Underwater Tribulations
UncleCrunch
Mayonnaise land Join Date: 2005-02-16 Member: 41365Members, Reinforced - Onos
Mayonnaise land Join Date: 2005-02-16 Member: 41365Members, Reinforced - Onos
Hi,
I left a little while ago to leave SN alone and see what's going on when i come back. It's only my opinion and feelings to provide a feedback. A feedback a little more complex than what we can do (F8). I know it"s an under development thing. But you'll get the point as you read.
So the thing was to start a "freedom" game to focus on exploring (get into it) and not surviving.
1 - Thrown in
Waking up in the life pod i decide to start to explore. immediately, i got the attention of a predator that chased me. I thought "Ok i'm gonna build a knife". It's logical in this kind of scenario. No survivalist gets out without a knife anyways. The thing is this particular predator did not stop to chase me even when i was in the life pod, or wandering in the area. He was locked on me apparently. He was so annoying (not dangerous as i could shake it off with clever maneuvers) that i had to move the life pod somewhere else. Plus i wanted to dig a hole in the sand to build a nest. So i had to find a sand area. I moved not far from the initial location
2 - Digging my nest
I wanted to be able to build without writing on a paper the grocery list. No pen, no paper, all in the computer. As the inventory isn't unlimited i wanted to store some items. "Metal" was one of my preoccupation as it is a pain in the ass to transport (4 units in the inventory) and as the lifeforms are transporting it to their territory (stealing?). My plan was to collect as much as possible all the goods i could and sort things out in my nest. The nest also provided a protection from these predators that can't get inside. So they can't steal my stuff.
So i divided my nest in 4 sections to store different type of things. Metal would have its own section as it requires more space in the 3D world.
3 - Exploring
No map, no compass (because no copper- you'll see why). I started to explore like that. Getting more metal to build tanks, finding what's needed to travel faster (fins, Seaglide). Then i soon realized that the deeper i go, the faster i 'burn' oxygen that explains the 3 tanks in the inventory. So i started to use pipes to ease the pain. Still; i had to explore not really knowing where i was going. One time or two, i think i explored 2 times the same areas.
4 - Bob the Plumber
Then i decided to use the pipes as a routing device in order to be able to explore more efficiently. 1 I could have all the oxygen i wanted without getting to the surface. 2 i could continue from where i left. 3 it's a rudimentary mapping device.
5 - Greedy bastard
So I was collecting stuff with my new exploring methods. Bringing back as much as i could the goods needed to build anything i wanted. Then i noticed something. The metal was disappearing from my nest. "Who da hell stole my sh**!!!!". I did what any men would do. Take a knife and make some kills. At least it will give me some "carbon". It is obvious that it was the system that was "recycling" the items.
The solution was to find something that would make "metal" last. So i had to build storage cubes in order to store "metal". The thing is that the storage is built with metal... Ok... Fine.
6 - The last ingredients
In many situation i could not build the big items (Constructor, Seamoth, etc). I needed copper and the "special parts". I didn't find the required items needed in the 3 direction i explored, i decided to create the 4th direction with more pipes. This one was leading to the starting point.
7 - Damn, so many things !
I realized that the starting point was one the most deep (close to the starting point) but also the most interesting : caves with gold and unobtainium but also cooper and special parts. One cave leading to a mini-volcano. "I'm gonna have a seamoth; I'm gonna have a seamoth"...
I finally built the thing.
Then it's the end of he story as there is not much to do in the game for now.
What's interesting to notice
-The life pod protects you but do not make predators go away. I think it would be good to see that happen. For the obvious reason you can struggle somewhere else while all the easy stuff is right under the starting point.
-Surviving is : finding water, food and shelter (security). The shelter part isn't really addressed yet. Building an observatory won't do the trick. Maybe the Cyclop but i didn't find the special part. Anyways, building a base is essential to the survival stuff. It was a little frustrating to nest in the sand. Of course the game has to provide some kind of difficulty in order to achieve the "dream underwater station". So maybe a upgrade system requiring more and more rare materials would do the trick.
-When you are set, you start to try to improve. Right now there is nothing about that in the game. Again a upgrade system would help seeking new stuff. Like fins for example. Better fins, Seaglide more powerful, Tanks more efficient to store more oxygen etc... I think this is just inserting new entries in the tech tree (i hope), it seem logical to do it like that.
-Mapping is way more needed than anything when visibility is reduced, like underwater. The beacon devices are ok for a while. What about using new devices like little robot ? Depending on the upgrade level they could detect more and more. It would still cost some, could be lost in radioactive areas or hit by a predator.
Practical things
Inventory - equipment
The knife definitely takes too much space while other things should take more, etc. There is obviously an issue there. it's just annoying to deal with inventory when it is too small.
1 reason for now. You can't equip the character with what you build. You leave it in the inventory and it takes space even if fins are supposed to be on your feet. Same for the seaglide. Instead of a device it would be fairly reasonable to attach small devices on the legs. Especially when the Seaglide or other things are blocking the view. You can't look down.
The Morrowind interface was good for that. The character was on the side and you could see what it wears and you could equip/unequip things.
World generation
Obviously the map isn't generated completely by procedural algorithm. Maybe Semi-procedural. There's an end that we reach fast enough to be able to notice it.
Distance
Hiding distance is too short. I left 3 cubes on the bottom of my base. If i go to the surface and look down, i see only one while i see the sand under the box(es).
Bug
Some fishes just hang or are stuck on a 3D face. You take it, release it and it behave normally.
Seatmoth - annoying to pilot
No inverted mouse. We can't see anything. The bubble (glass) should be on the bottom as we're more occupied with what's on the ground. Same for every device BTW. It takes too much space on the screen. You can't look down.
