Day / night cycle far to quick - slow down or option slider?

Hyp3rionHyp3rion Australia Join Date: 2015-03-21 Member: 202396Members
So I've noticed for a while now and especially over the past 3-4 versions that the day and night cycle flows along at a pretty rapid pace which frankly is immersion breaking for me. Not so much as in a reality sense but just that I am constantly noticing how fast it changes from day to night and back again, how fast the clouds, sun, moon and orbiting planet / moon all move in the sky and that it's taking me out of the game because it makes the game feel like it's in fast forward and I don't actually have the time enjoy a more leisurely pace in the game world.

The whole game actually has this fast forward feel currently, from being able to literally watch my hunger and thirst values tumble by the minute (thirst drops from 100% to 99% within a second of drinking enough to top you up and more) and as I just said in another thread, after 1.5 hours into a fresh survival mode game I already have most tools, a Seaglide, a radiation suit and rebreather and enough resources already stored to make a Seamoth and Cyclops once Ive finished scanning enough fragments.

I am going to assume that this is actually to help play test the game currently as it's nearing a proper release state and so I'm submitting this more as feedback that I hope once released, the game will slow down by at least 80% if not a lot more and it would even be great if you could customise the time scale (within limits) to your own tastes via the in game options as obviously everyone will have their own preferences and feel for how quick the game should move along and also how it aligns personally with the time they have to devote to this single player experience.

I myself don't have a heap of time currently to play this beautiful game with a baby to help raise and I would prefer to spend more tim in Subnautica exploring, base building and generally taking in the sights rather than constantly restocking my food and water suppy every 10-20 minutes. I like the hunger and thirst gameplay but feel currently that it is overiding and getting in the way to often of other gameplay I am far more interested in.

What do others think?

- Hyp3rion

Comments

  • OsydiusOsydius France Join Date: 2015-09-19 Member: 208031Members
    Yes I agree.

    I would love to see the day/night cycle be about 50% slower, and for hunger/thrist to decrease by about the same margin.
  • Racer1Racer1 Join Date: 2002-11-22 Member: 9615Members
    Hyp3rion wrote: »
    ... I would prefer to spend more tim in Subnautica exploring, base building and generally taking in the sights rather than constantly restocking my food and water suppy every 10-20 minutes. I like the hunger and thirst gameplay but feel currently that it is overiding and getting in the way to often of other gameplay I am far more interested in.
    Hence Freedom and Creative modes.

  • WheeljackWheeljack Chilling in the Grand Reef Join Date: 2016-03-17 Member: 214338Members
    I'm all for a longer day/night cycle and slowing down the sky in general. It feels like we're on a spinning top when you look up.

    A food and water change I'm more eh about. It's easy enough to manage with a well stocked aquarium, and long expeditions just need prior planning as far as needs are concerned. I wait til my needs are almost bottomed out before eating and drinking. Gives me more time and just requires I bring the best food and water. Works pretty well for me.
  • Calarand77Calarand77 lurking in general forums Join Date: 2016-01-22 Member: 211786Members
    Personally, I rather like the quick day-night cycle. It only further enhances the feeling that I'm exploring an alien planet. Also, if I can witness three solar eclipses in just one single day, the astronomer in me is more than happy.

    I agree with @Wheeljack about food. Granted, the beginnings right after the crash are a bit straining before you establish a base and learn how to survive, but that's part of the fun, I think. Later on, it's fairly easy to stock up, and even a longer expedition is not much of a problem if you plan ahead.
  • MyrmMyrm Sweden Join Date: 2015-08-16 Member: 207210Members
    I would like to see a day/night slider that governs the length of the days and nights.
  • Racer1Racer1 Join Date: 2002-11-22 Member: 9615Members
    You can slow the day-night cycle via console (e.g. 1/2 speed):
    DAYNIGHTSPEED 0.5
  • WheeljackWheeljack Chilling in the Grand Reef Join Date: 2016-03-17 Member: 214338Members
    edited April 2016
    Racer1 wrote: »
    You can slow the day-night cycle via console (e.g. 1/2 speed):
    DAYNIGHTSPEED 0.5

