Bug "life cycles" and other ideas

[DudeMeister777]

This is the perfect game to add the full life cycle for the bugs. Take the ladybug for example. Being a beetle, it has 4 stages: egg, larvae, pupae and adult. You could place eggs in clusters randomly onto foliage and they could be harvested for food and possibly something for crafting. The larvae will then hatch after some time and go about their lives and will be a neutral enemy, possibly hostile since they're quite ravenous. They'd eventually become pupae and again, harvestable for whatever. Then they'll hatch into the full grown ladybugs. For a mosquito, just add some eggs and larvae into the water. The spiders would have egg sacks that when ready, or if attacked, baby spiders will come flooding out. Pretty much every current and future creature has a cycle that would fit in the game nicely. It wouldn't derail the current pace of the game either since you could just add everything at the same time to make it "realistic", being able to find all the stages of the creatures at any time. A LOT of research would obviously be needed to get things right. This is definitely a far fetched idea this late in development, but I'm sure if y'all take a game like No Man's Sky into consideration, it's very possible to evolve a game over time. I personally think adding the cycles will not only be a big boost to content, it's just an obvious thing to do if possible.

Also, depending on how many small aquatic bugs are added and let's say the mosquito larvae are in as well, maybe add a sort of fishing system. Each creature will have a favorite food, like for example, mosquito larvae might like ladybug larvae eyes(or something else small) or maybe if there's a water bug in the game or just the water flee, it'll like ladybug eggs. Obviously this can go however y'all decide, I'm just giving examples.

Also also creature "relationships". Perfect example is ants and aphids. The honeydew aphids produce is a favorite food for ants and ants actually farm aphids, giving them protection and transportation and in exchange, the aphids give them honeydew. Ladybugs are an aphids worst nightmare, so having ladybugs hunting aphids and ants fighting the ladybugs to protect them would be cool. Maybe even, if eventually you add creature taming, you could have an ant go out and farm aphids to get you honeydew. There's so many "relationships" that can be added, it just requires some research to figure out what's what.

Also also also there's something that can be done with taming. Let's say you tame a ladybug, it'll be just a basic ladybug. Now capture a ladybug larvae and have it bond with you before becoming a pupae and it'll hatch into a stronger ladybug. Go a step farther and take an egg, so that when the egg hatches, the larvae imprints on you, thus creating an even stronger bond that results in a much stronger ladybug.

I'm highly doubtful any of my suggestions will make it into the game but it definitely would be amazing if they do.

p.s. I actually haven't even played the game yet, just waiting for it to get near finished before I do, so if any of my suggestions are already planned or are already in the game, then my apologies for wasting everyone's time.

[Gearhart]

What do you mean "late" in development? It seems pretty early in its development if you ask me, especially when you look at the roadmap.

[YaBoyJenkins]

17 minutes ago, Gearhart said:

What do you mean "late" in development? It seems pretty early in its development if you ask me, especially when you look at the roadmap.

It might be too late to completely rework all the bugs' behaviors and AI.

[Mushroom]

On 10/8/2020 at 10:40 AM, DudeMeister777 said:

p.s. I actually haven't even played the game yet, just waiting for it to get near finished before I do, so if any of my suggestions are already planned or are already in the game, then my apologies for wasting everyone's time.

Why comment on a game you havent played yet?

Edited October 10, 2020 by Mushroom

[DudeMeister777]

Because I watch a lot of vids of it and it's definitely a game I'm interested in. I don't have to have played it to make suggestions.

[Andi]

    Insects' life cycle

All in all the idea is not too bad, although I prefer to believe that too many bugs are overwhelming, moreso for the new players jumping into the Backyard. Sure: on paper it sounds good, but imagine all those mobs in the game. You would have ladybugs in 4 forms, aswell as other insects too. The Spiderlings are already in the game so there's no need for it? I dont think the bugs should "evolve" but rather "respawn".

  "Relationships"

Now. This idea is way better structured. I do think that those "relationships" between the bugs, you are talking about, would actually be good for the game. The insects already have a daily routine: They sleep, they hunt in order to eat and they just do their things At the moment there is no true "bond" between ants and aphids or "rivalry" between ladybugs and ants (except the times ants attack a ladybug by mistake). Would also love to see Wolf Spiders actually kill smaller insects, or even Orbweavers, since in reality they don't "work" together.

