Yes, this has been a wish of many people for a while. There's a CT map being made with actual strat cities (not just squares, but sprawling ones) that would be SWEET if it started showing up in more maps.
I think if HTC refined the map maker, making it easier and much MUCH more user friendly, then we'd be able to see a lot more community-made maps (perhaps with sprawling strat and s*** to bomb!
), but I've tried and quit 5 times to use that cursed, horrible, terrain editor.
If it were better set up, better controlled, folks wouldn't have to wait 2 years for a decent map with custom made strat (as we've had to wait).
I think if we had dozens of folks building maps we'd see a lot more creativity. As it is we have probably only half a dozen working on serious maps right now (not counting HTH or offline training maps and stuff).
EDIT: previous paragraph I mentioned seeing more creativity. Thought I'd add that this is like the Half-Life mapping world. Using a highly versatile and yet very limited system, map makers have built some truly amazing and extraordinary maps, for a game that came out in 1997 (or so), allowing this game to survive until last year (when it was totally eclipsed by HL2). That's some track record! It was mostly able to do this because the map makers were able to easily produce maps, refine maps, share ideas, and experiment to the point that there are hundreds of masters in the art.
In AH we have only a few masters, because the TE prohibits mastery of the system. I'd love maps with stuff like you mentioned but I think the only way to get 'em is a better TE
