Concerned Player Suggesting Changes

ModernFable · September 2018

Introduction

Greetings fellow citizens of the Fog, I am the Modern Fable. I am relatively new to the Fog, having bought the game about 4 months ago and I would like to share some changes I have thought out to better the overall player experience. While not monumental I have reached Rank 1 Killer and Rank 6 Survivor thus far. Hardly the most astounding feat, but it at least demonstrates I have a decent understanding of the game at the higher ranks of both modes. However, I'd like to keep the intro brief so let's move on.

Design Goals

Before I begin detailing my proposed changes, I'd like to first make a short outline of what these changes are intending to affect.

Reward Rankings
Properly Compensate Certain Survivor and Killer Situations
Shorten Gap in Potential Power of Killers and Survivors
Better Blood Point Distribution
Reward More Widely Enjoyable Game Play Strategies
Provide More Compelling Reasons to Prestige
Create a More Active End Game
Produce More frequent Chases
Expand Killer's Time to Act Without Unreasonably Increasing Generator Times

(These are the objectives of the forthcoming changes, please read the post in its entirety and for discussion do consider the changes as a whole. The changes I am to propose are not at all isolated, they targeted to improve every players' experience and are reliant on each other in most cases)

Match Making

For some players, frustrations begin before the match has even begun. As of the moment, there are currently no practical reasons to achieve higher ranks in Dead by Daylight, nor fighting more coordinated Survive With Friends groups, other than a perceived challenge. These changes aim to remedy this.

Higher Ranks Increase Blood Point and Experience Gain

Grey Ranks (+0%)
Yellow Ranks (+5%)
Green Ranks (+10%)
Purple Ranks (+15%)
Red Ranks (+20%)

Rank Rework

Ranks reset every 8 weeks
Ranks experience decay for extended inactivity
Every week without a game played will reduce your rank by 1 for the corresponding mode you did not play

Rank Rewards at Reset

Grey Ranks (0 BP and 0 Shards)
Yellow Ranks (10,000 BP and 300 Shards)
Green Ranks (30,000 BP and 600 Shards)
Purple Ranks (50,000 BP and 900 Shards)
Red Ranks (100,000 BP and 2,000 Shards)

(The aforementioned changes would both provide players with tangible incentive to aim for higher ranks while also providing more time for players to achieve said ranks)

Survive With Friends Increase Blood Point and Experience Gain as Killer

Duo + 2 Solos (+10%)
Duo + Duo (+20%)
Trio + Solo (+30%)
Quad (+50%)

(This change is to combat "dodging" in other words, forcing all players out and back into match making. This will improve the frequency of games in general. In addition, this now provides Killers with perceivable reasons to play against much more coordinated teams)

Survivor

The following changes are for the purpose of reducing the gap in Potential Survivor Power, while also compensating Survivors accordingly for specific situations where they are currently not.

Increasing Generator Times

Solo Gen Time (80s to 90s)
Duo Gen Time (44.44s to 60s)
Trio Gen Time (33.33s to 45s)
Quad Gen Time (28.57s to 40s)
*Increased BP gain from 1250 BP to 1750 BP
*Decreased Emblem Requirements

Increasing Healing Times

Heal Time (12s to 16s)

Kindred 3 and We're Gonna Live Forever 2 are default Survivor abilities

We're Gonna Live Forever now also grants a stack for completing a Generator or Cleansing a Hex Totem

(The previous changes are to reduce the gap between solo Survivors and Survive With Friends groups as well as to better level out game time without unreasonably increasing Generator Times)

Increased Time Till Death on Hook

Death Time (180s to 240s)

Being Guarded on Hook Provides Emblem and Blood Points

While within 24 meters or Line of Sight of the Killer will now reward Benevolent and Unbroken Points per second
Additionally it will reward Blood Points per second

Being Hooked in Succession (before a different Survivor is hooked) rewards Emblem Points

It will reward a flat amount of Benevolent and Unbroken points
Additionally it will reward 1500 Blood Points for each Successive Hook

Recovering from Dying State and Wiggling Provide Blood Points

Recovering will grant up to 500 Blood Points
Wiggling will grant up to 500 Blood Points

Decreased Emblem Requirements for Evader

(These proposed changes are to provide proper compensation for Survivor when they are in fact passively contributing to their team, but the game does not recognize it)

