The only way to stop camping is to make it physically impossible to do so. Here's an idea.
Instead of trying to "fix" camping with perks or changes to the survivors' base kit, why not remove it entirely? Here's a relatively simple solution, based on the concept of Pyramid Head's cages (I think there's other games with this concept, but that's beside the point):
When a survivor is hooked, they go through the normal "screaming" animation, then are teleported out of the map and that hook is temporarily blocked by the entity.
Once they're gone, the hook timer starts as usual, and their teammates have to go to one of 4 "rescuing stations" (or whatever you want to call them - I'm sure the devs can come up with something) located in the 4 corners of the map. They're all highlighted to each survivor when someone is hooked, and interacting with a station will rescue the survivor.
The hooked survivor is put in something resembling a prison cell where they're still on a hook, and therefore able to self-unhook if you want to keep that option in. Upon self-unhooking, they'd automatically run out of the cell and appear at one of the 4 stations at random. If rescued, they'd run out of the cell and appear at the station they are rescued from. If left alone, they're still on a hook, so the sacrificing process would happen as usual.
Any of the 4 stations will be accessible, so even if the killer tries to camp, the survivors could just rescue from another one.
The hook used will be unblocked once the survivor is rescued. On their third hook, they will still be sacrificed and the hook removed as usual. Any perks relating to unhooking can still work. Camping will be literally impossible, though tunneling could still happen (albeit harder to do immediately in most cases).
A few issues with this idea can arise, so here's some solutions:
- Co-ordinating rescues: All stations are highlighted for the survivors, and any survivor within a certain range of one has their aura shown to other survivors.
- Survivors preemptively running to the stations: If survivors are within a certain proximity of one of the rescuing stations within the first 10 seconds of the hook action happening, that station is blocked for the first 20 seconds of the hook stage (numbers could be tweaked, of course). This prevents early rescues, which could be unfair. The killer doesn't see that a station is blocked.
- The killer attempting to camp a station: Self-unhooks would prioritize a station away from the killer. If a survivor rescues someone near the killer, the rescued survivor still gets the haste and endurance we currently have, regardless of proximity to the killer, so tunneling will still be more difficult. Kindred would show killer auras near the stations instead of hooks.
- Maps with multiple floors: 2 up, 2 down, at random. They're shown to the survivors anyway so I don't really see this as a major issue.
- Aura reading: Add a few (5?) seconds where the hooked survivor and rescuer's auras can't be revealed to the killer upon rescuing to avoid rare scenarios where the killer could see someone being saved.
- The basement: Have it still there for the sake of hooks that can't be sabotaged.
- Endgame: Survivors will likely have to go for stations farther away from gates to make safer rescues. This puts a lot more pressure on the survivors, but honestly, rescuing in the endgame should be difficult. If it becomes a problem, just remove the aforementioned station-blocking mechanic when the endgame collapse is active.
Obviously, hook timers might have to be looked at, as well as some perks. I think Pyramid Head's cages could stay as they are without really affecting much. All of the interactions involving hooks would still be present, including sabotage, Scourge Hooks, and the like. The 4 stations would still make survivors get off their gens and potentially run even further away than they otherwise would.
There's some balance issues with this idea, I'm sure, but things can be adjusted around it.
At the very least, it could be a fun alternate mode to try out. I'm sure the devs could come up with some interesting new interactions for this mechanic, as well.
Comments
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Honestly this is just a more stupid way than just stopping the hook timer when the killer is within x distance from the hook
But BHVR has already made it clear that tunneling, camping, and slugging are valid strategies
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I quote a previous message in order to make it more clear:
"BHVR has already made it clear that tunneling, camping, and slugging are valid strategies"
They only want to discourage it and make it less productive in order to disincentivate killer in doing that in the beginning of the trial or in the middle game.
Camping in the endgame is the only thing you can do, there isn't anything left on the map to defend.
