More emphasis on using the terrain?

[ToucanSam]

Hi everyone,

I'm not sure why, but especially with the new version there seems to be less emphasis on using the terrain. I think it might be the weapon tweaks, but the game seems to play more like a traditional shooter now, with a focus on getting headshots/better reflexes. Maybe others have had a different experience, but cover and terrain don't seem to matter nearly as much as they did before.

This really worries me because that terrain-focused "realistic" kind of gameplay is what I used to love about AoS and really what set it apart from other games. I'm sure modifying the terrain to my advantage helps, but it doesnt seem to help enough to bother with anymore. I think this game should reward players more for thinking about their environment and changing it to their advantage.

I don't have any clear cut suggestions for what should be done to improve this, I don't have any experience designing games. But I'd like to know what people here think, and see if anyone has any ideas.

[Aqwertybqwerty]

I feel like the rewarding part of using the terrain isn't the problem; digging a camouflaged bunker complex into a hillside and picking off a dozen enemies in a row is still just as satisfying and effective as it was. I think the root of the issue is Kaut a shift in the mentality of the community, so that people now feel like gunplay is more important than building; the ease of taking out blocks nowadays doesn't help either. Basically the awareness of building and instead of going Rambo needs to be emphasized, or Ben could make building more interesting with "special" blocks like barbed wire.

On a side note, if you want a fun time, create a server running gen, join blue, make a spider tower for the intel, and ask green to only attack by tunneling. In an hour the area under the intel should resemble a labyrinth :p

[Frostified]

Dude, I completely agree with you. People seem to care less that they a huge terrain and that they can use it to their advantage. I have to admit, I have been doing this aswell.
I would say that this problem is caused by:
Sprint
Since you can quickly dart around the map now, there's not much point in setting up cover and moving slowly by slowly when you can just dash into the enemy.
'Crappy' Shotgun
Since the shotgun isn't very powerful and it is extremely underrated, people just use the long range weapons instead of using a shotgun. With the shotgun, you'd need to make cover so that you could approach the enemy slowly.
'Useless' Intel
Aside from granting 10 points to you and 1 point to your team the intel is pretty much useless, and then the demand for it decreases. Some people don't even know that there is an intel to capture! Instead, they go to the enemy base just to camp and gain as many kills as they can. They don't sneak into the enemy HQ (unless it's for kills) since they could just quickly run straight in.

Pretty much, as hard as we try to stop it; it almost seems like ben is turning this game into a generic shooter: With the addition of things like sprinting, showing enemys on map if they shoot, removing sneaking and team rewards.
To fix our 'Terrain use' problem, ben needs to:
Remove sprinting (what's the point in it anyway?)
Give the intel a purpose (http://www.ace-spades.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=65&t=7650)
Change shotgun and smg stats (SMG is OP, Shotty is UP. I suggest lowering SMG's damage to 25-30 and bumping the shotguns to 100 and reducing it's spread. Rifle is perfect, it needn't be changed (People who disagree are those who suck at this game tbh))

If we follow the stuff above, we may just have our lovely old aos again (For it to be perfect, we'd need to revert to 0.51)

P.S Do note: it DOES depend what game mode you play. If you play infiltration, the terrain will be used ALOT. If you play TDM, the ground may stay the same most of the time.

[Articsledder]

Another issue is that when people do build, they don't dig in. Instead they build easily grief able buildings and walls when they may aswell dig a trench.

[Tigershield]

I totally agree whit the OP,and frostified.

This game was about setting up FOB (Forward operating bases) on strategic places,and moving forward to capture enemy FOB's In the old days it was important to defend such places, Cause when the enemy takes a FOB you where in deep problems. Re-taking FOB's was the Joy of the game. using the terrain to make new frontlines.

Right now it's turning into a more generic shooter.
..............................................................

Do we have solutions, Offcourse.
do we want change, Offcourse.
Do we get a change. I dont know.

There needs to be more focus on building. Maby add primary new gamemode.(Resources)

Something whit resources. To slow the gameplay down. Shooting needs to be a secondary thing. Building needs to be the primary focus. maby make it even more Minecraftisher,But that's just my opinion.

Building = Primary
shooting = secondary.

[Articsledder]

I would actually agree with some that Custom map's are the downfall of this. Even good ones. Deuce's back then could know what to expect, and then plan. When a different map is hosted, no one bothers to learn the new strategy and just goes for it.

I really loved the concept of Forward bases. I really wish we could get a 24/7 Gen server with a full out emphasis on teamwork, or at least some different plugin or game mode that emphasizes central command.