Ideas to make Wilson a better new player character

[tacogodboomdogg]

After the Walter update, I've been thinking why Wilson isn't very strong compared to the rest of the roster. I think he needs more utility than the beard. Please comment your own ideas or modify mine.

My idea is to in addition to what I have below; have him start out with the science machine already prefab and ready to place.

Main idea is to give him a unique craft: an alchemy engine helmet. Cost 5 gold, 2 Pigskin and 2 Boneshards, recipe already known.  The alchemy engine helmet reduces damage by 70% and the same durability and wetness protection and insulation as the football helm. What it can do is let you and people around craft alchemy engine recipes while wearing one. In addition the alchemy engine helmet can go up to 200% durability and can be repaired with by unlocking new recipes or with more doodads.

I think with these upgrades Wilson will help new players since they can get a backpack and shovel without needing to find gold. It'll also encourage more experienced new players to explore different places since the helmet requires you to find gold boulders or trade with the pig king, pig heads or houses, and skeletons. Also very experienced players will also take interest in Wilson due to the previously mentioned earlier backpack but also the efficiency the helmet will bring, not needing to run back to base to craft anything and have more inventory space by having structures prefabed like chests and bunny hutches.

[Yuuko]

Maybe they can mold him into a know-it-all type character that always tries to say something smart and never shuts up.  So you spawn in a new world and he's like "Oh look, grass and twigs look useful."  Then you pick a few and he's like "maybe I should get a torch made."  Then later he's like "those berries on that bush look tasty, and the carots do grow back!"  Just never shuts up about things new players probably forget to do often...

Maybe he can even get snarky with the other cast.  Like a Wigfrid joins and he's like "I heard you can craft better helmets...?"  Or he sees a Wolfgang and is like "Did u clear ruins yet? noobz"

[Rylanor]

4 minutes ago, Shosuko said:

Maybe they can mold him into a know-it-all type character that always tries to say something smart and never shuts up.  So you spawn in a new world and he's like "Oh look, grass and twigs look useful."  Then you pick a few and he's like "maybe I should get a torch made."  Then later he's like "those berries on that bush look tasty, and the carots do grow back!"  Just never shuts up about things new players probably forget to do often...

Maybe he can even get snarky with the other cast.  Like a Wigfrid joins and he's like "I heard you can craft better helmets...?"  Or he sees a Wolfgang and is like "Did u clear ruins yet? noobz"

I think it will be better if there was just random "tips" that appears like minecraft achievements in game with something like "You need to craft torch or campfire before night" or "Standing near Science Machiene opens new crafting recipes for useful items" if you played less that 2 hours in game.

[Moonatik]

I think he should have his own tab, even if he's a bad scientist. As Maxwell acted on his brain, he should know some things. At least he know how to build a portal right ? And more than that, he stayed a few on the throne, another reason to give him some weird craft. For example, there could be one where the result would be random, random because he's not a genius. I would like to see a little explosion at the end, and his hair, and his face, would be messy for half a day.

 

[Brago-sama]

59 minutes ago, Shosuko said:

Maybe they can mold him into a know-it-all type character that always tries to say something smart and never shuts up.  So you spawn in a new world and he's like "Oh look, grass and twigs look useful."  Then you pick a few and he's like "maybe I should get a torch made."  Then later he's like "those berries on that bush look tasty, and the carots do grow back!"  Just never shuts up about things new players probably forget to do often...

Maybe he can even get snarky with the other cast.  Like a Wigfrid joins and he's like "I heard you can craft better helmets...?"  Or he sees a Wolfgang and is like "Did u clear ruins yet? noobz"

This but un-ironically.... Yet at the same time I would miss his sassy old quotes.

[Mike23Ua]

Beard hair that when shaved off and at low sanity turns into actual beardlings, food is food.. even if it is monsters meat. But anyone skilled enough to raise his sanity back up (accomplished easily by now standing near Sisturn) can turn Beardlings back into real rabbit.

[z3rox12]

Wilson should be the most newbie friendly character. but not so mechanic intense. His beard is a great example for this since it give newbies a way to survive the 1st ingame challenge (aside from the first night, hi Charlie!) which is winter I would probbably add:

• Start game with the knowledge to craft meat effigy.
• Able to craft Red Potions with  spider gland and berries (heals 40 hp over 2 mins). Drinking the potion will make his beard grow 1 tier. Wilson Starts the game with 1 Potion :3 
• Whenever Wilson Craft something one of it's ingredients will randomly drop. (Scrappy scientist)

These two coupled with op beard would make him a really good character for new player

 

[xDarkSoul18x]

I’ve always looked at him as the new player character. I guess it’s debatable but his literal 0 downsides is probably the most advantages thing he offers other than his beard. You just play the game instead of worrying about some quarks like meat/veggie only, curses etc.

[Well-met]

A clever way to do it is change the way a mechanic works for all other characters, but keep it the same old for Wilson. That way, it's a buff and you haven't directly changed anything for him.

[tacogodboomdogg]

23 hours ago, z3rox12 said:

Wilson should be the most newbie friendly character. but not so mechanic intense. His beard is a great example for this since it give newbies a way to survive the 1st ingame challenge (aside from the first night, hi Charlie!) which is winter I would probbably add:

• Start game with the knowledge to craft meat effigy.
• Able to craft Red Potions with  spider gland and berries (heals 40 hp over 2 mins). Drinking the potion will make his beard grow 1 tier. Wilson Starts the game with 1 Potion :3 
• Whenever Wilson Craft something one of it's ingredients will randomly drop. (Scrappy scientist)

These two coupled with op beard would make him a really good character for new player

 

I like your ideas, though I don't think Healing Potions fit DST's theme, but the scrappy scientist idea is definitely a keeper.

The main problem that new players face is the fear of exploration. They're always trying to stay near their fire pit before night fall. They also don't know to put on armor. Changes should tackle those 2 problems.

[Brubs]

On 6/18/2020 at 8:38 PM, xDarkSoul18x said:

I’ve always looked at him as the new player character. I guess it’s debatable but his literal 0 downsides is probably the most advantages thing he offers other than his beard. You just play the game instead of worrying about some quarks like meat/veggie only, curses etc.

I totally agree with this!

Also, there is a point where people just play starvers according to their personality/quotes/looks. And maybe some just relate to Wilson. There is no shame in playing a simple character

[jpmrocks]

I think the biggest thing would be making meat effigies worth making. Tell Tales and Life Ammies are uber easy to make, and don't rely on Wilson's beard to grow to make. Allowing Effigies to be mass produced easily, or allowing them to be reuseable, or something. 

[Frodeur]

I made a suggestion on a discord that every Non-boss-craftable item can be "destroyed" at an alchemy engine into they respective blueprint.

This will : reduce the those random low durabilty item that can be pilled up without the need of lureplant ( minor advantage I agree ) 

Give the teamate the opportunity to have a Once-a-game sanity "potion" 

And to help new player to the game understand better what they are doing since the recipe would be the newest addition to their crafting tab.  Like giving the lantern blueprint to a newcomer would help him and guide him to gather all the material to craft his Own ( rather than just giving him a lantern ) . " Give a man a fish and he will have fish for one meal , learn him how to fish and he will have fish for the rest of his life "