Favourite ESOC maps!

[momuuu]

Well, I personally find skirm goon wars pretty boring. The idea is cool if age 4 added new units aswell thatd round out the composition, and if skirm goon wasnt so dominant. But as of now, Id rather see early game focussed build orders in colonial. After that the game because much less strategical in my eyes.

[Goodspeed]

The thing that surprised me is that high res land maps are being shunned this way and yet people want to see Indonesia.
Why not have one, or two? just a couple of high res land maps in the pool, much like the couple of exceptions there are in the other direction. I think you'd be surprised at how creative people can get with builds when they're given the option to play a longer game where, unlike on water, the players are actually able to reach each other's economies.
Of course, there's the wall problem...

[gibson]

Well, I personally find skirm goon wars pretty boring. The idea is cool if age 4 added new units aswell thatd round out the composition, and if skirm goon wasnt so dominant. But as of now, Id rather see early game focussed build orders in colonial. After that the game because much less strategical in my eyes.

Heavy cannon?

[momuuu]

Maybe a berrie only map would improve gameplay.

Then you can actually build mills without instantly losing lol. Id be willing to see how that works out.

[Garja]

The thing that surprised me is that high res land maps are being shunned this way and yet people want to see Indonesia.
Why not have one, or two? just a couple of high res land maps in the pool, much like the couple of exceptions there are in the other direction. I think you''d be surprised at how creative people can get with builds when they''re given the option to play a longer game where, unlike on water, the players are actually able to reach each other''s economies.
Of course, there''s the wall problem...

The problem with this kinda of meta is that it leads to one single 200/200 battle highly affected of where it takes place (because of the defender advantage). Most semi ff games tend to be that way already.

[zoom]

I mostly agree with Goodspeed on this matter ?? high resources is generally more interesting than lower resources because it improves civilization balance and expands strategic versatility. However, I don't agree with him on the definition of "high resources" (with regards to the amount required for certain civilizations, strategies, or builds to be viable).

As far as I can tell it's already quite apparent from this very poll that most forum members prefer relatively high resource maps.

[momuuu]

Hudson bay is very underplayed for being the favourite map haha.

To me arkansauce would be the best, but I dont like the terrain asthetically, and turkey are just fucking annoying as fuck (seriously garja, whyyyy).

Id personally like kamchatka much more if the first hunt wasnt two seperate hunts. For some civs you cant really affort to herd both towards your tc because thatd cost too many villager seconds. Just a small detail though.

[_H2O]

Cutting corners for Eco is viable today. I do it all the time in my games. If you build a map where "Eco starts" are viable then they become a must do thing. Right now I have options to make Eco plays and do it a lot in games. Like sending 1k wood as Spain for another Tc or doing China tower build and getting market ups or what about Eco India and shrine booms. Also Russian 5 Cossack 10 musket then stage coach.

All those to me are Eco plays that make sense and are sophisticated.

[Mimsy for President]

HP, Compaq , Arkansas and Kamchatka.
Arizona deserves a special mention.

[darkcrazy]

snow version of Kamchatka nice hunt, and nice open map

[Goodspeed]

Cutting corners for Eco is viable today. I do it all the time in my games. If you build a map where "Eco starts" are viable then they become a must do thing.

Much like taking map control early is a must do thing on maps like Cascade and Bengal. As long as we''re talking about only 1 or 2 maps in a pool of 10, it''s not a bad thing at all.

@zoom You mention how Arkansas/Manchuria are relatively high res. That''s exactly it: they aren''t supposed to be. They''re balanced maps, they''re supposed to be the average. The reason they are relatively high res compared to the rest of the pool is because of the bias towards aggressive maps which I mentioned before.

[[Armag] diarouga]

Cutting corners for Eco is viable today. I do it all the time in my games. If you build a map where "Eco starts" are viable then they become a must do thing.

Much like taking map control early is a must do thing on maps like Cascade and Bengal. As long as were talking about only 1 or 2 maps in a pool of 10, its not a bad thing at all.

@zoom You mention how Arkansas/Manchuria are relatively high res. Thats exactly it: they arent supposed to be. Theyre balanced maps, theyre supposed to be the average. The reason they are relatively high res compared to the rest of the pool is because of the bias towards aggressive maps which I mentioned before.

