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The "4v1" Argument [Deep Analysis]

Iron_Cutlass
Iron_Cutlass Member Posts: 3,866
in General Discussions

This is not aimed or directed at a certain person or any community figures, however this is aimed to addressed some of the concerns as to the "4v1" Argument which is perpetually spoken about.

For those fortunate enough to not be "in the know" about this topic, allow me to elaborate a bit. There is an argument going around regarding DBD's balance which is often shifts into a "4v1" Argument. This "4v1" Argument suggests that the 1 by nature should have the strength of the 4 with absolute equality.

  • This "4v1" Argument I think is in really poor taste, since such normally divulges into "the 4 should only be strong when working together," which is true but does not consider the existence of SoloQ. Within a SWF, coordination is a huge strength, however not everyone has luxury of being able to play with friends, let alone with proper communication. Nor does it consider the various nuances within a matches as the implication of 1 single Survivor making a mistake would cause the House of Cards to metaphorically fall.
  • This "4v1" Argument also dives into the topic of "the fact a Survivor and Killer can 1v1 is not proper balance", implying that the Killer must be some uncounterable and unstoppable being, however this raises the question of "what would be the point in playing?" Realistically both sides need ways to approach situations but who would play Survivor if they were dead right where they stand? Not to mention the fact that DBD's core design is to allow room for both Killers and Survivors to make players and provide opposition to both sides progressing their objective, removing such would make the game boring as resistance to such opposition would be pointless.
  • The "4v1" Argument in regards the strength does not consider what would happen when a Survivor is pushed to their death, what will become of a 3v1 Situation? If the Killer were to hypothetically have the same strength as 4 Survivors, and a Survivor were dead or hooked, the Killer would be at an immediate advantage. This, in my opinion, would further fuel tunneling and camping as the immediate advantage becomes more desirable for those looking to win which has become more noticeable past the 6.1.0 Patch when changes to the power dynamic change.

So what is the solution then? DBD has a delicate power dynamic, and in truth, it is incredibly dynamic as well. Pushing too far in a single direction can heavily sway things, for better or worse, and it is in my opinion that if you push a little bit too much in the Killer's way (and even Survivor's way) it could have awful implications for DBD's future unless there are major overhauls to the core mechanics of DBD.