I despise new Small Game
Okay, so, for anyone who is currently unaware, during the next PTB the perk "Small Game" will be recieving a buff. Here's what it will do:
For anyone who wants a full list of changes, you can view them here:
@Peanits said:
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We’re back with another Developer Update, a series of posts going over the biggest changes coming to Dead by Daylight. This time around, we’ll cover a long list of Killer, perk, and quality of life updates that’ll appear in the upcoming Player Test Build (PTB).
Killer Updates
The Nightmare
For some time, The Nightmare has stood out from the crowd with a particularly high kill rate, averaging roughly 3 kills per match. With that in mind, we’ve made some slight tweaks to bring him closer in line with the rest of the roster.
We’ve decreased his movement speed while placing a snare to 4.0m/s (previously no speed change) and reduced the maximum number of placed snares from 8 to 5. Likewise, the maximum number of dream pallets has been reduced from 10 to 7.
A handful of add-ons have also received changes. Add-ons which previously reduced action speeds now make various actions louder (repairing generators, grunts of pain, and footsteps). Black Box also has a brand-new effect: When an exit gate is opened, it is blocked for sleeping Survivors for the next 10 seconds.
Alarm clocks have also received some tweaks to make their effects clearer and more rewarding. Using an alarm clock will now make you fully immune to sleep— including sleep caused by a Killer hit — for 30 seconds. This effect is now shown on the HUD by turning your sleep timer yellow and having it tick down.
With these changes, we hope to promote more strategic use of his Dream Traps rather than placing them constantly during a chase, as well as encouraging Survivors to seek out and use alarm clocks. We’ll monitor his performance closely and adjust where necessary going forward.
The Demogorgon
Our focus for The Demogorgon is to give it more mobility with its portals. We’ve made the following changes to base portals:
- Increased speed while in a portal
- Reduced cooldown after exiting a portal
- Increased Undetectable length after exiting a portal
On top of these changes, we have done a complete pass on The Demogorgon’s add-ons to make some of the lesser used ones more appealing.
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The Huntress
Don’t panic: We have not changed The Huntress’ base kit. We have, however, done a pass on her add-ons to bring them up to modern standards. Yes, this included the infamous Iridescent Head.
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The Twins
Last but not least, we have a small set of tweaks for The Twins.
- Increased cooldown after successfully downing a Survivor with Victor from 3 to 5 seconds
- Camera control is now immediately restored when taking control of Charlotte
- Silencing Cloth: Increased Undetectable duration to 20 seconds upon taking control of Charlotte
- Iridescent Pendant: Increased Exposed duration to 30 seconds when a Survivor crushes an idle Victor
Perk Updates
Small Game
It has come to our attention that some of you really hate small piles of bones. To aid you in your totem destroying mission, we’ve made some long-requested changes to Small Game:
- Small Game now shows the number of remaining totems as tokens on the perk
- The detection range decreases by 5° for each totem cleansed
- Small Game no longer detects Killer traps
These changes improve Small Game’s ability to track and cleanse totems while also removing the antiquated part that only applies to specific Killers with traps.
Lucky Break
Lucky Break now hides scratch marks in addition to blood pools to help you lose the Killer. To compensate, the total duration of has been reduced to 70/80/90 seconds.
Soul Guard
A small change here: Soul Guard now has a cooldown of 30 seconds after activating.
Realistically, this won’t affect the vast majority of cases. This change is purely to prevent stacking healing speeds and Soul Guard from getting out of hand.
Open Handed
Take two for Open Handed: We’ve slotted this update back in for the upcoming PTB.
Open Handed now has an increased effect (8/12/16 meters), but no longer stacks with itself. This makes the perk more appealing on its own without needing to stack it with other Survivors in the match.
Zanshin Tactics
A very straightforward change: Zanshin Tactics is now permanently active and also has a larger range.
Borrowed Time
To remove some confusing intricacies with how Borrowed Time interacts with some Killers and the Oblivious status effect, we have removed the terror radius condition from the perk. To compensate, we have reduced the duration of the Endurance effect to 8/10/12 seconds.
