Thinking about buying: but what's the point?

[Requiemsvoid]

Hey guys,

 

I wasn't sure if this should go here or in the "giants" section, but I was curious if anyone could provide their own perspective on the game and what exactly you're supposed to do in it.

 

In short: I got to play this game while visiting a friend over the weekend and while I am attracted to the aesthetics of the game (2.5D + Hand drawn style).. I don't really understand the "point" of playing.

 

That is to say, after I run around and collect resources to build the first 2 crafting machines... what else is there to do?

 

I stood around wondering this to myself as I watched the day turn to night again and again until I froze to death in "winter".

 

Even when I watch streamers on Twitch play this game, all they seem to be doing is collecting mats, drying meat, cooking honey and generally standing around.

 

So what's the point?

 

There doesn't seem to be a "story" and unlike sandbox games like Minecraft, you cannot alter the landscape and build your own civilization... (love me some Terraria)

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

That being said, I also wonder if a few things will get "fixed" in the future.

 

1. UI, Crafting and the lack of descriptions.

When looking at your crafting tables, it doesn't pause the game (not even when you're around the machines themselves).

 

So when you're hunting for a specific recipe or trying to find out how many and of what kind of mats you'll need, you're left "burning day light" (wasting time).

 

This doesn't even touch on the lack of descriptions for items in helping you understand which ones are more useful for your particular situation.

 

IE: This hat keeps you warm in Winter! (but wearing it doesn't prevent or seem to even slow down freezing to death, thus makes you think it's just a cosmetic "dress item").

 

 

2. Clicking to miss?

Often times, you'll click on something to either chop it down, mine it or attack it... and instead, your character just runs over to it or tries to run behind/infront/beside the mob/rock/tree in question.

 

This of course is annoying in and of itself, but it's amplfied due to how much "day time" you waste trying to get the game to understand what you want to accomplish (this also happens when you're trying to plant things and build walls as well).

 

**Also, why does my character sometimes do a little freakout dance and refuse to drop an item or stand in a specific location?

 

Perhaps this is a hit box problem?.. or maybe it has something to do with those shadow creatures that spawn based on your sanity, getting in the way (even if you're 100% sane)?

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

tl; dr

Storyline and "to do list" aside ~ The lack of standard descriptions (stats or otherwise) plus the clunky (hard to navigate/use) crafting tables and frustraiting hitbox detection makes me think that the game is still a "beta" and unfinished (not ready for release to the masses).

 

So what do you guys personally enjoy about the game? What makes you keep playing it?

 

~ Thanks for taking the time to read this,

ReQ

[spencer320]

I don't think this game is for everyone. The main point of the game is to survive as long as you can. When you feel you're comfortable doing that, there's an adventure mode to give you even more challenges.

There are times when the game gets a little glitchy with the dancing but it's usually something very simple to fix but still annoying.

The crafting tabs could be a little better implemented but once you get used to it, it feels right for the most part. Pausing with the tab open should be a thing.

This game is more about using time and resources efficiently and learning from your mistakes.

The lack of directions/to do list is what I really like about this game. No hand holding our telling you how to do certain things, figure it out for yourself... It's probably the most realistic part of the game. Plus, I love the art style.

Keep in mind, there's a learning curve to the game that isn't found in most games. Like I said, it's not a game for everyone but if you give it a chance, a real chance, you just might get addicted! Careful!

[Barbarian]

I'm too tired to give a full response at the moment, but as regards point 2, one thing I found helpful was when I realised you can use space bar to perform an action such as chopping or mining - it does whatever the nearest action is, depending on what you're holding, including picking flowers, picking grass or twigs, or picking things up off the ground.  You can hold space bar down for repeated actions.

 

You can also press F to continue attacking automatically, though I think you have to click on the target with your mouse first (well I seem to have to).  And if you prefer to use your mouse to chop etc, hold the button down rather than repeat clicking.

[Wilbur]

At first - You could say that Don't Starve has one ponit, and that is to not starve obviosly. To survive as long as you can. 

