Board Thread:R2D - Suggestions/@comment-5651590-20150414223147

It seems somewhat disappointing that most of the maps are exlusively camping-based. Though this mode is not inherently bad, overuse of it results in very limited amounts of map tactic variation beyond the locations of camping areas. Here are some potential objective suggestions that will hopefully add some more diverse gameplay approaches. I will post any additional suggestions for objectives modifications (especially on the new maps which only have elimination mode) in follow-up threads.

1. For all new objectives, add player-focused progression (objective progression which is advanced by direct actions by players, instead of completely by a timer)

Let me make this clear right now. I am not suggesting that all "stay alive for a certain time duration" objectives should be removed. Instead, I am suggesting potential modifications to some (and not all) of these maps so that gameplay diversity is maintained.

A big issue that many of my fellow players have with many of the objective maps is that they encourage a camping mindset. While this approach is not necessarily bad, it gets somewhat annoying when every map utilizes this strategy. The beauty of maps such as cavedin and buried alive lies in their reward systems; while tedious, the objectives of these maps reward teamwork by reducing the amount of time the human players need to hold out against the zombies if objectives are finished quickly. In addition, these missions allow players to fully utilize the entire map, instead of just a favorable camping position. As a result, new map additions which involve variations in this theme would be greatly appreciated.

2. For some of the standard "stay alive for a certain time duration" objectives, add map restrictions which encourage player movement.

This seems somewhat self-explanatory. Potential suggestions include movement of ammo boxes to more exposed areas, as opposed to defendible areas, inclusion of exhaustable ammo refills, and the inclusion of semi-renewable resources which, unlike medical boxes don't spawn immediately at the beginning of the round. These solutions also factor into my third potential improvement:

3. Introduce map mechanics and enemy modifications which discourage human crowding.

While camping can be acceptable, the sheer number of players who can cluster in an area often makes the tactic overpowered. While some elements are already in effect (c4 crawlers are the main example), they don't spawn naturally, and as a result are not available to players with low incomes. Along with the suggestions I made in point 2 (which focus on adding incentives for humans to move around and avoid constant crowding), updates which buff zombie abilities will help to remove this problem. I will discuss these zombie updates in a future thread. However, I will leave with one potential modification: the boomer movement speed is increased to that of a zombie. With the introduction of running, boomers have become nearly useless, especially when compared to the c4 crawler. As a preliminary update, this modification will allow boomers to play a more effective role during matches while simultaneously not becoming too overpowered.

Feel free to state any suggestions and/or ideas that you have concerning this post. However, make sure to state any rationales that you happen to have so I can understand the context of your arguments. 