[Daboo]

Blue post

The Season 3 lock will go into effect the week of October 10th. Season 3 will officially end, and Season 4 will begin on the week of October 24th. Season milestone rewards will be locked in at this time, and bonus pools will start over. Hidden skill ratings used for matchmaking and league placement will carry over from the previous season, so players who have completed placement matches in a previous season will only need to play one new placement match after Season 4 starts.

http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/forum/topic/3279043205


- Seasons will only last two months (as stated in the previous blue post)
- Hence, GM placement will only be a week
- Season 3 lock on Oct 10th.
- Season 4 Starts on Oct 24th
- See 1v1 changes below


Blizzard update on map pool

The transition between ladder seasons is generally a time when we take the opportunity to make adjustments to the ladder map pool. In Season 4, the 1v1 pool will remain unchanged, but we will be removing the following maps from the 2v2 map pool:

(4)Khaydarin Depths
(8)Tempest

They will be replaced with the following maps:

(4)Lunar Colony V
(8)Magma Core

We have chosen to remove Khaydarin Depths and Tempest from the 2v2 ladder pool because expanding can be a challenge for certain team compositions on these maps, and they aren’t as balanced as we would prefer for other team compositions. We also wanted to focus on maps that start 2v2 teammates closer together at the beginning of a match. Lunar Colony V and Magma Core are maps that should address these issues.

There was some confusion regarding the map pools, here is the official statement from blizzard, and the real maps for Season. Even the community managers didnt know about this. I guess we can expect SEA maps to change shortly too.

After reviewing player feedback, we’ve selected a 1v1 map pool composed of tournament-configured maps for the upcoming Season 4 of the StarCraft II ladder.

Six of the eight total maps in the Season 4 1v1 map pool will be maps that have been used in tournaments around the world. In addition, Shattered Temple and Metalopolis will be returning to the map pool, with close spawn positions disabled. Two non-tournament maps -- Abyssal Caverns and Nerazim Crypt -- will also be included. Players can veto these two non-tournament maps and still have a single veto remaining for the remaining maps, just as a player would in a major tournament.

These maps will be removed:

Backwater Gulch
Searing Crater
Typhon Peaks

These maps will form the new 1v1 map pool:

Abyssal Caverns (non-tournament)
Antiga Shipyard
Metalopolis (close spawns disabled)
Nerazim Crypt (non-tournament)
Shakuras Plateau
Shattered Temple (close spawns disabled)
Tal’darim Altar LE
Xel’naga Caverns

Depending on the feedback we receive regarding this approach to the 1v1 ladder map pool, we may move further toward a tournament-configured map format in future ladder seasons. We look forward to hearing what you think, and we hope you all have a great Season 4!

[MooZfY]

Wow thanks for sharing !

[SuperHero]

Originally Posted by Daboo

Blue post


http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/forum/topic/3279043205


- Seasons will only last two months (as stated in the previous blue post)
- Hence, GM placement will only be a week
- Season 3 lock on Oct 10th.
- Season 4 Starts on Oct 24th

No information on maps yet.

Wolf posted this on team liquid though, quite nice to see terminus..but would this mean they're retiring Tal Darim?


I really havent got a chance to ladder a lot this season, and it's already nearly over

I certainly hope they arent retiring Tal Darim Altar cos i like that map and it would be nice to see more tournament maps in the ladder map pool.

Im excited about the new seasons because it will be interesting to see what league i am when a lot of the people who dont play very much no longer 'steal a spot' so to speak every season. you know those people that play 1 game and get put in a league and then dont play again forever.

[FaDeHellfyre]

One week GM placement, a sensible solution to a problem that the GM's were fretting over. Blizzard does something right.

[TAminimat]

Sweet I love ladder locks, I seem to win lots of games in them. And really awesome that Terminus might be in the map pool .

[NoThanXSPR]

cant wait for the new season and to play on terminus!

[DeNile]

Does mmr lock between the seasons? Or just ur league?

[Maynarde]

Originally Posted by DeNile

Does mmr lock between the seasons? Or just ur league?

Only league, your MMR still changes.

[xGKingdelete]

i doubt they'll retire taldarim, it's too popular

[Muldeh]

Originally Posted by delete12

i doubt they'll retire taldarim, it's too popular

Metalopolis was popular too.

[phoney]

Shorter seasons = better chance to feature in GM league

[antarnis]

I'm gonna lose my placement so I can play with bronze again Thats where I belong ;_;

[VoiD]

Maybe this will give me the motivation to start laddering again. I do love the season changes!