 

You know almost nothing, try to survive and learn by your misstakes. If you knew everything at the first beginning, a whole lot of fun with the game gets destroyed. This is also why Don't Starve is so special from other games. 

 

Figuring out things by yourself is one of the things that makes Don't Starve so fun. That is why I like the descriptions of items, it gives a small hint, but you have to craft it to know what it really does. 

 

I wouldn't want the game to be paused when crafting, it doesn't make sense. Being interupted and surprised by the worst is something I like, your game can go from surviving perfectly to dead in a couple of seconds. 

 

The thing is, I have played over 100 hours (and that's not many, comparing to a lot of people on these forums). There's a lot to do, and a lot to experience. And when the DLC came out it was so much more to explore + With Multiplayer coming in a couple of months, Don't Starve is really a must-buy. 

 

 

[Requiemsvoid]

I don't think this game is for everyone. The main point of the game is to survive as long as you can. When you feel you're comfortable doing that, there's an adventure mode to give you even more challenges.

There are times when the game gets a little glitchy with the dancing but it's usually something very simple to fix but still annoying.

The crafting tabs could be a little better implemented but once you get used to it, it feels right for the most part. Pausing with the tab open should be a thing.

This game is more about using time and resources efficiently and learning from your mistakes.

The lack of directions/to do list is what I really like about this game. No hand holding our telling you how to do certain things, figure it out for yourself... It's probably the most realistic part of the game. Plus, I love the art style.

Keep in mind, there's a learning curve to the game that isn't found in most games. Like I said, it's not a game for everyone but if you give it a chance, a real chance, you just might get addicted! Careful!

 

I see, so it's like DayZ without the overworld "Co-op Vs. Multiplayer" aspect.

**Not really my cup of tea, but I can see it's appeal.

 

 

 

At first - You could say that Don't Starve has one ponit, and that is to not starve obviosly. To survive as long as you can. 

 

You know almost nothing, try to survive and learn by your misstakes. If you knew everything at the first beginning, a whole lot of fun with the game gets destroyed. This is also why Don't Starve is so special from other games. 

 

Figuring out things by yourself is one of the things that makes Don't Starve so fun. That is why I like the descriptions of items, it gives a small hint, but you have to craft it to know what it really does. 

 

I wouldn't want the game to be paused when crafting, it doesn't make sense. Being interupted and surprised by the worst is something I like, your game can go from surviving perfectly to dead in a couple of seconds. 

 

The thing is, I have played over 100 hours (and that's not many, comparing to a lot of people on these forums). There's a lot to do, and a lot to experience. And when the DLC came out it was so much more to explore + With Multiplayer coming in a couple of months, Don't Starve is really a must-buy. 

 

Hmm, interesting..

 

While I do agree that "learning from your mistakes" can be an awesome motivator.. I find that I wasn't really learning much from dying because the game doesn't do a very good job of explaining the simple stuff.

 

IE: Item descriptions, tempatures, ect.

(how much dmg does the axe do?... how much hp does the tree giants have?.. how much health/sanity/hunger does meat give vs. fish?.. is there a trade off?)

 

Basically, it seems you have to have a wiki / guide to even get a grasp of the over all mechanics (making the game needlessly complicated rather than challenging) Granted, this does create a "learning curve" where the game isn't holding your hand.. it still feels cheap, like you're fighting the game rather than playing it.

 

IE: Dwarf Fortress.

This of course, begs the question:

Seeing as you like the game "as is".. what are your thoughts on the devs adding togglable options for a "Crafting pause" (as long as you're next to your machines) HP bars and Detailed weapon descriptions to help widen the appeal of the game?

 

Maybe even only have those available during the normal mode itself while leaving the more challenging modes to be more "hardcore" (less user friendly).

[BurningBalls]

Surviving in a hostile and alien world. While somehow warding off insanity.

I bought it quite late, so I ended up with huge amounts of content for a very small amount of money.

Best value purchase I've made on Stream recently. I've played it for hundreds of hours so far.

Plus we are going to get multiplayer (Don't Starve Together) for free as well.

