Commercial Branch (Update 1) + Transitions
Added 2024-10-22 09:43:31 +0000 UTCHi!
Here's a little update related to the commercial (early-access) branch.
A bunch of new stuff has been added to commercial branch within few days:
Voice acting system / randomizer for AI and Traders (voice acting is WIP)
Dynamic game time preparations (affects TOD, transitions, loot respawns etc.)
Melee system preparations and Knife equipment slot
Belt equipment slot (especially for combat / battle belts
In terms of dynamic game time, I decided to ask your opinion related one topic. This dynamic game basically means that there's now a timer system that controls the time of day and this timer is also linked to those loot respawns and trader supply resets. The sleeping system will also be linked to this game time, meaning you can "fast forward" time by sleeping etc.
When it comes to transitions, what are your thoughts if the transitions between maps would work something like this:
Transition has travel time component based IRL-distance between maps, meaning if the distance for example between Village and Highway is 10km IRL, it will take around 2h for that transition (human walking speed is around 5km/h). This would then automatically switch from Day -> Dusk if the game time goes into "Dusk Zone". All those demo options to change the TOD and Season are btw. also removed since they will controlled through these new features.
Some transitions can have quite far distance related IRL map locations and could be something like 30km (4h in-game time) and even beyond that which can then switch automatically to night time etc.
Transitions would also have Energy / Hydration consumption component. This means that each transition consumes certain amount of Energy / Hydration vital stats based on those IRL distances. This would basically require more "preparing" for some transition in terms of consumables in your inventory that you can use after you have made the transition etc.
There would be a pop-up info in each transition spot which highlights these distances, time calculations and Energy / Hydration consumptions before you transition.
What are your thoughts related to these transition changes?
-Antti (Developer)
Comments
It's a great gameplay design that works well in games having it. This will need to be well tweaked with food/drink consumption. An interesting idea is coming to my mind though, to make transition map to map more interesting. A "RNG Event" mechanic could be added, it would go like this : After the area transition loading screen a pop-up message could appear to mention what happened during those 4 hours walk for example. Example : -Number 1 : "You came across a pack of wolves, you sprinted but being less fast, you ended up firing 3 shots, killing a wolf and scaring the others away." Result 1 : Food & Drink bar - 60% / 3 less bullets in the rifle / + 4 pieces of meat - Number 2 : "Walking along a road you came across an abandoned makeshift camp, the campfire still smoky but there was no one there, you picked up everything of interest." Result 2 : A number of random items changing each time this event occurs. Do you get the idea ? Light mechanic to implement, just a pop up message and things changing in the player inventory or with his health, food bar, etc depending on the event that occurs during the travel but a efficient mechaninc increasing the overall immersion of the game you are aiming to achieve. Sometimes, there is nothing happening and there is just classic food/drink consumed and a change in time of the day. There could even be really rare events (like 0.01% chance of occuring) where you get a really rare piece of loot. There could be unique events for specific areas, etc. This is the idea that is coming to my mind when i see that you want to make the loading screen between each area more than just a loading screen. What do you think ? (pardon my english ^^)
Deeper Live
2024-10-25 15:22:38 +0000 UTCThis would be awesome instead of just transitioning from location to location without any time consume and character stat change
red lledo
2024-10-23 13:19:23 +0000 UTCI really like the idea of being able to effect the transition times by using more resources, but it shouldn't have a huge difference. You wouldn't expect the player character to run 30 kilometers in full kit, but maybe you could knock off 10-30 minutes per transition depending on the length. This would naturally bundle up into a bigger difference in your total session time if you go through for example 4 transitions before you decide to sleep. This mechanic could also have a cooldown of some sort.
Mello' Mike
2024-10-23 09:05:34 +0000 UTCUse to just transition to reload all ai and loot spots
Nothe0ne
2024-10-23 03:46:40 +0000 UTCDam my farming method for the radio station is now gone hahaha
Nothe0ne
2024-10-23 03:46:25 +0000 UTCOverall I really like the food/drink consumption and time changes based on distance traveled as long as there is a preview before you transition. I do however sometimes avoid playing at night in games if I can if I'm not in the mood for that. It would be cool if there was some way that made sense contextually in game (and had a cost of some sort) to have a few arrival time options. Hoof it: Gets you there the normal amount of time. Takes food/drink resources and travel distance advances time of day. Take it slow: Gets you there with a later. Costs double food/drink resources and trave distance advances time of day 4-6 hours later as a normal trip. But also, maybe that breaks the hardcore nature you want players to be in.
