Idea to encourage players to go to the LR while keeping the crash zone passage open

kingkuma

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Ok, as you probably know, there's a HUGE fight over whether to keep the crash zone passage open, or close it to make players go through the LR (lost river.)

Here's how you can do both:

You know those unused keys? These ones?:
and?

Well, we (as in the devs) could use one of these (preferably red) to unlock the PTPG. They could put it in a room in the LR which you need a purple key to unlock and this would make players go to the LR. Also, this artifact could be the stage 4 trigger event. This way, they can keep the crash zone entrance open, and make players go to the LR. That's my Idea.

Kingkuma out.
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Timelord_Fred

I didn't even know there was an entrance in the crash zone. I always use the Lost River.

zetachron

Had some thoughts like this too. But like that:

Purple keys unlock the QEP, LR and other minor facilities.
Orange keys unlock the TPG.
Blue keys unlock the PCF.

In any case the keys could be used as gating and path forcing mechanisms without feeling forced. The player will just stand before locked gates if he didn't find the according keys. But using more keys means less need to fabricate them, so 3-4 might be enough:

• purple for QEP and caches
• orange for LR research (found at DGR)
• red for TPG (found at LR or even better a Degassi PDA mentions a sunk Cyclops wreck that shipped a red but was lost trying to get back from the lava zone to the LR and the player has to find a sunken wreck in the acid pools of the Lost River with a Ghost Leviathan circiling above)
• blue for PCF (found at TPG, but we need an alien code with alien symbol keypad, or we have more deadly Precursor guards and not that laughable robospiders; maybe an alarm will spawn dozens of deadly robo spiders?)

Sam_Starfall

Just wanted to mention that I first discovered the ILZ by entering by the Crash zone.
It happened when I was scanning the seafloor with sonar and wondered how far down it went, then I saw an entrance to a clearly different biome.
It was kind of tricky to maneuver in. (or why I which the Cyclop had some limited strafe ability)

jamintheinfinite_1

I like the Crash Zone one, they can keep it open, actually what if after you pick up the blue artifact and the Sea Emperor talks to you etc. once you leave the lava castle part of the Aurora will fall down and block the crash zone cave off. This can force the player to explore the rest if the biome and can let you explore a couple extra rooms in the Aurora. Now in the case some player left their cyclops or prawn there for some stupid reason, well then they are screwed for doing something so stupid.

MaxAstro

I do like that idea - springing unexpected "survival situations" on the player like "oops, the way you used to get here just got sealed off" creates good tension. As long as its handled well, anyway.

phantomfinch

It would make more scientific sence to have a current going out of the crash zone and not letti player through via the crash zone. this would explain the shape of the hole as it was a sink hole but all the debris got vented out from by the current.

The08MetroidMan

It makes more sense lore-wise as far as the creatures go, too; I honestly don't know how else something adapted to magmatic temperatures like the Sea Dragon could go through the freezing waters of the Lost River and back with their food - it makes sense for there to be an entrance from the ILZ to an area full of Reapers like the crash zone.

HopeTheSpaceTyrant

I quite like the idea of the original post. It is hard to navigate without being prepared but it is much faster than LR. Making the player go to lost river to find it would be a good idea. The mention of the cyclops wreck would be interesting too, would incorporate into lore, and allow for a a wreck in the LR. I don't assume you'd find any non-alien tec unless they put the wreck in the tree area due to acid. You know I was planning on making a base down there...