Ideas for Survival Mode?!


jajo88

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Hello Everybody,

 

It's a while since I've started to play TLD(seeing the great work  through the upgrades, from the beta) but just recently with a new fresh start, I've decided to study deeply the mechanics.

This is my very first topic so I'm sorry if I missed something or I had to fill some other before.

Below just a few thoughts and maybe ideas for the Devs that I'd like to share with you. 

I'm just a casual gamer and I've only read just a bunch of topics here in the wish list section. Thus forgive me if the ideas below are already submitted or silly.

Note: All ideas are with the survival mode in my mind(that is the part I love more of this game)

 

  • Possibility to create (example: quality tools + heavy hammer + scrap metalx10) and harvest the workbench in other places (maybe just inside buildings or nearby to not break the game). This in terms of the mid-late game could be interesting to create bases in different places(like jack Rabbit's island or the forestry lookout that I love). I also think that could be considered realistic because create a workbench in the garage or basement it's a real activity someone is forced to face to repair or for hobbyist works.
  • Possibility to create (example: workbench + reclaimed wood) shelves and some storage(maybe only inside buildings again to not break the game). Again could be also considered a realistic action that not would change the game.
  • Introduce binoculars. I think TLD is a survival game with quite deep exploration mechanics. So a binocular could come in handy during hunting or preventing bad encounters. Again I don't think would change the purpose of the game but maybe make it user friendly and realistic?!
  • Maybe change the mechanics of the flashlight. I don't think the flashlight working during an aurora can be considered so realistic. Maybe leaving the flashlight near a socket inside a building during an aurora could make it charging and using it could make it discharge. (Think this is silly compared with other modifications from Aurora)
  • Add more specialized feasts: like archery or hunting with rifle or fishing instead of "Book Smarts" ( so become more like "Fire Master"). Thus a player could do more personal runs through the game. Maybe different levels of specialization. So skill<-> feasts.
  • Please, please let us have a little character customization. Just a bunch of faces, color/type of hair/eyes, body sizing(just for appearance). This make player thinks about the game in a more personal way, like empathizing more with the character they are playing. 

 

I think is enough! 

I hope my little suggestions could be discussed or be the point of starting for other members/Devs ideas/discussions. 

 

Cheers!

 

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1 is a good idea, being able to both build and harvest a workbench would be quite useful. 
 

2, the only place I would personally have need for this is the lake cabin in TWM. 
 

3 (or a scope) is a popular wishlist item. 
 

5 could be interesting, I can see how it would be an early game changer in stalker or interloper. 
 

6 also a popular wish list request. 

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While I like the idea of being able to build workbenches, I don't think it will happen because HL likes to compel us to travel around the world to access various specific things and having the ability to build a workbench where we want it would negate that totally.  They obviously have planned each zone so that "something" is mission from each and there is always an incentive to move around the game world.  I don't see them underminng that strategy by making it possible for the player to "construct" their own base where they have absolutely everything close at hand.

I think the same strategy also applies to storage.  They added an ability to make rock caches, but then limited how closely together they could be places and made them outdoors only.  So, again, I don't see it happening.

Binoculars... sure, but the game's draw distance and spawn distances would have to be adapted to make this useful anyways.

Flashlight - Currently, I find it rather useless and tend to scrap or just leave any that I find... so, sure, a charging mechanic might help but I probably would still not bother carrying one around due to its weight and limited usefulness.

My preference is that feats would either be eliminated totally or allowed to be progressed in Custom mode.  If they don't do that that I'm really not interested in them adding more since I only play now in custom mode.

 

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10/10 for binos from me. Scope not so much (cuz I only play loper lol).