Object of Obsession
This PTB also features the newly reworked Object of Obsession: Any time your aura is revealed to the Killer, their aura is revealed to you and gain a 2/4/6% bonus to healing, repairing, a cleansing speed. If you are the obsession, your aura is revealed to the Killer for 3 seconds every 30 seconds.
This new version has a few benefits:
- Being able to track the Killer
- Being able to deduce which aura reading perks the Killer is using when Object of Obsession activates
- Being able to attract the Killer and then sneak away before they can get there
With these changes, we hope to make Object of Obsession a more fun and interactive perk for both sides.
Miscellaneous Balance
Toolboxes
The chance to receive a skill check while using a toolbox has been increased. This change makes toolboxes feel more interactive while they’re in use and is totally not because the lead designer had a skill check challenge and got unlucky three matches in a row.
Hatches
Another small tweak: We have decreased the time the hatch remains open after a key is used from 30 seconds to 10 seconds. Like before, if the hatch closes naturally (is not kicked shut), the End Game Collapse will not start.
Please note that this is not the final change keys will be receiving. We’ll share more info on the future of keys as soon as we can.
HUD Update
For the 4.7.0 PTB, we have made some more changes to the HUD; this time focusing on the visibility of Killer powers on the Survivor portraits. In this update, we have made improvements to:
- The Doctor’s Madness effect (also made it easier to differentiate between different levels of Madness)
- The Nightmare’s Dream World effect & sleep timer
- The Plague’s Infection meter
- Stalk meters & Ghost Face’s mark
Additionally, we’ve also adjusted the Survivor portraits so they no longer obstruct the bottom of power indicators.
Struggle Update
In an ongoing effort to improve accessibility, we have changed the way struggling works starting in the PTB. Rather than needing to mash a button, Survivors in their second hook stage will now receive occasional skill checks. The success zones are fairly large as we’re not looking to make struggling more difficult/deadly at this time.
Missing one of these skill checks will remove a chunk of your struggle meter. If you do not attempt to hit two consecutive skill checks, you will be immediately sacrificed. As you receive skill checks, your struggle meter will gradually decrease at the same rate as before.
Our goal with this change is to make struggling more accessible to players with repetitive strain injuries while keeping struggling as an interactive mechanic.
Graphical Update: Coldwind Farm
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I was going to put a funny intro here, but it was too corny.
In case you missed it, the next realm slated for a graphical update is the Coldwind Farm! Check out some concept art from the upcoming rework.
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On that note, we’ve reached the end of this Developer Update. All of the changes mentioned above will be available for testing in this week’s Player Test Build, starting April 13th. We look forward to reading your feedback once you’ve had a chance to try them out!
Now, as I'm sure you read in the title of this thread, I absolute despise this change. I hate it so incredibly much it might actually topple my hatred of Spirit for half a day, and there's one simple reason:
It should have been base kit.
It now has a totem counter, something that people have been asking for basekit for ages. If it were basekit, they could then superbuff totem spawns (which, hey Autohaven, they really have to do anyway) and make them take longer to cleanse, yada yada, because it would be a buff to solo survivors whilst not impacting SWF-on-comms in any meaningful way.
Solo survivors should not have to use perks or items for information that SWF teams get for free.
New Small Game's totem counter should be part of the survivor HUD to act as a solo buff to bring them closer in line with SWF teams, then allowing further balance for the game. Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.
(new OOO looks clean tho, so gj there bhvr)
Comments
Well they’ve only had like five years to fix totem spawns and they are as terrible as they have ever been. But you have faith that they’ll finally do something to them just because of a survivor change? Please.
They've also had to keep solo players in mind during those 5 years. This could be a reason as to why.
Survivor mains wanted a totem counter, now it exists.
Killer main, still want the basekit totem counter. Still want solos buffed so it's not practially a free win.
I understand it’s a strong gameplay element and should require a perk to counter it.
But that's the thing, SWF don't need a perk to counter it, so no matter if it should or shouldn't, it doesn't, and until solo survivors are up to scratch with 4man SWF-on-comms, this game will never be anywhere close to balanced.
