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Is dst going to have its motif changed?


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This thread is to discuss your opinion on how dst's design has been changing over the last year(s).

It is a rather difficult subject to discuss since on one hand 3 new characters we got are very silly and childlisch but on the other hand mutants from Lunar Islands were also added. 

The newest update will feature a cute little side-quest of befriending a crab-grandma Pearl. I don't mind it being purely nice and wholesome since this is the 1st time something like this is introduced. I will have complains if we see more stuff like this. It's good to have nice things in dst from time to time but if there's too many of them then the theme starts to shift

I'm afraid that in the future dst will abandon most of its creepiness and replace it with cartoon variants. Y'know for example: Them end up being just a 'I'm dark and have angry eyes and magic power. I'm evil!'-kind of boss.

After all let us not forget that in Wilson's cinematic he slits his own hand and that ruins statues litteraly have nightmare fuel pour from their eyes and mouths.

I'll summon forumers that I was discussing this with in the other thread @Canis, @Sunset Skye

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This. I feel like the entire feel of DS has sort of disappeared. For example look at one of the more recent update videos or trailers and look at a vanilla DS trailer from years ago. I understand the game has developed and grown much more over the years but the difference between the creepiness is huge. I feel like the tiny hidden ARG videos also played a huge role in making the game a little creepier which have also stopped. Sadly i dont think klei will do much about it since obviously people are still playing regardless.

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Personally, i would love to see Klei bring back the puzzles, all though it's unlikely to happen, even adding some hidden back drops of rather "disturbing" lore would be nice. Klei has taken turn in bringing diffrent demographics into DST's audience, that demographic being children and younger people, i can't blame the devs for trying to do their best to keep the game on same level for everyone, indeed we are more than "lacking" the "creepy" part of DS/T ingame, it's vibe, ambience, aswell as its lore on both the environment and certain characters. I hope we get to see more "dark" characters/bosses, similar to the Fuelweaver that can be rather intriguing and challenging. A little throwback into the past with DS/T's older design and artstyle would be very more than welcome, not to mentiom very nostalgic, most likely bringing atleast some of the "creepiness" that was left behind back, aswell as in the animated shorts ( those have changed tremendously ).

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i feel dst is still kinda spoopy but in a weird way even tho the the fact that you can count on others takes away the most scary part imo is that you are alone and don't really have someone to lean on except for other players and pigs are just dumb and only sray with you if they can profit.And if you make them your friends then its prbably just to start a civil war to get their loot and just like that you murder the utterly cute koalefant in your quest to find meatyou keep chopping trees and murdering treeguards yes you plant the trees back but in the sole purpose of chopping them down again if there is a challenge you can'take on you still rely on beefaloes. the point i am trying to make is that you keep exhausting nature's rescources for your survival. 

plus i am insane 90 percent  of the time and the whispers you hear when insane are quite spoopy amiright?

 

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19 minutes ago, xDarkSoul18x said:

I never really thought of the game as “creepy” or dark imo. I’ve always looked at it like a weird, Tim Burton, nightmare before Xmas hybrid. 

Well I always thought of it as macabre, eerie or ghastly

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Pipspook though cute.. still drastically reduce Sanity of any non-Wendy’s around them.

Wurts Comment When Examining one is hilarious.

The game in my opinion has gotten Darker compared to DS Solo... just watch the animations of a Horror hound spawning for the first time, that should be enough to induce nightmares into smaller children.

I also don’t get at all where people say Wortox is “Cute” He’s an evil Imp that does Evil Imp things like burn my base down and then make comments like “‘Twas a Nice prank it was it was!”

The only thing I think that HAS Changed is the Animated Shorts, Instead Of being dark Mysterious & Creepy they’re more light hearted, almost Comedic, and Colorful.

Bernie’s Enlarged Size is still equally just as creepy.. Ashley Maybe arguably Moreso.

The Crab King could’ve been pretty and colorful and a joke of a fight, but it seems they wanted his colors to intentionally be dark & menacing, and the gem upgrade system allows him to be one of DS’s most Menacing Foes.

The TL:DR- DST is probably more creepy than DS Solo at this point.. the only real difference is the Animated shorts.

 

I also feel the need to stress the fact that there is a difference between being dark & Creepy.... and being Totally Uncompromising.

