How to make the map feel "endless", and motivate deep base building
Nansen
Join Date: 2017-06-02 Member: 230896Members
Join Date: 2017-06-02 Member: 230896Members
This post is based on other post that I have read on the forum, notably the one regarding storms, and a post of possible new fauna where one was a silent killer that lurks out in the abyss. The implementations that I suggest is really easy to implement first as a test for the devs to see if it is something that they want to expand upon.
What I think Subnautica lacks the most in the base building aspect is a gamplay reason to build a base at another location than the safe shallows. The shallows is about in the middle of the map so have at average the shortest distance to any biome. Sure it is intresting to build a base another place but never needed. The poll about storms was really interesting in that it could give a reason to build a base at a more challenging location. First, having the player finding logs from the Degasi crew that the had to build a base deep for taking cover from a storm is good forshadowing. Then having a warning from the PDA that a storm is brewing that is played in time for the player to start preparing to build a base. This warning should be multi staged, and at a point that the game should know that the player have advanced enough for building base at a deeper depth (f.eks after you have found the logg from the Degasi, built a Mark 3 pressure module, and built a moonpool).
Then the PDA could inform that the player needs to be ready to be at a depth deeper thant for instance 500m for a long period (sugesting that a base is needed), and that vehicles should be stored deep as well. Gameplay wise it would not be needed that mutch coding, as in the start it could be tested with just having everything over 500m deep take damage as if a seamoth diving deeper that it should, (including the player and bases). Bases should not be completly destroyed, but made unhabitable during that storm, and needed to be repeared after the player return. This makes for a cool atmospheric and gamplay twist to the game.
Another change they should add is a more natural edge of the world. Yes suddenly it is a really steep cliff, which you can go past and far down, but it feels like "past this point all is empty, we have not developed anything past this turn back". A really easy implementation to the game could change this completely. Add a silent (or loud predator that lurks in these waters. What makes the ocean scary for me is the idea of having open water on all sides deep down, with no land or seabed, where you feel vulnerable from every direction. To test this you could just add a reaper with a black skinn model, without its scream, that is faster and better at killing the player or the cyclops etc. This would make the edge of the world not stopp the player out of boredom, but out of fear, and that it is impossible to travel there for a long period of time without dying. This would make the map feel bigger and "endless" without expanding it.
For me personally subnautica is really god at immersion, which is one of its strongest aspects. When I discovered the end of the map, it took me out of the experience in anther way than bugs do, because all i thought was, ok this is the end of the map, which is driving the feeling that you have seen it all making you feel finished with the game. Another thing for me was when I had restared the game for the 2nd time, and built my base just as a deamed it, with all the things you could build. Then what to do next? The story of escaping the planet does not appeal to me since it is working towards ending the game. Exploring the ecosystems, and finding a way to sustain myself is what that motivated me. When the base was built just grinding for resources without a purpose makes you go tired, instead of having to create your own goals the storms could make it more interesting.
What I think Subnautica lacks the most in the base building aspect is a gamplay reason to build a base at another location than the safe shallows. The shallows is about in the middle of the map so have at average the shortest distance to any biome. Sure it is intresting to build a base another place but never needed. The poll about storms was really interesting in that it could give a reason to build a base at a more challenging location. First, having the player finding logs from the Degasi crew that the had to build a base deep for taking cover from a storm is good forshadowing. Then having a warning from the PDA that a storm is brewing that is played in time for the player to start preparing to build a base. This warning should be multi staged, and at a point that the game should know that the player have advanced enough for building base at a deeper depth (f.eks after you have found the logg from the Degasi, built a Mark 3 pressure module, and built a moonpool).
Then the PDA could inform that the player needs to be ready to be at a depth deeper thant for instance 500m for a long period (sugesting that a base is needed), and that vehicles should be stored deep as well. Gameplay wise it would not be needed that mutch coding, as in the start it could be tested with just having everything over 500m deep take damage as if a seamoth diving deeper that it should, (including the player and bases). Bases should not be completly destroyed, but made unhabitable during that storm, and needed to be repeared after the player return. This makes for a cool atmospheric and gamplay twist to the game.
Another change they should add is a more natural edge of the world. Yes suddenly it is a really steep cliff, which you can go past and far down, but it feels like "past this point all is empty, we have not developed anything past this turn back". A really easy implementation to the game could change this completely. Add a silent (or loud predator that lurks in these waters. What makes the ocean scary for me is the idea of having open water on all sides deep down, with no land or seabed, where you feel vulnerable from every direction. To test this you could just add a reaper with a black skinn model, without its scream, that is faster and better at killing the player or the cyclops etc. This would make the edge of the world not stopp the player out of boredom, but out of fear, and that it is impossible to travel there for a long period of time without dying. This would make the map feel bigger and "endless" without expanding it.