Removing Potential Power Gaps

Decisive Strike
Brand New Part
Styptic Agent
Anti-Hemorrhagic Syringe

(These last few Survivor changes along with other Killer changes later are to shorten the dramatic gap in Potential Survivor and Killer Power. While certain Add-Ons and Perks provide different and more interesting game play avenues, these in particular were far too overbearing and created a substantial shift in balance if they were in play as opposed to not)

Miscellaneous

Before moving onto the Killer changes, I'd first like to go over the more general changes that affect Survivors and Killers alike. These next few changes cover a few different points of game play, with some having more far reaching implications than others. I'll advise again that all of these changes are not isolated and are intertwined with one another.

New Totem Interactions

Increased Cleanse Time (14s to 16s)
Hex Totems now have Skill Checks
*Increased BP gain from Dull Totem Cleanse from 600 BP to 800 BP
*Increased BP gain from Hex Totem Cleanse from 1000 BP to 1300 BP

Adjusted Perk System for Prestiging

Prestige 1: Unique Perks for that character are Tier 3 by default
Prestige 2: Only Tier 2 and Tier 3 Perks appear on the Blood Web
Prestige 3: Only Tier 3 Perks appear on the Blood Web

(Both of these changes assist in the revision of how Blood Points are distributed to all players and how they are managed afterwards)

Auras Reveal Character Details

Auras will show the character name above the person (I.e. Nea, and in the case of multiples, Nea 1 and Nea 2)
Auras will show the obsession icon above the person (If applicable)

New Hatch Mechanic

The Killer may close the Hatch
Doing so will power the Exit Gates and reduce the time to open them by half
After 90s, if the Survivor has not escaped, they will suffer from the Exposed effect and their Aura will be revealed

(The Aura change is to improve the amount of non verbal information given to both Killers and Survivors. The Hatch change is to speed up the End Game and eliminate Hatch Standoffs)

New Chest Rules

5 Chests Spawn Per Trial

All Offerings Removed

Blood Point Offerings
Fog Offerings
Luck Offerings
Chest Offerings
Hook Offerings
Map Offerings
Mori Offerings

(This is by far one of the most game play affecting change out of the miscellaneous changes. In theory the Offerings could provide a variance in game play and produce some interesting strategies. However, in practice, the Offerings merely worsened a large gap in both Potential Killer and Survivor Power. The difference between a game with 4 Hook Removal Offerings as opposed to one with an Ebony Mori is staggering and unhealthy for stable game play. The Offerings allowed Survivors and Killers both to affect the state of the game world before the game had even begun, twisting the natural balance of game play. In addition to this, even the non gameplay affecting Blood Point Offerings merely gave reasons to avoid giving adequate amounts of Blood Points to Survivors and Killers, so they have been removed as well)

Killer

Removing Potential Power Gaps

Hex: Ruin
No One Escapes Death

(With increased Generator times as well as numerous other changes to Survivors, Killers, and other mechanics, these Perks should no longer be deemed necessary in any fashion and should be removed to reduce the gap in Potential Killer Power)

Adjusted Action Times

Decreased Successful and Missed Attack Cool Downs by 30%
Decreased Pallet Breaking Time by 30%
Decreased Generator Breaking Time by 30%

Adjusted Broken Generator Regression

Increased Regressed Charges from (.25 per second to .32 per second) (320s to fully regress to 250s to fully regress)

Barbeque and Chili 2 and Bamboozle 3 are default Killer abilities

Barbeque and Chili now also grants a stack if the Survivor Disconnects

(All of these changes are to match the Survivor changes in power and free up the Killer's time to do what they need to do. These are to also compensate the loss of Moris from Offerings along with the increased Death Time on Hook)

Hooking Different Survivors in Succession Rewards Emblem Points

It will reward a flat amount of Malicious and Chaser points
Additionally it will reward 800 Blood Points for each Successive Different Hook

(Similar to the previous Survivor changes, these are to compensate the Killer for doing more interesting plays at the cost of quickly removing a Survivor from the game)

Mori

When only one Survivor remains, the Killer may Mori that Survivor after downing them

