Map information item

[Platinumalias]

My suggestion is a tier 2 to tier 3 item upgrade path focused on map information.

The main idea I have is helping players understand when they are visible by making the tier 3 item notify them when they are on/off the enemy's map.

In theme with the game's art direction, I think a little eye next to the map that opens when you are visible and closes when you are not.

My current suggestion for the tier 2 is putting a small red ring around enemies on the map when they are below ground (i.e. tunnels or mid boss) and a blue/green ring if they are above the height of first floor buildings. But this is only a suggestion for an upgrade path as I am always a fan of those.

I could see it being a Spirit or Vitality item dependant on what other stats it buffs (health regen or slight movent speed buffs on Vitality or perhaps a small range increase on Spirit item)

I believe that this tool will help new players understand the minimap system and engage with it better, even if it is not bought in any lobby above Alchemist skill rank.

 

[iuyhcdfs]

I want a little more added things for the money spent: on top of the eye effect;

you could have an item that on equip, shows you an x-ray view of all the walkable locations (so you can see all the underground, behind the building stuff too)

and then if you shoot while equipped,, you launch a cylindrical scanning pulse that can reveal enemies for a while. range of half the map. you can tag fights in other lanes etc

how and when you want to tag players is up to you. if thats all it does, i'd price it at tier 2.

otherwise because of the radiation from an x-ray device maybe teammates get a little spirit amp vs tagged enemies

 

[Fred_]

Personally I don't see too much use in an item that notifies you if you're visible on the enemy map or not, as you play you tend to understand when you're visible or not.

I think instead it'd be cool to have an item which effect increases in potency the more enemies are looking at you (or are right next to you [~5m] to prevent jank close range fights) at the moment.

As [SIZE=4]iuyhcdfs[/SIZE] also suggested, a scanning beam would be cool and could be used very effectively to gather quick into if you need to know if there's enemies in a specific part of the map.

 

[wochie]

I don't know how necessary this is. I feel that the map design is meant to solve problems that, for example, were solved by wards in Dota, and the sightlines across the midline of the map are actually super far and checking those sightlines fulfills that warding role. The information metagame is very different in a shooter and I think the player is meant to use vantage points and also more accurately assume positions based on temporal info. More like Counter-Strike and less like Dota.

 

[adeptusforgeceo]

Frankly with how fast rotations are, how visible most spots on the map are, and how small the overall map is, I don't think the game needs vision items.

I used to think it did when I first started playing, but the more you play, the more of a sense of when/where people are going to be, especially with how fast waves respawn/travel.

 

[Fred_]

I don't know how necessary this is. I feel that the map design is meant to solve problems that, for example, were solved by wards in Dota, and the sightlines across the midline of the map are actually super far and checking those sightlines fulfills that warding role. The information metagame is very different in a shooter and I think the player is meant to use vantage points and also more accurately assume positions based on temporal info. More like Counter-Strike and less like Dota.

Heavily agree on this, Dota doesn't really allow for dynamic views other than the fog of war mechanic which is why stuff like Wards exist. With Deadlock being in a 3D space, it's a lot more a matter of good positioning and sightranges.