Looking at current map pools you often recognize braundorf and adlernest as part of them. But what makes them so popular for competitive gaming? There is an easy answer: they are fast and you don’t have to develop individual tactics. That’s why 2-weeks-clans are able to learn these maps as fast as they die again. In addition, these maps are often played by mixed teams, cause they are that easy to play.
Nonetheless they come with some major problems. If two equal teams face each other on adlernest, you can also vote for a cointoss to decide the match. Having luck is a major element of maps like adlernest (and braundorf [though on braundorf other facts have a big influence on the chance of winning, too]), although I can’t deny that some matches were thrilling. And that’s the point where the problems begin. Do you, as player, want a map which is decided by ONE lucky moment if you face an equally skilled team? Do you want a map where a lower skilled team can take the victory home just because they shot a 3-man-pf? I believe an answer isn’t necessary.
Nevertheless adlernest is still played because of it’s simplicity. Every mixed team can play it. Being confronted with more challenging maps is just too hard for some teams because they have to develop both defense and offense tactics. It’s just not enough to call some classes.
But what are “more challenging” maps. I would call radar a more challenging map. A map which is based on more stages,a map which can be fullholded if you are much better than the other team, a map where the better team wins in the majority of cases.
Having maps like sw_fueldump not in the map pools is a shame. It proofs that the community prefers a 2-rounds-luck map (average round time 3 minutes, also if two equally skilled teams play) over a map where a doublefullhold shows that two teams are nearly equally skilled. In addition, a double fullhold does not have to be boring (15 minutes nowadays aren’t that much anyway). Having a map which offers thrilling moments and ends up in a fullhold is still better than a map which offers one thrilling moment and results in a 2 minutes time. Of course sw_fueldump still has some problems, but these problems will be solved (especially the too easy defense of the axis at the last stage will be solved soon). Having such challenging maps it’ll be necessary for teams to exist more than 2 weeks and probably to pracc more than a map once a week in order to learn the tactics.
Braundorf is quite similar to adlernest, although the importance of luck isn’t that huge. Still braundorf is dominated by nadespam, leaning and no tactical variations. Seeing always the same match development makes the map boring and monotonous. That’s why braundorf belongs to the simplistic maps, too.
Upcoming events like the quakecon,the xfire-lan, the IPS (and the next Eurocup (?)) are showing that ET is more alive than it has ever been before. And now it’s time to discuss in which direction maps have to be developed. Shall there be short and easy maps or more complex maps? Shall an ET match be based more on luck than on tactics and preparation? It’s up to the community and the admins to decide which way is the best for the future of ET.
Proposed mappool by me:
sw_goldrush
Being in the mappool for a long time, sw_goldrush has become one of the “you-are-not-even-allowed-to-think-about- kicking-it-out-of-the-map-pool”-maps. And without any doubt, it is a great map. Offering the possibility to set up various defenses and nearly no “lotto” moments this maps belongs into a map pool like bread to the breakfast.
radar
Probably the best stock map in ET. Fullholds, intense moments, we have seen everything on radar. Having this map in a map pool is necessary to guarantee team based action and some nice part runs.
Frostbite
A doc run map, known from RTCW, which connects a nice doc run with thrilling fights. Offering fights at at least 2-3 stages this map has proven to be worth of being played in ET.
sw_fueldump
Fueldump, after a longer hibernation this map undergoes some changes, and finally it seems to be ready for the competition. With the removal of snow, the changes made to optimize the tank and the additional truck spawn for the axis, this map became more dynamic. Although the development of the map isn’t over yet, this map seems to be ready for the big cups. [the ladder at the truck spawn won’t be useable in b3]
+
2 of the following maps:
supplydepot2
One of the most played maps in competitive ET, it has proven to be a great map. Although some guys want to see it out of the map pools, sd2 could be fun again without the mortar and some config changes.
warbell
I haven’t played it yet, but the description of the map is amazing. It’s worth being tested in a showcup.
sp_delivery2
Offering a “double doc run” in the end, this map tries to dissociate from lotto moments. Giving the possibility to set up different defenses, this map could develop into a real competition map.
HoG
I’ve played it once, I didn’t like it. Perhaps it’s worth testing, but I guess, it’s a just too long truck way. With some changes it could become nice though.
worth to test ,too: sos_secret_weapon, snatch2, rommel, la rochelle, sw_oasis_b3/oasis (without mortar perhaps nice to play) battery , Nachteinbruch – I think there will be more maps, but this just came into my mind.