[spencer320]

I wouldn't have a problem with the devs adding any kind of togglable options. If it helps players learn the game or get more enjoyment out of it, I'm all for it. When I first started on RoG I turned things like frog rain and fires off until I got used to some of the other challenges. Once I knew what to expect, I turned them back on.

 

Part of what your saying, referring to HP, damage, etc is what I consider holding your hand. If this was a real life situation, you wouldn't know any of that information. The only way to find out, would be to get your hands dirty.

 

With that being said, there are plenty of mods in the "downloads" section of the forums or on Steam that can give you the type of info you're looking for, assuming your on PC.

 

If it's not a game for you then it's not a game for you. No harm done. Others, like me, enjoy the crap out of it for a variety of reasons. Some cause of the difficulty, others for the art style, others load up a ton of mods and can pretty much make it a completely new game. I'm talking about you guys that made Up & Away!! Lots of options and characters to play according to your style.

 

Ultimately, the choice is yours. But, I hope to you around the forums more!

[Wilbur]

I wouldn't have a problem with the devs adding any kind of togglable options. If it helps players learn the game or get more enjoyment out of it, I'm all for it. When I first started on RoG I turned things like frog rain and fires off until I got used to some of the other challenges. Once I knew what to expect, I turned them back on.

 

Part of what your saying, referring to HP, damage, etc is what I consider holding your hand. If this was a real life situation, you wouldn't know any of that information. The only way to find out, would be to get your hands dirty.

 

With that being said, there are plenty of mods in the "downloads" section of the forums or on Steam that can give you the type of info you're looking for, assuming your on PC.

 

If it's not a game for you then it's not a game for you. No harm done. Others, like me, enjoy the crap out of it for a variety of reasons. Some cause of the difficulty, others for the art style, others load up a ton of mods and can pretty much make it a completely new game. I'm talking about you guys that made Up & Away!! Lots of options and characters to play according to your style.

 

Ultimately, the choice is yours. But, I hope to you around the forums more!

 

Agreed. 

[Rosten]

I can vouch for the game in the fact it, thankfully, is nothing like DayZ.

[Maximum124]

I feel you, and I all I got to say is:

 

If you think its worth it, go for it. Its not as expensive as other games, I think it goes on sale on steam often enough too.

 

I got it for the characters, and the art style. That's about it. I dont really play it anymore.

[the truthseeker]

I see, so it's like DayZ without the overworld "Co-op Vs. Multiplayer" aspect.

**Not really my cup of tea, but I can see it's appeal.

 

 

 

 

Hmm, interesting..

 

While I do agree that "learning from your mistakes" can be an awesome motivator.. I find that I wasn't really learning much from dying because the game doesn't do a very good job of explaining the simple stuff.

 

IE: Item descriptions, tempatures, ect.

(how much dmg does the axe do?... how much hp does the tree giants have?.. how much health/sanity/hunger does meat give vs. fish?.. is there a trade off?)

 

Basically, it seems you have to have a wiki / guide to even get a grasp of the over all mechanics (making the game needlessly complicated rather than challenging) Granted, this does create a "learning curve" where the game isn't holding your hand.. it still feels cheap, like you're fighting the game rather than playing it.

 

IE: Dwarf Fortress.

This of course, begs the question:

Seeing as you like the game "as is".. what are your thoughts on the devs adding togglable options for a "Crafting pause" (as long as you're next to your machines) HP bars and Detailed weapon descriptions to help widen the appeal of the game?

 

Maybe even only have those available during the normal mode itself while leaving the more challenging modes to be more "hardcore" (less user friendly).

 

This is not a DayZ. Not at all.

 

Actually, it appears this is your first one, so I'll try and explain:

 

Don't Starve is a (currently only, but Multiplayer optional as an add-on will be added later this Summer) single-player  Roguelike game. It's not simply a survival game (but it is that too) but a game that is harder than other games in different genres, because once you're dead, you STAY dead, deleted save.

Start over from the beginning.

 

Let's now focus on this plus it's a survival game. You're supposed to figure out how to play better from your deaths/escapes, not figure out how not to die...which you eventually do. 

 

 

Now, as you've noticed, there also is no tutorial in this game.

