I think a Lights Out 2.0 could be made fun and fair for everyone. Here's How.

I will preface this by saying I play both sides. I really enjoyed Lights Out as a concept, and do want to see it return in some form. I loved the way it buffed some typically weaker Killers, I liked how it created tense jumpscare moments, and I enjoyed the hardcore Survivor experience it gave where it forced you to use every bit of your senses to succeed. However, I acknowledge it was deeply flawed and in its current iteration should not return.

Lights Out in the iteration it came in was a failure, because it was too hard for Survivors and too limiting for Killers who couldn't track. We saw the results only a week into it. The main problems seem to be:

1. Killers got a little too much info but the info was basekit only and very weak, reduced to just noise notifications and gen/hook auras. This resulted in more camping, tunnelling, and slugs as well as more accidental or purposeful bleedouts where Killers could not find Survivors they downed. The worst actors would slug on purpose to annoy Survivors even more or tunnel the first Survs they could find, creating toxicity. Killers with interactables could not see them and find them at all, Pinhead's Box was hard to pinpoint due to size and Xeno had trouble with turrets for example. If you couldn't track well basekit, you were in trouble, and if you DID have strong info you were overpowered in this mode for no real good reason. It unfairly neutered Killers like Wraith and Huntress, but overbuffed Killers like Legion, Trapper, and Ghostface who all can find Survivors easier in various ways or create scenarios that Survivors could not counterplay due to severe lack of visual and audio feedback. I know I often felt forced to tunnel back to a hook as Killers like Wraith, but as Ghostface I could easily track no problem.
2. Survivors didn't have enough info to do anything. They couldn't find safe spots to loop, they couldn't really find gens especially if kicked by the Killer, and they couldn't do much else but hide. There was little incentive to go for saves because there were no flashlights and the ones found were weak. Setting up for cool plays couldn't be done. There was no indication if camped to warn players if the Killer was too close to a hook, so no chance to save yourself in this scenario (even though it was active and working). It was easy to become lost if downed, so Killers would end up slugging even if they may not have intended it. In addition it was hard to find who just got hooked and help, creating situations where people would die on hook because Survivors got too lost in the dark without info. Finding Killer interactables, like Pinhead's box, was near impossible making for unfair situations and lack of counterplay against Killers like Wesker, Singularity, or Xeno. It was miserable to fight against Killers like Skull Merchant in this scenario.
3. Items and addons, as well as BP offerings, were disabled. You couldn't bring BP offerings to help Survivors get more BP as a Killer who got lots of power in this mode. You couldn't bring any items to help you as Survivor, which is fine because you find them in chests, and it meant you could not stack overly strong items while Killer could not bring any addons at all. However, it meant Survivors had functionally nothing and a lot of Survivors found that very frustrating. In addition some Killers just don't function properly without some addons, Pyramid Head for example needs his ranged addons to be decent. It just felt like some Killers were totally shafted and disregarded here from the get-go.
4. The map selection. Ormond and Yamaoka were much too big for this mode. Lery's and new Borgo were probably just about right, but Lery's became even worse since hiding there was only made easier in the darkness. It was really unfair to some Killers and much too strong for others; it also meant Survivors got way more lost than need be.
5. The Darkness was prohibitive to some gamers. There are already accessibility issues with Dredge's Nightfall mechanic, and the Darkness here didn't change that. The overall lack of info also made rounds drag as people became lost in the dark, both sides.

So how could we fix this to make it better? I have a few changes in mind…

😱 Lights Out 2.0, a 1v4 Jumpscare/Hardcore Modifier… for those who dare! 🕯️

This Modifier would last one month and rotate with other modifiers in a specific permanent Modifier/Event Queue, and in time might even become its own event if it works out! The queue will give a 150% BP incentive for both sides. It will have its own tome and collection of charms, badges, and banners to unlock, but participation in it isn't required to get any of its tome challenges done. Tome challenges completed will reward players with Iridescent Shards, Rift Fragments, and BP. XP gain in this modifier is also doubled. These provide incentive to play the modifier.