[Dox]

Doesn't work that way! :P

[sRFullstop]

I hope Searing Crater goes away, as well as Abyssal Caverns. They aren't maps that are particularly fun to play on... Close spawns Shattered is nightmare for Zerg as well.

[ETL.Branno]

wow, it feels like season 3 only just started. gonna see if i can get into masters before the lock

[Daboo]

@fullstop Close spawns is a nightmare for both zerg and toss. I think david kim was saying something about convincing browder to remove close spawns on maps, dont know whathappened after that.

@Delete12:Well, If they are indeed bringing in terminus, they'll have to remove one of the "macro" maps if they want to continue following their policy of rush/macro/normal maps. The oldest is TD, and they tend to like their own maps more than gsl maps(I think even last season it was a toss up between metal and TD for removal).

[Muldeh]

i hope antiga stays!

[Welshy]

yeah I find antiga a fun map to play on mul :P

[EveMassacrisM]

Hope I can haz Belshir Beach next season. That map is beautifully designed and balanced.

[MazEi]

I want more 2 player maps. Xelnaga Caverns is the only one now and that kinda sucks. Miss the days of being able to proxy 2 rax without having to scout for spawn locations(well you can technically do that on Xelnaga Caverns but meh)

[Zanderax]

The great thing about ladder locks is you get to boost your MMR and get into another league without being promoted which can be hard. Blizzard have made a good choice with this.

[nsfazimi]

Last night im playing 1v1 quick match. Guess during season lock, lack of sc2 player play the quickmatch because im having exprience vs GMaster player then im lose. Im platinum player so the gap between platinum and GMaster to far

[neon]

Originally Posted by nsfazimi

Last night im playing 1v1 quick match. Guess during season lock, lack of sc2 player play the quickmatch because im having exprience vs GMaster player then im lose. Im platinum player so the gap between platinum and GMaster to far

Hah, I'm sorry for your loss

At least you could potentially learn a lot from the replay

[PTSZ]

I'm glad about the shorter seasons. Maps -

Replace Searing Crater with Terminus. Ditch Abyssal Caverns and bring back Metalopolis. Keep Taldarim Altar.

I really wish they would give us some of the Brood War style designed maps - lets see Neo-Destination. Or get some of the ICCup maps - Neo-Enigma or Fighting Spirit.

[Next_rim]

Bah, I'm not gonna make it to Masters this season either 10 days left, and I won't have any time to play till November.

[|Erasmus|]

I'm disappointed about probably not enough time to get masters too... Since I started trying to improve in season 2, I've been trying to go 2 leagues/season to be in masters by start of season 4.

[Zjub]

Originally Posted by ToRZanderax

The great thing about ladder locks is you get to boost your MMR and get into another league without being promoted which can be hard. Blizzard have made a good choice with this.

I'm pretty sure that your MMR moves the same way regardless of the ladder being locked.

I'm not sure about making the seasons shorter again. They seem to be doing it because they believe people really value getting placed, and by making the season shorter people will be coming back online and playing more often (to get placement and then mess around a bit).

However, these same people may value a shorter season less - and may just decide they don't even want to do placement. In that case they drop out of the system all together. Three months was good, two feels a bit short with the way RL interruptions can rip out a month.

Sure they know what they are doing

[syfPhoenix]

i like the changes and i do like taldarim but i want the rocks at the third gone :P they kinda gay for zerg

[shmiman]

Yeah, I missed Metalopolis! my favourite map haha. But it is actually good to keep changing the maps imo so people won't get too comfy and people will always start to search for innovative ways to play

[Evan]

the seasons are way too short i think.

[Meatex]

please please please change taldarim to the new version that was on IPL tv
god its so pretty

[syfMiley]

I'm gonna stick my hoo-ha in the ladder during Season 4

[Melite]

I feel like two months might be a little short. Maybe three months and have four seasons a year? 6 seasons would be intense! People that only play during the beginning of the season will be skipping seasons now anyways...

New maps would definitely be cool tho!

[mGGAequitas]

season 4 i feel like its my time to shine!
my aim is to get to masters this season

[Daboo]

Blizzard Update on Map pool

The transition between ladder seasons is generally a time when we take the opportunity to make adjustments to the ladder map pool. In Season 4, the 1v1 pool will remain unchanged, but we will be removing the following maps from the 2v2 map pool:

(4)Khaydarin Depths
(8)Tempest

They will be replaced with the following maps:

(4)Lunar Colony V
(8)Magma Core

We have chosen to remove Khaydarin Depths and Tempest from the 2v2 ladder pool because expanding can be a challenge for certain team compositions on these maps, and they aren’t as balanced as we would prefer for other team compositions. We also wanted to focus on maps that start 2v2 teammates closer together at the beginning of a match. Lunar Colony V and Magma Core are maps that should address these issues.

