What is the idea?

Some matchmaker-viable maps aren't played enough, and either make it to the ladder with bugs or never make it at all. We (me, alongside the FAF creative team) aim to change that by forcing exposure for maps in exchange for rewards.

How does it work?

You complete:

• fair, unstaged game(s)

• with replays that don't desync

• that fulfils a bounty posted below

• and post a link to the replay here

First valid replay to a bounty wins the points.

Rewards

You can cash out your Map Bounty Points (TM pending) for the following rewards below at any time.

5 points

Map Hunter tier I badge (badges in final polishing stage)

10 points

30 minutes to an hour with me or Jip to discuss map designs and map ideas

25 points

$10 towards official FAF tourney of your choice under a name of your choice (Current stock: 10/10)

Map Hunter tier II badge (requires Map Hunter tier I)

50 points

Your name on a decal on my next map

$40 commission credit with me for mapping

Map Hunter tier III badge (requires Map Hunter tier I + II)

More rewards will come in the future as we approve, code and make resources for them.

Definitions

• Very low level: Rating 500 or below (ladder where appropriate, otherwise global)

• Low level: Rating 500-1000

• Mid level: Rating 1000-1500

• High level: Rating 1500+

• Very high level: Rating 1800+

Ratings do not have to be exact (+-150 allowed)

You will get bonus points if you include detailed feedback or bug reports with your replays.

The 1st bounty batch

Hargreven by Tron-

• Very low level 1v1 best of 5: 5 points to each player

• Low level 1v1 best of 5: 5 points to each player

* Mid level 1v1 best of 5: 5 points to each player Claimed by Amygdala and failer

• High or Very high level 1v1 best of 7: 10 points to each player

Verisimilitude by CaptainKlutz

• Very low level 1v1 best of 5: 5 points to each player

• Low level 1v1 best of 5: 5 points to each player

• Mid level 1v1 best of 5: 5 points to each player

• High level 1v1 best of 5: 5 points to each player

• High or Very high level 1v1 best of 7: 10 points to each player

Parched River by Kauderwelsch

• Very low level 2v2 best of 3 lasting at least 30 minutes total: 5 points to each player

• Low level 2v2 best of 3 lasting at least 30 minutes total: 5 points to each player

• Mid level 2v2 best of 3 lasting at least 30 minutes total: 5 points to each player

• High level 2v2 best of 3 lasting at least 30 minutes total: 5 points to each player

• Very high level 2v2 best of 3 lasting at least 30 minutes total: 5 points to each player

Corina's Hourglass by CaptainKlutz

• High level 1v1 best of 3: 5 points to each player

• Very high level 1v1 best of 3: 5 points to each player

• Mid level 2v2 best of 3 lasting at least 30 minutes total: 5 points to each player

• High level 2v2 best of 3 lasting at least 30 minutes total: 5 points to each player

• Very high level 2v2 best of 3 lasting at least 30 minutes total: 5 points to each player

• Very low level 4v4 lasting at least 30 minutes total: 5 points to each player

• Low level 4v4 lasting at least 30 minutes total: 5 points to each player

• Mid or High level 4v4 lasting at least 30 minutes total: 5 points to each player

We retain the right to reject replays if they do not provide sufficient information on how the map plays.

@captainklutz said in Map Bounty Thread:

Very low level 1v1 best of 5: 5 points to each player

@CaptainKlutz What does best of 5 mean? Or best of 3, best of 7?

@captainklutz said in Map Bounty Thread:

First valid replay to a bounty wins the points.

Does that mean that only one replay for a map will get points, or one replay for rating level and map or something else? Does everybody in the game has to be in same rating level? I suppose easiest thing should be to host all welcome as long as games can be balanced (talking about 2v2 here).

Two mid/high replays of Hargreven by Tron-, Sorry didn't get to the bo 5 since I got a work call after.
https://replay.faforever.com/18357387
https://replay.faforever.com/18357668

Question regarding positions: Do we always assume 1-2 and 3-4 for larger maps team games?
Corina's hourglass is bottom-left vs top-right in a 2v2 scenario?

