Other [Issue 29] The Map Awards 2014!

[hogree 4,179]

 

It's been more than 2 years now since the Map Awards last graced the pages of the newspaper. As we come to the end of another year, it's time for the long-awaited return. Cast under the eyes of experienced members of the reporter team, we will discover the pick of the bunch as the battlegrounds once again face the limelight.

 

Maps are brilliant things. And in combat, it's as much about the battleground as the equipment. Today, I have with me 4 fellow Reporters, including our very own admin (the great Conan), to pick the best out from the bunch. Of course, these awards are solely opinionated. We all have our own favourites. But I hope these awards will give you a taster of what the community thinks are the greatest (and worst!) of the maps in the game. 15 Categories, 5 Reporters, 3 Positions - let's get started.

 

► Most Beautiful Map ◄

Fen: 3. Rio 2. Barda 1. Tribute 

Rem: 3. Tribute 2. Rio 1. Chernobyl

Gold: 3. Parma 2. Highways 1. Rio  

Conan: 3. Kolhoz 2. Lost Temple 1. Kungur 

 

My Picks:

 

3. Rio

Although I would be the first to say that the middle looks a touch cramped, the beach automatically raises this to the top 3. Need I say anymore? What. A. View.

2. Espalande

One of the greatest maps to look at from the picture at Battle Creation. The towering walls, the lovely open spaces on the outside, and the fantastic straight run at the top of the building is a wonderful sight to behold. A glorious view.

1. Monte Carlo

An awful map for gameplay - but a stunning one for looks, all the same. There's something about driving along the bottom past the pillars that suddenly casts your life into light. Do I make any sense? Probably not. But all I know is that there's something quite incredible about it. A real beauty.

 

► Best Feature of a Map ◄

Fen: 3. Beach, Rio 2. Castle Tower, Wolfenstein 1. Skyscraper, Skyscrapers

Rem: 3. Two Levels, Subway 2. Tunnels, Silence 1. Craters, Rift

Gold: 3. Craters, Rift 2. Ramps with "Jump-able" Gap, Monte Carlo 1.  Underground level, Subway

Conan: 3. Red side Barrier near ramp, Kungur 2. Pit area, Barda 1. Blue side Upper Wall, Tribute

Hog: 3. Ramp, Back of Pass 2. Ditch, Future 1. Hole, Middle of Scope

 

► Best Gameplay in DM ◄

Fen: 3. Massacre 2. Stadium 1. Polygon 

Rem: 3. Kolhoz 2. Polygon 1. Desert

Gold: 3. Kolhoz 2. Highland 1. Station  

Conan: 3. Kolhoz 2. Polygon 1. Desert 

Hog: 3. Highland 2. Desert 1. Polygon

 

► Best Gameplay in CTF ◄

Fen: 3. Camp 2. Barda 1. Tribute

Rem: 3. Polygon 2. Silence 1. Sandbox

Gold: 3. Solikamsk 2. Tribute 1. Duality  

Conan: 3. Barda 2. Kungur 1. Tribute

 

My Picks:

 

3. Iran

Struggled with picking a deserving recipient for the 3rd position in this category, but Iran won it in the end. Although other maps like Silence and Rio deserve credit as CTF Maps, this map is one of the undying favourites of the servers, and always satisfies with gameplay. Although campers do sometimes dominate too much, it can be easily cancelled out, and provides entertaining gameplay.

2. Tribute

The oldest map in the game, and yet it's just brilliant. It's always been the way it's always been, and still it rules on.Tribute has got two very different, and yet equally placed bases. Combining that with fantastic flag positions for both sides, and a great history from clan wars and still today in Light Format, it is accepted as one of the best maps for gameplay in Tanki.

1. Red Alert

Complete. That's the first word that comes to mind. A complete map. There's nothing wrong about it. The perfect amount of routes into each base. Ways to demonstrate skill. Cover. Great flag positions. Good defensive positions, but not too easy to camp. It's just fabulous. Supplies, Smart Cooldowns, No Supplies, even XP - this holds the goods. An absolutely top-drawer map.

