Analysis of new sand shark aggression
iSmartMan
Join Date: 2016-04-17 Member: 215884Members
Join Date: 2016-04-17 Member: 215884Members
I'm sure we've all noticed that the Machinery update has made the sand sharks more aggressive, but I thought I might give my impressions and observations after starting a new survival game, because there seems to be more going on than meets the eye.
My first encounter with the new sand shark behavior was almost certainly the same as yours. After glancing at the forum threads about it, I had expected perhaps a wider aggro range, or a better method of concealment. What I didn't expect was for the shark to chase me 40 meters vertically, bite me, and then continue chasing me the other 40 vertical meters and only giving up once I had broke the surface of the water. I mean, these were SAND sharks, and if there was one thing I felt I could rely on, it was that they would stay near the SAND.
For the next few hours, I tried to keep as much distance between myself and any sand sharks as I could, and the few encounters I had during that time reinforced my impression that these guys would chase you to hell and back to get a taste of you. I assumed that once I acquired a Seamoth, the problem would be solved and I would have some amount of safety from them. Then I remembered that the only place to get Seamoth fragments anymore was in the Grassy Plateau, which of course is crawling with sand sharks. I decided that the benefit would be worth it, so I dropped off all my equipment, took a couple of first aid kits, and went on a suicide mission to grind out some Seamoth fragments, no matter how many respawns it took.
The most surprising thing was that I never needed to respawn.
I admit, I used both my first aid kits, but there were a LOT of sand sharks around, and I kept expecting to aggro them at any moment and get killed at least once. Instead, I passed surprisingly close to several sand sharks that never chased me while I was scanning fragments, and some that did start chasing me were somehow distracted before they ever bit me. When it got too dark to see anymore, I returned home with 3/5 Seamoth fragments, plus about 10 other fragments towards things that would be greatly helpful down the line, and with 90% health (remember, I still had to use both my health kits). This leads me to only one conclusion: the sand shark behavior change is more sophisticated than simply cranking up the aggression meter. There's some other variable that catches their attention, perhaps if you start actively fleeing them or move around too much. This warrants further study, but if anyone else has ideas about what this X factor might be, I'd love to hear them.
My first encounter with the new sand shark behavior was almost certainly the same as yours. After glancing at the forum threads about it, I had expected perhaps a wider aggro range, or a better method of concealment. What I didn't expect was for the shark to chase me 40 meters vertically, bite me, and then continue chasing me the other 40 vertical meters and only giving up once I had broke the surface of the water. I mean, these were SAND sharks, and if there was one thing I felt I could rely on, it was that they would stay near the SAND.
For the next few hours, I tried to keep as much distance between myself and any sand sharks as I could, and the few encounters I had during that time reinforced my impression that these guys would chase you to hell and back to get a taste of you. I assumed that once I acquired a Seamoth, the problem would be solved and I would have some amount of safety from them. Then I remembered that the only place to get Seamoth fragments anymore was in the Grassy Plateau, which of course is crawling with sand sharks. I decided that the benefit would be worth it, so I dropped off all my equipment, took a couple of first aid kits, and went on a suicide mission to grind out some Seamoth fragments, no matter how many respawns it took.
The most surprising thing was that I never needed to respawn.
I admit, I used both my first aid kits, but there were a LOT of sand sharks around, and I kept expecting to aggro them at any moment and get killed at least once. Instead, I passed surprisingly close to several sand sharks that never chased me while I was scanning fragments, and some that did start chasing me were somehow distracted before they ever bit me. When it got too dark to see anymore, I returned home with 3/5 Seamoth fragments, plus about 10 other fragments towards things that would be greatly helpful down the line, and with 90% health (remember, I still had to use both my health kits). This leads me to only one conclusion: the sand shark behavior change is more sophisticated than simply cranking up the aggression meter. There's some other variable that catches their attention, perhaps if you start actively fleeing them or move around too much. This warrants further study, but if anyone else has ideas about what this X factor might be, I'd love to hear them.
