eduardomikola
New member
Hi Deadlock Devs,
I love what you’ve done with Deadlock — the jungle, the wave mechanics, soul-generation, etc. I do want to bring up an issue that me and many others have repeatedly observed: some players prioritize farming jungle minions (or camps) to such an extent that team fights, coordination, objectives, and overall map pressure suffer. While farming isn’t a bad thing (and is essential for power spikes), the current incentive structure seems to allow farming to eclipse more strategic / social / team-based contributions. I believe this is having negative effects on both match quality and player satisfaction. Below are more details on why this is an issue, and some suggestions.
I used an AI to assist me in this but it still stands.
I love what you’ve done with Deadlock — the jungle, the wave mechanics, soul-generation, etc. I do want to bring up an issue that me and many others have repeatedly observed: some players prioritize farming jungle minions (or camps) to such an extent that team fights, coordination, objectives, and overall map pressure suffer. While farming isn’t a bad thing (and is essential for power spikes), the current incentive structure seems to allow farming to eclipse more strategic / social / team-based contributions. I believe this is having negative effects on both match quality and player satisfaction. Below are more details on why this is an issue, and some suggestions.
Why this is a problem
- Team Coordination Breaks Down
- When one or more teammates stay in the jungle or chase creeps instead of joining fights, grouping, or helping take objectives, the team lacks presence. The opponent can exploit this by forcing 2v1s, securing neutral objectives uncontested, or just pushing lanes.
- It undermines synergy: even a well-farmed player often needs help in fights, or support on lanes; without teammates, their ability to use their gold or souls effectively is limited.
- Objectives / Map Pressure Get Ignored
- Deadlock has multiple neutral / global objectives (guardians, walkers, midboss, etc.). If too many players farm in the jungle rather than contesting these, the opponent gets uncontested objective control, which in turn gives them advantages (map control, vision, buffs, etc.).
- Push pressure suffers. If players aren’t in lanes or rotating to respond to enemy pushes, towers fall or lanes get shoved. This places farm-oriented players in uncomfortable defensive positions even if they have high resources.
- Match Momentum & Engagement Suffer
- Matches become less dynamic: instead of back-and-forth, contested skirmishes or comebacks, it becomes a “farm until late game” slog. If everyone is just farming, moments that should be high stakes feel delayed or irrelevant.
- For many players, this reduces fun. One of the draws of games like Deadlock is the tension of fights, objectives, rotations, etc. When those are sidelined in favor of passive farming, games often feel stale.
- Reward Imbalance / Opportunity Cost
- The time spent farming jungle has an opportunity cost. If you farm instead of contesting a fight and lose, then your farming gains may be wiped out. Meanwhile, players who do participate in fights often get multiple benefits (kills, assists, objective control, zoning, etc.).
- If farming is too “safe” or too rewarding compared to participating, then the optimal strategy for many players shifts toward maximizing personal farm rather than contributing to the team. This can lead to sub-optimal outcomes overall.
- Discourages Risk / Decision Making
- Good play often means making tough decisions: should you rotate, should you abandon a farm path to respond to enemy pressure, etc. If farm is too “gold efficient” relative to risk, there's less push or reason for players to make those calls. This flattens the strategic depth.
- Also harms individual skill expression: map awareness, teamwork, positioning, coordination, etc. get less reward if players are rewarded more for staying in safe farm zones.
I used an AI to assist me in this but it still stands.
