First play-through thoughts - a bit too easy
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NJ, USA Join Date: 2018-02-07 Member: 237099Members
NJ, USA Join Date: 2018-02-07 Member: 237099Members
I just finished my first play-through, so admittedly I'm late to the party. I don't anticipate much of any of this being implemented given you're out of early-access, but I felt compelled to share a few things. In general, most of these revolve around the idea that the game is currently a bit too easy and there should be a bit more incentive to try different strategies or equipment.
Otherwise I think the approach to storytelling in this game really sets the mark high for other survival titles. I had my doubts about this game before buying since I was concerned about replayability with a static map, but the game was so rich that this really doesn't bother me much. I'm hopeful that in six months or so, when I forget a lot of details and locations, I'll be ready for another playthrough, especially if there's an expansion in the works.
- I fully realize difficulty is always relative among players, but I'd like to see hard mode expanded a bit to complicate recipes for items. I was never really resource constrained in the game and rarely had to go specifically looking for a resource in the middle to late game (except for some very special late-game items). As an example, if the cyclops has six power cells in it, that should be part of the recipe. It was way too easy to construct the vehicles and ultimately the Neptune.
- There really isn't much incentive to building additional habitats, which I was disappointed in. I certainly built a few thinking I would need them mainly for charging batteries and power cells. Well after finding the swim-charge fins and solar / thermal charging blueprints for vehicles, I didn't have any power issues ever again. I also built scanner rooms on most of the outpost habitats and never used them. It was always easier to just swim around and find everything. In the end, it wasn't worth it to haul all the necessary materials with the small player and vehicle (pre-Cyclops) inventory sizes. It would be nice if habitats offered some other need satisfaction such as sleep or even eating and drinking.
- Along the lines of #2, I also only ever used solar and thermal power. Never built the others, and didn't have the need (which is the problem). I'm thinking power consumption could use a bit of a revamp to have a reason or incentive to diversify power production.
- Along the lines of #3, I also never built a torpedo or associated launch capability for any vehicle and built a few decoys for the cyclops and never fired one. Creature threats to even the cyclops should be much more severe. Currently you just take your damage, keep speeding along and wait for the creature to lose interest, and finally hop outside and patch everything up. While I'm mainly talking weapons here, there's a number of other items that I never felt the need to use in order to survive.
- I realize it's a game, but more as a funny observation as a former scuba diver, every time I shot to the surface from the depths I would cringe. Again, I'm not advocating introducing compression etc., but it just feels a bit wrong.
Otherwise I think the approach to storytelling in this game really sets the mark high for other survival titles. I had my doubts about this game before buying since I was concerned about replayability with a static map, but the game was so rich that this really doesn't bother me much. I'm hopeful that in six months or so, when I forget a lot of details and locations, I'll be ready for another playthrough, especially if there's an expansion in the works.
Comments
which is excellent! There are more than enough hard and stupidly hard games out there. I don't want any of them. I very much aplaud that SN is a game where you don;t have to shoot (everything that moves).
Lol Getting Over It
1) Don't be disrespectful.
2) Get over what? He clearly is happy with the game, not upset with it.
Shooting has nothing to do with difficulty. The game is awesome, it is great that it is easy enough to appeal to casuals. But it lacks higher challenges and I for one would appreciate that.
Simple changes such as roaming leviathans, faster moving enemies, higher aggro chance/range, higher damage output by the enemies, higher power demand on bases, just to name a few...
It isn't about changing the core gameplay, the game is nearly perfect in that aspect, its just about making it more challenging.
In SN, there could be a hidden aggression setting for the carnivores/aggressive creatures for those that do confront the hazards in such ways. More aggression from players = more aggression from creatures.
That's a sensible suggestion. Wouldn't work for me though, I avoid confrontation. To me creatures need to be a challenge without player provocation.
A flexible challenge system is troublesome to implement unless the game is designed around it.
I would like control over some game aspects through sliders and such, e.g.: # of scanned pieces before a blueprint is available, relative amount of food/water provided by consumables, and most of those I stated above.
It wouldn't be something for first time players, just more options to those who already finished.
If you want the top speed needed to out run a Leviathan, then sure, hit the 'Emergency Thrusters' button (it's that brown one). Likewise, if you're getting chewed on a little by a Reaper you can still buzz it with your perimeter defence. But either way, the result would draining your batteries to, say 10 minutes, of 'Reserve Power' - dramatically cutting your speed until the damaged batteries are replaced.
These poor Levathans are are sorely in need of a little more respect!
2) Such that there are greater threats there are in turn the means or methods to defeat them.
I'd like to see something more perhaps to track 'Injuries' and perhaps Dietary or Toxins as an issue, with medkits along with a diversified diet having more value for it, with Potatoes giving more like 30 food?
(so they have more a point in the game) along with wide dietary values as vs Melons.
The Cyclops if to have upgraded powers against creature threats in terms of Area Defense,
we can see having it valid about creature threats as it is great it already self-repairs if they do not or cannot breach the hull which really only Leviathans can really do, thankfully.
Having more of a reason to need to fight off with more fun ways to fight off (or train/bribe?) dangerous predators would be great. Namely for Torpedoes, having the "Magnesis" replaced to function more correctly would be great that stuff gets sucked in and held in place such the other launcher could fire Acid Torpedoes in tandem with the first one if need be following the 1 or 2 M's in the load.
(with Mags taking priority when firing?)
This way they'd have a point, though some kind of Nuke option for those not using Uraninite for Power could be fun, such to have an option for the Cyclops to replace firing Decoys with "Seekers" that track down targets to fire for effect as vs being chased? We might not be always out for war in this mostly peaceful game but on harder settings it could be good to do vs bigger targets a small knife isn't still good against.
This also could be a fun thing in future games of the "Natural Subnautica" franchise universe.
Namely how that as we find the Precursors, there is the matter of what else we find that might not as with Warpers be so easy to bribe with fish, along with such predators as found in the base game as Snakes.
More (mostly optional) combat options could open a few fun things also against Pirates of some kinds.
Still, I'd say to also always include some kind of "Pacifist" / 'Pasci-Fist' choice making,
that one should be able to feed / bribe most of at least especially the more intelligent, predatory creators in the games to not attack you but also with ways of tracking individuals being able to more ''permanently'' tame or even train members of a species to be on your side with some ways to teach commands to some?
(having a tamed Leviathan that knows you are there for food rather than as food has values)
Maybe in due time.
"Jamie". . .
(TT)
I usually build a multipurpose room with a scanner room attached in every corner of the Subnautica world (powered by vents) and inside the MP room would be one or power cell chargers, so they can function as way stations if my cyclops ever ran out of power.