 

Simply put, if you were thrust in an alien land, could you scream out "F1" and be told how to survive with statistical details? The game also reflects this and makes you "figure out" what to do as well as what items last how long. You will get things like durability, but NOT specific stats and enemy health amounts. If you want that (cheating) info, there's a Wiki for that.  

 

And yes, there ARE mods that list things' values and what they do. You can download and activate them. This is a tough game and we understand if people want that. 

 

But if you can't accept dying a lot happens as you learn, and you build up stuff making you better, then find this mysterious door and learn you just figured out the basics (but at least can repeat it many times) if you want to know what is going on, then this is not your game. 

 

But if you like figuring out stuff in a zany 2d/3d paper doll way with seasons and magic and characters all named W (except one, but he was...) then this game is worth a look. As you may have noticed, Klei players are very helpful and very supportive of fellow players and the company, and the company is just as (if not more) supportive of its players' feedback. 

 

 

(And future feedback and suggestions goes here.)

[Requiemsvoid]

 

This is not a DayZ. Not at all.

 

Actually, it appears this is your first one, so I'll try and explain:

 

Don't Starve is a (currently only, but Multiplayer optional as an add-on will be added later this Summer) single-player  Roguelike game. It's not simply a survival game (but it is that too) but a game that is harder than other games in different genres, because once you're dead, you STAY dead, deleted save.

Start over from the beginning.

 

Let's now focus on this plus it's a survival game. You're supposed to figure out how to play better from your deaths/escapes, not figure out how not to die...which you eventually do. 

 

 

Now, as you've noticed, there also is no tutorial in this game.

 

Simply put, if you were thrust in an alien land, could you scream out "F1" and be told how to survive with statistical details? The game also reflects this and makes you "figure out" what to do as well as what items last how long. You will get things like durability, but NOT specific stats and enemy health amounts. If you want that (cheating) info, there's a Wiki for that.  

 

And yes, there ARE mods that list things' values and what they do. You can download and activate them. This is a tough game and we understand if people want that. 

 

But if you can't accept dying a lot happens as you learn, and you build up stuff making you better, then find this mysterious door and learn you just figured out the basics (but at least can repeat it many times) if you want to know what is going on, then this is not your game. 

 

But if you like figuring out stuff in a zany 2d/3d paper doll way with seasons and magic and characters all named W (except one, but he was...) then this game is worth a look. As you may have noticed, Klei players are very helpful and very supportive of fellow players and the company, and the company is just as (if not more) supportive of its players' feedback. 

 

 

(And future feedback and suggestions goes here.)

 

Indeed, I understand what a "rogue-like" game is.

**Beyond playing FTL and a few other indie games like it (Rogue Legacy) I can also reference one of my fav episodes from extra credits:

 

Anywho..

 

The idea behind comparing Don't Starve to DayZ is that both games have a single goal (Survive as long as you can while scaviging the world).

 

Granted, DayZ is a bit more "hardcore" in that aspect due to having only one life (no revival stones/wooden dolls/life amulets/ect) and fighting with/against other players rather than prescripted/random events.

 

As for dying as you learn, I love games like that (minecraft, terraria, league of legends, ect).

 

I guess the reason I created this topic is because I like the idea of the game.. but from the amount of time I spent with it, it just felt unfinished and needlessly complicated.

 

IE: You run around, complete the first few crafting tables but don't see a "purpose" to keep playing because there's nothing to "do". So then you run around even more, fight spiders.. mine rocks, pick evil flowers and still end up freezing to death while reading the crafting menu (items) that don't help you understand your goals any better.

 

Again, that was just my experience and why felt like asking the community "why" they play (enjoy the game).

From what many of you have said, you like the idea of a survial game that plays a lot like Harvest Moon (without merch npcs) combo'd with DayZ (rogue like).

 

That being said, you're right.. the community here has been very helpful and I prolly will pick up the game some time in the future, when the game is a bit more fleshed out (more base building/survival options, hopefully a grid or something added as well so I can build walls without watching my character constantly do a "freak out dance" refusing to plant/build).

