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Subnautica has an easily-fixed game design problem that's costing it an enormous number of players
Apologies for the dramatic title, but I think it's justified. Short version: a significant number of new players attacking the game cold (i.e. without researching tips and tricks, and without any involvement in the online community) aren't realizing that they can make a seabase out of a single tube section, and are quitting out of frustration over storage issues.
Long version: for the record, I just finished the game and I love it; it's in my lifetime Top 100. That said, looking at the plot-based achievements, it's interesting (i) that only 8.5% of players finished the game, and (ii) that the biggest drop-off occurs between players jumping in the water and players building their first crude seabase, which shouldn't be separated by very much gameplay.
https://steamcommunity.com/stats/264710/achievements
75% of players jump in the water, which I assume means 25% of players bought it on sale and haven't installed, or finished playing during the beta before achievements activated. But only 48% of players built a basic seabase which means that fully a third of all players who bought this game, installed it, and jumped in the water, quit before engaging in one of the first and most basic, satisfying activities.
There's no guarantee they all quit for the same reason, but I can't help noticing that the drop-off happened at a point that nearly caused me to quit for good, too. I was careful to read the survival guide on my PDA, which mentions the importance of building a seabase, I wanted to build a seabase because it seemed like a cool thing to do, and I desperately needed the storage. But looking at the menu in the Habitat Builder, it was not at all clear that a single tube section is, totally alone, a functioning base within which I could build storage lockers.
The "Quick Start Guide" in the data entry for the Habitat Builder mentioned starting with a basic compartment, but I never even saw that data entry. As careful as I was to read data entries throughout the game, it never occurred to me that the description for my basic tools would contain critical plot instructions. Without any size reference and without knowing that a tube would grow supports when placed, I assumed when I reviewed the building menu that I was looking at passageways between functional rooms, not freestanding structures - useless on their own. I tried to wait until I found a room module, which of course takes a good 1-2 hours before stumbling across the multipurpose room blueprint on the floating island. During those 1-2 hours, frustration is mounting quickly: since the player's instinct is to collect everything in sight, the lifepod's storage fills up almost immediately, and no seabase means managing a bunch of tiny floating storage lockers. That frustration is going to lead less invested players to quit.
Some reading this might roll their eyes and call me an idiot, but I'm just going to point at that 33% drop-off in players who bought the game, installed it, booted it up, and then quit before attempting one of the most basic, satisfying aspects of the game. Beginnings are such delicate times, to steal a line from Dune. You want a player to build a crude seabase as quickly as possible to keep the logistics functioning and the cycle of positive emotions flowing, and for that, you need to make it more obvious that a tube alone is good enough for those players who don't read a tool description.
The solution is straightforward and will take very little effort. (i) In the PDA's Survival Checklist entry, amend step #8 to read "Find or construct a more permanent habitat (refer to Quick Start Guide)". Make the Quick Start Guide a PDA entry that you start the game with. If you want to really drive it home, include a little illustration in the QSG entry of a single-tube base with a hatch, solar panel, and struts coming out the bottom, to help the player visualize what they're being told to do and avoid confusion about the role of foundations (not actually necessary).
If you really want to take a swing at the problem for those players who aren't natural readers or paying close attention to their PDA, you could make "Step 1" more visually obvious by inserting an entirely separate tab in the Habitat Builder's menus titled "Emergency Shelter", with a single entry: a linear tube section with a hatch on one end and a solar panel on the roof. Make it cost the same as all those items separately.
P.S. The second-biggest drop-off is in players who never find the Disease Research Facility. Although I had no trouble with this, I've heard anecdotally that many players either didn't scan the item in the QEP that gives the necessary guidance, or forgot to read that databank entry in all the excitement, and had no clue what to do after the QEP destroyed the Sunbeam, leaving them motoring around the map aimlessly until the radio calls ran out and they lost interest. There's no good reason why about a third of the players who had the dedication to build a Cyclops wouldn't also have had the dedication to explore the Lost River. For whatever it's worth, I don't think this would be all that difficult to solve, either.
