[NvPinder]

http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/forum/topic/2878401533

The following changes are being made to the ladder map pool when Season 3 begins on Tuesday, July 26:
1v1
Removed:
Scrap Station (2)
Slag Pits (4)
Delta Quadrant (4)
Metalopolis (4)

Carried over:
Xel’Naga Caverns (2)
Backwater Gulch (4)
Shakuras Plateau (4)
Tal'Darim Altar LE (4)
The Shattered Temple (4)
Typhon Peaks (4)

New:
Nerazim Crypt (4)
Searing Crater (4)
Antiga Shipyard (4)
Abyssal Caverns (4)

2v2

Removed:
Monlyth Ridge (4)
Gutterhulk (4)
Omega Sector (4)
Red Stone Gulch (4)

Carried over:
Discord IV (4)
High Orbit (4)
Khaydarin Depths (4)
Scorched Haven (4)
The Ruins of Tarsonis (4)
Tempest (8)

New:
Tyrador Keep (8)
The Boneyard (8)

3v3

Removed:
Quicksand (6)
Colony 426 (6)
Monsoon (6)
Typhon (6)

Carried over:
Arakan Citadel (6)
Cinder Fortress (6)
Dig Site (6)
Frontier (6)
The Bio Lab (6)
Ulaan Deeps (6)

New:
Green Acres (6)
Temple of the Preservers (6)

4v4

Removed:
High Ground (8)
Megaton (8)

Carried over:
District 10 (8)
Extinction (8)
Lava Flow (8)
Outpost (8)
Sand Canyon (8)
Toxic Slums (8)

New:
Fossil Quarry (8)
Deadlock Ridge (8)

FFA

Removed:
Metalopolis (4)
Slag Pits (4)

Carried over:
The Shattered Temple (4)
Quicksand (6)
Tectonic Rift (6)
Abyss (8)

New:
Abyssal Caverns (4)
Antiga Shipyard (4)
Nerazim Crypt (4)

http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/forum/topic/2878771457

In Season 3, we’re introducing a number of changes to the map pool; we’re dropping some older maps, and adding a number of new ones. One of the more notable changes we’re making is the removal of Metalopolis. We realize that this is quite a popular map, and we wanted to discuss the reasons why we might make such a change and hopefully lay some of your concerns to rest. We also would like to point out that merely because a map has been removed from the pool, does not mean that it will never make a return in the future. Despite its flaws, Metalopolis has strong potential to be a map that returns in future ladder seasons.

Still, there are reasons why we decided to retire Metalopolis for now:

Metalopolis has been around for quite a long time, over a year including beta. We felt that taking it out of the rotation would make some room for variety in the map pool.

Metalopolis suffers balance issues when close spawn positions occur, but becomes too predictable when they are simply disabled. Close positions have been under a lot of discussion lately, and we’re definitely examining better options to allow for random spawn positions across the map pool without also creating too much predictability and vulnerability to proxy rushes.

Overall balance has also proven to be an issue on Metalopolis -- even factoring in close position spawn issues. It’s among the least balanced maps currently in the ladder pool, and along with Scrap Station (also being removed) and Tal’darim Altar, has a heavy (60%+) bias toward zerg at the highest levels of play.


If Metalopolis makes a return to the ladder pool in the future, it will likely receive some balance tinkering, much like that administered to Lost Temple which resulted in the creation of Shattered Temple. In the meantime, we hope that you enjoy the fresh maps that have been added to the ladder pool in Season 3.

TBH really glad about all the choices for the 1v1 maps removed. The 3 apart from metalopolis were by far the 3 worst maps in the current pool imo. And their reasons for removing meta at least shows that they are acknowledging that close spawn spots are definitely a problem to the current game balance.

Couldn't really care less how bad the new maps are now since i have 3 new veto's to give out and im sure at least one of them will have longer than 5 second rush distance...

Thoughts?

[Maynarde]

I agree with the maps being removed from the 1v1 pool as well. Delta Quadrant? Pff, about time. Kind of sad to see Metalopolis go but yes it is old, close positions is terrible.

Dunno about you guys but I'm gonna give all these new maps a go, and then hand out the vetos after a week or so of testing. You can look at a map and think it's horrible then actually play it a bunch of times and "figure it out" a bit better

Gl hf with season 3 everyone.

[Paroxysm]

I'm slightly disappointed in the removal of Metalopolis from the 1v1 pool, but as Maynarde said it was necessary based on the imbalances of close spawns.

[SkyBreaker]

Wow, looking pretty awesome. I didn't expect Metalopolis to go, one of my favourite maps but I understand the issues surrounding it. I'm definitely going to do the same as Maynarde, try out all the new maps and see how they go - nothing like new, fresh maps to kick-off the beginning of Season 3!

[SiZeMaTTeRs]

Its sad to see Metalopolis gone but im glad Slag, Delta and Scrap are gone as well

Quick Comments

PapaBigBelly:

[LennX]

I'm laughing at the 2v2 maps that were removed. They only survived a season.

As for slag pits, it took them a season too long even after the mass amount of people raging over it on the PTR.

[pikk0n]

YES! My three vetoed maps are GONE!!!!!! GONE!!! Hopefully forever!

