Review [Issue 82] The Map Underdogs Worthy of Recognition

[Flexoo 6,980]

 

If you were to play just one map each day, it would take you two and half months to get through all the different arenas offered in the list. However, this truly impressive number does not correspond with the map variety present on the server. In fact, you can probably count the number of different maps on fingers of two, maybe three hands. Which maps are worth playing? Why are they not present in the battle list? And what can be done about it? Learn more as we dive in to the world of unexplored maps.

 

 

​ATRA

 

Atra is another rather compact map that is composed of three levels. The first level is the bottom passageway that is occasionally used for ambushes, the middle level which is represented by the relatively open bases at the corners and the highest upper level which is usually occupied by the dominating team. This map was popular mostly on the lower ranks and you could almost always find some in the battle list.

 

Due to the elevation differences, the map offered a really fast-paced gameplay that was usually concentrated around the rugged upper area. It was not my numero uno, but the gameplay it offered was really good and diverse despite the crowded place.

 

BERLIN

 

I have to admit that Berlin was hardly my favorite while it was still available as a map for normal battles and I only started to miss it lately when I no longer see it around. This map is so vast that riding through it felt like going through the desert of prop nothingness. Even with full map of players, you had to usually ride so much to get in contact with enemy which made the battles really frustrating to play. Since it was such a huge map that could accommodate a total of 36 players, many complained that it lagged so much it was not even worth joining a battle on it and so it never really reached its maximum potential.

 

Despite that, Berlin was and still is a popular map for huge rank up parties and other possible montages due to its unique layout. The map looks like two city sections that are linked by the bridges and the valley underneath them. It contains a number of interesting props and passages that create a unique environment for the campers and staleness. If this map was to ever be put in the Matchmaking system, it would very likely had to go through some resizing changes. The size would have to be cut drastically to match the needs of 10v10 gameplay which would probably result in very different look. Perhaps, though, this is the change that can bring the map to the spotlight.

 

CANYON

 

I always had a thing going on with Canyon. It was one of my favorite maps from the get-go so I was immensely happy when it returned to the map list. Canyon is a very disproportional map with few very distinct features like the upper area of the red base, the valley in the middle and the extremely popular ramp from the blue base, a ramp so popular that designers had to add the ramp on the current version of the Year 2042 map just to appease the players when this map disappeared from the map list.

 

To be frank, Canyon's apparent disproportion is the reason the map lacks balance. Those of you who had ever played on it will agree that it's a map that favors the red based team to a huge degree. If the map receives some tweaks that will counter the elevation disadvantage of the blue team, the map can once again become the players' favorite as it was back in its heydays. I would certainly be among the people who would like to play it and remember the days when the map had tunnel in the blue base and when the tankers fought each other for the best spot on the ramp before the Gold box drop.

 

DUALITY

 

I have to say that Duality is so super tiny that if it was ever subjected to a change for matchmaking needs, it would very likely end up unrecognizable. My experience on it is very limited as it never really peaked at the top and the number of battles I found and participated in this map was very limited. Still, my limited time on this map was spend happily and I have just good memories from it.

 

It's a very compact map that can only hold a couple of players, thus being suitable mostly for duels and tandems. You can play in a risky offensive and straightforward way or stay back and control the movements of the opposing team from the defensive toehold. For the reasons I mentioned, I doubt this map will ever appear in matchmaking, but a semi-big version of it would be really cool, at least for me.

 

MONTE CARLO

 

Ah, the infamous Monte Carlo, the map that was originally made for racing. Monte Carlo is that kind of map that is equally loved as it is hated because of its rather difficult gameplay in the CTF mode. All of us who ever played on it will reminisce how annoying it was to steal and recover the flags. The only way to do so was to either make the "jump of death" or expose yourself and take the super long lower passage and take the heavy enemy fire.

 

The "jump of death" was probably the most distinguish feature of this map. To make it on the other side, you needed either a light hull or a micro-upgraded Viking on Speed Boost. Anything else would not make the jump even with the Speed Boost. Even with light hulls or Viking it was an incredible pain and annoyance to play here, but that's what made it such a fun map to play, especially if you were the one trolling the enemy. To prove my point just type; "Monte Carlo Tanki troll montage" on Youtube and you will know what I am speaking of. Monte Carlo is old but gold.

 

SHORT BRIDGE

 

This is yet another smaller map that now usually appears only in the eSports competitions. Actually some of the finest duels have been played here. I've seen this map spread around all the ranks, and thus I had a chance to play on it from the lowest of ranks to the highest. The dominant of the map is the short bridge, just like the name suggests, which allows you to access the enemy base probably the quickest from all the maps.

