Subnautica Below Zero Seatruck Update - Subnautica

System · March 2019

Subnautica Below Zero Seatruck Update - Subnautica

Subnautica: Below Zero has received its first big Early Access update. Check out the Seatruck Update Site to see all the sweet new features in action! Seatruck modular underwater utility...

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Ktornado · March 2019

Hey, I'm trying to update on the epic games launcher, but it doesn't seem to have it. Is this purposely done, and is it only on steam for this update. I would like some info on why this is happening. Thanks in advance.

Warvis · March 2019

This is awesome - an aquarium next to a replicator module is like a mobile underwater gourmet kitchen.
Storage-wise it's a bit underwhelming, with a storage module storing just little more than a wall locker. It's not so much a mobile base like a fully outfitted cyplops, but the modular concept is great and leaves room for a lot of interesting stuff.
Maybe we even get a docking facility this time - the old moonpool doesn't seem to play well with multi-module seatrucks

DrownedOut · March 2019

(I forgot to post this for, like, two weeks)

Overall:

I should've said this last time but I had actually missed some things at the time of posting. I'm soooooooooo happ-i-thrilled to see the spinnerfish live! It was, like, my second fav unimplemented fishie from SN. Love the biome it's been given too.
Also something I haven't yet commented on: the music so far is amazing. It struck me first in the trailer right when the pengwing escapes; a sound I'd sooner expect in a tropical setting. It's not a description that works for the other music, but something about it still goes against my immediate expectations and I love it. Certainly with the Deep Twisty Bridges tune, when I was looking for Al-An's hideout I came past the entrance to go deeper and thought, well, lets take a quick peek. Then the music kicked in and I noped out of there having seen absolutely nothing of the area. First thing I do after that session is look up the track on YT, where it since has been among my regular listens.
The rock puncher's sounds are gross; it makes me smile like a nut! Also, a rock puncher fell on top of me while I was looking for lithium and it was somehow even more terrifying than that time I stepped out of my Cyclops right into a sea dragon's maws.
I find the sea monkeys' movement a bit stiff (rays in the first game also suffer this), but otherwise they're gorgeous little pests. Haven't had much trouble with their thieving myself, but I'm careful with my equipment around them. I was surprised, though, that they aren't at all interested in camera drones.
Are the bone sharks really in this for realsies? Because they already were everywhere in the first game...
Here I am again with my demand for respawning resources, but fact is that since I've been needing power cells for the sea truck I've been hit with trouble creating batteries. Ribbon plants aren't as plentiful as acid mushrooms for one, and have a more pronounced appearance for two, altogether making their disappearances even more unpleasant. (There's also the matter battery needs are partially lifted by the Aurora loot in the first game, but maybe that'll be added to this game too?) I don't like this.
Also, I did not quite enjoy the flow of the gameplay this update in regards to basebuilding. There's too many blueprints to acquire before getting the habitat builder even becomes possible, leaving me overwhelmed (too much choice) and unprepared (ingredient storage is a hassle pre-base). I'm sure some of this is due to weather not being implemented yet and the rocket base therefore being easily accessible, and another is that some things just haven't been locked yet, but it can't hurt to bring it up, I guess.

Sea Truck:

I absolutely adore the Sea Truck. I wasn't quite sure what to expect of it, but it got me a distinct reminder why I fell in love with SN back in 2016. It's got a lot of creativity put into it and just this push towards fun that I find many games getting lost on. I was afraid that the manual handling of the modules would feel clunky - either like the modules would have no weight or too much of a hassle, but it hits a perfect balance. As does the handling of the cab portion.
If there's room for improvement, I'd like to have some method to see what the angle of the Sea Truck is at a given moment. I don't care whether it's a numerical display or something with colors in the truck display. It just bugs me when I park and find I've done so diagonally and then have to get back into the driver's seat to correct it.
I don't know whether the fact you exit the cab immediately if you park it steep enough regardless if there's modules attached is intentional or not, but if not, please keep it anyway. It's just that bit of flexibility that makes the Sea Truck more accomodating.
Please change the headlights and make it a priority. Again, whether bug (there's various light issues at present) or feature ( I don't know if this is the same as the Cyclops, but there I have the camera alternative), I don't know, but longterm gameplay with the Sea Truck is going to be very difficult for me like this. It does a big one on my lightsensitivity and so far I've been able to opt to just not head out at night, but if there's going to be more perpetually dark biomes, the current headlights will make me sick.
I've found the Sea Truck to be less kind than I'd want when rushing to it for shelter. With the Seamoth, you have a huge interactive area to get inside, but the Sea Truck only has a small panel. It works, sure, but maybe some lenience can be given? Even if it'd only open on the glass side when it's without modules, that'd be a big improvement.
Why the odd depth limits, compared to the other vehicles' depth limits? Why do things end on 5's?
I didn't think the aquarium module would be one I'd be interested in, with my general aim to do veggie runs, but I found it to be a lot of fun. It works well (I was pleasantly surprised to find I could add fish manuallly) and has a great design. The only thing i'd like to see added is, if not an on/off button, a release button. No need to keep fish captured I have no use for.
I know there were plans for a planter module, but that it has been cut. I agree, since two modules with the same basic purpose seems unnecessary. But that leaves me wondering if the aquarium module could serve a veggie purpose after all. One thing the original SN didn't have were free-floating plants, like alien equivalents to moss balls or soft hornwort. It could be interesting to have plants in the "edible fish lineup", even if the lack of escaping you would get to be compensated by a lower nutritional value or greater rarity (ie, only in biomes with a high flora percentage). I could then always just "breed" them in a containment unit and place them in the aquarium module myself.
The storage module is cute - reminds me of going camping as a kid - but, you know, not a lot of space to stuff stuff. (I know adjustments have been made by now. Looking forward to check them in April.)
And the fabricator module is good, but ever so empty and that "box" opposite the fabricator is just taunting. I would prefer to see that space used, either with storage that directly links up to the fabricator or a recycling device to regain resources.
As for any future modules I'd be interested in, I'm cosigning a module that adds horsepower. Moreso, I think it would be interesting if such a module has its own powercell to work with and that it can power other modules even if the cab is disconnected. I reckon the aquarium module's ability to capture/hold fish even without power is temporary, so a general "asssistant module" could play into that.
Also cosigning a scanner module (a component I'd have liked in the Cyclops too). I don't know if there are worries it'd make stationary scanner rooms pointless, but I don't think so if you just give a module a smaller range and no upgrade panel. I would, however, appreciate for camera drone hookup points to be included.
One buildable I've always wanted was a healing vat, whatever interpretation of one, so to spare me the hassle/boredom of medkits when I'm not on the go. And so, I'd like a module with one.
* Are there any plans for a docking system?

