Do you remember a time when Starcraft was more about discovering stuff and playing fun maps? Do you remember a time when people did not cry for optimized maps and whine about balance on maps? Do you remember when each map was a challenge and required very specific builds? Do you remember when weird and unconventional maps, like island maps were a thing?
I do and I miss that time.
One day I tried to relive this time and hosted a game lobby on Battlenet called: ”1v1 Plasma, gogo!”
I had the lobby open for over an hour.
Nobody joined.
Nobody wanted to have fun on a weird map.
I felt sad, gloomy and dismal.
This got me thinking, what if we had a FUN league with really weird maps?
This started my search for the most bizarre and special maps I could find to host in this new league.
Today, I present to you the abomination created by the vigorous, grueling map selection process that took too long to complete.
Routa’s Weird Map League Season 1!
STRUCTURE
The tournament will start on the 18th of February. The way it works is that I post pairings on the tournament Discord-channel and you meet with your opponents on discord. Once pairings are posted, you have until next Sunday 1PM (GMT +2) time to play your matches and post spoiler free replays in the Discord #replays channel. Next week's pairings will be posted approximately 2 hours after previous weeks cast is done on Sunday. THERE WILL BE NO SCHEDULED TIME TO PLAY YOUR MATCHES, EACH PLAYER WILL CONTACT THEIR OPPONENT ON DISCORD TO AGREE ON A TIME TO PLAY THEIR MATCHES.
The tournament will kick off with a round robin groupstage: players will be randomly seeded into 2-4 groups of 8-16 (depending on the amount of sign ups) and each player will play 2-3 BO3's each week against their opponents. Players will be awarded one point for each map they win in each of their BO3's every week. Additionally, each group will have extra points awarded for:
+2 points for the pimpest play of the week for each group. +1 point for the coolest build of the week for each group. +1 "at least you tried"-point for each group.
After group stage #1 is done, top 50% (rounded up) players will be seeded into group stage #2. Higher seeds from group stage #1 will play lower seeds of other groups. For example group stage #2 groups could look like this:
Pairings and playing the matches in group stage #2 will work the same way it worked in group stage #1: pairings on Sunday, play matches and post replays before Sunday 1PM GMT+2.
After group stage #2 (and possible tiebreakers if uneven amount of qualifying players) the top 8 players will be seeded into a double-elimination bracket which will decide the winner of the tournament. I will provide more information about bracket stage and groupstage #2 when I see how many players sign up for the tournament.
The tournament will run for 5-8 weeks depending on the amount of signed up players.
RULES
- ICCUP tournament rules apply. (Competitive Rules) - No BM - Failing to play matches or post results within the provided time frame will result in a warning. If you get warned twice, you will be disqualified from the tournament. - All matches until bracket stages are BO3, one map will award you one point in the group. - All games must be played on the latest patch of Starcraft Remastered - Both players MUST upload spoiler free replays to the #replays channel on the RWML-Discord - Maps must be played in the correct order. Each weeks maps will be posted on the #pairings channel on the RWML-Discord and tagged as Map 1|-Examplemap Map2|-Definetlyanexamplemap Map3|-Mostlikelyanexamplemap -Race picking is NOT allowed. When you sign up for the tournament, you must announce your race on the Discord. -Playing random IS allowed.
Disconnect rules - If a player disconnects then it is an automatic loss for the person who disconnected. - The only time this isn't applicable is if BOTH players agree to a regame.
MAP POOL
-The map pool consists of the following maps, the map pack will be available for download on the RWML-Discord
Eldritch Lake Crystallis Pinwheel Paradoxxx 2 Pridelands Plasma Obsidian Vulcan's Forge Ice Age
SIGNING UP
All sign-ups must be done via the official RWML Discord, which can be found here https://discord.gg/T8aDQKd ! Sign up on the #sign-ups channel, please announce your race and wait for an admin to add you to #registered-players. Sign-ups will close 24 hours before first pairings will be posted.
STREAM
All games will be cast on my stream at https://twitch.tv/ikirouta on Sundays after each week, beginning at 1PM GMT+2 time.
TLDR -What? A fun weird map league! -When? From the 18th of Feb onwards. -Why? Its fun! -How do I sign up? https://discord.gg/T8aDQKd -Will the best casted? https://twitch.tv/ikirouta -Can anybody sign up? -yes! -Where do I find the maps? On the discord #maps channel.
GLHF!
Also I'd really like to play in the tourney myself, do you think it is ok for the tournament organizer to play in his own tournament?
Poll: Should Routa be allowed to play in his own league
Hell yeah (34)
47%
Yes, but he can't pick himself for extra points (23)
32%
No (12)
16%
I don't care (4)
5%
73 total votes
Your vote: Should Routa be allowed to play in his own league
(Vote): Yes, but he can't pick himself for extra points (Vote): Hell yeah (Vote): No (Vote): I don't care
On January 27 2018 06:01 Dazed. wrote: I'd play but its just way too early into the day.
