A New Players Perspective

GreyfairerGreyfairer Join Date: 2017-04-24 Member: 229937Members
I found this game by accident and being a fan of the 'start with nothing and survive' genre had to give it a try. Now 110 hours or so later I keep finding myself drawn back in just to start a new game on hardcore, again.

Obviously there are a ton o' suggestions to make the game something even more than it is, but there are a few things I hope are not lost. I absolutely appreciate that there are, for the most part, no lethal weapons and I hope it stays that way. I love playing FPS and Mil Sims so I am not against such things, but I like the fact that I am not and will never be the biggest baddest thing in the Subnautica universe. The tools in game so far are more than enough to defend ones self and if creatures are made more hostile in intervening patches then perhaps more non-lethal defenses will be added.

A few observations (this post may get moved to suggestions, no worries if it does):

-although I appreciate that the map is hand drawn as opposed to randomly generated I think if the location of the wreck sites themselves could be randomized it would be great (it seems fragments are randomized within sites)

-it would nice if there were actually fewer duplicate equipment fragments around so when you do find the 'sweet wreck' that has what you need it is far more of a win.

-it would be nice if there was more personal dive gear to gate depths with; just odd my Seamoth needs pressure modules and yet I can swim around at 1000m fine in my skivvies (and how about a light on my helmet?)

-I will get hate no doubt, but I think you should not be able to outfit the Cyclops as a base; no planters, power cell/battery recharges, not even fabricator. Makes having bases more important and the Cyclops more for deep exploration and transport.

-a middle of pack utility vehicle, tween the Seamoth and Cyclops would be nice; something that could transport storage containers 'to jump start your next base' and/or mine ala the Prawn , but much earlier.

-place the Prawn discovery/fragments way deeper; maybe it did not come with the Aurora, but rather was left by someone prior.

-give a reason to move bases deeper (I like the decompression line I have read), maybe something along the lines of a recurring storm that renders bases above 150m prone to pressure implosions.

-solar panels work well far to deep.

-get rid of the endless medkit dispenser or at least make me stock with materials.

-your lifepod needs to drift away or better yet become damaged (maybe after the Aurora explosion - if it took a bit longer to happen) and sink. That anchor of safety needs to vanish.

Anyways I realize most of you have already suggested similar things and I have read some great ideas. I hope the devs realize that when so many people have so many suggestions it does not mean they are unhappy with the game, I find it is exactly opposite.

Yet even now, with the game as is, I find it enjoyable after a long day at RL work to come home and plumb the depths of the Subnautica ocean to see what I can find (again).

Bladderfish cocktail anyone?


Greyfairer

Comments

  • scifiwriterguyscifiwriterguy Sector ZZ-9-Plural Z-α Join Date: 2017-02-14 Member: 227901Members
    Welcome to the forums, @Greyfairer. :) I'll take you up on the cocktail offer; try adding some creepvine seed, though - gives it some zing.

    You make a lot of very good points, and while there are some that are highly unlikely to happen, I'm with you on at least some of them. :)

    -although I appreciate that the map is hand drawn as opposed to randomly generated I think if the location of the wreck sites themselves could be randomized it would be great (it seems fragments are randomized within sites)

    Dynamic wrecks would be a problem, as cool as they would be. Just writing the tool necessary to position a wreck in a location that meets the wreck model's criteria and ensuring that nothing inside ends up out of bounds, no clipping from the environment happens...ay, it'd be a headache and a half. But I agree: dynamic wreck positioning would definitely up the replay factor.

    -it would be nice if there was more personal dive gear to gate depths with; just odd my Seamoth needs pressure modules and yet I can swim around at 1000m fine in my skivvies (and how about a light on my helmet?)

    Well, to a degree, this is already in game; it's kind of a "soft-gate" system. Going too deep with inadequate equipment decreases your air use efficiency but doesn't outright prevent you from doing it. That said, while ignoring the compression/decompression problem for the sake of gameplay, it'd make sense to do it your way, too - particularly in Hardcore mode. I'd expect a mod for this to be coming along at some point.

    -I will get hate no doubt, but I think you should not be able to outfit the Cyclops as a base; no planters, power cell/battery recharges, not even fabricator. Makes having bases more important and the Cyclops more for deep exploration and transport.
    -a middle of pack utility vehicle, tween the Seamoth and Cyclops would be nice; something that could transport storage containers 'to jump start your next base' and/or mine ala the Prawn , but much earlier.