 

► Best Gameplay in TDM ◄

Rem: 3. Silence 2. Courage 1. Chernobyl

Gold: 3. Serpuhov 2. Combe 1. Short bridge

Conan: 3. Silence 2. Highland 1. Kolhoz

Hog: 3. Fort Knox 2. Courage 1. Serpuhov

 

► Best Gameplay in CP ◄

Fen: 3. Sandbox 2. Kungur 1. Iran 

Rem: 3. Highland 2. Highways 1. Polygon

Gold: 3. Stadium 2. Bridges 1. Iran

Hog: 3. Iran 2. Combe 1. 2042

 

► Most Under-rated Map ◄

Fen: 3. Pass 2. Forest 1. Siege 

Rem: 3. Pass 2. Siege 1. Wolfenstein 

Gold: 3. Sandal 2. Siege 1. Opposition  

Conan: 3. Tribute 2. Lost Temple 1. Barda 

 

My Picks:

 

3. Osa

Does anyone even remember what this map looks like? Thought not. One of the rarest in the game. Battled for the third spot in my book with a couple of other hidden goods like Solikamsk and Molotov, but stole it. Osa's very similar to Kungur, but more diverse in my opinion. Slightly smaller, more cover, great for loads of combinations - it really deserves more coverage on the servers.

2. Subway

Subway! This used to be one of the most popular 100-flag maps in the game. Used to play this with the English Community loads, a brilliant map - perfect for drug wars. However, Subway's died. No-one plays it anymore. Partly due to the smart cooldowns phenomenon, but even then, it deserves far more popularity than it gets. A serious map for CTF Fights. And it looks pretty awesome too. I would recommend it. 

1. Courage

Don't get me started on this map. I've actually seen a revival in it of recent times, but it's nowhere near up to where it deserves to be. This map is incredible. For real. Small, but brilliant. Perfect for every combination. Every game-mode. Well, I say that, but believe me, don't try out CP. The way you can jump onto the flag, the two routes down the side and the middle dual-carriageway - it's just such a well-designed map. Absolutely love it.

 

► Most Over-rated Map ◄

Fen: 3. Parma 2. Bridges 1. Farm

Rem: 3. Noise 2. Espalande 1. Novel

Gold: 3. Farm 2. Monte Carlo 1. Polygon

Conan: 3. Iran 2. Sandbox 1. Silence

Hog: 3. Monte Carlo 2. Hill 1. Noise

 

► Worst Map ◄

Fen: 3. Duality 2. Scope 1. Noise

Rem: 3. Opposition 2. Wave 1. Hill 

Gold: 3. Future 2. 2042 1. Berlin

Conan: 3. Dusseldorf 2. Dusseldorf 1. Dusseldorf

Hog: 3. Wave 2. Noise 1. Gubakha  

 

► Most likely to make you rage-quit ◄

Fen: 3. Massacre 2. Wave 1. Madness 

Rem: 3. Gubakha 2. Massacre 1. Noise 

Gold: 3. Hill 2. Silence 1. Dusseldorf (Note: Not me personally, this is just my general judgement)

Conan: 3. Sandbox 2. Fort Knox 1. Massacre

 

My Picks:

 

3. Gubakha

Anyone who has played this map and remembers it will know what I'm talking about. Not only is it, in my opinion, the ugliest map in the game by far, as you will see below, but it also has one of the most annoying features in the game. A ditch. Right in front of a jump. Take a look at it, it's linked here. The most frustrating thing ever. Dreadful. I'd rage-quit every time.

2. Gravity

Gravity. The map of nightmares. Not only does it make you travelsick, but you just go nowhere. And keep falling off. With the new self-destruct rule of losing 5 points, it's no wonder why people have stopped playing this map in general circumstances. Capture a flag, and 10 minutes later, you'll have lost all the points you earnt from self-destructing! Aggravating.

