My Item Revisions, Vol. 1: Maps
Hello, devs and forum users!
With one of the QOL updates, Maps have been updated.
My opinion is that their basekit is mostly fine, but some of the uniqueness was lost in the changes.
About what is wrong with them, I agree with @jesterkind entirely .
Currently, generators are only revealed when you activate the Beam of Light. This is kind of clunky and limiting, as it only tracks gens in a 32 meter range, not the full range of the Map. So, why not change it? I would make it so Generators (and other things) are revealed to players using Maps every time they use it, and the Light Beam only reveals everything the Maps track (except pallets and windows) to everyone else, as well as marking the spot where it was activated, as it does now.
Secondly, all Maps blend together, with no real reason to use anything but the best. My solution is this:
Bloodsense Map:
• Reveals auras of generators, windows and pallets in a 32 meter radius for 12 seconds.
• Reveals auras of all injured survivors in a 96 meter range.
• Causes pools of blood to spawn beneath you while revealing auras.
• 8 charges.
Cryptic Map:
• Now has 6 charges.
• Now also tracks Exit Gates basekit. (Showed by the Beam of Light)
Scribbled Map:
• Now has 7 charges.
• Now tracks Chests basekit.
(Showed by the Beam of Light)
Annotated Map:
• Now has 8 charges.
• Now tracks Totems basekit.
(Showed by the Beam of Light)
Note: Please, put the quote from the original Rainbow Map to the new Annotated Map.
And third thing, the add-ons. I understand and support the decision to reduce bloodweb clutter by reducing the amount of add-ons, but 5 is too little. Imo, the sweet spot is about 7-10 add-ons per item type.
Here is my ideal set of Map add-ons, made from a mix of the old, PTB and some new ideas. My intention was to also make it so players who have more than 1000 hours in the game would have a reason to pick Maps. New add-ons are marked with a *.
Glowing Ink (Common):
• Increases the duration of auras revealed by Maps by 2 seconds.
Yellow Wire (Common):
• When using the Map, all Exit Gates within range are revealed.
Black Silk Cord (Uncommon):
• When using the Map, all Chests within range are revealed.
Sharpened Flint (Uncommon):
• When using the Map, all Totems within range are revealed.
• Now no longer disables the Generator tracking ability.
Gnarled Compass (Rare):
• Increases the Map's charges by 2.
Battered Tape (Rare):
• Increases the maximum range of a Map by 12 meters.
*Shard Pendant (Very Rare):
• Spawns a Iridescent Glyph into the Trial, once the Endgame Collapse starts. Interacting with it grants a reward of 40 Iridescent Shards to the player.
• When using the Map, the Iridescent Glyph is revealed. It cannot be revealed to other players by the Beam of Light.
*Safe Combination (Very Rare):
• Changes one of the Basement Lockers into a Safe.
• While holding the Map, you can unlock the Safe, which will grant you 4000 extra Bloodpoints and contains a Herb.
• When using the Map, the Safe is revealed.
Crimson Stamp (Iridescent):
• The auras of all generators are revealed when using the Map.
• The intensity of the Generators auras reveal their current progress.
And, that's all. Thoughts?
Related discussions:
Comments
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Edit:
I changed the title of this discussion, as I decided to make a full series of posts (I have multiple other item related post in the works), and added a pitch to rework the new Crimson Stamp, which was not in the inintial post.
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Edit 2:
Added some suggestions to make the maps of different rarities stand out more.
Swapped around some rarities of add-ons.
Reworded some parts.
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I still wouldn't use them. I can't just spend a charge, see a cross-map gen, and immediately know where it is. I'm going to have to spend ANOTHER charge when I get close enough to reorient myself. It can take 1/3 of a map to find a SINGLE one.
If you're looking for Hex totems, then I can see limiting the auras that maps can reveal, but it's not OP to just tell survivors basic info like where their objective is.
I have literally thousands of medkits. If an item is less useful than a heal, it will never be used.
Also, the "Beam of light" thing should be basekit for survivors, no map needed.
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The maps have a range limit. Plus, are 12 seconds not enough to run through at least 3rd of the map?
Unfortunately, aura reading is most of the time not as valuable as a selfheal above a 500 hour mark. That's why I added some add-ons to offer an alternative, like having a self heal reserved in the basement.
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Maps being permanently active would bloat the screen so much. It would get annoying quick.
The new charge system is imo, better for sharing the auras, as it works passively and without an addon slot. In terms of conserving charges, idk which is better.
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That is unfortunately, a design issue more than anything. Gen auras are not that useful for most of people (and also Deja Vu exists), pallet and window auras are not needed once you learn maps (also Windows exists), so you are left with Totems, chests (Plunderer's is kind of better) and Exit Gates (only newbies would use that).
So yes, beyond a certain level, maps suck. But, for newbies they are good, and could be better with some of my suggestions.
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