My "How to Fix Dead By Daylight" Plan (REVISION #3!)
Revision #3 Additions:
- The Death-Efficiency Problem Props to this post: https://forum.deadbydaylight.com/en/discussion/33553/the-introduction-to-the-dbd-death-efficiency-problem#latest
- This is put so well and so simply I'm almost embarrassed I didn't think of this ^ props to this guy fr
- Small number changes for perks, wording, etc...
Hello everyone! I have been playing Dead by Daylight for over one year now, (Since last August) and I have thought very long and hard about what makes Dead by Daylight so appealing, but also what makes people so emotionally charged over the problems in Dead by Daylight, and the problems themselves.
Now, I don’t admit to be a professional video games developer person, but these are my personal, long-thought out opinions on what changes need to come to DbD to keep its gameplay refreshing, and to keep people playing for years to come. Again, these are my personal opinions, and I would love for every player, developer, or streamer to take a look over what I have written here, and think. If none of these changes make it in, I at least want people to start thinking about better, bigger balance, instead of little number changes and band-aids. In any regard, I am open to and welcome constructive criticism. Here are my ideas and thoughts.
Major Base Game Changes
Generators must be a meaningful interaction. It should require a balance of attention on the action and attention on the killer, constantly.
Generators should be a fun, strategic attack/defense game:
Survivors must work as a team to distract killer, save from hooks, and complete the generators & exit gates to escape.
Killer should have to strategize on who to chase and who not to chase, while stopping work on gens, and hooking (and eventually killing) the survivors.
Survivors should get small buffs when another survivor dies, so one survivor's death doesn't almost guarantee a win for the killer.
Due to generator changes, many perks on killer and survivor sides should be changed to reflect these changes.
Minor Base Game Changes
Hooks should no longer be a place of defense/interest for killers; make generators a main focus, hooks should also be more punishing for survivor (This is to make it so being on the hook feels less bad, but also punishes survivors for being caught)
Hiding should be a bigger play in DbD, survivors should not want to be in a chase just to get points, they should fear the killer, and must have a plan if they begin a chase.
Moris should be changed in a way that introduces them into the main game, removing them as an offering. They should also be made so that they do not ruin the survivors' personal experience, and do not ruin the team's chances of escape.
The Plan -
Generators -
Generators should not be a one and done deal, but instead a constant “sustain them all” type game, so killers should be able to apply more map pressure, and survivors should have to work harder to keep generators going.
To start, the basic concept of how a generator stays, you still have to stand in one spot, working on the generator, but current skill checks are wiped. The way you interact with a generator would also be changed, where instead of holding a key to stay on the generator, it’s a toggle where you press it once to stay on, then press it again to get off. The amount of available gens and gens required would also decrease by 1. Four generators to power exit gates, and six generators on the map. Then, there should be three parts to the progression of a generator:
First Phase -
The first 10 seconds/charges of a generator will be a start-up phase, where nothing special happens, you just work on the generator with no mini-games happening. Generators that reach the second phase cannot be regressed past the first phase, so generators will always have a little progress. Any generator below the first 10 seconds of progress cannot be kicked. Only one survivor can work on a generator in the first phase.
Second phase -
The following 60 seconds/charges after the first phase will be the minigame part. The new skill checks would be two keys that pop up every 3 seconds, at fixed points over time. While you are “locked” onto a gen, the WASD/XYAB/square, triangle, x, and o buttons/keys are disabled for movement, and will instead be used for these “checks”. During the 3 second check, you must press 2 randomly generated buttons of the 4 in order from left to right, within the 3 second timeframe. If you hit the wrong buttons, or fail to complete the check in time, it is considered a “failed” check, the generator blows up, and loses 8 seconds/charges of progress. A generator kicked by the killer in phase 2 acts like it does now, just starting normal regression. Multiple survivors can work on the generator in phase two, each one contributing diminishing charges.
Survivor Charge Contribution for generators in phase 2 -
(c = charges)
1 survivor - 1c/s. Phase 2 takes 60 seconds.
2 survivors - 0.6c/s individual contribution, 1.2c/s total. Phase 2 takes 50 seconds.
3 survivors - 0.5c/s individual contribution, 1.5c/s total. Phase 2 takes 40 seconds.
4 survivors - 0.425c/s individual contribution, 1.7c/s total. Phase 2 takes 35 seconds.
Third phase -
After the 60 seconds of phase two, the last 10 seconds/charges of the generator will be a “fueling” phase. There will be randomly placed “gas” spots around the map that spawn a gas can for survivors to grab. Once a generator is at phase three, a survivor must spend 10 seconds fueling the generator. If a generator reaches phase 3, and a survivor does not have a gas can, they cannot finish the generator until they get one. Once a generator is at 100%, it does the “finished generator” notification, and lights up completely. Even if a generator is at 100%, a killer can come by and kick it, instantly removing the 10 seconds of the fueling phase, and then continuing regular regression. Generators that are 100% complete, and then kicked by the killer, make a special “unfinished generator” notification. The Killer can only kick a generator in phase 3 three times before the gen cannot be kicked any longer. Only one survivor can work on the generator in phase 3, and phase 3 is not affected by any slowing/speeding progression effects like Thanatophobia or Leader.
