Okay, so, I'm here apparently.
Even though I've been on zombies quite rarely as of late, and I don't entirely feel my opinion on submissions or suggestions quite count anymore as I don't know the status of the server as well as I used too...
But
M_B_H and you guys wanted me to give a reply so... Here I am! (While listening to Les' Mis~ no less!)
Anyways!---
I would like to first say that I completely agree with the majority what has been already stated here, as they are, in my thoughts, quite true in terms of critique and what you should possibly follow in terms of improving the map.
I have been feeling quite nostalgic these past few days of the time I spent when I first joined Minecraft on a large Freebuild server, and I must agree with Reyvn(Aerova), this map does essentially is reminiscent of a "freebuild" aesthetic. Though I would normally say that is a bad thing as it does not show a good uniform for the map and makes it appear sloppy, I don't think I would count that in this circumstance. Although I'm certain you were not trying to go for a freebuild aesthetic (as it is supposed to be a town), that Is what I picture it as of this moment, and I do say I think as a bit of a "freebuild" aesthetic, I do say it has quite a bit of charm to it and does give off a sense of nostalgia and potential for a map. However, of course, that really doesn't signify the problems with the map...
First off... I...
I do disagree with the idea that the map is a tad barren. No, the map appear "barren" is not the problem because there are quite enough constructs and buildings (in my opinion) to saturate the map already. It is NOT barren, but INSTEAD, the map is really flat. Seriously, the whole map is a singular plane of obsidian going across the ground. This is the problem I have with ansoro's map, Safari, because it's really quite boring and aesthetically unappealing to be running across a flat surface from the zombies hordes. Tier or slope the land in some form and build the town to flow with the terrain, and you will end up with a much more interesting map by adding just a smaller bit of detail to the ground layer.
Secondly...
I have been visiting the server as of late, as a round or two are quite fun when I have the urge to come and play. From these experiences, I haven't seen that many people, and even if I do, the majority of them are the operators and staff. The server is dying off slowly in a sense, so seeing this as a 128x128x128 map feels quite... wrong, for lack of a better term. Even with the elongated time (as I know we were discussing that a bit when I was on the server), with such a large map area, it is difficult for a small number (normally singular) zombies to really flank a human mid-chase. I believe that with the removal of "some" things, and possibly cramming together a few other things to fit, I feel the map can probably do better as a 64x64x64 sized map, or at least, a much smaller dimension-ed map while do.
I also think that's probably the root of people feeling the map is "barren." A lot of the buildings are quite spread out, revealing those flat areas of land/obsidian. Shrinking the map could change that opinion (in... my opinion)
I mean, you have the height; just look at those two green and red skyscrapers on one side of the map. Making a couple more buildings with added "height" and shrinking the map down to a lower pace, I could see a much more varied or balanced map.
Lastly, I think you should focus on possibly a "single core" idea for the map.
I've always seen a lot of people who make maps try to blend the mechanics of hiding and turn it into a hybrid runner map, and a lot of them are not quite that up to par in my opinion. It's like in the creation of any game: if you try to focus on things your "______" is not, then other parts of your "_______" will be lacking.
Take the Single-Player campaigns of some of the Call of Duty: Modern Wargare games; they feel quite shoe-horned in, and are lacking compared to the multiplayer aspect, and thus, makes it uninteresting to play and doesn't quite fit with the polish the rest of the game has.
So in my opinion, a lot of the parkour you currently have in the map is... actually unneeded and doesn't really add much to the map. In fact, I bet the gameplay would probably be better without them, as there is already enough large space for humans to run and hide without humans merely camping certain parkour areas or areas high in altitude.
(EXCEPTION: There is a blue-wooled house floating above the ground, so in that case, as parkour is needed to reach that house, that Is totally an exception in my book)
So... that's really all I have to say I guess.
And yes, yes It is lengthy and took (actually longer than) 30 minutes or so to write as I told you on the server earlier.
I do want to note that you should really take ANYTHING, actually, EVERYTHING i've said here very lightly, because you know what, all of these ideas... kind of drastically change the map!
They aren't what your guy's (as you map-building guys were a group) "vision" or hope you guys had for the map while building it, their mine and what I would have done if I was making said map. Obviously that poses a sort of unwanted bias and different artistic mindsets when it comes to the map.
So, after reading this (as I am mainly focusing on that one post you did------
Do we redo the map, and edit this thread, or post a tottaly new thread? Or do we redo the map at all?
Please, really do NOT redo the map or stop doing the map in any way due to ANY suggestions posed by ANYONE unless YOU (as a group of course) decide the map isn't what you wanted it to be, and only change what you feel will make the map better, not because we said to do it, but because you want to!---
...
...
Okay, not sure where that last paragraph came from, Les' Mis~ is making me get kind of inspirational and I felt that last paragraph was trying to be inspirational on some... random emotional level but... I don't know! (But, do, do follow that advice even if your post that I was quoting had nothing to do with that xD)
But!--- That was my 2-cents on the topic, as you guys requested...
...
I actually took longer on this than I guess I thought I would... It actually hit midnight as I am finishing this...
Oh well! Good luck with the map submission then? *shakes hand*
Good business with you then!
Cheerio~! Tata! Just let me know if you need more stuff to be said! >.<