I don’t think just simply making maps take less time really fixed the “meat grind” feel at all. It did when you removed a particularly bad objective (like the hack objective on waterloo). But it was like removing the symptom over fixing the issue which tends to be spacing between objectives, players, and other players. I am going to pick two map objectives and explain.
Lets take London Bridge’s first objective for example… this is perhaps the worst of it. And lets compare it to white chapel’s first objective, one that simply does it better. Both are a little bit similar since you’re repairing the EV. But the thing I want to focus on is positional on both sides that promotes players to split up and grab optimal shooting positions rather than clump up. Okay, white chapel is not perfect in this regard, but still much much much better than LB.
On WC you have several strong defensive positions all spread out for the defenders to take that they can almost always grab. You can grab the bridge, the alcove closest to the EV with the stairs leading down to it, and the street with some cover. Attackers have similar positions to grab that can cover an engineer who is repairing. Some of these positions conflict with each other, meaning a team is motivated to fight over positioning. Attackers for example have the far end of the spawn area, the platform leading to the bridge closest to their side, two spots coming from their spawn that can hit pretty much every defender position, and the street with adequate cover. These positions often help out your team by sometimes simply making a strong enemy position weaker or sometimes useless.
On LB it is much different. The map promotes defenders to all just cluster up around the EV. It is also an awkward place to fight because of clipping with the EV and very limited movement space. The 2 story building across the street can hardly help attackers defend the engineer because there are few spots where they can actually hit from. This means taking that building really only helps attackers by reducing the positions defenders have by 1, and it is one of the weaker defender positions since it only can shoot the sides of the EV.
The bridge can barely help attackers. It just happens to be another relatively weak defensive spot for defenders so they can harass attackers going to the building (the guys who aren’t doing much because taking the building is not necessary or that helpful) and guys running towards clusterf*** city (the area around the EV behind cover etc). Taking the bridge means attackers can harass or even stop defender reinforcements. This is its best function imo for the attackers. Still doesn’t help them in the grind over cluster****city.
This leaves really two routes that really help the attackers overcome defensive clumping around the EV. You have the left most route that leads straight into the heart of the fight, through a very narrow aortic-like doorway. And the street which can be accessed by a variety of paths, pretty much everything can lead to the middle street. The street is good for flank attacks, but also happens to get backraged by defender respawns.
Now I think no example of an issue is best left without a suggested solution. This is what I would do to change LB to fix what I see as a problem with some of the objectives on the maps in the game so far.
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remove some of the cover in cluster city. The 2 story building should be capable of much more than it currently does. This would make the 2 story building a higher value position for both teams to try and take and hold. Attackers will want it to help clear defensive clusters around the EV. And defenders will want to to help bum rushes from the aortic door And because the 2 story building will be a spot of contention, you should make it more enjoyable to fight in. More movement space is a big start. Get rid of the shelves and whatever that make it even smaller than it already is.
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This also relates to number 1, but make cluster city a more enjoyable spot to fight. It isn’t terrible by any means, but it also is quite tight in certain spots. Mainly around the attacker entrance. Perhaps there should be a whole other way to get into cluster city for attackers, like a second door. The main culprit is that wall of cover next to the EV, which is between the EV and the attacker’s door (aka aortic door). Move that wall of cover so it can still give attackers some cover from being hit from the street, but less infringing with the EV to make combat around the EV a pain in the…
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the above two changes in turn make the bridge a better spot as well. While the bridge already has its uses, it will also become more important towards the attackers to help take the 2 story and the defenders to help them counter the 2 story when they attackers have it since they can get onto the bridge easily from the EV area. This makes no position over powered while removing the OP position aka cluster**** city.
As a result there should be at least one more position to fight over. I’m not sure if my WC comparison is hitting the mark as desired. But WC has the bridge, the street, and that alcove to fight over. There is much more spacing between objectives and positions. This means there is more spacing between objectives, players, and other players. This makes it less of a meat grind!
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edit:
Yes this post is a bit of a meat grind. Added 3 section under suggested solution. Fixed some text.
(only wc is for me the definition of meatgrind :D)