Bridges - Bringing a New Dynamic to a Game that just gets Better and Better


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Bridges - Craft, Place, Repeat

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Many times in the game I come across a break between different areas I would like to access for resources.  To get to these areas I usually have to use the map to give me direction and walk all the way around the ocean gap separating me from trees to cut down or rocks to mine, more likely getting me lost than to my destination, loosing all sense of my direction. 

 

I think it would be an interesting idea to implement bridges or a system at which to have the player connect one area to another over the ocean which is not inaccessible and currently bounds the game and it's events.  This being added could not only make day long trips be cut down to mere minutes but add a new dynamic of survival.  Being given a convenient shortcut in a game about equal disadvantages to a vantage created by the player should have its downfalls.

 

The bridges could have a durability meter or limited number of uses much like the tools and weapons do already.  Boards could fall, a number could show or a noise could be made from the bridge indicating that it needs to be repaired.  Spiders, beefalo, and other creatures in the game could use this as a means to travel further diminishing its usability and putting the player at risk of monsters (like the hounds and various giants) finding shortcuts or blocking your path back to a central hub or collapse. All of these new functions could very well benefit Don't Starve as an experience honing one's problem solving skills and survival instinct.  Knowing or learning that these risks come with the convenience could outweigh each other based on one's play style.

:snarlingspider:

Repairing could be as simple as adding wood or stone to it, much like Woodie eating more wood and grass to obtain health, or letting it rot until you can make another one in its place.  Adding bridges could use a method similar to what the pitch fork does, adding a dotted line showing the area that you can place it, and build the components accordingly.  Making the bridge could be as simple as placing it down like turf above the ocean and straighten out when connected to another, or as complex as setting up the two ends of the bridge on both sides of the area and build from a zip-line/supportive structure.

 

This could also be a collaborative function where in Don't Starve Together, the players can set the ends individually and build toward each other, giving the game mode more co-op projects and roles.

:yaymultipl:

Just a thought :) be interesting how it would play out.  What's your thoughts?

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I like your idea, and I think it would pretty well! In the early game with a science machine (or maybe even without one) the players could setup a post at both ends and create a simple rope bridge that tends to break quickly or is only wide enough for one player at a time, while maybe after the alchemy engine they could create a stone bridge that has incredible durability, is wider, and doesn't need to be started at both ends. Perhaps after the prestihatitator, players could make a brief, but player-only magic bridge that has less uses (or only use) but prevents monsters/creatures from using it.

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I like your idea, and I think it would pretty well! In the early game with a science machine (or maybe even without one) the players could setup a post at both ends and create a simple rope bridge that tends to break quickly or is only wide enough for one player at a time, while maybe after the alchemy engine they could create a stone bridge that has incredible durability, is wider, and doesn't need to be started at both ends. Perhaps after the prestihatitator, players could make a brief, but player-only magic bridge that has less uses (or only use) but prevents monsters/creatures from using it.

Yeah thats what I was thinking (: I figure it could use rope then wood, stone and maybe marble.  Just another project to add to the experience.

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Agreed; I've wanted bridges in-game for some time now; it's so frustrating when there's a gap of one tile creating a border. I like the idea of the bridge having a finite number of uses, though I feel that the recipe would have to be somewhat expensive in order to compensate for the convenience.

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bridges should be just a really expensive turf to put on ocean and only ocean, though the repair thing sounds abit weird, that could lead to getting stranded in the ocean if you make a large enough bridge. which could be used for pengull farming, i personally wish they would add boats to put in the ocean and maybe change the ocean look to look like a giant pond because currently ocean doesn't match the art style of the game a little.

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bridges should be just a really expensive turf to put on ocean and only ocean, though the repair thing sounds abit weird, that could lead to getting stranded in the ocean if you make a large enough bridge. which could be used for pengull farming, i personally wish they would add boats to put in the ocean and maybe change the ocean look to look like a giant pond because currently ocean doesn't match the art style of the game a little.

 

Though that would require rewriting a lot of stuff to just make something like a bridge function as turf. 

Honestly I think the ocean's style and the ocean itself sorta adds to the atmosphere of the game. It's an unknown thing and pretty much makes the idea that you're trapped and isolated in a strange world even more daunting. Again something like a boat too would require a ton of things to be rewritten and imo would kind of take away from the atmosphere and main point of the game itself. 

 

Bridges are a cool concept in themselves and I often find myself sighing when I realize I have to spend a day or two walking around a barrier of water because of a gap between me and my destination that looks like it could be jumped. However, that's the thing of it; it's a challenge, or more it's what makes part of the game. What would be the uniqueness of a randomly generated map if I could always just build a bridge to get where I want to go? But I dunno, that's just my thoughts on it since it's not something that's originally been implemented into the game. Also there's always the lazy explorer for gaps small enough that you can click the land on the other side. 

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Though that would require rewriting a lot of stuff to just make something like a bridge function as turf. 

Honestly I think the ocean's style and the ocean itself sorta adds to the atmosphere of the game. It's an unknown thing and pretty much makes the idea that you're trapped and isolated in a strange world even more daunting. Again something like a boat too would require a ton of things to be rewritten and imo would kind of take away from the atmosphere and main point of the game itself. 

 

Bridges are a cool concept in themselves and I often find myself sighing when I realize I have to spend a day or two walking around a barrier of water because of a gap between me and my destination that looks like it could be jumped. However, that's the thing of it; it's a challenge, or more it's what makes part of the game. What would be the uniqueness of a randomly generated map if I could always just build a bridge to get where I want to go? But I dunno, that's just my thoughts on it since it's not something that's originally been implemented into the game. Also there's always the lazy explorer for gaps small enough that you can click the land on the other side. 

Very true!  Don't disregard yourself at the end that's a very good point :)  Those are all things to consider.  Survival and challenge should keep priority over additions.  Maybe they need to be more balanced if ever considered.

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