Decreased Emblem Requirements for Chaser

(The Mori is a delicate mechanic and should not be available for the majority of the game in order to ensure stable game progression. However, having the Mori available towards the very end of the game after the Survivor has lost the Chase should be fine)

Conclusion

I'd like to reiterate for the last time that all of these changes are together. They are not segregated, they are reliant on each other to function. So if you wish to provide criticism or further suggestions on these changes, due consider that they all affect each other and that these could be easily adjusted in the future. Regardless, these are my proposed changes to Dead by Daylight to improve the game in various ways. While I share this with the hope that Behavior would look at this whole list and simply add it to future patch as soon as possible (I made sure not to make any suggestions that would require making new assets, I.e. a new objective, replacement mechanics, etc..), I however, highly doubt the majority of these changes will be integrated into the game. So while my proposed changes my fall on deaf ears over at Behavior, if my fellow citizens of the Fog like my suggestions then do please spread the word. I am the Modern Fable, and I'll see you guys in the Fog.

UncannyLuck · September 2018

I like that you provided reasons for why you made choices, which makes it easier to understand. The BP gain between survivor and killer is possibly more out of whack with these changes but aside from the removal of offerings I like most of these changes.

redsopine1 · September 2018

Your forgetting sone trophys rthat requiiebony mori

F5arTheB5ard · September 2018

*slow clap* bravo good sir.
If these changes were to happen I think a lot of people would enjoy them. After the initial trial period of everyone bitching and moaning

redsopine1 · September 2018

What the guy above said as well

skynight · September 2018

First, I sincerely appreciate the thought and time that went into crafting these suggestions as well as the way in which they were written. It is very easy to get bogged down in one-line subjects or replies. Like, "DS sucks" or "you're idea is dumb." The person expresses frustration with no suggested fix, thoughtful reflection or appreciation to other points of view.

So, no matter the end result, I hope to see such crafted thoughts like these on the forums more and more.

As for the suggestions themselves: I enjoyed a great many of them! My initial impression is that the killer perspective had a stronger hand in the writing than the survivor. This is not inherently bad, just an observation based on the number and type of suggestions offered.

The ideas I particularly** liked** were:

*Rank rewards (possibly using the currency system)
Perhaps one day, there will also be special skins. Maybe on a yearly basis based on a average of your final standing that year.

*Prestige alteration to assist with leveling
The cosmetic is nice, but i appreciate having a more functional reason for doing it.

*SWF bloodpoint gains for killer
As you stated, the challenge potential is greater when coordination can be handled over coms and not just in game. Having a nicer carrot for the killer, or a tool to assist feels good here.

*Making totems have an interaction
While I am not sure I want to see the skill check system be applied to totems, or something unique that embellishes the "dark magic" aspect of the intractable, I also greatly desire to make totems more of a monster to deal with. My hope is that totems get their own unique item, perk and add-on set. (more on that later)

*End game pressure
I like the direction of "put more pressure" on end game. Not sure if the hatch closure is "it", but aura reveal is very interesting. The survivor cannot doddle for too long. Escaping needs to be their number one objective in lieu of other things to legitimately do on the map (like saving a down/hook survivor)

*Last survivor mori
In short, the killer made it through three people. It's the least the entity can do.

The ideas I am more reserved about were:

*Auto-Bamboozle
Bamboozle is the perk incarnate of the entity window block the game already had before the perk's introduction. I think window blocking in general is systemic of the map design itself, not the survivor. I would be wary of making this blanket addition since there are several times there are legit reasons to go back through the same window during a chase.

*Auto-BBQ
I am a fan of anything that makes a killer want to play with everyone, not just one player until they are dead. Makes the game more interesting. However, this feels more like an issue based in killer and interaction design. Basically, survivors need more to do and the killer's power should take on some of the heavy lifting for their unique ways to find, track and chase survivors. ie: doctor shock, trapper traps. Killer reliance on the perk feels like an expression that "where is my next hunt" is missing. Just not sure if BBQ is the best or most interesting answer to this.

*Gen time increase
As I stated with BBQ, I feel the survivors have "too little" to do. Their options and interactions should vary enough to where the main objective is always a great option, but there are other things they may want as well. Ways to get bonus shards, a season mini game, like the margaritta/lunar gens (but a new interactable). Things of that nature. Gen time feels more like a symptom that the problem.

