With Regards to Creature Design

ColdSpyderColdSpyder AZ Join Date: 2016-05-30 Member: 217767Members
Personally, I find the Reaper Leviathan pretty terrifying. Crazy roar, alien shape, its movements are so inhuman.
My point being, the Sea Dragon and Emperor Leviathans don't instill anywhere near the same amount of fear in me. The humanoid-esque forms bring with it a sense of familiarity ? or something and no matter how big or how loud they are, they aren't so scary. Even Reefbacks bring a sense of fear with them because of how alien they look, despite the fact that they're apparently harmless cuddlebugs who will give you rides. Simply put, the more alien this world strikes us, the more thrilling it is to explore and learn about.

Maybe that's the point. Maybe you aren't trying to make them scary predators. I dunno.
In my experience however, this game is scary and thrilling, daring the depths of our briny new home. The scare factor is a huge reason I enjoy this game so singularly. If the goals is to continue to capitalize on that part of the experience, I highly suggest making your creatures less humanoid.

My 2 cents =]

Comments

  • GhoreGhore DE, USA Join Date: 2016-05-11 Member: 216642Members
    While I find the Emperor's size alone to be intimidating (just imagining that thing being ANYWHERE in the game while out in the ocean at night? oh god), I will agree that the very hand-like graspers on the Sea Dragon throw me off a little.

    Although, we are for the most part looking at these two in places where they won't be, with buggy or otherwise not final movements and mechanics. I have a feeling that the Dragon's sounds and location being underground with no escape will add to it's fear factor.

    I completely agree with the scare factor part too, tbh Subnautica is the scariest game I've ever played, and it's so enjoyable because of how vulnerable you are on this unknown planet with such unfamiliar creatures (and in experimental, anything new could be lurking around every crevice...).
  • BobRossTheBossBobRossTheBoss Join Date: 2012-12-31 Member: 176824Members
    The sea dragon sounds are terrifying. But the model, esp the head, looks like the dragons from children's books so it doesn't really frighten me.

    The emperor looks like an alien bug and personally it's "ram the shit out of you" AI scares me.
  • TenebrousNovaTenebrousNova England Join Date: 2015-12-23 Member: 210206Members
    Like Ghore said, you're going to find the Sea Dragon very far down, illuminated only by the dull, dim red glow of the surrounding lava. You'll hear those unearthly bellows and look around frantically, spot the yellow bioluminescence at the last moment and then get brutally killed by a huge something. Those thoughts, to me, make the Sea Dragon pretty damn scary.

    What throws me off is that it'll apparently breath fire underwater. It'd make a bit more sense to me if it expelled superheated jets of water.
  • fierybonesfierybones Join Date: 2016-04-30 Member: 216190Members
    also the sea emperor is supposed to be a very intelligent (like us) and wouldn't you think (the warper) and others should be like us and more intelligent
  • fierybonesfierybones Join Date: 2016-04-30 Member: 216190Members
    squeal_like_a_pig just roasted the S#^t out of you ghore
  • AvimimusAvimimus Join Date: 2016-03-28 Member: 214968Members
    Really, the problem is the art department: They spoiled us with the Reaper Leviathan! It is almost impossible to make something scarier. The fact is they really set a high bar!

    IMHO, what would make the sea dragon more dread inspiring is if it moved very very slowly towards your base... more of a Godzilla type of creature... it'd also look larger if it moved more slowly.
  • sayerulzsayerulz oregon Join Date: 2015-04-15 Member: 203493Members
    Avimimus wrote: »
    Really, the problem is the art department: They spoiled us with the Reaper Leviathan! It is almost impossible to make something scarier. The fact is they really set a high bar!

    IMHO, what would make the sea dragon more dread inspiring is if it moved very very slowly towards your base... more of a Godzilla type of creature... it'd also look larger if it moved more slowly.

    Really? the reaper just looks kind of dumb to me. That butt chin.....
  • ColdSpyderColdSpyder AZ Join Date: 2016-05-30 Member: 217767Members
    Lol I totally second that they already set the bar super high with the reaper leviathan!
    Also, I just met the sea treader today. A+ stuff! Again it looks more alien like the reaper.
    Perhaps I emphasized "scary" a bit too much. I definitely like the "unusual" and "alien" aspect of the designs most of all. The alien-ness brings with it a sense of unknown, which is inherently scary for most (all?) of us.