Updated OP with his as well. Personally, I'm a little disappointed, I wanted some new maps, but looks like we'll be stuck with the same maps for the next two months, seeing how they probably wont change maps mid way through the season. Got really excited when wolf posted a possible gsl map addition .

[c_kAelle]

promoted retained or demoted next season?

let's see...

[Meatex]

no new maps can't say i really care about a new season

[TABjornbrandr]

A little bland that there's no new maps; was hoping for one or two to replaces some of the less than ideal maps in the current pool.

[iM yang]

Not sure if 24th reset or 25th..

[iVnStinger]

Really Blizz? No map change? Well I guess it's better than them making maps, cause when they had the chance to, they made Searing Crater...

[Daboo]

Probably just was the time, sunday night, y'know. I actually find that during a lock, the matchmaking is actually a lot better, and faster...maybe because of the number of players being high.. So are the number of cheesers.

[wenhui123]

season 4 is started all bro !! rox and rollll

[Bugalugs McScruffin]

Played my placement and won, with 2 minutes to spare before server maintenance apparently. o_O
Still , but that's life. We'll see if I can play enough to push my mechanics up to level this season.

Quick Comments

ToRPandarine:

you can do it!! :D

[DeNile]

woot silver this season Thxss T.G.M and its wonderfull info and advice. wish i could dontate more to sc2sea but mortage thats all i need to say

[TCPLemminks]

Originally Posted by DeNile

woot silver this season Thxss T.G.M and its wonderfull info and advice. wish i could dontate more to sc2sea but mortage thats all i need to say

You could give us your house ^^.

Yeah I don't understand how mortgage works T_T, blame Monopoly.

[Bendy]

Beat a player but placed again!

Oh well, at least I have a reasonable goal for this season.

[DeNile]

lol i wish it was like monoply............................ i seem to have alot more money in that game.

[sRFullstop]

I got in this season

[SuperHero]

I have had a horrible start to season 4. Lost my first 3 games then stopped playing (i always stop after losing 3 in a row)

need to get my gameplay in order and get some LADDER POINTS

[nsfazimi]

Originally Posted by Fullstop

I got in this season

Gratz Full stop..

I need my diamond back in season 4. Season 3 im drop to platinum.

[Frogmite]

Originally Posted by nsfazimi

I need my diamond back in season 4.

I advise you to play the campaign and you'll get it

[SuperHero]

Oh also i got into Diamond this season (finished last season as diamond).

Masters this season? Nah im not that good hahahaa

[TAXanT]

What I'd like to see

In: Bel Shir Beach, Terminus
out: Antiga Shipyard, Searing Crater.

But I agree if they put terminus in they will probably take out tal darim.

[sRFullstop]

Originally Posted by XanT

What I'd like to see

In: Bel Shir Beach, Terminus
out: Antiga Shipyard, Searing Crater.

But I agree if they put terminus in they will probably take out tal darim.

I used to think Antiga was bad. After playing on it a lot I found it wasn't that bad. I want the small ledge between the ground and the main taken out though, Terran can abuse that to hell and siege tanks there (it's a platform so lings can't get it).

[Azure]

nice looks like the race is on.

[TABjornbrandr]

Placed Gold, won 3 games then got promoted to Platinum.
Currently on a 7 win streak vs Platinum plays :|

[Daboo]

That as pic of the us server maps, seems quite nice! and metalopolis is back! Dont know about the spawn positions though.

But sea maps have not changed..?

[CasualPlayer]

nice that you guys can start playing on season 4.. i ll have to wait for weekends
Gl Hf everyone.. lol

[EveJeonSa]

Hate how NA gets better Ladder pool.

poo.

[neon]

Daboo just pasted this in chat -

http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/blog/378...1#c-3424858160

Seems like we will get the map changes too, no idea as to when.

[Bendy]

Cool I thought we saw the last of Metalopolis, its inclusion is definitely a crowd-pleaser.

I think the 1v1 map pool is a bit more representative of tournament maps now, still has a bit of a way to go though.

[EveJeonSa]

The new map pool is SICKKKKKKK

[nirvAnA]

Really liking all the changes this season. shorter season + maps