I agree, we should have 2-3 special maps and more balanced maps.

[momuuu]

Isnt the problem with these eco builds that you need to have hunts or you lose the game. Like, in starcraft you can always secure 3 bases pretty easily, but the fourth one is going to be hard. That kinda means that if someone can secure a fourth base while the other cant, he will have an advantage. In aoe, if someone cant secure the next hunt its not an advantage to your opponent, thats plain gg.

Thats why I was wondering how a berrie only map would work out. You could push out for berries, bur you could also go for the safer, more expensive but faster gathering mills.

[zoom]

Cutting corners for Eco is viable today. I do it all the time in my games. If you build a map where "Eco starts" are viable then they become a must do thing.

Much like taking map control early is a must do thing on maps like Cascade and Bengal. As long as were talking about only 1 or 2 maps in a pool of 10, its not a bad thing at all.

@zoom You mention how Arkansas/Manchuria are relatively high res. Thats exactly it: they arent supposed to be. Theyre balanced maps, theyre supposed to be the average. The reason they are relatively high res compared to the rest of the pool is because of the bias towards aggressive maps which I mentioned before.

Its that and the fact that they have fairly high hunts. You have a point though I agree.

[edeholland]

Isnt the problem with these eco builds that you need to have hunts or you lose the game. Like, in starcraft you can always secure 3 bases pretty easily, but the fourth one is going to be hard. That kinda means that if someone can secure a fourth base while the other cant, he will have an advantage. In aoe, if someone cant secure the next hunt its not an advantage to your opponent, thats plain gg.

Thats why I was wondering how a berrie only map would work out. You could push out for berries, bur you could also go for the safer, more expensive but faster gathering mills.

Mills only gather faster after expensive upgrades. Pushing out for berries would still always be the best option. 400w is just too much.

[momuuu]

Isnt the problem with these eco builds that you need to have hunts or you lose the game. Like, in starcraft you can always secure 3 bases pretty easily, but the fourth one is going to be hard. That kinda means that if someone can secure a fourth base while the other cant, he will have an advantage. In aoe, if someone cant secure the next hunt its not an advantage to your opponent, thats plain gg.

Thats why I was wondering how a berrie only map would work out. You could push out for berries, bur you could also go for the safer, more expensive but faster gathering mills.

Mills only gather faster after expensive upgrades. Pushing out for berries would still always be the best option. 400w is just too much.

yeah I know, but it would at least be more interesting, and the game wouldnt directlt be over if you lose map control.

[tedere12]

all are well designed gj garja. My favourite is cascade range, its a beautiful map.

[[Armag] diarouga]

Mills only gather faster after expensive upgrades. Pushing out for berries would still always be the best option. 400w is just too much.

yeah I know, but it would at least be more interesting, and the game wouldnt directlt be over if you lose map control.

But map control is super important in AOE3. And btw, Cascade is a berry map.

[zoom]

all are well designed gj garja. My favourite is cascade range, its a beautiful map.

It''s also an extremely one-dimensional map.

[momuuu]

yeah I know, but it would at least be more interesting, and the game wouldnt directlt be over if you lose map control.

But map control is super important in AOE3. And btw, Cascade is a berry map.

yeah but imagine there being no hunts at all, and mayne mines in base. Then map control would only be of medium importance. If we want map variety (tibet, indonesia) then this might be a cool idea too.

[edeholland]

But map control is super important in AOE3. And btw, Cascade is a berry map.

yeah but imagine there being no hunts at all, and mayne mines in base. Then map control would only be of medium importance. If we want map variety (tibet, indonesia) then this might be a cool idea too.

Texas

[Garja]

I agree, we should have 2-3 special maps and more balanced maps.

Well that''s excactly how it is now.

[[Armag] diarouga]

I agree, we should have 2-3 special maps and more balanced maps.

Well thats excactly how it is now.

Bengal, Indonesia, Tibet, Cascade thats almost 1/2 maps.

[momuuu]

I think we should have a little bit more standard land maps. Kinda only have high plains and arkansas that are really standard atm. At least, in the tournement map pool.

[Garja]

Well thats excactly how it is now.

Bengal, Indonesia, Tibet, Cascade thats almost 1/2 maps.

You mean in the tourney. Im talking about all custom maps.