Perhaps the survivor could construct and venerate a special item. This item can be triggered in the menu, allowing all of the nodes on one bloodweb for one character to be acquired instantly. Or it enhances all the nodes by one rarity, but keeps the same pricing. Something interesting.

*Offerings
I appreciate and agree that the offering system no longer feels in sync with the current state of the game. My hope is that rather than abolishing it, it is reworked as a means of altering the rules of the game in a more intrinsic way.

Perhaps the killer has an offering where they get to light their own totem in pre-game. Survivors can create new secret areas of the map that, with the help of another survivor, can be unlocked to collect special gear, cosmetics, currency and the like. There are so many possibilities here.

Thank you again for the read. It was great to look through!

ModernFable · September 2018

@redsopine1 said:
Your forgetting sone trophys rthat requiiebony mori

Specific trophies/achievements can be adjusted to accommodate the changes, so there shouldn't be any large issues.

Visionmaker · September 2018

I don't agree with removing offerings because I find them to be fun.

But overall I like what you suggest. Great formatting too. Lol

DeadByFlashlight · September 2018

It might be a first step to give incentive to play vs SWF; but SWF is broken gameplay wise and needs to be addresed by balancing

redsopine1 · September 2018

Hence Mori and stuff to darken the game field small maps were they can't exactly do much

TheDarkLycan · September 2018

i dont think many disagree with your ideas

redsopine1 · September 2018

I like them just instead of no Mori nurf them so 2 hooks Mori 1 hook Mori slugged and Mori the ur Mori though can only be used if 3 gens get done

ModernFable · September 2018

@UncannyLuck said:
I like that you provided reasons for why you made choices, which makes it easier to understand. The BP gain between survivor and killer is possibly more out of whack with these changes but aside from the removal of offerings I like most of these changes.

The exact Blood Point gain can be adjusted down the line, but it is the principle of establishing a more stable and controllable Blood Point gain. As of right now, Blood Points can be affected by Offerings which vary widely in their effect, along with Perks like Barbecue and Chili and We're Gonna live Forever which are not immediately accessible but dramatically change the amount of Blood Points received. By including these Perk powers into the base kits of Survivors and Killers, as well as removing the large variable of Blood Point Offerings, we can create a solid base that makes future adjustments far easier to manage.

NextKillerSpongebob · September 2018

Holy #########! I agree with almost all the points you made. Not sure if Ruin should be removed after all the changes you made, but it should be nerfed a lot or just last for a minute or two after the game starts.

Here's a list of changes I made a few minutes ago about The Spirit and the state in which she is right now. https://forum.deadbydaylight.com/en/discussion/21940/make-the-spirit-a-playable-killer-maybe-long#latest

Feel free to give me a few suggestions on what you think.

ModernFable · September 2018

@redsopine1 said:
I like them just instead of no Mori nurf them so 2 hooks Mori 1 hook Mori slugged and Mori the ur Mori though can only be used if 3 gens get done

There are definitely viable ways to integrate Moris into the game without disrupting game balance too much. I should point out this post isn't a complete comprehensive list of fixing every problem with Dead by Daylight and I'm open to additional suggestions. I just wanted to stay on the safe side for having Moris in the Killer's base kit at the moment.

NextKillerSpongebob · September 2018

@ModernFable said:

@redsopine1 said:
I like them just instead of no Mori nurf them so 2 hooks Mori 1 hook Mori slugged and Mori the ur Mori though can only be used if 3 gens get done

There are definitely viable ways to integrate Moris into the game without disrupting game balance too much. I should point out this post isn't a complete comprehensive list of fixing every problem with Dead by Daylight and I'm open to additional suggestions. I just wanted to stay on the safe side for having Moris in the Killer's base kit at the moment.

I was quite impressed by your ideas and think that they would actually solve A LOT of problems with Dead by Daylight right now.

Visionmaker · September 2018

NextKillerSpongebob said:

Holy #########! I agree with almost all the points you made. Not sure if Ruin should be removed after all the changes you made, but it should be nerfed a lot or just last for a minute or two after the game start

Maybe gens that are kicked could have the Ruin effect on them for a few minutes.

