You come to all the right conclusions and show self-reflection, which is nice, but all of this should have been clear more than a year ago. Then you go along and showcase proposed changes and use as an example the map that has the least amount of problems with all of these action points, since you acknowledge yourself, it is the smallest map.
Kaleidoscope has pathing, because there are lanes that have limited cover. It's size means it has the least amount of traversal time, plus it has high vantage points that allows for fast traversal. Because of this it also has bearable intensity, since fights will break out at several flags silmutaneously.
You then go one step further, apply those "action points", which I would call "glaring issues" and you actually make the map worse.Let me elaborate:
So you correctly figured out that maps C and G is underplayed, because there is no cover. Additionally A is underplayed, because it is part of the A-C-E axis that is not traversed. So what you do is the following:
- You divide C into two and move it to an area that is even more devoid of cover since it is just a mostly plain area and lacks the skatepark, which at least had some walls, it also takes more time to conquer
- You merge A1, which was totally enclosed and A2, which was defendable and put it in the open and coverless area in front of the building.
- You merge E1 and E2, one very enclosed and the other with some cover and put it into the area between the two which lacks cover.
- Hence you make it all about traversing from A over B to C to F, which is an axis that does not have any more cover then the old A and surely has much less than the old B-D-E axis.
- Further you make the northern half of the map basically unplayed apart from backcapping vehicles
- Additionally you devalue the one intense infantry-fighting area, by making the northern, western and eastern flank rather useless, that have quite a bit of cover.
- Everything on the axis from B to C, which is now your main battle area is absolutely accessible and within sightline of the roofs of F and D.
So you basically take all steps to ensure the maps playes even worse than before and Kaleidoscope, while being just as devoid of cover, is the most bearable map. Kaleidoscope is a crap map, but it is one of the more bearable ones and at least the axis E-D-B is somewhat working and capture points are reachable, while also being attack- and defendable.
Lastly, you absolutely underestimate the impact of vehicles, it is of vital importance to add cover that is resistant to vehicles, which means actual structures and most importantly, cover from above. So asking the question: Does Kaleidoscope even need jets is stupid, because more jets mean less ground vehicles since they can counter them and it also means less helicopters on the field that are harassing and frustrating ground infantry, which already have a hard time from being farmed from everything else.So, yeah remove the jet options if you want to make time even more miserable for the infantry-vehicle balance.
You want to apply your glaring issues to a map, start with Discarded, as everything not C-D is absolutely through no cover and, more importantly sheer size, or Hourglass, because half the map is basically useless wasteland. Or Breakaway that could have decent infantry action, if you did not have to walk between A-B which is a distance of 400m. You could also include C and D with it, if it wasn't for the huge gravel uncovered wasteland or the ice sheet of Bolte Doom.
While you are at it, besides travel time and the other glaring issues of map design, the reason why objective fighting does not happen is because there is nothing to gain from it. Capturing points will net you death by vehicle, nothing more. There is no fun involved, so we just stay in the designated infantry area. Also you whole conquest system is convoluted and needlessly complex to understand so the average gamer can not make educated judgements whether a flag capture is worthwhile, or even if he knows the mechanics will not bother to, becuase risk/reward. Further spawning on teammates and flags is often impossible through being in fight endlessly, spawning in the open and/or ways away from any objective.
Rework your conquest, scoring and spawn systems to engage the player with flags more.
All in all, this is just a prime example, how you come to correct, yet obvious findings, way too late and then come to the absolutely wrong conclusions, and apply them in a worse way and without adjusting other game parts. Which is precisely what led to this product in the first place.