    I did not know you could fiddle it with via console. Thanks for sharing! I'll be giving this a go when I start up the game later. :3

    Does the change stay between saves?
  • A_BecauseA_Because Michigan, US Join Date: 2016-04-07 Member: 215469Members
    I must agree that the day/night cycle moves really quickly. I'll go into my lifepod/base for a minute or so, pop out, and it will be a completely different time of day. This really makes exploration and resource gathering a pain in the neck just because I can't see very well, so I don't know all of what's around me. Food and water are manageable, but they do seem to decrease just a little more quickly than they should.
  • Hyp3rionHyp3rion Australia Join Date: 2015-03-21 Member: 202396Members
    Racer1 wrote: »
    Hence Freedom and Creative modes.

    Sorry but I actually want the survival game mode experience, not just to have consequence free exploration and base building. Once the game actually releases Ill be starting a hardcore game. I don't mind the amount of food and water you need to collect to keep yourself fed and hydrated, it just the rate at which those values fall feel unplausibly fast. I'd be happy with something like a 50% reduction in speed of the degredation.

    Thanks for the daynightspeed command, will be sure to give it a go. Hopefully the devs will tie this to a slider in the options down the track.

    The other thing that bugs me but isn't directly related to this topic is how the sky and clouds seem to spin around the player whereever you are as this is also immersion breaking, it just looks wrong. Most of the game takes place underwater so I understand it's not the most important aspect but it is still part of building the effect of being in that world. Slowing it down some would help negate the ability to notice this as much but I would hope that the devs have a replacement system in the works that at least make the clouds and weather actually revolve around the planet (like the sun and moon do currently) instead of the player. The planet / 2nd closer moon orbiting us isn't such an issue being in an alien system and all, it's orbit is plausible to an extent ;)

    - Hyp3rion
  • frazmifrazmi Kentucky Join Date: 2016-03-19 Member: 214471Members
    I agree with the OP. As a build on that post, I suggest an enhancement that would allow us to pick the "season" -- summer would give us longer days than nights, winter would give us longer nights, spring/fall would give us equal day/night cycles. (This assumes, of course, that the planet has axial tilt to begin with.) I also like the game option slider to adjust cycle rate.
  • ChaosKnight626ChaosKnight626 Minnesota Join Date: 2015-08-05 Member: 206783Members
    I feel like the hunger/thirst does drop a little too fast. If they dial it back just a tiny bit then it'll be decent. As for the day/night cycle I agree it's too fast. Day is too short and the night is too long for my taste as well.
  • MyrmMyrm Sweden Join Date: 2015-08-16 Member: 207210Members
    frazmi wrote: »
    I agree with the OP. As a build on that post, I suggest an enhancement that would allow us to pick the "season" -- summer would give us longer days than nights, winter would give us longer nights, spring/fall would give us equal day/night cycles. (This assumes, of course, that the planet has axial tilt to begin with.) I also like the game option slider to adjust cycle rate.

    I like the idea of having seasons, but rather than being able to play in a selected season, perhaps have cycling seasons as default in the game, with their associated weather. Again as Frazmi says it depends on the planets tilt, which is what governs the Earth's seasons; we have to stop assuming this planet is a carbon copy of earth - though it's hard to do >.<
  • project_mercyproject_mercy Aurora Engine Room Join Date: 2016-03-27 Member: 214884Members
    I'm fine with the hunger/thirst levels. I don't really get the day/night cycles. If I want to go out exploring, it's basically just the time I park somewhere and read the forums until its over. When I'm not exploring it's irrelevant. It may not exactly be an issue with the day/night cycle as it is that your only ability to navigate or find things is visually, and because the draw distance is so painfully short you basically have to constantly have your head on swivel with full visability to a.) find anything and b.) not die to Reapers, especially with them moving them around.
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