(But I’m not too terribly worried about the Later.... because I’m pretty sure Klei’s heard those complaints for far too long and are creating an Uncompromising Mode or at least I hope they’ll get around to that someday.)

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A lot of DS's new changes are still pretty dark and macabre. Do correct me if I'm wrong, but think about it: we do a long questline to befriend a hermit and as a reward she gives us one of her most trusted possessions, the Pearl. Which we then use in our quest to murder the loved one she is looking for. And in a twisted sort of kindness, we show it to her as proof of his death, which means that while she may have come to terms with the Crab King's death and doesn't even blame you for it, she is left even more alone as a result.

Sure, a lot of DST's changes have been rather lighthearted (e.g. the addition of recreational fishing/competitive carrat races) but I'm of the opinion that DST's struck a balance between them. That, or maybe I've not played it enough these days...

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Sadly yes, I can agree with you. Klei more focused on new audience... And by "new audience" I mean people ( Mostly kids ), that only want to see fun characters, cinematics, gameplay, updates... And skins... Take for example Woodie, why we didnt get ANYTHING from his past and lore? Who is he, why he is cursed, who is goddman Lucy?... And new wereforms? They fun, and they just appear by "moon magic" so he is better now. Can fight as Moose, run as Goose. Nothing new about him but more qustions and fun gameplay. Who ask for cinematic where he parody old "Woodie woodbecker" cartoons? Thats just sad... But in Wendy`s short we got at least something about her and her family lore... It`s kinda selfish, that Klei forget about ones characters lore and just move on with that. I never liked Wendy, cause she just depressed 10 y.o girl haunted by dead-twin sister. Maybe kids kinda like sad/emo/suicidal (?) characters, so Klei focus on this characters. I bet next character to refresh is Webber... And updates? Year of Carrat. We got a lot of new skins but carrat race is just not funny. Who really enjoyed carrat race? She sells seashells update is not bad, its just... Not Don`t starve. We never had NPC quests... It`s game about survival, not RPG or something like that.. Skins are... Just look at Webber`s  Year of Pig King skin. Well, at least they don`t forget about Maxwell`s quotes. He have a really intresting quotes in new moon-themed things. Like new Idol, dropping by Crab King. (With Pearl`s pearl) 

I really love Don`t Starve and do honor Klei for their job, but im afraid if Klei will continue give performance more for new audience than old one, this won`t be Don`t Starve anymore. At least for me.

 

2 minutes ago, GetNerfedOn said:

A lot of DS's new changes are still pretty dark and macabre. Do correct me if I'm wrong, but think about it: we do a long questline to befriend a hermit and as a reward she gives us one of her most trusted possessions, the Pearl. Which we then use in our quest to murder the loved one she is looking for. And in a twisted sort of kindness, we show it to her as proof of his death, which means that while she may have come to terms with the Crab King's death and doesn't even blame you for it, she is left even more alone as a result.

It`s more sad than dark, in my opinion. He left Pearl for treasure-hunting and perhaps was mutated by "moon" magic, but Pearl hopes he is fine and will eventually come back to her. That`s a sad story, not dark

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Do you lads and lasses remember when these guys first popped up:

Horror_Hound_Old.png.83cbd306c5d02817aa13b799f8745bc6.pngMoonrock_Pengull.png.0e05c2e12889bc37c22cea0912a50ea9.pngShattered_Spider.png.dacb29bf70e7499486ebd9791ddc1345.png

...and some of you complained a lot that they were nightmare fuel (yes, pun intended), loathsome, disgusting and makes the Catcoons cry?

Because I remember how KLei tweaked them to be more "family friendly" (not really) because of it. Also if I'm not mistaken Sunset did a mod to obscure their features quite to kingdom-come - oh hello, what we got here: Horror Hound & Moonrock Pengull Reskin?! (OP, I don't think you got the best people "summoned" on this matter)

And do you fine chaps remember le deluge of "Pls bring Mumsy and Billy to Constant as NPCs" threads? Because I again do. We got an NPC in form of a nice lil ol' granny in tune with Sea themes and the like. And I believe you, OP, also demanded for Mumsy & co then. So KLei listened you guys. And what do you know now... :)

 

Yes, ofc the art changed, times evolved, new artists made some of the RoT trailers etc. Also this happens when a lot of quite contradictory ideas are thrown at the proverbial wall - some will stick and discontent certain demographics. C'est la vie.