The idea that solo should have all the free information of SWF... have you played DbD?
Just a smidge
Not that much, just a teensy weensie bit to understand the basics
That's a fair way to deal with seeing what totems are left. I doubt SWF write down a tally for every totem they come across, so a notification visible to both killers and survivors would make things more interesting.
If all survivors were to get a counter for remaining totems (which I'm not a fan of), then have it so all totems are cleansed as well as the gens done before the gates are powered. That could become very frustrating though.
So yeah, a notification of a totem being clensed to both killer and survivor would be more than enough. A totem counter on Small Game should be a benefit fpr those who choose it only.
The perk itself is completely useless now though?
The current range is 12 meters, if they increase it then it becomes way too big of a cone and sends you on a wild goose chase unless you know roughly where they spawn. If they keep it at 12 meters, than after 2 totems are cleansed it's just a glorified totem counter.
Well, I'm glad that we've cleared that up.
I wouldn't say I'm "clueless" when it comes to balance, in fact at risk of sounding rather narcessistic I'd say I'm quite good at coming up with ideas.
And no, I don't want free wins vs solo teams. Glad we've also cleared this one up.
quick reminder that degrees are not the same as meters
meter is distance.
degrees are curvature
basically, the perk does this
https://i.imgur.com/Yjhi82l.pngyou don't lose distance, it just gets a bit narrower.
People want this change because NOED exists if I'm not mistaken (and other hexes). If a killer can take up a spot for a hex you can too. The end. Also, the idea that you're "forced to" is ridiculous. I always here specifically survivor mains (not killers or people who play both sides) say this. You are not "forced" to bring anything. Run nothing. Go ahead. No one will stop you. I play solo just as much as I play swf and I don't need anyone to tell me how many totems are left, I can figure it out on my own. I'm perfectly capable of that. I'd only run new Small Game as a solo if I'm been running into an absurd amount of NOED as of my last few matches or have a totem challenge.
It's the dbd way. Add a quick fix to a perk or add on instead of actually fixing the base game mechanics.
Also, the idea that you're "forced to" is ridiculous. I always here specifically survivor mains (not killers or people who play both sides) say this
Killer main, used to play both sides equally, so congrats I'm the first.
If a killer can take up a spot for a hex you can too
But SWF don't have to, so it's nowhere near fair. I don't know how I can make this clearer, but if SWF don't have to use a perk, why should solos? They shouldn't; they shouldn't be forced to use perks to get information SWF can for free (if there's any other way to consistently and reliably get the information of locations of totems + their status whilst playing solo, at the moment of another player passing by them, let me know).
I disagree. Totem Cleansing is a secondary objective that survivors can choose to either do or ignore, and for the most part they ignore it. Now not only is Small Game going to become the quintessential totem detection perk, It'll also keep track of how many totems are left for any survivor that uses it. By keeping this information bound to a perk, the survivors have to use up 1 perk slot, which feels more balanced considering how valuable that information is to survivors, especially when approaching the end game (talking about NOED avoidance). Whereas Giving survivors that information as a base part of the in game UI/Hud becomes all advantage to the survivors, and no disadvantage for having access to that information. If this were base kit to the UI, lets face it, Certain hex perks would become antiquated and useless. By giving this information only to the survivors that equip the perk, they are essentially equipping it in order to counter any hex perks the killer might bring in, and thus it becomes a perk with the sole purpose of defeating another perk, which to me sounds like a fair trade off.
On the other hand, in the case of SWF on voice comms, only one survivor would ever need to equip the Small Game in order to inform their teammates of how many totems are left in the match, which by this use, will have the same effect as having the information base kit UI, and effectively render those hex perks pointless without costing multiple survivors their perk slot. This is where the perk becomes an imbalanced advantage for the survivor team, so with this change to Small Game alone, they've just made SWF that much stronger against the killer players who use hex perks.
