My problem with them is that as far as I remember, the devs have said that the islands won't really be fleshed out in any way. I am sorry to say I'd rather have HAD the devs focus their time on the ocean INSTEAD of the islands, but now that the islands are there, there is very little point to move them (in a mechanical sense, not an aesthetic sense).
I was reading the Trello earlier, the dev's were thinking of "planters" for inside your base that takes the plant life for them, and there was also food discussion from that too.
Land feels too familiar. Less alien and weakens the atmosphere of alienness, isolation and discomfort being in the ocean brings. Knowing there is a place familiar to escape to detracts from the whole games atmosphere.
The only reason I disagree with you is because Subnautica had set me up for the unexpected by the time I found an island. That meant that when I finally started walking about on land I had my stasis rifle out and my paranoia levels cranked to max. I didn't know if the bird-like things were air-piranhas, the plants were deadly, or if there was some sort of sand-digging monstrosity that might pop out of the ground at any moment.
This lack of knowledge was why I shot anything that moved and was alarmed by any sound I heard. To me it felt just as unsafe and interesting as all the other biomes had, mainly because the game had trained me into that mindset.
But I agree with you, if islands are to feel more a part of the game's atmosphere and continue its great tension levels they need to echo the dangers of the waters more. Burrowing, flying, and amphibious creatures would make great additions (though not all aggressive) as would toxic plants or volcanic activity.
Get rid of the islands? Nonsense! If you don't want to visit them, don't visit them. I think they add a little more excitement to the game, though I wouldn't want to see too many. Theonly thing I don't like about one of the islands (not sure which on eit is) those wrectehd crab-spider things constantly attach you , and in the water around the shoreline those red biters attack
... If you don't want to visit them, don't visit them...
I found that even never visiting them, Knowing I could, made the world less of a threat. Less alien. That is the point of the OP.
It's like travelling on a train without buying a ticket as you should. You sit there looking every-time you hear a door open or a new voice. IS it the inspector? You feel nervous. But if you have a ticket, even if the inspector never comes you know you are good. no worries.
I think subnautica is better as a train you travel on without a valid ticket.
Here's what I think. Move the both floater island and the mountain far enough away that they remain out of the player's view when near the lifepod. Simple as that, no strings attached. I love the feeling of isolation it gives when you seen nothing but ocean for miles around, but completely removing the islands would be silly.
Here's what I think. Move the both floater island and the mountain far enough away that they remain out of the player's view when near the lifepod. Simple as that, no strings attached. I love the feeling of isolation it gives when you seen nothing but ocean for miles around, but completely removing the islands would be silly.
We are working on some ways of making the islands not as clearly visible from lifepod, as they currently are.
There are also some plans to make them more relevant, with useful plants that can be harvested when we add the farming update, and probably some story elements will be added to the islands as well. I agree that there could be more threat to the islands, and hopefully when we add storms eventually, that will be one way to keep a player from feeling completely safe on them. We'd also like to add more land creatures as well, but that is super low priority.
Right now the islands are rather empty anyways. You don't actually have anything you can do on them, and resources are sparse. But who's to say the island will for instance remain uninhabited? They might not allways be entirely safe.
Disagree. The islands are important. They serve as a exploration destination and encourage the player to build vehicles and supplies necessary to reach and explore, much like the ability to see the Aurora. In fact the game needs to expand the concept of dry-land exploration, i.e. mountains to climb, glaciers to walk on, or even underwater caves that are like massive air-pockets so we can do some flipperless-caving.
... If you don't want to visit them, don't visit them...
I found that even never visiting them, Knowing I could, made the world less of a threat. Less alien. That is the point of the OP.
It's like travelling on a train without buying a ticket as you should. You sit there looking every-time you hear a door open or a new voice. IS it the inspector? You feel nervous. But if you have a ticket, even if the inspector never comes you know you are good. no worries.
I think subnautica is better as a train you travel on without a valid ticket.
I don't get how the the islands may feel any less of a threat or familier. Yeah it's an island, but one of the islands becomes painfully obviously NOT normal as you approach it and realize it is FLOATING. That alone is enough to shake me up, since practically I don't know what that might mean if I go mucking with it to much, or developmentally since the devs could make the island unstable or even sink. Or just put some very nasty things on it to eat me, and me with no subs or exosuit to keep it from happening.
