Rework Keys and Maps, combine them
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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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.
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.
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.
Comments
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The only thing that's really lost in this rework would be:
Unique Wedding Ring and the ability to track the obsession. Honestly not such a useful feature anyway.
Everything else is amalgamated, providing better value over a Key or Map as it stands now. Such as the Yellow Twine, combining the Yellow Wire and Red Twine add-ons.
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I literally posted earlier today in a different thread I'd love to see keys and maps be combined into a single item with both properties. 🙂
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Yeah that topic is what spurred me on to finally post this. 😅
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Any thoughts? Would this be too OP or does it not go far enough?
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I like it.
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Having tried to make use of a map today and finding it severely underwhelming, thought it was a good time to dredge this back up.
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Sounds nice for soloQ. Would be ok item for SWF or when devs finally implement action indicators and stuff like that
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Just wondering, do people actually prefer having keys and maps separate? Any pros to that? Or do y'all just not care?
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I think there is no longer any reason to keep them separate. Sure in times of old hatch system having both key and hatch-tracking map on same item was broken (beyond how actual hatch was broken). So it made sense in those times. Now there is 0 reason to ever want them separate. They are both worst items in game. So why not combine their puny benefits to at least 1 still at most OK item?
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I do really think that the numbers of this game would go up again if they reworked Hatch, items, ECG and items.
The Considerations that could be made is setting an actual TIME LIMIT to the game. Games like Hunt Showdown, which are taking the steam market by STORM are pulling players in from overwatch and DBD because it makes "stand offs" a thing that is forcing players to make plays or lose. 45-60 minutes are a reasonable match duration.
I think Hatch should always remain open. but with the incentive that a survivor is always in the 1-hit-down state when the hatch is in the opened state. It provides a "healthy" motive for survivors to want to play.
Perhaps since there are hatch campers. The game could take into consideration the number of survivors rescued and generators completed so that way the hatch has some sort of requirement of the player before they can use it.. idk.
Eitherway. I'd like to see the game be enjoyable and attract and retain players.
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Yet another plea bump to make Maps and Keys useful again.
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I completely agree these two items are useless at the moment, especially the key after a strong nerf of the hatch, it became useless, I even wish that it would not come across to me in the bloody web!!! You should make it so that the key would open closed doors, since the killers do not want to break them, what is the essence of their existence? then make a solid wall if you don’t even think about breaking the door, make a perk for survivors that allows you to break the door or make the door mechanic so that the survivor can open and close it, which would slow down the killer in pursuit or let it do the key, what is this garbage still needed for after the nerf.
Dear developers, take care of the doors and make a real random generation of doors or let the survivors open them with a perk and a key.
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Tbf I disagree with the fact that they are useless, far from it in fact. I will accknowledge they are weaker overall, but I definitely dont think they should be combined.
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They both do the same thing, show auras. One shows auras of things, the other shows auras of players and one other specific thing.
It's like having a Medkit you can only use on yourself, and another item, a Bandage you can only use on other players. Or a Toolbox you can only use on gens, and a Wrench you can only use to sabotage hooks.
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What a pity that you are not a developer, since you understand exactly the essence of the problem of items of survivors
The survivors have so few items, and every year they lose hope that at least something will appear.
Assassins have a new mechanic ability every 3 months, interesting details. For this reason I have all the killers
The survivors have a stupid skin that does not give anything (give a passive to the skin at least !!!), no new items, and even perks similar to each other, and all fantasy is lost, since unique perks can be counted on one hand. For this reason I stopped buying survivors
DEVELOPERS WHERE ARE THE NEW SURVIVOR ITEMS? why are you removing an improvement like a blinking light bulb
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all keys need a buff so that they give at least something throughout the game, and it is best to do so that they can open the chest 1 time without searching. In general, make charges on the keys. add brown for 1 charge, green for 2, yellow for 3, red for 5 and each charge opens a chest - a hatch immediately.
Now you can safely combine key upgrades with the map
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