hi there! i’ve been playing virus for a bit and i have some thoughts about how the game could be further balanced to be still exciting for survivors AND the infected.
as it stands, the overall map design and the general attributes of the infected allow survivors to remain very safe with a very sedentary style of play. routing survivors as the infected requires some degree of luck, or relying on the survivors to make a mistake until there are more infected to be able to either serve as meat shields or run pinch plays. encouraging survivors to risk moving through the map for the reward of greater offensive or defensive capability allows both sides of the game to have a “turn”.
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The initial number of players infected should be scaled to number of players in the lobby, with a minimum of 1 and a maximum of 3.
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Survivor backpedal speed should be slower than the infected’s base movement
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Far less power weapons per random loadout; make certain power weapons pickups in the map
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Reduce reserve ammo, but ammo pickups placed around the map. Place much higher limits on the reserved ammunition of power weapons, such as the double barrel.
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Survivors do not need a radar if the geiger counter already alerts players of an infected presence
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Infected don’t need a radar if they have player outlines. Add player outlines to friendlies to assist in positioning and pinching survivors.
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Make certain chokepoints and flank routes of the map irradiated. Survivors cannot pass through these areas safely but allow for quick egress. Infected can navigate these areas safely, but serve as chokepoints to be funneled into.
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Make the enraged status for infected something that is triggerable by the player, rather than something automatically granted to the first and lone infected. This will also help small lobbies not get blown out by an enraged zombie with the other changes I’ve proposed. It also has an interesting potential parity with the survivor adrenaline item.