Pre-Lit Survival Campsites

[philthechamp]

I think that a fantastic addition to this game would be a pre-lit survival campsite w/ snow shelter in the starting region. I think this is an improvement because it gives the survivor a chance to jumpstart the experience in the region with an incentive to venture to a somewhat hard to reach location. The reward of a lit flame for the initial exploration is, in my opinion, a better overall way to start the game. I imagine there would be 2-3 potential locations for new survival camps per region with a campfire in your starting location beginning with an extended hour long 'embers' effect. Under this system one wouldn't necessary be required to immediately go to the same known indoor structures looking for matches. In stead, you're looking up for the signs of smoke, trying to weigh the distance with time, wolves, weather and a myriad of other things. I don't think there should be more than one additional campsite per region, but rather just outline a few more potential spawns... In all, I think a pre-lit camp in the starting region would open up a whole new world of initial strategic decisions as well as allow for each game to begin with just the right amount of variability. 

Also, as it stands now, items at snow shelter camps just seem to be adjacent to one another and the campsites themselves are not as purposefully placed as they could be. It is so critical to face the campfire and snow shelters toward the best view, which is usually just the horizon. Sometimes pre-set campfires aren't interactable from within the snow shelters and need to be rotated while the snow shelters themselves sometimes face walls rather than a nearby landscape. Its a small thing but majorly important because I see these campsites as rewarding the player with good views later in the game as well. If they tweaked the current layouts, added 2-3 more potential spawns for survival camps in prime locations, and considered implementing a pre-lit flame in the starting region I think the devs could create a lot of unique moments without breaking the game. That's not even to mention the fact that they should include more static structures at campsites like lean-tos and deer hide tents as well as more storytelling features like claw marks, blood stains, bodies, etc. 

Anyway, let me know what you think. Also do you agree that starting with matches is slightly broken? Does a pre-lit campsite solve that problem? Would this work on interloper? just curious. 

Peace- Phil

Edited January 13, 2021 by philthechamp

[dbmurph22]

I like the abstract concept of a time sensitive perk being randomly generated at the start of a run (of course the early days are the most exciting) to create some variety and an immediate extra risk/reward calc.  I think you're right that it makes some sense on a game level and adds to decisions.  That said, I think for it to be a dying campfire falls for me some on a thematic level.  I don't have the sense that there are warm bodies or dying campfires, but a frozen over quiet apocalypse.  Sure, not everything is ruined, so its not like it's been years and years, but it certainly has been enough for nature to take hold after the catastrophe and I couldn't work with it being immediately post - or even just post a passing of a fellow survivor.  

But I like your concept in a game sense so maybe there's another implementation.  

In Interloper you don't start with matches, so that helps with another of your concerns.  That's why it can be so great! 

I think your additional ideas are quite good mostly thematically (extra temp structures and story type markings) - I would be for them if done carefully.  Well mostly the latter - the markings and such.  I'm not sure I'm up for too many extra temp structures.   I think you have to be careful with the overall vision of TLD, which is minimalism.  There's crafting, but not a lot.  There's structures, but not a lot.  It's a stark landscape and adding too many things, while maybe thematic, you threaten the overall nature and vision of the game.  It's actually my belief that this nature and restraint is what separates it from most every game and why it's difficult to find a similar experience to TLD.  They are adding items and regions, but overall there's still quite a bit of restraint to match the overall minimalistic, bare motif.

Intriguing conversation - thanks for letting me discuss some.  All the best.

[philthechamp]

7 hours ago, dbmurph22 said:

I think you have to be careful with the overall vision of TLD, which is minimalism.  There's crafting, but not a lot.  There's structures, but not a lot.  It's a stark landscape and adding too many things, while maybe thematic, you threaten the overall nature and vision of the game.  It's actually my belief that this nature and restraint is what separates it from most every game and why it's difficult to find a similar experience to TLD.  They are adding items and regions, but overall there's still quite a bit of restraint to match the overall minimalistic, bare motif.

Intriguing conversation - thanks for letting me discuss some.  All the best.

I definitely see what you mean by this. I think that too many animal skin rugs/ chests and things would disrupt the vibe. This isn't Skyrim. I'm glad you used the word minimalism bc I think that's a great description of the intent and appeal behind the game. When I suggest a lean-to or tent I hope it would be one or the other, and they could probably add more of the textures without it being a distraction. (also scorch marks I forgot to mention)

As for the thematic concept, I agree, but I'm not sure what the exact timelines are supposed to be. Embers could last for a very long time so I don't think it necessarily think implies that anyone is still alive or still warm, but it does get close to breaking that down. I don't necessarily read the campsites as being from a survivor from Milton but rather something that's leftover from a previous TLD run. It's like a 4th wall breaking, 5th wall building, story telling game feature. But that's also a little convoluted so I definitely agree with you that it should be clear that this apocalypses has been in motion for a while. Maybe a few months to a year? I still like the discovery aspect of of turning a corner and seeing some embers, life, barely clinging on though. In that way I think it fits the theme well but maybe they would also have to show the bodies clearly frozen over from a few days prior...

I mostly play interloper for the reason that you don't have matches so this is basically a way to garner more interest in that or a custom game w/out matches. I also really just want to see more snow shelters on the edge of cliffs. Maybe I just need to play more voyager and build them myself. While I like the constraints of interloper you're not always incentivized to hang out just because of a view lol.

[UpUpAway95]

In conjunction with a total randomization of loot, including match spawns, and as an optional toggle on/off... I'm all for it.  Hopefully, the spawning of these campsites would be random enough to avoid people working out a "loot table" for them and then being able to just consistently bolt to that location the way they do the matches.

Edited January 13, 2021 by UpUpAway95