ALARM CLOCK! (Aurora)

[Stranzua]

Are you tired of waiting for the 'chance' of an aurora? In my opinion, this game needs an alarm clock that wakes us up when an aurora starts. Maybe it can be a completely new item, or maybe it can be a 3rd setting that's added to the new shortwave radio. Either way, nobody wants to sit around for 3 to 15 days just for the chance of an aurora to occur. 

On top of that, we need one or two more ways to get energy quickly. If I explored all day and go to sleep with low energy and the alarm wakes me up for an aurora, I need a few available sources of quick energy so that I can actually explore. Right now, the only ways to replenish energy are sleeping, coffee, acorn coffee, go energy drinks, and emergency stims. The stims and energy drinks are temporary, extremely limited, and mainly for emergencies. Acorn coffee is weak, it requires a hammer to prepare, and are also limited. Coffee is probably the best option but even those are limited and mostly used while exploring during the day. 

My suggestion:

1. ENERGY BARS! The description for the energy bars says that it's energy in a bar, but it's not. Right now, they only give you calories. This would also make sense that they are often found in medical supply kits.

2. Another stronger brand of coffee. A region with a coffee shop/brewery would be cool also. A place with bags of coffee beans that need to be prepared with the hammer, a grinder, or electric appliance only available in that building. Freshly ground coffee can be stronger. 

3. A natural resource like the new and unreleased burdock root. 

4. A recipe for a protein shake or some kind of drink/food

5. Soda or a new kind of soda

 

Edited June 7, 2023 by Stranzua

[Cyclone35]

What about a caffeinated expresso machine, something only found in certain homes and will only work when the aroura is out. It doesn't restore much hydration due to it being a small cup, but the effects are stronger than a normal cup of coffee. You will need to provide water in order for it to work.

[hozz1235]

I like the idea of the "Aurora Alarm Clock" but not so much another item for energy.  I feel like there are plenty as is, and any more/more powerful ones may upset game balance.

[conanjaguar]

Makes sense… if the aurora acts as a power source, I think it would make every alarm clock on the island go cuckoo!

(Pun unintended)

[Stranzua]

In response to Hozz, I don't think 1 or maybe even 2 more options would hurt, but I also think that there are ways to balance that out if it is OP. For example, I'm not sure if the new insomnia affliction is working as intended. Right now, it barely even affects you so I'm wondering if they are going to change it in the future. So, what if insomnia was added as a regular affliction in the game and every time you consumed an item that restores energy, the risk of insomnia increases. Plus, instead of just randomly waking you up in the middle of the night, what if it actually keeps you from sleeping. This would also give Hinterland an opportunity to do something cooler with the glimmer fog. 

[JackTrysGames]

Here, have  my own personal take on this.

 

Digital Watch
An old, barely functional digital watch. It has a modified alarm that automatically triggers whenever it powers on.

Weighs nothing. Found in one specific spot. But it wakes you up whenever an Aurora occurs.

[Stranzua]

I still support this idea fully, but one of the reasons I was a little annoyed was because the Pleasant Valley Signal Void Bunker mission wasn't marking itself as complete in the journal. This had me waiting for another aurora just to search the bunker better to see if I missed anything, and then it almost had me going on a wild goose chase around PV. It literally could have taken weeks in game to keep waiting for an aurora just to search the map for any other kind of signal. Thankfully, after looking it up I just moved on to Bleak Inlet and the mission eventually marked itself as complete. Moving forward I can imagine that the there is going to be more reasons to go out during an aurora so I still think it's a great idea. A watch, an alarm clock, a 3rd setting for the shortwave radio..........any of these would work.