Map variants have been removed.
This somehow escaped the patch notes (probably should've been included there) but as was mentioned on today's livestream, map variants have been removed from the game in today's update. This includes all the 2nd variants of Macmillan maps, the 2nd variants of the Yamaoka maps, Ormond 2 and 3 (not Ormond Lake Mine though), and all Badham maps except for Badham 1.
How do we feel about this? I always felt like most of the map variants weren't very good (except for Suffo Pit 2 being better than 1 imo), so overall I'm okay with this change.
Comments
Yeah, because dead sands isn't a variation of eyrie of crows, it's a separate map in the same realm
It is definitely iconic, that is true. I've just never really liked Suffocation Pit 1 because of its layout. It encourages 3-gens due to its shape and strong center, never found it fun on either side tbh
I didn’t say RNG would be removed - I said it needs to be improved and I doubt it will be.
There may be ‘randomised elements’ to maps but not enough and there are maps which I know there will always be consistent spawns. A fantastic example is the cinema map in the garden of joy realm. There is always two generators close to each other in the middle, there is always a generator by the statue and there is always a generator in the upstairs projector room, the shack is always to the right of the map and the basement always seems to be in it, there is always two ‘double pallet’ loops quite close to each other and the parking lot is always devoid of anything useful. This has not changed and it’s (this level of predictability) the same for other map variants too. Even the multiple Badham variants had a predictability to gens, hook sand resource spawns.
If you’re going to go down to one variant of map per realm it needs to be completely randomised each time.
Less Badham → good
I got bad news for you bout Coldwind
I am very happy to see them removed. I am tired of playing on multiple Badham maps, every night, in both roles. The maps were bloated. Map design should rightfully indicate SIGNIFICANT changes. Minor changes never belonged in the game in the first place. I should feel I am exploring another area of the same realm. Not on the same map, but slightly different.
About time. The only thing they did was make learning the maps harder, and in the case of Ormond, borderline impossible to get the Mine (I've literally only been on it ONCE since it released).
I never did figure out which Badham was which, and I was around to see their creation (and hated their inception even back then).
All they did was serve as bloat that made the game less accessible to players. No one asked for them, so many people outright called them a hindrance to game accessibility, and they were just a downright bad idea from start to finish. Maybe now they can actually balance the maps as they are instead of band-aid fixing them by making them less common (okay, we know that will never happen, but my point stands: instead of having to balance multiple variations of one map, they can focus on what makes that map bad IN THE FIRST PLACE!)
Sure ill take you up on that challenge, You could just @ me if you want my attention, instead of hiding behind "to the person who"
I would like BHVR to pull out the proof for this, but I dont think they have it I don't think new players are magically going to improve their playstyle from this update forward, seems very unlikely to me. If you think overwise please demonstrate it.
That being IF the Map Variants where unreasonably balanced which does not seem to be the case.
Indeed now BHVR has even less ways to train on map balance.
To me its simple why you are wrong. Refer back to points 1 to 7.
Map tweaks and reworks have been happening for YEARS, so there's no reason to believe that changes won't continue to be made, as you seem to be implying. As stated before, if and when they finally decide to make maps like Badham less Survivor-sided, they'd only need to rework one map rather than five. Map variants also don't actually provide variety as you believe. Instead of getting five chances to get Badham, you only get one. That means a better likelihood to get a different map entirely. That is variety.
Your comments are just your opinions, which is absolutely fine. But it seems weird to me that you only counter others' opinions with "you have no proof," as if trying to invalidate their opinions. You don't have any proof for your opinions either, but that doesn't make them any less valid.
Now we just need to get rid of Badham I, and we'll be in good shape
You seem to ignore the me addressing that the problem of Treating Map Variants as full maps instead of Variants could have been addressed by making changes to the way Realms are selected. I don't want to have to keep repeating myself, but it seems I have to:
it should work like this:
Roll for Realm. Ormond won.
ormond has 2 maps, 1 with 3 variants.
rolling for maps. Ormond Lodge won.
Rolling for Ormond Lodge Variant
variant 2 won.
to game.
Ergo no reason to remove the, we could keep both for even more variety.
Honestly If you have a problem with me demanding proof for claims made in defense of the Map Variant Removal, I find that weird too. Things ought to happen for good reasons, so provable and demonstrable reasons have to be present to justify its removal, I hope you can agree to at least that. The second being I don't make wild unsubstantiated claims to defend the things I talk about and if I do, I make it obvious that it its a guess by me, by saying that.
I know I know, it sucks to get asked to demonstrate why your beliefs correct, which is why I don't try to offer feedback based on what I believe is a good idea, I do it based on if it makes logical sense and has good reasons justifying it. Which is why me analyzing comments for logic and good reasons.
But honestly, you are right, BHVR are the ones who should supply the good reasons why they are doing things, that would be much much much better for discussion, most of the time I just get spitballed by someone who think they are correct about everything and instead of justifying their ideas to me, they just end up repeating themselves. Luckily I do find it entertaining to sort through someone's logic for a suggestion.
