Let’s talk about… end events.
This is prompted by a recent RNG spate of getting Bogenhafen - The Pit and Blightreaper - much more often in QP.
usually I would’ve groaned at The B’Hafen but I have enjoyed the runs a bit more than usual and I have decided it’s because of the end events. They’re not so punishing as to demolish the run right at the end.
So let’s think about the different types of end events we have;
Hold Out and Do Something - Athel Lenui, Righteous Stand, Horn of Magnus, Blight Reaper,Convocation of Decay, Garden of Morr, Dark Omens, Fort B, Engines of War, Old Haunts
Lord Fight - Skittergate, Bodvar, Skarrik, BubbleSnot and Nurgloth (Lair and Blood In the Darkness), honorary mentions for Into the Dark, Screaming Bell and Dark Omens but it’s boss instead of a Lord.
Escape - Empire in Flames, Against the Grain, The Pit.
Move and Break Stuff Empire in Flames, Festering Ground, Screaming Bell, Fort.
So I think we’ve really got 4 different ending types at the moment, with some having more than one element to them, which suggest there’s quite a lot of variety.
Problem is, as a community there’s been complaints about every type - which suggest the community can’t actually be happy with anything.
I happen to think the Escape! type maps are the best. Empire in Flames is (IMO) the best designed of all the maps as it has challenge without being a complete AI Director stomping, build excitement even after the Mansion gets demolished and you make a break for it.
Now - each map either compounds or relaxes the challenge of course, purely based upon the layout.
I usually bail out on Old Haunts, Enchanters Lair, Convocation, Dark Omens and Fort within the first five minutes once I figure out if the QP team mates are going to even get there or not. I absolutely love the Drakenfels maps, but can’t stand the very often, very fast wipes. We don’t get ground down slowly, we just get hammered into a wipe within a minute of the first player downing getting the Heads. To be fair, Nurgloth is only the last phase, but still. The last five minutes of the map are enough to bail me out. Of course I could get better - everyone can - but my free time is precious and I’ll be spending it on maps I’m more likely to complete.
what’s your favourite map ending and why? And what stops you playing other maps? IS there any other map ending type we’re missing?