10 replies to this topic

[Jman5]

Here is the problem. Escort mode only works with certain maps. Alpine Peaks, Polar Highlands, Crimson Strait, Forest Colony, Frozen City, Grim Plexus, River City, and Tourmaline Desert.

It does not work for: Canyon Network, Caustic Valley, HPG Manifold, Mining Collective, and Viridian Bog. (Unsure about Terra therma)

Noticing a pattern here? The Escort maps are overwhelmingly large, and/or favor long range builds. Meanwhile the 3 more brawl friendly maps in the game (HPG, mining, and Bog), are rarely popping up for a vote (let alone winning).

Have you guys noticed how often you see Polar Highlands/Frozen City? Have you noticed how the infrequent the once super-popular maps HPG Manifold and Canyon Network have become since December? That's because every time Escort is up for for vote on the map/game mode screen, you only get map options that are possible for Escort Mode. Then you have to add on top of that the number of times it would naturally appear for a vote with the other game modes. So even if you never play Escort, those maps are still dominating the vote screen.

The solution is simple: Increase the chances of these non-escort maps appearing to counteract the fact they can't appear when Escort is up for vote.

Edited by Jman5, 13 January 2017 - 11:28 AM.

[Snowbluff]

Escort favors LRM ******
Polar favors LRM ******

eugh

[Dread Render]

they will likely add the other maps as well as time goes on.
there is no reason why the Primary cant just wonder around on HPG or any of the others not programmed yet.

[Tristan Winter]

While it may be true that the chance of dropping on certain maps has changed, I certainly do not agree that sniping is the norm on most of the Escort-compatible maps. At least not in the solo queue. In the early stages, there is a lot of long range poking, as you would expect. But the defenders typically either stay with the VIP until the VIP is about to emerge from cover and they are forced to attack or they go ahead and attack without the VIP. In both cases, brawling tends to happen.

With the exception of Polar Highlands and Alpine Peaks, I think it's fairly unusual for an Escort match to be resolved (i.e. a 3-0 or 4-0 lead which starts the snowballing) by sniping. In my experience, there's just as much brawling in Escort mode as other game modes.

And it still feels like 90% of my matches are HPG Manifold and Mining Collective, unfortunately.

[Y E O N N E]

Crimson, Forest, Grim, Tourmaline, and River City almost always turn into brawls, or at least mid-range, on Escort.

Even Frozen often ends up with a brawl.

[Dread Render]

actually it does not matter what map you are on in Escort mode... If you are a Brawler, just stay next to the Primary.
Its easy. the Primary has ECM and if the other team wants to win eventually they have to get someone in close enough.
... then you kill him ;-)

[Jman5]

Guys it's pretty simple. Maps should have an equal chance of being voted on. Since whenever Escort mode is an option, you can only vote for 8 maps it means the other 6 maps will have a drastically lower chance of not only being an option on the vote screen, but being selected. Therefore you need to increase their drop weight to counteract the fact that they cannot ever show up when Escort is an option to be voted on.

Edited by Jman5, 13 January 2017 - 01:40 PM.

[Kanil]

I've noticed HPG has basically disappeared.

Can't say I miss it that much.

Wish Polar would go too.

[Snazzy Dragon]

Brawl builds were already kind of screwed when the kodiwhack dropped and joined the fray on being the ultimate suppression fire mech. Gauss + PPC, UAC vomit.. then people figured out one of the best counters to the kodiak is a poptart, and that's risen up again (already existed because of stuff like the 5ac5 mauler and peeps/gauss timber wolf, but now it's something to watch for EVERY match again)-- and poptarts tend to shut down brawlers before they can close if they are paying attention to their position and what approaches there are to them.

Coupled with the escort game mode, the rise of the number of players hanging back out of fear of instantly losing torsos to gauss + PPC, and LRM buffs attracting even more LRM potatoes to sit back, pushes are far less common and harder than ever to pull off in puglandia and even in group queue-- none of this bodes well for brawlers in general.

Edited by Snazzy Dragon, 13 January 2017 - 01:35 PM.

[Ex Atlas Overlord]

Welcome to the general gameplay the L33t players wanted.

Enjoy.

Edited by Ex Atlas Overlord, 13 January 2017 - 06:11 PM.

[Aiden Skye]

I prefer to see it as encouraging balanced more diverse builds instead of boating.