Transition Areas

[henroe32]

I read an article on here about a month or so ago claiming that due to the addition of Broken Railroad (a map I really like) Forlorn Muskeg has become simply a transition area. This is perhaps true for people who consider the area to be desolate and "Forlorn" but it does still contain a forge and several structures which contain items useful for survival. It should also be noted that although many people will use it as an A to B map simply following the track, there are many wolves who dwell on it and so it can be better to walk around the lake rather than through it. 

But it did get me thinking, with the last 2 map additions to sandbox we have seen no transition areas and furthermore when we see the next map, mountain town or something like that, I don't know what it will be. It could be the location of Perseverance Mills or it could be, more likely in my opinion, the Town Of Milton map with a slightly stronger climbing rope. 

If it is the town of Milton I seriously doubt there will be a transition area other than the tiny area you have to cross to get from the rope to the cave (excellent map design there Hinterland with the view of the plane). This is sad because I really enjoy transition areas because they allow the game to force you to travel along a fixed path almost which allows for beautiful locations such as the maze-mines and caves to get lost in but even more so the beautiful ravines and crumbling roads as well as the terrifying train bridge you have to cross between Mystery Lake and Coastal Highway. It would be cool to see a mine that led to more than one area and with a larger, much larger interior area which you can more easily get lost in.

To simplify, I miss the additions of transition areas which I don't know if it's purposeful or becuase of development or possibly to make the Fix My Rifle quest a shorter trip but it would be nice in my opinion to see more of and from these gems of game design in future updates. An interesting idea might be a train tunnel that's almost completely dark with a train inside that's stuck (people train) that you have to walk through the carriages of to get through with possibly an engineer's locker room or a signal box for structures near the ends.

This is just my opinion so discuss below your thoughts on transition areas in the game and any future ideas you have for some.

[TROY]

I think folks claiming FM is now just a transition zone are probably writing themselves permission slips to avoid exploring or attempting survival there. It's an acquired taste to begin with and not well loved by many.  

It still contains at least as much area and things to find as BR, and is more challenging in my opinion. 

Ive never cared much for transition zones personally. Despite having some incredible scenery, they rarely contain much to do or find, and just seem like added steps on an already long and dangerous journey. 

[Mroz4k]

I would very much like to see some more transition zones, but honestly, if they add locations as merciless as Forlorn Muskeg or even more merciless, I would be happy as well. What I am really hoping for is that there is a massive mine added into the game at some point, an elaborate maze of tunnels with wildlife in it and dangerous drops, which could connect several of the locations we already have as an alternative way. If there were fire barrels along the way or some other type of fireplaces, one could go through a location of mineshafts as long as a Pleasant Valley - and imagine how cool it would be, to have a "slope" going up into a location above you.
I guess that wouldnt really be a transition zone in a true sense, more like just an actual "underground" zone. Definitedly could see wolves in narrow spaces, dangerous falls and water dripping from ceiling which would quickly wet your clothes and would lower the temperature fast, as a very challenging location to survive in.

The funny thing about having multiple transition zones is... it could make game more diverse, by making certain locations blocked. For example, knowing that there are three different routes from Mystery Lake to Coastal (the ravine, then the long way through Dam, PV and then the coal mine, and finally some sort of big underground mine/cavern system), it could mean that the game you spawned in would, for example, have a ruined train trestle. So, you would go through ravine, all the way to the train bridge, find out it was unpasseable, and be forced to take an alternative route. The value of the zone would still be obvious, it is a great hunting spot and has a signal pistol in it, but it could no longer be used to cross from CH to ML. 

14 hours ago, TROY said:

Despite having some incredible scenery, they rarely contain much to do or find

Yea, its a shame you cant find amazing things like bedrolls, or two-of-a-kind weapons like signal pistols, or at least bunch of "free leather carcasses" in transition areas, their loot is just so pointless. It is also a shame that these locations dont have amazing hunting spots, which contain ample deer or rabbits with no predators at all, or only very few.

[Ruruwawa]

53 minutes ago, Mroz4k said:

Yea, its a shame you cant find amazing things like bedrolls, or two-of-a-kind weapons like signal pistols, or at least bunch of "free leather carcasses" in transition areas, their loot is just so pointless. It is also a shame that these locations dont have amazing hunting spots, which contain ample deer or rabbits with no predators at all, or only very few.

 

[henroe32]

I like the idea of having multiple connectors with random chances of destruction (with there always being one available) as this links nicely to the events of the collapse which has shaken a lot of the world although this could possibly become quite annoying for some players but I can see the train bridge between CH and ML collapsing easily or a cave in between ML and PV.

The main difference between transition areas and main game maps is loot, size and structures as well as gameplay possibilities. I don't think it would be a bad idea to add a structure with a unique feature in a transition zone for example something just like an old small train station. 

