Below Zero blueprint acquisition
Ruinsage
Join Date: 2019-02-10 Member: 250762Members
Join Date: 2019-02-10 Member: 250762Members
Having recently finished Subnautica and started Below Zero, I have to say that there is one mechanic that really didn't translate well into the new game.
Running around looking for wrecked parts at the bottom of the ocean/caves.
Seriously, why do I have to scavenge for data that can be sent to me by the orbital station that I can literally see from the surface?
Now I get that it's a big, and very important, part of the progression. But the whole reason why it worked so well in the first game is that it was a narrative mechanic, it was literally a part of the story. In Below Zero, it's not only not a part of the story, it's working against the story.
Luckily, it can be swapped for another mechanic that not only fits the new plot, but also actively awards exploration.
Remember how the Alterra corp is the kind of douches that literally claim ownership of your salvage? Remember the poster in the original base that promised a reward if you found alien tech?
Would anyone be surprised if they demanded payment for transferring blueprints to a stranded employee?
It could be implemented with a research tree, or revealed recipes as the story progresses. Either way it's better that the current copy paste of a mechanic that doesn't translate well from one game to the other.
Running around looking for wrecked parts at the bottom of the ocean/caves.
Seriously, why do I have to scavenge for data that can be sent to me by the orbital station that I can literally see from the surface?
Now I get that it's a big, and very important, part of the progression. But the whole reason why it worked so well in the first game is that it was a narrative mechanic, it was literally a part of the story. In Below Zero, it's not only not a part of the story, it's working against the story.
Luckily, it can be swapped for another mechanic that not only fits the new plot, but also actively awards exploration.
Remember how the Alterra corp is the kind of douches that literally claim ownership of your salvage? Remember the poster in the original base that promised a reward if you found alien tech?
Would anyone be surprised if they demanded payment for transferring blueprints to a stranded employee?
It could be implemented with a research tree, or revealed recipes as the story progresses. Either way it's better that the current copy paste of a mechanic that doesn't translate well from one game to the other.
Comments
And if you take the story events seriously, no company whatsoever whould allow their employees to 'go fishing'. Just imagine your desk / PC / laptop or monitor would get destroyed and you tell your boss: "Hey, it's fine. I'll go and craft my own knife, hunt my own meal, explore some useless caves, build my own shelter and try to find more blueprints in the meanwhile... because that's what a xeno-linguist is getting paid for. Take your time!"
But that's actually the story of below zero!
What's even worse though is the fact that the devs are actually trying to change the game into a "scan every alien tech you'll find and for every 10 times you do this, you'll get a free supply drop" type of game. That's pretty close to useless MMO 'grinding'.
The map right now seems rather small compared to the original and literally cuts off in the north and east, so I don't believe any spawns are final yet(including the alien scan thingies).
Similarly I believe the rewards for scanning Alien Structures are just an incentive to explore the current map and find problems with the map itself. What I mean is the fps bug report, if people literally go out of their way to see every corner because of this scan hunting, then you easily get info like this early.
But now, mostly because you never know, I want to express that the current way for these should only be temporary, if this goes into final then it will suck. I actually do believe in this developer and do not expect them to pull an Electronic Arts on us. But still, always remind them to make sure.
Speculation:
Hmm, maybe Al-An will betray us and shoot down the orbital station at some point to again create a lone survivor type of game? Would fit, because his only goal seemed to be left alone, as he has already been uncovered, we the player remain a risk to him staying hidden. Killing us will solve that, but the Station would start looking for us so why not shoot them down first, kill us and then prepare the great escape and leave the planet? --> Reason to hunt for blueprints to avenge our sister?
Also another idea, what if.. the sea truck is meant to be a tool for mass transportation? Alterra wants money, if we get the resources(money) and give it to them, maybe they'll give us blueprints? Just an idea
Players would explore the world even without the devs adding incentatives. I for one, explored the highest mountain peaks, the deepest caves, the vast uncompleted snowfox plains (on foot), the lily pad base, etc. I even dismantled those rectangular alien placeholder walls just to see what's inside (f.e. in the deep cave core), have tested the snowfox created from an item called 'nothing', etc. And others have done the same for sure if not more.
So do you honestly expect me to believe that the devs added the option to scan alien columns or partly submerged doorways and implemented a 'drop pod reward' just for the sake of players checking if they are displayed correctly?
I mean the alien structures are literally of no interest... for me, the tangle root caves with the oxygen plants, the cave vulcanos or even the twisty bridges are way more relevant to work properly.
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And in regard of the debris:
Laser Cutter fragments can be found inside the tangle root caves, which makes me doubt this is just 'by accident'.
But overall, it doesn't even matter if the same amount of debris will be in the final game or not. The point is, you shouldn't expect Below Zero to be like Subnautica 1. BZ is going to be primarily a story driven game. Which means you only get an item when the devs want you to get it.
Due to the overall map design, it would even be dangerous if players could build habitats everywhere they want. This would allow them to create unwanted shortcuts that could torpedo the proper story progression.