    Love the recent creatures though with the crabsquid and seatreader! Keep it up guys!
    Also, your activity in the forums is appreciated Squeal_Like_A_Pig =D I hope to see more interactivity with these amazing creatures in the future!
  • kyrtmalthornkyrtmalthorn Safe Shallows Join Date: 2016-06-03 Member: 218013Members
    I had heard of the crabsquid, but had no idea what it would be. I met my first one yesterday. Happy about being able to recharge my Cyclops, I took it out exploring whatever, wherever. Ended up in the deep grand reef. I was stationary, had been for a little while, tinkering with my PDA when.... *THUNK*. Confused, I went to look outside and didn't see anything. Checked cameras. Keel was clear. Switched to conning tower...

    "GOOD GOSH, creepy spider-legged brain thing!!!! Get away from my boat! What are you?!?"

    I do love the more alien creature designs.
  • LeonDOGELeonDOGE France Join Date: 2016-01-16 Member: 211525Members
    ColdSpyder wrote: »
    Personally, I find the Reaper Leviathan pretty terrifying. Crazy roar, alien shape, its movements are so inhuman.
    My point being, the Sea Dragon and Emperor Leviathans don't instill anywhere near the same amount of fear in me. The humanoid-esque forms bring with it a sense of familiarity ? or something and no matter how big or how loud they are, they aren't so scary. Even Reefbacks bring a sense of fear with them because of how alien they look, despite the fact that they're apparently harmless cuddlebugs who will give you rides. Simply put, the more alien this world strikes us, the more thrilling it is to explore and learn about.

    Maybe that's the point. Maybe you aren't trying to make them scary predators. I dunno.
    In my experience however, this game is scary and thrilling, daring the depths of our briny new home. The scare factor is a huge reason I enjoy this game so singularly. If the goals is to continue to capitalize on that part of the experience, I highly suggest making your creatures less humanoid.

    My 2 cents =]

    Well, the fear of Reaper is more of a "paranoid" kind of fear, as it is quite easy to encounter them in SN.

    The fear for the Sea Dragon? It's because of how terrifyingly awesome it is. It doesn't give off that kind of "Reaper fear", but then again, we are not going to see the Sea Dragons being everywhere, so.....
  • ColdSpyderColdSpyder AZ Join Date: 2016-05-30 Member: 217767Members
    Yeah! The crabsquid is great, isn't it?
    I love how it almost mimics the flora in the reef.
  • VincentNZVincentNZ Germany Join Date: 2016-05-31 Member: 217829Members
    I agree with the Reaper leviathan being so scary because it looks so alien. I still do not like them to come near me, even in the Cyclops. Matter of fact the first time I encountered one, which was when I was swimming towards the Aurora right after starting a new game, I had one of these moments that I call "Slender-Moment". That is when I see something or know there is something but I am too freaked out to deal with it, so I just press escape, quit to desktop and be done with it for a while. Seen in Outlast, Slender, and Subnautica.

    I have similar feelings about the Crabsquid and the Crab Snake. Also about the bleeder the first times I saw it. The Sea Emperor will likely be the same because of the size and the alien look, and probably because I know it is more sentient.

    However the Sea Dragon, no, because of how familiar it looks, it does seem like a crocodile and the movement is less natural than the ones I encountered so far. I would have enjoyed the creature more with more alien features. It is not implemented however and we will see how it works out when it is fully in-game.
  • WheeljackWheeljack Chilling in the Grand Reef Join Date: 2016-03-17 Member: 214338Members
    My only nitpick is with the Sea Dragon's head design. It looks too cartoony to me in the fact that it looks like something you'd slap on an actual cartoon dragon. The alien factor just isn't there for me.

    The Emporer does this wonderfully. It's not a monterous sort of alien (at least not to me) that instills instant horror. Looking at it, I'm on guard, cautios, and wary. The fear won't crop up til it's trying to attack and/or eat me. XD

    I'm definitely not going anywhere near the Sea Dragon if I can help it. Fear of death and losing my crap is there, but it just won't have the same feel if that makes sense. The hands and everything don't bother me, just that head. Maybe if the snout were longer and more narrow it wouldn't look so... dorky??? I'm sure what word to use. Props to everyone that worked on it because it looks nice but it doesn't feel like it fits in. Especially when put beside the Emporer.
  • buffalobills113buffalobills113 usa Join Date: 2016-05-31 Member: 217809Members
    and already just the fact that the game is set underwater makes it scary enough for many people, without having to go full on fright show with the dangerous creatures.

    Yeaaaah, you should have watched my first 30 mins of gameplay... I didn't want to get out of the escape pod lol!
  • GhoreGhore DE, USA Join Date: 2016-05-11 Member: 216642Members
    Ghore wrote: »
    I will agree that the very hand-like graspers on the Sea Dragon throw me off a little.
    The "hand-like graspers" were very much based on Crocodile feet, not human hands.

