Asking about the future of DS and DST

[HansimUnglueck]

As most people are, I'm curious about any information regarding the state of DS and DST.

Right now Don't Starve has around 3k active players on Steam and the numbers are shrinking steadily over the years. With no further content after SW and Hamlet, the singleplayer game is essentially over, one could argue dead.

DST on the hand had a peak of 34.5k players in the last 24 hours with numbers slowly rising ovder the years making the game look very much alive in comparison.

I might be mistaken but I somewhere read that the devs would rather figure out new content than adding old elements into DST, making the Wobster basicaly an exception. So my question is: Considering these two games play in the same universe, even the same realm (the Constant), are there any plans on incorporating any further elements of SW or even Hamlet into the base game of DST? How do Warly and Wormwood fit into this rule of thumb?

 

The following part is just about my experience and my thought on the matter:

It personally saddens me because I was a huge fan of the singleplayer installation but with no further hotfixes or content updates the game quickly became boring only leaving the aftertaste of a longing for more.

To put it midly, It was very much confusing to see an ocean being added into DST that was almost empty for a whole year after finally adding the Waterlogged biome while old players that switched from DS to DST a long time ago knew of an ocean brimming with life and content instead. In comparison the ocean still is very empty and no place to build a base or stay around for too long. It's a means to an end (collecting fishes for Pearl, looking for the moon or searching for treasure in case one is invested enough into sailing) at best and an inconvenience at its worst.

 

I would really appreciate any feedback of the devs regarding this topic.

[Waoling]

You got meat, fruit and vegetable on the the ocean and the boat is big enough that you could build a base on it, and the ocean is only been here for like 4 year, also the part where dev would rather put new content rather than old one doesn't mean they won't borrow element  or just take old content to DST.

[HansimUnglueck]

3 minutes ago, Waoling said:

You got meat, fruit and vegetable on the the ocean and the boat is big enough that you could build a base on it, and the ocean is only been here for like 4 year, also the part where dev would rather put new content rather than old one doesn't mean they won't borrow element  or just take old content to DST.

Thanks for the reply. I don't really understand what you're trying to tell me though.

Is your point that you think the added content is enough on its own (not compared to DS SW)?

Again, I got no proof of that statement and I would like a confirmation of devs, but borrowing certain elements from SW and then saying they would rather create new content feels really odd and sends mixed signals in my opinion.

You can certainly build a base everywhere (trust me, I did) but it doesn't feel very rewarding for what it's trying to promote. Waterlogged biome is the only worthy spot in the ocean to build a base right now and the benefits of that are liminal compared to planting a Knobbly Tree Nut close to the main land.

[Waoling]

41 minutes ago, HansimUnglueck said:

Is your point that you think the added content is enough on its own (not compared to DS SW)?

No, I saying it isn't as empty as you said it is, it's full of life and plant, it almost got more sea creature than SW, and almost as much sea biomes.

41 minutes ago, HansimUnglueck said:

Again, I got no proof of that statement and I would like a confirmation of devs, but borrowing certain elements from SW and then saying they would rather create new content feels really odd and sends mixed signals in my opinion

Because there some art style change between Ds and DST also Ds and DST code are not the same so if they want to port stuff from Ds to DST they need to make it from ground up and you might as well change the thing you port since you went through all that effort of remaking the code.

41 minutes ago, HansimUnglueck said:

You can certainly build a base everywhere (trust me, I did) but it doesn't feel very rewarding for what it's trying to promote. Waterlogged biome is the only worthy spot in the ocean to build a base right now and the benefits of that are liminal compared to planting a Knobbly Tree Nut close to the main land.

Ocean is a good place to base if you play Wurt and also people mainly base there for aesthetic and as a status symbol.

[Just-guy]

I think a dificulty of porting SW elements to Together or viceversa is the difference on gameplay, in SW you have to keep moving from island to island to gather the materials you need as Biomes are separated in islands and this is the reason why boats there are fast. In DST boats are designed to carry various players and to build structures to make small bases but they are slower and less maneuverable.

Why Wobsters were added may just be because it wasn't a much game-changing element or simply for thematic purpose, as they were added in the update about the two Crustaceans, She Sells Sea Shells.

[flamboyant wolf]

i just wish we would get beefalo bell in singleplayer... 

Beefalo taming was added to singleplayer in the QoL update, but later dst got a whole update to beefs with YOTB, so now it's just painful to use beefs in singleplayer, thinking of how much easier and more convenient it would be in dst.(also getting a beefalo to Hamlet is a whole another story, a bell would make it much easier) 

other than that, i'm not sure what could be added/borrowed from dst. 

like, Shipwrecked got an update a while after its release(the home sea home update, or whatever it was called. pretty good update btw), so maybe Hamlet will get one eventually? but like, what could you add? new tree guards? Hamlet is pretty diffrent from other 2 DLCs, so i don't know what would fit and what would be unnecessary. 

like, do we need bat types? hounds and crockodogs both come in 3 different exciting colors. well, at first shipwrecked didn't even have crockodogs and we had just regular hounds+sea hounds, but now Bats are the only one of 3 which have no special forms(but do they really need them anyway?) 