 

DS was more Survival oriented as opposed to the Sandbox aspect because it had a start-and-end in form of Adventure Mode. DST doesn't have (yet?) such facet and naturally content would be more diluted on Survival front, cause at some point you can't just cram in "they be comin' to get ye" stuff... till it becomes an actual giant Battle (Royale) Arena (I know some of you more-or-less desire it). Yes, we are miles-away from such, but people demand and... like with above, again - KLei might be listening to it if enough "bandwagon" seems to point in such direction. The old "be careful what you wish for".

 

PS: don't forget Willow trailer and "what happened to the children? implications are so dark!"; Wortox is basically a devil. Pearl got rejected by "her fated lover" in such a cold manner after waiting "ages" for his return (lil ol' lady waiting and hoping all her life, ardently believing in her love to only find out at the end of life all was for nil - no dark at all I say :rolleyes:).

 

But yes, more black-and-white-ish trailers would be welcomed. Puzzles likewise!

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So Wurt walking around with the heads of her dead relatives hung up on sticks with her only comment being “Who would do such a Thing?!” 

Isnt at all Dark & Creepy To any of you? I seriously think what you guys are really trying to discuss isn’t how the games become more cutesy and kid friendly- But Rather how it’s become less and less Totally Uncompromising.

Which even THAT can be Argued- For me I find DST to be *gasp* HARDER Than DS Solo- Why? Because Items that never spoiled at all in DS Solo now properly spoil in DST.. things like Thermal Stones, Captured Rabbits & Bees Etc...

In addition to THAT, Other players dead ghosts constantly drain your Sanity- Maybe that’s not such a big problem on PC or Dedicated Servers, But Over on Xbox I have enough random people’s Dead Skeletons cluttering my world that I can set up my own Boneyard biome.

What DST REALLY Needs is a brand new mode that takes the current rulebook and throws it completely out the Window.

Would the game suddenly feel Totally Uncompromising again if food items, tents and lean-to’s didn’t heal health points and the only way to heal would by using proper healing items?

Would it be Totally Uncompromising again If the Rollback feature was Disabled and well established revival items like Meat Effigy couldn’t be used anymore?

The TL:DR- I’m not worried about how much the game feels like it’s changing because They could very easily For example make Wes actually useful... and then make a mode that makes the game Totally Uncompromising Wilderness Survival all over again.

Let us not forget that DST is actually Rated as a 13+ Age game.... So how about we get some 13+ up content? 

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Personally I'd say no, DST has the same tone that it has since around SW and is not going anywhere. Legally I don't know if Klei even could appeal to kids, considering both DS and DST are rated T on any consoles they're available on, and it's not like adding new content to their already-existing game is going to bump down the game's age rating.

For the most part, I honestly think most of the problems people are having with newer content seeming tonally different is just because it's new, we're not used to it yet. We've known characters like Wilson and WX-78 for years, so we know that their quotes are funny but their lore is still dark. But with Wortox, he's still pretty new, so the initial reaction of "wow this character is silly" is more prominent, despite him being a really creepy and sometimes tragic character if you study him enough.

18 minutes ago, x0-VERSUS-1y said:

...and some of you complained a lot that they were nightmare fuel (yes, pun intended), loathsome, disgusting and makes the Catcoons cry?

Because I remember how KLei tweaked them to be more "family friendly" (not really) because of it. Also if I'm not mistaken Sunset did a mod to obscure their features quite to kingdom-come - oh hello, what we got here: Horror Hound & Moonrock Pengull Reskin?! (OP, I don't think you got the best people "summoned" on this matter)

Ok so first of all, no one did that. Nobody complained that the horror mobs were "nightmare fuel," or that they were simply scary or creepy, that was a common misinterpretation of the actual complaints. The whole thing there was that it was causing some people mental and/or physical discomfort due to the fact that, even in a cartoony state like this, some people literally cannot handle body horror. And body horror is something that's never been in DST before, so it came as a reasonable shock to a lot of people.

