User:Swiers/make ruins not visible from other blocks

make ruins not visible from other blocks

 Swiers 03:31, 20 January 2008 (UTC)

Suggestion type
balance change

Suggestion scope
interface, ruins

Suggestion description
mechanics: Simply put, ruins would retain all current effects, but they they would not be visible on the minimap. You would still know if the building in your own block was ruined (via the description text and other effects) but would not know about surrounding buildings. This would apply equally to zombies and survivors both. The one exception would be survivors who use binoculars from a tall building; they would be able to see ruins (in the same way they are currently marked) in the "binocular vision" display.

intended effect: Ruining a building takes a fair amount of zombie AP, and most of the time, a simple 1 AP ransack would be equally effective, as it is no easier to repair. What's worse, Ruins act as a well marked "entry point" for survivors who wish to enter more heavily barricaded buildings using "free running". This leads many zombie players to believe that ruining a building, on the balance, actually HELPS survivors, and serves no real useful purpose for zombies. Making it so that they can't normally be spotted from other blocks would greatly reduce the beneficial effects they have as an entry point, and also require a bit more planning / caution on the part of survivors when using free-running in an area where building status is uncertain.