Biomes:

The concept of the Twisty Bridges always was promising and now that it's in its final stages, the execution only makes it better. I love diving/swimming down there, especially early game when it's still just me, those oxygen plants, and no intention of dying.
I want to withhold opinions on the Rocket Island until weather is implemented, but I do love the improvements like the hot springs that have been added so far.
Are the Thermal Spires "done" or is the cavern system below the Rocket Island still meant to have additions?
I came across that note on Favro about the arctic Kelp Forest being more of a Kelp Jungle and I hope that's still on the table when more flora models are done. At least one other tall plant please; I always wished we had more of those.

Bases (seeing as there's really big ideas in the works to expand on basebuilding):

I'm kinda hoping BZ will see some improvements to the scanner room, like by the addition of more modules. Energy efficiency and autorepair for the camera drones would be nice. I very much hate the manual repair of camera drones. A better "camera search" system than the current order-of-fabrication one regardless of range also would be appreciated.
In general, I'd like for camera drones to get a bit more gameplay to them. Being able to change their batteries myself would be nice for starters and having some way to name them also would come in handy in several situations. An ideal (to me, anyway) third update would allow players to modify drones. Flight (for above water), camo (to not be spotted; never did like only stalkers go after them; defense wouldn't work because I use cameras most for scenic pictures, which you can't get if critters take notice), and transport (one item at a time) would seem a good selection to me.
In regards to my commentary on the fabricator module, I'd really like to see a recycler in the game. We already can get scrap from fragments and undo base components with no loss but energy, so might as well extend it to items. That kind of flexibility would probably benefit gameplay the same way as exchanging batteries does; ie, you might not have a certain resource you need loose, but you could take it from an existing tool that you don't need right now and then get the resource to make another later instead of being cut off in your immediate plans. (It would be fair for organic materials to not be recycled, among others to prevent battery gameplay conflict.)
Also in regards to my commentary on the fabricator module, I like fabricating manually, but mayhaps some lenience mid to late game wouldn't be bad. Like, another orb-type room containing six built-in lockers + fabricator, so you can put down a basis stash of ingredients and limit immediate running around while still needing to put in organization of your own and not obsoleting the loose fabricator.

Thanks for reading.

RunningBare · April 2019

Let me start by saying, I appreciate the work the developers put into the Seatruck, the modelling and the coding take a lot of work, unfortunately for me, this is a step back, the first time I played Subnautica and got to the stage where I was able to construct the Cyclops, I was awe struck as this behemoth dropped into the ocean, but that was not the end of my amazement, I then discovered I could personalize and build a practical base inside it, wow, but it was the personalizing that drew me in the most, the room behind the helm became a ready room, complete with bed, table, chair, storage and fabricator, oh and a couple of posters.

I get the environment in Below Zero is not suitable for something as large as the Cyclops, but there has to be something between the Cyclops and the Seatruck.

dogiunic · April 2019

Greeting, I'm from Taiwan and very much enjoy the Game Subnautica you guys bring to us. I think Seatruck is a very brilliant idea, smaller, more convenient when it's moving in narrow terrain, and functional, though i know not everyone thinks that way. Just wanna give you guys support, and thank for the hard work!

Altazi · May 2019

RunningBare wrote: »

I get the environment in Below Zero is not suitable for something as large as the Cyclops, but there has to be something between the Cyclops and the Seatruck.

From my perspective, all the SeaTruck needs is quite a bit more storage capacity. The storage module, as currently implemented, is a joke. I like to carry enough supplies & materiel to allow me to build a reasonably-sized seabase, e.g., moonpool + 1-2 extra rooms, plus all of the fittings and furnishings.

Sidchicken · June 2019

Why so many Adv Wiring Kits to build the seatruck? That seems insane to me. You need 15 gold, 10 silver, 10 copper, 10 table coral to build it, plus ingots, glass and lead. That's Cyclops-level amounts of resources (in fact I think more than the clops) to make something the size of a seamoth.

eastofdeath · July 2019

With one of every car, the sea truck is mind numbing slow and no fun to drive. Also the storage is a joke.
I love the concept, hope it gets a little TLC.

Subnautica Below Zero Seatruck Update - Subnautica

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