Gas Cans -
The gas can fills a separate slot from the item slot, but does disable the use of any item a survivor has. The fuel can has 20 charges, and once the charges are used, the gas can is destroyed. There will be 6 gas can spawn points across the map, with gas cans respawning every 40 seconds. Gas can spawn point rules would be 1 spawn point within 24 meters of each gen. Gas Cans are affected by Streetwise, Franklin’s Demise, and Overwhelming Presence.
The Death Efficiency Problem -
Thanks to Mr. AlwaysInAGoodShape, I have come to realize another glaring issue with DBD. You can read about it here: https://forum.deadbydaylight.com/en/discussion/33553/the-introduction-to-the-dbd-death-efficiency-problem#latest
Anyways, on to the problem.
Basically, games will usually only ever go one of two ways. Either the survivors super gen rush and demolish the killer, or the killer gets the survivors dead extremely fast and demolishes them. This is all in relation to the way generators and pallets are in the current live version of the game.
If one survivor is in a chase, 3 survivors work on gens, which we'll call 100% efficiency. If one is hooked and one has to save, only two work on gens. This is now 66% efficiency. If one of those two left is being chased, only one can work on a gen. Gen efficiency has gone down to 33%. If someone dies, there are 3 left. Now what if someone is chased? We have 66% gen efficiency by default now. If they get hooked? Someone has to save, so now it's 33%. And if the killer chases that one guy?
There is now 0% gen efficiency. No one is working on gens. All because one person died.
Now that we know what the problem is, we can work to solve it.
The Death Efficiency Solution
As each survivor dies, it becomes harder to do generators. Over time, as each survivor dies, it should have a negative impact on survivors, but not as big of an impact as it is now. My idea?
Tiers of Hope
I think that Hope should be re-purposed into its own tiered effect. Hope is only applied from the perk, Hope, and is also applied from each time a survivor dies in a trial.
Tier One -
Tier one is activated after one survivor dies in the trial. Every remaining survivor receives this effect indefinitely.
While a survivor is in tier one of Hope, they are affected by the following:
- 0.10 charges/second increase in generator progression speed
- Movement speed in the Dying State is increased from 0.7 m/s to 1.0 m/s
- Recovery speed in the Dying State is increased from 50% to 65%
Tier Two-
Tier two is activated after a second survivor dies in the trial. Every remaining survivor keeps the effects of tier one, along with the additional effects of tier two. The perk, Hope, also activates tier two for two minutes.
While a survivor is in tier two of Hope, they are affected by the following:
- All of the effects of tier one
- A haste effect that increases running movement speed from 4 m/s to 4.1 m/s
Tier Three-
Tier three is activated after a third survivor dies in the trial. The last remaining survivor keeps the effects of tier one and two, along with the additional effects of tier three.
While a survivor is in tier three of Hope, they are affected by the following:
- All of the effects of tier one and two
- The survivor's breathing and pain sounds are reduced by 100%
- Additional 0.40 charges/second progression speed to generators, for a total of 0.50 charges/second
Perk Changes -
Due to all of the changes to generators I want to make, I have revised every perk regarding them. I have also buffed a few that need some love.
Survivor Perks -
Dark Sense
Any time a generator is completed, see the killer’s aura for 5 seconds.
Once all generators are complete, see the killer’s aura for 8/10/12 seconds.
Detective’s Hunch
Any time you complete a generator, see all auras of totems, chests, and generators for 12/16/20 seconds.
Hope
As soon as the exit gates are powered, you gain a tier two hope status effect for 90/120/150 seconds.
Leader
Any survivor within 8 meters of you, and for 5/10/15 seconds after leaving your range, have a 10% increased progression speed on healing, sabotaging, opening chests, and opening exit gates.
Left Behind
If you are the last remaining survivor in the trail, when working on a generator:
-/-/instantly complete phase 1.
-/phase 3 does not require a gas can/phase 3 does not require a gas can.
You are not faced with any skill checks during phase 2.
Prove Thyself
If at least one survivor is within 12 meters of you, gain a 5/10/15% increased speed in healing, sabotaging, opening chests, and opening exit gates.
Resilience
While injured and not in a chase, gain a 5% haste effect, and gain a 6/8/10% increase to progression speed on repairing, healing, sabotaging, opening chests, and opening exit gates.
Spine Chill
While Spine Chill is active, the time available to complete a skill check is reduced by 20% and repair, healing, sabotaging, cleansing, chest opening, and gate opening progression speed is increased by 3/4/5%
Stake Out
While Stake Out has at least one token, skill checks are automatically completed for you.
