The bigger problem is the lack of innovation, the higher % of maps is just remakes from older wc3 maps that were already played a lot. What's the reason to remake them?
One of the cause for me is that a good part of the editor is broken and we can't simply make new maps based on the innovations that were introduced on sc2.
I'm talking obviously of the controls lag that won't allow us to make any decent arcade/fps/whatever map that requires keyboard or mouse direct input.
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CrashLemon AuthorHello everyone, I've followed the Warcraft 3 mapping scene for a long time, I've made maps (also for Sc1), never really published any but I was very familiar with JASS and the editor. I've made and watched died 3 map makings clan in Wc3:RoC and Wc3:TFT, plus I've tried the Galaxy editor for Sc2.
I've seen the evolution of map making taking place from Starcraft 1, Warcraft 3 and Starcraft 2 and I wanted to share my point on the actual philosphy of making maps in Starcraft 2 and why I think it 'fails'.
First of all, Starcraft 2 gives you A LOT of freedom for original ideas, units, triggers, scripts and such but that doesn't mean the quality of maps has increased, in fact, it has decreased, here's, what I personally think, is the problem:
Innovation Factor
The problem here is not the ideas, it's why they're developed for in the first place. Let's take a random FPS mod for exemple, sure it's possible to make it in Starcraft 2, sure it works and you can make a nice map with it, but does it mean it belongs in Starcraft 2? Is it because you can make those kind of games in the engine that you should? Let's take another exemple, BeJeweled, sure cool it works and its doable in Starcraft 2, but why play it over a random java BeJeweled game from the internet? There's no point in making it in Starcraft 2.
Spells and Effects
There was a trend in the late Warcraft 3 Maps to make spells effect very blown out of proportions and very beautiful, it worked at a certain limit because Warcraft 3 Effects in themselves were lacking, they were, for the most part, simple glows, particles and sprites. In Starcraft 2 however, a simple tank explosion has refraction, smoke particles, debrits, shaders etc. which are already fully complete. Maps like SotIS have spells that create 5 psychic storms in line then electrocutes the ground and stuff, it's too much, you don't see the units and the game anymore, it's not enjoyable.
Main Unit Importance
This is mostly for maps that focus on on hero units, in Warcraft 3, your units were big, they glowed and you knew it was your hero, (the glow even had team color!) but in Starcraft 2, if you decide to make a map where your hero is a zergling, you barely see the team color, you barely see your unit at all. Focus on uniqueness of your controlled unit and to whom it belongs. At least increase it's size by a good amount.
Terrain and Doodads
Okay, there's a lot of good sprites, lightning sets and terrain tiles you can use in Sc2, you can even paint your terrain, wow! There's a problem though, your map has to be playable, it's not a work of art that you want your players to look at, you want them to, by looking at your terrain, understand exactly where they can and they cannot go. Here's an exemple from SotIS vs Blizzard's DotA
SotIS
Blizzard DotA