Possible Hot Take/Question - This game is not supposed to be "Balanced" ?
I'm very open to discussion and welcome disagreements, as I believe it's crucial to consider different perspectives. This isn't about creating an echo chamber. I'll share some thoughts, and hopefully you'll share some too! I'm all about respectful communication. I've been reflecting on this topic as I've grown throughout my experience with the game and wanted to know if others share my sentiments. Full transparency- I am a Solo Q survivor main.
I think the goal of the Devs is to create an immersive horror experience rather than achieving perfect balance in this game. In horror, the antagonist/killer/monster etc. is powerful, while survivors not only struggle to survive, but mostly don't. There's a reason being "The Final Girl" Is an iconic horror trope. In the past, when the game was more survivor-sided, it deviated from its horror roots and this survivor-centric gameplay led to criticism that the game lost its horror element. "Old DBD" in comparison to "New DBD" has made DBD not as "safe" for survivors anymore, making it have real risk and is scary again, which is more in line with the developers' intentions, despite what some may want.
I think embracing the game's horror roots means accepting that survivors are at an intended disadvantage, and understanding that achieving "perfect balance" would destroy the horror experience, as the game's thrill relies on the killer's dominance. I think acknowledging and accepting these design choices can lead to a deeper appreciation of the game's intended experience for both killers and survivors.
I've personally found greater enjoyment in the game since thinking about it this way. Survivors embracing their underdog role and killers recognizing their strength can lead to a more fulfilling and fun experience. Perfect balance wouldn't feel genuine in a horror game; the power dynamic adds to the tension and thrill. Both sides bring a different perspective. If you're more competitive, if you like having control, up for going against 4 other people then killer is the perfect role for you. If you enjoy a tough challenge, the element of surprise and teamwork that may just bite you in the butt, try out survivor. But both roles can be completely flipped where some games all 4 survivors make it without a single hook, and all survivors are dead at 4 gens. But this doesn't mean the game is "imbalanced" it means the outcome isn't always the same. The game isn't meant to be cut and dry, that's why there's so many variations to every trial, different killers, different perks, different maps, items, add-ons, challenges, all of it is chaotic random and not intended to be perfectly balanced. It's not a chess game.
That being said, there's always room for improvement for enjoyment for both sides. i think the Devs have always tried to prevent it from becoming repetitive. Continuous updates and adjustments reflect this. While there will always be things in need of adjustment or changes, it means the game is constantly changing and evolving, and I think that's a good thing.
In any case, I apologize for the lengthy discussion. I'm simply curious if others share my perspective, and I'm open to hearing opposing views. I believe both survivors and killers would benefit from acknowledging the game's inherent power imbalances. For instance, recognizing that killers are intended to have a higher success rate than survivors, as reflected in gameplay statistics and the inclusion of powerful killers like Nurse and Blight. While some may dispute these statistics, we may simply have differing opinions on the matter.
TL;DR If DBD were perfectly balanced it wouldn't be a horror game. The killer should be stronger, while surviving should be more difficult. Survivors and Killers should both acknowledge this disadvantage/advantage, and play the game according to what experience they prefer, while knowing that the game won't always go the way they expected. (that's where the horror part comes in)
Anyway this is not meant to be an Us vs. Them, so I'm sorry if it's coming across that way and I wish all of us good luck in the fog!
Comments
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DBD is not a horror game. The horror aspect doesn't survive the repeated playing and community aspects. And even if they did want to make it a horror game, it would be much better to have it revolve around stealth, as that is by far the most tense gameplay.
But that went out the window with a barrage of aura perks.
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The main reason that killers need to be stronger is that eventually for the gameplay loop to work the killer has to catch the survivor, whether that is through overpowering the resources they have with fast destructive powers like oni and singularity, playing around their resources like huntress, or just going over the top and hitting them before they can even reach the next thing like blight, or outright ignoring them trapper / hag / nurse.
Eventually for the gameplay loop to work killers have to catch survivors so if a survivor was equal to a killer each match would be 1 chase and over which can be seen against bad players where in 1-2 chases they lose all 5 gens while conversely really good killers and strong killers can end up with multiple hooks before too many gens get done. If survivors were to be equal the number of hooks stats would be reduced or the number of gens / gen time increased just for a power fantasy of 1-2 long chases a match which probably at that rate end up being 1 survivor plays the game while everyone else does gens.
Its just a worse gameplay loop without it
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It's not really a hot take, it's 1 player versus 4. The one player should be stronger than the 4. Otherwise, there would be no chance of the 1 winning and no point in them even playing.
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Sorry for the late reply it's been a hectic few days. I find this to be an interesting perspective. Though I don't think I agree, as I feel that Horror is DBD's entire identity. I believe that just because someone may not find something scary it doesn't mean that it's not intended/designed to be so. I know horror movies that some people find terrifying and others laugh at, but they're still horror movies. I feel similarly in DBD. I think the Devs intention is for this to be a "survival-horror game", as it is marketed and advertised, and i believe the presence of iconic horror characters and gory mori animations support this. So even though we disagree on that, it's still an interesting perspective and I appreciate your opinion.
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Yes, I absolutely agree with this. It's because of this that I don't agree with survivors who want things to be perfectly balanced (making survivors just as strong as killer) or when killers insist that killers are actually weaker than they are (that survivors are just as if not more powerful than killers). I believe that the killer should always be more powerful, which is why I don't think the game will ever be "balanced" and that people should realize why balance would essentially ruin it and acknowledge that there is a power imbalance at play because that's the only way this game could work. (especially when you factor in that there are 4 survs vs 1 killer) Thanks for your reply.
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I know when you break it down this simply it seems almost obvious why the 1 player should be stronger than the other 4. Unfortunately from many posts I see and experience in trials, many don't seem to share this opinion. Many times the 4 players believe they should be just as powerful as the 1. And the 1 insists that they are not powerful at all and that there isn't an imbalance. It can be tiresome lol. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
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