Also I do want to see more since A) it forces you far from the safety of your vehicals and the mobility of the water, It's a simple yet elegent way to hammer home that you are on an alien planet, C) It reinforces that you are in an ocean and not just a pallet swapped space game or some such.
As for your ticket analogy, there is something that can be done which is to play with expectations. What if you had a train ticket...but for the wrong train? What if that island you are heading towards isn't really an island?
I dont get why folks are so damned butt hurt about some land masses. Yes its an under water based game, but to believe a planet that supports life, which likely has a magnetic field, which implies a molten core and potential volcanic activity, would not have an above water land mass. As if the mountainous terrain below the surface cares to stop before breaching the surface.
The only "problem" I have with the islands is that they somehow interfere ith the "flow of game". Let me explain: If I roleplay my castaway seeing land he will probably try to get there. But seeing the Aurora that near he will probably go there, first. Ok, there is this ominous computer voice warning about the ship going boom, so he might stay where he is. But an island would have a magical appeal that would draw him there.
Of course, should he ever reach the island (hunger and dehydration being the major problems) he would be stuck there, the reaper, cave crawlers and the biter fish would try to eat him at the mountain island and the floating island is only one reaper short of unfriendly inhabitants. There are no low-tier resources there, no fabricator except if he took the escape pod with him so no possibility to start the "tech-tree".
What I meant is that the game is supposed to start in Safe Shallows and a landmass would lure the player there if roleplayed correctly. Both islands are in areas where the game is not meant to start.
Thats the only gripe I have with the islands, other than that, they are perfectly fine and I enjoy being there. Maybe add some fixation to the floating island so that it stays in place...
I dont get why folks are so damned butt hurt about some land masses.
Why is anyone who disagrees "butthurt"? Never gotten that. We're all automatically haters anymore.
Anyway, I have no problem with islands, I just think having them so close and immediately visible detracts from the tension and mystery. It's like you have this brief moment of emergency and then you crawl out of your life pod to the sight of land and it's gone. Crysis overted, everything will be okay. There's no more awe at seeing nothing but water in every direction.
I would be ok with the islands being out of view in order to add to the exploration part of the game. Considering most of what you need to survive is under water, I dont see them becoming a detraction from the game. The tech tree can be started on the island but only if you make a base module on the island. Still, you will have to get in the water if you want to survive. Most of your food and resources are down there. Im really ok with the islands. Really dig them for biome diversity. As I said before, I believe they should be found. Well atleast the floating one anyway. The fixed one has a reaper around it, and that would deter early reliance on being on dry land.
Anyway, I have no problem with islands, I just think having them so close and immediately visible detracts from the tension and mystery. It's like you have this brief moment of emergency and then you crawl out of your life pod to the sight of land and it's gone.
I agree that moving the islands to where we can't immediately see them is fine (like on the other side of the Aurora) , or when the final atmospheric effects/depth of field are put in and we just can't see that far (unless using binoculars). Land isn't always salvation. Heck, seeing the Aurora when getting first out of the escape pod brings feelings of relief. Yes, it is burning (and will explode), but at least it represents salvage and materials. Until we can harvest anything useful from the islands, there is no salvation to be found on them.
The only "problem" I have with the islands is that they somehow interfere ith the "flow of game". Let me explain: If I roleplay my castaway seeing land he will probably try to get there. But seeing the Aurora that near he will probably go there, first. Ok, there is this ominous computer voice warning about the ship going boom, so he might stay where he is. But an island would have a magical appeal that would draw him there.
Of course, should he ever reach the island (hunger and dehydration being the major problems) he would be stuck there, the reaper, cave crawlers and the biter fish would try to eat him at the mountain island and the floating island is only one reaper short of unfriendly inhabitants. There are no low-tier resources there, no fabricator except if he took the escape pod with him so no possibility to start the "tech-tree".
What I meant is that the game is supposed to start in Safe Shallows and a landmass would lure the player there if roleplayed correctly. Both islands are in areas where the game is not meant to start.
Thats the only gripe I have with the islands, other than that, they are perfectly fine and I enjoy being there. Maybe add some fixation to the floating island so that it stays in place...
The devs have said that the islands are not something they want to be immediately visible from the pod forever. I think one option for that would be fog, but who knows what they will come up with. They seem pretty creative in how they come up with solutions to these sorts of things.
