Remote Operated Vehicle
Autochton
Sweden Join Date: 2015-03-20 Member: 202358Members
Sweden Join Date: 2015-03-20 Member: 202358Members
My wife and I, fascinated with Subnautica as we are, discussed some ideas we had for the game. One feature of diving expedition and deep sea exploration that we've seen in broad use and which seems highly useful for the game would be remote operated vehicles, ROVs. The basic ROV would be, pretty much, a Seaglide with headlights, a camera, some maneuvering thrusters and trailing a cable back to the player. The cable could use the same code as the diving reel. When you deploy it, you get a remote viewing interface of some kind and can steer it with the usual vehicle controls. This basic version would have no manipulators, and no cargo capacity, though perhaps a later model might. You'd maybe spend something like a titanium ingot, a computer chip and a wiring harness to build it.
It would be highly useful, but not overpowered. Sure, you can send it into places you might not survive yourself - but then, dying to unexpected threats seems more an annoyance than a central game mechanic to me. It couldn't bring anything back out of that Reaper Leviathan nest or volcanic vent, but it could give you a good look at a place you would never survive going. The ROV isn't invincible - quite the opposite - so if you poke a critter you shouldn't have, you're probably go by to lose it.
Later variants, probably much more expensive, might have a manipulator arm so they could bring back a single item. Never big cargo holds - that's not what they're for.
Thoughts, ideas, thrown tomatoes? (Oh, and we expressly relinquish all rights outside bragging rights to Unknown Worlds in the case that they decide to use this. Just so that's clear.)
It would be highly useful, but not overpowered. Sure, you can send it into places you might not survive yourself - but then, dying to unexpected threats seems more an annoyance than a central game mechanic to me. It couldn't bring anything back out of that Reaper Leviathan nest or volcanic vent, but it could give you a good look at a place you would never survive going. The ROV isn't invincible - quite the opposite - so if you poke a critter you shouldn't have, you're probably go by to lose it.
Later variants, probably much more expensive, might have a manipulator arm so they could bring back a single item. Never big cargo holds - that's not what they're for.
Thoughts, ideas, thrown tomatoes? (Oh, and we expressly relinquish all rights outside bragging rights to Unknown Worlds in the case that they decide to use this. Just so that's clear.)
Comments
My other suggestions would be that there might be a few upgrade paths for the ROV which better lend it to multi-purpose functions and in that vain it might have a very small storage compartment for small item collection as you suggested. I'd also add extra upgrade options for more light mounts to do better cave exploring and (furthering the cave exploration modification path) a mapping upgrade ala Prometheus...where it rendered a 3d map of the cave structure to your pda as it went in. The pda needs a map tab any way, so why not add a more complicated cave mapping section to it?! ;P Lol, sorry dev team. I know that will likely never happen but it's fun to brainstorm! That upgrade could attach to the moth as well since it can be used for many of the caves but would be especially cool for the ROV option if the cave environment was more treacherous or lethal than usual.
Also, a storage upgrade exclusively for batteries. Where you could slot 2-3 extra batteries for extended excursions if you want.
Great ideas Autochton ... ROVs have been talked about before but not expanded on too much I think. I haven't searched through the forums on it though. Their dev design board, with this topic up on the list, is open so you can add your thoughts to it as well if you like https://trello.com/c/MAbj3kLw/225-pilotable-rov-using-dive-line-behind-it
Cheers!
I also like some of the thoughts you have, there, like using it to gather samples or something (obvious use for the manipulator upgrade, I think), that then allow you to go further down/out/in.
I love it! Hopefully we could be able to strap nuclear warheads on to the ROV's. You know... just in case of NTI's. ^^