Especially compared to the original maps.
None of the design decisions on Dome make any sense.
Unlike all of the other maps, Dome has no natural flow from one point to another. On literally every other objective map, you can look at the objective marker on your screen, and you can, within reason, get there by just going in the general direction of the objective marker. If there is something in your way, it’s usually a side objective that has something that can be destroyed right near it.
This isn’t the case on Dome. Either on defenders, or attackers, on Dome, if you go in the general direction of the objective marker, you will either run into a completely dead end, or you will run into a path blocked by a side objective. But unlike other maps, the thing you need to destroy for the side objective is nowhere near the actual blockage.
Why?
Why make the path to objectives so indirect? Why block the direct path with side objectives? The side objectives were always for flanking routes on previous maps. Why put the actual thing needed to be destroyed so far from the actual side objective? They are always close to each other on other maps.
But the layout gets worse. The main route to every main objective is always down a long tunnel on Dome. If you are a short range character, or just don’t like playing at long ranges, you always have to go very, very far out of your way to find a flanking route that doesn’t have long tunnels involved. Again, this isn’t the case on any other map.
Again, why?
Why is this the case on Dome? On every other map there is an obvious and easy to notice flanking route for people who want to keep things in close quarters. Why are these routes either non-existent or non-obvious on Dome?
On every other map, the general rule is that the yellow shit leads you to objectives. But on Dome, the yellow shit usually leads to dead ends, or places not on the main path to the objective.
Why? Why?
Why would you change this very obvious design decision? It was a good decision. Having the most vibrant color on the map lead people to what they need to do is a very smart design choice. You need to make casual people feel welcome for your game to succeed. What reason is there to completely undo a smart design aesthetic that exists on every other map?
But, above everything else that I’ve listed, the main thing that makes Dome suck is a bit less concrete.
It’s boring. Really, really boring.
Dome is 100% comprised of long, straight tunnels, followed by 90 degree turns, followed by long, straight tunnels, followed by 90 degree turns, followed by more long, straight tunnels.
I mean, really. When I think about all of the aspects of dome, I can’t think of a single good thing about the map. Oh, it has a lot of alternate routes? Why the fuck does that matter if all of the alternate routes take sooo much longer to get to the objective? That’s useless in a game based around timed respawns. Time is king in a game like that. If your alternate routes take longer, they are bad routes.
Just, really? WTF happened on this map? How did it ever get approved? Who thought this was a good idea? How did it go through many development steps without you realizing it was inferior to every other map in every way?
Just… Fuck… Come on guys. WTF happened here?