 

This creates a really odd environment, because you have to carefully evaluate your choice of attack. Pick the short bridge and you might end up on a sight of multiple enemies. pick the lateral routes and you might lose a precious time in a battle where seconds can decide the outcome. Can this small gem of a map end up in matchmaking. Most likely not. I think there might be chance to somehow make it more 10v10 friendly, but the short bridge will probably be not-so-short anymore. The only glance of hope is that a Tanki will step away from their 10v10 policy in the matchmaking.

 

SUBWAY

 

Seriously, why this map still isn't present in the matchmaking list remains a mystery to me. Subway is just totally perfect to me. Right size, right number of players, absolutely perfect fit. It's also an interesting map with two levels of gameplay, the underground subway and the upper town field. When I think of Subway, a number of really good memories come to my mind. The mining of the flag area that was never substantial due to the fact there were so many entrances, the furious fights in the upper town area, the Gold box hunting, the famous Gold box spot on the subway tracks.

 

It is a really well designed map with engaging gameplay that can be very easily reintroduced to the matchmaking and has unmeasured potential to bring the old nostalgia back.

 

VALLEY

 

Now, Valley has a perfect symmetry which is beneficial for the balanced battles, and it's not awfully boring, in my opinion, as some other maps that provide equal ground for both sides. The main area is centered around the valley, or a canyon, you may call it to make things little less confusing. But although the middle is the fastest way to reach the enemy base, it's actually the upper area and side ways that you need to dominate to win the battles.

 

What makes Valley so special is the openness of the map. There are virtually no great camping spots that would check the incoming waves of enemies. That's especially good for really fast paced gameplay that is centralized around the main objectives of the battle rather than the staleness. Once again, it's a smaller map that does not fit the current matchmaking standards, but it may be a fair contender with few tweaks.

 

---

 

So these are my favorites from the ancient past when I still played on these maps. The list could go on and on, maps like Wave, Hill, Deathtrack, Gravity and others are other favorites that I did not include. Do you agree with my personal choices or you have other maps you would like to see in the matchmaking? Why should they be added and what should be changed? Tell us about them and share your memories from the maps you once played.

 

[fordmustang12345 3,910]

I'm really sad about Monte Carlo, that map was up there with Sandbox back in 2015-early 2016 as far as popularity and I absolutely LOVED the map, devs really need to add it to MM but without changing a thing (like the way they trashed Sandbox)

 

Short Bridge was iffy for me, it was either a mine fest in CTF or hordes of Firebirds in DM, sometimes it was good other times it was bad

 

Duality omg the 1v1s in that map :wub:

Edited December 8, 2018 by fordmustang12345

[Metacom3 13]

One of my favorite maps is canyon. I really like how it is kind of in its own category as far as maps go. I really like the multiple levels and the unique bridges. 

 

I think it would be great if they made a MM version or a new map all together that's similar to canyon, just not as chaotic. 

[Person_Random 4,991]

never been there.

[Thunder-Bear 44]

Awesome report! I absolutely agree with you. I should put Noise in this list too. It was really popular back in the days when many players tried to get on the top of the house or jump in the blue base and run away with the flag :) These maps remembered me of the good old times. I wish they could do something with these maps, pro battles and MatchMaking so more players could enjoy how beautiful this game is/was/were ):

Edited December 10, 2018 by Thunder-Bear

[Double_Th3_Shots 164]

a tunnel*

[Stamina 143]

I miss Monte Carlo :(

[VaudeVille 1,428]

I remember an old article you wrote on the map valley some years ago before you were a reporter. I actually ended up playing a lot on that map with friends.

Monte Carlo was pretty popular at one point of time.

[maryam98 1,171]

I remember an old article you wrote on the map valley some years ago before you were a reporter. I actually ended up playing a lot on that map with friends.

Monte Carlo was pretty popular at one point of time.

Monte Carlo was definitely popular, at least in the lower ranks. My Warrant Officer days were spent there and in Noise. At any one point you could be sure to find at least 3 battles for any rank, usually many more.

[hi-its-mebachoo_3000 1,247]

I remember hating Monte Carlo, when it was popular. Now I miss it :(.

[Guest]

You missed pre-space mode Madness.

[Flexoo 6,980]

I remember an old article you wrote on the map valley some years ago before you were a reporter. I actually ended up playing a lot on that map with friends.

Monte Carlo was pretty popular at one point of time.

One of my first articles. Ah, where are those days.

[DieselPlatinum 5,121]

To this day, I still can't figure out why duality only has 4 players max but ping pong can have up to 6. And duality is at least twice as big as ping pong.