Blackbelly Skatepark: Analysis and Thoughts

[WaifuRaccoonBL]

Note: This thread will be in a constant state of WIP. Will be updated when new content becomes known.

Welcome to the Blackbelly Skatepark Analysis thread. Where we will try to gather and express as much info as we can on this stage.

This thread will hopefully find all sorts of strategies and cool details about this stage.


Blackbelly Skatepark

Map Layouts:

Spoiler: Turf War

Overview
Total BP: 1530

Blackberry Skatepark is one of the starting stages in Splatoon.

"Blackberry Skatepark contains many wide open areas." - Splatoon Direct Announcer

As such there isn't really that many places to hide so fights can happen often.

“It is a race for ownership of the center platform.” -Splatoon Direct Announcer

The center platform gives you the perfect view due to how wide open the map is. It can very easily give a team an advantage.

Walleye warehouse has been previously stated to have some concerns about Spawn camping. Due to how wide open the spawn point is, I have also seen concerns about this stage as well.

Inkopolis News Info:

Spoiler: Callie&Marie's Conversations

1.
Callie: "I always accidentally splat innocent bystanders here!"
Marie: "Sure..."Accidentally.""

2.
Callie: "Marie! Give use some top secret tactics for this one."
Marie: "Umm...watch your back. And your front!"

3.
Callie: "I'm bad at skateboarding... I'd probably break a bone!"
Marie: "Squids don't have bones, but whatever..."

4.
Callie: "This would be a rad venue for an outdoor show!"
Marie: "Thats a pretty good idea, actually!"

5.
Callie: "Judd fell out of a tree trying to grab a coconut!"
Marie: "Don't worry-he has a lot of built-in cushion!"

Strategies
-WIP-

Extras
-WIP-


Please help us find more info. I'll update the thread accordingly.[/spoiler]

 

[Pusha]

This map looks like one of the better maps in the first 5 (along with Saltspray) from a competitive point of view. From the gameplay I've seen, I think the map will play very well for splat zones and for tower control too further down the line. As with every other map we've seen, Blackbelly is symmetrical, it has good width which means encounters aren't forced down a single lane and it looks to have good options for moving around the map so I'd guess the map flow will be good too. Lines of sight in the middle are good, there's good cover and makes for what looks like a good splat zones experience despite the 2 splat zones being very close together, (which i was initially slightly worried about). Overall It looks like some pretty good map design, can't wait to start playing it so I can put my observations to the test.

 

[KniteLyfe]

I absolutely love this map. I guess it's because it feels like there's an objective: capturing the tower in the center. If you have the tower you have the map.

 

[DatGuyAegis]

Great map its all about getting control of the right and left sides though. People who do that usually get great control of mid.

 

[LinkJr]

I feel like this is the map where there are more changes in the tides of battle, very hard to have a team dominate the entire round, you have to always be paying attention, there is a lot of turf to cover.

But the tower in the middle does give a great advantage, Inkstrike and Killer Wail are good specials to get the enemy to get away from the tower and give you a chance to strike.

 

[Actilide]

This is my least favourite map tbh :/

 

[joetext]

One interesting thing I noticed about this map - There isn't really one choke point between the two main sides of the map. There is the middle area, but there are plenty of passages to the other side. It's easy to let enemies slip through the cracks. I've played a couple matches where I thought I was doing really well, only to notice that the enemies had gotten to our spawn and were painting a large amount of area.

Obviously paying attention to the map is important throughout the entire game, but keeping an eye on enemy whereabouts seems especially important on this map. Just a thought.

 

[Terabyte]

This course for some reason is always either a big win or a big loss for me. Sometimes you can stay around the enemies' spawn point and get kills/keep the place inked, but turn your back for one second and you're gone.

 

[ChainALM]

This course for some reason is always either a big win or a big loss for me. Sometimes you can stay around the enemies' spawn point and get kills/keep the place inked, but turn your back for one second and you're gone.

Yeah, I'm in complete agreement. I really like the layout of the map, but it's the kind of map where you're either doing really well, or it feels like enemy forces have somehow doubled. It's nuts, and frantic and just plain awesome.