Another idea I like is to have a transition based on climbing aspects such as a transition to Timberwolf Mountain say from desolation point (not sure if that undermines its farout aesthetic or not) via a ravine or one of the old mine networks. To be honest I feel like one between desolation point and Timberwolf mountain would beaver useful as currently desolation point sits as a location good for its forge but not much else. This is even eaten away slightly by the fact you can now go to Forlorn Muskeg if you are in need of tools which although is harder to survive in it does supply you with a nice path to the BR map which has some useful places in it. Desolation point would be a nice place to spawn to collect resources and make tools prior to a hike up the mountain on a harder difficulty.ne added into the game at some point, an elaborate maze of tunnels with wildlife in it and dangerous drops, which could connect several of the locations we already have as an alternative way. If there were fire barrels along the way or some other type of fireplaces, one could go through a location of mineshafts as long as a Pleasant Valley - and imagine how cool it would be, to have a "slope" going up into a location above you.

7 hours ago, Mroz4k said:

I guess that wouldnt really be a transition zone in a true sense, more like just an actual "underground" zone. Definitedly could see wolves in narrow spaces, dangerous falls and water dripping from ceiling which would quickly wet your clothes and would lower the temperature fast, as a very challenging location to survive in.
 

I do like the idea of a dark subterranean ravine/ cave / mine location it would have to be smaller than an actual map in my opinion and it would be hard to make it playable and manoverbale and many players would probably wouldn't use it unless it had unique bonuses like a way to a specific location or a specific weapon or cache of stuff etc. This would be hard to do and would require some level of sunlight unless lighting could then be a more important survival aspect. Literally the very long dark. A larger more industrial mineshaft with mine tracks and possibly a lift shaft with a ladder or an elevator which works during an aurora would be cool.

[henroe32]

I know I probably sound like a broken record but a cool idea for a transition could be a massive bridge which cannot be traversed easily. By this I mean one like in the Highway 17 chapter of Half-Life 2. This would be a bit like the narrow section of the current large train bridge only much scarier and much longer. 

[Prestermatt]

1 hour ago, henroe32 said:

This would be a bit like the narrow section of the current large train bridge only much scarier and much longer. 

The Trestle is plenty scary and long enough for some of us, thank you.  

[henroe32]

Another area regarding this is that I feel that it would be good if maps looped to each other. By this I mean that certain maps such as broken railroad should branch to other maps for an alternative route there because travelling across Forlorn Muskeg twice only to get there and back is slightly annoying and it would be better if the player could get back to Mystery Lake say or another region to prevent you having to go through the same region twice possibly by using an old island connector.

[Fuarian]

I feel like Broken Railroad is more of a transition area. It's so small, smaller than Desolation Point even. I think it'll act a transition area to Mountain Town. 

[henroe32]

I think I would certainly prefer it if one of the next maps released was a very large map like pleasant valley. This could provide an amazing new addition to the game.

[Mroz4k]

For actual zones, I think a "snow plains" zone which would be even more hostile and barren then the Forlorn Muskeg is would be kind of cool. It would have friggid winds, nothing much in terms of resources, and very little shelters, with no indoor shelters at all. I think it would be amazing moment if by the middle of it was a small house, but once you finally got to it you would find out that the house is completedly ruined from the other side of it, and would provide very limited shelter at all - and on top of it, it would have a busted-open basement by it which would serve as a bear den. 
Imagine going through such a zone, seeing that dreamed shelter from far away, and after finally arriving to it, finding out it was not only just a tease all along, but also dangerous lure trap all along. Only firewood source would be an occasional stick there, occasional bush there.

Naturally plains like that would be an amazing place to use snow shelters on, and would provide ample hunting spots as such area would be teeming with deer, and occasional wolves. 

Can totally see some ruined homestead which would be burned to the ground, and hay bales which could be "utilized" like cars for shelter. Something similar to Pleasant valley, only more like Forlorn Muskeg.

A new zone that pushes players even more to the limit is something I am looking for - the FM is still pretty soft because it has lots of forest coverage, more than plenty shelter choices, and even an indoor cave.

[StrayCat]

@Mroz4k : this kind of map should nonetheless have an interest to it. An empty "snow plains" zone would not be attractive to players, except for those wanting a specific challenge. On a normal game, there is no interest. On the other hand, if it contained something really useful, it could become a great map. Just think of the crashed plane on top of Timberwolf mountain. If it were not there, only a few players would have taken the challenge to climb on the top.
In your suggestion, I can imagine a randomly placed prepper cache or a random truck containing useful items (maybe food, fuel ?), so that searching for it in a desolate landscape does have a meaning / goal.