As before, Survivors do not have scratch marks, while Killers do not have a Terror Radius and also have a muted Red Stain. As before, the HUD is hidden, making gauging your progress more challenging and creating a tougher experience. As before, the Trials become darker and visibility is limited, and there are no perks allowed for either side. While Killers still have their basekit information, Survivors will now have more options to fight back against the encroaching dark, and some much needed basekit features as well. But watch out - Killers have a few new tricks up their sleeves of their own as they lurk in the shadows hunting their prey…

New QoL and Tweaks:

1. Give all Killers a basekit Stridor or Spies From the Shadows so as to help track and add a basekit Deerstalker to prevent losing Slugs. Killers that only function with some addons should have those addons basekitted in this modifier only, such as Pyramid Head and his ranged addons. This helps Killers that rely heavily on aura to do better, while also not affecting Killers with basekit info too much.
2. Give Survivors a one time use basekit Decisive Strike to help against tunnelling, and reveal downed Survivors to the team like a basekit Empathy to help prevent slugging so much. If it continues to be an issue in later iterations, Survivors may also be given a basekit Unbreakable that can be used once per round. Also highlight the aura of hooked Survivors like a basekit Kindred or Camaraderie. This helps Survivors become slightly less lost.
3. Highlight Killer interactables if they are not found within a reasonable time or highlight them when the Player is within 8 meters of the object to prevent blindly running around looking for them or getting caught entirely off guard. This allows Killers like Pinhead to use his box, but doesn't make it so Survivors struggle to find the box either.
4. Generators now do not start with 5% progress, but make a sound like a broken gear grinding or something to help pinpoint them. This prevents the Killer from hiding the generator sounds by regressing them fully, and also doesn't allow Survivors to begin with a partial leg up in terms of progression.
5. The AFC timer is now a rising audio cue that gives a sound indicator at the end to let you know you can escape the hook if camped. No reason not to have this.

New Addons, Items, and Interactions:

1. Survivors may bring up to a Brown, Yellow, or Green item only and cannot bring the typical addons into trials, with the exception of a new item outlined below. If they wish to have stronger items, they must find them in a chest. This would include keys and maps, as well as higher level toolboxes or medkits. This prevents stacking of strong addons with powerful toolboxes, styptics, etc. to keep the Survivors able to do something, but feeling more vulnerable.
2. Survivors have a new addon that can be found exclusively on all Flashlights available in the Trials, purchased in the bloodweb, or brought to Lights Out Trials, the UV Bulb. This Flashlight addon cannot be combined with any other addons on the same Flashlight. It sets the Flashlight to 20 charges and removes the ability to blind Killers, but if shone for at least 2 seconds on certain interactables, vaults, breakables, the Survivor, or the Killer, it will highlight that object to other Survivors for the next 5 seconds. It does not work on Killer-specific interactables or Generators, however. This tool will add a new tool to the Survivor playkit outside of Lights Out as well, giving more flexibility and another use for Flashlights.
3. Survivors and Killers may not bring addons except for UV Bulb to the trials, and Killer addons are replaced with two new addons: Echolocation Serum and Darksight Serum. Killers may bring only one to the Trials. Echolocation Serum enhances all sound events (running, breathing, etc.) for the Killer like Stridor does and turns some other actions into loud noise notifications, and Darksight Serum gives a subtle aura read on Survivors to Killers for 5 seconds every 60 seconds but makes blinds last 2 seconds longer. Killers can purchase these in the Bloodweb and bring them to trials outside of Lights Out, giving something extra for those who want to do something different similar to Blight Serums.
4. You may only bring BP offerings to the Trials. This allows for stacking of BP items for everyone. A new offering is available in the Bloodweb for everyone: The Inky Reagent. If offered in regular Trials, it gives everyone 400% more BP that round, and modifies it into a Lights Out trial with the same darkness and corresponding Undetectable benefits both sides get. It would be a bit like the old New Moon Bouquet offering, but slightly more fun and a change of pace that buffs stealthy playstyles.

New Maps and Accessibility:

1. Map selection is increased, and maps are restricted to one of each realm. No large maps should be selected, so Ormond or Nostromo Wreckage would be out, however it could be replaced with Campbell's Chapel or a map such as Toba Landing instead for a similar structural feel. Overly small maps like Haddonfield also should not be selected for this modifier. A mixture of indoor and outdoor maps balanced for both sides is ideal, so something like Greenview is good but not GoJ, and something like one wing of RPD is fine but not something like Midwich.
2. A filter option for Colorblind Players will simply turn the darkness into an extremely thick Fog that does as intended, but doesn't reduce highlighting blood trails or affect auras or the muted Red Stain. These would also change color based on the color blindness slider in the settings. An option to make sounds visual could help deaf or hard of hearing players enjoy this mode too, but the added aura reveals I have mentioned should also fix that.

What do you think? Would any of these changes make Lights Out a better experience for you? Would you play with any of these ideas in place?