TL;DR
Making this information available as base kit in game UI/hud is the unfair option, because as long as it's tied to a perk, the survivors have to choose to use up a perk slot for it, but if they didn't have to, then the Hex perk mechanic in the game (especially NOED) would go the way of the dodo. You're demanding the devs give survivors information that gives them a hefty advantage against the killers, without sacrificing anything to compensate for receiving said information, and for that, I disagree with this OP's opinion.
You actually are the first wow. I take that part back now. Also, solo's don't have to. I play solo just as much as swf like I said and not even as solo do I feel I need a totem tracker. It would be unnecessary clutter imo. The only reason I'd need small game is to make sure I got all the totems and I have an idea where they are like I said only if I had too much NOED or a totem challenge. Even then do I feel I actually need it though? No, just to be a little more helpful in those situations. There are only 3 maps in the game that for me personally I'd be like "Yeah, Small Game is super helpful." The two swamp maps and Midwich, anywhere else? No.
Making this information available as base kit in game UI/hud is the unfair option, because as long as it's tied to a perk, the survivors have to choose to use up a perk slot for it, but if they didn't have to, then the Hex perk mechanic in the game (especially NOED) would go the way of the dodo.
Except, the latter option of hex perks going the way of the dodo already happens vs competent SWF teams. Which is what I'm trying to argue here- SWF and solos should be similar power levels to killers and their mechanics can be buffed accordingly, such as with longer cleansing times, more totems, and better totem spawns. It's not like giving them this basekit woudl lead to something that doesn't already happen because it's already happening.
On the other hand, in the case of SWF on voice comms, only one survivor would ever need to equip the Small Game in order to inform their teammates of how many totems are left in the match, which by this use, will have the same effect as having the information base kit UI, and effectively render those hex perks pointless without costing multiple survivors their perk slot. This is where the perk becomes an imbalanced advantage for the survivor team, so with this change to Small Game alone, they've just made SWF that much stronger against the killer players who use hex perks.
Which is the exact opposite of what I'm attempting to aim for and another reason as to why it being basekit would be better! This current Small Game actually buffs SWFs further whilst solos remain the same, which isn't okay.
Yet another reason I absolutely despise this new Small Game; it's a change that should've been basekit and making it a perk has just further widened the gap between SWF and solo. Which is why it should be basekit.
I'd add Saloon onto that list too.
I'm glad that you feel like you don't need the totem counter, but unfortunately in my solo games it's a miracle if anyone but me does a generator, let alone cleanses a single totem. Knowing if my team are actually on totems, so I'd be able to focus on maybe gens more, or knowing they're attempting to slam gens but ignoring totems, would be so helpful to how I play. Furthermore, whenever I play killer vs solos who try and cleanse totems, it's almost an instant win because they'll be searching areas where totems used to be but were cleansed before, buying me enough time to easily win the game with PGTW value.
Most of Dead Dawg's I feel like I know the locations of because I've done multiple 5 totem builds on that map and even just having stuff like Detective's Hunch on the occasion or a map. Besides, it's not necessary every game to cleanse totems. Sure totems are popular and NOED is too, but all you need to do is cleanse the hex if there is one. In the case there's a fear of NOED, if that's still a fear far enough into the game then you probably have time to find a cleanse the totems while a single person sits on gens. You bring up a good point that not all survivors do that because there are many very useless survivors out there. I don't think having a totem counter would be the worst thing, I just don't want so many things on the HUD because clutter and honestly killers have a totem counter perk too so I don't know why survivors are making such a big deal that "We need this." I think of it as the survivor equivalent of Thrill of the Hunt. It's main effect has to do with keeping/destroying totems and gets weaker the more that's cleansed and is a totem counter.
The reason so many survivors are making a big deal out of this is because killers never play with a team, they'll always be solo for the foreseeable future and so the devs don't have to balance around two completely different levels of coordination (which is impossible, and they've just made their job harder). I understand your lack of want for HUD clutter but literslly next tot the gen symbol theres a totem symbol and a number.
I just want BHVR to make solos and SWF closer together in power- because no matter what you cannot disprove that solos and SWF are so dst apart in strength that it makes balancing this game impossible. A totem counter wouldn't have been the fix all solution to this but it would've been a start.