    No hate, dude. :) But I will offer a slightly different perspective. Subnautica largely uses the difficulty-in-choice concept, which is more true to a survival situation than most games are willing to go. Everything you do is a trade and a gamble: more air or more inventory space; mining gear or mobility for your PRAWN; even run-or-fight(ish) when it comes to things like Cave Crawlers. Recently, the Cyclops went from being an invulnerable tank of a sub to something that can be destroyed. This, then, creates the difficulty-in-choice: do you build it as a mobile base, putting in all that effort, when it could be destroyed, or; do you use it as a bulk hauler and submersible transport only? Both approaches are valid, both have merits and demerits. Your play style determines which is right for you. :)

    -place the Prawn discovery/fragments way deeper; maybe it did not come with the Aurora, but rather was left by someone prior.

    Another idea with merit, no doubt, but the PRAWN is a relatively-recent Alterra product, and the Aurora is a relatively-new top-of-the-line ship. That PRAWNs would have arrived on an earlier vessel (particularly since the one we know preceded us wasn't an Alterra ship at all) would be a narrative inconsistency. Besides, having the PRAWN parts in the Aurora gives a compelling reason to get players onto the ship in the first place.

    -give a reason to move bases deeper (I like the decompression line I have read), maybe something along the lines of a recurring storm that renders bases above 150m prone to pressure implosions.

    Thumbs-up.

    -solar panels work well far to deep.

    The efficiency degradation for depth should be stepped up. But so long as you're willing to plant dozens of them for power, they should function as long as they have light (less than 1000m, at least on Earth).

    -get rid of the endless medkit dispenser or at least make me stock with materials.

    Well, you've struck one of the all-time bones of contention on the forum. ;) There are two relatively-evenly split camps, one for and one against. Having to stock it with materials would make a good compromise, though.

    -your lifepod needs to drift away or better yet become damaged (maybe after the Aurora explosion - if it took a bit longer to happen) and sink. That anchor of safety needs to vanish.

    In hardcore mode, there's absolutely an argument for this. But otherwise, it would be a bit...onerous. The lifepod provides an extremely limited step-off point - almost no storage, a fabricator, and that's it. If you were to take that away and someone didn't already have the means to replace the fabricator in particular, then it's a dead-man-walking game state. I think it's fair to say that most players abandon it pretty early on anyway, typically as soon as their first habitable base is established.



    Keep the perspectives flowing! Most of us have been playing so long we're set in our ways. Fresh eyes are always a good thing. :)
  • DrownedOutDrownedOut Habitat Join Date: 2016-05-26 Member: 217559Members
    -your lifepod needs to drift away or better yet become damaged (maybe after the Aurora explosion - if it took a bit longer to happen) and sink. That anchor of safety needs to vanish.

    In hardcore mode, there's absolutely an argument for this. But otherwise, it would be a bit...onerous. The lifepod provides an extremely limited step-off point - almost no storage, a fabricator, and that's it. If you were to take that away and someone didn't already have the means to replace the fabricator in particular, then it's a dead-man-walking game state. I think it's fair to say that most players abandon it pretty early on anyway, typically as soon as their first habitable base is established.

    Keep the perspectives flowing! Most of us have been playing so long we're set in our ways. Fresh eyes are always a good thing. :)

    I'm not playing in experimental, but from what (I think) I've seen, the lifepod is also used as the spawn point in case you die in a Cyclops explosion, making it a necessity in anything but Hardcore.
  • scifiwriterguyscifiwriterguy Sector ZZ-9-Plural Z-α Join Date: 2017-02-14 Member: 227901Members
    DrownedOut wrote: »
    -your lifepod needs to drift away or better yet become damaged (maybe after the Aurora explosion - if it took a bit longer to happen) and sink. That anchor of safety needs to vanish.

    In hardcore mode, there's absolutely an argument for this. But otherwise, it would be a bit...onerous. The lifepod provides an extremely limited step-off point - almost no storage, a fabricator, and that's it. If you were to take that away and someone didn't already have the means to replace the fabricator in particular, then it's a dead-man-walking game state. I think it's fair to say that most players abandon it pretty early on anyway, typically as soon as their first habitable base is established.

    Keep the perspectives flowing! Most of us have been playing so long we're set in our ways. Fresh eyes are always a good thing. :)

    I'm not playing in experimental, but from what (I think) I've seen, the lifepod is also used as the spawn point in case you die in a Cyclops explosion, making it a necessity in anything but Hardcore.

    Spawn point! I knew there was a compelling reason but couldn't put my finger on it. @DrownedOut, you're awesome. :)
  • GreyfairerGreyfairer Join Date: 2017-04-24 Member: 229937Members
    Thanks for the hello!

    Good responses to my points so thanks, obviously the old souls here have talked a lot about things.

