Map balance and worst maps?

[DoctorAnubis]

So i joined a 1vs1 last night and the map in question really made me think about the difference in map quality seen in the game. Visually, "Serpent Island" is one of the better looking maps, but gameplay-wise, it's a ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ for new players.

I have played Realms many years and am an average player, but in all this time, I had never played Serpent Island. I joined a lobby asking for a 1vs1 on this map. Having never ever experienced this map before, I didn't know what to expect. Battle Realms is not the sort of game where you have time to get a feel for the map layout, because you need to build very quickly. It wasn't long before I knew this map was a stitch up. The opposing player knew all too well of a massively handicapped area at the top of a mountain which poses the following problems:

• There are only 2 routes to access the area
  
• The rice patch is huge and it has a water point
  
• There are push-able boulders covering both entrances which can instantly wipe out armies and due to the layout, only the defending team can make use of these!
  
• There are spots where towers can be built which overlook both spawn points on the map
  
• Good luck destroying these towers with units down below because due to the steepness, most of my missile units failed from below. (the best counter appeared to be archers with flame arrows, but gosh, flame arrows now requiring stamina made this attempt useless as well...)

The map took over 2 hours because of the other player camping on the mountain but I managed to beat the player just through countering their cheesy tactics with cheesy tactics of my own.

The match commenced and it wasn't long before cannoneers were crushing my rice patch from the safety of the mountain. As aforementioned, destroying these towers was not effective and rushing the mountain would have been game over at this point. I ran from the first spawn, and began to utilise other rice patches around the map, which were tiny. I also built structures all over the map so that I would always have buildings. My final main base was cramped together at the top-right of the map. I camped there for over an hour, slowly building up an army and countering the enemy attacks by having 4 towers close together. I could sense my opponent feeling tired, and I was determined to win just because of how cheap the map is to new players. My opponent sent a large army, possibly about 30 units, which I destroyed using Samurai and Chemists. I then rushed up the mountain quickly. Destroying only a few buildings before the player rage quit the game...

Needless to say, I feel this map was one of the most unfair and poorly designed maps for multiplayer. It is too imbalanced for newcomers to the game.

I wonder how many of the maps in battle realms are actually considered good. What makes a good map? What makes a bad map? What are some of the worst maps in the game?

Good map features

• Spawn points well balanced (i.e. same size rice patch, same size for structures)
  
• In non-symmetrical maps, rice patch size is determined by the quality/vantage of that particular area
  
• Details. Some of the maps really have a Zen feel to them. Well placed sounds, animals and objects are what gives this game character. Most stock maps offer little in this area, but many custom maps have done this extremely well (i.e. Darwinism)

Bad map features

• Ability to build too many structures outside of main spawn, this happens in maps where the terrain is overly flat across the entire map.
  
• Vantage points which overlook a players starting location and rice patch
  
• Too many wild wolves, spiders
  
• Maps that are extremely big (a good map should allow a unit to sprint from 1 side of the map to the other)
  
• Boulders
  
• Really steep mountains