Second, yeah, I helped a friend with some of the textures for this mod, due to the reasons I just stated. It doesn't really affect how I feel about this argument, though, I personally think the creepy visuals and implications of moonrock pengulls especially are super cool.

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11 minutes ago, x0-VERSUS-1y said:

And do you fine chaps remember le deluge of "Pls bring Mumsy and Billy to Constant as NPCs" threads? Because I again do. We got an NPC in form of a nice lil ol' granny in tune with Sea themes and the like. And I believe you, OP, also demanded for Mumsy & co then. So KLei listened you guys. And what do you know now... :)

Indeed I said it'd be neat to have them appear in the world after you kill AF. I wanted that more for the lore and timeline then for wholesomeness and sidequests , but as I said I don't mind Pearl existing. It's a brand new mechanic and as long as we don't end up with 5 other cutesy, little sidequest npcs I'm perfectly content with Pearl. In fact I'm glad she was added as her ability to harvest berrybushes and fish opens a lot of possibilities for other mobs.

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53 minutes ago, Szczuku said:

Indeed I said it'd be neat to have them appear in the world after you kill AF. I wanted that more for the lore and timeline then for wholesomeness and sidequests , but as I said I don't mind Pearl existing. It's a brand new mechanic and as long as we don't end up with 5 other cutesy, little sidequest npcs I'm perfectly content with Pearl. In fact I'm glad she was added as her ability to harvest berrybushes and fish opens a lot of possibilities for other mobs.

Yup, you can have some wholesome stuff sprinkled every now and then as a "break" from the rest of the constant. Other than that it will be more tragedies (ancients) and melancholic stories (Pearl's love story).

In any case, I think even she is part of the normal motif. Her backstory is a sad one, especially with how we see the crab king crack the pearl when he drops it.

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I think you’re entirely taking this way too far. Have we forgotten about the idea of contrasts? The reason it’s so dark to see Wilson slit his own hand is because he’s the punster we all know and love. Frankly I see this topic as entirely jumping the gun.

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5 hours ago, GetNerfedOn said:

A lot of DS's new changes are still pretty dark and macabre. Do correct me if I'm wrong, but think about it: we do a long questline to befriend a hermit and as a reward she gives us one of her most trusted possessions, the Pearl. Which we then use in our quest to murder the loved one she is looking for. And in a twisted sort of kindness, we show it to her as proof of his death, which means that while she may have come to terms with the Crab King's death and doesn't even blame you for it, she is left even more alone as a result.

Sure, a lot of DST's changes have been rather lighthearted (e.g. the addition of recreational fishing/competitive carrat races) but I'm of the opinion that DST's struck a balance between them. That, or maybe I've not played it enough these days...

Storywise, I don't think the idea is that the survivors betray the Hermit and kill her beloved. Rather, they bring him the Pearl on the Crabby Hermit's request, in the hopes it will make him remember her (since he seems to have become consumed by the moon's influence). But in a tragic turn of events, the Pearl doesn't work and just makes him hostile and even more powerful, forcing the survivors to kill him in self-defence. And then we bring the Broken Pearl back to the Crabby Hermit to let her know that it didn't work and her beloved is lost to the lunacy.

Also, the Crab King respawns like all bosses, so the survivors only beat the manure out of him.

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You guys have asked for bringing back cute characters, and that you have liked 'em.

And now that Klei delivered more cute things because they LISTEN to the community... You guys are saying that the creepy atmosfere is lost? Is community's fault on why the creepiness has been "lost"

It hasn't be lost, stop considering the design of the characters as the way to say "Hey, this ain't Don't Starve, why isn't it creepy?" Because, is not necessary to make a character that will be in your nightmares to be a dark game... Because Don't Starve still is, and since they're focusing more in lore, you can see how the backstories still are full of tragedy and pain. It's just you guys aren't inspecting enough the design, is not only about "cute character bad", but about the backstories and how creepy they're, and that's what makes Don't Starve a dark game too.

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Allow me to repost what I said in the previous thread.

  

23 hours ago, Canis said:

Anything that isn't as "quirky" and "cutesy" as Wortox and Wurt. Wormwood gets a pass but just barely. People I know believe that Wortox and Wurt ruin the feel of DST. While Im not that extreme, I do think that they feel a tiny bit out of place.

