Feedback after 1 week of new map

[CoureurDeBois]

I'm not an expert when it comes to game balance, and I do hope that posting this in an entirely new thread isn't presumptuous, but I have been playing the new map for more than a week, and I thought I might as well share my two cents.

What I don't like about it:

-The new map's loot table is a wreck. I collected over 35 kilos of various forms of clothing and about 28 kilos of food (beef jerky, soda, etc.) but only 2 bullets. I concede that I may have missed the lion's share of the bullets (though I don't count it as likely), but I cannot think of any reason for why there should be 35 kg of clothing in the map. The lack of bullets meant that my ability to survive sustainably was stunted and my reliance on "loot" food like jerky and canned food was almost total.

Now, I may have been able to rectify this by venturing to mystery lake for bullets (and, for all I know, that may have been the intention), but I seriously dislike that idea of designing the game. It essentially relegates the coastal highway into being a sort of "looting zone" which you hit up and only ever return to if the wildlife in mystery lake is exhausted. I would like it if each map had the capacity to be a self-sustaining unit: if the player doesn'tt want to venture back to mystery lake and they just want to try and survive at the highway for as long as they can, I think that thry should be able to do that.

-The wolves are improved from the insanity of last Thursday, but it is still a little bit much. I was attacked 5-6 times by wolves within a 11-day period, and that isn't due to lack of caution on my part, I encountered but avoided wolves about thrice that amount during the same time span. In a blizzard I can find my way around the coastal townsite by following trails of my own blood.

-Searching through endless drawers and cabinets really tries your patience, and with so many houses it feels like the tedium of searching never ends. After a while I just decided not to search the cabinets in many houses, because I knew there would just be more clothing in there and I already had about 50 times too much.

-The ravine instantly kills you whenever you fall enough to take even 1% fall damage. I can see why this is necessary (the ravine is unprogrammed beyond a certain point) but the first time I saw the ravine, I had absolutely no idea about this, and I died. I doubt I'll be the only player to make this mistake, so please add siderails or just a "caution" sign so that people know not to try venturing down.

What I like in the update (this section is shorter than the dislike section, but that's just because I felt like I had to elaborate on why I didn't like some of the additions. I like the update more than I dislike it, so don't let the size here decieve)

-The new map feels very different from Mystery lake, and I like that a lot. Mystery Lake feels like the NWT or Yukon whereas the new map feels like the BC coastline, and the change of atmosphere was very refreshing. If we had every map looking and feeling like another, the atmosphere of the game, however beautiful, would become stale after a time. This alleviates that by a lot.

-Rabbit hunting was a brilliant idea. Rabbit snaring doesn't get you nearly enough calories to survive on alone, but it is a welcome supplement to the character's wolf-and-deer diet, and allows the enterprising player to net a few more calories per deer they bag.

-The condition indicators are a big help in determining if it's still too cold to try tavelling.

-The weak ice area is a hilarious way to establish a boundary. The first time I died to the weak ice I couldn't stop laughing for 5 minutes. It is a bit strange though that the character just starts screaming without any visual change on screen.

[Burning Bridges]

But you already said it yourself: you can venture to Mystery Lake and find ca 15-25 bullets.

That's what they meant with "every map being different". If you think of the 2 maps as a whole, not every place should be the same. Mystery Lake has a lack of clothing but more weapons / tools / metal. Costal Highway lacks bullets and metal tools, but has an abundance of clothing and food.

Lucky you btw. Like you I found 2 bullets on the new map, and though I treated them like gold dust, they suddenly vanished thanks to some unknown reason (I believe it was a bug). Perhaps the game now simulates a hole in our pocket or something.

I can also tell you where you can find 5 more bullets, if you want ...

[Burning Bridges]

Just a shot in the dark: The Coastal Highway could be just designed as the entry point to the game, where new a player finds lots of food but not all the equipment and especially ammo. As the game progresses, the maps get harder and more interesting in terms of loot. If you reverse the order of the maps it makes a lot more sense, with the Trapper's Homestead being the relative end point in terms of reward.

[JErosion]

I can't help but notice that since the update the Mystery Lake seems Harsher, on average the days seem far colder than anything the Coastal Highway throws your way, also the wolfs seem to be stationed at choke points on the map.

My current game I started at the Coast, found the rifle and a grand total of 6 rounds to go with that lookout rifle, went to Mystery Lake... found only 6 rounds there, and had to use two of them on wolves, although I did find 3 rifles(the dam, the Derailment and the Trappers Homestead) My best hope is to try and find the bunker and see if there is any ammo there at all

[CoureurDeBois]

But you already said it yourself: you can venture to Mystery Lake and find ca 15-25 bullets.

But I also said this:

I would like it if each map had the capacity to be a self-sustaining unit: if the player doesn't want to venture back to mystery lake and they just want to try and survive at the highway for as long as they can, I think that they should be able to do that.

I didn't select the coastal highway map in the anticipation that I would be forced to return to Mystery lake within about a week. I had expected that I would be able to survive there for maybe 40-50 days before I began to be pressured to leave.

If the highway is indeed a tutorial area, then the whole scenario makes sense. Before long you will be pressured to leave the tutorial area because of the dearth of bullets, but that's not how I wanted to see the new map turn out.

My vision and expectations of the game may very well be wrong, I hardly deny that. But this is the feedback section after all, and I figured that this of all places is where I should lobby for my view on how the game should unfold.

[Burning Bridges]

Yes, sure. it's just not as bleak as you make it sound. You can survive on both maps, even without any bullets at all.

[Arcontis]

Personally, I am loving the new map. Just like the OP said, it is an excellent change of scenario that is welcome for the sake of variety.

I think that each map shouldn't give you the same loot or provide the same long-term survival chances. It is what keeps you moving. Maybe in Mistery Lake you find tools, the rifle, and ammo, but eventually you might run out of meds or clothing. The opposite happens in coastal: eventually you are going to run out of "canned" food, so you need to migrate. I like that!

However, there is one thing that I found annoying in the new map, just like the OP said: Too many drawers/cabinets to search. Sometimes I feel like staring a progress bar for an hour

I would recommend grouping containers: For example, instead of having one cupboard with 4 different drawers, maybe group them into one single container, and increase a little bit (not too much) the time needed to search it.

Nevertheless, the game is really cool and I like the direction it is heading. Can't wait for the release date...

[fiatal]

I agree with a couple of the other posters that I like that the two maps feel different in loot and survivability. I like that I will eventually have to travel over to Mystery Lake after the glut of loot on the Coastal Highway. I like that they offer different things!

I agree with the OP about the other stuff, though.