New Survivor Objective - Breakers

Jigsawn

I know this has been discussed before but I have thought about it in a little depth. We want more objectives for Survivors to slow the game down and provide more variety. I think Breakers could be a solution which wouldn't require massive map reworking. It would be Batteries, but we already have generators so batteries don't make much sense!

Similar to Friday The 13th, Survivors would need to find and install a Breaker in Exit Doors in addition to restoring power via the generators as normal. This could also apply to the Hatch. Breakers are carried like items and take time to install. This can be done at any time in the match. Killers receive notifications or auras related to Breakers to help them keep track of Breaker positions.

The idea is that Breakers force at least one trip by survivors from a spawn location to an exit, and takes time to install. Because Killers get notifications related to Breakers, this is a risky business. In addition, the Killer knows where Breakers Spawn and where Exit Gates are so they can try to patrol these areas and hopefully there is some room for mind games. Because there are 2 Exit Gates and more than 1 Breaker the Killer can't just camp one spot to prevent Survivors installing Breakers.

Imagine a Breaker as an object the size of a car battery, it could be any technological gizmo, I'll just call them Breakers.

• Survivors can pick up a Breaker, swapping it for any currently held items. Being downed drops a Breaker if you are holding one.
• There is more than one Breaker so the Killer can't just camp it. Breakers dropped to the floor due to player downs will respawn eventually so if Killers kill all Breaker carriers in one spot, the Survivors can still win.
• Breakers ideally would spawn in set locations, maybe in special chests on hills or in the killer shack etc. The less RNG the better.
• Breakers take time to install at the gate/hatch.
• Perhaps more than one Breaker is needed to open the gate/hatch, forcing repeated trips giving the Killer more chances to catch Survivors.
• Killers should receive some sort of notification similar to when hex totems break, showing when a Breaker has been initially picked up, and when one has been installed. Auras could also be used. Perks and items related to generator auras could also affect Breakers.
• Killers might be able to remove or destroy Breakers and send them back to spawn.
• Maybe Breakers can only be retrieved and installed once Generators are finished, in which case they should install quickly and the challenge is instead to go fetch them whilst the Killer knows where the Exit gates are and will try to stop you.
• A variation on this idea is that Survivors need to install Breakers in a central power unit, probably in the middle of the map or in the Killer Shack/Basement before they can leave.

Open to ideas and criticisms, any eventualities which I haven't covered, etc?

I think this is the sort of idea that would need to be playtested and tweaked a lot to get right. You'd have to make it so that it was fair on both sides and I imagine to add a few minutes onto playtime you'd need to install a number of Breakers or maybe make the install time take a while.

One thing I like about this idea is that the Killer would be able to see where Breakers are installed, therefore they would know which Exit Gates to head for at the end. Survivors could prep both Exit Doors with Breakers but at the cost of extending the game time, which is a payoff as that gives the Killer longer to track Survivors down. There is also a nice element of risk to carrying a Breaker as you would alert the Killer to your position via notifications or auras, which also means more mind games as to when to start doing your Breakers.

Having a Breaker for the Hatch would also help to address a few of the Hatch issues that we have.

jiminie

I don't know why everyone compares DBD to Friday, they share the same idea and concept somewhat, but are two different games, stop thinking that if it works on Friday, it will work in DBD too

Jigsawn

I'm not comparing them and I'm not saying it will work because Friday 13th does something similar. In fact I'd never even seen Friday 13th when I came up with the initial idea. It's a natural progression of the generator idea to add other elements to help open the doors, after all its the survivors main goal. Other than just having more generators or things you have to sit in front of, the next logical set is to have players go and fetch something and bring it to a location. It takes survivors time and because killers know where the destination is it gives them a chance to bounce back if they are having problems with far apart generators. It helps to focus the action on a few locations.

profaned

As mind numbingly similar as it is to friday
It would be awesome to see more then one objective for survivors to win by and it would lessen the need to get gens done
But it would be a waste of time if you didn't get one...
Witch is a low-key good thing since matches are done too fast

CoolAKn

Here are some suggestions or additions to your idea (sorry for the word vomit):

Breaker boxes would be an optional survivor objective that is mandatory for hatch escapes. Two breaker boxes will randomly spawn on the map, while a third breaker box can always be found in the basement. Breaker box auras can only be seen by the killer. Specific perks and add-ons will help or hurt the survivor's ability to open the hatch. All 3 boxes boxes become powered when the first generator is repaired. Once powered, a survivor may activate a breaker box by pulling the lever just like the Exit Gate and only 1 box may be interacted with at a time. Interacting with the box causes the Exposed or Broken status effect once the interaction is over for 10 seconds for each activated breaker box (up to 30 seconds for the final box). Killers will receive an unique auditory warning when a survivor begins activating a breaker box, but they must guess which one is being powered. An activated box will have a dim light showing above it, and will begin to emit a low buzzing noise. Players are not notified once a breaker box is completed, though a killer can guess when a box has been activated by timing when the notification started. Killers will still see the breaker box's aura even if it's activated, to force killers to be aware of which ones were worked on. Once a box becomes activated, any inactive breaker boxes will lose power and any progress made on them will be lost. The NEXT completed generator will power up the next breaker box. Generators completed while the breaker boxes are powered up will not count towards the next box.

