Source
r/EscapefromTarkov•
BoostedSaltboy

Expand Customs

Suggestion

We all know the pain in the beginning. You have to do a lot of quests on Customs. A lot of people, or at least me, hate it in the beginning, because all of the people runing to the same spots, doing quests or now farming the Scavboss.
But what annoys me the most is the choke point of customs. No matter where you spawn, you have to walk by the gas station / factory short cut. There is no other way of getting to the extract.

So not only are we forced to play a map which isn´t that big and has a lot of players, we also have to cross a very small part of the map.

So can´t we expand customs again? Below is a small / first suggestion. Why not expand the map from construction to old gas station? That way we have a more open map, not that big of a choke point and the factory key doesn´t provide that much of a benefit.

Source: https://escapefromtarkov.gamepedia.com/Customs, Credit to marvelin and maksen

Another suggestion would be, to remove the one way fence next to bum train and also expand the map a little, so it is less of a linear level and more of an open world

What do you guys think?

Posted Jul 23, 2018, 8:20 AM UTC

7369
Sometimesiworry•

I agree, the choke points are so narrow too, you literally have to enter one of three ”doors” to be able to get to the boiler exits. So it i were to camp on of these i would have a 33% chance to get contact.

30
HAWAIIANPINAPPL•

That 33% is PER person/squad as well, so it's almost guaranteed as long as there's 3 different squads spawning across the river

6
MaelarionMP-153•

That assumes those squads/people make it there without dying.

2
HAWAIIANPINAPPL•

Yeah true, my bad on that, but it can also go back the other way if you get to the holes first you can camp them right at the start of the round, not to mention the two that doesn't require factory key/jumping over spots you're not supposed to are very close together, meaning you can get a LOT of contact just from those 2 openings

2
GreugreuM4A1•

I don't think expanding the map is necessary. But I agree that the Big red -> Boilers route to extract is more tedious than Boilers -> Crossroad. The map is relatively small and now with Scav Boss feels cramped. I'm all for more slow and cautious approach of the map, but it feels wierd with the actual pace of the game. Moreover, the current spawn system and design, if you take it slow at start of the round, you'll often be at disadvantage trapped between multiple people.

Customs is well designed and I feel that it's design is on a delicate balance between to tight or too large.

The pit into construction feels currently annoying/useless. I think a sewer tunnel in the pit leading to boiler factory shortcut might be an idea. A two way high risk route that could make you win lots of precious time if you manage to go through it.

17
PyrohawkZTOZ•

i like the idea of a sewer tunnel, goddamn that will be some scary shit.

I'm not sure how practical it is though, if it ends up like I think it will then it's gonna be a suicide death-alley

edit: it's super important that this sewer isn't just a straight line, otherwise people will just peek it with a flashlight and render it useless. It needs to have bends.

12
DestroXOX•

thats such a good idea holyfuck its high risk and high reward exactly how tarkov is meant to be played pls upvote

2†
Kullet_BingRSASS•

I decided to give the patch a try this weekend and played like 5 raids on customs. I didn't bring a map because I have heard spawn selection is removed now (correct me if wrong) and all the raids were the same. Instant PVP within the first 20 seconds, 3 times on big red with 4-5 people involved. Out of these 5 raids I died 2 times fairly quick, but three times I got into these PVP fights winning, beeing packed full to the ears with loot and having to extract.

I mean it's not a bad thing, but it kinda feels boring to get yourself completely full of loot on your spawn area and having to extract immediately after, making the "quick" way to the other side of the map a nerve wrecking experience.

10
enjdusan•

That's my biggest issue with this game. I'm a quite new player, but these immediate fights one minute after the spawn are boring. Spawns should be distributed more randomly across the map border, there should be some progress towards the "center" of the map with fighting your way towards.

14
Pwangman•

The problem with doing that on a map like Customs is that this method would always have a player/squad spawning closer to the high-value objectives that the rest of the players. You can kind of already see this problem with the two spawns closest to the marked room

6
Gebraheel•

Yep... if I spawn the hillside I immediately haul-balls down the hill, across trash-bridge, up across the road, through the woods and straight up to 3rd floor... With the Scav boss now sometimes spawning at the gas station, the people playing safer and creeping through don't have time to beat me to dorms.

