what would you change about maps (the item)

humanbeing1704

Years into the game they are the forgotten item sadly

crogers271

I'd combine them with keys and give the new item greater variety in aura reading powers based on addons.

Komi

It would be cool if they showed us a picture of the current map and its layout/floors. The addons could be used to reveal totem locations, generator spawns, etc.

C3Tooth

The addon that teammates able to see what you show should be basekit…Map and key are not fit in game current balance anymore without giving it a huge utility aid to teammates

Hex_Ignored

Lower rarity; standard map = yellow rarity, rainbow map = green rarity. Additionally, they should be able to track everything by default (gens, totems, gates, hooks, hatch, etc.) and the only difference between them would be charges.

Nazzzak

Change maps and its add-on rarity. They shouldn't be so hard to find.

ARTRA

Idea 1

Keys

• Should have bond perk in a bottle at least and better addons.
• Open chest X% faster while holden a key.

Maps

• Maps should show all gens in map when used. Usefull for newer players not strong for more veteran players.
• Brown/yellow addon that show close totems(8-12m?).
• (With gens and totems new players can easily learn map layouts and spawns).
• Basekit glass bead.
• Also a purple addon that show gen progression when looking at them.

Idea 2

Combine both and show gens and aura of survivors, mix addons and stuff.

Seraphor

@crogers271 said:

I'd combine them with keys and give the new item greater variety in aura reading powers based on addons.

@Seraphor said:

I've always found it odd that we have two classes of items that (now at least) only exist to track auras. So why couldn't these functions be combined into one item class that's used to track auras, using add-ons to determine what additional objectives are tracked?

I've formed this idea on the basis of three issues I have with or regarding these items:

1. Since the Hatch rework, Keys have become virtually useless for opening the Hatch, and still very rarely used for their aura tracking features. That aura tracking is very useful, but it doesn't appear to be good enough to get many players using them.
2. Maps are also rarely seen, despite not being changed. Of course this is probably because they were previously used with Keys in a SWF to locate the hatch. As it turns out, their limited aura tracking isn't quite good enough to make up for this.
3. This will seem unconnected but... basekit Kindred. It's requested over and over again as a bandaid fix for solo survivors to deal with camping. It's never going to happen, but these items could make up for it. We have medkits in place of healing perks, toolboxes in place of repair perks, and flashlights provide additional ways to stun. So why not have items that replace aura perks? Do these items already do that? Kinda. Do they do it effectively enough? No.

So I've come up with a concept where instead of having Keys or Maps, we instead get Keyrings. We can attach various charms, and indeed keys onto these Keyrings, and they effectively serve as buffed Maps that could be used to open the hatch, if they have a functional key attached to them.

https://us.v-cdn.net/6030815/uploads/DULKSWT7SJJN/keyrings1.png

Please forgive the scuffed icons.

The main addition here is that simply equipping the Keyrings will provide the survivor with one permanent basekit feature, the ability to see the auras of fellow survivors within a short distance. Effectively replicating Bond but slightly reduced. This is comparable to a Medkit replacing Selfcare.

In addition, Keyrings can still be channelled, using up charges, to activate further aura tracking abilities. As default that includes survivors further away, and generators within that same short distance zone.

https://us.v-cdn.net/6030815/uploads/L32R2JSLFYX5/keyrings2.png

For common/uncommon add-ons, we get the general distance/charges upgrades, plus a few additional abilities. Some of these are simply existing Key or Map aura tracking abilities that I've integrated back into Keyrings, however the Eroded Token's new effect is entirely novel.

The Eroded Token would allow you to see the aura of survivors who are within 16 metres of the killer, when using charges. This would serve as a sort of Kindred-lite, as if you start charging the Keyring and see a survivor appear further than 16/24 metres away from you, you can infer that the killer is close to them.

https://us.v-cdn.net/6030815/uploads/TUYJMLA90CGF/keyrings3.png

Then we get the rare and up add-ons.

The Gold Token is straight up Kindred replication, although obviously limited by the charges of the Keyring.

The Broken Key now sees a new lease of life, it's no longer useless, it can be used to track the Hatch, even while it's open, giving you as the last remaining survivor an edge over the killer in the race to the hatch.

Attaching the Dull Key allows the Keyring to function just as the current Dull Key does, giving the ability to open a closed Hatch. Then the Skeleton Key combines both together, giving you the aura of and ability to open the Hatch.

I think these changes, essentially combining the best parts of Maps and Keys into one, would make an item that may actually be as useful as a Medkit, Toolbox or Flashlight, and provide solo survivors with additional effective options to gathering info, that won't feel like a waste of a slot that using Kindred does for some.

SkeletalElite

I'd invert the funtionality, currently when you channel a map you see anything you've been near. I'd change it so channeling adds everything nearby to the map and anything added to the map has its aura revealed as long as you continue to hold the map

Both rarities of map can track all objects, addons which add the ability to track objects instead make a number of those items start already tracked. Pink map starts with a number of items tracked even with no addons where as green map does not

Chadku

Map Addon that increases movement speed by 10% when not in chase.

Addon is called (and looks like) a Sharpie

Flavor text for it is:

"There's a settlement that needs your help, I'll mark it on your map." - P. G. 2015