Hey Ghosts and Hunters,
Today we have a neat behind-the-scenes for you!
Let’s deep dive the history and process behind the creation of our newest map released in Update 1, the Doll Factory.
As some early alpha testers may remember, the map started out a very long time ago as “Warehouse”. It did not yet have any factory attached to it, and literally was just a bunch of boxes and palettes stored inside a warehouse.
Despite the fact that the original iteration of this level worked well enough for prop hunt gameplay, it didn't have much of a theme or as much of the charm and character you all have come to expect from an MGH map. It was a bit sterile, and we felt that Warehouse needed a bit more life to it. A strong theme and vibe!
That's how the first iteration of Factory was born. Alpha and beta testers may remember this version a bit better - its rough layout was similar to what we have now but a lot more overgrown and with mannequins everywhere.
We introduced an early version of the conveyor belt and map hazards/traps like the big hammer/smashers at this stage.
This was a clear improvement from the original Warehouse concept, but still seemed like the weakest map in our rotation. It had too many dead ends and not enough cover for escaping Ghosts. This led to a very high Hunter win rate in comparison to other maps, and a lower overall rating and map selection rates.
It also had perhaps too much grunge/overgrowth that made traversable areas harder to read, and areas that were out of bounds were not very clearly defined.
We decided to pull the Factory from rotation and consider our options. We knew the map needed some changes to its base layout to help the balance issues, as well as an even more creepy theme that can give the map a stronger identity.
In terms of layout, we added a few new loops and connections between areas so that no specific section is a complete dead end - there’s always a second way out. Specifically, we added some connections to the back of the factory floor, as well as a way to come in through the side of the warehouse. We also added more line-of-sight breaks so it would be easier to get away as a Ghost than before.
As for the theme… creepy dolls. Yep, that certainly seems to have done the trick! We reworked massive sections of the map, added some fun yet eerie set dressing, and placed a whole slew of intriguing props - and thus was born the newest iteration of the Doll Factory!
One notable difference is that this map has the largest amount of unique hero props of any map. Considering most maps have one or two hero props, the concentration on The Doll Factory is quite high—it has FIVE. We discussed these props in our previous blog post, but the short version is that The Doll Factory features:
Murder Doll — a creepy little bugger that can scuttle around and pull a knife from its mouth
Warehouse Gate — a guillotine-style door that can be used to lock Hunters in a room, or deal damage with a well-timed smackeroo
Forklift — heavy machinery that allows you to juggle hunters with ease (much to the chagrin of occupational health and safety organizations worldwide)
Soda Machine — which obviously shoots cans at your face at wicked high speeds (technically we have this on School too, though)
Speaker — a prop that allows you to push around Hunters and damage them using sweet, sweet sonic waves (this one is on School as well)
If you’ve tried these awesome hero props and have a favorite, there’s still a few days to vote in our Twitter poll, and let us know what kind of hero props you’d like to see more of!
Early indicators are we hit the nail on the head considering our goal of making this feel much more “MGH”! The map is fun, visually quirky, and mechanically satisfying. At least that’s how we feel about it — and it seems to be picking up steam with all of you playing. But we want to hear your thoughts on our latest addition, as well! If you have feedback on the Doll Factory map, we’d love to hear it! If you have ideas about how to make it even cooler, you should most definitely share them with us on Discord or Twitter!
Until next time, stay spooky ghosts and hunters!
Tinny