Attack waves, Raid&Bosses. General feedback

[Paul Veenstra]

Feedback/Experience/Suggestions

This feedback is based on 8 hours of playtime on medium and easy difficulty. I play coop with my girlfriend where she gathers most materials and I do the main of the combat and building schematics in the game. After my playtime I’ve got a grasp of the main gameplay and experience of this early access and would like to hereby share my highlights and suggestions for the game to hopefully better help the future design of the game.

I see a lot of potential in this game and love the way it makes you feel so small and fragile in the backyard. The ambience and setting of the game is already great and fully immerses you into the character, ants feel cute and creepy at the same time with their small head tilt they feel alive.

Already the game runs smooth for me and the game hasn’t crashed on me yet which is pretty astonishing for a game in early access.

Main feedback is that I would like there to be identifiable attack waves based on progress or time survived or bosses/raid spots in the game which I believe would boost the longevity of the game.

The game already offers a really challenging experience. I’d love to see this game get more challenging on the medium and high difficulty by implementing more insects and improving the AI. If the team keeps balancing the players cooperative power and insect diversity this will become a game that just doesn’t get old.

Written below I have categorized my suggestions/ideas or just missing features for the game which I believe might help add on the experience. To elaborate on each point I’ve written an experience and explanation for each.

• Settings
  • Advanced graphical options
    • More in depth graphical options would help run the game on all systems
  • Multiplayer private lobbies / Search server filter
    •  Haven’t encountered this but seen other people have issue with this. I know this probably is already in the make but still needs to be mentioned.
  • Difficulty mode
    • Better Description with modes
      • In the menu there is a description present at the difficulty modes which explain the different modes. When our base got destroyed in the medium mode my gf wished to switch to the easy mode to try and survive there for a less stressful experience. When I read the description of the easy mode I found it rather vague on what to expect from it (wondering if I even would like the mode). Are there attack waves in the medium mode that aren’t in the easy mode? Are there more or less attack waves? Are the monsters stronger? What is the health and damage boost of the insects in game? How much % does the hunger and thirst drain between the modes? This information should be mentioned before choosing so the players know better which mode they would like to play rather than try by trial and error to prevent fatigue of gameplay / bore them.
      • Medium and High difficulty should invoke some kind of attack wave system based on progress or amount of days survived.
  • Iron man mode
    •  I’ve seen some players complaining about the challenge and I could see a very big challenge for the developers to try and balance the 3 modes all out for everyone. To create that bit extra challenge for veteran survivalists next to the 3 standard modes I would recommend the implementation of  the iron man mod. Only one save file.
      I’d recommend implementing this mode just before release of 1.0 after most kinks are solved because some would get frustrated by bugs/crashes destroying their save files
  • Hardcore mode
    • Only 1 life or set # life’s and then you’re game over. This would satisfy players that like a more challenging experience and give it to them without their voice/vote changing the main balance.
      I’d recommend implementing  this mode just before release of 1.0 after most kinks are solved because some would get frustrated by bugs/crashes killing their character.
• HUD
  • Compass
    • Standard or creatable compass that appears in the HUD. Personally I love looking at the landmarks and map to find my bearing. My gf though is frustrating herself and has difficulty moving around and finding out where to go. A compass would help, and with such a high tech watch around our wrist shouldn’t be hard to implement in the story of the game. Could be a hidden legendary item or creatable item
• Inventory and Crafting
  • Tooltips
    • Armor/tools/healing. The current tooltips of all the items are too vague. I would like there to be a more in-dept explanation of what exactly the tool, armor or healing provides. As example I see diablo 3 doing it better. They have an option in game which can be turned ticked on to increase the amount of information given to the player. Increase max health, by how much? Increases carry capacity, by how much?
  • Inventory slots
    • Armor slots. Mentioned by others. Wearing armor shouldn’t take up inventory space.
  • More = More.
    • Of course I would like to see the game expand on its current amount crafting option. Tier 3 weapons and tools ( maybe from bosses), Legendary items, higher tier crafting base building, ladders, etc. devs prob already have this planned.
• Gathering
  • Mule.
    • Currently we need to walk far for our weed stems and to build a wall around our house is a drag/chore. It would lighten the load if we had a way to mule the grass and weed stems to the working area. Maybe as mentioned by others here on the forum by a tamable ladybug or cart.
• Combat
  • Classes by equipment
    • If players could get gear to support the other players in close combat in a way that would open the game up for a more challenging late game. If the players could heal, buff or keep aggro it would open up for a higher amount of insects attacking the players or designed choreographed boss fights with phases.
      For players that don’t like fighting it’s also a fun way to participate in the combat.
      Example; Shield with taunt ability. flower stem/ bee honey spray for healing (healing slows both players while healing so should be used carefully).
• Insects
  • Flying enemies
    • Building high up floating building removes all danger. Implementing some flying enemies that want to keep the sky to themselves or are attracted to sweets it will remove the safe feeling some players have up there and gives them a reason to choose between a ground or floating air base. All players get a reason to build a roof as well.
  • More = More
    • Same as with the building/crafting/weapons/armor I also would love the dev’s to expand the enemy roster further
      • Butterfly, passive neutral, difficult to catch due to speed and being high up. Materials.
      • Caterpillar, passive neutral. Eats grass structures but very slow.
      • Bees, passive neutral, Dangerous. Dodgeble stinger attack. steal.
      • Wasps, aggressive, Dangerous, Dodgeble stinger attack, stuns. Charge (Advanced programming Ignores you when standing still unless attacked), steal.
  • Bosses
    • I’ve seen some players implementing the idea of giant monsters and bosses. Animals seem to be unrealistically big and don’t seem fitting to me in the power balance. Maybe a rat is manageable or a snake that is stuck where you need to avoid its choreographed attacks. I’d rather suggest;
      • Mantis, Swipe attack. Grab attack, Can cut down grass and grass structures easily. I hope you build some of your base out of weed stems
      • Giant Horned Beetle. Swipe attack with clippers. Dodgeble by jumping
      • Queen ant/wasp/bee. Lives in hive. Protected by multiple guardians. Queen keeps spawning adds slowly when engaged but is passive herself.
      • Hornet, Giant wasp boss. 2 phases or modes. Flying and landed. Stay clear of its stinger, it stuns. Dodgeble charge up attack. Hornet can grab you and will fly up then drop you from damaging vertical distance.
      • Black widow, poison kills you slowly unless you take antidote. Poison doesn’t expire.
• Weather and world
  • Rain/storm
    • Damages the player and provides water. Building a roof or taking shelter prevents damage. Rain doesn’t or barely damages buildings.
  • Biomes
    • Bee hive, stuck to house, corner of map.
    • Crawling space under house. centipedes
    • Coolbox, move slow due to frost.

I hope some of these points help or inspire.