1. Noise

Oh. My. Noise. One of the greatest questions of all time - why is this map so popular? It's got absolutely nothing to like about it. And worst of all, you get annoyed every time you play it. Whether it's the noob camping for the crystal boxes, or the two Isidas who will NOT leave their base, who even the annoying enemy who flips you every time you try to drive up the ramp. It's just a joke. Frustration defined.

 

► Best Gold Rush ◄

Fen: 3. Polygon 2. Stadium 1. Sandbox 

Rem: 3. Silence 2. Highland 1. Polygon 

Gold: 3. Iran 2. Kolhoz 1. Stadium  

Hog: 3. Highways 2. Massacre 1. Stadium

 

► Ugliest Map ◄

Fen: 3. Combe 2. Wave 1. Gubakha

Rem: 3. Hill 2. Arena 1. Gubakha

Gold: 3. Ping Pong 2. Massacre 1. Monte Carlo [Editor's note: Monte Carlo?!  :blink:]

Conan: 3. Island 2. Farm 1. Bridges

Hog: 3. Siege 2. Forest 1. Gubakha

 

► Best Map for XP Battles ◄

Fen: 3. Sandbox 2. Barda 1. Tribute 

Rem: 3. Station 2. Sandbox 1. Tribute

Gold: 3. Forest 2. Bridges 1. Parma  

Conan: 3. Barda 2. Red Alert 1. Sandbox

 

My Picks:

 

3. Bridges

Bridges may not be a great map, in my opinion. But when you play it in the XP (Railgun-Hornet) Mode, it's transformed to a fantastic specimen demonstrating sniping ability, teamwork and awesome gameplay. Two equally fine flag positions make up a great battleground for Rail-Hornet fighting. 

2. Factory

Before you laugh, yes, Factory isn't a stalwart XP Map. But the amount of fun this is, it's quite incredible. An absolute laugh, every time I play. The gameplay is so fast. The little "tunnels" in the middle, the brilliant routes round the map. It's just fantastic. And with XP, there's no annoying Freezes or short-range weapons to ruin the fun. It's just great, good-quality banter.

1. Barda

An immense map, Barda is a CTF favourite at high ranks, especially in XP. The two teams, so different, and yet very equal - and even though the changes to the map recently have made it look a little more ugly, the gameplay has been enhanced. A top-quality map, and with XP, it's a can't-miss. I've grown to love it.

 

► Best Name ◄

Fen: 3. Tribute 2. Silence 1. Chernobyl

Rem: 3. Gravity 2. Ping Pong 1. Deathtrack

Gold: 3. Opposition 2. Skylark 1. Courage

Conan: 3. Molotov 2. Red Alert 1. Bobruisk

Hog: 3. Ping Pong 2. Subway 1. Opposition

 

► Most "Nug" Map ◄

Fen: 3. Forest 2. Sandbox 1. Madness

Rem: ^What he said

Gold: ^What he said

Conan: ^What he said

Hog: ^What he said

 

► Overall Best Map ◄

Fen: 3. Barda 2. Sandbox 1. Tribute

Rem: 3. Polygon 2. Silence 1. Chernobyl 

Gold: 3. Sandal 2. Silence 1. Barda  

Conan: 3. Kungur 2. Barda 1. Tribute 

 

My Picks:

 

3. Fort Knox

Fort Knox creeps in at 3rd place of my favourite maps. Although not top of any of the categories above, it's just such an enjoyable map to play, with all combinations having a part to play. Not outstanding, but an impressive specimen. Deserves more popularity, for sure. An old-school favourite, and for me, remains to be.

2. Courage

Yep, Courage gets in too. It's getting more popular, and rightly so. Although symmetrical and without such a complete field of gameplay as Red Alert is able to accustom, Courage is a fantastic map in all modes and is worth a play at any rank.

1. Red Alert

My favourite CTF Map - and thus, typically, my favourite map. Just fantastic. Never lets down. Would recommend any higher ranks to try playing a No-Supplies Red Alert on Server 2, with 6-8 spaces per team. Absolutely top-notch gameplay. The best map in the game, in my book. The others trail behind.