For me personally subnautica is really god at immersion, which is one of its strongest aspects. When I discovered the end of the map, it took me out of the experience in anther way than bugs do, because all i thought was, ok this is the end of the map, which is driving the feeling that you have seen it all making you feel finished with the game. Another thing for me was when I had restared the game for the 2nd time, and built my base just as a deamed it, with all the things you could build. Then what to do next? The story of escaping the planet does not appeal to me since it is working towards ending the game. Exploring the ecosystems, and finding a way to sustain myself is what that motivated me. When the base was built just grinding for resources without a purpose makes you go tired, instead of having to create your own goals the storms could make it more interesting.
Comments
I like the storms idea though, totally agree. You can use the Cyclops and Prawn to get down to the endgame and then you have warp gates, no need to build a base unless you want to shorten your journey even more and just build one near a warp gate. The only other reason to build elsewhere (apart from the challenge) is to build Scanner Rooms in interesting places to map the topography. Underwater Islands is my favourite.
The void is supposed to be empty. The devs don't want you to be there. Adding a predator would make people want to go their. I always think of the void as what lies beyond the shallow area that is the playable map. It's probably one of the only areas on the planet with a surface this shallow. The rest is most likely a deeeeeeep area kinda like the marina trench on steroids, containing creatures that could eat the Sea Dragon in a bite.
@Timelord_Fred well I do understand that the developers dont want the player to be at the void. What I was suggesting was not a new biome (but a void biome would be cool if they got the time), but just a predator at the excisting void that would make it kinda like a natural buffer. In Boarderlands you just die if you go outside the map automatic, but having you being stalked and killed in something like 1-10minutes would make you feel like you COULD go there, but should not. Now you just dont go there because you know it is nothing there. Though I am wondering what @Lulzes said is there.
I do not mean that you need to move your base, just to build at least a new smaller one deep down. Your old base would not be destroyed, but just unlivable during the strorm.
For anyone interested: Go into the steam library, right click Subnautica and pick properties, change it under the Betas tab.
I think maybe some sort of slime bubbling up that increases in density until you can't push through it, but not solid enough to stand on would be my ideal edge. I don't want to lose a cyclopes because I'm hauling across the surface and don't notice where I'm at specifically.
Edit: It does sound like a memorable event though, especially if I can scoot back to safety.
You didn't read the link I posted. Ghost Leviathnas have been added to the Void in the latest Experimental. Also they don't just swim around, they spawn just to attack you if you go there.
Why would that make people want to go there?
Do you play on Xbox? Regardless, you can try it with your laptop, it should just slow down, or worst case, power off, to prevent any overheat damage. Post the specs (link to Speccy in my signature, use that and export / publish your specs, then post the link, or use one of the others in my sig) and we'll see, it might do alright, you never know.
To see how far/long they can go into the void
I'm gonna build an I-Corridor highway above the water that extends far into the Void, just so I can wave and spit at the Ghost Leviathans. As they churn the water and roar angrily at me, they're unable to keep me from exploring the endless secrets of the deep they want to protect.
Why do all this, you may ask? Well... why not?
That seems a rather odd thing to say about a game about the ocean... In my opinion, if you don't have to build more bases deeper in the ocean to progress in the game, then the developers did something wrong.
I agree, players should be encouraged to build deeper. Maybe not to the point of being required to progress, but at the very least strongly encouraged.
Unlike the OP, I feel that this encouragement should be positive rather than negative. In other words, rather than penalizing the player if they don't build deeper, the player should receive some sort of bonus or advantage for doing so.
As a carrot, I can think of including a new kind of valuable farmable resource which can only be nurtured in at, say, deeper than 500m.
Also comes a mind - an idea of a biotic(?) another bug you can take that will supress the Carar in your system. It doesn't cure, but whilst active the Warpers ignore you. The bugs in this stuff flourish at high pressure, so after you spend a while up top you might need to make up a new batch.
As a stick, I like the idea of storms discussed. I agree it's too harsh to have your shallows base totally wrecked. The shallows are the jewel in the crown, and it might be a bad idea to discourage players from returning there. How about a mechanic that causes continual base-flooding during a storm? You can still hangout there, but you'll get pretty tired of running about with repair tool. For this to motivate player the storm would have to last quite a while. Perhaps with weather they should introduce a 'storm season'? Your shallows base would then become your summer residence.
Of course, this is my opinion of how the beginnings of the void could start and have a gradual slope down into the greater depths of the ocean.
Is a map for the ILZ really that necessary? It's basically one giant circular hub with a little stub where the LR connects to it, now that they've cut out the Dunes, Crash Zone, and Deep Grand entrances to it - there's really not much to map since without the additional pathways and corridors it's simple and easy to understand.
I'd still like to see that though, always loved using the Scanner room to see the world around me like that~ I just... Don't think it'd have the same effect now that the ILZ's been reduced in size somewhat. Maybe in the future they might make additional IL zones separate from the main one, or add back the removed ones. Former's more likely than the latter I imagine... Or maybe we can get a map editor some day in the distant future and we can carve out our own stuff xD