 

Big THANKS to everyone that answered ^_^

**If anyone still wants to share their experiences, I've bookmarked this thread and will continue to watch the progress of the game, in general.

[Isosurface]

OP, do you just come here to tell everyone who have purchased and played the game that DS = DayZ, although you have not played DS in depth? That's funny.

[Renz004]

"TLDR: Storyline and "to do list" aside ~ The lack of standard descriptions (stats or otherwise) plus the clunky (hard to navigate/use) crafting tables and frustraiting hitbox detection makes me think that the game is still a "beta" and unfinished (not ready for release to the masses)."


You really shouldn't complain about a game that you obviously know nothing about   
The lack of descriptions and tutorials is clearly on purpose. A big part of the *fun* of the game is figuring everything out yourself with absolutely zero hand holding.

I play the game using a 360 remote, so I have zero problems with hitboxes or whatever clunkyness you are talking about. 


This is a game where you're thrust in an alien world and it's up to you to figure out how to survive it. First you try to survive a few days, then try to survive a few weeks, then try to survive through the seasons, then try to survive for over 100 days, then try to survive caves, and finally try to survive adventure mode.   It literally took me half a year to beat this game and it was one of the single most rewarding gaming experiences in my life, just to put it into perspective.

This game definitely does not feel like a Beta at all. To say so is insulting.

Also, crafting doesn't stop at the 2nd crafting station. Every new tier opens up new stuff. There are 5 tiers of crafting, fyi.

[brummbar7]

IE: You run around, complete the first few crafting tables but don't see a "purpose" to keep playing because there's nothing to "do". So then you run around even more, fight spiders.. mine rocks, pick evil flowers and still end up freezing to death while reading the crafting menu (items) that don't help you understand your goals any better.

 

Again, that was just my experience and why felt like asking the community "why" they play (enjoy the game).

From what many of you have said, you like the idea of a survival game that plays a lot like Harvest Moon (without merch npcs) combo'd with DayZ (rogue like).

You sort of need to self-motivate to enjoy the game I think.  It's about as sandbox as you get.  Whether it's ridding the world of spiders, exploring the depths of all the caverns, or making the most incredible base for everyone on the forums to ooh and aah over, in all cases YOU have to supply that drive.  The game won't give it.  You have to enjoy exploration and discovery for it's own sake I think.  And the quirky art style helps.  

There's always the thrill and anticipation when starting a new world, to see how it's laid out - will it be the ideal world with a central pig king and nearby beefalo, maybe even nearby swamp?  Or will everything be all strung-out and inconvenient, and you have to 'tater' out to the next world?   It's also fun to manipulate the world and mold it to your will.  Nothing is quite so satisfying as leading Bearger into the tentacle field, or getting Deerclops into a fight with an  elder treeguard, or even watching the carnage of frog rain amongst a field of spring beehives.

The crafting options can seem overwhelming at first, but believe me, you'll quickly internalize it all and it will become second nature. 

I've definitely never gotten so much play time for so little money.  The fact that the game does not provide an 'end' means your own imagination and attention span is the limit.  Sometimes I take a (sevearal) month break, but I always come back to DS at least for awhile.  The base-building is probably my own personal favorite.  Along with experimenting with different hound fortifications.  Also collecting lawn gnomes, rockets, and toy robots.   Join the madness!

[The Letter W]

Admittedly, I play this game more than I should. The fact it didn't tell me jack-all when I got it was a draw. So many games force tutorials in your face to the point you're screaming "I KNOW HOW TO CLIMB A FREAKING LADDER." So to have this game just plop me in the world with some unknown gussied up suit man telling me I should find food before night was nice. Brings me back to my NES/DOS days where you just faffed around on the controller until you figured out how to do things. 

You mention the game not pausing when you're in the crafting tabs, I can see where you're coming from but I don't think it's that much of an issue. Part of this game is time management, and if you're really concerned about losing time while looking up crafting materials, pause the game and look it up on the wiki. Are you going to spend this full moon shaving every single Beefalo in your world, or are you going to spend it all catching fireflies? At its core, it's just gather, stand. It can be more if you choose to play it that way. You can play vanilla, or you can play Spiders Are the Only Resource. Maybe you want Winter only. Whichever way you're playing, you're playing in a world that wants to kill you and that's all you really need to remember. It's meant to be unforgiving.

