Thoughts on Threats to Bases
TotallyLemon
Atlanta Georgia Join Date: 2015-05-22 Member: 204764Members
Atlanta Georgia Join Date: 2015-05-22 Member: 204764Members
Players are pretty safe and snug inside their bases right now and this post is going to cover why I think it should stay that way – sort of.
Unlike the vehicles in the game, bases are immobile and thus would be perceived as just part of the environment by any non-sentient fauna. If animals arbitrarily attacked the base unprovoked, I think that would suck the life right out of this game. It would make Subnautica arcade-like; would paint creatures as malignant, while they are supposed to be neutral. The creatures are not evil and should not act evil.
Of course, there are other threats to be considered. If a provoked creature is chasing a player it might linger outside of the base waiting for the player to reemerge. This creates a passive fear of being ambushed and IMHO is more interesting than having wave defense against zombies creatures.
Also, creatures might be attracted to certain aspects of the base, primarily the acoustic signature of machinery. When stalkers are hanging around your front door, you’ll need to do something about it eventually…
Lastly, as mentioned on one of my previous threads, biofouling could be a major passive threat that steadily builds over time.
Unlike the vehicles in the game, bases are immobile and thus would be perceived as just part of the environment by any non-sentient fauna. If animals arbitrarily attacked the base unprovoked, I think that would suck the life right out of this game. It would make Subnautica arcade-like; would paint creatures as malignant, while they are supposed to be neutral. The creatures are not evil and should not act evil.
Of course, there are other threats to be considered. If a provoked creature is chasing a player it might linger outside of the base waiting for the player to reemerge. This creates a passive fear of being ambushed and IMHO is more interesting than having wave defense against zombies creatures.
Also, creatures might be attracted to certain aspects of the base, primarily the acoustic signature of machinery. When stalkers are hanging around your front door, you’ll need to do something about it eventually…
Lastly, as mentioned on one of my previous threads, biofouling could be a major passive threat that steadily builds over time.
Comments
I felt curious of what was out in the blue depths of this unknown world, yet as i explored i felt no threat. The only real threats were from the Reepers, if you let them catch you. Not those sword-fish like creatures that swam after you until you reached the surface or became boring to them.
What i'm saying is that the game needs the constant threat, so you feel an achievement of actually making it to your base or your pod or swimming in the ocean for 5 mins. It would be great if you were the bottom of the food chain in this world, because when i built the sea-moth i felt like i was invincible.
Not criticizing the game, but it needs the constant bombardment of feeling puny. I love this game and it has a lot of potential, it needs the surviving mechanics. It needs to make the player feel so low on the food chain, that it would make peepers a fair fight.
Bases need to be essential, it would be great if creatures would attack obvious bases. So bases need to be secluded and wouldn't draw any attention to great hulking creatures that might roam around.
If you drive your cyclops above the deep depths of the ocean, you would constantly look at your radar hoping that nothing would snatch you sub and drag to the depths of the ocean never to be found.
Well, that's all that i have to say. Bye
HOWEVER
The rockpuncher is something different entirely. I've read somewhere (the wiki I believe) that the rockpuncher might breach your base 'accidentally' in search for food. This idea, I like. As long as there is a way to properly counter them from drilling into your base, I think that would be a fun addition to the game.
Of course, it's there is only so much danger to be had. This is because players can simply avoid predators.
Yes, the by it's very nature, the rockpuncher assails inanimate objects. If one happens upon a base it's not too much of a stretch to think it might jab the base. Of course, this wouldn't be out of aggression, but rather out of curiosity. Now if the player retaliates it might certainly evolve into hostilities. Learning to set up defenses is also a cool suggestion. Depending on what creatures are encountered most often around a base determines what defenses should be used.
Alas, there still needs to be more of a stalking threat from some creatures. Going along the lower on the food chain argument, certain creatures might try to kill/eat you... of course this already happens... it's just that the majority of predators aren't implemented yet. I think most of the threats the game will have are still up and coming - the game seems easy because it's missing those important creatures.
However if I retreat to a base, whilst being chased, I would fully expect them to start smashing their heads against my corridors (causing leaks, but nothing more) or even 'chasing' me as I move throughout my base.
The feeling of threat comes from the perceived intelligence and strength of one's opponent.
You need to feel like the animals are angry at you, not just acting out of defense. For example if I nick a stalkers salvage, he should chase me quite far. A good example is the biter swarms, you can feel their determination when they charge headlong into your sea-moth. Something you don't get from many other creatures.
Also, the lingering threat outside is a nuisance and so is being attacked at any time. Foxes wait outside rabbit holes... what's not to say these creatures wont do the same? Without ambushing mechanics predators will be easily outsmarted and god forbid there is a smidgen of difficulty in the game. In fact, this mechanic would punish players for simply trying to run away from every situation - just don't lead predators back to your residence like an idiot - and besides it wouldn't happen all the time. Half the time the creature might just immediately leave, or try to wait, but get board after two minuets.
Right now the only danger is proximity to creatures - players have to got to them. That's not how nature works. Predators are supposed to go to prey. If the player is part of the food chain, then predators need to actively seek out the player. Of course, this should only happen to a certain extent. Every single predator shouldn't be gunning for the protagonist simultaneously and different scenarios determine behavior.
If the player is trolling around in a seamoth, a Stalker might engage the vehicle to defend it's territory against a perceived threat, but a seamoth is much to lard and physically strong to be considered suitable prey. Stalkers wont follow seamoths too far. If a player is on a seaglide, perhaps the stalker will aim to kill, but pursuit might not occur given the player is still too fast. If the player is diving without aid, the stalker is more likely to pursue the player, but if the player zaps the stalker with a stasis gun and swims there will be no pursuit.
It's a process of active engagement and defense. Right now players must stumble upon predators to experience any danger which makes for a boring game.
Yes but if like most players you have a base greater than 3 corridors wide and with more than one hatch, it does become a nuisance, it's a case of which hatch is unguarded.
Unless the animal decides to follow you to whichever hatch you leave by, it makes the creature appear even dumber. "Oh man that human is gone, guess I'll just wait here then."
Stalkers and Bone Sharks would be more than capable of causing corridors to spring leaks realistically.
But yes we agree on the whole animals should attack for prey or anger instead of just proximity.
But once again, by your own admission, you completely remove that risk if the player hops in their seamoth for anything stalker sized or smaller.