   Taming

 On this topic all I have to say is: there's no need to have a pet that fights for you. As far as the combat goes, in my opinion it is ok where it is at now. In fact on "Whoa!" difficulty, if you don't manage to perfectly block a wolf spider's attack, any of their attacks, you will pretty much die, even if you spam Smoothies and Bandages. But if you DO perfectly block it, you're good to go!

As far as I know, the Devs will be introducing a taming system, in which you can tame aphids. It would be cool if every now and then they would drop an aphid honeydew for you. On the other side:I don't think it would be beneficial to the overall experience having ladybugs protect you or ants do your heavy work and carrying fiber/meat or wahtever. I hope you get my point.

 My humble opinion

In my opinion, some of the suggestions you made are great, such as the Relationships one. And no, I don't think it is "too late", since most of the AI still needs some attention to detail and some serious work on pathing and patrolling in general. The bugs in the backyard now are buggy, no pun intended. But it's ok because this is Early Access and we're here to give feedback.

Edited October 10, 2020 by Andi

[DudeMeister777]

14 hours ago, Andi said:

    Insects' life cycle

All in all the idea is not too bad, although I prefer to believe that too many bugs are overwhelming, moreso for the new players jumping into the Backyard. Sure: on paper it sounds good, but imagine all those mobs in the game. You would have ladybugs in 4 forms, aswell as other insects too. The Spiderlings are already in the game so there's no need for it? I dont think the bugs should "evolve" but rather "respawn".

  "Relationships"

Now. This idea is way better structured. I do think that those "relationships" between the bugs, you are talking about, would actually be good for the game. The insects already have a daily routine: They sleep, they hunt in order to eat and they just do their things At the moment there is no true "bond" between ants and aphids or "rivalry" between ladybugs and ants (except the times ants attack a ladybug by mistake). Would also love to see Wolf Spiders actually kill smaller insects, or even Orbweavers, since in reality they don't "work" together.

   Taming

 On this topic all I have to say is: there's no need to have a pet that fights for you. As far as the combat goes, in my opinion it is ok where it is at now. In fact on "Whoa!" difficulty, if you don't manage to perfectly block a wolf spider's attack, any of their attacks, you will pretty much die, even if you spam Smoothies and Bandages. But if you DO perfectly block it, you're good to go!

As far as I know, the Devs will be introducing a taming system, in which you can tame aphids. It would be cool if every now and then they would drop an aphid honeydew for you. On the other side:I don't think it would be beneficial to the overall experience having ladybugs protect you or ants do your heavy work and carrying fiber/meat or wahtever. I hope you get my point.

 My humble opinion

In my opinion, some of the suggestions you made are great, such as the Relationships one. And no, I don't think it is "too late", since most of the AI still needs some attention to detail and some serious work on pathing and patrolling in general. The bugs in the backyard now are buggy, no pun intended. But it's ok because this is Early Access and we're here to give feedback.

Yeah, you make some good points. I'm just someone who likes a lot of stuff smashed into a game.

I just like the idea of having "backup" so that's why I like to have tames. I'm naturally a solo play and am forced to be one anyways so some backup is always nice. Plus having pets is always fun.

I can see how the whole life cycles could be an issue due to the size of the game, it's just something I'd really like to see. Ark Survival Evolved is a good example of how too many things can be extremely overwhelming, at least for a solo player.

Yeah one thing that really annoys me is how some of the game is somewhat realistic and then the orb weavers and wolf spiders are just so unrealistic. I know it's just a game, but still, at least have them fight each other or something instead of "work" together.

[McSquirl Nugget]

On 10/8/2020 at 1:40 AM, DudeMeister777 said:

Also also also there's something that can be done with taming. Let's say you tame a ladybug, it'll be just a basic ladybug. Now capture a ladybug larvae and have it bond with you before becoming a pupae and it'll hatch into a stronger ladybug. Go a step farther and take an egg, so that when the egg hatches, the larvae imprints on you, thus creating an even stronger bond that results in a much stronger ladybug.

No, we don't want this to be Ark: Shrunken Kids.  Taming doesn't belong in this game.

On 10/9/2020 at 6:27 PM, Mushroom said:

Why comment on a game you havent played yet?

my thoughts exactly.