Sad to see Metal go but it is getting old and has been overplayed. I feel that Xel Naga might be next to go if they find a good 2 player map to replace it soon.

LOL@ the 2v2 like what Lennx said and glad Omega Sector is gone too. I'm getting rather bored at the map but why is DISCORD still around???!! D: More 8 player maps.... sigh.... I removed Tempest for a reason. LOL! Time to explore those large non-cheesy (or are they?) maps.

[dannnyds]

Scrap station and Metalopolis gone, I wont miss them ... wait... i'm terran.... SCRAP STATION NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[AvPoker]

Metalopolis ;;

[Eldrid]

10 thumbs up for finally removing the 3 most terrible maps in the pool

[Malik]

the taking out of metal is probly a good decision in the long run as when it was released it was the most balanced map in the pool however it has not aged well and needs some time to review some of the issues with it.

[rezyn8]

Two of my most successful maps (looking at SC2Gears) have been removed - Slag Pits (66% win rate) & Delta Quadrant (63%).

It is sad to see Metalopolis removed from the pool but understandable. Will be interesting to see how these new maps play out over the next week.

[ke_ivan]

i actually vetoed backwater gulch because it's so difficult to take a third. I'm glad to see slag pits and delta quadrant go. Scrap station was kinda imba for zerg, but even more imba for any type of drop/harrass so... lulz.

I am really sad to see metalopolis go. my best games were on metalopolis. Why didn't they just fix the spawn positions to only spawn cross positions? They can tweak it later lulz.

[Primex]

Thank you blizzard for removing them 3 god awful maps, I would have like to of seen metal kept in play. But what can you do.

[matthras]

Instead of making a new thread, I thought perhaps we could initiate discussion on what we think of the new 1v1 maps?

Frankly as a Zerg player the only one I can see a definite vetoing is Searing Crater mainly due to the weird wall in front of the natural that's easily abuseable by Siege Tanks and Blink Stalkers.

The others look fairly comfortable and rush distances on 'close' positions are a little further than on close positions Metalopolis/Shattered Temple (this is just a rough observation, though, I haven't ran the maps through an analyzer).
There is a slight concern with somewhat of a narrow choke to the natural for a couple of the maps (I can't remember which ones), but I feel that's a bit of a non-issue once you're actively aware of it (i.e. keeping part of your army outside of your base).

The 'imbalance' mentioned with Siege Tanks hitting your main base from a 3rd on Antiga Shipyard seems relatively negligable in my opinion as long as you keep your (tech) structures away from that edge (having run a rough test, at most a single Siege Tank can hit the Assimilator/Extractor/Refinery). As a Zerg player I would probably just throw down spines or keep a couple of Roaches to defend that area if they try to push with marine drops.

[Xenomorph]

Originally Posted by matthras

Instead of making a new thread, I thought perhaps we could initiate discussion on what we think of the new 1v1 maps?

Frankly as a Zerg player the only one I can see a definite vetoing is Searing Crater mainly due to the weird wall in front of the natural that's easily abuseable by Siege Tanks and Blink Stalkers.

The others look fairly comfortable and rush distances on 'close' positions are a little further than on close positions Metalopolis/Shattered Temple (this is just a rough observation, though, I haven't ran the maps through an analyzer).
There is a slight concern with somewhat of a narrow choke to the natural for a couple of the maps (I can't remember which ones), but I feel that's a bit of a non-issue once you're actively aware of it (i.e. keeping part of your army outside of your base).

The 'imbalance' mentioned with Siege Tanks hitting your main base from a 3rd on Antiga Shipyard seems relatively negligable in my opinion as long as you keep your (tech) structures away from that edge (having run a rough test, at most a single Siege Tank can hit the Assimilator/Extractor/Refinery). As a Zerg player I would probably just throw down spines or keep a couple of Roaches to defend that area if they try to push with marine drops.

IMO abyssal caverns is not a good map (just from rough testing and observation) for zerg. A third base seems to me to be harder to take than it should be if its cross positions. 1. if you expand to the north bases its hard to defend harrass or 2. if you expand to the 6/12 o'clock bottom bases you are expanding towards the terran/protoss. Would any1 care to elaborate or discuss? =)

[Dox]

It's amazing to see so much damn whining about Metalopolis being (temporarily) removed. It'll be back next season. And it'll be even better. The map has been around since beta, it's stale. Let it go for a few months.

I'm mainly referring to the uprising on TL and Twitter, etc. The responses on this forum have been fairly tame.

[TAXanT]

Originally Posted by Dox

It's amazing to see so much damn whining about Metalopolis being (temporarily) removed. It'll be back next season. And it'll be even better. The map has been around since beta, it's stale. Let it go for a few months.

I'm mainly referring to the uprising on TL and Twitter, etc. The responses on this forum have been fairly tame.

Agreed. Every 2nd post on Battle Net & TL is "How Can you remove metalopolis and keep backwater gulch?!"

Change is good

[MeLo]

With this new map pool, I veto 2 maps (Searing and Backwater) instead of 3 now so I'm happy

[Digby]

Searing Crater is a bad map. Meta, was an alright map. Megaton was the biggest 4v4 map, with the most possiblity for a 4v4 macro game, imo best 4v4 map.
Why is Discord IV still in the map pool? -_-