 

[_Vicious_]

i have found a pretty good little spot if you spawn an the left side of the map (only works if you have a somewhat good team) i have indicated the spot with green ... best way i have found to keep this spot going id plenty of grenades need to be tossed just into the green area ... if you have any improvements on this i would love to see them :)

 

[roughriver]

IMO, This is personally one of my least favorite maps. I don't like how easy it is for the opposing team to get into your area and cover it. I also don't like how dependent the team is for the center platform.

 

[KniteLyfe]

Honestly, I think my opinion on this map has changed.

I don't like how easy it is for the opposing team to get into your area and cover it.

After experiencing this (^^^) from both perspectives, I can agree that it seems really unfair when it happens. Most of the time your whole team is at the spawn point, so there's no way to Super Jump, and the rest of the map is covered in the enemy's ink, making it extremely difficult to get anywhere else on the map to even have a slight fighting chance. (An enemy at your spawn point will likely see you spraying ink and will take you out before you can make it anywhere)

 

[Lyn]

This is a very good map. I've noticed people generally go for the middle when really the outsides of the map are the main covering points. :)

 

[WaifuRaccoonBL]

I fully request this thread be stickied. I find this thread important. @Setu

I feel individual map threads are important enough to be looked at.

 

[Life]

How do people win consistently on this map in Splat Zones? I can carry my team pretty often on Walleye and Saltspray, or perhaps I just have a playstyle that synergizes well with those two maps (haven't played much Arowana and Port Mackerel, Underpass is 50/50), but I struggle to make a meaningful difference on Blackbelly Skatepark even when I'm doing well in terms of K/D.

 

[WaifuRaccoonBL]

How do people win consistently on this map in Splat Zones? I can carry my team pretty often on Walleye and Saltspray, or perhaps I just have a playstyle that synergizes well with those two maps (haven't played much Arowana and Port Mackerel, Underpass is 50/50), but I struggle to make a meaningful difference on Blackbelly Skatepark even when I'm doing well in terms of K/D.

I think it is a matter of knowing when to be defensive of offensive. I think the basic instinct after going to capture one zone is to go to the next. But now if everyone does that, then of course no one is defending the one you just captured.

Tell me, what weapons do you like to use? That should also help answer the question. Because weapons don't usually work equally well on all maps after all. And also to just generally see if I can give advice based on the weapon you are using.

 

[Life]

Shooters, mainly .52 Gal or Splattershot Pro depending on what other map is in the rotation. Pro seemed to work better for me on this map, but advice for either is appreciated.

Generally with .52 Gal I'm looking for clever ganks to pull the rug out from the enemy team (I find it works great for Saltspray for instance, lots of backdoor paths); I play a bit more of a defensive/control style with the Pro since it has much better range.

 

[Pivi]

This is my favorite Splat Zones map, two small zones is way better than one. The fight for the central platform is intense, and Ink Strikes are actually kept in check here since it'd require two of them to totally take both zones.
I hope it isn't the only stage with dual cap points.

 

[KniteLyfe]

I definitely like this one for Splat Zones. I only played one game on it though, and I won, so I don't know how much it would affect my opinion if I lost. :p

My favorite part is how close-quarters the two zones are. (The strange thing in my game was that the enemy team gave up on taking the zone on their side for, as far as I could tell, absolutely no reason whatsoever...)

Also, I agree with @Pivi (BTW, Port Mackerel has two zones ;)) that two zones is way better than one. It just feels unfair when the enemy has capped on a map with a single zone, they take out your team in the process, and then start forcing you back toward your spawn point.

 

[NineWholeGrains]

This is definitely my worst stage in ranked, but I find that most of my wins occur when the team is making good use of the mobility offered by the center tower and staying mobile. A typical chain of events for me on the stage might go:

- Team caps both zones
- Quickly either splat or push back any remaining opponents
- With a teammate, establish decent ink links and control around the far point (the more difficult to defend)
- Swim to the top of the tower for improved scouting offered by the vantage point, perhaps tossing a bomb and quickly swimming to whatever side is about to be attacked
- Rinse and repeat

Given that there are two spots that are both rather tricky to defend, mobility and preemptive positioning are absolute musts. Of course, none of that really matters if you get outplayed and splatted by the opponent anyway. :P What I do like about the map is that my way certainly isn't the best/only way to play it. Several times I've been beaten by opposing teams who get the zones and then aggressively crash our side of the map. So much variety!