an auto-ban for most teams due to its unpredictable nature, so there's almost no point in keeping it in. Plus it doesn't look good from a spectator perspective.


Canyon and Tourmaline are still the best from a spectator perspective, and are still the best competitive maps in the game. But they're becoming a bit old-hat. Both of them could be removed, but I wouldn't mind Tourmaline staying in.


Mining Collective... personally I'm tired of that map. It didn't get picked much anyways.


Polar... does Polar really work? I just don't like the distribution of cap points on the map. It's rather boring to watch, and the subtle terrain undulations are impossible to see as a spectator. It's also unpredictable in terms of strategy, so a lot of teams will avoid it. I would rather see Frozen or Alpine, but both of those maps are imbalanced.


Solaris City ... I wouldn't count it out. I would like to see a city map, but both River City and Crimson Strait seem to be imbalanced messes that are best avoided.


Similarly, Terra Therma and Forest Colony are a bit imbalanced. They're some of my favourites, but I don't imagine them being popular picks. They're just too asymmetric.


Rubellite could be interesting. I'd kinda like to see it, but I don't have a good feel yet for how it plays out in 2/2/2/2.


Caustic could be good - I feel like it's one of the most unique.


Viridian Bog is just weird and awkward.


Grim Plexus could be good. Might be worth putting this on in. Though I think it's the ugliest map by far and I hate looking at it.

[Throe]

[deleted by user]

Edited by Throe, 09 November 2018 - 12:41 PM.

[UCR Starwolf]

If you want variety you need to auto-ban the map (or maps) that was just played. As much as i love the map, it was super boring to see canyon network 3 times in a row.

[Lizzee]

Canyon Network
Tourmaline Desert

Let's be real, these 2 maps are the most interesting and balanced gameplay-wise. Spectator-wise aswell, but I'm not the one to judge on that one.

Other three:
Polar Highlands
Grim Plexus
Crimson Strait

[Liveish]

Increase the map pool to 7, teams still only get 2 bans each and then 1 team picks 1 of 3 maps. ( Or course this will get smaller or you can add more maps from the could use section)
once a map is picked it can not be used again in those set of matches( that way we can still use canyon and tourm)

Maps:
Polar Highlands
Grim Plexus
HPG
Rubellite
Canyon Network
Tourmaline Desert
Caustic


MAP not to be used.

Crimson Strait - Unfair
Alpine - Unfair with 2/2/2/2 MRBC used it on D2 were fast mechs could counter the unfair sides and fake hills you can shoot though.


Map that could be used.
Terra Therma
Forest Colony
Frozen City
Solaris City ( needs to be tested first)
Mining Collective
Bog

Edited by live1991, 07 May 2018 - 03:30 PM.

[Kamikaze Viking]

Canyon Network
Tourmaline Desert

I agree with Lizzee, that these are the two most balanced maps. BUT I'm sick to death of them for WC. If they are included then you can guarantee that they will be picked EVERY set of matches. (not so bad when you cannot pick a map twice in a set, but still id rather see other maps)

I'd like to see more of the unusual maps like Bog, Terra Therma

Rubellite is the best of the new maps and should definitely be in.

I'd rather see Alpine than Polar, but as Live1991 pointed out, those fake hills make the map unfair (fix the LOD's so that the ridges look their correct height and people cant see a target they cant hit. nothing worse than holding a full burn and it not registering because there is a hill there you cant see)

Caustic is an interesting option and you will get a lot of brawls but I've seen some crazy things done in comp on that map. I think it would be interesting for spectators.

It'd certainly be interesting to include the new Solaris City, Assuming its as well designed as Rubellite, but top priority would have to go to making sure any bugs on release get fixed asap.

My Picks:
Rubellite
Mining Collective OR Solaris City
Terra Therma
Caustic Valley
Grim plexus OR Viridian Bog,

[Colonel ONeill]

The stack with 5 maps felt quite good tbh. Also the map selection seemed good in terms of balance and from a casting perspective.

The two classics need to be included. Balanced and most entertaining:
Canyon Network
Tourmaline Desert

Other maps quite intresting:
Polar Highlands
Grim Plexus
HPG
Caustic


Oasis is good in general. But it has way too many invisible walls for high level comp play. It should not be included.
Bog could be intresting. Although I am not so sure if it's that great to watch a fight on the map and it's a bit unbalanced.

Edited by Colonel ONeill, 07 May 2018 - 05:26 PM.

[Panthros]

How about create new maps that launch at the start of the tournament and you can only play the maps if you are in the tournament?

[MORKEL]

from an E-Sport perspective, I want to see smaller, faster moving action packed maps for fast matches.
I also think the maps should be those that really shine to look at, scenic and fun maps. (eye candy for the viewers)

• Mining Collective (gorgeous and great map to spectate, in this list it may get selection consideration if teams are concerned about hot maps being an issue for their DPS)
  
• Viridian Bog (nice mix of brawl and snipe, move or dig in)
  
• Rubellite Oasis (another solid mix of snipe or brawl options with heat concerns)
  
• Terra Therma (one of the best looking maps in the game, great hot fun.)
  
• Solaris City (I am expecting this to be an awesome looking brawler map)

I left out the snow maps because IMO they are the most boring maps in the game from a spectator point of view, just too much white on the screen. You can go snow blind watching! They are all a bit large and at that skill level, I expect them to have to deal with heat management a little more often.

