Supply Baloons

[Willy Pete]

I was thinking about how one could implement some sort of supply drop in the quiet apocalypse. Planes (the obvious go to for games) wouldn't work, but what about weather balloons?

My reasoning for having a supply drop system is to give late game players more reason to venture outside once they've stocked up on supplies. I've seen other suggestions that have been good, but why not one more?

It would probably work like this: during the Aurora, if you've got a radio on, there's a chance for you to hear a sudden burst of static (or some other identifying feature) followed by a voice either giving coordinates or outright saying something like: "We're sending a balloon filled with supplies towards Great Bear Island, it should land somewhere near <insert region here>."

At this point you've got the option to head out and track down this balloon, reaping whatever supplies are inside (anything from a 20 round box of .303 to a crate of MREs). But you've got to hurry. If too much time passes, bears/wolves will get to the drop first and either diminish or outright demolish the supplies. Similarly, if a blizzard blows through it will blow the downed balloon away, rending it unusable.

[ThePancakeLady]

Eh, interesting but... how? 

A weather balloon from the Mainland, where things are likely to be as bad, if not worse (due to rioting, hostilities between survivors, ect...), sent to an island where no one knows you are, or anyone, else, since the island was just about completely deserted, other than a bus full of prisoners? Prisoners, who in modernt times, are generally considered to be expandable, and not worth extreme efforts to save?

And it would be a weather or hot air balloon... subject to all of the exaggerated and really dramatically changed weather and wind patterns the world now has.

Interesting idea, but seems too far from reality, even for gameplay's sake, to make feel good in the game. And a bit too OP perhaps, the way you describe the contents of the drop(s). 

 

Perhaps something a bit more believable would be an expansion of the current beach-combing system, which already brings late game supplies to those willing to risk getting them. Maybe ever so often, not too common, a piece of larger flotsam or jetsam, such as a supply crate, or ship's dry-bag, could wash up, a bit further, and rest on not weak ice, or have only one side open to harvest/loot it, that is "relatively" safe from weak ice. Approach with caution, that is a heavy bag or box sitting there... Something that was thrown off of a ship during the initial Event, to try to lighten the ship and keep her afloat. Or that has surfaced from the wreckage of one that went down after The Event. And the crate/box/bag may have epic goodies, or epic disappointment inside. Or just enough "meh" stuff to keep you going for another few weeks or so.

 

That would feel better to me and make more sense to me. Your Mileage May Vary. Widely.

[Skelegutplays]

Good idea but the loot should not be only 1. Type of item but instead something like 2 mre 5bullets 1-2. Flare shells and firelogs.

[scuttlebum]

13 hours ago, ThePancakeLady said:

 Maybe ever so often, not too common, a piece of larger flotsam or jetsam, such as a supply crate, or ship's dry-bag, could wash up, a bit further, and rest on not weak ice, or have only one side open to harvest/loot it, that is "relatively" safe from weak ice.

 

I love this idea. (+1) If nothing else, just so I can feel like Tom Hanks when the FedEx boxes rushed in with the tide.

At risk of gamifying things too much, potentially these supply crates or dry bags could also wash up super rare items that will only every spawn once per game. Like an ultralight titanium pot (capacity of iron pot but lighter than recycled can) or a light space blanket that gives you great bonus warmth and shields you from some of that nasty wind.

 

 

[odizzido]

I would prefer not to have this, at least in this format, it just doesn't make sense. I would love to see more reasons to explore though.

[Ice Hole]

6 hours ago, scuttlebum said:

these supply crates or dry bags could also wash up super rare items

The beach combing already in the game could be expanded upon and have the cases wash up on shore.  The cases are super rare of course but would give a reason to come down from the mountain and visit the coast once in a while.

The briefcase could be used and have it locked needing pry bar or hacksaw to force open.