Sunday 1PM GMT+2 is casting time. You play at any time you can agree on with your opponents within the provided 7 days. You have a week to play the matches and post the replays.
Demons forest is pretty buggy. Units can get stuck in the middle of the map if I remember correctly
Taken from map thread at bwmn, supposedly quoting a TL from awhile ago (you can search it):
"As reported earlier by WaxAngel, many pro teams have been complaining to OGN about the new Map Demon's Forest. As written here, the majority of complaints are about the tree doodads in the middle of the map. These doodads cause glitches in unit behaviors, specifically with vultures laying mines and archons being warped. (Although god knows how dragoons fair with their spastic behavior)."
Edit: but if the tourney is for fun then it could be amusing watching players have to deal with this sort of stuff.
Taken from map thread at bwmn, supposedly quoting a TL from awhile ago (you can search it):
"As reported earlier by WaxAngel, many pro teams have been complaining to OGN about the new Map Demon's Forest. As written here, the majority of complaints are about the tree doodads in the middle of the map. These doodads cause glitches in unit behaviors, specifically with vultures laying mines and archons being warped.
We know now what causes vortex bugs and have the tools to easily debug it. It's actually a far more common bug than most people might think, I'd estimate that at least 1 in 3 maps has at least one instance of it. Obnoxiously, Demon's Forest had dozens of instances because of all the unwalkable trees in the middle of pathfinding regions, though.
(Although god knows how dragoons fair with their spastic behavior)."
Not worse than any other unit. Always amazes me how even people invovlved with the pro scene don't seem to have the slightest clue how pathfinding and collision even work… To glitch units into a vortex, you need collision box overlap first: worker drills, burrow stacks, Lurker morphs, Archon morphs or laying Mines are required to achieve it.
and many others. Chances are that if you are thinking of a weird map, I've already thought about it. I spent over 2 months thinking about the map pool, I went through over 300 maps and tested each of them out in singleplayer.
I'm still looking for a few signups to (hopefully) get an even amount of players for groupstage #1. Tell your friends, your wife, your parents! Lets get more people in to join the fun!
I really like that there's about a week to play the games, makes it very possible for people with a schedule like mine to be able to attend :D I'm down! Even if it's just to get my ass kicked and thrown right out of the tournament, this is too cool a tournament not to support!
Can't sign up for about 12-14 hours, though, but I will do it!
On February 17 2018 07:35 Incomplete..ReV wrote: I really like that there's about a week to play the games, makes it very possible for people with a schedule like mine to be able to attend :D I'm down! Even if it's just to get my ass kicked and thrown right out of the tournament, this is too cool a tournament not to support!
Can't sign up for about 12-14 hours, though, but I will do it!
A: Sero, Best, Just, Seriosity or DM-White B: Drone, Faust, myself, littlechava C: non, fischei, hirmu, Arya D: Ty2, Dazed, [tough call between Qikz, Blacksnow, Jor, and Dentarg but I'll go with Qikz/Blacksnow, with Incomplete being the dark horse for me since I don't know him well]
Just lol@facing Drone in a league like this hahaha
On February 18 2018 14:29 Jealous wrote: D: Ty2, Dazed, [tough call between Qikz, Blacksnow, Jor, and Dentarg but I'll go with Qikz/Blacksnow, with Incomplete being the dark horse for me since I don't know him well]
Few do and with good reason - I'm quite shit! Need some fillers to make the stars shine, though
Just hopping in to tell you it's a great league! Lots of games have to be played though, but you managed to attract a great group of people. Lots of fun and good manner.
Huge thanks to the people who helped me to pick which games to cast.
This weeks games will be
Faust vs HBT Chobo vs Navane Navane vs tubbers Chobo vs Drone Hirmu vs Arya Aweaweawe222 vs Hirmu fischei vs non Vorchant vs Tempest Ty2 vs Dazed Blacksnow vs Dentarg Ty2 vs JorDaddy
next weeks pairings will go up after the cast and I will post standings after week1 tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.
I used to play with my friend on Binary Burghs. It's not as weird as some of these maps, but it does have high-ground islands and a lack easy natural expansions.
If you do this tournament again, would you consider having the games be 1v1 Team Melee, so that each player begins with 3 workers of their primary race and 1 worker of their secondary race? Not only would this make the gameplay more unusual, but it would also possibly mitigate some race balance issues with some maps (e.g., both a Terran player and a Zerg player could have access to Siege Tanks if necessary).
On February 26 2018 03:17 Djabanete wrote: I'm looking forward to seeing the Youtube VODs!
I used to play with my friend on Binary Burghs. It's not as weird as some of these maps, but it does have high-ground islands and a lack easy natural expansions.
If you do this tournament again, would you consider having the games be 1v1 Team Melee, so that each player begins with 3 workers of their primary race and 1 worker of their secondary race? Not only would this make the gameplay more unusual, but it would also possibly mitigate some race balance issues with some maps (e.g., both a Terran player and a Zerg player could have access to Siege Tanks if necessary).
I'll add Binary Burghs to the list to think about for next season.