Maybe my approach is bad, but I dont think Game Design should be a democracy, I still think BHVR should make changes for a good reason rather than, Oh people dont like this. Which is why I took issue with Mandy's response, people not liking something is a reason to dive into it and figure out why its not liked. Not just removing it.
But @CrypticGirl if you think there is a part of my discussions where I made bad logical sense or made a claim I could not demonstrate without making clear it was unfounded, then please point it out so I can correct the record, its what Im all about.
Hmm, it's clear I won't be able to change your mind and you won't change mine (it's kind of why I DIDN'T tag you, since I knew it would get us nowhere, though you also failed in your own logic by not pinging Mandy earlier), but I'll humor your points for a bit.
Personally, I think the way they're doing things with Forsaken Boneyard, having Dead Sands be a "variation" of Eyrie while still having its own unique identity, to be the correct way to go about variations (whether Dead Sands is actually any good balance wise right now has yet to be decided).
I understand your perspective, and normally I'd agree that removing content is the wrong way to go. This is just not one of those times. But again, I don't expect to change your opinion and I don't think you'll be able to change mine, or really anyone else's, since you're basically off in your own corner on this.
The Community Manager does not respond to everything she can, this is not how developer feedback on us works, she read it anyway cause its her job to read it, even if I screw up pinging her. Mandy clarified the position of BHVR and I still think its worth the critique. Which is ironic because you say I cant change your mind, yet in the end of your reply you say we basically agree on the same thing. Removing content is bad. There is no question about this.
We also lack severe confirmation from BHVR that the maps are considered unbalanced by them, its not a point BHVR has brought up so its up to others to demonstrate it.
Yes. the point about not treating Map Variation as Map Types of a Realm. It has gotten a good response on reddit too.
Idd like to see BHVR respond to that.
Name-calling is the worst.
Yes, good you concede it its a very bad argument. Why even make it a point then? Great you enjoy Lich, I do too.
6.2 "What gives you the idea that BHVR is under no impression that the maps were awful?" When you say Awful do you mean unbalanced to the point they need to be removed or just "disliked" to the point of being removed, Cause I think there is a very meaningful difference. Additionally, Yes I ask for the reason what people say. I even asked BHVR they have not agreed. I agree "Absence of evidence (in this case, not directly saying the maps were bad) is not evidence of absence" but that isnt evidence for anyone and I was not the one who claimed the maps were unbalanced. That was someone else.
If someone claims a map is unbalanced, they should provide evidence.
If you claim the map is balanced, you should provide evidence to counter their argument.
If you just say "I don’t think so," you're expressing doubt, not necessarily making a claim.
(You're questioning their assertion rather than asserting the opposite.)
And honestly, people love expressing unbalance without providing evidence on these forums.
Even if I assume BHVR is doing their job, its still up to anyone else to prove that its unbalanced. Not me.
Thanks for the Tango, tho you dont need to respond to humor me, I am on these forums clearly as both a excise in logic and love of the game. And I know the developers do enjoy seeing discussion here with a bit more logic structure. (They told me.)
Ill also slam BHVR when I think they do something wrong, because that is what feedback is all about and BHVR still responds very well to logical and reasoned arguments in regards to their plans, maybe they find I make really good points and revert it.
Mostly Im just hoping for deeper explanations of what's the reasons for its removal, because I certainly think I challenged the given reasons well so far. It could also be that they double down and say, "no really buddy, map variations were really bad for us"
which is fine, Im not demanding perfect logic from BHVR here either.
Not a fan of the loss of some maps, but…getting rid of the Badham variants is a 10/10 move and worth the loss of the rest.
I didn't expect I'd change your mind, and I'm not exactly the best at expressing myself (you have no idea how many times I rewrote things trying to get across what I wanted to say before basically giving up and sending it), so I'll leave it at that. Just one more point here:
"Its because you repeat yourself, dont float any diagnose about here. please don't say others are things like that here.
Name-calling is the worst."
My dude, I wasn't diagnosing anyone. I'M autistic, hence "Maybe it's just the autism speaking here". If I'm calling anyone names, it's MYSELF.
Don't feel bad about not changing my mind, I don't write to do the same, to me its more about a process, a process of giving an idea a fair chance to be criticized. See it as an exercise in expressing yourself, you will get better at it. It also helps knowing a lot about logical structure, arguments and those logical fallacies.
Sorry, I didn't realize exactly what you meant by your point 4, that fact that called your that and then took a jab at me in point 5 was kind of suspect and confusing. I would have written, "my autism" honestly referring to it as the and not who has it, don't leave it up to me, so I shall refused the whole subject no matter what.
it doesn’t weaken it - it just makes it less relevant as you’ll be able to learn where most things are as there are a tonne of consistently placed resources on every map variation.
I'm very glad they removed them. Instead of making variants, devs should put time to make a new maps. Something that is actually interesting and far more exciting.
This'll go a long ways to helping newer and returning players learn maps faster. Badham II is gone, rejoice!
Suffo Pit II was fine, imo. Can’t say I had strong feelings for the other Macmillan variants tho.
The Badham variants I will certainly not miss, however.