Live reference for ROV concept

Aeroflux

http://www.nautiluslive.org/

They are diving on the Deepwater site right now, live. This really hits home on the possible ROV experience. One could even make a mini-game out of it for materials or environments too hostile or deep for any manned vehicle. This could also be a really awesome fit for the Oculus Rift, giving a plausible reason for a full spherical camera on a 1:1 with head orientation.

Kodasa

The actual footage itself is pretty meh, not a whole lot to look at in terms of the sea floor. However I see what you mean as a live reference for the ROV concept and it'd certainly be interesting. There is potential to have small ROVs contained in torpedo style docking tubes in one side of the cyclops, and perhaps tie the controls into one of the monitors inside of the cyclops.

I would refrain from calling it a mini-game, I don't think subnautica needs arcade style minigames with QTEs and what not, I think it would be more like piloting the seamoth without most of the screen obscured by a steering wheel, limited to a tethered range or signal range, and capable of greater utility than the seamoth, with robotic arms for breaking limestone chunks or collecting resources from the sea floor. The ROVs could also feature enhanced durability, perhaps allowing exploration into areas like active geothermal vents and such.

Aeroflux

I find it hypnotizing for some reason. Maybe it's the casual banter among a professional crew. I've always wondered what an exploratory ROV operation would flow like.

I certainly agree with you on the inappropriate usage of mini-game, it was an 'off the cuff' musing. I was thinking of a game within a game; an experience or mode that feels different from the submarines...maybe with a bit greater fidelity of control to maneuver in really tight spots with ease. Allowing the camera view to be toggled between linked and free (like a tank) would be nice as well.

I like the notion of gameplay with control arms on the ROV...in a certain way that constitutes the old mini-arcade game of the classic grabber. The difference would be fine controls instead of a clumsy claw with a single button for grabbing something. My palms were sweating as the operator tried to touch the arm of a coral with a wiffle ball for size reference. Some of these coral were mentioned to be over 600 years old! Of course that isn't much compared to other specimens which are thousands of years old, but still it would give me pause for thought. A similar motivator could really drive that suspense in Subnautica. A group of sleeping crashers, for example.

En9a9e

Great share on the Nautilus link Aero, I've been watching for a while now. Fascinating and exciting stuff...especially when that whale showed up!