[Mod] 'Cataclysm' - a rework for the 'Cataract' map

pls insert a screenshot!

screenshot please

the end.

hi,

following screenshot shows some overall features for map mod...

ok... I have placed 2 screenshots at the following location:

http://cid-d5efaeea8ac83a70.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/DGMods/cataclysm01.jpg

http://cid-d5efaeea8ac83a70.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/DGMods/cataclysm02.jpg

That is one chaotic looking map! The arrow towers are so close together. It seems like people would push each other back and forth quite a bit vying for those central portals.

The opposing towers simply serve to create an initial struggle for those after control of the central portals - guess this adds a little more challenge / strategy to winning these positions.

Looks fun.  Will try it tonight.  Do you find that it allows easier pushing into the enemy's citadel?  It seems as if it is one less opposing tower in your path.   Am I reading it right?

Played it last night.  Was a very fun map.  A nice tweak.

I initially thought the extra creeps from the middle portals would become an overwhelming advantage for whoever controlled them.  This is not the case.  Since the creeps run right into the towers (instead of joining the original creeps), they get held off fairly well.   Unless you make creep upgrades, they aren't breaking through.

I had initially thought that if they break through, they would stall the opponent's creeps.  Their path takes them directly infront of the opponent portal, which would prevent the creeps from going to their intended path as they'd be sidetracked by yours.  This is not the case.  Since they can't break through the towers unaided, they don't cause too much trouble.  THis leaves the original creeps alone, and the original paths alone.  You can play it like a normal Cataract, or you have a secondary path with this new portal.

Did you remove the fortresses from the center of the map?  It was VERY easy for someone to stand in the middle lane and catch the opponents creeps as come.  This is right where the creeps are together before they split left and right.  For someone who can AoE farm creeps (TB's Ice Rain, for instance) it was very easy to park myself far enough away from the defending towers and just farm the double wave.  Maybe put back in those fortresses?  Or maybe add an opposing tower to prevent early game farming like that.  It created an advantage very early in the game.

I had initially thought it would be easier to push opponent's towers.  This is true!  However, it is true for both sides, thus, you don't have a lot of time to push towers because the opponent could be doing the same.  It actually made it more of a map-management game since you have to balance offense and defense, and not just upgrade towers and let them hold opponents back at first.

Other than that, I really liked it.  It allows a secondary path to the opponent's citadel.  It allows those of us who like to try to cap opposing portals some assistance. 

Very nice tweak!

Thanks for the feedback there ...

As you have hinted, hopefully the mods to the map have introduced a little more challenge by opening up the side portals for extra offence, this being balanced by some extra defence towers at given points on the map.

With regards to the fortresses, they remain unchanged - as I was primarily interested in introducing the side portals into Cataract - I then only added further towers where necessary in order to balance and polish up the final map.

Having played the map a fair few times, I think the changes serve to make a game on Cataract much more livelier and intense, while still remaining true to the original design layout of the map.