@UpUpAway95the flashlight is pretty useful to move raw meat around becaus you can easily scare of the wolfs

I don't see a reason for character customization because no one would ever the character anyways. For me it would be enough to change the model of Astrids fingers because those spiderfingers give me the shivers, so I don't like playing her

Edited by Lycrist
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9 hours ago, jajo88 said:

 

  • Possibility to create (example: workbench + reclaimed wood) shelves and some storage(maybe only inside buildings again to not break the game). Again could be also considered a realistic action that not would change the game.
  • Introduce binoculars. I think TLD is a survival game with quite deep exploration mechanics. So a binocular could come in handy during hunting or preventing bad encounters. Again I don't think would change the purpose of the game but maybe make it user friendly and realistic?!
  • Maybe change the mechanics of the flashlight. I don't think the flashlight working during an aurora can be considered so realistic. Maybe leaving the flashlight near a socket inside a building during an aurora could make it charging and using it could make it discharge. (Think this is silly compared with other modifications from Aurora)
  • Add more specialized feasts: like archery or hunting with rifle or fishing instead of "Book Smarts" ( so become more like "Fire Master"). Thus a player could do more personal runs through the game. Maybe different levels of specialization. So skill<-> feasts.
  • Please, please let us have a little character customization. Just a bunch of faces, color/type of hair/eyes, body sizing(just for appearance). This make player thinks about the game in a more personal way, like empathizing more with the character they are playing. 

 

I think # 1 2 and 5 are very good ideas

although i dont think # 3 and 6 are necessairy

First bonoculars add weigh to your pack and i am one of those who like to travel ultralight. i dont see the point beacause i already know most of the regions by heart.  maybe a good addition for pilgrim and voyager players but I wouldnt make anything of it.

For the character customization i dont see how it could be useful we basically never see our character.

Edited by oplli
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6 hours ago, Lycrist said:

10/10 for binos from me. Scope not so much (cuz I only play loper lol).

@UpUpAway95the flashlight is pretty useful to move raw meat around becaus you can easily scare of the wolfs

I don't see a reason for character customization because no one would ever the character anyways. For me it would be enough to change the model of Astrids fingers because those spiderfingers give me the shivers, so I don't like playing her

Well... since I don't know when an aurora is going to happen, I don't generally wait for an aurora to move meat around.  Also, because of the weight of the flashlight, I don't generally have one in my inventory If an aurora does happen.

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Thank you guys for your replies. 

I didn't expect someone could care about my proposals. You're great!!

Yes, I see that, as you pointed, some of the ideas I shared may change the game(and force the devs to change some mechanics, like the binoculars) and others are just already popular(sob thought I had some original ideas). I would just reply point to point to clarify why I thought some could be fine. 

 

  1.  @UpUpAway95 Yes, you're right maybe this could break the purpose of the devs of exploring and moving. But I thought about it in two ways. As a late-game mechanic(maybe depending on some other actions). On the other side, I think it does not break too much the exploration spirit, because you need to loot, find materials, tools to use the workbench. It was just a fancy thought regarding have a base like in a small cabin(jack's rabbit or mystery lake ones).
  2. Yeah, you're all right it is more or less useless since for example better place for harvested meat is outside. But maybe as for the workbench you could also create it just nearby a building and not only inside it. Sort of admitted area along the building walls. Again just for fancy and not have the meat all on the ground outside(I know that if you are a vet or maybe after the first 50 days you would spend more days outside, like a cave than inside buildings).
  3.  @UpUpAway95 you hit it! I didn't think about the spawn mechanics and the field of view. But as I already said I think it has good exploration mechanics. We've got a map, binoculars and a compass are missing.  @oplli yeah, I understand the compromise between a light-pack and useful tools. but if someone doesn't know every region and the tracks of every wild animal(like me) maybe could come in handy? 
  4. The flashlight  @UpUpAway95 and @Lycrist I think you're both right, but since they introduced it, maybe make this mechanic a little bit more realistic would be great(for the players who find it a good game companion). Here same as point (3), compromised between light-pack and useful tools is a player choice I think.
  5. The specialized feast was in my mind just because, as long as they introduced it, I thought about the consistency of the feasts someone could choose and the skills receiving a benefit from this. For example, for me, cold fusion, efficient machine and fire master are great and have coherence with the progression of the game outside every single run. Just because I'd like to start a new run as an archery hunter or a rifle one or a fisherman.  
  6. @oplliI know it's completely unuseful since we play in the first person, but in the status/clothing menu you can see your character. Yeah, for a hardcore player time spent in these menus is negligible. I thought about it just to fidelize/empathize more with our character on a single run. But for sure I would like to see gloves on the hands if I put them up. 