I'm not really a fan of team melee, and I tried to pick out maps so every race has strong maps and bad maps and balance it out that way.
Youtube VODs are processing, I will link them to this thread once they are done.
On February 26 2018 03:17 Djabanete wrote: I'm looking forward to seeing the Youtube VODs!
I used to play with my friend on Binary Burghs. It's not as weird as some of these maps, but it does have high-ground islands and a lack easy natural expansions.
If you do this tournament again, would you consider having the games be 1v1 Team Melee, so that each player begins with 3 workers of their primary race and 1 worker of their secondary race? Not only would this make the gameplay more unusual, but it would also possibly mitigate some race balance issues with some maps (e.g., both a Terran player and a Zerg player could have access to Siege Tanks if necessary).
Unfortunately Team Melee reps still don't work properly ):
Pimpest play Best's Reaver Control vs Hreyfill Coolest Build Just's Nydus on Pridelands "Atleast you tried" Hreyfill for the game on Pridelands vs Routa
Pimpest Play - Jordaddy's 13 kill DT vs Dentarg. (This one was hard to decide) Coolest Build -Blacksnows air control into DT drop on Pridelands "Atleast you tried" - JorDaddys Recall on Pridelands
Ranko vs Littlechava Faust vs Drone AweAwe vs Randir Arya vs Fischei Qikz vs Ty2 Incomplete vs Blacksnow are the matches im gonna cast this week, going live shorty after asl finishes
WEEK 1 Extra points. Pimpest play - Seriositys Carrier Splits vs rOuta Coolest Build - Just's Nydus on Pridelands "Atleast you tried" - Hreyfill for the game on Pridelands vs Routa WEEK2 Extra points. Pimpest Play - Seriositys Reaver control vs Hreyfill on Crystallis Coolest Build - Seriositys scout opener. "Atleast you tried" - Hreyfill vs seriOsity's scouts WEEK3 Extra points Pimpest Play - NO EXTRA POINTS CAUSE THIS GROUP SUCKS Coolest build - NO EXTRA POINTS CAUSE THIS GROUP SUCKS "Atleast you tried" -NO EXTRA POINTS CAUSE THIS GROUP SUCKS
WEEK1 Extra points. Pimpest Play - Drone's 24 kill DT vs tubbers Coolest Build - Chobos proxy gates "Atleast you tried" - littlechava on Pridelands vs Drone WEEK2 Extra points. Pimpest Play - Chobo's hallucinated shuttles Coolest Build - Chobo's gas deny vs Faust "Atleast you tried" - Ranko's Nukes WEEK3 Extra points Pimpest Play - Ranko's nukes vs des Coolest build - Chobo's 2sg scout opening vs hbt "Atleast you tried" - Tubbers for valiant effort vs chava.
WEEK1 Extra points. Pimpest Play - non's Lockdown + nukes Coolest Build - non's wraith opening on Ice Age "Atleast you tried" - Hirmu's carrier micro on Ice Age WEEK2 Extra points. Pimpest Play - AweAwe's Lurker jumps on Crystallis Coolest Build - Hirmu's 7port BC "Atleast you tried" - Hirmu's Rax float on Crystallis WEEK3 Extra points Pimpest Play - Fischei's cannon contain vs T3mpest Coolest build - Awe's proxy hatches vs Tempest on Plasma "Atleast you tried" - Hirmu's DTs vs non
WEEK1 Extra points. Pimpest Play - Dazed's Vulture micro vs Ty2 Coolest Build -Blacksnows air control into DT drop on Pridelands "Atleast you tried" - Blacksnow on Ice Age vs Dentarg WEEK2 Extra points. Pimpest Play - Dentarg's Mind Controls vs Incomplete Coolest Build - Dentarg's Scouts on Paradoxxx 2 vs Incomplete "Atleast you tried" - Blacksnows proxy gate goons vs Dazed WEEK3 Extra points. Pimpest Play -Blacksnows 30 kill reaver Coolest Builds - Ty2's wraiths "Atleast you tried" - Blacksnows carriers
No cast this week, I'm terribly sorry. I'm currently experiencing some issues with my right eye and I am unable to cast. I will post results and pairings later on today.
grpstage #2 is done! Here are the brackets for bracket stage. Winners of the groups were seeded into upper bracket and #2 finishers were seeded in the lower bracket. Map pool for bracket stage is Monty Hall Sparkle Dead End Crystallis Plasma Paradoxxx2 Vulcan's Forge
Open the video on YouTube, open the javascript console (Ctrl+Shift+J), and paste in that code to watch things at x8 speed (change the number to however fast you want). The words are a blur, but if I couldn't watch all 10hr in 1.5hr, I wouldn't bother to watch all 10 hr.
Regardless, thank you so much Routa, I absolutely love weird maps, and it's so good you're giving your time to bring us these creative, weirdo, and super entertaining games!
On April 14 2018 14:00 Ikirouta wrote: Hiya, sorry to inform but I have to move todays cast to tomorrow after ASL. My health issues continue and I'm currently on the way to the doctor.