Long version: for the record, I just finished the game and I love it; it's in my lifetime Top 100. That said, looking at the plot-based achievements, it's interesting (i) that only 8.5% of players finished the game, and (ii) that the biggest drop-off occurs between players jumping in the water and players building their first crude seabase, which shouldn't be separated by very much gameplay.
https://steamcommunity.com/stats/264710/achievements
75% of players jump in the water, which I assume means 25% of players bought it on sale and haven't installed, or finished playing during the beta before achievements activated. But only 48% of players built a basic seabase which means that fully a third of all players who bought this game, installed it, and jumped in the water, quit before engaging in one of the first and most basic, satisfying activities.
There's no guarantee they all quit for the same reason, but I can't help noticing that the drop-off happened at a point that nearly caused me to quit for good, too. I was careful to read the survival guide on my PDA, which mentions the importance of building a seabase, I wanted to build a seabase because it seemed like a cool thing to do, and I desperately needed the storage. But looking at the menu in the Habitat Builder, it was not at all clear that a single tube section is, totally alone, a functioning base within which I could build storage lockers.
The "Quick Start Guide" in the data entry for the Habitat Builder mentioned starting with a basic compartment, but I never even saw that data entry. As careful as I was to read data entries throughout the game, it never occurred to me that the description for my basic tools would contain critical plot instructions. Without any size reference and without knowing that a tube would grow supports when placed, I assumed when I reviewed the building menu that I was looking at passageways between functional rooms, not freestanding structures - useless on their own. I tried to wait until I found a room module, which of course takes a good 1-2 hours before stumbling across the multipurpose room blueprint on the floating island. During those 1-2 hours, frustration is mounting quickly: since the player's instinct is to collect everything in sight, the lifepod's storage fills up almost immediately, and no seabase means managing a bunch of tiny floating storage lockers. That frustration is going to lead less invested players to quit.
Some reading this might roll their eyes and call me an idiot, but I'm just going to point at that 33% drop-off in players who bought the game, installed it, booted it up, and then quit before attempting one of the most basic, satisfying aspects of the game. Beginnings are such delicate times, to steal a line from Dune. You want a player to build a crude seabase as quickly as possible to keep the logistics functioning and the cycle of positive emotions flowing, and for that, you need to make it more obvious that a tube alone is good enough for those players who don't read a tool description.
The solution is straightforward and will take very little effort. (i) In the PDA's Survival Checklist entry, amend step #8 to read "Find or construct a more permanent habitat (refer to Quick Start Guide)". Make the Quick Start Guide a PDA entry that you start the game with. If you want to really drive it home, include a little illustration in the QSG entry of a single-tube base with a hatch, solar panel, and struts coming out the bottom, to help the player visualize what they're being told to do and avoid confusion about the role of foundations (not actually necessary).
If you really want to take a swing at the problem for those players who aren't natural readers or paying close attention to their PDA, you could make "Step 1" more visually obvious by inserting an entirely separate tab in the Habitat Builder's menus titled "Emergency Shelter", with a single entry: a linear tube section with a hatch on one end and a solar panel on the roof. Make it cost the same as all those items separately.
P.S. The second-biggest drop-off is in players who never find the Disease Research Facility. Although I had no trouble with this, I've heard anecdotally that many players either didn't scan the item in the QEP that gives the necessary guidance, or forgot to read that databank entry in all the excitement, and had no clue what to do after the QEP destroyed the Sunbeam, leaving them motoring around the map aimlessly until the radio calls ran out and they lost interest. There's no good reason why about a third of the players who had the dedication to build a Cyclops wouldn't also have had the dedication to explore the Lost River. For whatever it's worth, I don't think this would be all that difficult to solve, either.
Re: How We Approach Story - Subnautica
Unknownworlds sounds like such a good place to work at, you guys are really putting effort in on the stuff that matters and refining the key details that will impact user expierence as a whole which brings a smile to my face. Everytime I see an update for this game it's not like you guys are shooting for some sub-par content but you're going for the whole enchilada. Keep on doing what you do best !
Re: How We Approach Story - Subnautica
Looking forward to seeing how it all shapes up, and I'm glad that Marg is staying! (She's a bit too unforgettable to leave out!) Will we be hearing what happened to Ryley after returning, at all? I know he doesn't necessarily have Robin's 'working inner life', but a lot of people have got very fond of him despite his canonical traits being 'dumbass and hair gel'.
Re: Bulkhead animation not playing after 2 days of playtime
I have the exact same issue. I read about bases being too big on a grid, but my base was working perfectly before, and I didn't make any animations. I just started the game and the bug was there.