  

12 hours ago, Canis said:

It's the subtle things, really. Let me grab an example from Wurt's speech file:
WATERBALLOON = "Don't worry, won't throw at you... (hee-hee)",
When I first saw this in-game, it threw me off a lot and gave me mixed, mostly negative feelings. It felt too cutesy/quirky for DST, mostly because DS/T never established use of brackets like this as part of the style. It feels very off.

Another, more prominent example:
            REVIVER = "Thank you very much! (Me say that right?)",

Im personally on the fence about Wortox (moreso than the people I know), but to this day I've always thought that Wortox conflicts with the previously-established sketch-y, Tim Burton-y style that the other characters share. Maybe it's that he's too colorful?
 

  

11 hours ago, Canis said:

This can also be seen in animation shorts. DS/T has gradually shifted from sketch-y and desaturated, to colorful and cartoonic.

Old, sketchy/more desaturated color pallete examples:

  Reveal hidden contents

(Side note, looking back on the Forge trailer, it's really... How do you say it... Jankier than other official animations?

Gorge Trailer feels more like a weird cross of both styles (perhaps the turning point?) so I'll throw it in a separate spoiler.

  Reveal hidden contents

 

 

Newer trailers, having a more colorful palette and smoother animation (Im excluding character animations because they're personalized and frankly, easy targets.)

  Reveal hidden contents

The following is the worst offender in terms of color pallete.

 

You can easily compare the tonal shift by comparing Wilson's face in the DST and ANR launch trailer thumbnails to Wilson's face in the Hook, Line and Inker update trailer thumbnail.

Don't get me wrong, the animations have a great charm to them, and I love to see my favorite cast come to life, BUT It feels like Klei is trying to move on from DS/T's original design aspects, which a lot of people (myself included) have fallen in love with.

 

My biggest wish of klei (after adding Walani ofc) would be to make a short in the style of "oldschool" DS/T.

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1 hour ago, Ismael Marin said:

"cute character bad", but about the backstories and how creepy they're

Name one "new" character that has a "creepy" backstory for you. The only two characters that have more creepy and disturbing backstories are Maxwell and Webber. Sure, the word "creepy" has diffrent meanings for every person, but i genuinely cannot find what can be "creepy" about the new characters, such as Wurt, Wortox and Wormwood. If we're taking realism into the account then sure, they CAN be creepy if you try to picture them how they would look like if they were real. I can argue about Wortox being somewhat "creepy" since he's the only out of the three with more "disturbing" powers when you think about it. Tragic? Yes. Painful. Sure. But i cannot think of what can be creepy about a child merm and a friendly talking plant sent from the moon, the only people that would be disturbed or creeped out by them atleast in my opinion are people with phobias or fear revolving around these characters ( fish, plants ). Fear has many diffrent meanings in every persons mindset. But that's just my opinion.

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26 minutes ago, bruhmoment23 said:

I can argue about Wortox being somewhat "creepy" since he's the only out of the three with more "disturbing" powers when you think about it. Tragic? Yes. Painful.

Wortox is the creepiest of the three. He has to avoid shaking hands due to the fact he can consume their spirit. He is a walking reaper's scythe. It distances him from the cast.

Especially when his origin was murdering a adopted family member.

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Ahem- Play as Wurt, Walk around finding own Dead Kinfolk’s heads hung up on sticks.. You guys SURE that’s not Creepy?

Ooo I know, How about HAUNTING those same hung heads on sticks as a spooky ghost?

My point is the game hasn’t become less Spooky.. the Animated shorts that go with the game.. defiantly, but NOT Actual Gameplay.

I could create a huge post about how DS Franchise is Rated 13+ Officially making it a Teen Rated game and Minecraft is Rated E for Everyone But somehow Minecraft seems to have more Horrifying character designs- You can literally build a portal in that game that takes you to the Minecraft equivalent of Hell.. where Everything there is Zombified, with its flesh rotting off and bone sticking out.

a game.. Actually designed FOR CHILDREN.. Come on Klei, Would asking for some Darker content in a 13+ Rated game really hurt anyone?

I also would personally like to ask how DST scores a 13+ Rating But Minecraft is E for Everyone.

What Differences in Content changes Don’t Starves Ratings to be Above E for Everyone when Compared to Minecraft?

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