I'm personally trying to outlive a twinky. Usually I just try to see how long I can go by being passive, and by that I mean running like Hell when a Giant spawns because I'm a goddamn wuss. I'll fight if I have to, but fighting in this game is optional after all. 

[Quady14]

For you, for now, the point should be just to strike out into the world and discover, try to survive long enough to fill out an entire map, or at least try to find all the "Thing" items and bring them to the Wooden Thing to create the Teleportato and escape to a new world. That's a good place to start. On your way, see what different biomes you can find, what sort of creatures and items each one contains, find some set pieces, both helpful items laying around by long-dead skeletons and dangerous traps that can thrust you straight into the harsh Winter season.

 

You can establish a base after a couple days, try to craft new, different recipes with your gathered materials, see what different tools can be used for, craft clothing and shelter to keep yourself stabilized in each season. There is SO MUCH to discover in this game, and so much to learn. Believe me, just one playthrough isn't quite nearly enough to get the full experience. Try different characters too, as every character offers their own very unique playstyle, finding the one that suits you best is just a part of the game.

 

Don't Starve is a slow game, and it is definitely not for everyone, but if you're willing to give it some time you may find you end up liking it quite a lot. At the very least, for me, I got as interested in the game as I have because it adheres to the single aspect of survival better than any "survival" game I've played. Minecraft is fantastic if I want to flex my creative muscles and build up structures like Lego blocks, but it has never convinced me as a very effective survival game.

 

DS on the other hand pits you in a constant struggle against nature, it's big, it's mean and it's uncompromising. Death is almost always final, but as you learn more with every death, you slowly begin to learn the little quirks of the game, and plan better for your next playthrough. In a game that can take hours to really start picking up in activity, it can be tough to stick with it, I fully admit that I gave up on it at one point, but when I came back to Reign of Giants, I began to enjoy Don't Starve more and more, and now I'm starting to pull 100+ Day playthroughs and really enjoying myself. Some people who are much more talented than I build grandiose bases that take hundreds of days to construct, which are incredible in their own right.

 

DS tests your patience, your ability to adapt, and teaches you with every new playthrough, and once you master all of that, the point becomes to expand your control over the world as you see fit. Late game does become monotonous to some, but looking at picture sets of peoples' Day 1000 bases, they certainly find ways to optimize their bases and create a truly self-sufficient system within nature, really becoming the master of their environment.

 

That's the point of Don't Starve, you're fighting against a world that won't give you an inch. Your goal is to fight the world with tooth and nail until you conquer it or die trying.

[the truthseeker]

Apologies. I thought you didn't get the survival Roguelike, but it seems you're not familiar actually with the survival Sandbox. 

 

 

However, what was said here by the last several posters pretty much took care of it (and for the record Klei members, on the full moon, I find Glommer, they and [possibly upgraded to ice Chester if I found enough Blue Gems by now] Chester share a hug, then I kill a bunch of werepigs...good times.) 

 

 

Besides Adventure Mode, stop asking what there is to do, and figure it out on your own. The resources you can make are just one part; figuring out how the world reacts to what you make and do is the other half of the fun. But

like the Stanley parable

I can't tell you what the grand conclusion is; that will be up to you. 

[Requiemsvoid]

Interesting follow up replies

 

You sort of need to self-motivate to enjoy the game I think.  It's about as sandbox as you get.  Whether it's ridding the world of spiders, exploring the depths of all the caverns, or making the most incredible base for everyone on the forums to ooh and aah over, in all cases YOU have to supply that drive.  The game won't give it.  You have to enjoy exploration and discovery for it's own sake I think.  And the quirky art style helps. 

 

Based off of what everyone else has said and the streamers I've watched... I agree, this is prolly the best way to sum up the game. (Self Motivated, Sandbox with a Quirky Art Style.)

 

Kind of remind me of the early days of Wakfu.