Re: How We Approach Story - Subnautica
I can't wait to play the new update when it releases
Re: How We Approach Story - Subnautica
it's always satisfying to read something like this, peak behind the curtain of game developers, especially story development. thanks for this blog entry and I can't wait for new updates, both in the game and as development posts.
Re: Subnautica Xbox Update 1.0.0.32 Released! - Subnautica
Saving bug still not letting me save... icon just spins in the corner of screen never ending. I can still play the game. Just can’t save. Also when I try to quit the game through the menu it will not exit. I have to restart the Xbox. I was so hoping this update was going to fix it. I feel so empty inside...
Re: Glacial basin mapping
The pathfinder tool works above sea level as well, although the use is limited. The signs will block your movement and will constantly glitch through the texture of the surface (the latter is the same with flares or beacons).
What I don't like about the pathfinder tool: The player won't discover the glacial basin on foot. The snowfox is available right away. But to constantly hop on and off your hoverbike to place another marker is way too tedious for my taste. That's why I would prefer this to be a snowfox mod.
What I don't like about the pathfinder tool: The player won't discover the glacial basin on foot. The snowfox is available right away. But to constantly hop on and off your hoverbike to place another marker is way too tedious for my taste. That's why I would prefer this to be a snowfox mod.
Re: Why I'm not happy with the new story set up for Below Zero (and other small nitpicks) [Spoilers]
My concerns isn't how Marguerit survives the leviathan. That's a piece of cake. Any explaination will do. A story could easily have her survive being swallowed alive. And in regard of getting to the artic region, a 'finding nemo'-like hitchhike on a turtle or whale would do. So not that hard to pull off.
Nevertheless though, it makes no sense that she survived the kharaa bacterium for more than 10 years (the time between the Degasi and the Aurora). Architect data states that the infection takes days (peepers) or weeks until it becomes fatal.
The Sunbeam took more than a week to get to 4546B, so Ryley is already pretty lucky. But even if we assume that Ryley had significantly more time due to the peeper enzymes, it just adds to how long Marguerit had to survive the infection. Not to mention that it takes a huge amount of time until such a cure would spread all across the planet.
But the more important question is: For what purpose did Marguerit survive? To have a badass character in the game? (so something like the 'Avatar' movie antagonist).
Or to give us something or someone that reminds us of the first game... aside from all the habitat pieces, most of the flora and fauna? Heck, as fas as we know, AL-AN could be the second class scientist that downloaded a corrupt file, got stood up to 4546B in order to find a vaccine and who uploaded his mind once the containment broke and kharaa went viral... maybe he's the reason why their quarantine failed in the first place.
But like I stated earlier: Another reason why I don't like Marguerit to be in BelowZero is that it diminishes the work of Bart Torgal. It shows that Marguerit's concept of fighting everything and everyone rather than trying to understand what's going on actually turns out to be the only successful strategy ... and that Bart's curiocity and inventiveness was not.
"What's the point of surviving here, if we have to kill everything that makes this world so wonderful" - Bart Torgal.
Nevertheless though, it makes no sense that she survived the kharaa bacterium for more than 10 years (the time between the Degasi and the Aurora). Architect data states that the infection takes days (peepers) or weeks until it becomes fatal.
The Sunbeam took more than a week to get to 4546B, so Ryley is already pretty lucky. But even if we assume that Ryley had significantly more time due to the peeper enzymes, it just adds to how long Marguerit had to survive the infection. Not to mention that it takes a huge amount of time until such a cure would spread all across the planet.
But the more important question is: For what purpose did Marguerit survive? To have a badass character in the game? (so something like the 'Avatar' movie antagonist).
Or to give us something or someone that reminds us of the first game... aside from all the habitat pieces, most of the flora and fauna? Heck, as fas as we know, AL-AN could be the second class scientist that downloaded a corrupt file, got stood up to 4546B in order to find a vaccine and who uploaded his mind once the containment broke and kharaa went viral... maybe he's the reason why their quarantine failed in the first place.
But like I stated earlier: Another reason why I don't like Marguerit to be in BelowZero is that it diminishes the work of Bart Torgal. It shows that Marguerit's concept of fighting everything and everyone rather than trying to understand what's going on actually turns out to be the only successful strategy ... and that Bart's curiocity and inventiveness was not.
"What's the point of surviving here, if we have to kill everything that makes this world so wonderful" - Bart Torgal.