It's kinda shitty, but hey, I've got a marked key and I'm gonna use it damnit.

3
Pwangman•

It's the way the game works right now, so imo, use whatever advantages you can get.

2
hson_hson•

Yeah, that's the problem with having high-value loot spots. If there wasn't a marked room but any room locked room on customs could potentially have the "marked room loot", people would move around in a totally different way

1
Pwangman•

I think the problem is more that there is only 1 place to get the marked room loot period. If they added a "marked room" to every map, maybe Customs wouldn't feel like such a cluster fuck every time you tried to loot the doors early game.

(Yes, I know Woods has a marked circle, but let's be honest, fuck woods, that map is garbage.)

1
GingerSnapBiscuit•

How the fuck can instant PVP be 'boring'? You'd rather play walking simulator for 10 minutes before you get a fight?

1
snowsoftJ4C•

It's the "oh I spawned in factory warehouse so I need to watch for administration gate spawn while looking towards middle extract over the wall", not so much the PvP. Much the draw to this game is the tension, which is severely reduced when you can guess what's going to happen (i.e. shittily placed spawns).

5
GingerSnapBiscuit•

I just don't see how you fix that though. You can't spread the spawns without letting people be nearer to good loot. You can lower the number of spawns but then the map becomes barren.

1
enjdusan•

Maybe boring is not the correct word, but you undersatnd - spawn, immedietly watch other spawns - fight - if survived continue with full inventory towards the extract point. That’s not fun

1
hson_hson•

I would say it's boring, because it's so predictable. And it's also the reason I never play Factory except for the quests, it's even more predictable

1
Kyle700•

If I wanted to play instant death match, I'd play factory. Having a bunch of people spawn right next to other is extremely punishing to new players who don't memorize the spawns, and to players who do memorize the spawns, it makes it into basically a csgo like game where you k ow where everyone spawned. I do not think that is the tarkov vision for the game.

1
GingerSnapBiscuit•

The alternative is less people in the game. Which is also not he 'Tarkov Vision'

1
Zeraxia898•

Tbh yes the choke points sucks yes but I like the fact that it's still difficult. If we always had easier routes to get out then it wouldn't be you've got gear now you have the fear of hoping not to run into any campers. Camping sucks, it's the most annoying tactic but it's a case of having to adjust your play style. I feel that I shouldn't be able to just sprint out of the map once I've got loot. If I could then my stash would be over flowing & I'd loose interest. The fact that even after I can wipe a 5 man team be looted to the gills then still be wiped by some douche with an sks sat in a bush makes the game way more intense but that's just me. I enjoy how difficult and how frustrating the game can be so when I do wipe a team 1v5 then kill 3 exit campers and get out I feel I've really earnt my gear and it was fun. Like I had a game yesterday. Was 1v5 killed 4 people, had no legs 1 mag left and was taken out by the last guy who out played me (he took a wide flank and I didn't see him) it was the most fun I've had on this game for the last 2 month's. Just 1 ak 74n and 2 spare mags. I wasn't even upset they all had kiver + un armour + scilenced akm and upwards. It's more about the engage and the plays for me.

9
PyrohawkZTOZ•

100% agree, customs is way too choked (as opposed to woods, which is way too crowded overall for it's player count during peak times).

I would expand the bottom part just like you said, but even more so, I would add a big factory at the far bottom that would rival dorms for loot/quest significance. The factory could have industrial loot and two or three weapon boxes, maybe a safe. Nothing too crazy - it should be smaller than the actual Factory map.

This could be made interesting - it could be some kind of fuel processing factory (hence the gas stations so close to eachother - some basic truck outlet place) that would stock "fuel conditioner" (so we know where to go for it, like how we go to Oli for gas analyzers). Also, Dealmaker could be moved to this new factory (since supposedly his chronies are old factory workers?) to guard it if need be.

The main point of the expansion should be adding more routes to get from side to side whilst also adding a POI (so it's not just a dead back alley).

Also, there needs to be more extracts closer to the middle for Customs side. Boilers spawn gets two extremely good options for extracting - UN truck and fishing boat - that save them having to cross to their extract part of the map, whereas customs spawn need to go inside the factory area (and face some brutal choke points) one way or the other.