**There wasn't much in terms of content/story/direction and people had to create their own "fun".

 

Speaking of which, Don't Starve leands a lot towards being RP-friendly and with the upcoming Multiplayer setting. Is there any "official" word on some sort of D&D mode?

 

IE: 2+ Normal players, 1 Dungeon Master (Maxwell manipulating the world/events).

 

If not.. then what would you guys think of having that sort of mode?

**if enough of you guys support it, I'll let my friends on DA know (they're RP junkies and love rogue like games). ~ Perhaps they could create a mod for it or something.

[Mobbstar]

Speaking of which, Don't Starve leands a lot towards being RP-friendly and with the upcoming Multiplayer setting. Is there any "official" word on some sort of D&D mode?

 

IE: 2+ Normal players, 1 Dungeon Master (Maxwell manipulating the world/events).

 

If not.. then what would you guys think of having that sort of mode?

**if enough of you guys support it, I'll let my friends on DA know (they're RP junkies and love rogue like games). ~ Perhaps they could create a mod for it or something.

Well, there is a mod collaboration called Hero in the Dark, which adds classes and default-goblin/dwarf keeps including bosses and loot, without breaking the survival aspect of Don't Starve.

 

The link leads you to the sub-forum for the mod, it's huge byte-wise, the biggest mod yet in fact.

[hotmatrixx]

Hey guys,

 

I wasn't sure if this should go here or in the "giants" section, but I was curious if anyone could provide their own perspective on the game and what exactly you're supposed to do in it.

 

In short: I got to play this game while visiting a friend over the weekend and while I am attracted to the aesthetics of the game (2.5D + Hand drawn style).. I don't really understand the "point" of playing.

 

That is to say, after I run around and collect resources to build the first 2 crafting machines... what else is there to do?

 

I stood around wondering this to myself as I watched the day turn to night again and again until I froze to death in "winter".

 

Even when I watch streamers on Twitch play this game, all they seem to be doing is collecting mats, drying meat, cooking honey and generally standing around.

 

So what's the point?

 

There doesn't seem to be a "story" and unlike sandbox games like Minecraft, you cannot alter the landscape and build your own civilization... (love me some Terraria)

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

That being said, I also wonder if a few things will get "fixed" in the future.

 

1. UI, Crafting and the lack of descriptions.

When looking at your crafting tables, it doesn't pause the game (not even when you're around the machines themselves).

 

So when you're hunting for a specific recipe or trying to find out how many and of what kind of mats you'll need, you're left "burning day light" (wasting time).

 

This doesn't even touch on the lack of descriptions for items in helping you understand which ones are more useful for your particular situation.

 

IE: This hat keeps you warm in Winter! (but wearing it doesn't prevent or seem to even slow down freezing to death, thus makes you think it's just a cosmetic "dress item").

 

 

2. Clicking to miss?

Often times, you'll click on something to either chop it down, mine it or attack it... and instead, your character just runs over to it or tries to run behind/infront/beside the mob/rock/tree in question.

 

This of course is annoying in and of itself, but it's amplfied due to how much "day time" you waste trying to get the game to understand what you want to accomplish (this also happens when you're trying to plant things and build walls as well).

 

**Also, why does my character sometimes do a little freakout dance and refuse to drop an item or stand in a specific location?

 

Perhaps this is a hit box problem?.. or maybe it has something to do with those shadow creatures that spawn based on your sanity, getting in the way (even if you're 100% sane)?

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

tl; dr

Storyline and "to do list" aside ~ The lack of standard descriptions (stats or otherwise) plus the clunky (hard to navigate/use) crafting tables and frustraiting hitbox detection makes me think that the game is still a "beta" and unfinished (not ready for release to the masses).

 

So what do you guys personally enjoy about the game? What makes you keep playing it?

 

~ Thanks for taking the time to read this,

ReQ

 

 

The pause-while-crafting thing is solved with this mod

[DwerBomb]

The pause-while-crafting thing is solved with this mod

I really don't see the point of pausing while crafting. It doesn't work like that nor in real life nor in other survival games.

I see your point about the way the game doesn't explain a lot of stuff, and how you need a wiki to know stuff...and that's a problem.