 

And, time would fail us if we went on. Although I am disappointed at my inability to nominate some of my faves out there for the meagre top 3 positions - quality maps such as Molotov, Station and Solikamsk - the elite have been chosen. And now, it's your turn.

 

What would you nominate?

Edited July 30, 2017 by Hexed

[applications_tanki 129]

um Seymon...

[MA3CTPO_HA_XAHTEP 832]

nice :)

[Phoenix-Warbird 1,329]

Factory for XP battles all the way :fire_l:

 

and Desert is #1 overrated in my opinion *cough* tsd *cough*

Edited December 1, 2014 by Phoenix-Warbird

[TNTRicohat 41]

rio is my fav too

[Amazing 210]

► Best Gameplay in CTF ◄

3 : Camp:
Very Good For a Lot of Battle Funds,Amazing for shooting practice,Very Difficult to Capture the flag raise the Battle Funds,Good For XP-BP Battles
2 : Sandbox

Very Good For CTF battle because there is a Lot of GamePlay,Good for 1 vs 1 Battles

1: Red Alert
I love this Map,Its my Favourite,Got Nothing to say...Hogree described this one himself
 

[danilici852 92]

My favourite map is Dusseldorf because here i can fight massive battles !

[deciderking 57]

^{To get points Hill and island is good but i like Farm.  :fire_l:}  :fire_r: 

[Guest]

I like Silence, Rio, Noise, Brest for CTF the most. I love polygon for DMs

[abubakr123456 0]

Esplanade should have got more awards it's the best map ever!!!

[roybus 19]

I LOVE lost temple but very few players join when I create this map...... still, I have had my best battles on this map. :D

[airmaster1 0]

Seruphov? Anybody? It is great cover area and for CTF and TDM

[naca7 143]

Interesting.

[r_MESKINAS0 157]

My favourite maps is Madness & Kungur ;)

[pla_the_warrior 0]

I think best is serpuhov

[AlphaStarling 13]

My votes/nominations: (I am a sniper/camper, so I really like Monte Carlo)

 

Most Beautiful Map
Monte Carlo

Best features in Map
Silence
Monte Carlo

Best game in DM
Highland
Desert
Polygon

Best game in CTF
Silence
Desert

Under-rated map
Siege

Over-rated map
Iran
Esplanade

Rage-quit
Madness

Gold rush
Polygon

XP Battles
Sandbox
Bridges

Best name
Chernobyl

Overall Best
Monte Carlo (CTF-TDM) : Polygon (DM-TDM-CP)

 

 

[Xenophobia 457]

Dusseldorf is awesome ok. 

[manofbelgium 18]

Dude. There is no map which sucks more than Monte carlo.

Gameplay: stupid

Looks: I rather look at some goo than monte carlo

[Thekillerpenguin 1,731]

I don't know why Monte Carlo gets so much flak. I think it's a good map.

[Kevred 1,586]

But if you're low-ranker your hull is incapable to use the ramps and jump over, unless you have nitro. I have to admit I don't like it either :/

[aqwzsxedc 699]

But if you're low-ranker your hull is incapable to use the ramps and jump over, unless you have nitro. I have to admit I don't like it either :/

hhhh, whene u will have wasp M3 or wasp M2, jump without nitro  :rolleyes:  :P 

btw what u said is true (just for low ranks ) :)

[aqwzsxedc 699]

I don't know why Monte Carlo gets so much flak. I think it's a good map.

it's good map for campers ( shafts and isida with mamouths xD ) but not good for wasp freez or fire hornet <_>

[blackopspaul 753]

I love silence and highland on my alt, I personally like silence because of its size and I love the blue teams hight advantage, Never liked the red teams side for some reason.

[HolyLord 204]

1.Kungur

2.Bridges

3.Tribute

[MyLife_MyReign 256]

Best maps:

3.Sandbox 2.Sandbox 1.Sandbox