This Is Not Happening
While injured, skill checks only require one input to be completed, instead of two.
The next time you are unhooked, and within the killer's terror radius, you are affected by endurance effect for 10/15/20 seconds. This may only be activated one time.
Technician
The noises that you, and other survivors within 8 meters of you make while working on a generator are reduced by 50/75/100%. On a failed skill check, there is a 75% chance that the explosion will be prevented.
Killer Perks -
Hex: Huntress Lullaby
Missed skill check penalty is increased by 2/4/6%
Each time you hook a survivor, gain a token, up to 5. Each token reduces the time available to succeed a skill check by 20%.
Skill checks still occur every 3 seconds.
Hex: Ruin
2/3/4 survivors are affected by ruin, which applies the following:
Skill checks now require survivors to hit 3 different keys in the right order, instead of two.
Overcharge
Kicking a generator applies overcharge
The first survivor to start repairing an overcharged generator is faced with a skill check that they have 2/1.5/1 seconds to complete. If the skill check is missed, an additional 6% regression is applied.
Pop Goes The Weasel
When kicking a generator within 30 seconds after hooking someone, 5/10/15% of phase 2 is regressed. This takes effect even when kicking a generator in phase 3. Normal regression applies after the damage is done.
Surveillance
The last 1/2/3 regressing generator’s auras are shown to you in white. Once a survivor tries to repair one of these generators, you are given a loud noise notification, and survivors can make no progress on that generator for 5 seconds.
Tinkerer
When a generator reaches phase 3, you are given a loud noise notification, and your terror radius is reduced to 0 for 8/10/12 seconds.
Thanatophobia
Gain a token for each survivor that is either injured, dying, hooked, sacrificed, or dead. If a survivor becomes healthy, lose their token.
2 tokens: -/-/10% decreased progression speed to repairing, healing, sabotaging, cleansing, chest opening, and gate opening.
3 tokens: -/all survivors suffer from exhaustion/all survivors suffer from exhaustion
4 tokens: all survivors suffer from a 5% hindered effect
Unnerving Presence
Survivors within your terror radius have 30/40/50% less available time to succeed a skill check.
Hooks -
If a killer has been within 16 meters of a hooked survivor for 30 seconds and they haven’t injured anyone within those 30 seconds, all survivors gain a 15% progression speed to repairs, until the killer has left the 16 meter range for more than 10 seconds.
Stealth -
While a survivor is within the killer’s terror radius and not in a chase, they gain constant bloodpoints every second based on how close they are to the killer. As of now, for some reason stealth is hardly rewarded? There are close to zero score events for stealth. This is just a big one that's linked to the Evader emblem.
Moris -
Remove Moris as an offering. As of right now, they feel very unfair when you get hit with one right after being unhooked the first time. Instead, after a survivor is unhooked the second time, or dead on their next hook, killers may take them to the basement and mori them, for extra bloodpoints. Once in the basement, instead of an option to drop the survivor off of your shoulder, would be an option to kill the survivor. Even if the drop would free the survivor off of your shoulder, you would still drop and auto-mori the survivor. If the basement is too far away, killers may still just sacrifice them.
Comments
mori idea would be quite nice but you kinda made surveillance overpowered
Did you read the entire thing? I want the core mechanics of generators to change. That perk really needs a buff, and feels like it should pair well with something like Overcharge.
yes I know about surveillance being actual trash, but pairing it with overcharge would be just a small buff towards your buff for surveillance, also the gas cans really remind me of bill, risked his life for the other to arrive to a new place, no infected, but what he can believe to be special infected..... but gas cans would be a cool idea to add into game and franklins will have more of a use than just using it if somebody has a flashlight
Yeah, maybe the 5 second stop should be removed, but I still think it should last indefinitely. The perk changes are a rough estimate, nothing exact. I can't exactly test these since I'm not a BHVR dev.
And, on the gas cans thing, the game just needs a secondary objective. So, it's really easy to make the connection between generators and fuel, so that's that. It also balances a couple other things with how I think it should be implemented.
yeah, I mean the repair thing can be a thing used when the killer kicks the generator while gas cans are how you activate generators, easy secondary objective that requires work and cannot get gen rushed for it
Right, I think that the beginning and end of a generator should not have more than 1 person so that killers can more reliably patrol, AND instantly depleting phase 3 of a gen would counter tapping and such.
but this wil require ruin to get a change, not like yours, but it has to be filling the generator with gas skill checks when failing them you miss the generator using up more charges for the gas tank from 20 to 15 if at 20
My idea was that survivors aren't faced with skill checks during phase 3. Not sure if I clarified, but that's what I intend.
you did I think, but ruin needs to be easily usable instead of landing 100 greats
In my version of skillchecks, there are no longer great skillchecks.
oh ok that works
imo great skillchecks break the fundamentals for killer. Even that measly 2% screws the killer's timing completely. My version of skillchecks is to make it so you have to pay more attention to the generator, instead of just holding M1.