But even so, mybe it's from my times playing old school rpgs, but there was a time when going around poking your head in holes in the ground was a good way to end up dead if you didn't take time to prepare yourself, or realize you were in over your head. Maybe that is one such element the story could help with, but giving tasks in the starter area so that people know 'hey, better stick around so I can build some survival gear'.
I don't think that is the fault of having islands though, more in that more people should exercise critical thinking.
Comments
but i wouldnt remove them completely. they should submerge and emerge periodically.
The only reason I disagree with you is because Subnautica had set me up for the unexpected by the time I found an island. That meant that when I finally started walking about on land I had my stasis rifle out and my paranoia levels cranked to max. I didn't know if the bird-like things were air-piranhas, the plants were deadly, or if there was some sort of sand-digging monstrosity that might pop out of the ground at any moment.
This lack of knowledge was why I shot anything that moved and was alarmed by any sound I heard. To me it felt just as unsafe and interesting as all the other biomes had, mainly because the game had trained me into that mindset.
But I agree with you, if islands are to feel more a part of the game's atmosphere and continue its great tension levels they need to echo the dangers of the waters more. Burrowing, flying, and amphibious creatures would make great additions (though not all aggressive) as would toxic plants or volcanic activity.
I found that even never visiting them, Knowing I could, made the world less of a threat. Less alien. That is the point of the OP.
It's like travelling on a train without buying a ticket as you should. You sit there looking every-time you hear a door open or a new voice. IS it the inspector? You feel nervous. But if you have a ticket, even if the inspector never comes you know you are good. no worries.
I think subnautica is better as a train you travel on without a valid ticket.
Once they get the above water fog working, then you won't be able to see them from the start.
There are also some plans to make them more relevant, with useful plants that can be harvested when we add the farming update, and probably some story elements will be added to the islands as well. I agree that there could be more threat to the islands, and hopefully when we add storms eventually, that will be one way to keep a player from feeling completely safe on them. We'd also like to add more land creatures as well, but that is super low priority.
But, yeah, the islands will remain in the game.
/thread.
I don't get how the the islands may feel any less of a threat or familier. Yeah it's an island, but one of the islands becomes painfully obviously NOT normal as you approach it and realize it is FLOATING. That alone is enough to shake me up, since practically I don't know what that might mean if I go mucking with it to much, or developmentally since the devs could make the island unstable or even sink. Or just put some very nasty things on it to eat me, and me with no subs or exosuit to keep it from happening.
Also I do want to see more since A) it forces you far from the safety of your vehicals and the mobility of the water,
As for your ticket analogy, there is something that can be done which is to play with expectations. What if you had a train ticket...but for the wrong train? What if that island you are heading towards isn't really an island?
You say that like there was ever a chance of them being removed.
Of course, should he ever reach the island (hunger and dehydration being the major problems) he would be stuck there, the reaper, cave crawlers and the biter fish would try to eat him at the mountain island and the floating island is only one reaper short of unfriendly inhabitants. There are no low-tier resources there, no fabricator except if he took the escape pod with him so no possibility to start the "tech-tree".
What I meant is that the game is supposed to start in Safe Shallows and a landmass would lure the player there if roleplayed correctly. Both islands are in areas where the game is not meant to start.
Thats the only gripe I have with the islands, other than that, they are perfectly fine and I enjoy being there. Maybe add some fixation to the floating island so that it stays in place...
Why is anyone who disagrees "butthurt"? Never gotten that. We're all automatically haters anymore.
Anyway, I have no problem with islands, I just think having them so close and immediately visible detracts from the tension and mystery. It's like you have this brief moment of emergency and then you crawl out of your life pod to the sight of land and it's gone. Crysis overted, everything will be okay. There's no more awe at seeing nothing but water in every direction.
I think you meant 'crisis averted', and not the gardening simulator disguised as a shooter (Crysis series).
The devs have said that the islands are not something they want to be immediately visible from the pod forever. I think one option for that would be fog, but who knows what they will come up with. They seem pretty creative in how they come up with solutions to these sorts of things.
But even so, mybe it's from my times playing old school rpgs, but there was a time when going around poking your head in holes in the ground was a good way to end up dead if you didn't take time to prepare yourself, or realize you were in over your head. Maybe that is one such element the story could help with, but giving tasks in the starter area so that people know 'hey, better stick around so I can build some survival gear'.
I don't think that is the fault of having islands though, more in that more people should exercise critical thinking.
LOL! Good catch. This should go into one of those "You know you're a Gamer when..." lists.