Here’s a test for you: can you, without mentioning an interactive object (machine gun emplacement, objective, command post, etc.), describe a location on a map? How about 5 locations on any map?
On Container City, for example, let’s say you see enemies approaching. Without saying “they’re near the crane” or “they’re escorting the bot,” how would you describe to your teammates where the enemies are?
There are two reasons why this problem exists. The first is that many environments are similarly colored for both teams, so you can’t even tell what side you spawn on. In Terminal, when you first spawn, you can’t tell which side you’re on. On the second half of Resort, if you’re attacking, when you spawn you’re often facing the wrong direction and don’t intuitively know where to go.
The second reason is that many assets are reused. There will be a hallway that leads to an identical hallway, or two flights of stairs that look exactly the same, or similarly colored crates that can’t be differentiated.
Founders’ Tower is a perfect example of how these design fundamentals can (IMO) destroy a map. I played several games on it tonight, and I’m still learning the map, but there is no flow to the design, and the sections blend together, making play on the map confusing. Several times, my teammates tried to tell me where something was happening, but there was no way for them to explain to me where the were. The best they could do was, “On the orange ramps. Not the ones in the beginning of the map, but the ones in the middle, that lead to the entrance of the lobby in front of the door thay have to blow up.” As you can imagine, communicating that while under fire is stressful, and by the time I receive those directions and change course, it’s too late.
If this game had more unique objects and areas, it would give players an immediate sense of where they are in the game world. “By the stairs,” is a location. So is, “in the courtyard” or “Down the hallway.” But when you have several of these on each map, it hinders teamwork.
If I tell you there’s a group of enemies at the top of the ramp in Security Tower, you know exactly where I am describing. If I tell you someone’s camping in the hangar on Terminal, you know where they are. Even ,“In the bridge above the Resistance spawn’s left exit” works.
But for the most part, you can’t do this, because nothing stands out. The maps have no identity. You might be able to name one or two spots per map that match my intial question, but if you try to describe specific sections of a map, there’s no frame of reference.
