Fixing Overwatch Maps (With Pictures) | Hanamura

General Discussion
1

For the sake of easy readability, I will be focusing on Attack Point A on several maps. The goal of this post is to demonstrate the lack of pathing options in this game from a tank’s perspective, and where specifically maps could be improved.

Color Guide
Red - Indicates possible paths that the entire team can follow (will not include mobility specific paths that split the team.

Green - Paths that I would like to be added to the game

Purple - Indicates a choke point

Hanamura
Let’s start with a particularly egregious example of a poorly map map. Numbered below are several pathing options labeled #1 - #4. Right off the bat we are presented with our first issue. #1 and #2 lead directly into the same choke point. There is no way to avoid it, and you must eat the damage, usually by just throwing yourself into their tanks that are awaiting at point blank range. This is slow and tedious, as it often just boils down to which team has the better spam damage and who loses their main tank first. Not much more to say about this section, just simple bad map design.

If you do manage to break choke, you are presented with three more options.

1.) Going mid, to an open field with no cover (not ideal for a tank unless there are some early picks).
2.) Going right flank, but ending up in another choke that happens to lead back to that same open danger zone (The only benefit this yields is temporary reprieve while resources recharge)
3.) Going left. Unfortunately you have to expend more resources to reach stairwell than the right path would require, as well as having to contend with high ground.

Most of the Problems with this map come from the initial hard choke with no pathing options, and long flanks that take too many resources post choke to reach or extend from.

Fix - By adding two paths on either flank, suddenly the entire left and right field of the map open up to the attacker. Fights can now operate in close range on those flanks allowing heroes like reaper and junkrat to shine. The left path may require an added highground option for defenders to make it fair.

Right path will basically cut out the middleman fight at choke, allowing for resources to be employed during the fight on right of point as opposed to be expended before even getting close.

https://imgur.com/UZS5Ng9

If anyone with a higher trust level wants to post, feel free.

8 Likes
2

Interesting suggestions, but I think Paris and HLC are in more need of help lol.

Still, good post :+1:

7 Likes
3

Don’t you worry, I plan on doing this as a series :nerd_face:

5 Likes
4

I think another problem is the game mode itself: it’s just too… repetitive.

Imagine Capture maps being where both teams race to defend and capture the objective: the current Attacker spawn must capture point B, current Defender spawn must capture objective A. Of course, a slight edit to the maps would be needed.

5 Likes
5

I like this in general. You mention the new left path (on the map graphic, right from the defender’s POV) might need some help for defense. But it’s also a sitting duck waiting for a Hog or Dva ult. Blow people right off that ledge as they come around. Might make up for it?

1 Like
6

They could do COD headquarters or domination.

Maybe even search and destroy lol. OW2 goes csgo/valorant.

1 Like
7

this is why 2CP is getting deleted. i think hard choke points are a thing of the past in OW2.

1 Like
8

You are right. I also neglected to mention how much of a tight brawl that little boxed in area directly left to point might get. It could be slaughter for attack there too.

It’s a real shame too. I think with just a little more care the mode would be very fun an strategic, but Blizz isn’t very good at giving care.

2 Likes
9

That choke has a massive attacker advantage because of the close proximity of spawn, allowing you to be very aggressive; the same as Paris and HLC. You aren’t expected to hold the choke, you need to get past it. To do this you could use a mobile hero like Winston, Ball, or D.va to get around their defense and contest point so that the enemy turns around, exposing themselves to your team. Thats just one strategy and it doesn’t always work. Sometimes you just lose.

10

Call me crazy, but a strategy that requires a tank to play in thebackline is probably a terrible strategy. You convieniently ignore that Ball is great at making space by swinging through that choke. Why play ball like fat tracer?

11

Great point. Mobile DPS are great for disrupting that choke, giving the tanks an opportunity to push through. Good thinking!

It’s only temporary, you don’t have to stay back there and die, just get them to turn around; pull their focus away from the choke (momentarily) so the group can push through. Guerrilla tactics.

12

You are fuctioning in a mindset as if tanks and mobility wont get CC’d in the backline.

1 Like
13

No plan is fool-proof. I help get point A using that tactic enough times to mention it. I’ll usually try it on my very fist push and then again after a few minutes once they let their guard down a bit. When it doesn’t work, I’ll just stick with my team, no harm in trying.

14

except this game uses an ult economy, and hard failing a first push is pretty detrimental. I don;t disagree with you, but that is the sad reality of it.

15

Or just go Sym. She’s the best hero in ladder for carrying 2CP. Her entire kit counters the nasty aspects on 2CP.

Rotations through choke that 99.9% of players can’t coordinate together? Just TP on point or near point. Free fights to point everytime.

Having trouble getting to the second point? Just farm wall, and again, it’s a free team fight on point.

Having trouble with 2cp stalls? Turrets on point solves stalling issues immediately.

She’s amazing on 2CP. Garbo on Escort.

1 Like
16

Well if you are going to die anyway, might as well try and make space or get some value out of it. There are options. Sometimes the other team is just better. If a team full holds you on point A defense, the likelihood of them rolling your team on point A attack in under three minutes is really high.

17

I love sym on 2CP….such a ridiculously underrated hero

2 Likes
18

Lmao, why not battle royale?

19

tbh all it needed was a UI element to SHOW when you are delaying defender respawn timers by outnumbering them on point (up to 3 more than them for max respawn time), the way the 3 little arrows show that you are speeding up the payload by all getting on it (or at least 3 of you). without that UI element, that nerf to 2CP defenders usually is only accidentally taken advantage of, and if you mention it to people in game they tilt at you because they think you’re stupid and no such thing exists.

like, it’s impossible to win hanamura point B attack without delaying respawn timers after a kill, literally impossible. but no one gets that you have to touch point after your first kill, so the defenders instead get the equivalent of a free rez because your team goes super slow especially on Hanamura.

but as you said, they were too busy playtesting solo tank composition and working on OW2 to actually give it the changes needed to feel more playable

20

yep defenders have 3 entry points… going against the whole nature of OW and chokepoints and defender’s advantage…

Might as well play KOTH at that point…