Please make maps with non-uniform metal spread

One of the design goals of Zero-K is to have a prolonged period where winner is not yet clear and no side has an overwhelming advantage.

To achieve this in practice, it would be best, if there was some sort of "buffer" zone, where skirmishes happen and where small loss of land does not lead to slippery slope to defeat.

However current maps do not allow that, because they often feature prominent metal in middle, or uniform metal spread. So even small loss of land leads to permanent economic disadvantage.
This map setup is a relic of ZK predecesors that featured metal makers and moho mexes (BA, AA, TA) and it is not only not needed now, but I believe that it is directly detrimental.

It is especially bad on maps with central "uber" mexes, where team rushes to mid to capture it and often this initial state determines the outcome of entire game - defeat in slow motion.

Buffer zone, devoid of mexes would also put less emphasis on "central porc line" and more on army movement. There would be less need to hold your ground, you could do tactical retreat. Also there would be less need to defend central position (you could choose to defend closer to where economy is), without obstructing windmill lines, defenses spread everywhere and comms sitting in their "lanes" (big team games).



So it would be really great to have more interesting maps with "non-standard" metal layouts.

For example:

• greater weight on metal around starting zone, gradient toward less and less metal towards middle (with no mexes around middle, to create buffer zone where fighting and retreats can happen without impact on mex economy)

• maps with "hotspots" - areas with dense metal clusters. For example map could have 4 hotspots, besides starting zones, where mexes appear in dense concentration and nothing else.

Not really..

I would still count those as uniform spread. If you make a gradient from start pos to start pos.

But there was a map with hotspots (though hotspots on uniform spread), basically triad of triad mexes. It was brownish and flat. Forgot its name..

This criterion runs against expansion being not entirely predictable. While i agree with the overall sentiment - there should be vast tracts of territory which are not directly economic - i find this version is a bit too strict.

For example: if all the map has are four hotspots, two of which are starting positions of the players, you know where the other guy is going to expand to, so naked expansion cannot happen at all.

If the map has just a bit more hotspots - say, three hotspots and one starting area per player - well, that's Ravaged which is "uniform spread of clusters".

Also where combat happens is your choice.

For example "hotspot" can be in a hole, having terrain disadvantage. Idea is to have option to defend elsewhere. To have freedome to lose territory, without losing economy.

comnap+cap leads to permanent economic disadvantage for abductee's team + heavy moral penalty :P
Let's nap more coms!

I agree with you Licho that it should be tried ... but have you thought about the risk of people just sitting in base and going superweapons?

I agree with this idea licho. Scrambling for eco expansions is kinda a problem, especially on bigger maps. Like with 1v1s, you tend to get naked expansions. With larger team games, you just get steam rolled.

But I have to ask this question? Is zero-k meant to be a game where steam rolling should happen? Or is it a game where you can come out as the underdog every now and then?

I made a map with non-uniform metal spread.

The maps that play very best imo - like Titan Duel - do have uniform metal spread. I think this is an own-goal objective.