Stronger Late-game Hound Attacks

[Unn0ticedShadow]

While hounds are an interesting component early-game, acting as one of the only ways the game scales with difficulty, and encouraging people to base in one place, as to have tooth traps,   they get really boring really quick late-game, no longer increasing in difficulty after day 100, and not varying in any way shape or form, being easily countered by a quick run through a tooth trap field, which makes them more annoying than difficult.  However, this leads to a very annoying and un-fun experience, becoming a chore rather than a challenge.  Although the answer may seem at first to be "More Hounds!"  This only leads to the creation of more tooth traps from their teeth, and eventually ridiculous lag, as more of the same threat will probably not lead to instant death.

However, hound attacks could still be fun if they were wired differently, or if more than "hounds" attacked.  If Wargs were to spawn in later waves there could be a lot more flavor in these fights, as they have different attacking patterns and higher health, which leads to harder kiting and "resistance" to hound traps.  Additionally a sort of resistance to hound traps late-game could be very interesting, as it would get players to think outside of the box, and put a real challenge into the game.  An example of this is Depths Worms, being able to go under tooth traps makes them much more challenging and interesting.  Lastly, we could get more types of late-game hounds, not necessarily with unique drops, but more powerful, such as a purple hound, perhaps that can teleport, with an increased insanity aura.

However, I do realize this could get really annoying really quick too, as getting a Warg attack every 5 or so days would drive most players crazy.  Perhaps at a certain point the hound attacks could slow down, (along with preparation time before attack) but become even more dangerous, and get harder from there.  It would also be better if hounds perhaps 'waited' until a boss fight was over, in order to avoid badly timed hound attacks when your trying to fight deerclops.  Either way, later-game hound attacks should get a rework, along with a minor one for the caves, perhaps.

[GetNerfedOn]

There was this mod somewhere which really expounded on that idea - made new hounds which targeted important structures and were resistant to Tooth Traps iirc... though i've forgotten what the mod's name was...

[Prismaux]

Was it Unnatural Selection? Is it still in development? 

[Maxposting]

2 hours ago, PriscaMitica said:

Was it Unnatural Selection? Is it still in development? 

Yep, still in development and they haven't still released the mod to the public ( i get it, modding is hard as uh... steel? )

and uh... this: https://unnatural-selection.fandom.com/wiki/Fidop

[Canis]

Might as well throw this idea onto the pile and hope that there's something resembling this in the content update this month.

Also, I like the ideas of Vargs appearing after day 100, but maybe they should be on a timer so you don't get a varg spawn back to back. Maybe a 15 day cooldown (So you *should* get one around once per season)

[BeliarBAD]

varg attacks would be cool once per month but they should have a much longer announcement before they spawn. they could warn you like antlion or like the volcano in sw. they give 2 warnings and after the 3. warning they spawn.

 

but there is a problem with that. we have catapults and fossils for dogs. so a varg would be easily killed by the catapults like the dogs. maybe some more clever wargs which avoid running against the fossils

[Maxposting]

34 minutes ago, BeliarBAD said:

but there is a problem with that. we have catapults and fossils for dogs. so a varg would be easily killed by the catapults like the dogs. maybe some more clever wargs which avoid running against the fossils

well obviously their AI/brain needs to be reworked.

[ShadowDuelist]

I like OP idea. Also there was a mod that kept randomizing the attack waves, after a certain point it can be hounds, vargs, merms, werepigs, monkeys,  batlisks, etc. It is fun since you never know what you may get, maybe they could add that to vanilla

[Prismaux]

2 hours ago, ShadowDuelist said:

I like OP idea. Also there was a mod that kept randomizing the attack waves, after a certain point it can be hounds, vargs, merms, werepigs, monkeys,  batlisks, etc. It is fun since you never know what you may get, maybe they could add that to vanilla

If a hound wave happens during a full moon, all hounds will be replaced by werepigs.

[Unn0ticedShadow]

4 minutes ago, PriscaMitica said:

If a hound wave happens during a full moon, all hounds will be replaced by werepigs.

