Ratings are by the numbers... #1 BOOMTOWN This is hands down my favorite map. I don't feel like either spawn has a distinct advantage, the wallrunning opportunities are plentiful and fantastic. It has great flow and I love that Pilot and Titan engagements take place all over the map instead of focused in one specific area. #2 EDEN Beautifully designed map functionally and visually. Great flow, wallrunning and flanking opportunities. The Titan gameplay can get a bit cramped with narrow lanes but overall is a massive amount of fun. #3 BLACKWATER CANAL This map reminds me a bit of Colony from TF1. It has an awesome mix of rooftop gameplay with a good mix of CQC area and Titan battles can become quite chaotic and epic on this map. #4 EXOPLANET This map is just a lot of fun because within seconds of spawning you are literally in the face of the enemy. The Pilot combat is a lot of fun with the rooftop gameplay and buildings you can fight in. I don't really like how the Titans play on this map though. The middle of the map is just a deathtrap so most battles are on the outside. #5 COMPLEX I think there is solid gameplay on this map and spawns are equal. I do wish that you could call your Titan in the "outside" dome area. It's hard to tell where Titans are gonna drop in on this map. Also, I really like the Evac point but why is there only one Evac point or have I just not played it enough? #6 DRY DOCK First off, the wallrunning is absolutely awesome on this map. However, the Pilot gameplay happens primarily in two areas and same goes with the Titan gameplay. The flow is just weird, people are far too attracted to the two back roof areas. #7 HOMESTEAD I'm indifferent with this map. Mainly because it caters to Assault Rifles / Sniper Rifle gameplay and I'm more of a SMG, rush player. Also, Titans don't seem to last very long on this map because of how open it is and there is basically no cover for Titans so Pilots just pick you apart. #8 FORWARDBASE KODAI I could honestly take or leave this map. All the Titans stay on the outside while it seems like all Pilots hide in the buildings in the middle. It has some really weird sightlines on the inside as well, doesn't flow very well. #9 CRASH SITE Definitely my least favorite map by a long shot, it's absolutely terrible. It has completely uneven spawns, cramped Titan gameplay, not very many wallrunning opportunities and some areas of the map seems completely useless. Never see any AI or Pilots spawn or go there.
Although I don't share any overall enthusiasm for any of these maps, because I think all of the maps from TF1 were far superior, if we are rating these inferior maps in order of least bad to worst bad, originally I would have agreed with your top 3, but recently, I've changed my mind on some. My original preferences: #1 BOOMTOWN #2 EDEN #3 BLACKWATER CANAL #4 DRY DOCK #5 FORWARDBASE KODAI #6 EXOPLANET #7 HOMESTEAD #8 CRASH SITE #9 COMPLEX My preferences now: #1 EXOPLANET (I don't know why, but this map has really grown on me) #2 EDEN #3 FORWARDBASE KODAI #4 DRY DOCK #5 BOOMTOWN (don't like the way people are playing this one now) #6 BLACKWATER CANAL (don't like the way people are playing this one now) #7 HOMESTEAD (just a very milk toasty map) #8 CRASH SITE (complete garbage, never should have made it into the game) #9 COMPLEX (complete garbage, never should have made it into the game)
I like your ranking better, probably because of our favourite game mode is Ampted Hardpoint. I am not as negative on the maps some I think are every bit as good as some on TF1. War Games & Training ground suck! My only thing about the TF2 maps is they are, for the most part, to congested and small.
I definitely agree about them being too congested and small. I had been thinking about that several times and asking myself, "How would some of these TF2 maps be if they were just spread out a little bit? What would they be like with wider titan lanes? What would it be like if we connected 2 or 3 of these maps and made one map out of them?" For example, I think Blackwater Canal and Dry Dock would go really well together. Or, Exoplanet and Homestead. Or, maybe Eden and Boomtown.