[RjBass3]

Chris Lowrey, on 07 May 2018 - 01:45 PM, said:

So the MWO World Championship 2018 is coming and I'm looking for feedback regarding the Map Pool for the upcoming "Open Season" of the 2018 MWOWC.

Last Season's Map Pool consisted of:

• Canyon Network
  
• Tourmaline Desert
  
• HPG Manifold
  
• The Mining Collective
  
• Rubelliet Oasis

Last seasons order was damn near perfect. But change out Polar for Rubelliet.

Edited by RjBass3, 07 May 2018 - 07:53 PM.

[Y E O N N E]

My suggestion is that PGI implement a modified version of the MRBC format.

Play Structure:

• Matches are 8v8 Conquest
  
• 20 Minute Time Limit
  
• Matches are Three (3) rounds
  
• FINALS: Matches are Five (5) rounds for Semi-Finals and Finals
  
• Each round has a different drop-weight limit (i.e. Drop 1 is 250 tons, Drop 2 is 375 tons, Drop 3 is 500 tons, etc.)
  
• Overall victory is determined by rep points accrued during the matches.

Map Selection:

• Each round, three maps are chosen from the pool via RNG (uniform distribution; no weighting) and presented for banning.
  
• Once played, a map is removed from the pool for the remaining rounds and cannot be played again.

Drop Deck Composition:

• Each team may only bring one duplicate chassis per round (i.e. if Team A has an LCT-1E and LCT-3M, they cannot have a third Locust of any flavor for that round, nor can they bring two Grasshoppers or two of any other chassis for that same round)
  
• FINALS: At the beginning of a match, after map banning and before 'Mech selections are made, each team votes to ban two chassis in alternating fashion (i.e. Team A bans all Grasshoppers, Team B bans all Annihilators, Team A bans all Mad Cat Mk. IIs, Team B bans all Piranhas)
  
• No MC-only 'Mechs

Points:

• Kills
  
• Caps
  
• Remaining Health

For Kills:

• Assaults are worth 400 points
  
• Heavies are 300
  
• Mediums are 200
  
• Lights are 200
  
• Values decay by 2.5% every minute

For Caps

• 100 points per neutralization
  
• 200 points per capture
  
• Accrual over Time is 1 point per Cap per Second

For Remaining Health:

• 100 points for every 'Mech over 80% at the end
  
• 50 points for every 'Mech over 70% at the end

The goal of the points is to provide incentive to not only win, but win as hard as possible, ergo improving play and interest of the matches.

Edited by Yeonne Greene, 04 June 2018 - 02:02 PM.

[JadeTornado]

Include:
Canyon Network is a good map, I love it since the first WC.
River City, hope fps drops will be fixed one day.
Tourmaline Desert
Caustic Valley & Mining Collective - might be a lot of action here.
Exclude:
Alpine Peaks & Polar Highlands - walking simulators, fake hills on Alpines.
Terra Therma - In my opinion, the shape of this map is pushing players to play straightforward.
Forest Colony - not interesting to play.

Edited by SlaveLabor, 07 May 2018 - 09:15 PM.

[Kaeseblock]

Canyon and Tourmaline were played almost exclusively for the last two seasons. So although they are really good maps, they should be dropped from the map pool this time.

Good maps:

• HPG Manifold (really interesting drop decks possible - e.g. MWOWC 2017 with ATM Night Gyrs )
  
• Terra Terma (plays really well in MRBC since the rework)
  
• Mining Collective (allows for diverse gameplay from ranged decks to complete brawl, pretty balanced for both sides)
  
• Rubelite Oasis (the best map since Canyon and Tourmaline, good for ranged decks while still offering lots of good flanking routes for light mechs and brawlers)
  
• Grim Plexus (really good map on Conquest)
  
• Viridian Bog (allows for diverse gameplay from ranged decks to complete brawl, pretty balanced for both sides)
  
• Caustic Valley

Bad maps:

• Crimson Strait (sides are unbalanced)
  
• Polar Highlands (too big for action packed gameplay, balanced but boring to watch)

[Surn]

Viridian Bog
Terra Therma
Tourmaline Desert
Rubelite Oasis
Mining Collective
Grim Plexus
HPG Manifold

Edited by Surn, 08 May 2018 - 07:59 AM.

[denAirwalkerrr]

Agreed on statements that these two maps 100% need to be in rotation for being most balanced:
Canyon Network
Tourmaline Desert

Another 3 maps I'd like to see:
Rubellite Oasis - new map which has a lot of different tactics
Mining Collective - almost the only map for comp where you can at least try making any sort of brawling work at high competitive level.
Frozen City - if you want to add any sort of cold map for comp rotation this one is obvious choice because Polar and Alpine are too big and too boring.

Why I don't want other maps:
Forest Colony - unbalanced in terms of cap points location, trees suck, not much cover.
Caustic Valley - IMO a little bit poor designed map for comp due to how caps and highrounds around middle caldera are located.
River City - again poor design for comp due to very open middle part of the map.
Alpine Peaks / Polar Highlands - as I said above they are too big, too open.
Terra Therma - all fights are happening over middle which is strongly biased towards one of spawns in terms of power positions.
Crimson Straight - could be interesing choice if it had some other ways to other side of the map aside from saddle/tunnel.
HPG Manifold - just NO.
Viridian Bog - again all fights are happening over middle which is strongly biased towards one of spawns in terms of cap location and power positions.
Grim Plexus - scirmish spawn locations are too far away and map again is too big and too open, only slightly better than on Alpine/Polar.

Edited by denAirwalkerrr, 07 May 2018 - 11:56 PM.