Patrick Blank
2024-10-22 20:21:58 +0000 UTCSounds like a great system to me as you've planned it. I would take a look at the total amount of consumables needed to play a 12 hour cycle after you put these systems into place, since I can see this mechanic easily leading into a 15,000 calory daily diet for the player if you need to swig down 4 cans of meatballs and a 6 pack of soda per map including transitions, we already have to eat and drink quite a bit in the game. If you need a suitable model knife for the project, I'm down to lend you, or send high quality photos of a J-P Peltonen M07 with a Vegvisir Creations M05 kydex sheath :)
Mello' Mike
2024-10-22 20:04:24 +0000 UTCsounds pretty perfect for me
SavRoyale
2024-10-22 17:50:42 +0000 UTCHm, didnt thought about that but that could be another nice effect then; you'll get there faster for more hydration/energy~
Marcoon1305
2024-10-22 17:24:29 +0000 UTCI've understood that biking will makes you loose more calories than walking/running so player character should loose more hydration/energy when biking than walking?
Jami Sundvall
2024-10-22 17:08:30 +0000 UTCNot sure if you’re adding a belt specifically for the knife slot but to open up the options and maybe even add in a new item you could also do like DayZ did and add a pair of boots with a knife slot attached to it. It would help with weighing down the character. To open up options for lighter setups for those closer runs to places like shipyard and highway. As far as the TOD change/energy consumption it’s going to fit the game perfectly. Maybe even add inside the visual transition box below each location name (5km / 10 energy, 15 hydration). It could be directly below the location name or in the corner. And then like another person said add in a warning prompt if it’s going to put the person in a medical state.
securityCase
2024-10-22 13:58:21 +0000 UTCThere's a mechanism like this in The Long Dark (which is pretty hardcore, especially in sandbox mode). You can choose to sleep when you are in dire shape (dehydrated, starving, sick), and die in the middle of the sleep period. Personally I like not being warned in advance that this can occur. You're forced to be more attentive to these metrics, because the consequences of not paying attention are quite bad. The game takes on a much more sinister feel, which greatly enhances the survival experience in my opinion. But I can see why some players might not like it or prefer being warned in advance. I could also see it being too much, especially with the planned permadeath mechanism in Vostok, making the game feel "unbalanced" so to speak. Maybe it's worth considering a "nightmare mode" where warnings like this are turned off?
Anthony Bucci
2024-10-22 13:15:33 +0000 UTCI personally would like these features. Maybe add some common in game items instead of popups to communicate the travel conditions. Like a common annotated map or something. Or add a wristwatch to tell the exact time. Planning the transitions would be much more fun then. During the loading screen you could animate the elapsing time, so that everyone gets it that the time changes. Regarding the food/drink consumption. Its a good/realistic mechanic and can drive the players to "have to" venture out and find food. But its a thin line to be an annoying mechanic to eat aaaaall the time for "nothing". Valheim has the best food mechanic, but may not fit a "non rpg" with all the buffs etc. I would balance the food consumption to maybe 1 or 2 times a play session.. And make food a lot more rare. consuming much more on a map transition may catch smb flat-footed with an empty stomach which may be interesting :)
Orbbbb
2024-10-22 12:26:07 +0000 UTCI could see why the food/drink energy system will need to be tweaked. My character is hungry by the time I make it to the barn from the shelter. He’s not in very good shape to be walking 4 hours lol
Infinity
2024-10-22 11:24:54 +0000 UTCAnother idea in addition; maybe make something like a bicycle item (as rare loot) which reduces consumption and time for transitions?! but it needs to be in inventory, which can therefore be lost though!?
Marcoon1305
2024-10-22 10:48:32 +0000 UTCYea, there's definitely need to be some sort of clear indication for the outcomes if I decide to go with this approach.
Road to Vostok
2024-10-22 10:45:36 +0000 UTCThose ideas sound really good! Would suggest so, too. Maybe add a 'Warning' or deny a transition if the players food/drink level etc is too low to complete - because reaching the zone just to die immediatly could be frustrating~ or at least keep it at a minimal ampount, just enough to resupply/search couple of minutes.
Marcoon1305
2024-10-22 10:43:26 +0000 UTCSounds good imo.
BlackVomit
2024-10-22 10:33:29 +0000 UTCTrue that makes total sense, thank you!
Feruen
2024-10-22 10:03:35 +0000 UTCThanks for the feedback, I do think those exact info are still somewhat necessary because this feature can basically kill your character quite quickly if you decide to transition with really low Energy / Hydration because then you would have medical conditions Starvation / Dehydration activated once you have made the transition. This also applies all the permadeath Vostok maps, so I think it's important to let the player know the vital consumptions before the transitioning, otherwise it's quite impossible to predict the issues if you don't have in-game map item available related to distances (not yet available in the game).
Road to Vostok
2024-10-22 10:00:00 +0000 UTCI really like this transition changes, maybe could be even without the exact info about hydration and energy just approximate distance in kms and time it would take.
Feruen
2024-10-22 09:56:19 +0000 UTC
