Opinion: Most Balanced Maps?

[Artificial Sky]

Hi guys, this is my first OP. I'm hoping to spark some productive discussion.

 

Try to elaborate on your opinions too:

Turret locations

Vertical and horizontal spacing

Amount of cover

How likely would you be to attack this location in conquest?

Do you favor this map for Free Battle?

etc.

 

Edited March 30, 2012 by Artificial Sky

[Heartwarm]

I will be speaking merely on terms of Free Battles.

 

Abandoned City has a nice mix of buildings with wide open areas as the middle is the riven that runs through and near that is a nice open arena closed off by the highway system. The buildings also are set up to which you can still use them to duck outta fire without it being to restrictive on space. It allows for the building fights to be more about movement rather than ducking in and out like Urban Area.

 

In terms of Invasion/Stronghold

 

Abandoned Facility and Alpine Base are easily the most fun in terms of how much can be going on while everyone has their spats. This is due to the openness and proper usage of the terrain for each area. Alpine is great for hoping around to keep your foes on their toes as Facility makes you use the little cover that you have properly to maximize movement and missile shielding. Both also have pretty good turret placements as they can really turn the favor of battle quickly if the invading team doesn't pay attention.

 

I would love to attack every area just to mix up the terrain but we all know some areas just don't see combat so my team spends most of our time in Abandoned Facility. It is a bad feeling though when the same team of 1-3 keeps invading and we just defend against an already lost battle as we are normally 4+.

 

Dueling is normally best up to what the two players agree on. I can understand how someone may be at a disadvantage in a heavy building map or the flip side of it having no buildings at all.

Edited March 30, 2012 by feilarco

[ICEFANG13]

In my opinion, discussion on which map is least balanced/most, is very dependent on the mechs being used (and therefore the team playing them). It may be better to say which size of mech, and which weapons preform best in certain areas. That's too complex for me to think about now (especially since I don't know how many of them feel when you use them).

 

The other part of the puzzle, is definitely more map specific. Like you Sky (and of course you know this), I have fairly limited knowledge of many maps, and much less than you would (operators don't know what it looks like as well). I usually think of maps in 2 ways:

How many turrets can be on it, and how spread out could they be?

How many different directions can you approach the turrets, and how many ways can you approach them in a logical way? (Hit one from behind without being shot by another).

 

You, like me, probably have the most knowledge of Mining Sector, I like that map, because even though the avenues of attack are limited, the distance to cover makes the turrets seem less effective to me, and you can hit them in a more "get hit less" manner. I find it has a good deal of balance because of that, although I wouldn't put it at the top.

 

There is also Abandoned Facility, which is more opposite than Mining Sector in these two ways. It has a good level of cannon tightness (and heavy cannons) that makes it hard to engage anywhere you need to be, but its also completely open, so you aren't stopped from going anywhere.

 

I would put Mining about Abandoned at this time, but I also have much less knowledge on the other maps. (For other readers, I like to play fast assassin laser blades, making my opinions completely skewed that way). I don't like Marine because it feels like there is too much water (really hard for blade user). I dislike any of them with a lot of buildings, but they also make good cover. Alpine and Canyon are the opposite, a little too little cover and the turrets blow you up.

 

 

I haven't voted yet, I will when I play more.

[Artificial Sky]

Thanks for your opinion Feilarco!

 

However, wouldn't you say that Abandoned Facility (In conquest missions) gives the defending team a huge advantage? Because the map is so open for the aggressors, they are completely exposed to all sorts of turret fire and the enemy team. How can they possibly advance? Any ideas?

 

Also, Abandoned City is a very odd map, in my opinion. Though it's inner city areas are great for tactical combat, the river created a humongous no man's land. Any mech trying to cross has absolutely no cover to utilize and a good team will pummel it from the safety of their perch. How do you approach that middle area?

 

Thanks Icefang buddy ,

 

Yeah, I understand what you're saying. However, when I ask about balance, I'm asking which map is the least dependent on the mechs being used. Ideally, a good player could play any play style on any map and be effective. But like you said, bladers would not do so well on maps with a lot of water, therefore, that kind of map would be less balanced: it doesn't accommodate blading, whereas other maps might.

 

As for Mining Sector's conquest mission balance, the invading team should never win against the defending team. Approaching through the tunnels is complete suicide: there's no room to maneuver and a few good turrets will wreck any mechs trying to exit that choke.

