The Mapper’s Index (Mapmaking Tutorials & Help)

Disclaimer

This list is a port out of the original list which can be found on the original Mapper’s Index Thread, it is recommended for New Mapmakers who wish to discuss Map Design to head up there instead.

TL’s Mapper’s Index Thread

Knowing how to make maps is great, but knowing how to make the best maps takes knowing how to play the game. – Barrin

Enjoy.

Foundational Information

Blizzard Legal

Battle Net Terms of Use
Blizzard Entertainment Online Privacy Policy
Blizzard FAQ Copyright Notices
Blizzard Copyright Infringement Notice
Legal FAQ
Starcraft II Eula
Intellectual Ownerships of Your Maps vs Blizzard

Blizzard Arcade

Official TeamLiquid Links

Simple Questions Simple Answers
Custom Maps Forum Guidelines
Strategy (Liquipedia)
Definitions (Liquipedia)
SC2 Recommended Threads

Where to find maps

Liquipedia

SC2 Maps Portal
Current Ladder Maps
Current Tournament Maps
Full List
BW Maps
BW Maps full List by Tileset

Other Websites

SC2 Mapster
SC2Melee
Nibbits
FreeStarcraft2Maps
Broodwar Maps

Guides

101 – Official SC2 Elements

Blizzard Map Making Tutorials
Map Elements
Choke Points
Resources
Wall-In
TeamLiquid List of Map and Play Elements

101 – Video Guides

Meavis Guides and Streams
Timmay’s Youtube Guides and Streams

101 – Layouts

Mapmaking For Beginners Part 1
Tutorials for New Melee Mapmakers
Proportions
Using Map Space Well
Examples of Expansion Layouts
Map Design Considerations

101 – Texture/Aesthetic Design

Basic Texturing Principals
Basic Texturing Blending Video Tutorial
Mapmaking: Best Practices in Art and Performance

101 – Miscellaneous

Process of Making an Official Map (Written by KeSPA map makers)
The production of New Gettysburg
Proper Mineral Placement
Melee Map Release Checklist
How To Post Map Thread
How To Set Spawn Positions
Mapmaking Tips and Tricks
Beginner’s Video Tutorials

102 – Advanced Layouts

Creating a 3 Player Map
Symmetry In 3 Player Maps

102 – Advanced Texture/Aesthetic Design

Scorp’s Tutorial on Aesthetic Design for SC2 competitive maps
Foliage Overview
Adding Textures
Campaign Dependence in Melee Maps
Tutorial: Use Any In Game Model as a Doodad

201 – Expert Mapping Guides

Full Vision
How To: Green Tea AI
Range Indicator In Editor
Custom Texture Thread
Changing The Xel’Naga Watch Tower
Water, Illustrated
Using Invisible Cliffs
How Geysers and Refineries Block Pathing
Creep Webbing (Patch 1.5 Changed This)
~8% More/Less Gas Mining (Gas Placement)
Glitchable Mineral Walls
Collapsible Rock Towers

202 – Liquipedia Race Strategy

Protoss
Terran
Zerg

Miscellaneous

Judging Maps (Tournament Organizers & Mappers)

Judging a Melee Map
Map Pool Creation Guide

Tools

Galaxy Editor Wiki
Useful Editor Hotkeys
Chart of Map Textures
Texture Catalog
Official Examples of Tilesets
Compendium of Editor Doodads

Assets

Warcraft Model Library (MOD)
ELO Rating (MOD)
Save and Load in multiplayer (SALT) (MOD)
iGrok’s Lighting Packs
Add SC1 Units/Tech Tree

Active Map Teams

Crux
Galaxy eSports
Team YeouL

Retired/Inactive Map Teams

Alloy-E Mapworks (AEM)
Dream Forge (DF)

Release Thread

Esports Vision (ESV)

Major Thread

iCCup
LoS
Map Crafting Lab
The Planetary Workshop (TPW)

Major Thread

Team Six

Known Editor & Map Bugs

Header File Dependencies Not Available
Metropolis Bug
iCCup Heartbreak Ridge Bug

Aesthetic Threads & Contests

Map Art Thread
Weekly Aesthetics Challenge Alien Jungle
Weekly Aesthetics Challenge Molten

Ongoing Map Contests

Map Jam Challenge
Map Of The Month
TeamLiquid Map Contests (TLMC)

Historical Map Contests

Starcraft 2 Custom Map Contest
DYESL
Mapper’s Monthly
IPL Map Contest
CSL NYU FallCraft Map Jam 2013
CSL NYU FallCraft Map Jam 2012
MorroW’s Custom Maps

High Publicity Arcade Maps/Mods

Aradia
Ling Ling Rocket
MorroW’s Marine Control
Peepmode
Pure CTF
Raynor’s Party
Snipers Pro Mod
Star Battle
The Summoners