Bug that can't be submitted with F8
I left a little while ago to leave SN alone and see what's going on when i come back. It's only my opinion and feelings to provide a feedback. A feedback a little more complex than what we can do (F8). I know it"s an under development thing. But you'll get the point as you read.
So the thing was to start a "freedom" game to focus on exploring (get into it) and not surviving.
1 - Thrown in
Waking up in the life pod i decide to start to explore. immediately, i got the attention of a predator that chased me. I thought "Ok i'm gonna build a knife". It's logical in this kind of scenario. No survivalist gets out without a knife anyways. The thing is this particular predator did not stop to chase me even when i was in the life pod, or wandering in the area. He was locked on me apparently. He was so annoying (not dangerous as i could shake it off with clever maneuvers) that i had to move the life pod somewhere else. Plus i wanted to dig a hole in the sand to build a nest. So i had to find a sand area. I moved not far from the initial location
2 - Digging my nest
I wanted to be able to build without writing on a paper the grocery list. No pen, no paper, all in the computer. As the inventory isn't unlimited i wanted to store some items. "Metal" was one of my preoccupation as it is a pain in the ass to transport (4 units in the inventory) and as the lifeforms are transporting it to their territory (stealing?). My plan was to collect as much as possible all the goods i could and sort things out in my nest. The nest also provided a protection from these predators that can't get inside. So they can't steal my stuff.
So i divided my nest in 4 sections to store different type of things. Metal would have its own section as it requires more space in the 3D world.
3 - Exploring
No map, no compass (because no copper- you'll see why). I started to explore like that. Getting more metal to build tanks, finding what's needed to travel faster (fins, Seaglide). Then i soon realized that the deeper i go, the faster i 'burn' oxygen that explains the 3 tanks in the inventory. So i started to use pipes to ease the pain. Still; i had to explore not really knowing where i was going. One time or two, i think i explored 2 times the same areas.
4 - Bob the Plumber
Then i decided to use the pipes as a routing device in order to be able to explore more efficiently. 1 I could have all the oxygen i wanted without getting to the surface. 2 i could continue from where i left. 3 it's a rudimentary mapping device.
5 - Greedy bastard
So I was collecting stuff with my new exploring methods. Bringing back as much as i could the goods needed to build anything i wanted. Then i noticed something. The metal was disappearing from my nest. "Who da hell stole my sh**!!!!". I did what any men would do. Take a knife and make some kills. At least it will give me some "carbon". It is obvious that it was the system that was "recycling" the items.
The solution was to find something that would make "metal" last. So i had to build storage cubes in order to store "metal". The thing is that the storage is built with metal... Ok... Fine.
6 - The last ingredients
In many situation i could not build the big items (Constructor, Seamoth, etc). I needed copper and the "special parts". I didn't find the required items needed in the 3 direction i explored, i decided to create the 4th direction with more pipes. This one was leading to the starting point.
7 - Damn, so many things !
I realized that the starting point was one the most deep (close to the starting point) but also the most interesting : caves with gold and unobtainium but also cooper and special parts. One cave leading to a mini-volcano. "I'm gonna have a seamoth; I'm gonna have a seamoth"...
I finally built the thing.
Then it's the end of he story as there is not much to do in the game for now.
What's interesting to notice
-The life pod protects you but do not make predators go away. I think it would be good to see that happen. For the obvious reason you can struggle somewhere else while all the easy stuff is right under the starting point.
-Surviving is : finding water, food and shelter (security). The shelter part isn't really addressed yet. Building an observatory won't do the trick. Maybe the Cyclop but i didn't find the special part. Anyways, building a base is essential to the survival stuff. It was a little frustrating to nest in the sand. Of course the game has to provide some kind of difficulty in order to achieve the "dream underwater station". So maybe a upgrade system requiring more and more rare materials would do the trick.
-When you are set, you start to try to improve. Right now there is nothing about that in the game. Again a upgrade system would help seeking new stuff. Like fins for example. Better fins, Seaglide more powerful, Tanks more efficient to store more oxygen etc... I think this is just inserting new entries in the tech tree (i hope), it seem logical to do it like that.
-Mapping is way more needed than anything when visibility is reduced, like underwater. The beacon devices are ok for a while. What about using new devices like little robot ? Depending on the upgrade level they could detect more and more. It would still cost some, could be lost in radioactive areas or hit by a predator.
Practical things
Inventory - equipment
The knife definitely takes too much space while other things should take more, etc. There is obviously an issue there. it's just annoying to deal with inventory when it is too small.
1 reason for now. You can't equip the character with what you build. You leave it in the inventory and it takes space even if fins are supposed to be on your feet. Same for the seaglide. Instead of a device it would be fairly reasonable to attach small devices on the legs. Especially when the Seaglide or other things are blocking the view. You can't look down.
The Morrowind interface was good for that. The character was on the side and you could see what it wears and you could equip/unequip things.
World generation
Obviously the map isn't generated completely by procedural algorithm. Maybe Semi-procedural. There's an end that we reach fast enough to be able to notice it.
Distance
Hiding distance is too short. I left 3 cubes on the bottom of my base. If i go to the surface and look down, i see only one while i see the sand under the box(es).
Bug
Some fishes just hang or are stuck on a 3D face. You take it, release it and it behave normally.
Seatmoth - annoying to pilot
No inverted mouse. We can't see anything. The bubble (glass) should be on the bottom as we're more occupied with what's on the ground. Same for every device BTW. It takes too much space on the screen. You can't look down.
Bug that can't be submitted with F8
I finally found the none element...
Comments