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Ideally, players should be able to join your custom map for the first time and feel like they can compete right away. This doesn’t mean your map can’t be elegant or complex, but it should be accessible and intuitive, with gameplay elements that are clear and easy to pick up.ģ) Actively seek and encourage feedback. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or act on constructive criticism you receive. By using the StarCraft II Editor to produce official maps, the designers can identify ways to improve the process, making it easier for aspiring and veteran mapmakers to get their work published on and maybe even create the next big thing.Īll-New Blizzard Custom Maps: Left 2 Die, Aiur Chef, and Blizzard All Stars The designers emphasized that, above all, the team’s goal in creating official custom maps is not to upstage player contributions, but to continually provide better, more robust tools for the mapmaking community. The team then went on to discuss how their design approach is applied in practice, using three upcoming Blizzard-made custom maps as examples. They also gave audience members some insight into each map’s inspiration and the overall gameplay. Left 2 Die offers a cooperative take on the StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty campaign mission Outbreak (i.e.

the mission where it was only safe to go out during the day), which received a lot of positive feedback from the community. Feeling that Outbreak created a dynamic, fun environment that encouraged coordination and promoted the importance of both offense and defense, the design team adapted this mission into a team-based mini-game that allows players to share tech trees, earn research points by destroying infested buildings during the day, and create elaborate ground defenses, all in the hopes of surviving through the night against hordes of slavering zerg zombies.
