OpenRA

Official map pool has not been updated for a few years, and I think it's time to start rotating it once again. I'm creating this post for exact map suggestions. What maps should be removed and what should be added? What are the most popular maps currently played and what are the modern classics? And in general, what maps do you like playing the most?

Official map pool needs to have a mixed set of maps, from old to new, chokey to open, low economy to high, big to small, lot's of water to no water etc. If you think there are maps that are too similar and outdated then say the exact maps. Since we're talking about art and tastes I don't want to see fights over proposals in this forum discussion. So don't comment on suggestions of others. Resolve it in private or when someone actually creates a new map pool and tries to merge it into the game.

When thinking about removing maps, don't forget about endowment effect. Always ask yourself, if that map wasn't currently in the map pool, would you want to add it? Thanks in advance for your collaboration!

I do not play it myself but given it's popularity I think it would make sense to add one of the Europe maps

My personal favourites would probably be, Marigold Town, I really like its balance between turtle and aggressive play. Blitz, there's something special about the map, when playing it, it feels perfect. This ragl season I really enjoyed Sonora. I also quite like playing on Compact Earth

And from the official map pool I'd like to see Northwest Passage removed, harvesters act quite buggy on it and map feels a bit too one-dimensional. Polar Disorder, this map feels too chokey and cramped. There's no space or pathways to rotate your armies. Winter Storm It nolonger fits todays meta, it's way too closed off and has very little space to rotate your armies. Mad Science, it has very weird economy and a lot of rubble scattered everywhere making it obnoxious to expand. Vihaan Lunta economy is ridiculously imbalanced for players. Poland Raid, it has AI disabled and bottom team has completely no space to expand. Cold Front it's a map meant for 2 players, but it has 6. It's way too chokey, too close quarters and too low of a economy. Pressure it is too close quarters, too little economy and too low space for players to navigate. Ore is way too easy to contest

The official map pool can be seen as a gateway for new players to start playing the multiplayer. Keeping in mind most players who then start will also start downloading maps. This pool is most best suited for players fighting AI as their main dig or to prepare themselves for multiplayer. For this case I suggest filling the pool with the current most popular and timeless maps for each genre of play so that new players don't go into the games blind. For team games this is Europe, Ore Gardens, Anal Gardens, Nod Castle, and that Isle of something navy map. As well to add integration to the multiplayer community, add in new competitive styled maps for team games such as 3v3 Marigold town/ Chernobyl, union sacree etc. 2v2 and 1v1 are usually exclusively competitively based, as the casual players will usually concentrate in the 3v3, 4v4+ formats. For this add in some of the popular RATL and RAGL maps that would be classed as a timeless creation. For example for 1v1 maps would consist of the RA academy early level pool for new players.

Because of the above, the following maps IMO should be cut for being too outdated and not representing the modern game at all:
Keep off the Grass 2
Orelord
Northwest Passage
Polar Disorder
Siberian Pass
Snow off
Winterstorm
Singles
Barracuda
Icy Ridge
Doubles
Puddles Redux
Tabula Rasa
Temperal
X Lake
Poland Raid
Bombardement Island
Cold Front
Opposite Force
Snow Town
Synergy
Rapa Nui
Vegetation
A Path Beyond
Coastal Influence
Countercross
Centre of Attention Redux
North by Northwest
Regeneration Basin
Hypothermia
Alaska Anarchy Redux
Engagement
Tainted Peak

Now some of these maps have had absolute storied careers and remain part of RA history in the early years (Singles, Doubles, Vegetation). They have aged more like bread than fine wine and do not represent the current game in its competitive or casual base and sacrifices will have to be made. There are plenty of new maps to fill in this large list. There wont be enough maps to replace every one on this list. But hopefully shortening the pool will add some space for new maps in the future.

Maps I suggest adding:

1v1 Competitive:
Shadowfiend 2
Forgotton plains
Blitz

Competitive 2v2:
Marigold Town 2v2
Chernobyl
Collaboration
Pitiless (absoloutley definitley)
Ridges

For Bigger Maps:
Marigold town 3v3
Chernobyl 3v3
Union Sacree

3v3/4v4+
Anal Gardens (with a rename)
Nod Castle
Europe
Forward Progress
Frostmourne
Fortified
Oasis
Progress
Altercation
Archapeligo

Some maps that I think would be nice to have in the map pool. I just went through all the "custom maps" and picked what I liked. There might me some maps that are missed. Some are already present in the current official pool, too.

