Strategic/tactical environmental design

Ace1234

Map design is one of the most under-utilized tools for adding strategic depth. There are so many tactics that can be added through having combat focused areas designed for the terrain/environment to specifically to allow you to have cover, flank, defend choke points, having blindspots, covering lanes, having confrontations of varying distances, etc.

All of this can be used to allow you to get the jump on an enemy, deducing enemy positions, intercepting enemy routes, position yourself well, be at favorable ranges, conceal your postion, and overall just put yourself in advantageous situations while trying to exploit your enemy by puting them in disadvantageous situations.

If these elements are there, then that can add new options for enemy mechanics that can be used that you have to deal with- while also adding to the pvp setting if they apply these principles to the pvp focused areas, or through the environmental design in general, to add so many options for skill expression.

Taking inspiration from the elements of first person shooter map designs, such as call of duty or CSGO can be very beneficial for doing this, because a lot of these tactics are non-existent if its just big open areas with no cover or alternative routes to utilize.

Ludullu_(NiKr)

Yes

Ace1234

This would also depend on how the actions interact with various forms of cover and obstacles.

As mentioned in another thread, if abilities just phase through trees and terrain- then this would also make cover completely obsolete, which I think would be a missed opportunity of not having that extra factor of positioning

Caww

Line of Site issues, both advantages and abuse, are gonna need some serious consideration and balancing.

TheWolfofGar

agreed, this sort of interfaces with my discussion around brigand tools and being able to block roads which become small scale "Auto flag areas" so you can impede mobility on main roads, redirect traffic alternate routes or force them into the woods/off road where they may encounter hostile mobs. especially with respect to node sieges, it would be cool to be able to block roads during the siege to force hostile players down choke points and providing strategic elevation advantages to the defenders.

Ace1234

@Caww
Agreed- it would take some work, but in my opinion, having an impactful environment that affects the moment-to-moment gameplay even more, will add so much to the games quality and longevity if done right.

Luckily there are a lot of games that revolve around the effective use of cover that can be referenced for inpiration for design and balance purposes.

Ace1234

@TheWolfofGar
Yea definitely- I think if there was a heavy design focus on the effective use and manipulation of the enviornment and cover, then it would make for some really fun gameplay. Your brigand tools idea was very neat as well, and would tie in to this concept nicely.