That's a cool idea, but I think that all surface 'hound' attacks should be dog themed, or at least sent by Charlie, though i'm not sure everyone would agree.  The attack would also provide insane amounts of pigskin, and what would happen when the full moon ends?

(Btw I love your profile icon, I just finished the main part of portal 2)

[Prismaux]

Hmmm, you are right. Maybe have some kind of Full Moon moonstone Hounds that drop Moon Rocks? I hink something special, because Full Moons are pretty rare in DST. 

 

(Thanks for the compliment! Nice to see someone finnally acknowledging it! I also really like your Shadow Watcher profile picture, I just love Shadow Creatures!)

[I.E.L]

Maybe a new hound that gives out orders and stays in the back and giving hounds speed boost and damage just like Bee Queen  

[S19TealPenguin]

I see hounds as more of a blessing than a curse. You just simply dodge around the tooth traps and walk home with enough monster meat to last until the next wave.

Wolves are pack hunters, what if the hounds reacted to killing one of their own?

Maybe the hounds could organize, one group could chase you to the edge of the map where another group cuts you off and surrounds you? Instead of taking the shortest path to you and bunching up, the hounds would form a flat wall to decrease your escape options?

They could track you down, maybe one "scout" hound would attack and then the next day there would be a pack of hounds in a location you spend a lot of time in (like your base).

Real wolves are always trying to use their terrain to their advantage and strike their target when it is weak. Maybe the hounds could try to lure you into a trap/peninsula? The hounds should also gain a speed boost (maybe 20/25%?) in the snow, making winter attacks more difficult.

[metallichydra]

perhaps a big hound boss that can destroy structures (like deer clops and bearer does). on the other hand, this may lead to players using them to chop down trees.
well, we'll put them on fire. a big giant fiery houndclops.

[S19TealPenguin]

7 minutes ago, metallichydra said:

a big giant fiery houndclops.

We'll call it the Heck Hound

[Well-met]

we need spring, autumn and shadow hounds. And some clay hounds in the mix.

make em attack walls instead of tunneling into traps.

[Canis]

52 minutes ago, S19TealPenguin said:

We'll call it the Heck Hound

[metallichydra]

1 hour ago, Hell-met said:

we need spring, autumn and shadow hounds. And some clay hounds in the mix.

make em attack walls instead of tunneling into traps.

what about a dog that eats traps?

[Canis]

Just now, metallichydra said:

what about a dog that eats traps?

[metallichydra]

shipwrecked have spring hounds: the blue crocodogs

[Cytryn7]

Yea. This is why I'm not using tooth trap fields. It makes hounds attacks too easy

[ShadowDuelist]

44 minutes ago, metallichydra said:

what about a dog that eats traps?

A smart dog that hacks the traps so it hurts players. Well call it Prounds (prick+hound)

 

[BeliarBAD]

5 hours ago, ShadowDuelist said:

I like OP idea. Also there was a mod that kept randomizing the attack waves, after a certain point it can be hounds, vargs, merms, werepigs, monkeys,  batlisks, etc. It is fun since you never know what you may get, maybe they could add that to vanilla

yea but the mod isnt so good. i was playing it for a while and it was very bad. first of all you dont want monkeys. pls xxxxxD

 

and yea you get bee and mosquito attacks which are a joke. its not working cause they dont act like hounds. you can just run away and they stop chasing you. dogs wont be deaggroed so easy.

i was playing this mod long time ago so i dont remeber so good. but i know i was so happy to find the mod and after playing with it i was so disappointed that i removed it very quick

[Maxposting]

How about better hound AI and hounds that crush other hound teeth?

[BeliarBAD]

8 minutes ago, Cytryn7 said:

Yea. This is why I'm not using tooth trap fields. It makes hounds attacks too easy

i hear this often from players that they dont use some items like eyebrella and toothtraps cause they think it makes the game to easy. but if i ask these players then which bosses they have killed they often say only deerclops and bearger.

so i dont know... these items make the early game easier. they need to be used so you can do some late game content.

but dst has no goal then survivng. so evryone can play how he likes...