    On the Cyclops I can see what you mean. I guess I did not notice it was destructible now which does make a huge difference. As to the spawn point being the pod; maybe you can wash up on the shore of the floating island; it has food/water sources (although I suppose you might not have made a fabricator yet). I guess it is the endless power it provides and the medkit creator, but I suppose I am looking at it from only a hardcore survival mode.

    I see your point on the Prawn as to giving reason to explore the Aurora, although I think most of us would anyways.

    Speaking of random stuff...can the lab equipment/lab desk be used for anything? I might have missed, but if not that would be rather interesting as to open possibilities. Shark repellant, tiger barb salve (if you are not wearing a reinforced suit it could prevent damage), attractants to certain fish (aid in catching them to eat the buggers) etc.

    Anyways great game so far and I cannot wait to see what lays ahead.

    Grayfairer
  • scifiwriterguyscifiwriterguy Sector ZZ-9-Plural Z-α Join Date: 2017-02-14 Member: 227901Members
    Greyfairer wrote: »
    Speaking of random stuff...can the lab equipment/lab desk be used for anything? I might have missed, but if not that would be rather interesting as to open possibilities. Shark repellant, tiger barb salve (if you are not wearing a reinforced suit it could prevent damage), attractants to certain fish (aid in catching them to eat the buggers) etc.

    Anyways great game so far and I cannot wait to see what lays ahead.

    Grayfairer

    Not right now, but there are hopes that functionality will be added in the future. At the moment, it's just set dressing. Pretty, though. :)
  • JackeJacke Calgary Join Date: 2017-03-20 Member: 229061Members
    Greyfairer wrote: »
    I guess I did not notice [the Cyclops] was destructible now which does make a huge difference.
    Damage and loss of the Cyclops were recently added in the Experimental branch and are supposed to be in the new version to be released on Stable this week, along with more upgrade modules for the Cyclops and other changes.

    A lot of us are viewing Cyclops damage with deep foreboding, as we do kit them out thoroughly. I have over 50 wall lockers stocked with many materials as well as all possible devices like Fabricators. My bridge is jammed with floor pots and wall pots all planted to provide me with food and water. To lose it I would lose over half the time I'd put into this particular savegame.

    When the new version releases, I'll decide then whether to start a new game or work on the old one, depending on how possible it is. I'm not going to risk my mobile seabase though. I just hope UWE gets the level of fragility of the Cyclops right.

  • EnglishInfidelEnglishInfidel Canada Join Date: 2016-07-04 Member: 219533Members
    Greyfairer wrote: »
    -although I appreciate that the map is hand drawn as opposed to randomly generated I think if the location of the wreck sites themselves could be randomized it would be great (it seems fragments are randomized within sites)
    Yep, I can agree with this. The game lacks random elements throughout, which means a severe lack of replay value and severe lack of difficulty.
    Greyfairer wrote: »
    -it would nice if there were actually fewer duplicate equipment fragments around so when you do find the 'sweet wreck' that has what you need it is far more of a win.
    I don't know if it's changed lately, but I always hate picking up a fragment, finding it's a duplicate and having to go into my inventory to remove all the titanium it gave me. I already have way too much of that stuff, knock it off.
    Greyfairer wrote: »
    -(and how about a light on my helmet?)
    No kidding.
    Greyfairer wrote: »
    -I will get hate no doubt, but I think you should not be able to outfit the Cyclops as a base; no planters, power cell/battery recharges, not even fabricator. Makes having bases more important and the Cyclops more for deep exploration and transport.
    I don't really like the Cyclops. It's too big, too unwieldy and too immersion breaking. So I agree completely. Your next point...
    Greyfairer wrote: »
    -a middle of pack utility vehicle, tween the Seamoth and Cyclops would be nice; something that could transport storage containers 'to jump start your next base' and/or mine ala the Prawn , but much earlier.
    ... for me this would entirely replace the Cyclops. It's exactly what's needed. The Seamoth for scouting and some sort of medium sized resource hauler.
    Greyfairer wrote: »
    -solar panels work well far to deep.
    Yes.
    Greyfairer wrote: »
    -get rid of the endless medkit dispenser or at least make me stock with materials.
    Yes.
    Greyfairer wrote: »
    Anyways I realize most of you have already suggested similar things and I have read some great ideas. I hope the devs realize that when so many people have so many suggestions it does not mean they are unhappy with the game, I find it is exactly opposite.
    Yes.

    Good thread.
  • kingkumakingkuma cancels Work: distracted by Dwarf Fortress Join Date: 2015-09-25 Member: 208137Members
    Please, just as a warning, don't turn this into another thread of people arguing. You won't be able to change anyone's mind, and it just is annoying.
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