Game is too easy

[✧]

Just for clarity,

* I posted the thread in the first place to counter all the "game is too hard better make it easier for me / the noobs or I/they will quit". When I posted the original thread I felt the opposite -- the lack of early-game sense of challenge and accomplishment from just surviving is a turnoff, not an attraction. The first time I ever logged into this game I loved how difficult it was, and as a somewhat noob-ish person I still prefer it more difficult. I didn't want to let more experienced players just speak for players like me inaccurately. (Though of course I can't speak for "all noobs" anymore than anyone else can.)

* After playing alone it seemed more satisfyingly difficult though, at least in terms of injury recovery. That's why I posted the update.

* Still, though, starvation is never a real threat, and I think it would be more fun and meaningful if it were. I'm never scared I won't be able to get enough to eat to survive, despite this being a central part of human experience for most of our existence.

And regarding more end-game content,

It would be a breath of fresh air to have something else to do other than mess with other people and have them mess with you.
I like ladygoo's idea but I'd rather go to the monsters than have them go to me.
Once again, I suggest world bosses / events. Swarms of monsters people can join up to fight and get loots.

I've never really gotten to the end-game content, so maybe I'd feel differently if I did, but the thrill of the game for me has always been creating something beautiful or living an interesting story in a compelling world entirely shaped by the players. I've always felt I could make it into whatever I liked, if I wanted to -- that's kindof the point of the world design, the players have complete freedom to make what they will of it. The material cost, permadeath, ability to use violence between players, etc gives weight to everything people build.

Defeating dev-made content.. well, I like the challenge, and I was talking about wanting more difficult mechanics too. But that's not what I find compelling about this particular game in the end. How can people think that messing with people or getting phat loot is the only thing to do in a sandbox game? Or that the solution to "needing something to do" isn't primarily to shape the world in compelling and interesting ways?

[Adder1234]

At this point in the game, I don't think that starvation is meant to be a threat, not unless you are mentally disabled. Even so, even for a player with some experience in the game starting to play alone is a real challenge, even with plenty of free stuff from abandoned bases. Last year I tried playing as a hermit and it took me almost a month to get to metal stage, during which I almost died to animals several times. I only survived because I knew how to run away. I stopped playing that character soon after, but even so I still had plenty of things I could have done.

The challenge isn't really surviving, it's thriving.

[MagicManICT]

I totally agree.
Every time I suggest something to make the game not-so easy everyone says that it is a bad idea! Eventhough it is is not.

Add diseases!
Deadly ones!
Dying of old age!
Random chance to break your leg when running in the forest!
Diabetes from eating too many honeybuns, treatable only by amputating both legs, resulting in crawling speed and funny-looking animation!

I encourage more challenge in games, especially survival ones. Don't Starve is harder than this is, and that's easy-mode survival (sans any of the expansions--the bosses in the expansions will definitely rip you a new hole if you're not prepared).

These, however, just make the game painful, not challenging. Being afraid of bears because I didn't know how to cheat the system... that's challenging and fun. Being able to cheat the system to avoid real injury... gets boring fast.

[tigerlrg245]

I've never really gotten to the end-game content, so maybe I'd feel differently if I did, but the thrill of the game for me has always been creating something beautiful or living an interesting story in a compelling world entirely shaped by the players. I've always felt I could make it into whatever I liked, if I wanted to -- that's kindof the point of the world design, the players have complete freedom to make what they will of it. The material cost, permadeath, ability to use violence between players, etc gives weight to everything people build.

Defeating dev-made content.. well, I like the challenge, and I was talking about wanting more difficult mechanics too. But that's not what I find compelling about this particular game in the end. How can people think that messing with people or getting phat loot is the only thing to do in a sandbox game? Or that the solution to "needing something to do" isn't primarily to shape the world in compelling and interesting ways?

I agree that there shuld be more end game than combat. I want more ways to develop a realm and work together towards special buffs.
Of course you can keep building towns and color them with paved roads but this isn't difficult and has no real in game benefit.
However, adding any endgame that isn't related to combat (which i'm not against) isn't really increasing difficulity, is it?
So what point are you trying to make in this post? Personally I don't find the need to eat constantly fun at all. it feels like work, and
while it fits in a game like dont starve or project zomboid, haven isn't that kind of game. besides, eating in real life on regular basis doesn't
feel like a chore, why would it feel like so in a game?

Maybe you can have a node based realm resource system, that lets people expand their realm in civ 5 manner gaining control
of resources, thus creating a constant conflict on certain nodes. People who want active gameplay will create an outpost town on a node and defend it,
and everyone can have bases on weak/empty nodes.

The point is you can't just say something like 'the game is easy' and not give any examples or suggestions.
Increasing food needed (energy consumption) will only hurt the early game and will only make the late game more procedural / botted and have people mass butter porridge even more.
If you want harder animals go fight 6 walri at once without a horse. Game is only easy when you're trying to live, it used to be harder and I for once like it this way.

I'd prefer if you'd share some of your suggestions instead, but keep in mind it's always important to allow people to come back after they haven't played for a while without losing everything,
Especially when a world runs for more than half a year. Something might enhance gameplay for those who are playing weekly, but it could also kill the playerbase on a certain world.

[ctopolon4]

offline items keep = dead
not eat 7 days = dead
expandable LP\day limit => less limit => character degrade limit degrade
decay tools and cloth => no cloth = dead
not replant carrot = carrot becomes troll = dead
offline = old metter = offline alot = dead
nameit "hardcore" server

[MagicManICT]

decay tools and cloth => no cloth = dead
offline = old metter = offline alot = dead

Maybe if the farming and stuff were worked around this, it could be interesting, but as it is, it just won't fit in the game. (The mechanic as been done in another game.)

[Morrighan]

Depending on who you are, this game is not too easy. Especially with all the changes in the past couple months. I used to be able to defend my self against and hunt quite few animals, now it's back to most animals being able to knock me and my horse out. The stats I have haven't changed, it's the algorythms and style and I can't compete with that. I don't have the time nor resources to be able to become a titan to be able to actually play and enjoy Haven. Unfortunately over the past couple months this is what it's come to. It is very frustrating when something that brought so much enjoyment and fun has become tedious and a chore.

[Granger]

It is very frustrating when something that brought so much enjoyment and fun has become tedious and a chore.

Possibly a side effect of trying to address the runway stats as symptoms (mechanics get harder to give such characters a challenge) instead of cause (mechanics get adjusted to make endless growth, this such characters, impossible).

[AntiBlitz]

id also like everyone to remember that just because this world seems to be in this state, doesnt mean next world will be as well. Id like to think that Jorbtar will curtail us all enough to make certain mobs/dungeons/whatevers quite challenging still.

I still want noob squishers doe.....i still want to have to fight a cave troll for my corpse that he is cooking over a spitfire lol.