    That makes a lot of sense actually, I didn't look close enough to realize that it lacked thumbs >.<

    fierybones wrote: »
    squeal_like_a_pig just roasted the S#^t out of you ghore

    Roasted, toasted, burnt to a crisp
  • AvimimusAvimimus Join Date: 2016-03-28 Member: 214968Members
    Wheeljack wrote: »
    My only nitpick is with the Sea Dragon's head design. It looks too cartoony to me in the fact that it looks like something you'd slap on an actual cartoon dragon. The alien factor just isn't there for me.

    The Emporer does this wonderfully. It's not a monterous sort of alien (at least not to me) that instills instant horror. Looking at it, I'm on guard, cautios, and wary. The fear won't crop up til it's trying to attack and/or eat me. XD

    Yes, I also like the somewhat more alien appearance of the sea emperor.

    It is actually kindof funny - the biologist in me is busy trying to figure out if I can fit these different animals into clades ...but the skulls are too different between the sea-emperor and the sea-dragon.

    I suppose stalkers and reaper leviathans could be related though?
  • LhastLhast NY Join Date: 2016-06-03 Member: 218004Members
    Honestly, it's kind of creepier to me that the more massive creatures are humanish. Sort of that uncanny valley where stuff just...shouldn't look like that.
  • AvimimusAvimimus Join Date: 2016-03-28 Member: 214968Members
    Lhast wrote: »
    Honestly, it's kind of creepier to me that the more massive creatures are humanish. Sort of that uncanny valley where stuff just...shouldn't look like that.

    Yeah, if the Sea Dragon had a giant baby face it'd freak me out... I'd probably have nightmares for weeks.
  • WaviestBow6WaviestBow6 Join Date: 2016-06-05 Member: 218131Members
    If you do want scary just look at the concept art!
    http://subnautica.wikia.com/wiki/Concept_Art


    q7amp0e5lza7.jpg


    This is one of my favourites though


  • AvimimusAvimimus Join Date: 2016-03-28 Member: 214968Members
    Love the grin. :)

    We could do wit the jellyfish to add uniqueness to a biome.
  • AvimimusAvimimus Join Date: 2016-03-28 Member: 214968Members
    q7amp0e5lza7.jpg


    One of the other things I love about this is that it is sitting on the bottom and starring at the cyclops...

    ...Could you imagine how creepy it would be if the Sea-Dragon had a mobile neck and tended to stair at you?

    ...Or lay motionless on the bottom and then didn't attack (but sometimes followed you - perhaps damaging your base if you lead it back to your base...)

    So many behavioural possibilities.
  • TenebrousNovaTenebrousNova England Join Date: 2015-12-23 Member: 210206Members
    That thing reminds me of a mirelurk with tentacles in place of claws.
  • AvimimusAvimimus Join Date: 2016-03-28 Member: 214968Members
    edited June 2016
    Want creepy? ;) Look at this...

    3b4mc9szvcgz.jpg


    It'd be more terrifying if it kept the normal sized eyes and just grew more and more of them in a ring around its head though!
  • LeoxideLeoxide United Kingdom Join Date: 2016-05-09 Member: 216560Members
    Avimimus wrote: »

    3b4mc9szvcgz.jpg

    That is freaking terrifying.


  • stormahawkstormahawk Raleigh Join Date: 2016-06-04 Member: 218060Members
    Avimimus wrote: »
    Want creepy? ;) Look at this...

    3b4mc9szvcgz.jpg


    It'd be more terrifying if it kept the normal sized eyes and just grew more and more of them in a ring around its head though!

    Please make this a thing!
  • sayerulzsayerulz oregon Join Date: 2015-04-15 Member: 203493Members
    stormahawk wrote: »
    Avimimus wrote: »
    Want creepy? ;) Look at this...

    3b4mc9szvcgz.jpg


    It'd be more terrifying if it kept the normal sized eyes and just grew more and more of them in a ring around its head though!

    Please make this a thing!

    It IS a thing, that people that bought the game in alpha get. That picture just makes it look like 1000X bigger than it is.
  • blackjack301blackjack301 Orange Join Date: 2016-05-26 Member: 217554Members
    I'd like to add as well, that we've specifically tried to avoid having creatures that were just straight up horror scary. I agree the Reaper is probably one of the scariest ones we have in the game, but in general we are trying to populate the world with creatures that look natural, exotic, alien, but not simply evil and frightening. These aren't meant to be some sort of hell demons, they are just creatures surviving in their alien underwater habitat that the player is intruding into, and already just the fact that the game is set underwater makes it scary enough for many people, without having to go full on fright show with the dangerous creatures.

    I believe that there shouldn't just be terrifying creatures but, more than three would Be nice, because that's what makes the ocean great it's mysterious and terrifying and filled with terrifying and normal creatures.
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