Removal of excess DM/+ maps.

[SneS]

Arena3, DesertWind, Flashback, ROK, Unlim, Leaf, Tropiccave

LOL I cant believe it  Really? These maps are the most popular on DM and 1v1. Everyone on public servers play these maps.

13) Unlim
Not bad, but Veoto is better.

Great comparison XD Almost like compare Iceage to Rok hahhaha
btw. Veoto is a shit. Who uses this map to DM or 1v1? No one. Unlim is played very often.

11) Rok
Forgettable map and ugly layout.

??!! xDD The most popular and the best map to play auto weapon is... "forgettable and ugly". I don't have questions.

Join once a month to 1v1 or deathmatch (not only ctf) and see what maps are played. This list of maps to be removed is a nonsense.

[Monsteri]

Arena3, DesertWind, Flashback, ROK, Unlim, Leaf, Tropiccave

LOL I cant believe it  Really? These maps are the most popular on DM and 1v1. Everyone on public servers play these maps.

13) Unlim
Not bad, but Veoto is better.

Great comparison XD Almost like compare Iceage to Rok hahhaha
btw. Veoto is a shit. Who uses this map to DM or 1v1? No one. Unlim is played very often.

11) Rok
Forgettable map and ugly layout.

??!! xDD The most popular and the best map to play auto weapon is... "forgettable and ugly". I don't have questions.

Join once a month to 1v1 or deathmatch (not only ctf) and see what maps are played. This list of maps to be removed is a nonsense.

The list in the OP is out of date. Also, we don't only consider current popularity in selecting the map pool - but we did include some goodies geared specificly for 1v1.

[gor]

The list in the OP is out of date. Also, we don't only consider current popularity in selecting the map pool - but we did include some goodies geared specificly for 1v1.

I dont understand the point of removing popular maps.
Who cares if the map is ugly if everyone is playing it in DM 0o

Rok is probably the most interesting map for mass DM matches

[duz]

You guys are so funny.

What's the meaning of popularity in 2016? 5 players? 
Let them revamp the game and bring us new lovely maps/remakes. Then we can pick new favorite maps.

[darDar]

That's more of a game concept and mapteam workflow decision.

[bat67]

Hello.
I registered an account just to say: please do not touch those cool maps. Sad to read this news

Also this is funny

13) Unlim
Not bad, but Veoto is better.

14) Jungle
Not bad either, just nothing special.

[%%%%%%%]

Solution: Keep the maps in the game, but not in the default drop-down list when playing offline; have a little "More maps..." button at the side or bottom of the drop-down list where a user can browse and select a map

That drop-down list in the offline play section is the only thing that affects new players; the rest is server admin's choice, and I guarantee you new players would not want to play a game where they have to wait in between rounds for "non-default" maps to download when playing online

So while the maps would remain "default maps", they would no longer be "easily-shown-by-default maps"
For the easily-shown-by-default maps, go ahead and remake as you see fit

[CheeSeMan.]

All this map talk is good guys but really you should be signing up for SCTFL 29

www.sctfl.net

C'mon duz get some brazilians back in here

[Slasher]

All this map talk is good guys but really you should be signing up for SCTFL 29

www.sctfl.net

C'mon duz get some brazilians back in here

I'm brazilian xD

[Fryer]

For what seems to be an inevitable change to Soldat's default map pool, I'm seeing an awful lot of "don't"s and close to no constructive criticism. I'm probably late to the party, but I'd want to provide some of that missing constructive criticism, since I find myself strongly disagreeing with some of the choices. I'm going to try to stay as objective as possible, looking at what variety in theme and gameplay the different maps bring instead of resorting to entirely subjective arguments like "it's not interesting" or "muh nostalgia D:".

Aero
-

Airpirates
Theme: It provides the unique theme of an island being entirely suspended in the air, and it even has a lighthouse!
Gameplay: It has open areas, tight tunnels, places to hide. The open area on the top is vulnerable from snipers sitting on the lighthouse, making owning that location an extra little minigame in itself. The hiding spots at the bottom center and bottom middle both come with a risk, offering not much in terms of fallback to those who venture there, except the pro-moves route of flying below the island, being careful to not run out of jets and fall to your death. The map offers a great variety of gameplay styles and options hard to find elsewhere.
Conclusion: One of the richest maps, both in terms of theme and gameplay. I've never once thought the layout was "confusing", removing it for that reason seems misguided. Despite all its elements, it retains a consistent theme and feel throughout the map, but with all sections having their own details and landmarks, making it easy to navigate and recognize where you are.
Keep? Absolutely.

