The maps have horrible spots and designs.
Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2018 1:00 pm
Due to the current melee mechanics and how the game is played out, some spots on maps (or even the entire layout of the map) is a huge problem.
Any spot with a low ceiling will have a problem with melee. Since we don't get kneel after falling a short distance after jump attacks, we can easily spam many attacks without our opponent being able to do anything. It becomes a problem when its near death pits, like in Tower and Rooftops 2. It litteraly becomes a "no go" zone if the opponent has more melee range than you, and then you'd need equipment that you won't always have. Like grenades, grenade launcher and bazooka, or molotovs that *may* fish them out. But then they usually have a place to retreat so they can just return thereafter.
Almost all maps has an impenetrable safe spot that is impossible to approach without taking damage or being at huge risk. In fairgrounds, that safe spot is the highest room. If there are props there, they've got cover. And items spawn there sometimes too, and you need to wait for the roller coaster to come along and then climb up the ladders. Not only do you risk getting shot at, you could easily be kicked off if you eventually come close. In rooftops 2, the top right and the left building are very safe places. You have cover, and even indestructible cover if you're behind the desk. You'd need grenades and other explosives if you want to deal damage, but you will definetely get shot at when you're trying to get close.
Ladders are way too close to the ground, this easily leads into abusive melee combos similar to the low ceiling spots. My suggestion would be to just put some space between the ground and the ladder so they would have to kneel when they drop and do a jump attack.
I don't want to list every example, but they're very obvious spots in every map. I'd also like to say that the portal doors used in maps can also make gameplay weird and turn a fight into a throwing match.
Now onto the maps themselves; they're way too open. Not only are there safe spots and low ceilings, there is almost nothing inbetween them. In trainyard, there is basically nothing in the middle, why would you stay there? The only way to approach each side is with the train, and good luck going from right to left, and then out of it safely. Heavy equipment? You can shoot across the map from those spots without much retaliation. Barely any cover in the middle and no way to get through safely. And there is a lack of options and cover when running through a map, going outside of those spots could be very risky when other players get guns and behind cover.
What does this lead to? Stalemates. An unbelievable amount of stalemates, only broken by risky moves that can easily get you killed. When both players either sit or run out in the open, they're most likely just going to sit. The only thing that could really break this is if one of them has enough HP or explosives.
How would I fix this? I think I'd simply avoid low ceilings and safe spots. Due to the nature and mechanics of the game, those spots will always just be "those spots". I'd make the maps less open and more close quarters in a way, Hotel is my favorite map because of this (Although it suffers from alot of low ceilings). Make sure the ladders are cut short, and I wouldn't use portals in my maps. I think the easy (And hopefully, temporary) solution would be to fix the maps up.
Any spot with a low ceiling will have a problem with melee. Since we don't get kneel after falling a short distance after jump attacks, we can easily spam many attacks without our opponent being able to do anything. It becomes a problem when its near death pits, like in Tower and Rooftops 2. It litteraly becomes a "no go" zone if the opponent has more melee range than you, and then you'd need equipment that you won't always have. Like grenades, grenade launcher and bazooka, or molotovs that *may* fish them out. But then they usually have a place to retreat so they can just return thereafter.
Almost all maps has an impenetrable safe spot that is impossible to approach without taking damage or being at huge risk. In fairgrounds, that safe spot is the highest room. If there are props there, they've got cover. And items spawn there sometimes too, and you need to wait for the roller coaster to come along and then climb up the ladders. Not only do you risk getting shot at, you could easily be kicked off if you eventually come close. In rooftops 2, the top right and the left building are very safe places. You have cover, and even indestructible cover if you're behind the desk. You'd need grenades and other explosives if you want to deal damage, but you will definetely get shot at when you're trying to get close.
Ladders are way too close to the ground, this easily leads into abusive melee combos similar to the low ceiling spots. My suggestion would be to just put some space between the ground and the ladder so they would have to kneel when they drop and do a jump attack.
I don't want to list every example, but they're very obvious spots in every map. I'd also like to say that the portal doors used in maps can also make gameplay weird and turn a fight into a throwing match.
Now onto the maps themselves; they're way too open. Not only are there safe spots and low ceilings, there is almost nothing inbetween them. In trainyard, there is basically nothing in the middle, why would you stay there? The only way to approach each side is with the train, and good luck going from right to left, and then out of it safely. Heavy equipment? You can shoot across the map from those spots without much retaliation. Barely any cover in the middle and no way to get through safely. And there is a lack of options and cover when running through a map, going outside of those spots could be very risky when other players get guns and behind cover.
What does this lead to? Stalemates. An unbelievable amount of stalemates, only broken by risky moves that can easily get you killed. When both players either sit or run out in the open, they're most likely just going to sit. The only thing that could really break this is if one of them has enough HP or explosives.
How would I fix this? I think I'd simply avoid low ceilings and safe spots. Due to the nature and mechanics of the game, those spots will always just be "those spots". I'd make the maps less open and more close quarters in a way, Hotel is my favorite map because of this (Although it suffers from alot of low ceilings). Make sure the ladders are cut short, and I wouldn't use portals in my maps. I think the easy (And hopefully, temporary) solution would be to fix the maps up.
