I'm glad I was able to get a high player count test because it has made issues with the map are a lot more apparent and I got more feedback with more eyes on it. The map was playing relatively well with lower player counts, and that really affected how I was determining what to do with the map. I'm not going to list the minor bugs here - I'd like to talk more about more severe issues.
Blu has difficulties maintaining control of the B-C connector and the upper balcony.
I think this may relate to Red starting to use the flank route. Unfortunately, Red can really hold down this flank. Blu is at a strict height disadvantage on this flank as well. It's too easy for Red to push through any defenses Blu has approaching the point from this flank and kill any momentum towards C Blu has.
In addition, Blu essentially has three entrances into the B-C connector, but they're all concentrated in one point, creating a choke that Red can hold pretty well. The entrances need to be spread out some more - Currently the connector is far too narrow.
Red's highpoint on C is only reachable one way - over the deathpit and directly through the line of Red players leaving spawn. Spies are not able to reach sentries here as a result. I had a feeling this would be overpowered, but I was encouraged to put it here so I obliged. Clearly I need to make it more accessible. There needs to be more than one way for Blu to reach this point if it will be kept.
I've received more than a few feedbacks saying that A is confusing, but hardly any have really stipulated what they felt made it confusing. Thankfully today someone mentioned that it's difficult to see what's happening in A from the outside and I think I understand what I need to do now. I believe the reason why is because there are too many floating platforms obscuring the point. When Blu's entrances are mostly from below, they cannot properly see the point. In addition, they are also unable to see Red's defenses and identify any weak spots for exploitation. Part of the issue may also come from train cars blocking sightlines. There's a bit too much cover on A it seems.
There needs to be some sort of simplification when it comes to A. I want to avoid just remaking Well's mid though.
I think I need to reduce the number of entrances and platforms. I have some ideas of what to do here. Stay tuned in the wip channel for screenshots of possible layouts and please let me know what you think.
Despite Red being force-respawned on point caps, occasionally Blu can roll through B before Red can even reach the point. So far the two options are to increase cap time on A and to increase the length of the connector to B.
While Blu didn't have much difficulty leaving spawn in low player count tests, it's now clear that they're at too much of a disadvantage leaving spawn - especially when it comes to height. It's too easy for Red to hold down most spawn exits from the high ground just outside of A. While there does exists a great high ground area for Blu to leave spawn at, players do not seem to use it even when other players continually alert them to it. While I originally felt that the area would be interesting to fight in given the height variation, I clearly haven't made it easy enough for Blu to take the first area leading to A.
Perhaps I should reverse the height differential - Blu's spawn would be slightly higher than the train station on A with a dip between. Hopefully this will give Blu the advantage they need and prevent Red from projectile spamming Blu trying to leave spawn. In addition, this will hopefully give Blu more vision of exactly what's happening in A.