Hey there Munchies!
The Woolwars map Santa’s Sollitude has been playable now for quite a while and I would like to gather some reviews. Thank you all in advance! ;D
A little reminder for the people who might not know the maps by name;
Have you played on Santa’s Sollitude before?
- Yes
- No
- Can’t say for sure
Does the map layout feel balanced among all spawning locations?
- Yes
- No
- Can’t say for sure
Is the map easy to navigate?
Have you encounterd any bugs or glitches with the map?
Are most kits equally viable on this map?
If you could leave a comment with changes you would make to the map to make it better, I would absolutely love that. Feel free to elaborate on any polls in the comments aswell. All oppinions are welcome.
Thank you so much for your time, appreciate y’all!
-TheDutchKnot
7 Likes
For the last Q, why? i havent noticed any kits being particularly strong - but im probably missing something. Fill me in:point_right:
Overall a very pretty map thats decent to play on. One thing thats unfortunate is the clash between complex walls and a complex set piece (the tree). I do enjoy complex structures to play on, as it allows for players who have less gear to gain the upper hand, but on this map its hard to find anything but those areas.
4 Likes
I personally find Santa’s Solitide frustrating to play on for two main reasons:
- The platform distribution is way too centralized. In the bottom 2/3 of the map, the Christmas tree is the only structure. The tree itself is also annoying to navigate, and I constantly find myself hitting my head while trying to tower up. This is made worse by the small diameter of the map. It feels way too squished, like I’m being pushed toward the center.
- The map is too tall. The entire top half (sleigh and ice platforms) feels very empty and unused. The only times I’ve towered up to the tall parts have been when someone was running away and I had to chase them there. It almost reminds me of the top half of the original flag wars.
As far as the ‘are all kits equally good on this map?’ question, Santa’s Solitude definitely favors a few kits. Mostly bouncy and feather because of their ability to thrive in tall maps, but also paladin due to the map’s small size and tedious navigation (it’s easier to chain kills when other players have a hard time running away). I also think that teleporter is a worse kit in this map, mainly because it’s hard to pearl without hitting the various tree branches scattered throughout the map. All of that out of the way, I don’t think there’s anything inherently wrong with certain maps favoring/disfavoring specific kits. If anything, it’s a fun aspect of woolwars that adds depth and strategy to the game. It’s definitely possible to take it too far, but Santa’s Solitude gets nowhere near that level.
All of that being said, here are some things I do like about the map:
- Like all of your maps, Santa’s Solitude looks amazing. There’s a specific ‘TheDutchKnot’ style of building, and I’m glad to say that it’s definitely noticeable here. Your decorative skills are astounding, and Santa’s Solitude is no exception.
- I really like the shape of the map. You took the theme of the NYBC build competition, and ran with it in a very creative direction. I like having fights in the little snowflake tendrils on the edges of the map. They allow for lots of creative maneuvering and block placing during combat, something that’s been relatively rare in most other recent woolwars maps.
All in all, here’s what I would change if Santa’s Solitude were to be revamped:
- Reduce the height of the map. Removing the empty top section would do wonders to quicken the pace of the game. Alternatively, just fill in the top with more platforms to make it easier to chase players who are running away.
- Widen the map. Santa’s Solitude currently feels cramped, and widening it would definitely give people more breathing room.
- Make the tree a little smaller, and use the extra space to add some smaller, more distributed platforms. Doing this would give players a reason to venture off the tree and tower near the snowflake tendrils. You’ve seriously hit gold with the snowflake shape, and it would be a shame if players never played near the edges because they were so focused on the tree.
Hopefully this feedback was helpful, let me know if you have any questions. I’d love to see Santa’s Solitude reach the potential it has!
7 Likes
EXACTLY agree with Zombie. I think this post sums up a lot of my problems with Woolwars maps, and it’s definitely worth reading for any mapmaker.
2 Likes
Personally although the map isn’t one of the maps I think of when thinking of good woolwars maps, I also wouldn’t say it’s a bad map (if that makes sense?). The only real thing I find particularly annoying is the snow at the bottom because it makes it difficult to tower (since it covers the entire bottom of the map and prevents you from placing blocks). Also:
For this question, I would say no but I don’t think that’s a fault of the map since although I’d say kit balancing is probably around the best it’s been in woolwars I’d also still say that the majority of kits still aren’t at what I would consider to be “balanced”, so although there are definitely kits that are better than others, that isn’t because the map specifically favors them but rather because the majority of kits (imo) are underpowered, regardless of the map, and I don’t find this map to be particularly bad about favoring specific kits anymore than I would most maps.
2 Likes
I think Santa’s solitude is the greatest map ever to exist and has no flaws whatsoever #notbiased
I think crafty is a poop-head (biased)
7 Likes
The map do be gorgeous tho! 
3 Likes
You have absolutely no idea how hard you are carrying me rn with this in depth playtest feedback <3
You’re the best! Thanks man!
2 Likes
