So recently I saw a shout box discussion about maps and matchmaking and someone said something like, "great tournament maps are not the same as great matchmaking maps." And that got me thinking. Because as far as I know the maps used in competitive halo have always been the same maps from matchmaking. So id love to hear what people think are the important qualities for a matchmaking map.
Look at Smash Bros. The "tournament" stages are almost always flat or simple stages with as few variables as possible. Many other stages introduce more. There are good stages and there are bad, but not all of the good stages are played in tournament settings. Hyrule Temple for example is a good stage that i wouldn't expect to see much in tournaments for obvious reasons. A good matchmaking map to me is simply a map that is functioning as it's intended to, with no flaws that hold the design back from reaching its potential. If it's not tournamenet worthy, it simply means it has many variables for that setting. It's pretty cut and dry until you start using "tournament worthy" as a measure of [higher] quality and not as an adjacent category.
The person that stated this makes sense to a point, and I think I know what they mean by it. Matchmaking maps generally need to be very easy to learn in the sense of layout, weapon spawns, jump ups, etc. while tournament maps should have specific call out areas, jump ups (that are harder to perform) and could include a few paths or options of movement that you wouldn't necessarily be able to find or figure out the first time you play a map.
Fun factor vs Balanced Factor. A map that is considered more MM tend to lean towards the fun factor, where as maps for Tournament need to be more balanced and fare Example. Midship was used in MLG but not Gemini Lockout was used and ivory tower was later taken out its about fun factor vs balance factor
I have been making maps for years catering to the competitive community. Sethiroth is from the MLG forums as well, and I would have to second his statement. A tournament map is much more focused on the balance factor, punishing low skill players and lack of team work. Anyone/team that fits into those two categories is not going to find the map very fun when pitted against a highly skilled team of players. A bad team might describe the map experience as painful even.