Dear Klei, Regarding the recent Winter update

[osadat]

Hey fellow DS players and hopefully klei as well, I have some feedback about the recent update: A Winters Tale.First off I love the update, it's great and increases the games difficulty. It fits the game VERY well and I can't wait to play more. There are however some concerns that I have as well as other players. I have started from scratch to get the full experience of the update and I have found that winter starts way to early and I don't have enough time to "stock pile food" or even to get a farm system up in running. Day 1-5 gathering resources. 5-10 obtained shovel and gathering sapling/grass tufts/berry bushes 10-about 16 or 17 i'm gathering enough poop to make farm plots, fertilizes about 40 grass and 20 bushes (these days are just estimates) . And BAM it's winter, no honey, no stock piled food, nothing. I even restarted on the same world and tried to do everything super ultra fast and still totally unprepared for winter. One reason as well is I am way to weak to kill things. Please klei take moving winter back a little and buffing the player a little more into consideration. I do realize others have different opinions and I am willing to read everyone. Please don't get me wrong the update as a whole is so awesome and I love it. thank you, OsadatEdit: I am loving the update and I am beginning to cope with it, I still want to hear your strategy on surviving winter!

Edited February 28, 2013 by osadat

[sirmentlegen]

Go do custom sandbox and choose "long summer"

[Danwood]

Sandox custom options allow you to set summer longer, so that winter will start later. I personally find it easy to survive the winter (regarding hunger) because gathering food isn't an issue as the game is now, and i'm not a seasoned player.

[LtShinySides]

Or straighten your priorities, I had plenty of food and resources for Winter.

[osadat]

OMG THANK YOU SO MUCH WITH THE SANDBOX MODE thing sorry for all caps haha

- - - Updated - - -

Or straighten your priorities, I had plenty of food and resources for Winter.

Yeah thats not easy for me haha

- - - Updated - - -

Thank you very much once again

[osadat]

Sandox custom options allow you to set summer longer, so that winter will start later. I personally find it easy to survive the winter (regarding hunger) because gathering food isn't an issue as the game is now, and i'm not a seasoned player.

thanks to you to sir

[CrazyGamerzPC]

I found the difficulty to be quite balanced, and I found a nice easy food supply as well that last all summer and winter ^_^Only thing I used to hate about the new update was hounds, but after a few tips about cheap bee mines are and how effective they are against a large amount of hounds when exploring, I find myself playing a brand new playstyle both interesting and fun. Rather then just putting down a monster meat and dominating the hounds, placing 3 bee mines goes ahead and completely devasts a pack of 12 hounds in a brief moment xD.We love ya Klei!

[Wyvern]

Have you actually tried surviving a winter, or do you just panic and quit as soon as you feel like you don't have enough food?Honestly you could go into winter without a scrap of food and be totally fine. Rabbits and beefalo are completely unaffected by the cold, and either one of them can feed you forever with no problems.

[Avarice]

Rabbit traps, very useful now. You can survive the entire winter on morsels if you have to.

[ChristianS]

Rabbit traps, very useful now. You can survive the entire winter on morsels if you have to.

That's what I did. And I ran and hid when the Deerclop's stopped by.

[Larku]

I experienced a odd thing with Winter. I was in adventure mode due to reading somewhere your progress in it unlocks things in sandbox. So it took me a long time to explore the island due to I like knowing where the beefalo and pig king are. So it sort of took me 10 days. I finally laid camp and a couple days later around day 15 it started to turn winter. I thought I had until the 30th. I was not ready at all! I didn't have enough food, I didn't even have the warmer clothes. I sadly died from lack of food/warmth. It didn't help I rushed to the beefalo and they were in heat which makes it pretty much impossible to kill them with heat stacked along with the armor changes. Also, when I died in adventure mode, I was unable to press any of the bugs and had to Alt F4 to break out of it.However, I do enjoy the new update. It keeps me on my toes so I can further improve my tactics for survival.