 

 

[Antynomity]

I'm hoping that the next update chain will focus mostly on adding life and new islands to the ocean, while late game is fun, the ocean is a huge part of the map generation at this point, more than half of the map in some extreme cases, so it staying so empty is sad, can only hope, because I really like the boating mechanics in DST.

[Waoling]

1 minute ago, yourAnty said:

I'm hoping that the next update chain will focus mostly on adding life and new islands to the ocean, while late game is fun, the ocean is a huge part of the map generation at this point, more than half of the map in some extreme cases, so it staying so empty is sad, can only hope, because I really like the boating mechanics in DST.

The ocean isn't that empty.

[HansimUnglueck]

36 minutes ago, Waoling said:

status symbol.

I don't undstand what social stratification has to do with sea content.

23 minutes ago, Just-guy said:

In DST boats are designed to carry various players and to build structures to make small bases but they are slower and less maneuverable.

That is true but also doesn't have to mean that there can't be several different boat shapes, some for bridges, collecting stuff or basing (I know there is a mod for that but it's not the base game).

24 minutes ago, Just-guy said:

Why Wobsters were added may just be because it wasn't a much game-changing element or simply for thematic purpose, as they were added in the update about the two Crustaceans, She Sells Sea Shells

Makes sense but doesn't explain why they used existing SW content.

7 minutes ago, yourAnty said:

the ocean is a huge part of the map generation at this point, more than half of the map in some extreme cases

Yeah, that's a point. There are vast parts of the map that are essentially void of anything except some solitary rocks.

[Waoling]

2 minutes ago, HansimUnglueck said:

I don't undstand what social stratification has to do with sea content.

If you base on the ocean that mean you got a lot of resource.

[HansimUnglueck]

1 minute ago, Waoling said:

If you base on the ocean that mean you got a lot of resource.

You just have to rush an alchemy engine and chop a lot of wood. When I play Woodie I can easily build a functioning boat base on day 3 or 4. You can also live off the ocean if you fish and farm seaweed. A lot of resources are a plus helping you to get a head-start but not something that is required.

14 minutes ago, Waoling said:

The ocean isn't that empty.

Also just because you can live off the ocean doesn't mean it's brimming with biomes, fauna and flora. There are just parts that feel void, ruining the immersion of a game where open space is uncommon and unsettling.

[Waoling]

13 minutes ago, HansimUnglueck said:

You just have to rush an alchemy engine and chop a lot of wood. When I play Woodie I can easily build a functioning boat base on day 3 or 4. You can also live off the ocean if you fish and farm seaweed. A lot of resources are a plus helping you to get a head-start but not something that is required.

I mean like, there so many better place to base but you choose the ocean because you just got so much resource that you doesn't need land to live.

13 minutes ago, HansimUnglueck said:

Also just because you can live off the ocean doesn't mean it's brimming with biomes, fauna and flora. There are just parts that feel void, ruining the immersion of a game where open space is uncommon and unsettling.

It almost got the same amout of ocean flora and fauna as SW, and it got same amout of ocean biomes as SW.

[Blunty_x]

What will it take to satisfy the playerbase tho. I think sometimes the answer seems simple right. Like well, let's add some biomes in the sea from shipwrecked, introduce coffee, volcanoes and dodos into DST, and then give it like..a permanent monsoon except one season...or add a biome with ruins you can interact with that will lead you into the atrium and we can get more lore from "them". Of course there would have to be a reason for not making these introductions into the game and if they've said it before I wouldn't know. 

In the end though I guess you have to find your own reason to keep playing whatever versions your playing...as this forum has shown its hard to keep the playerbase happy since most of the time it seems we're split down the middle lol. Idk I'm just rambling now.

I'd honestly be happy with new trees and berry bushes

[HansimUnglueck]

50 minutes ago, Waoling said:

It almost got the same amout of ocean flora and fauna as SW, and it got same amout of ocean biomes as SW.

In SW you have several different island as @Just-guy pointed out before. The play style is different in fact. But there are no empty parts. Waves, bioluminescence, graveyards or coral reefs are give a big variety just to name some. There are dangers and benefits of basing at sea and in SW you can actually place structures into the water.In DSt everything depends on your single boat. It just doesn't compete.

38 minutes ago, Blunty_x said:

Like well, let's add some biomes in the sea from shipwrecked, introduce coffee, volcanoes and dodos into DST, and then give it like..a permanent monsoon except one season...

That's what people want, yes.

38 minutes ago, Blunty_x said:

I'd honestly be happy with new trees and berry bushes

I'd honestly be happy for any content besides skins and character refreshs..

[Cheggf]

2 hours ago, HansimUnglueck said:

the singleplayer game is essentially over, one could argue dead.

How do you argue that a single player game is dead?

2 hours ago, HansimUnglueck said:

To put it midly, It was very much confusing to see an ocean being added into DST that was almost empty for a whole year after finally adding the Waterlogged biome while old players that switched from DS to DST a long time ago knew of an ocean brimming with life and content instead

Shipwrecked's ocean isn't this amazing thing you're making it out to be. The water between the islands is pretty devoid of anything other than waves. 

