INTRODUCTION

​

The purpose of this article is to analyse a map a little sulked by the players, Volskaya Industries, and to try to bring solutions to it. I would like to apologize in advance for the length of this document, I have tried to do the most precise and conciseway possible.

​

We will try to find out why players don't like playing on this map by analysing it as a level designer. To do this, I analysed the gameplay of casual and competitive players.

​

It is true that today, e-sport Overwatch is growing and that the game’s balance has mostly adjusted made for pro players. However, we will try to provide solutions for both types of players.

​

For those who don't know the game, the goal to win the game is to capture point A and then point B for the attackers. If they can't do it. The defenders win the map.

​

First, we will see how the less experienced players approach this first point, and then, in a second step, how the experienced players proceed.

 

POINT A

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

CASUAL

​

Generally speaking, casual players find Volskaya to be a very difficult map to attack. This is often due to a lack of communication on the strategic points that have to be monitored. To control them, this requires enormous coordination to dislodge defenders. We will therefore see very few players using flank lanes like "GARAGE", "BRIDGE" or "COAST" to try to take the first kill while being synchronized with their team.

​

For this type of player, "MID" is a dangerous point because the defence is generally high in relation to the point A. Attackers don’t have much space in which to maneuver and defenders can easily run to safety in case of problems, towards: "OPS", "DOCK" or "BRIDGE".

​

In addition, defenders often position themselves on high grounds, such as "HUT" or "COMMS", which puts pressure on the attack because they often get poked a lot before being able to reach the point or engaging in combat with the defence. However, this case is rarer because the entire defence is on "MID".

​

Add to that, the defence has a lot of healing pack that allows it to quickly come back to help the front lane if we admit that the healers have trouble keeping up. This is quite rare because as mentioned above, there are many safe places for them to be at ease. Indeed, the first point has a large line of sight, therefore, healers can anticipate the movements of attackers.

​

However, this advantage is counterbalanced by death. Let me explain, when a player dies in defence, he will never have time to return to the fight in time because the respawn is too far from the point to be captured. This will allow the attacking team to overrun the defence. In addition, one of the too few choices available to attack and capture the point is to make the first kill. It is very difficult for all the reasons mentioned above.

​

​

SOLUTIONS

​

In order to balance this, it might be interesting that the attack could pass without being immediately attacked. Let's take the example of "WINDOW" which is used to connect "STREETS" and "MID" by the heights. We can see that this point is a good intention but ultimately not very useful for the attack. It allows defenders to pre-shoot the attackers at their spawn before they even arrive on the "MID".
One could therefore easily imagine an opening below "WINDOW" that would be connected to "ACCESS" in a totally safe way. This will help in limiting poking. The attack will be able to access "BRIDGE" more easily.

​

We could adopt a more teamplay based version by linking "MANOIR" and "WINDOW" so that all types of heroes can pass. This would limit the damage suffered during the time it takes to reach the point to be captured.

​

In addition, there are many healing packs for the defenders. The easiest access for the attack is "GARAGE" and "ACCESS" but there are still four left for the defence. It might be interesting to remove a healing pack located around "HUT" or "DOCK". We could also replace the large healing pack of "OPS" with the small pack of "DOCK" to force the defence to withdraw to more open areas.

​

                                                              

COMPETITOR

​

Generally speaking, the first point is never very complicated to capture because there are several places where flanking is possible with advantageous positions for the attackers. We can therefore see the opposite effect compared to casual players, i.e. that the attack has an advantage over the defence. In addition, the attackers reappear much closer. This gives them an additional advantage.

​

For this type of player, the "MID" and "ACCESS" points are not very coveted. The most important thing is the control of the high grounds. Therefore, we will always see the attackers go through "GARAGE" and "COMMS" in a very fast and synchronized way. This way, the defence can never have time to attack the attackers. We can see the following effect: the attack will be positioned on the balcony of "COMMS" and the defence on the balcony of "BRIDGE" and "OPS".

​

Both teams will simply wait until the first kill is made to decide whether or not to stay in position or attack, something that does not happen with casual players. It is often even possible for the defence to attack the attackers. The roles can tend to be reversed because the map allows this, especially the symmetry of the two balconies "COMMS" and "OPS".

​

The healings packs are also less coveted due to a better control of the support heroes and a good management of the protection skills of each tank hero.

​

​

SOLUTIONS

​

This time, it is the attack that is at an advantage over the defence. It would therefore be interesting to leave a little more control to the defence.

We could put a little more opening on the "COMMS" point in order to give the defence a better chance to split the attack.

 

In summary, we can say that this is a very difficult point for casual players to take because of their lack of experience. The level design is very advantageous for the defence because it offers a lot of healing, protection and heights. On the contrary, for experienced players, the level design of point A is rather balanced due to its symmetrical heights.

​

Obviously, the meta always has an impact on the level design. The previous seasons (dive) left a lot of expression to the flank heroes, allowed the exploitation of "COAST" or "BRIDGE". Today, with the new meta (tank), these points are put aside to exploit "ACCESS" and "OPS" and "MID" because tanks are much more popular.