Odd v even is standard practice.

@wikingest said in Map Bounty Thread:

@CaptainKlutz What does best of 5 mean? Or best of 3, best of 7?

It means you play games until one person wins the majority of the games of the 'best of', i.e. 3 games for best of 5 or 4 games for best of 7. That means for example, for a Bo5, a 3-0 sweep and a 3-2 nailbiter are both equally valid.

Does that mean that only one replay for a map will get points, or one replay for rating level and map or something else? Does everybody in the game has to be in same rating level? I suppose easiest thing should be to host all welcome as long as games can be balanced (talking about 2v2 here).

Average lobby rating. First valid replay for each bullet point gets the points.

@conorach said in Map Bounty Thread:

Two mid/high replays of Hargreven by Tron-, Sorry didn't get to the bo 5 since I got a work call after.
https://replay.faforever.com/18357387
https://replay.faforever.com/18357668

Thank you, I will check them out tomorrow.

@conorach said in Map Bounty Thread:

Question regarding positions: Do we always assume 1-2 and 3-4 for larger maps team games?
Corina's hourglass is bottom-left vs top-right in a 2v2 scenario?

That is correct, please use odd/even slots 1-3 vs 2-4. I believe all the maps are configured to work this way; Corina's hourglass is definitely intended to be bottom left vs top right.

The 1st bounty update

Additional bounties:

The first game played on :

• any of the maps posted now or in the future
• that lasts 20+ minutes
• that creates a replay that is casted and is publicly watchable on Youtube, DailyMotion etc.
• and receives at least 200 views

Will earn the replay submitter 20 points, and the video will receive a news item on the FAF News page in-client for a week.

Avatar update

Map bounty hunter avatars for tiers I, II and III are being finalised.

Mid/high level BO7 on Hargreven with failer and myself. (both <1500 ladder, >1500 global)

https://replay.faforever.com/18563522
https://replay.faforever.com/18563694
https://replay.faforever.com/18563953
https://replay.faforever.com/18564164
https://replay.faforever.com/18564286
https://replay.faforever.com/18564497

Impression: Pretty raid and spam heavy map with all the spread out mexes. Many routes to attack/defend leads to chaotic play in the first 10ish min and makes it hard to stabilize. ACU placement seems a bit random, no clear expansion to go to. Pretty easy for the ACU to get caught. Lost engies due to early bomber or lab can be quiet brutal/annoying.

Thank you both, especially for the detailed feedback! For that I will give @failer 5 points and @Amygdala 10 points.

As for on our side of things, the avatars/badges are done, so as soon as the first person exchanges points for one, they can be added to the client.

3 games on Parchard River with @Xayo, @Amygdala and @failer
all 1500+ global

https://replay.faforever.com/18682508
https://replay.faforever.com/18682403
https://replay.faforever.com/18682249

Impression:

• The majority of combat is focused on the corners. PD seems very strong here due to the linear battlefield.
• Middle is just dead. The long diagonal walk-channel from top to bot is too long to be helpful to shift units from corner to corner.
• Since all land units have to cross the corners to get to the enemy side of the map, rading is not possible once comms get into position to block the corners.
• TML can be safely deployed on your own side of the map, in a non-raidable splot (cliffs all around), and hit enemy bases.
• Strong slot asymmetry. Slot 3+4 get more easy expansion paths, more mexes, and better protection from raids (only one entrance to all your mexes).
• Slot 1+2 have fewer mexes, and establishing them is more of a struggle (longer distance to mex because of terrain, 2 entrances for raids before the corner is secured). The essential 3 mex expansion is easy to deny early on, and prone to drops later on. To compensate the slot gets an extra 1k relcaim, which is a nice boost early on, but we found this to be generally not enough to offset the disadvantage long term.

I love this idea, as I am regularly scouring the vault for new customs.