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The Map Cheat Sheet

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# 1Feinam Mar 4 2007, 04:56 AM
The Map Cheat Sheet
Starting Positions and Move Orders


Every map has its own unique characteristics, and the bird's eye view can skew your perspective on distances. There is nothing quite more annoying than to have a gorgeous queue including move orders, and realize one of your move orders were off! In that case, you can only decide to allow the flawed plan to continue with a few seconds lost, or stop your commander and remake the commands. To understand the importance of move orders previous to build orders, please refer to Artistic's Guide.

This cheat sheet shows starting positions, and the unique properties of their initial four mass extraction points. You might have a great ability to gauge distances, and in that case this guide will likely not benefit you. Perhaps you can plan out mid points to make two mass extractors without moving, but you have never tested out which mass extractors can be build right from starting position... in that case watch the green dots and you'll instantly know which are within reach at the get-go.

However, if you really want to plan out your routes, and have a desire to know the advantages that come with each side and the most optimal standing point to build, then this guide is right for you! I will post 2 maps each evening working from 2 player maps on up (alphabetically in order after player size). My focus will be on all starting positions for the 2-4 player range, and the principle beginning points for ranked matches on larger maps.

I'm not certain if there is a demand for this type of guide. I imagine the top tier players already have this memorized for the most common maps and positions.. and that the more casual players don't care. Because of this, I'd like feedback whether or not this information is useful to the community. If so, I will continue the guide to its completion... if not, I will discontinue it.

Radius Points

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Every map you will teleport in and create circular scars in the landscape. These are great visual aids for your starting build. The central area is flat, with the green circle representing your initial point. This circle ends in a ridge which is labeled yellow. After the ridge is a concave circle labeled red. There is then another ridge labeled purple, and finally the outlying scars. I will use these zones and zone lines as a visual aid, as well as to determine the most advantageous side on a map from the perspective of opening build speed.

My use of numbers to rate spawn locations is the number of rings traveled from the central point in order to build. A score of 1 would be that you have to stand on the first ring to start a mass extractor. This is to be a rating system to show which side has the greatest advantage, and also to be a quick memory aid for where to send your commander (I know to move 2 rings SE for a combo build on Finns South).

Mass extraction points that can be built without moving in the very beginning will have a green dot next to them. This is *THE* most important thing to memorize. All the other facts are secondary. Red dots show the closest point which you can build the mass extractor from for which the line points to, and yellow dots are the earliest points you can build two mass extractors.

Two Player Maps

Canis River
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South Spawn
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Initial Builds: None
NW: 1
NE: 3
SE: 2
S: 1.5
Individual Distance Score: 7.5

Combinations:
S/SE: 3
N/NW: 3
Combination Distance Score: 6

North Spawn
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Initial Builds: N
NW: 3
S: 2
SE: 2
Individual Distance Score: 7

Combinations:
S/SE: 3
NW: 3
Combination Distance Score: 6

Conclusion:
Canis North has a slight edge due to a single point that can be build with no movement, but with proper middle point combinations each side is about even.

Finn's Revenge
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North Spawn
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Initial Builds: None
N: 2
E: 1.5
S: 2
W: 1
Individual Distance Score: 6.5

Combinations:
W/S: 3
N/E: 3.5
Combination Distance Score: 6.5

South Spawn
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Initial Builds: None
N: 0.5
W: 0.5
S: 1
E: 1
Individual Distance Score: 3

Combinations:
N/W: 1
S/E: 2
Combination Distance Score: 3

Conclusion:
Finns South has a huge advantage on move times. The N/W Combination point is half a stride for the commander, and is suggested as the opening build point for your first two mass extractors.

Theta Passage
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North Spawn
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Initial Builds: None
NE: 2
NW: Outer Scar (4)
Trial Run Individual Build: 1:05

South Spawn
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Initial Builds: None
SW: 2
Trial Run Individual Build: 1:05

Combinations: SW/SE, NW/NE
Trial Run Combination Build: 1:06

Conclusion: Despite these spawns looking vastly different, their build times are similar. South has an advantage of a combo build point that adds flexibility, but both spawns have a first build point 2 rings away from starting position. According to your build order, the side you spawn on won't have a significant impact. Check my replay for Theta North to see how to tweak the move order from the point you know *does* work to a point directly between you and your current position.

Winter's Duel
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West Spawn
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Initial Builds: NW, SW
SE: 3.5
NE: 4.5
Individual Distance Score: 7.5

Combinations:
SW/SE: 3.5
NW/NE: 4.5
Combination Distance Score: 7.5

East Spawn
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Initial Builds: SE
NE: 0.5
SW: 1
NW: 4
Individual Distance Score: 5.5

Combinations:
NE/SE: 0.5
SE/SW: 1
NW/NE: 4
Combination Distance Score: 5 (SW/SE + NW/NE)

Conclusion:
At first blush, Winters West has an advantage of two initial build points instead of the single point east does. After analysis, however, East has closer combo points. If you spawn on east, take advantage of your ACU's facing and take a step SW to combo the southern points, then swing up north to combo the northern ones (adding in a reclaim on the ice mound). If you spawn on west, it might be well worth your while to leave the NE point to an engineer due to the great distance just to build one point.