Beyond Destruction
Marigold Town
Dual Cold Front
Face Off
Forgotten Plains
Pitfight
River Crossing II
Sidestep
Blitz (holy fuck it's a great map)

Chernobyl
Marigold Town 2v2
Ridges
Temptation

Europe Universalis 3
Union Sacree

Forward Progress
Anal Gardens :p

I really don’t think you should take out ore garden, lots of new team players tend to favour that map, and I think if you were to take that map out, a lot of them would not like this, it’s probably one of the most popular maps, even if some of the competitive player would say it sucks.

Some maps I’d be in favour if would be
Blitz
Discovery
Forgotten plains
Stanitsa
Trapped (best map ever made)

Maps to be added to the official map pool should require:
- Great aesthetics
- Innovative concept
- Balance
- Playability
- Replayability
- a not too offensive name...

I think its not OK to add maps just because 'they play better than whats already in the pool'.
I'd be carefull selecting those maps and keep the # of maps limited to lets say 8 max.

Last map added was Climax last year. Before that it was i think 2 years back where netnazgul did a small overhaul.

Result of this discussion should probably look like https://github.com/OpenRA/OpenRA/pull/14768.

Updating and adding new maps to the RA Map pool.

I have watched a lot of RAGL and OpenRA shoutcast through out the years so I know a good map when I see one.

1. Shadowfiend II by Kazu.
2. Forgotten Plains by Eskimo
3. Trapped by Blackened
4. Beyond Destruction by N/a
5. Marigold Town by Super Newbie

I would say we need one of those Europe maps for a FFA which is a good map to play in my books.

Forgotten Plains
Pitfight
Sidestep
Blitz
Discovery
Trapped
Shadowfiend II
Arid
Mountain Ridge Redux

Doublestep
Maelstrom

If I were to pick the official map pool, it would contain:

1v1 maps

- Arid
- Badger Hills
- Blitz
- Borrowed Time
- Discovery
- Dual Cold Front
- Eden Lake
- Enclosure
- Forgotten Plains
- Marigold Town
- Mountain Ridge Redux
- Pitfight
- River Crossing
- Snakes and Ladders
- Senora
- Stanista
- The Great Divide
- The Swamp
- Three and a half woods
- Wetlands
- Ysmir

2v2 maps

- Agenda 2v2
- Alpine Meadows
- Black Belt
- Chernobyl
- Climax
- Collaboration
- Decrepit Isles
- Doubles
- Doublestep
- Land Locked
- Marigold Town 2v2
- Merciless
- Minor Pressure
- Pitiless
- Temptation
- Tournament Island
- X-Lake

FFA/Team games

- Altercation
- Anal Gardens
- Ascent
- Bombardment Islands
- Chernobyl 3v3
- Crossfire
- Europe: NO MINES YES STATS
- Jungle Law
- Marigold Town 3v3
- Ore Gardens
- Pie of Animosity
- Pool Party
- Pressure
- Sudden Death
- Union Sacrée
- Vegetation

Minigames

- Bomber John
- Drop Zone
- Extra Small 1.3
- Fort Lonestar

I agree with amhol. That’s a good list


It’s nice to give new players the whole spectrum of openra maps and that’s a pretty good list.

Also, remember we need the default maps of these because a lot of those maps get modded on top of modded etc, but I think Amhol’s list is pretty good

The competitive maps seem to be all added.

While I dislike the map "nod castle" a lot, you have to acknowledge that it is pretty popular in the casual multiple community. So I guess we should not forget that one

Maps I'd like to stay in:

Doubles, Singles, Tabula Rasa, Bombardment Island, Vegetation, Regeneration Basin, Mad Science

Maps I'd like to add:

Shadowfiend 2

Ill just list what i like here, i havent been around that long.

1v1

- Pleasant Plains
- Shadowfiend II
- Discovery
- Marigold Town
- Pitfight
2v2

- Pitless
- Chernobyl
- Ridges
- Trouble Town

FFA/big teams

- Nod garden
- Anal Gardens