 

Maybe just another fancy modification could be the night sky during the starry nights (I know this is popular). 

Another thing (sorry). Maybe also introduce a stone-based blade? (like the primal) maybe could be a third sort of stone(stone, coal/charcoal) like flint(example: workbench + flintx4 + cloth/rabbitskin -> flint blade) and as a consequence reduce the amount of scrap metal found around? Also, these could use as a firestarter(example: workbench + flint blade + flintx4 -> flint based firestarter) changing a little bit of fire mechanics but making the game way longer I think.

 

What do you think about my thoughts on these latest proposals?

 

 

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1. I think the decisions we have to make around the workbench locations are a good way of directing where players base in the early game. In the later stages of the game you just need basic planning skills to base away from them though, since all  you need them for is bows and arrows.

 

2. Wrong game.

 

3. Binoculars would need a revamp to the way the game renders and I'm not sure hinterland is ready to leave people that are trying to play on their commodores behind. If they are though It would be pleasant sometimes in some places , but useless rest of the time. You know, like the spray can.

 

4. The flashlight is already so, forgettable that I have literally never used it. If there was another condition to its use that can't even be reached in some places then I  wouldn't even consider keeping one around as decor.

 

5. I have mixed feelings about feats as is and as we have seen with the expert trapper feat the specialized ones are kind of game breaking. As in game breaking in a boring way. To clarify I don't think expert trapper is a bad feat I just think that the whole snare system needs tweaking. Not a re-work just some tweaking.

 

6. Honestly I don't really have much against this, but I have nothing for it. I just don't want to have to deal with it.

 

 

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12 hours ago, jajo88 said:

yeah, I understand the compromise between a light-pack and useful tools. but if someone doesn't know every region and the tracks of every wild animal(like me) maybe could come in handy? 

Yeah it is true even if i dont use it many other will and it will simply give me a couple of spare scrap metal :) 

 

12 hours ago, jajo88 said:

The flashlight

I think the flashlight would need an update since it is heavy and we can never use it beacause 9 times on 10 i sleep during auroras and the time where i dont sleep i dont get out beaucause... well experience told me not to do so. So finally 10 times out of 10 i dont use the flashlight.

12 hours ago, jajo88 said:

the workbench

I think that giving the abillity to place where ever we want a workbench would be problematic. it could create some glitches and exploits problems. although i like the idea to be able to place a workbench anywhere :D 

I think that there could be a new type of workbench: the broken worbench. that we need to repair in order to use. Lets say a toolbox + a heavy hammer + 10 scrapmetal + 5 hardwood.  and they would be random through each playthrough.

another idea would be to implement a "flat stone" it is a craftable object that lets you craft everything like on a workbench. it requires 30 stone and 10 cloth. its durability decreases depending of what you craft ; 2 hooks = -1% and a bearskin bedroll = -40% for example. this would fix the problem of the exploits and glitches and it would not be too easy for the players.

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Good morning guys,

  1. @RegentRelic yeah you're right! But if you introduce maybe other features like simple blade made of stone(flint) as well as simple firestarter(flint again) as i mention in the last parte of the tread can make the workbench even useful in late-game?! @oplli not properly everywhere. I thought just inside or nearby buildings creating a sort of permitted region(gree) and forbidden(red) like when you try to place a bedroll in wrong position. Of course this could also be starting point for other type of workbench.