Then the waterway is the only viable approach, and there is no cover from the waterway exit the the Mining Sector's inner city area. How could any team break through?

 

I only mean to ask questions that we could answer in the future; my questions aren't meant to be rhetorical.

 

Thanks for your opinions guys.

[Bakuhatsu Pengin]

maps are not balanced and they should not be. they each favor certain playstyles and designs more heavily than others and (hypothetically) force players to prepare for each map instead of HERP DERP SAME AC EVERYWHERE

 

with that being said i believe abandoned facility would be the least design-dependant if it were not for the huge refinery ditch on defense side.

[Tsuranga]

I really liked urban area because of the huge river for long range snipers to camp. It also has skyscraper areas for jumping ac's, but they aren't Too tall and are more complex for getting around easier.

[Bakuhatsu Pengin]

you can like or hate a map for whatever reason, but that has abso-fucking-lutely nothing to do with balance of maps

 

why are you here

[Harakiri Tiger]

Tsu likes Urban area cuz he can jump in the river and scream, "Men in a lake! Men in a laaAAAAaaaake~!"

 

I can definitely say that Mining Area and Alpine Base are two maps that favor the defender immensely. They're the two maps with the most powerful chokepoint turret positions, especially on higher level maps that allow for better turrets. Both of them make the really broken turret defense possibilities about three times more broken than they would otherwise be on any other map. That's why they're the most fought over territory on the JP servers too, haha. It's so fucking hard to attack those territories when the defending team knows what they're doing and knows how to properly seal off choke points.

 

The other territories are generally more balanced towards wider styles and approaches.

 

I will say that I highly dislike Abandoned Facility and Marine Facility, though. Both maps are relatively awkward to play for a DFA/CQC player and worse is that about half the map for each map is either super open or covered in explosive oil tanks, both of which are terrible for heavy walljump play. They both have sections that are playable for someone like me, but any smart opponent will just back out of those areas if they notice that your AC is focused around DFA since DFA requires walljumping/jumping. Oh well.

 

The other four maps feel OK to me. Huge canyon feels like it favors missiles, ranged cannons, and snipers immensely too. Other playstyles seem pretty viable on it, though. I've had little DFA/CQC problems on that map at least. It's safe to say the three city maps favor high mobility walljumpers, too. I definitely can't complain about those. I'm sure quads dislike all three of them, haha.

[Heartwarm]

Thanks for your opinion Feilarco!

 

However, wouldn't you say that Abandoned Facility (In conquest missions) gives the defending team a huge advantage? Because the map is so open for the aggressors, they are completely exposed to all sorts of turret fire and the enemy team. How can they possibly advance? Any ideas?

 

Also, Abandoned City is a very odd map, in my opinion. Though it's inner city areas are great for tactical combat, the river created a humongous no man's land. Any mech trying to cross has absolutely no cover to utilize and a good team will pummel it from the safety of their perch. How do you approach that middle area?

 

 

I wouldn't say that because that openness can be used to move around to hide, destroy targets/turrets, and still be able to benefit their team. As an invader as long as you either come from multiple directions you can overwhelm the defenders. Unless they are expecting it they wont be able to keep up who to target or if they are focus firing the right person down. This allows the invaders already have a picked target and if done correctly a quick 3-7 second kill while the defenders are still working on who to target. Also the turrets will only be a problem if the invaders aren't even bothering with them. Clear the battle area slowly till you engage and any area you end up in be sure to clear the area. Also if there is a certain tower that has a high threat (jammers, certain missile, long range turrets, and giant turrets who can reach the area with shots). Overall i think the map doesn't play as big a role.

 

To cross the river it takes team movement. If all move in the enemy team will start to ready themselves. Normally you have someone sweep around fast to scatter them with shots coming at them from an uncertain source. As long as the team advancing can all rush together without single filing into their death you should be fine. Those covered bridge are covered for a reason.and you always have the rail tracks which act as a nice large open bridge to cross on without being restrained allow for dodges.

[Densuo]

Mining Sector and Alpine Base is totally pro defenders. Huge Canyon as well IMO.

 

I'd say Marine Facility seems fair for the most part. Not comfortable for a CQC AC but I don't really see much of an advantage for either side.

 

Granted the maps are really not allowing of an omni build. Which is good. There's favorings for types of AC.

 

Abandoned Facility looks like maybe a slight advantage for the Defenders. But not that much.

Edited April 9, 2012 by Densuo