​

 

POINT B

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

 

 

CASUAL

​

Point B is a point that very few players like because of its far too defensive positionings. Defenders have no interest in engaging attackers. They just need to wait for them to come. This is quite problematic for a very dynamic game like Overwatch. 

​

Unlike point A, when attackers must capture the second point, the defenders respawn very close to the point. This gives them a considerable advantage allowing them to always put the attackers under pressure, this often brings some endless team fights for several seconds. In addition, there are several characters who waste a lot of time due to timing skills.

​

For this type of player, the "MID" and "PIT" points are the main axes used to capture the point. Indeed, these are the fastest ways to reach the point. The left road is interesting for flanking and the whole team can easily get in there, it is rather safe with a healing pack not too far away.

​

- We can notice that the attackers who pass through "MID" have mainly difficulties passing the following positions "CLOSET" and "BRIDGE", which offer a lot of vision and control. These positions are also far too safe. If a defender in one of these positions is burst, he can easily go back to hide inside the buildings or drop on the point down below and take refuge in "COAST" or "BRIDGE". Moreover, healers will not take any risks in trying to treat him because then they will not have to expose themselves.

​

The attackers thus reach the point with a significant lack of resistance.

​

- A second choice is available to them, the "PIT" and "CATWALK" lane, i.e. the left flank. This is a better choice for attackers because they are less exposed. They have the possibility to take the high ground on "CATWALK" and "STATION" and the big healing pack. Except the problem is this, defenders positioned on "GLASS" can see from a safe place the attackers arriving. They can easily go and fetch a kill while all the attackers arrive on "CATWALK" or position themselves on another height because generally, the defence is better coordinated than the attack.

​

In the event that the attack succeeds in taking this position, it is confronted with another concern. Defenders positioned on "COAST", "BRIDGE" and "CLOSET" can easily do suppression shots without taking any risks on the positionings. Thus, the attack must be able to handle "CLOSET" and "BRIDGE", but also "POINT" and "COAST".
So that's a lot of positions to cover, but "COAST" is indeed a real problem, it allows the defence to play far from the point to be captured without risking being surprised by the attackers’ shots. It is even possible, in case of difficulty, to recover health in the spawn.

​

 

COMPETITOR

​

As far as competitors are concerned, the same phenomenon can be observed. This point is not at all appreciated because it is far too defensive. It clearly forces them to take risks in an attempt to dislodge defenders from the heights.

​

For this type of player, we notice that the "MID" is very popular. This is easily explained. Indeed, snipers are very often played on this point B because there are many heights that give different axes of sight, which gives vision on the sides (orange dots of the image).
Therefore, a death is very quickly reached at this level of play because these players have a good aim. It is unlikely that they miss their target. The attackers are forced to move in a very tight manner to limit the openings for the defence. As you will have understood, it becomes difficult for the attack to try to use any flanks. The "MID" is therefore the most interesting path.

​

It's a pity because the designers' intention is very good. The fact of setting flanks that give the possibility to join "BRIDGE" is great to dislodge the defenders but once again, meta and communication have a big influence on level design. This makes the other strategic points unnecessary.

​

In general, we will see many experienced players rushing "BRIDGE" to put the healers and snipers down, but this requires an excellent level of play and good synchronization with the part of the team that will remain on the ground. The team will be forced to split up. As a result, the attack is always in a position of inferiority.

​

​

SOLUTIONS

​

This time, I think we can group the proposed corrections for casual and experienced players at the same time because their opinion on point B is the same.

​

We see a real intention of the developers to lead the attackers on the left flank with passages going up or down. We could try to link "STATION" and "GLASS" so that the attackers can more easily control "BRIDGE" without being poked.

​

In addition, "LONG" is too often used to take the healing pack. The flankers take a risk by trying to reach "CLOSET" because the defence is very present there. It would be possible to link "LONG" with "CLOSET". Thus, "BRIDGE" would become more vulnerable and reduce the defenders' camp. They will have to adapt their positioning according to the attackers.

​

Another choice could be interesting if changing some points would be problematic. The spawn could simply be moved back from the point to be captured in order to avoid the incessant delay of the defenders.

​

There is also another possible choice, "TURBINE" could be connected to "CLOSET" by a balcony, which will allow to control an additional height for the attack. However, access to "TURBINE" by the elevator is a little slow. It would be interesting to make this point more dynamic by adding stairs, for example.

​

In addition, the left flank is under-exploited. It's a pretty dark place and actually doesn't make you want to go there. For both defenders and attackers. It is extremely rare that team fighters are located in this area. It is a risky place for both attack and defence because this flank is architecturally very varied. At a high level of play, you can't afford to attempt a play on a dice roll.

​

In addition, the power of "BRIDGE" should really be limited. This point makes it possible to anticipate any attempts by the attackers. The point's field of view could be limited or made more accessible for the attack.

 

In summary, we can say that point B is an unbalanced point for the attack. It offers too many advantages to the defence with a lot of control over the heights. It allows to easily delay attacks because of its spawn too close to the point. The most interesting thing would therefore be to adjust the heights to add value to the attack.

​

Thanks a lot for reading and thanks to my friend Adrian Basmagi who gave me his opinion on this analysis.

​