Survival, sure, but this is a slightly different survival game, a little more Long Dark than Don't Starve. The environment is what's most likely going to kill you at any given time, the fish are just there to bump you around a little and mind your manners. The farther you are from the surface, the bigger the risk you're taking. Not because of the bigger things out there that can bite you, but because of the reduced visibility, ease of becoming disoriented, and the inability to simply 'surface' to safety to collect yourself if you misjudge your air supply. Sure, you can build a base, but the only reasonable place to put one is in proximity to food (and/or power) sources. You still have to risk and roam. Case in point: the knife is the only lethal weapon you possess. UWE knows guns well enough from NS, and it seems fairly obvious there's no intention for the player to 'go commando to defend against giant alien fishmonsters'. Doesn't mean there won't be any, just that they won't be more dangerous than your O2 meter unless you're completely out of your tier.
Hell, I die and loose oodles of stuff 'cause i underestimate how far the kelp beds are from the surface all the time, or how long a tunnel is. Once you go below 50m, things get interesting. It seems Oxygen doesn't last as long at higher depths too, which can make it hard to judge how much time you have.
O2 doesn't last as long in deeper depths because of pressure, further you are down the more pressure that gets applied to the body which makes it harder for your body to extract O2 which means you have to consume more of your supply to compensate for it.
True, and it doesn't seem like the air tanks are pressurized either. +30s at shallow depths is fairly obvious that there's no pressure or regulator involved, more like a small diving bell.
After a lot more playtesting, I'm finding Quartz to be a major problem. It's only really located in the shallows and associated cave systems, but it's needed in such huge quantities over time that it's easy to deplete the starting environs early and be left with little to no options later. It's more valuable to me than silver at this point. At least I know I can find more than I need of that.
I still think Sand should be brought back for silicone, and to cut Glass down to 2 Quartz. Between that and the planned salt-cut, I think the game would be perfectly set up to focus on bigger things than shallows-scavenging.
I don't mind things not respawning, but that just means the basics need to be everywhere to sustain play, or a Push order on self-sustainability mechanics to replace scavenging. Not saying it needs to be fixed now, just needs to be fixed. Trying to get a cyclops together on Survival now is a bit like playing solitaire. Good way to blow an hour or two, but no guarantee of success without cheating.
Usually after the game crashes and I realize I'd been doing Missing Persons Sweeps through the same territory for an hour looking for X resource, it's time to start a new game and try again instead of reloading.
It took some getting used (per the material changes) to but I really like the way this new system has slowed the game down and helped give more coherence to progression. I still think that the sea glide should be harder to make so that flippers seem more relevant for a longer period of time... especially now that you spend more time early on harvesting, exploring, and admiring the safe shallows. (flippers could use just a tiny speed boost tweak as well imo) Even as I start over again with new games, I still really enjoy that early part of the safe shallows and it's even better now that there is more of a build up before venturing out beyond it. I always really liked the part where the bioluminescence revealed at night makes it feel like a whole new exotic world in the exact same region. The way that quartz is more integral to crafting now and then how it is harder to find in the day but glows at night for easier finding is really cool.
Something i always need in Seamoth is a HSI (Horizontal situation indicator) helps pilots know whats up or down left or right tilt,it will add to the game both practical and for immersion purposes.
Small steps to glory,keep up the good work guys.
Comments
Hell, I die and loose oodles of stuff 'cause i underestimate how far the kelp beds are from the surface all the time, or how long a tunnel is. Once you go below 50m, things get interesting. It seems Oxygen doesn't last as long at higher depths too, which can make it hard to judge how much time you have.
I still think Sand should be brought back for silicone, and to cut Glass down to 2 Quartz. Between that and the planned salt-cut, I think the game would be perfectly set up to focus on bigger things than shallows-scavenging.
Usually after the game crashes and I realize I'd been doing Missing Persons Sweeps through the same territory for an hour looking for X resource, it's time to start a new game and try again instead of reloading.
Small steps to glory,keep up the good work guys.