High Publicity Competitive Mods

Starbow
Starcraft 2 Brood War
WCS Gameheart

Noteworthy Inactive/Unfinished Arcade Maps/Mods

Fewer Resources Base
High Ground Advantage
OneGoal
Trollobattles
YABOT

Community Melee Mapping Spotlights

2011
Community Interview: prodiG
Maps and Mods Page Now Live
Poll: Melee Map Madness (May 6, 2011)

2012
Mappers Official Show Thread
A New Mapping Type of Show
Apollo Analyzes the New Season 6 Maps
Custom Map Spotlight (Monobattles)
ESV’s Anniversary Map Pack
Foreign Map in GSL
In The Spotlight with IronManSC
New Maps In. Old Maps Out
Season 7 GSL Map Poll

2013
Galaxy eSports Team Announcement
2013 Ritmix RSL gNations uses community maps
Climbing The Ladder #54: State of the Mapmaking Community

2014
StarCraft 2 Community Team League (SC2CTL) uses community maps made by Galaxy eSports
Community Map Spotlight: AEM Mutiny
Community Map Spotlight: Moonlight Madness

Caution: Not All Threads Up To Date and/or Relevant to Modern Mapping Practices
Community Organization

Melee Mapmaking Union
Raising Awareness to 1.5 Melee
Forum Purpose
Mapping and Reddit
Community Mapping?
MeleeMapTesting Channel (EU
Unifying the SC2 Map Community

HOTS Discussion

HOTS Beta Maps
HotS Non-Ladder Melee Maps

Mapping Competition Discussions

Monthly Aesthetics Contest?
Map Jam Contest #1

Base Design

Alternative to Neutral Supply Depot
Third Base Design
Different Natural Design
Neutral Supply Depot No Longer A Necessity
The Obvious Third Base
Circle Syndrome
Resource Saturation
Base Vulnerabilities and You
5/6 player 1v1 maps
Diversified Expansions

General Map Features Design

Flat Maps
Maps Without Watchtowers
Map Features That Favor A Specific Race
High Ground and Positional Advantages
Stage Hazards
What Can Be Learned From Calm Before The Storm
Backdoor to Main Being Shortest Path
Map Creativity
Reflection vs Rotational Symmetry
Would You Like More Neutral Structures
Double Cliff Main Single Cliff Natural
“Perfect” Map Symmetry
Theoretical Map Concepts
Map Size History & Analysis
Rush Distance Comparisons
Map Distance & Travel Time
Unique Terrain Modifiers
Why Make a 4-Spawn Map Instead of 2
Melee Maps with Basic Triggers
Incentives To Move Out
Concerns About the big GSL Maps

Team Maps (2v2, 3v3, etc…)

Competitive 2v2 Maps
Fixing the Concept of 3v3 and 4v4
Ladder Team Maps

Map Design Series

Map Design Understanding Choke Points
Map Design Understanding Map Feedback
Map Design Understanding Circle Syndrome
Map Design Understanding Main/Nat/Third
Map Design Understanding Air Space
Map Design Understanding Concepts

Computational Design Limits

Can Maps Lag

Balance Issues

2 Different Map Pools
What Exactly Makes A Map Imbalanced
Regarding PvP, 4gate, and Ramps
Map Balance and Gameplay Balance
“Balance” and Maps
Top 20 Tournament Maps (June 2011)
What Does A Zerg Favored Map Look Like
What Makes A Map Protoss Favored
Are Maps Supposed To Be Balanced
Map Imbalance: What Aspects Favor What Races
What Makes A Map Balanced
Why Good is Good and Why Bad is Bad
Maps That Give Advantages/Disadvantages
Shakuras Positional Imbalance
Large Maps and Zerg Scouting
Close Spawn Positions (Poll)
Asymmetric Melee Maps
Scouting 6 Pool Last on 4 Player Maps
Terran and Long Distance Maps
Terran Play In Bigger Maps
Zerg, Small Maps, and Cheese

Brood War

Brood War Damage Model
Map Size Compared to Brood War
Understanding Starcraft: Map Control
Making Starcraft Maps (BW)
Map Making (BW)

Blizzard Issues

Obtaining Rightfully Owned Locked Maps
Breaking Up Units
Ads/Logos in Melee Maps
I Can’t Put My Finger On It…
Map Pool Suggestion To Blizzard
How To Identify and Open a Blizzard Map in Editor
Low Popularity Maps?
Blizzard Standards
Map Pool Rotations
Dynamic Unit Movement

Self Improvement

Mapping Skill Level
Map Making Strengths and Weaknesses
Mapmaking Skill
Mapmaking Progression Philosophy

Miscellaneous

Stronger Team Color Mod Works On 1.5.3
Melee Maps Your Favorite Tileset
The Spectator Factor
High Level Design Decisions
Perfect Team Liquid Map
Your Ideal Map
Desired Map Characteristics
Positioning, Formation, and Tactics

Ratings and Rankings Systems

F.L.A.S.H. Rating
Matchmaking for Custom Melee Is What We Need