Terrain Discussion: Flanks
Next up on the map/terrain discussion train; flanks. Most maps in multiplayer shooters have multiple pathways of engagement. This includes many things (teleporters, portals, wraparound maps (thing o...
Forum Discussion
@Iron_Guard8A flank ahould not simply exist for the sake of exisitng but also provide valuable reason to use it. Look at the bowling ball lane in zgypt which allows you to flank behind the enemy team while also keeping you relatively safe yet at the same moment a plant like peashooter can use it and ambush you at the start of the area.
Main street also uses this well with buildings and sewer systems as you are less likely to be picked off at range and can gain the vantage point of building windows but have less room to move around in a firefight.
Flanks should offer advantages and downsides to the scenario and not just be there to be there.
Zombopolis does have some good ones like the flanks to the disco diner that keep you off the street and avoid the disco balls but risk taking longer to get to the objective or being picked off by a straggler.
Bfn is horrid at this as why would you ever take a flank since it never provides any tactical advantage like the third point in peachy district or the 3rd point of loggy acres. They are also terrible to defend as pots die horribly and they can't get corner shots like bonk choys in gw1 who were a serious threat potentially looming around the corner and you couldn't just charge in braindead.
Another thing to address with this is the AI. In gw you could have some follow you or go their own way but in Bfn both classes and fodder AI alike run into the front door and never flank. In gw2 the AI classes would even have defenders flank the attackers occasionally.
@stukapooka A good point about the Zgypt point on Seeds of Time. The left flank for the zombies has the other secret lane where you have to stand on that one sarcophagus and the wall opens, leading to a path that not only flanks the point, but also gives some extra high ground and has a few traps. Not using these 2 extra routes enough is probably why a large percentage of games on Seeds of Time ends at that point.
I would add though, that flanks existing at all add a lot to a map's design. It's one piece of a tactical puzzle that may not be as appreciated in general as it should be. Designing maps that are fun, interesting, and memorable isn't all that easy, and the maps we love most are often exactly because the devs put a lot of effort into the work.
@Iron_Guard8I literally did not know about that sarcophagus for a year until I found it on youtube. Generally everyone by now knows of the bowling pit though. AI games almost always end on zgypt becaus of that.
I'm not disagreeing as good flanks make a good map memorable simply that im arguing that if it really doesn't add anything to the map than maybe the devs should reconsider its design and make sure it has a valid reason to be used.@stukapooka Yeah, I knew about the bowling alley first too. I think I found that camel switch when playing solo to hunt down gnomes back near launch. It wasn't until quite a bit later that I found out about that other flank. Even later than that, I found out about getting that moon worm to appear on Moon Base Z thanks to Zero.
- @Iron_Guard8 The flanks really help zgypt and they're pretty fair as defenders can see them activate with the walls raising and there is risk to using them that's inspired by Egyptian movie booby traps.
The worm is so difficult as it requires multiple players. They should've added a sign that at least said "taunt here". At least you can see the big guy in the mines.