ModernFable · September 2018

@NextKillerSpongebob said:
Holy #########! I agree with almost all the points you made. Not sure if Ruin should be removed after all the changes you made, but it should be nerfed a lot or just last for a minute or two after the game starts.

Here's a list of changes I made a few minutes ago about The Spirit and the state in which she is right now. https://forum.deadbydaylight.com/en/discussion/21940/make-the-spirit-a-playable-killer-maybe-long#latest

Feel free to give me a few suggestions on what you think.

Ruin is a tricky Perk, not only is it one of the most prominent tools of Killers to slow down the game, it also fluctuates in it's effectiveness constantly. First by being a part of a larger Totem problem where it could be destroyed at the start or last all game. Another issue surrounding it would be the difference in strength against newer and more experienced Survivors, one case where it is seemingly too powerful without knowing its counters and another case where it can very well be a non factor. Due to Hex: Ruin's erratic performance, I find it far more beneficial to remove the Perk entirely, and provide the Killer with better methods of slowing down the game. As such, I provided an increase to Generator times, increased the effectiveness of damaging Generators, and provided the Killer with more base powers like Barbecue and Chili along with Bamboozle. While additional changes may be needed to approach a healthy spot, removing Ruin and giving the Killer more options would be the best course of action to me.

ModernFable · September 2018

@skynight said:
The ideas I am more reserved about were:

*Auto-Bamboozle
Bamboozle is the perk incarnate of the entity window block the game already had before the perk's introduction. I think window blocking in general is systemic of the map design itself, not the survivor. I would be wary of making this blanket addition since there are several times there are legit reasons to go back through the same window during a chase.

*Auto-BBQ
I am a fan of anything that makes a killer want to play with everyone, not just one player until they are dead. Makes the game more interesting. However, this feels more like an issue based in killer and interaction design. Basically, survivors need more to do and the killer's power should take on some of the heavy lifting for their unique ways to find, track and chase survivors. ie: doctor shock, trapper traps. Killer reliance on the perk feels like an expression that "where is my next hunt" is missing. Just not sure if BBQ is the best or most interesting answer to this.

*Gen time increase
As I stated with BBQ, I feel the survivors have "too little" to do. Their options and interactions should vary enough to where the main objective is always a great option, but there are other things they may want as well. Ways to get bonus shards, a season mini game, like the margaritta/lunar gens (but a new interactable). Things of that nature. Gen time feels more like a symptom that the problem.

Perhaps the survivor could construct and venerate a special item. This item can be triggered in the menu, allowing all of the nodes on one bloodweb for one character to be acquired instantly. Or it enhances all the nodes by one rarity, but keeps the same pricing. Something interesting.

*Offerings
I appreciate and agree that the offering system no longer feels in sync with the current state of the game. My hope is that rather than abolishing it, it is reworked as a means of altering the rules of the game in a more intrinsic way.

Perhaps the killer has an offering where they get to light their own totem in pre-game. Survivors can create new secret areas of the map that, with the help of another survivor, can be unlocked to collect special gear, cosmetics, currency and the like. There are so many possibilities here.

Thank you again for the read. It was great to look through!

On the matter of Bamboozle, Barbecue and Chili, and the Gen Times: I agree that most of the problems these are targeting are problems in the basic design, however I've specifically avoided sharing changes that would require making new assets, as I stated in my Conclusion. So things along the lines of making certain Killer powers more complex or giving Survivors another objective, are things I deterred from discussing. I instead proposed solutions that could be made with mostly adjustments to numbers. Lastly, while perhaps Offerings could find their place in some alternate mode (since Behavior has discussed making new modes), I don't believe they should be in the core mode of the game in any fashion. Offerings currently only serve to create an unstable gain in Blood Points at best and an unhealthy swing in game balance at worst.

ModernFable · September 2018

Visionmaker said:

NextKillerSpongebob said:

Holy #########! I agree with almost all the points you made. Not sure if Ruin should be removed after all the changes you made, but it should be nerfed a lot or just last for a minute or two after the game start

Maybe gens that are kicked could have the Ruin effect on them for a few minutes.

Ruin effect for multiple minutes might be a bit strong, maybe a Surveillance Effect could be interesting though.

Chaoxide · July 2022

Its cool to see that most of the things mentioned here have almost all been added to the game so many years later.