But that's also a good thing. Discovering secrets or helpful advices by yourself, or even new things like recipes for the crock pot is good. Discovering new things everytime you play it's awesome, and way better then being told by the game what to do.

[the truthseeker]

As long as they fixed the instantly-turns-to-rot crockpot thing again I'm happy at cursing this game out for the ingenious nefarious things it throws at me

[Palpetinus]

 

While I do agree that "learning from your mistakes" can be an awesome motivator.. I find that I wasn't really learning much from dying because the game doesn't do a very good job of explaining the simple stuff.

 

IE: Item descriptions, tempatures, ect.

(how much dmg does the axe do?... how much hp does the tree giants have?.. how much health/sanity/hunger does meat give vs. fish?.. is there a trade off?)

 

But that is just the point of it. It's science! Kinda.. distantly related, maybe.

 

Don't know how much damage an axe deals? Whack a few enemies and compare weapons, see how much hits it needs. Died because of freezing? Well, next run you know better and will stay warm, hopefully.

 

 

If people would question things irl as much as they question games, the world would be a wonderful place.

 

I see your point about the way the game doesn't explain a lot of stuff, and how you need a wiki to know stuff...and that's a problem.

But that's also a good thing. Discovering secrets or helpful advices by yourself, or even new things like recipes for the crock pot is good. Discovering new things everytime you play it's awesome, and way better then being told by the game what to do.

 

I didn't use the wiki for Don't Starve a single time except for trivia and such, yet I have all characters unlocked, completed adventure mode and survived past day 100 (from where you can survive infinitely anyway, in my opinion).

[blindlfaith]

First of all I will offer my oppinion about the game then offer some tips and answer your questions. I am very fond of this game. I have well over 100 hours into it and still find it a lot of fun and challenging. The game on default settings is quite challenging to new commers. But you can adjust settings to make it more comfortable to your play style. The game has come a long way since first release and each release has seemed to make me have to relearn how to survive.

 

Although collecting resources and standing around may seem like a common thing, there is a point to it all. SEMI SPOILER ALLERT: Skip this paragraph if you don't want to know the story line. When you start there are a few items scattered through out the world that if you collect them, and bring them to a special place you can construct a device that will teleport you to the "next" world. Your objective is to survive, collect these items, and move through worlds until you reach the end. The end has a special encounter with a special someone and will end the game afterwards. You don't have to do this of course. You can just play the same world and build or collect loads of stuff.

 

1)

   The UI and crafting is pretty self explanatory I thought. But I guess to simplify it even more, there are tools to help you fight, defend, harvest, and deconstruct. The clothes/ wearable things help protect you in the environment. For example the hat you mentioned doesn't prevent you from freezing to death but it does slow down the time it takes for you to freeze. I don't know the exact numbers but say without the hat you have 60 seconds before you start to freeze and with the hat you have 90. Other items like the bee hat or marble suit reduce damage from enemies. Bee hat negates bee damage almost completely. The marble suit helps against monster attacks. (this suit also slows you down because it is heavy).

 

2)

   Collecting stuff is a lot easier by holding the gather button. For me(default) it is space bar. Holding that will make your character collect anything within it's vicinity. I think control and space will attack anything within the vicinity. You also don't have to move by clicking the mouse. You can use WASD keys then press the gather key to pick up stuff or chop down trees. This frees up the mouse to move things or craft while on the move, as well has hover over to read descriptions.

 

Conclusion: I can understand your frustration with the game at first glance. But as I have explained it is due to lack of experience and knowledge (no offense) What keeps me playing the game is the feeling of a new experience everytime I start a new game. Also the riskyness of doing things for valuable items or confronting situations that could result in death. For beginners as well as experts there is no shame in running away in Don't Starve. The game is perma death until you learn how to craft meat effigies or find a special necklace.  There is constantly new updates coming out that help balance the game even more. There is also a multiplayer DLC coming out soon (I'm PUMPED). I've gotten more joy and entertainment from this single player game that only cost $9.99(at the time I bought it) than I have with some AAA $60 games combined.

 

I hope this helps.