8
Surv0•

Yeah dont agree with this. Customs is pretty well designed, with choke points in various places, and there is always a 2nd and maybe 3rd route into an area. Holes in the walls, obstacles to use to vault over the wall etc etc..

This doesnt need to feel openworld at all.

4†
BoostedSaltboyOP•

So tell me, where is the second option if you need to extract at boiler?

You can walk through one of the two holes in the wall or you can walk through the checkpoint and then through the fence ... which is basicly the first hole in the wall.

So there is only 1 real way to enter that area. If you camp the holes in the wall, you get all the player who need to extact at boiler

7
Surv0•

Well there are 3 ways into boilers, and technically 4 ways out. treat the intermediate 'Warehouse' area as a separate area in this case.

You mentioned the 3 ways above, and that would be sufficient to reach either of the two PMC exits in that area (Warehouses and Boilers).

So I count 3 ways, they happen to be fairly close together but thats never really been an issue for me anyway?

Cutting out the 'Warehouse' area, you only have 2 options available, the two holes in the wall. This however requires a little bit of recon by jumping on a few things to peek over the wall, definitely need to be cautious here. But this is where the juiciness of Customs comes into play. Requires you to plan your route and think about it before committing, maybe wait it out and see.

How many more ways is required in this instance? This may be the only area where this potential bottlenecking can occur, but I think its designed in such a way that you can still 'outplay' guys wanting to camp them.

4
PyrohawkZTOZ•

compare it to boilers spawn, which can extract before even reaching their "choke points" (the river crossings) more often than not thanks to boat/UN truck.

2
versediiVSS•

And now also the Dorms V-ex for 3000 roubles.

Customs is inbalanced in terms of spawns and the difficulty of the map. The boilers spawns has it much easier.

How to fix it though? I'm not sure, I'll think about it.

2
Kraall•

The issue I find is that going from boilers -> crossroads is easier and has more options than going customs -> boilers.

When spawning boilers there are a good number of routes you can take across the river and the choke point at the gas station is rarely an issue as players spawning on the other side of the map likely won't have made it that far yet. You also have two good options to extract early by the river.

When spawning on customs you have to cross the railway by the gas station in a small, easy to camp area quite late on and also have to move down quite a linear path to get to any of the exits (factory key shortcut helps with this). The three extracts aren't all that great either, one typically has numerous scavs guarding it that can't be bypassed, and one isn't much easier to reach than the always open extract and leaves you needing to backtrack a fair bit if it's not open.

I think a one way extract from the factory/construction area to near old gas station could help open the map a little, and could also open the door for another loot spot in one of the currently closed warehouses. The new route would come with risks as you need to travel by the construction area hotspot and the one way route means that someone could pin you down, but it would give the map more areas to explore and more options for players from that spawn. It would also make the ZB-1012 extract a bit more useful as it would be between the new route and the default extract.

The extra loot spot would be nice as I've often found when running customs that if the item/key I want isn't available there isn't really much else to do other than chase gunfire or extract.

1
versediiVSS•

You also have two good options to extract early by the river.

Three options now, since the addition of Dorms V-Ex.

I think a one way extract from the factory/construction area to near old gas station could help open the map a little, and could also open the door for another loot spot in one of the currently closed warehouses. The new route would come with risks as you need to travel by the construction area hotspot and the one way route means that someone could pin you down, but it would give the map more areas to explore and more options for players from that spawn. It would also make the ZB-1012 extract a bit more useful as it would be between the new route and the default extract.

That's pretty good idea and well explained.

2
7heCube•

There are several places on construction side, where you are able to jimp over the fence , but i like tve thrill that the gas-station is a pure contact area! Tarkov isnt made to avoid the contact!

1
DeadAtrocity•

I was just thinking about this lately. I think the other option to be a quick fix for now is just lower the number of PMC's. The current number is way too large for how small the map is. When I kill 7 people in boiler spawn it's a little rediculous. Then of course there's still one more hiding the entire time that kills me when I finally start to loot.

3
strikeeagle345•

yup

1
caprera•

Customs used to be my favourite map and to this day I still play it a lot, but at the same time needs to be ended a little. Somehow we need real alternative routes, not just a hole in the wall to pass through and evade a group just because they can't hear you.