Three Player Maps


Sentry Point
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South Spawn
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Initial Builds: NW
NE: 0.5
SW: 1.3
SE: 1.5
Individual Distance Score: 3.3

Combinations:
NW/SW: 1.3
NE/SE: 2.2
Combination Distance Score: 3.5

West Spawn
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Initial Builds: NW, NE, SW, SE
Individual Distance Score: 0

Conclusion:
Simply jaw dropping differences here. West is a powerhouse for build speed with four instant builds from spawn. South, on the other hand, will take some care in the placement of your build points to utilize. Fortunately for South, the hydro plant is to the west, which is along the way to a standard offensive commander choke point at the pass or valley. This allows the commander to assist in the creation of the plant instead of spending time in base getting the first pgens up. North on the other hand has a hydro to the north, which is more sheltered by out of the way. Either way you cut it, though, West is a distinct advantage.

-Feinam

This post has been edited by Feinam: Mar 14 2007, 00:24 AM

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# 2Feinam Mar 4 2007, 04:57 AM
Reserved
[a name="test"]Test[/a]

This post has been edited by Feinam: Mar 14 2007, 14:43 PM

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# 3Feinam Mar 4 2007, 04:58 AM
Reserved

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# 4Feinam Mar 4 2007, 04:59 AM
Unique Build Movies


Theta South:

Attached File ThetaCombo.wmv
Size: 3.58mb
Number of downloads: 474


This post has been edited by Feinam: Mar 19 2007, 15:14 PM

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# 5Necrosjef Mar 4 2007, 14:33 PM
Nice guide again, we will see about pinning this one too when we decide what we are gonna do to create more space.

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# 6Poita_ Mar 4 2007, 16:35 PM
Nice stuff.

tbh I'd only do the ranked maps otherwise you're gonna take forever.

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# 7Feinam Mar 4 2007, 18:45 PM
QUOTE(Poita_ @ Mar 4 2007, 04:35 PM) *

Nice stuff.

tbh I'd only do the ranked maps otherwise you're gonna take forever.


It's likely they'll cycle maps on the ladder, so I'll at least try to get the primary positions for each map (I won't do the casual game position mapping).

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# 8Thygrrr Mar 5 2007, 15:02 PM
Wow, that's one wicked idea for a guide. Great work!

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# 9Zavior Mar 9 2007, 14:56 PM
Superb stuff!

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# 10-Galactus- Mar 11 2007, 19:12 PM
Hey just wanted to let you know I found this guide very useful. I've wondered why many times the commander would build a Mex from far away but then sometimes would walk right up next to it wasting valuable time. The initial video helps with understanding all the picture diagrams. Thanks for sharing by the way.

-Galactus-

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# 11wolfman Mar 12 2007, 06:04 AM
Very good job Feinam. Keep up the good work.

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# 12Zulan Mar 15 2007, 12:16 PM
Absolutely thanks to the post and the work! thum.gif

However I have to disagree with one analysis

QUOTE(Feinam @ Mar 4 2007, 05:56 AM) *

If you spawn on east, take advantage of your ACU's facing and take a step SW to combo the southern points


It is not an advantage to combo points that you can also reach from your starting spot, why should it? Instead of this combo you could instead build SE from your starting spot and then move SW to the single point. This should be better because the first mex is ready slightly earlier while the second one is ready at the same time. Am I mistaking something?

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# 13Feinam Mar 15 2007, 19:35 PM
QUOTE(Zulan @ Mar 15 2007, 12:16 PM) *

Absolutely thanks to the post and the work! thum.gif

However I have to disagree with one analysis
It is not an advantage to combo points that you can also reach from your starting spot, why should it? Instead of this combo you could instead build SE from your starting spot and then move SW to the single point. This should be better because the first mex is ready slightly earlier while the second one is ready at the same time. Am I mistaking something?


You are correct, doing a single, shifting a half step southwest and doing another single is the most efficient in this setup. If the initial point wasn't immediately build able, I'd definitely say to combo them so you eliminate the gap of time that it takes the ACU to accelerate from a standstill to movement.

My point was more to say that the southern points should be the first priority due to the fact your ACU is already facing south. Heading him north causes him to do a 180 turn that makes the short distance considerably longer in execution time. The combo just one step northeast of the ACU is further than the 2 steps southwest, because the near 180 that has to be executed translates into 4 steps --so eastern combos is actually *further* to move initially than south.

Building SE then taking a step SW is the right course of action, as you stated.

This post has been edited by Feinam: Mar 15 2007, 19:36 PM

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# 14Strages Mar 16 2007, 07:00 AM
Excellent guide, as usual! I too find it difficult to memorize the best places to start my intial BO as misstepping can waste valuable seconds!

Is there a specific way to memorize/visual the actual build range of the ACU?

This post has been edited by Strages: Mar 16 2007, 07:00 AM

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# 15Feinam Mar 16 2007, 10:28 AM
QUOTE(Strages @ Mar 16 2007, 07:00 AM) *

Excellent guide, as usual! I too find it difficult to memorize the best places to start my intial BO as misstepping can waste valuable seconds!

Is there a specific way to memorize/visual the actual build range of the ACU?



Roughly 8 "squares." Imagine 8 pgens extending out from your ACU, with the 8th being the limit of the beam.

^^

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# 16lauer Sep 25 2007, 10:22 AM
Nice guide!

*nudges op to do more maps* whistling.gif

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# 17AxDude Oct 2 2007, 17:51 PM
I came across this guide a while back, and after soem agonizing searching, glad I found it again. I too would like to see more information on this type of guide (perhaps going into building of Pgens and early factories).

And I thank sir for his contribution to the community.

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# 18Namreg Oct 3 2007, 20:02 PM
its pinned, how do you miss it?

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# 19ntropy Oct 5 2007, 16:41 PM
There's a UI mod, that shows build range on ACU/Engineers, it's great for testing start-out build orders.

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