Nonetheless they come with some major problems. If two equal teams face each other on adlernest, you can also vote for a cointoss to decide the match. Having luck is a major element of maps like adlernest (and braundorf [though on braundorf other facts have a big influence on the chance of winning, too]), although I can’t deny that some matches were thrilling. And that’s the point where the problems begin. Do you, as player, want a map which is decided by ONE lucky moment if you face an equally skilled team? Do you want a map where a lower skilled team can take the victory home just because they shot a 3-man-pf? I believe an answer isn’t necessary.
Nevertheless adlernest is still played because of it’s simplicity. Every mixed team can play it. Being confronted with more challenging maps is just too hard for some teams because they have to develop both defense and offense tactics. It’s just not enough to call some classes.
But what are “more challenging” maps. I would call radar a more challenging map. A map which is based on more stages,a map which can be fullholded if you are much better than the other team, a map where the better team wins in the majority of cases.
Having maps like sw_fueldump not in the map pools is a shame. It proofs that the community prefers a 2-rounds-luck map (average round time 3 minutes, also if two equally skilled teams play) over a map where a doublefullhold shows that two teams are nearly equally skilled. In addition, a double fullhold does not have to be boring (15 minutes nowadays aren’t that much anyway). Having a map which offers thrilling moments and ends up in a fullhold is still better than a map which offers one thrilling moment and results in a 2 minutes time. Of course sw_fueldump still has some problems, but these problems will be solved (especially the too easy defense of the axis at the last stage will be solved soon). Having such challenging maps it’ll be necessary for teams to exist more than 2 weeks and probably to pracc more than a map once a week in order to learn the tactics.
Braundorf is quite similar to adlernest, although the importance of luck isn’t that huge. Still braundorf is dominated by nadespam, leaning and no tactical variations. Seeing always the same match development makes the map boring and monotonous. That’s why braundorf belongs to the simplistic maps, too.
Upcoming events like the quakecon,the xfire-lan, the IPS (and the next Eurocup (?)) are showing that ET is more alive than it has ever been before. And now it’s time to discuss in which direction maps have to be developed. Shall there be short and easy maps or more complex maps? Shall an ET match be based more on luck than on tactics and preparation? It’s up to the community and the admins to decide which way is the best for the future of ET.
Proposed mappool by me:
sw_goldrush
Being in the mappool for a long time, sw_goldrush has become one of the “you-are-not-even-allowed-to-think-about- kicking-it-out-of-the-map-pool”-maps. And without any doubt, it is a great map. Offering the possibility to set up various defenses and nearly no “lotto” moments this maps belongs into a map pool like bread to the breakfast.
radar
Probably the best stock map in ET. Fullholds, intense moments, we have seen everything on radar. Having this map in a map pool is necessary to guarantee team based action and some nice part runs.
Frostbite
A doc run map, known from RTCW, which connects a nice doc run with thrilling fights. Offering fights at at least 2-3 stages this map has proven to be worth of being played in ET.
sw_fueldump
Fueldump, after a longer hibernation this map undergoes some changes, and finally it seems to be ready for the competition. With the removal of snow, the changes made to optimize the tank and the additional truck spawn for the axis, this map became more dynamic. Although the development of the map isn’t over yet, this map seems to be ready for the big cups. [the ladder at the truck spawn won’t be useable in b3]
+
2 of the following maps:
supplydepot2
One of the most played maps in competitive ET, it has proven to be a great map. Although some guys want to see it out of the map pools, sd2 could be fun again without the mortar and some config changes.
warbell
I haven’t played it yet, but the description of the map is amazing. It’s worth being tested in a showcup.
sp_delivery2
Offering a “double doc run” in the end, this map tries to dissociate from lotto moments. Giving the possibility to set up different defenses, this map could develop into a real competition map.
HoG
I’ve played it once, I didn’t like it. Perhaps it’s worth testing, but I guess, it’s a just too long truck way. With some changes it could become nice though.
worth to test ,too: sos_secret_weapon, snatch2, rommel, la rochelle, sw_oasis_b3/oasis (without mortar perhaps nice to play) battery , Nachteinbruch – I think there will be more maps, but this just came into my mind.