3
-Temple-•

I mean, the map is a lag fest compared to ALL other maps(I get better FPS on interchange and sometimes shoreline and far less stutters)

3
PyrohawkZTOZ•

really? this patch I'm getting roughly the same shit FPS on shoreline, customs AND interchange (RIP interchange 70+ fps).

I agree with you on the stuttering, it's bad this patch.

shame we don't really have any alternatives, woods is fucking weird and factory is a bit too hectic for all the quests to be on.

1
Shiroeoo•

First issue would be to solve the spawn point and spawning into a raid. As it stands now, you can have an imbalanced amount of players spawned into one side of the map such as 9 players on boilers and that one random pmc at crossroad. PMCs should not spawn into a raid until all pmcs are ready to deploy together, this reduce the chance of other pmcs utilizing an already used spawn point and being able to spawn behind another pmc. This also reduce the time people will camp their spawn point (on average I camp my spawn point for the first 5 minutes of a raid in order to prevent someone from spawning behind me). Then can we work on expanding maps

3
LordDalby•

This is why I don't play this map very often, it feels like I have to kill 4 guys every game in order to extract. so many times I've killed 2+ guys and dies anyways on my way to the extract.

2
Klaumbaz•

The main map flaw is unbalanced starts and exits.

customs spawn side exits are all behind the three boiler side wall choke points. Its a wide area with multiple lanes to get out. wide left/ right lanes, sightways blocked, 4 bridges to pick from, very hard to control the exits.

Boiler spawn can have shortcut exits at smugglers fire, and Tarkov truck. But spawn choke exits are adjacent, with multiple locations to camp both murder holes, third choke requires a rare spawn item, and only becomes common a month into game.

If you dont have factory key, all traffic also passes the choke point of new gas station. With post wipe low str, jumping pipe debris is difficult at best. This moves all traffic through another tight choke point.

If it wasnt for quests, and farming keybars/docs cases, many avoid the map.

2
[deleted]•

[deleted]

1
[deleted]•

[removed]

1
VTAWing•

Customs is my favourite map, please do not screw up the flow of customs!!!

1
Dreadp1r4te•

I actually enjoy the choke points. I never camp them, but I've had some really great firefights in those hills and debris around the gas station.

1
FadezGamingAK•

all of the people running to the same spots

One thing I would like to help with this is maybe multiple "quest lines" where they just mix up each quest and maybe each line has different quest in it, but some of the same aswell. I'm not sure how well it would work because some of the later quest would be a pain in the start, but I'd also think it would help with the issues of everyone rushing 1 spot in the start.

1
Beast_Mastese•

No argument here, though I really like Customs as-is. If I absolutely need to extract with what loot or missions items I have, I’ll wait it out in as safe and untraveled a spot as I can safely get to. Once I’m fairly certain everyone else has extracted, I’ll make my way safely to an extraction point. It takes some serious patience, but is far better than losing something I absolutely need or want to retain.

1
ihatecruises•

Not sure I agree with this one. It feels like the point isn't for it to be easy for us to do all the quests, and the choke point feels intentionally designed to force conflict.

So not only are we forced to play a map which isn't that big and has a lot of players, we also have to cross a very small part of the map.

Seems like the design is working perfectly.

1
BeeNumber1SKS•

I am completely in love with the way Customs is laid out right now. It's my favorite map by far and where I do 95% of my raids by the end of wipe. That said, opening it up might be an improvement.

I wonder, is the choke point a common spot to die for other players? I find it to be a quiet spot on the map where I hardly ever get good fights.

1
haloboy817AS-VAL•

I agree with most of the post. Albeit that you can stealthy wait for opportune times to clear the choke-points. Even when they are infested by Scavs. They should open up the area next to construction(as you illustrated) to mitigate the "hole in the wall" approach to boilers. There LITERALLY is no other way to Gas Station/ZB without the Factory Checkpoint being unlocked. Which in the new wipe is a nightmare. Not to mention spawning AT BOILER is a warzone in most cases. If you got an AS Val camping the Silos and there is no way to maneuver safely. You just hide and wait for the Fort Armor tryhard to find you.

1