FIRST BOX:
Hatch spawns and reveals its aura to all survivors within 20 meters for 3 seconds.
Survivors will now be able to use the key to open the hatch if it is within the confines of its abilities.

SECOND BOX:
Hatch aura is revealed to all players within 20 meters for 3 seconds.
Survivor that activated the box will gain Energized for 30 seconds.
Energized status effect will:

• See the hatch's aura from any distance.
• See the killer's aura for 5 seconds.
• Lock the hatch escape to that survivor.
• End-Game Perks for that survivor will be trigger instead of when the Exit Gates are powered.
• Grants that survivor Borrowed Time for 20 seconds when struck
• If put in the dying state, that survivor cannot interact with the hatch until they are fully healed.
• Attempting to interact with the final breaker box will cause permanent Broken.
• If downed and permanently Broken, completely lose the ability to escape through the hatch, unless No Mither is equipped.

The killer may still attempt to grab the survivor jumping into the hatch.
Once Energized wears off, any one survivor may escape through the hatch, which closes it.
The killer can close the hatch, but powers up the third breaker box automatically.
Hatch can be reopened by a key, repairing another generator, or activating the final breaker box (CAUTION).

THIRD BOX:
Attentive killers should know which box is left.
The Entity becomes angry if a second survivor becomes Energized.
The Entity will cause the killer to become vicious for the survivor's treachery.
The hatch's aura will be masked, regardless of aura reading ability.
Survivor that activated the box will gain Energized for 30 seconds.
Killer gains the Vengeance status effect until the hatch is closed.
Vengeance status effect will:

• See the Energized survivor's aura for 5 seconds.
• End-Game Perks for the killer will trigger instead of when the Exit Gates are powered.
• Grants the ability to Mori the Energized survivor when injured and within 20 meters of the hatch.
• If the first Energized survivor has not left yet, the killer will only be able to Mori one of them.
• Becomes unable to put non-Energized survivors into the dying state.

0 survivors escaped through hatch - killer can close hatch. Generator would be needed to open it again.
1 survivor escaped through hatch - killer can permanently close the hatch and power the Exit Doors. If all breaker boxes are activated, a second survivor may escape through the hatch. Killer gains permanent Bloodlust.
2 survivors escaped through hatch - permanently closes the hatch and power the Exit Doors. Killer gains permanent Bloodlust and can Mori one remaining survivors.

ADRENALINE - can be triggered by Activated. Removes Broken.
DETECTIVE'S HUNCH - can locate breaker boxes if in range. Revealed breaker boxes will be added to the map if equipped.
HOPE - can be triggered by Energized.
NO MITHER - If you are put in the Dying state while Energized, ignores the requirement to be fully healed.
RESILIENCE - increased interaction speed with props (i.e. breaker boxes) while injured.
UP THE ANTE - extends the aura reading ranges of survivors.
VIGIL - speeds up recovery of Blindness. Exposed and Broken can even be added.
WAKE UP! - can be triggered by Energized. reveal the auras of breaker boxes (either when Energized or when the Exit Gates are powered), other survivors can see you activating a breaker box, and you can activate it faster. You can still see the Exit Gate levers, but cannot interact with them until they are powered.
BLACK SILK CORD (Map) - the add-on will track breaker boxes instead of the hatch. If the hatch's aura is revealed to the survivor (even if they don't notice), it will be added to the map.

BEAST OF PREY - removes the Stain when Bloodlust is triggered.
BLOOD WARDEN - blocks the hatch if Blood Warden becomes active (open exit door + hooked survivor). While active, survivor's auras within 16 meters of the hatch will be revealed.
HEX: NO ONE ESCAPES DEATH - can be triggered by Vengeance.
HEX: THE THIRD SEAL - hit survivors suffer from Blindness while the totem is standing.
RANCOR - When Vengeance expires, your obsession becomes Exposed and you can Mori them. If the 2 survivors escaped condition is met, you can Mori both survivors if one of them is your obsession.
REMEMBER ME - striking your obsession will extend the time it takes to activate the breaker boxes.
TERRITORIAL IMPERATIVE - reveals the auras of survivors entering the basement (where one of the breaker boxes is located).
AMANITA TOXIN (Huntress) - hit survivors suffer from Blindness for 30 seconds
"BLIND WARRIOR" - MUD (Wraith) - Surprise Attacks cause Blindness
FACE MASK (Pig) - causes Blindness while survivors have a reverse bear trap on their heads.
KEROSENE CAN (Clown) - intoxicated survivors suffer from Blindness for 30 seconds

Wolff_Bringer

I would like to make them an optional choice.

I would like to see a nerf to opening exit gates, give the survivors longer time to open a exit gate.

But if you get one breaker to one exit gate and installing it, it is faster than right now.

You can install the breaker any time in the match.