Comments
However, I find it interesting, as it makes the Repulsion Gun more relevant AND the Stasis Rifle much more important now.
In any case, I like that the fauna is more aggressive.
The player has to deal with them now. There was no reason to make the defensive tools we were given up until this update.
Color me surprised when I found myself building the Seamoth bug-zapper. It helps a lot!
You know what isn't aggressive? Bleeders. Not in the slightest bit interested in me.
"Started a new game,
Was chased by a long string of sharks and giant fish,
Realized I can't build a weapon
0/10"
That's what I thought but they will latch on if you get too close.
yeah,
I can swim right past one... it won't even bite me
But back to the sharks. The tactic is to outrun them and stay fast. In the safe shallows and creepvines you don't equip a tank and fins are a must. You watch for the right moment and if unlucky, you escape if possible swimming through obstacles and other prey. But never with a tank until you get the seaglide. With the mod station you equip plasteel tanks and ultraglide fins and with the seamoth you simply kill most of them.
Quick swimming has a lot of advantages over using the rifle or cannon. I usually just play with the guns for fun, but don't use them, because I keep my inventory maxed. It also allows me to get faster out of trouble or back to air. 10secs left isn't bad if you can swim like ironman. Rushing through a swarm of bonesharks isn't impossible with speed.
Most predators have all their weaknesses. Sandsharks are stupid enough to hunt biters and bonesharks play with each other. Stalkers commit suicide on gasopods. ...
In recent patches the Grassy Plateaus has been way to much cakewalk then it should be, at least now we see some action and movements.
And for you that complains about them, I really cant see the issues, they are easy to kill with a knife, they often turn away from you after one strike with the knife, giving you enough time to pick up / scan whatever you had in front of you and then swim away. If you have a seamoth close its even easier.
But most of the time its better to confront the sandshark then to swim away from it, as I said its easy to kill with a knife, but if you turn and burn the chances are bigger they bite you in the ass while doing it.
If you think Grassy Plateaus are hard now, wait until you arrive in Dunes, or perhaps you'll complain about the Leviathans then to?
You better stay in the Safe Shallows if you want a peaceful staying in Subnautica.
Yeah, bleeders don't come at you from quite as far away anymore, But somehow they still get to me every time I don't pay attention. Usually in a cave or outside in the dark of night.
Sand Sharks however, I think should ambush players more. Lying still in the sand, jumping out when something swims close, that kind of thing.
At the moment I only really see them swimming around, occasionally digging leaving sand clouds behind. I think they should spend most of their time under the ground, only making clouds when they move.
It would add an element of caution to exploring the Grassy Plains biome.
I think Stalkers should do just that; stalk. They don't attack you right on sight, instead they keep their distance and kinda swim around in some Creepvines, then when you look away, go right for you while you're vulnerable.
Sandsharks should be different; they should be low-ground hunters and focus on attacking those who are low to the ground, and surprise attack fish and humans alike. But it just doesn't make sense to me that a predator would try to eat something it's size unless it feels threatened or feels it is competition. And it doesn't make it justified to swim from Hell and back to get some leg meat.
Continuing the name thing, would bone sharks act more like scavengers?
Correct me if I'm wrong, but Bone Sharks are called that because of their bony appearance, almost like the skeleton of a dolphin or a mosasaur.
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Sorry, couldn't resist.
Correct. Like the jellyrays: named by appearance
Manta Ray repellant! I couldn't stop laughing!
But seriously, I'd just like something more costly per use than the stun gun - yet easier to get early in the game - that'd allow me to go gasopod when attacked (and give me a one time chance to escape).
Similarly, a hotkey for dumping gold in order to distract pursuing stalkers woudl be useful!
If the devs did this - You'd have an entire minigame for the player about trying to assess whether the creature was behaving using an aggressive AI or passive AI (or something in between)!
I found some concept art of a modified transfuser/propulsion cannon that could shoot stuff like crashes and gasopod grenades.
The animal-animal interactions are getting more complex!
I'm not sure that concept art was official. Repellant also needs to not injure the player