Arena
Gameplay: Divided into 3 vertical sections, with passageways between them. Most games played on it seem to be a decision about whether to go to the middle or bottom section, based on where most players are. The bottom section provides an open area of easy aim-shoot gameplay, with escape routes in all directions, so that's where (new) players tend to bunch up. The top section provides almost nothing except being a hill, and all it adds is the annoyance of being randomly spawned there and having to find your way back to the action. The construct in the middle looks like something that was put together without any thought because "we need something here", and running around it doesn't offer any risks or challenges.
Conclusion: Weakly designed placeholder map with no theme, probably only popular because it's old and was on the top of the map list for a long time.
Keep? No.

Arena2 vs Arena3
Theme: Both maps have a similar theme with grass on the bottom and a dirt island on top. Arena2 has slightly better detailing work, while Arena3 expands on the theme by adding two structures (bunkers?) in the bottom section.
Gameplay: Both offer a clusterfuck close combat experience not seen in other maps. Arena3 manages to also include some open space and clearer structure, but it lacks some of the variety of Arena2. Arena2 on the other hand doesn't seem to know what it wants, and its dirt island is a mess of random polygons.
Conclusion: Arena3 could be fixed to address its weak points compared to Arena2. Add some sceneries and perhaps make the structures resemble something (bunkers?). Vary the structures (size, position) to give different gameplay options to the left and right side.
Keep? Arena3 (with modifications).

Bigfalls vs Flashback
Theme: Jungle-ish, Bigfalls does it better.
Gameplay: Flashback is all open spaces and a tunnel in the bottom right corner. Bigfalls has some extra well-placed islands providing cover from the mostly open design, and connects everything with a tunnel system in the middle.
Conclusion: Flashback looks like an old version of Bigfalls, inferior in every way.
Keep? Bigfalls.

Blox
Theme: As the name suggests.
Gameplay: In addition to the blox, which are a fun and unique concept to play around by themselves, it has several islands and structures placed around the main playing field where you can hide and take a break from the action. For the friendly neighborhood camper, it also provides a platform on the right side, where you can wait for the right moment and snipe an unsuspecting victim wandering through the blox, but with the risk of having no escape once you are spotted. The spawn point in the lower hanging structure can be an annoyance having to get out of.
Conclusion: Apart from the lower spawnpoint, the map provides a unique theme, and brings solid gameplay to an otherwise potentially gimmicky idea.
Keep? Yes.

Bridge
Gameplay: Two towers separate an open center from the more detailed sides. You can camp on the top of the towers, take the battle to the side areas, or quickly traverse the bottom center. The right side has a camping hole where you can be as annoying as you want, but it doesn't give you much. You can also pass over the top, but it's not good for long term hiding unless burning alive is what you do best.
Conclusion: Well balanced small map that has something for every playstyle. Comparing it to Tropiccave is absurd. Theme could use some clarification.
Keep? Yes.

Bunker
Theme: Open-ceiling battlefield with a bunker in the center.
Gameplay: It's a battle against parachuting soldiers raining from the sky and the few campers who choose to sit on the walls on either side. The only place to hide is in the bunker, which happens to be right in the center of all the action.
Conclusion: Only map that offers the raw open style of play for those who desire it, but keeps it sane by at least letting you have a bunker.
Keep? Probably.

Cambodia
Gameplay: Opens up towards the top, cavey towards the bottom. The caves are long and don't provide anything to play around, making them rarely visited except by those who aren't playing and want to avoid the action.
Conclusion: Personally one of my favorite maps, but removing the unused caves would make it just another generic map, with nothing to offer above what other maps already have.
Keep? No.

CrackedBoot
-

Daybreak
Gameplay: Enclosed middle section with an open area surrounding it. Both have corners and parts to navigate around.
Conclusion: Opposite of Krab, but smaller, and works better. Theme could use some clarification.
Keep? Probably.

DesertWind
Theme: Desert.
Conclusion: Only desert-themed map. Can't say much about the gameplay, I don't have any interesting points to make there.
Keep? Maybe.

Factory
Theme: Some form of factory environment, very blocky and constructed design.
Gameplay: The entire map is tunnels and corridors. Heaven of close combat chainsaw fighters.
Conclusion: Unique concept among a pool of maps mostly based in some nature setting. The cramped space makes it immediately recognizable and completes the end of the openness spectrum opposed by Bunker.
Keep: Probably.