It is incredible, it seem a lot of people that make proposals here never played killer.
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They're never going to make it 'physically impossible to camp' because that removes player agency.
It's the killers choice to camp, to give up all other pressure in order to secure one kill or additional hook state.
Camping is a valid strategy, and there are a whole host of scenarios in which camping is either not toxic, the survivors fault, or the killers only recourse. Just because there are a few scenarios in which camping is 'toxic' and 'unfair', doesn't mean an entire facet of the game needs to be killed.
The problem is that doing so doesn't come at a high enough cost. Raise that cost so that the killer loses more by camping earlier on in the game, such as increased gen speeds or something, and you'll see it done a lot less.
Either a basekit feature that increases the repair speed of all other survivors by 5% while the killer is within 16m of a hooked survivor.
And/or a survivor perk that increases repair speeds by 10-15% while the killer is within 16m of a hooked survivor.
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You know whats fun as pyramid head, making the cage teleport away from the person trying to go rescue and forcing the caged survivor to struggle phase.
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Every time someone brings up "X happens when killer is within Y range of hook" they ignore the fact that survivors can purposely loop near the hook, thus granting the effect from the killer camping without the killer actually camping. That's why Reassurance got nerfed and will probably see another nerf in the not too distant future. You can't punish camping without punishing people who aren't camping, and that's simply not fair.
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That's true, however this suggestion comes with a built in limiter.
If another survivor is looping the killer or otherwise keeping the killer within 16m of the hook, that's one fewer survivors repairing gens. Therefore it's in the survivors interest to keep doing gens rather than try to keep the killer close to the hook. You get less repair progress out of baiting the killer into camping than you do by simply doing gens.
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90% of camping could be solved by taking away the ability to use 1 shot powers next to the hook.
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I actually like this idea. Make the hooks work like Pyramid boy's cages but with more random spawning locations. As for the crying about survivors being able to loop near the hook, well, smart killers will either slug them if they catch them or take the high road and move on, you know, hunt for the others.
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It's not the only way to get rid of Camping
I say increasing base Gen regression should help... cause what's a Killer to do with a Survivor on hook (look for another Survivor, make Loops more manageable and kicking Gens to start the regression process)
But with base Gen regression the way it is doesn't offer that much regression by far (.25 charges per second)
Cause right now the regression will take 5 minutes and 47 seconds to completely regress the Gen
And yes with regression perks it does shorten the regression times but
PGTW: 4 minutes (an estimation)
Ruin: is the same as normal regression
PR: around 5 minutes (an estimation)
Call Of Brine: I can't do the math for it (LOL)... thanks Choy for a video about it -4 minutes and 46 seconds-
Overcharge: Same as Call Of Brine (LOL).... thanks Choy for a video about it -3minutes and 3 seconds-
And progression being 1 minute and 30 seconds (without hitting greats and no other Survivor, perks, and Toolboxes)
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The devs will never remove the ability for killers to camp because they've already said it's not against the rules. On top of that it's valid tactic with many situations where it is the best option.
Not to say there isn't an issue with how some specfic killer powers make them too good at camping, but survivors need to get over their issues with killers camping.
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Careful with regression buffs. There are already some killer-players that look at the map at the very beginning, identify their 3gen and never move out of it (equiping 4 regression perks and sacrificing 4 gens in the progress). Right now it's loosing tactics, but not by a huge margin.
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I know... but if they do increase the base regression then they can do other things for regression perks
Like Oppression can get .50 charges per second on the Gen you kick but then get .25 charges per second on the other Gens
Call Of Brine could (IMO... lose the Gen aura first) Start off getting a lot of regression done but as you use it it gets less (or vice-versa)
PGTW would stay the same but I would watch it... same with Overcharge and PR
Ruin would be the same as it was before so not much to worry about there
But yea I do know what you are saying
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There isn't anything wrong or broken about camping that needs to be fixed. Either way, this idea just doesn't sound fun.
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