Fresh Water is Child’s Play: the Quest Generator (and other thoughts)

jhs3kjhs3k Join Date: 2016-02-06 Member: 212644Members
The following are a few ideas I’d like the developers to consider. I know this is supposed to be, initially, a survival game but it soon goes beyond and really shines as a game of exploration. I think the survival aspect is leading the developers to follow the conventional route of water scarcity without considering the context of the game world. This is perfectly understandable since water is the most vital need, but given the level of technology at your fingertips, fresh water wouldn't be a big deal. At all. If the fabricator & habitat builder can rip & blend atoms, desalination of water would be easy peasy. Fabricator could use quartz for the bottle or better: plant fibers or whatever to make a biodegradable water carton.

So what to do with that awesome new Water Filter Machine model? I propose you repurpose it as a medical station. Food and nutrition is a long-term issue that pairs well with an ever advancing production capability. The player is living off of food harvested from an alien world. All flora & fauna here is slightly toxic. Heavy metals, toxic compounds as well as a lack of certain proteins, vitamins & minerals takes its toll over time with decreased stamina and strength. Eventually sickness will ground the player (blackouts? Vertigo spells at random intervals if you try to venture outside? so sleep is your safest option to gain a slight reprieve). Loss of production time in-game can be a critical factor if food stores or supplies are already running out – and what happens if the hull breaches but vertigo prevents you from being effective under water?

Food sources are also becoming more toxic over time due to contamination from the Aurora. So this med station scans the player and synthesizes a detox/vitamin regimen which the player must consume on a fairly regular basis. I call this a “quest generator” because your body’s needs will change over time and the machine will request a different set of raw materials in order to create your medicine. Many of these items are perishable and cannot be stockpiled. This also makes scanning EVERYTHING important, since the med station won’t know where to find what it needs without a database to draw from. This can also lead to “catch and release” missions where you have to collect a gland or eggs or whatever from various large & dangerous animals.

Other things I’d like to see:

Access inventory/PDA while inside seamoth?

Seamoth should have a "glove box" at least large enough to hold a med kit. Ideally it would be 1x3… large enough for a med kit, welder, and a backup power cell. Not large enough to hold a rifle, wreckage, or any large 2x2 item. The glove box shows up in inventory only when inside the ship. It wouldn’t really be of any consequence for hauling loot, so storage upgrades are still desirable if that's what you want. Since most modern vehicles have 1st aid + basic tool kit + maybe fire extinguisher, seems reasonable.

Recycler

Power cell recharge station

Scanner useable thru windshield without exiting the seamoth, or a scanner module for the seamoth.

Well, these are just a few off the cuff ideas from my short time playing the game. I know some of them have already been requested, so this is my thumbs up to those.

Comments

  • lxhlxh Austria Join Date: 2015-03-13 Member: 202074Members
    I like your quest generator. And I would agree to the whole post if there wasn't your idea of scanning through windows. Admittedly, it might be a question of taste but the one or another little kick in between isn't that bad either. *)
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