[w0bbl3r]

Don't like the new update. Spiders take 4 hits? Can't even kill a pig now?I don't mind learning the new things, like with winter and stuff, but having to relearn all the old stuff as well? This game is getting old now, sick of learning everything from scratch after every update, AND having to learn new stuff.I thought they were supposed to adding to the mid-end game content? No, they aren't doing that, they are just making it so you can't GET TO mid game content, so they don't have to show how shallow the game is after 30 days or so.I loved this game, but the last few updates, while adding some excellent new things, have just changed all the old things so much that it's now a different game, and not the game I enjoyed a few months ago.It's a chore just to take down a tier 1 spider nest now... WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK, just to kill ONE spider, then again... then back to the nest, once or twice more. And pigs... Well, they are supposed to be stupid and easy to kill, but now it's ridiculous. You can't kill them with just a spear, especially if other pigs are around because when you hit them once they ignore every hit after that while beating the **** out of you.I love klei, and they have sold me a game I have enjoyed for well over 100 hours. But I think I am done now, it's just hard work now instead of fun

[Sliver]

I don't really get that, by day 15 I have pretty much everything I need. I have every high-tier building (alchemy engine, icebox, crockpot etc.), like ten saved up meatballs, and something for dapperness and warmth. I spend the rest of the 15 days bored waiting for winter to finally show up. But I guess that difference is just a testament to how great these new world options are. Can't wait until all of them are unlocked!On the subject, why is there not a short summer option, just shorter seasons...

Edited February 28, 2013 by Sliver

[Kevin]

Don't like the new update. Spiders take 4 hits? Can't even kill a pig now?I don't mind learning the new things, like with winter and stuff, but having to relearn all the old stuff as well? This game is getting old now, sick of learning everything from scratch after every update, AND having to learn new stuff.I thought they were supposed to adding to the mid-end game content? No, they aren't doing that, they are just making it so you can't GET TO mid game content, so they don't have to show how shallow the game is after 30 days or so.I loved this game, but the last few updates, while adding some excellent new things, have just changed all the old things so much that it's now a different game, and not the game I enjoyed a few months ago.It's a chore just to take down a tier 1 spider nest now... WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK, just to kill ONE spider, then again... then back to the nest, once or twice more. And pigs... Well, they are supposed to be stupid and easy to kill, but now it's ridiculous. You can't kill them with just a spear, especially if other pigs are around because when you hit them once they ignore every hit after that while beating the **** out of you.I love klei, and they have sold me a game I have enjoyed for well over 100 hours. But I think I am done now, it's just hard work now instead of fun

I'm sorry you feel that way, but if you do not like exploring new mechanics and tunings with every update then perhaps betas are not for you. Please try the game again when it is finished

[Danwood]

I'm sorry you feel that way, but if you do not like exploring new mechanics and tunings with every update then perhaps betas are not for you. Please try the game again when it is finished

Please Kevin don't mind that. I think the tougher mobs and overall harder combat is now better than ever (and i've played the previous updates) because it now forces the player to actually think before attacking, expecially when the reward is big and/or really necessary.

[sirmentlegen]

I don't like how the game is turning out, the combat is fine but all the micromanagement between every factor is bleh. I would rather go back and play the nov 30th build.

[wdfoster]

No. I dislike the stun-lock nerf. I don't mind things being tougher. But getting rid of stun-lock or reducing it has made combat a chore for me. I'll come back after the next update and see what has changed. On topic though, I had no problem getting an icebox and a stack of berries and carrots before winter. Use the resources already provided for the first winter.

[Avarice]

I'm enjoying the new update, survived my first winter and actually starved for once and almost died because of it, but then I spammed rabbit traps and lived out my days on morsels until the snow went away.I took out the walrus hunting party, but ran away from the Clops, I'll try and deal with him next time. He didn't show up until the last day of winter anyway and was away from my base. I think you can wormhole away from your base when you hear him like the hounds?, but I'll have to test it next time. If anyone knows if you can do this for sure let me know.

[Bigfoot]

[MENTION=1992]w0bbl3r[/MENTION] just wanted to say that I've definitely appreciated your contributions here. Thank you! In order for us to build the best game possible, we really have to be bold in our decisions and willing to try things that might be unpopular. We then test the changes with as many people as possible, and filter the feedback through our vision of the game. This does mean that the game experience changes, and it's very true that even small changes can have wide effects to the gameplay. I've given several talks now about how a simple UI change can have vast implications to player expectations and behaviour. What I'm adamant on, though, is that as developers we cannot be timid in our approach. Our latest change absolutely requires players to relearn priorities; we're still testing our changes to see the long-term effects.I've heard a ton of your feedback and we really do hear it. If you're tired of the constant change, we totally understand, and hope you come back when the game launches!

