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There are several good maps whose layouts all follow a similar pattern:
* A building or room for gambit.
* That building is attached to either the north or south part of the map so that it sort of looks like a peninsula.
* There is an east-west road or hallway running either just north or just south of that gambit building.
I have decided to coin a new term and call them "Peninsula/Road" maps, just to make it easy to refer to that pattern.
Here's a list:
* Starport District (Capital City)
* Theed Palace
* Anchorhead
* Felucia
* Taris Lower City
* Smuggler's Base
* Outlaw City
Three (Starport District, Anchorhead, and Theed Palace) are on the Restricted List. Smuggler's Base used to be. I think Outlaw City should be (replacing Theed Palace just for the sake of variety). The other two are from the rare JC Map Pack 1.
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FlyingArrow wrote:There are several good maps whose layouts all follow a similar pattern:
* A building or room for gambit.
* That building is attached to either the north or south part of the map so that it sort of looks like a peninsula.
* There is an east-west road or hallway running either just north or just south of that gambit building.
I have decided to coin a new term and call them "Peninsula/Road" maps, just to make it easy to refer to that pattern.
Here's a list:
* Starport District (Capital City)
* Theed Palace
* Anchorhead
* Felucia
* Taris Lower City
* Smuggler's Base
* Outlaw City
Three (Starport District, Anchorhead, and Theed Palace) are on the Restricted List. Smuggler's Base used to be. I think Outlaw City should be (replacing Theed Palace just for the sake of variety). The other two are from the rare JC Map Pack 1. Dude, I love you. I'm glad you see this pattern I designed all but one of those, and they are all variations of the same concept. If I found success with one design, I often try to recreate it. It really started with Theed. I've since steered away, but Map PAck 6 may have a similar concept. I also have a less successful design styly I call "siege" style. It's been less successful. Its usually an open space on one hemisphere, with the other half usually more of an enclosed structure. Wilnerness Bunker, Cliffside Citadel, and War Academy are all this sort of concept. This was inspired by the 'Shattered Base" and "Hall of Judgement" Maps.
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I think a case could be made for Rancor Pit being a Peninsula/Road map.
However, Rancor Pit also fits into what I call an "Arena" map.
Arena maps may look like other maps but they also feature..
* a large open center "Arena" for combat with structures for minor protection.
* multiple access points to the arena or center chamber.
* long lines of sight across the map.
There are too many maps that fit this category to list them all.
Arena Type Maps (some of the main ones)
Grand Plaza
Rancor Pit
Jabba's Palace
Asteroid Base
Rhen Var Citadel ~ has features of other map layouts too.
Munnilist Commerce Plaza
Financial District
Commercial Spaceport
Grand Atrium
Rattatak Arena
Yavin Ruins
Yavin Sanctuary
Teth Monastery
Teth Courtyard
Geonosis Arena Pit
Taris Undercity
Korriban 2007
There are 4 or 5 of this type of map on restricted.
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The “Roundabout” or “Doughnut” map.
Another common layout that's easily identifiable by it’s doughnut shape.
* A central island pillar or enclosed area provides protection in gambit.
* A circular intersection surrounds gambit like a roundabout.
* Structures North and South of the central island provide cover for shooters.
* East and West sides provide safe rooms for commanders and safe access to gambit.
Roundabout/ Doughnut Maps
Bothan Spynet
Peaceful City
Simulation Deck
Tomb of the Acolytes
Great Library ~ also shares features with “Arena” maps.
Mos Eisley Residence
Commercial Spaceport
Modular Base
Mercenary Base
Swamp Caves
Badlands
Desert Sanctum
There are 4 or 5 maps of this type on the restricted list.
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DarkDracul wrote:I think a case could be made for Rancor Pit being a Peninsula/Road map. I would consider enclosed gambit a primary feature of such a map, so Rancor Pit would not fit the category. Quote:
Arena maps may look like other maps but they also feature..
* a large open center "Arena" for combat with structures for minor protection.
* multiple access points to the arena or center chamber.
* long lines of sight across the map.
Open center and long lines of sight makes it hard for an Arena map to make Restricted list. I think Rancor and Grand Plaza (and maybe Great Library) are the only Restricted maps that meet your criteria. You listed Jabba's Palace, Asteroid Base, and Rhen Var for this category, but I wouldn't say those maps have a large open center area. Quote:* A central island pillar (ROUNDABOUT) or enclosed area (DOUGHNUT) provides protection in gambit.
* A circular intersection surrounds gambit like a roundabout.
* Structures North and South of the central island provide cover for shooters.
* East and West sides provide safe rooms for commanders and safe access to gambit. It's a big difference for a map to have a central pillar versus a central enclosed area. Fortunately, you have two terms there so it's easy to split into two categories. ROUNDABOUT (central pillar) Bothan Spynet Commercial Spaceport Desert Sanctum DOUGHNUT (central enclosed area that you can walk around) Peaceful City Tomb of the Acolytes Mos Eisley Residence Modular Base Mercenary Base Swamp Caves Badlands These are similar to Doughnut maps, but there are doors restricting movement around the central area: Simulation Deck Great Library (big enough central area that it fits more as an Arena map)
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Jedicartographer wrote:I also have a less successful design styly I call "siege" style. It's been less successful. Its usually an open space on one hemisphere, with the other half usually more of an enclosed structure. Wilnerness Bunker, Cliffside Citadel, and War Academy are all this sort of concept. This was inspired by the 'Shattered Base" and "Hall of Judgement" Maps.
The Siege maps tend to have one side that has a much stronger starting zone than the other, which makes it harder for those sorts of maps to make the Restricted list. Makes sense since one side is inside the bunker. Not impossible, though. Even Shattered Base (Commander's Office/Ravaged Base) has one side that is much better as a starting location. However, I think this style of map makes for some of the best scenarios. We used a Siege map (Royal Palace) for one of my favorite SWM games ever - a scenario based on the "Deceived" trailed for The Old Republic MMO. I did a writeup up of the skirmish with pictures on boardgamegeek: http://boardgamegeek.com/thread/748669/deceived-custom-scenario-inspired-trailer-old-repu
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FlyingArrow wrote:I would consider enclosed gambit a primary feature of such a map, so Rancor Pit would not fit the category. You can hide in gambit around the Peninsula on Rancor Pit. But since it's not enclosed your still open to being shot or strafed. So I would classify it as an Arena Map. FlyingArrow wrote:Open center and long lines of sight makes it hard for an Arena map to make Restricted list. I think Rancor and Grand Plaza (and maybe Great Library) are the only Restricted maps that meet your criteria.
You listed Jabba's Palace, Asteroid Base, and Rhen Var for this category, but I wouldn't say those maps have a large open center area. They are arena-ish but they could go into a separate category. Perhaps a good classification for these maps would be... Labyrinth? FlyingArrow wrote:It's a big difference for a map to have a central pillar versus a central enclosed area. Fortunately, you have two terms there so it's easy to split into two categories.
ROUNDABOUT (central pillar)
Bothan Spynet
Commercial Spaceport
Desert Sanctum
DOUGHNUT (central enclosed area that you can walk around)
Peaceful City
Tomb of the Acolytes
Mos Eisley Residence
Modular Base
Mercenary Base
Swamp Caves
Badlands
These are similar to Doughnut maps, but there are doors restricting movement around the central area:
Simulation Deck
Great Library (big enough central area that it fits more as an Arena map) Bothan Spynet has an enclosed area...just not a very big. It seems to me both would play similarly but I like your separated categories. Perhaps because I like Doughnuts. 
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