HH
Gameplay: Several random areas linked together with long tunnels.
Conclusion: Running simulator. No theme.
Keep? No.

Island2k5
Theme: Tropical landscape and scenery.
Gameplay: There is a similar medium openness throughout the entire map, with two blobs to navigate around. A few corners and nooks are added in for good measure, and the top left side features a camping spot, similar to the one on Blox. Also the only map with a deadly body of water.
Conclusion: The unique theme and deadly water element, together with perfectly viable gameplay, make this map stand out just enough to be worth keeping around. The gameplay is pretty generic, but sometimes that's what you want, and what better map to represent it than one with its own unique theme?
Keep? Yes.

Jungle
Theme: Jungle. Someone mentioned that thing hanging from the top was a helicopter? I never knew, I kinda see it now, but it's not immediately obvious. What is that deadly pit doing in the jungle anyway? What does it represent?
Gameplay: Similar issue as in Arena, you'll go to the bottom or top section depending on where the action is. But in Jungle neither side seems to be the preferred place to be, so you're always chasing a moving crowd. The lower left tunnel is a place where you hide to be annoying and the spikes and other polygons poking at you are annoying. The deadly pit has a bridge over it, so it's never really a threat, just pointless scenery.
Conclusion: Lots of annoying elements and unrelated objects thrown together.
Keep? Probably not.

Krab
Theme: A night in the outskirts of the jungle?
Gameplay: It has an open area in the middle and a path around it. You can stay away from the open, peeking in once in a while to get a kill, or you can dominate it, occasionally going back to the path for cover.
Conclusion: The jungle theme seems overused, and Krab doesn't do a good job of making it work. It has its own gameplay concept, but many parts of the layout look rough and not well thought out.
Keep? Probably not.

Lagrange
Theme: Flat vegetated trench battlefield.
Gameplay: No jets, just running around shooting whatever is around you.
Conclusion: The iconic no-jets map, simple concept, no bullshit.
Keep? Yes.

Leaf
-

MrSnowman
Theme: Winter, snow, happy snowman, evergreens, ice slide.
Gameplay: Useless top section, nobody ever goes there. The bottom section is where things happen, it has a great layout with places to hide, places to take cover, and open escape routes on both sides. The middle section provides an open area for a different style of combat. The slide on the right side is fun, but doesn't do much for the gameplay.
Conclusion: It could be improved by removing the top area and maybe adding something to the middle area. Whatever it takes to keep the map in the map pool. Removing the only winter themed map would be a loss.
Keep? Yes (with modifications).

RatCave
Theme: Literally a rat cave.
Gameplay: Feels like a medium-sized Arena2. Lots of random dirt island polygons. Perhaps slightly more thought to adding a few open areas as well.
Conclusion: Doesn't add anything of worth to the map pool.
Keep? No.

Rok
Gameplay: Horizontally symmetric-ish, one of few such DM maps. Has a bottom and top section, but unlike Arena and Jungle, it somehow manages to keep both relatively balanced, without giving you the feel of always being in pursuit of the action. There's a bunch of open areas, but also some corners and islands to take cover behind.
Conclusion: It does the 2-section concept that other maps try to do, but better. It also provides an open-area experience, but less extremely so than Bunker. But it neeeds a theme.
Keep? Probably.

RR
Gameplay: Tiny map with a bunch of paths circling around.
Keep? No.

Shau
Theme: Mixed?
Gameplay: Huge open area in the center, more on the top right, lots of really long and pointless caves in the bottom left, and more open area above that. Has some deadly spikes in the center area.
Conclusion: Bunker already provides a good open area experience, this map tries, and fails.
Keep? No.

Tropiccave
-

Unlim
-

Veoto
-

The maps without comments are ones that I don't have anything to say about. I can't remember them giving me any unique gameplay experiences or being visually pleasing, which is probably an indication that they don't provide any value to the map pool. If they were removed, I wouldn't even notice.

[duz]

Nice post Fryer. The fact is that doesn't matter which one gonna be removed or not, they shouldn't repeat the themes and structure. This is crucial to choose something here.

CheeSeMan, there's no more soldat.com.br or soldatx.com, so our community is dead. I was saying for a decade that the sites were lead by poor leaders and this is the result. Therefore there's no more good players (br) interested on the competitive scene. I could start a new community, but I wont spend money on domain and host...