Of the three new modes introduced, Mortis Trials strikes me as the odd duck out because for the longest time I couldn’t figure out why I disliked it. The problems with Havoc, and the new Expeditions mode, are pretty apparent, but I find myself dreading playing more Mortis and not knowing why. For the longest time, I assumed it was because of the low map count, but I’ve actually realized a more fundamental problem (After all, we’ve been playing the same standard maps over and over and they’re not yet as stale as mortis feels).
Mortis Maps contain multiple sub-arenas, but most players stick in one spot for the majority of the match, that being by the Relic generator and medicaid. and only venture out when the objective demands it. I feel like if players were more dynamically encouraged to change spots every few waves, this could change. Here is a list of ideas that might help.
General Ideas:
1.) Instead of one medicaid machine with 4 pips, I think there should be multiple medicaid machines with one pip each, scattered in each of the 4 ‘arenas’ (Having health stimms instead could work as well, if it wasn’t for Hive Scum).
2.) Spawn more ammo/blitz drops, but fewer ammo crates, and scatter them. Having the supplies be limited to random boxes, like those found in normal levels, could encourage more exploration. I think each mortis map should only have one, if any, guaranteed ammo box you unlock mid-way from the supply cargo crates. The ‘resupply boxes’ could remain, but would probably need to have their loot pools changed to spawn more small ammo boxes, and maybe even a random stimm.
3.) Have 4 respawn points scattered about, and respawn players there randomly when killed, instead of one spot. I’ve unfortunately had games where teams camped out at the revive point, which on some maps are very, very boring locations.
4.) More dynamic objectives, fewer minigames. I think having to fight in a fairly-large radius around a Servitor skull that slowly floats to pre-determined locations would be a good addition (A take on the ‘push the cart’ objective I love so very, very much). There was one objective on the new map that required auspex-scanning along the edge, and I couldn’t help but think how much cooler it’d be if I could spend that time fighting and not searching for intel. I’d also like to float the idea of removing the auspex/interrogator minigame objectives as I think objectives that keep you fighting are largely better. Carrying capsules are in the middle-ground here, maybe if they used Expedition mechanics instead of Standard it’d be better, but ferrying batteries is not particularly fun.
5.) Pox Clouds. On higher difficulties, having clouds of gas (maybe blue instead of green) fill up certain areas of the map during non-objective waves to push players out of the commonly held spots could be a decent band-aid fix here.
Level Design moving forward.
I think the true improvement would be to focus on developing more dynamic maps, which seems to be where you’re headed since the last map to be added has an entire section only open up near the end. This is something that should be expanded upon.
Some examples.
1.) Have each objective wave unlock a section of map. For example, if you had a version of Aegis Station as the center of a 3 prong’d fork, and for every objective a valk blows open the path towards offshoot-arenas, which side gets blow up first could also be randomized.
2.) Have the 4 arenas be in a line leading to the Mortis Machine, with each objective wave opening up a door, and then closing once everyone’s in the new arena. This could work well with a hab-block or Train focused level. Wave 12 could even open all the airlocks and require escorting a servo-skull back to the beginning while fighting off an infinite wave of enemies)
→ → →
3.) Same idea as before, but the arenas are in a circle, looping back to the Mortis Machine. You could even get away with reusing the starting arena twice, especially if you change it on the return visit (Adding pitfalls or fire hazards, as an example, or just new decor).
(In these examples, the revival zone would move to the last unlocked arena, not randomly, to avoid backtracking)