[Palpetinus]

No. I dislike the stun-lock nerf. I don't mind things being tougher. But getting rid of stun-lock or reducing it has made combat a chore for me. I'll come back after the next update and see what has changed. On topic though, I had no problem getting an icebox and a stack of berries and carrots before winter. Use the resources already provided for the first winter.

So basically, combat = left click/spacebar?Way to go.

[Palpetinus]

[MENTION=1992]w0bbl3r[/MENTION] just wanted to say that I've definitely appreciated your contributions here. Thank you! In order for us to build the best game possible, we really have to be bold in our decisions and willing to try things that might be unpopular. We then test the changes with as many people as possible, and filter the feedback through our vision of the game. This does mean that the game experience changes, and it's very true that even small changes can have wide effects to the gameplay. I've given several talks now about how a simple UI change can have vast implications to player expectations and behaviour. What I'm adamant on, though, is that as developers we cannot be timid in our approach. Our latest change absolutely requires players to relearn priorities; we're still testing our changes to see the long-term effects.I've heard a ton of your feedback and we really do hear it. If you're tired of the constant change, we totally understand, and hope you come back when the game launches!

Wow, finally an explanation to how developing works, for the new players...Thank you :DPS: Wohoo, old, scratched Wilson!EDIT: Sorry for doublepost, i still try to figure out when the forum fuses the posts with this " - - - Update - - -" thingy...

[TalentedM]

So basically, combat = left click/spacebar?

Way to go.

Personally I like the way the pigs react now and a lot of the changes. I enjoy the difficulty and as a seasoned player I love how unforgiving the game is now. However I can see how players fairly new to the genre or game in general may be more concerned at how difficult it is and may be turned away at how things react to you in the game. Now everything wants to kill you... I have never been a big fan about that feeling some players have, but I am just 1 person.

I love a world that is explorable and dynamic and changes with seasons or weather or in the way the things in the world will react to you doing certain things. But when everything wants to kill you sometimes with little to no provocation, well, I too get a little turned off by it. It isn't so much that it bothers me to the point to need to flail about and cry about it or anything, but enough for me to go "Really?... ok.".

About the whole combat thing, I dunno.. If you are able to nail a hit on 1 enemy and keep them stunned that shouldn't be a problem. I don't see the issue with it, reason being that if you do get the hit off it would be more like a surprise attack and you could then finish them off without them reacting. Now it is like you can't even kill these things without taking 1/2 the day doing so. Kinda tedious and I can see where someone would be expecting to get the jump on 1 pig (fighting more than 1 would be intensely dangerous and is good to have this attack/evade thing they have going.) but ends up spending 4 minutes fighting the thing... I didn't see the point anyways.

I personally think pigs as tools now are a little overpowered because of it. I was taking out nest after nest after nest with the same few pigs I found and kept fed for a while and had well over 40 silk by day 6. They are really effective as tools now to get rid of troublesome spiders as they now act like the player did when attacking things.

I do love everything though, great update, but I can see why some people might have problems with it... and I am sure it will be touched up and tweaked....

TEN OUTTA' TEN!

[archblue1206]

i think overall,this update makes the traps fully optimized...you can't live without them...almost all items in the game are now very useful...except for the tent and maybe the farms...

[Palpetinus]

i think overall,this update makes the traps fully optimized...you can't live without them...almost all items in the game are now very useful...except for the tent and maybe the farms...

The farms are useful when you have many, but it costs too much resources imo.

The tent will get a buff (or, if now, the devs are kinda - sorry to say this - retarded). So many players complain about the tent. I have never seen a single player who really loved the tent.

[MENTION=8666]TalentedM[/MENTION]

I have to say one thing: The game sais "How long will you survive?" at the beginning. That's fancytalk for "You will die horribly".

[buster2Xk]

Or straighten your priorities, I had plenty of food and resources for Winter.

This is probably the correct answer. Winter starts on day 12 in Adventure mode and I made it most of the way through it on my first try, without even consciously preparing for winter.