Duplicate map previews for different game types

[krait]

I feel that map preview images should be distinctive between capture point and deathmatch games, even when the base map is the same; the reason this is important is that it's often unclear that, e.g. paritan has switched to labyrinth, which has grave consequences on early-game strategy. The duplicate images I can think of off hand are:

- Paritan and Labyrinth
- Sepulcher and Flayed
- Anglean and Firnfield

[macmacnick]

The pairs you listed are all the same base maps, just with extra game rules, along with minor differences. You can tell which map is which mode after a while by looking at the name, and you would not be able to really highlight the differences well, as the landscape is really too similar. However, Scrap/dunes can differ, as one is more centered whereas the other uses most of the landscape.However, there is already a section that lists the match type, so that is unnecessary.

[krait]

The issue I'm trying to highlight is that, despite use of the same base map, there's not enough to distinguish the game types; our brains self-condition themselves to ignore common stimuli, and in this sense the map names have the same effect as fine-print. It doesn't seem like it'd be hard to make a few extra icons such that the preview for each (base-map, game-type) combination is unique, and at this point anything would help.

Alternatively, some prominent "the map has changed" or "the game type has changed" indicator would solve the issue.

Either is unarguably better than matches being wasted when one team doesn't notice that paritan changed to labyrinth.

[Squidslinger Gilder]

Thank you for bringing back up what I brought up about a year ago. Too many people don't read the name or realize there are more than one gametype. Then they pick the one they don't want and either don't know how to play it or they leave the lobby.

It really wouldn't take a big change to resolve this. Just slapping the picture of a CP balloon on top of the image or even just text on the image stating "Crazy King"

[GeoRmr]

I agree with this actually, just the other day we played desert scrap for about 3 games in a row with a mine junker, at the end of the third game dunes was voted but just quickly glancing at the image lead me to believe the game was still desert scrap. Stuck on dunes against mid/long range enemies with a munker, despite being a fun challenging game I still would have preferred something more suitable.

[Ayetach]

I agree with this as well. Something more distinctive for each map type that still is relevant to the look would be very useful for a glance reference.

[Dutch Vanya]

This would go nicely with giving us new 2v2 maps.

I'll keep on saying that adding 2v2 DM versions of water hazard, raid on the refinery, firnfeld, and maybe even flayed hills would be the best thing muse could do for this game.

(i've always been great at making off-topic posts on forums)

[Wundsalz]

Currently especially crazy king matches are almost impossible to play with less experienced players. I can't recall a single refinery match I've played in the last weeks, where not at least 2ships were moving way-off the active or upcoming point. I mostly blame muses poorly designed UI for this. It fails at guiding new players (including those of the recent steam-sale wave) to the objectives.

Having Loading screens which allow to distinguish which allow all players to distinguish between the game modes (A simple "Matchmode: Crazy King"-overlay on the image would be sufficient for this matter), would certainly be a step into the right direction. However I doubt this step alone won't be sufficient to get Players to the active point. The UI should guide the players, telling them where they need to head to when. Currently muse UI does a terrible job at this.

To become a bit more constructive, lets have a look at a title which does the job properly! I really like the objective notifications of Red Orchestra 2:
- Just look at how much better RO2, does the job here: You've got a fat blinking Symbol with the letter on it and the strenghts of the fighting forces in the Area right next to it. All Information needed is available right there. That's way more intuitive that figuring out what those 5 circles at the top indicate... if the player manages to find those in the first place.
- special music is briefly played when an objective has been taken. Either a positive tune or a negative one - depending on whether you've gained or lost an objective.
- A text message in big capital letters pops up on the screen for a couple of seconds, informing the player about what happened.
- if the Objectives have been changed, all currently available Objectives are indicated by an icon which is overlayed at the center (can be seen right at the start of the video When point B is taken by the enemy).

I think a similar system could be easily implemented for our needs to indicate balloon attacks/captures and CP-changes on crazy king matches.

Another thing wich might help: growing and shrinking circle animations around the actice point on the minimap.