Why are the maps always ****ed up in some way? Every rotation there is at least one map which gives a certain player a huge advantage because the fonts are in blatantly stupid places. I don't see any reason for a 10 year old game to still be struggling with problem which can be so easily identified and fixed.
The annoying part about this is that player two has such a huge advantage if you don't draw a 7 movement champ as player one on turn one/two. Because then you're forced to always go for that font, because if you try and go for the side font, the other guy goes mid and you can't contest the next turn. Here's the funny part though If you only have 6 speed, and you go mid anyway to not lose, you can't actually cap the font on your next round, cause it's 7 spaces away. So the other guy just goes to his side font and you look like an idiot getting no fonts. No 7 movement = either a full font down most of the game or just a font down for a turn and tempo loss. Good thing player 2 already starts with extra nora, cause he can use some more!
This is intended. The map is intended to favor P2 in terms of font layout. As we all know, P1 has the advantage generally speaking when maps are fully symmetrical in terms of spacing (due to generating/spending AP first, etc.). So far, this map is one of the most balanced in terms of P1 vs P2 Win-Rate. So while it does feel weird, it's actually working out to counteract P1 advantage quite well. As always, maps are subject to change due to feedback, but I'd say expect more maps to be asymmetrical in the future.
We both know the extra nora still doesn't fully compensate P2 on a normal layout, especially since P1 still generates and spends more nora whenever it is his turn before P2 "catches up" and goes ahead. That's exactly the point. Normally, P1 dictates where P2 goes, forcing P2 to respond to everything. On this map, P1 has to respect what P2 is doing. At the same time, P2, even with a bad draw, can still contest the mid font (which is often a problem on symmetrical maps) comfortably rather than autolosing because P1 is already in there. It also blunts the advantage P1 has with things like deploying a ranged unit first and having a lot of AP ready to attack anyone who contests. I understand that P1 not having the initiative is weird, but I am not sure it amounts to "such a huge advantage." It's more of a mindset adjustment. That said, I will take a look at the map and see if there's a way to allow P1 to respond more appropriately to P2's deploy pattern here. That is to say, P1 still has to respect the possibility that P2 goes for mid font first, but can more reliably capture his side font.
honestly, I hate this map too. I think at the very least p1's side font should be closer to the avatar. So that way it doesn't take so long for a champ to get to the mid font fight after capping. Other than that, p1 simply has to know to go for mid font first if he doesn't have any 7 speeds
That is certainly an option. I am also going to examine whether the differential can be 6 spaces (P1) vs 5 spaces (P2) and still have the intended effect.
Note that currently, you can, as P1, actually deploy in such a way where you can still capture the side font OR still contest mid if the opponent deploys that way. You aren't required to full commit by definition: If you have a 5 SPD, you can deploy on X. If you have a 6 SPD, you can deploy on X or Y. Of course, what @TeaScholar said applies, in that the distance from side font to mid is quite large (15 spaces, compared to 13 for P1), so that could be decreased somewhat. So in theory, you don't HAVE to be down a font without a 7 SPD if you don't mind arriving at the mid font just in time.
Actually, this is mostly a test case to see if this principle can be applied more broadly. There may be some specifics on this map to adjust, but in general I am happy with the experiment and will be doing more asymmetrical maps most likely.
Except that in every round, P1 actually still has/spends more nora first. In either case, as far as I can tell, P1 isn't losing more often than he should on this map, he just doesn't have the ~4% advantage he does on most other maps. This is all mostly true, but we have to keep in mind that all maps have some characteristics that favor some situations more than others. There is literally no way to design a map that is even to both players in all situations. (Double deploy is generally an issue, and is partly why I have resisted calls to give P2 more nora to compensate, because it just increases the liklihood he can double deploy far more often.)
I was thinking that moving it closer to mid font would be better. So you can cap the side font and then move on to mid with just one guy. I also think P2's font is too close to their shrine, you can cap it instantly with Initiative or sneaky DZ plays. I like how the three font Shore of Maljara map is set up. It gives P1 a disadvantage but often seems to work out well because P2 can't cap their side font so easily.
Move P1 avatar one spot closer, so it's 6 spaces from p1 and 5 from p2. I understand where your coming from with wanting to give p2 something, but the thing is, it only matters if p1 doesn't get a 7 speed in their first draw. So basically, luck. Your 2nd player advantage is based on pure rng. Yes mulligan helps this but some races just don't have access to 7 speed champs. Jellebriums for example, have a whopping one champ with 7 speed, and hes like the most expensive one.
Yes, I might do that. (Note that this'd mean the side font has to move closer to the Avatar too, and also this means closer to the P2 sidefont, which people didn't like in the last version of this map.) Also, regarding SPD 7: Can you tell why you need SPD 7 based on this? Is it just because people insist on deploying in the nearest spot to the mid-font?
Most probably. It seems inefficient to deploy there as you will waste a little ap no matter where your opponent deploys.
So let me ask you some questions: Were you even aware you could deploy this way on this map? If not, given that you know now, does it change your evaluation of the map at all? Given the choice being not being to contest/capture the font, or having a couple AP when you arrive at the font, which is better?
