Re-Mapping the Realms: Coldwind

IareRubberDucky

Who would've guessed that I don't like Coldwind. To be honest, not a lot of people do. It might be because if you're a Killer who can quickly traverse the map, like Hillbilly, it's a non-issue, but if you're not, you have to deal with… the Corn. The concealment that the Corn provides is usually moot due to Aura reveals or just by looking real hard since no Killer can really blend in very well among the stalks. So, I'm going to do something rather controversial and make the Corn either better or worse depending on who you ask, but I will be shrinking the maps.

Overview of Coldwind Farms

Finally, daylight! Joke's aside, yeah, it's the corn. The loops present in Coldwind maps are few and far in between, and have the Corn make up for it, but it doesn't always work. Normally, I'd start with visuals, but I have to get this out of the way first since it will affect gameplay.

First off, and hear me out… or don't, the Corn is now going to be much, MUCH more dense. It'll slow anyone going through it slight (think like 1-2% perhaps) and make a lot of noise for anyone actively moving through it. In response, there's going to be, overall, less Corn in maps and have more loops and objects within the Corn. Now that it's actually dense, a Hex Totem may actually be able to spawn within it.

Now for overall visuals! Along with the dense corn, pathways leading in and out it will exist, providing a ease of movement for those who don't wish to brace the maze of… maize! To add to confusion, pigs and lamb and chickens corrupted by the Entity will roam around Coldwind maps, throwing players off or giving away their position. The edges of the map will be a simple, barbed wired fence, and beyond it is more densely-packed Corn, giving the illusion that it just keeps going forever.

Do note that Corn will now fully extend to the edge of the map, making those without landmarks lost, but don't worry, there are now going to be landmarks to help you not get as lost. Reaching high into the sky besides the Harvesters and the Cow Tree, there are Wind Turbines that spin with the wind and Water Towers that hold stagnant water. Using these, you can triangulate your position.

Fractured Cowshed

Also known as, BARN!, Fractured Cowshed isn't all that great. But now it's time to get some visuals in. The old barn, the very place Max Thompson and his wife Evelyn held their son, hoping the toxic mold would eventually kill him, still stands, and it is bigger than before. Weeds cover the exterior and rotten hay is haphazardly strewn about. With it's now elongated shape, it seemed like it was meant to hold cows, chickens, horses, and pigs all at the same time, including a second floor for storing hay. That second floor has been tainted with mold, breaking the floorboard in places, but allowing a rather fun jump into piles of soft yet sharp hay.

Gameplay change-wise, the map is being shrunk again, allowing Shack to be a little closer to the center, and the Barn is getting a full makeover from looks to layout. It's going to be much bigger than it is before, and feature a second floor. The Generator is also being moved to a dead end, that being the Hillbilly's "room." The Basement is being moved to a different part of the barn, in one of the pens. The second floor will house some loops, quite a few drop downs from basically every angle (go hole people), and a Hook, even if the Basement has spawned in the Barn. Oh, as well as a Chest. I know those Quentin players are gonna be thrilled about that!

Rancid Abattoir

The best change this map received was when main became consistent. I'll be continuing this a bit. Smack dab in the center of the map lies the Slaughterhouse. While one side is remaining untouched, yet filled with the blood of swine pouring down its drains, the other side, the one with the hanging pigs, will be much bigger, acting as a disorienting maze of pork. Some Pallets are strewn about the red floor as the carcasses rot in the Texas sun. The Generator now sits among the swine, letting the guiding hallways where the pigs were led to their demise have more room for loops.

Fattening the main structure, decreasing the overall size, and dense Corn are going to be themes with this Realm, it seems. Unless you're Torment Creek, most of the main structures on Coldwind maps are just "filler" of sorts. You're going in here to get somewhere better. The Slaughterhouse, for example, only has one window and one Pallet, the latter being a bit out of the way and honestly, I barely see it get used. Most opt for the window. With the enlarging of main, more loops could be placed within it, making it a little bit more safe since the map is smaller and the corn isn't fully trustworthy anymore.

Rotten Fields

A dense maze of Corn is what Rotten Fields has always been, now, even more so with my changes. The pathways in the Corn of the map are almost crop-circle like, unnatural, even. The Hillbilly had fun running around the open fields, something he wasn't accustomed to, and created his own paths as he ran, trampling dying crops. Towards the edge of the map, a bloody Harvester sits, evidence showing it blew blood and gore onto several trees. It might be best to not figure out what type of blood it is.

Big and empty, that's Rotten Fields. With the Corn stretching to the edges, it truly is what Dead By Daylight was originally meant to be: hide and seek. However, there are enough loops and Lockers and Windows and Pallets hidden within the Corn like diamonds should you need an escape. Once again, map is being shrunk.

The Thompson House

A great house on a great farm. The large hunk has seen better days. With Max Jr. unable to figure out how to fix it, the upper floor fell into great disrepair while makeshift fixes litter the lower floor. In the living room, you can even see that it's rather clean, evidence pointing to the Hillbilly crashing on the couch after a long day of running around, pretending he was a superhero. Behind the house are two mounds of dirt with bricks on top of them saying "Ma" and "Pa." A bit of remorse, perhaps? Or merely just showing respect, like what a good hero would do.

Hey look, I'm gonna shrink the map again! The weird corner where Shack hangs out is being removed and being placed directly across from the main House. The map is being made symmetrical a bit as well due to this change. The House itself is being lowered to the ground level, with only a small step up to get to the front deck that stretches around the side of the house, and the front door. The first floor now houses the Generator in the living room while the second floor is where the better loops hide. The first floor of Thompson House legit has genuinely nothing in it while the second floor is somewhat manageable. So I decided to move the Gen downstairs and make upstairs a bit stronger.

Torment Creek

Coldwind had grand Silos at one point, but when one fell, they all fell down. Across the center of the map, the place where there's no Corn and is mostly empty space, there's nothing but splintered wood and debris from the crashing of Silos. The main Silo is caked in congealed blood from the victims found after a storm brought everything down like dominos. When the floor is red, that's how you know you're in Main, and you better count yourself lucky that you weren't here when it went down.

Once again, shrunk in the wash, but I am going to be making some other changes. The center of the map is now full of debris, breaking up the line of sight a bit, as well as making Torment Creek have the least amount of Corn since most of it got crushed by falling Silos. Everything else is remaining roughly the same, but there is probably some layout changes to Main since the map just got a lot more things added to it.

End

Coldwind Farms are down now! I really don't like Coldwind that much and even with these changes, I probably still won't, but I did want to make Coldwind interesting. The Corn just feels like padding, and if it wasn't there, you'd get to see just how empty the maps in the Realm are. Seriously, it's MASSIVE deadzones. My version still has that, but the Corn is a double-edged sword if you wish to hide among it. You'll be slowed down a bit, but if you're not grunting in pain, have your Aura revealed, and are moving slow and steady or not at all, you'll be a ghost in it. Just do remember, The Generators will have open sections around them, free of Corn. You can't hide forever.