Going strictly to the point 5 @RegentRelic you're right again. Infatc I think that for a vet player the "firemaster, cold fusion, efficient machine" break a little the game but, because a player can choose to activate or not this "skills", I think that they make the game more userfriendly for someone who is a new player or give some opportunity to try stalker and interpoler in a "safe mode"(pass me the term). In this way introduce other feats directly connected to the in-game skill like "bowmaster" or "crafting master" or "fishing master" could make interesting and more personal a single run. The only doubt is if late-game in adaìvance difficulty level-run could be not balanced whit these.

@oplli for the "flat stone" it's great and could be connected to my idea of "flint stone" for simple blade and friestarter and so on.. Only doubt is: introducing objects that make the single run "longer"(maybe infinite?? would be great) don't make the game boring expirience? So avoid from devs, who plan that a certain point a player would dye as purpose to start again ecc? But I love that a more deep crafting mechanic system could be introduced! This will give a great degree of freedom for a player tho choose how to play a run.

@RegentRelic for the point 6 ahah! you're right! I'm starting think that would not be a very popular feature a character customization(it's a survival game not an rpg one) but again it's just a very personal thing I'd love as it makes the game more intimate!

Thanks again guys!


Let me know what do you think about the "flint stone" idea too.

 

 

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@jajo88 When it comes to the flint knives and such the first thing that needs to be under stood is that the amount of time you can live is limited. The idea that no matter how efficient you are death is inevitable is important on both a mechanical and thematic level. This core idea is already undermind by the way items can up on shore, the fact wolves kill deer for you and the fact wood is infinite. Flint tools could be added to the game, but your ability to craft them would have to be limited like your ability to craft tools from scrape metal. As always existing systems would need to be tweaked. For fire starters Hinterland you'll need to decrees the number of other fire starters or at least decreased their wash up spawn rates. As for tools they would want to either increase the amount of scape metal needed to craft tools or decrease the amount of scrape metal. I prefer the first option because it doesn't affect other systems such as much.

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@RegentRelic when it comes to the flint knife i dont see it as an object to make the game easier. As we know, we cannot make knives without forge and hammer. but its not that hard to find a hammer and we already know where are the different forges. So i see the flint knife as a way to be able to survive in hushed river valley or ash canyon without the use of modern techniques. And I think that trying to survive with a bone or flint knife IS harder than simply leave a region to fin a hammer and a forge (wich we can totally do). So it is more about giving access to new challenges that are not possible now than making the game easier.

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Hello. I think it's a good idea to add an alternative tool and fire extraction. However, it makes sense to change the random drop of items to a more unpredictable one. Plus, you need to add either one or the other to the start of a new game. or one more than the other.

I also think that it is necessary to make the indicators of such a tool very much lower than those that we make from scrap metal. Let it not be destroyed so quickly, but let the loss of useful weight of meat be greater. Also, the time spent on processing the carcass will be much longer, about the same as if you did it with your bare hands.

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Hello Guys,

@RegentRelic I think you are right about the purpose of the Devs to make player's death a certain point(also because I think a single run of more than 500days requires a play time not negligible XD ). The purpose of flint blade and firestriker is like @oplli said, just introduce another simply tool instead the scrap metal(which I have to say I don't like very much to see spawnin some random location). Maybe this flint stone could be found only in some mountain regions. @k0s0ff yep! you hit the point these simpliest tools have to be with lower duration compared with scrap metals one!

@k0s0ff about the random drops, I'd like to see less random lot and instead a more realistic spawn like stones near rock faces and stick not in the middle of pleassant valley far from the next tree. But I think this is just my personal taste to see the thing more realistic. In terms of gameplay you're right! I think random drops could make the game a good challenging compromises.

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11 hours ago, jajo88 said:

and stick not in the middle of pleassant valley far from the next tree

about that, sticks branches and logs get generated near trees after a blizzard or heavy winds. so i dont see how it is possible xD

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