 

2 hours ago, HansimUnglueck said:

In comparison the ocean still is very empty and no place to build a base or stay around for too long. It's a means to an end at best and an inconvenience at its worst.

I think you're describing shipwrecked's ocean. Togethers ocean is a great place to hang out. The sailing and fishing mechanics are very fun and having a mobile base is a hoot and a half. Meanwhile shipwrecked's ocean may as well not even exist since it's just hold W like walking on land is.

[HansimUnglueck]

53 minutes ago, Cheggf said:

I think you're describing shipwrecked's ocean. Togethers ocean is a great place to hang out. The sailing and fishing mechanics are very fun and having a mobile base is a hoot and a half. Meanwhile shipwrecked's ocean may as well not even exist since it's just hold W like walking on land is.

what makes fishing in DST fun?

53 minutes ago, Cheggf said:

How do you argue that a single player game is dead?

The last DLC barely made it, the last hotfix it received kinda sealed the deal. The QoL update tried to bring back some content from DST into DS but it was a single time event and there isn't any QoL update coming anytime soon (ever).

Only people that still enjoy SW and Hamlet content play DS and with mods that important said content, DST is a game that offers much more in comparison. If you still don't think that means the game is essentially dead then that's your opinion and I'm not here to discuss that.

One could argue that SW and Hamlet content hasn't been added to DST because they want to sell DS and said DLCs but that would just be mean and ill-intentioned.

53 minutes ago, Cheggf said:

Shipwrecked's ocean isn't this amazing thing you're making it out to be. The water between the islands is pretty devoid of anything other than waves.

59 minutes ago, HansimUnglueck said:

But there are no empty parts. Waves, bioluminescence, graveyards or coral reefs are give a big variety just to name some

Arguing about which ocean is more void isn't as smart of a move as you think it is. Both are void in parts but SW fills these parts with waves (like you said) or the possibility to make your own base wherever you wanna build it. A base with placed structures and walls, fish farms, lights, ballphin palaces and so on.

Not a movable, floating boat base that starts to lag after you placed your 10th boat.

53 minutes ago, Cheggf said:

since it's just hold W like walking on land is

Giving the player the option to navigate through the ocean as an extension is a nice way to make it feel natural. It's perfectly fitting for a game like SW where the main objective is to stay alive as long as possible, scouting the ocean for different islands, resources and mobs.

I haven't critizied the boating mechanics because as they are after one year, they are okish. I don't see why this should be an argument against introducing additional ways of traveling the ocean, like Walarni's Surfboard or Woodlegs "Sea Legs".

53 minutes ago, Cheggf said:

Togethers ocean is a great place to hang out

From my experience it isn't. A base boat gets cramped pretty quick, making chests and ice boxes available for everone at the same time helped, but the available place is still limited on a very small base boat with structures. You might enjoy it but I don't like the feeling of being constricted.

[Lumine04]

6 hours ago, Waoling said:

No, I saying it isn't as empty as you said it is, it's full of life and plant, it almost got more sea creature than SW, and almost as much sea biomes.

Eh, in my opinion its quite empty. Nothing but sea stacks and fish until you come across a small area of a biome. I think what their getting at is shipwreck always had some life and item every inch of the water. 

[hhh2]

Yeah, it's a shame singleplayer will never get updated again, I hope the DLCs would just get ported so they can get fixes and content like DST does.

I am %0.03 of the playerbase of singleplayer Xd

[Waoling]

5 hours ago, Lumine04 said:

Eh, in my opinion its quite empty. Nothing but sea stacks and fish until you come across a small area of a biome. I think what their getting at is shipwreck always had some life and item every inch of the water. 

It because they island inbetween ocean in SW that why it felt full but actually kinda empty once you take the island out of it, and also maybe I'm just carzy but is SW ocean smaller than DST ocean?

[Mike23Ua]

4 hours ago, hhh2 said:

Yeah, it's a shame singleplayer will never get updated again, I hope the DLCs would just get ported so they can get fixes and content like DST does.

I am %0.03 of the playerbase of singleplayer Xd

You guys are aware that PC isn’t the only platform Klei releases this game and it’s DLCs on right? Hamlet came out on Xbox on 6/16/2020

https://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/store/dont-starve-hamlet-console-edition/9NZ4G5LWLDLZ
 

and I’m not even sure if it’s released AT ALL on Nintendo Switch yet… Switch literally just did get DST, And as long as Klei released these Games/DLCs onto newer consoles: They Can’t Be “Dead” as Klei can’t just simply slap a port onto it and call it a day, certain things have to be configured to work specifically for the platform.

With that said: I fully expect them to reveal news about a Series X/S & PS5 Version sometime soon, I will hold out hope they’ll do it on one of the many Game Reveal schedules set for June/July 

The annual June game coverage event known as E3 (Electronics Entertainment Exposition) was straight up cancelled due to Covid restrictions but- Most studios (like Xbox) will be doing their own online reveals of what’s coming down the pipeline:

If your interested in that here’s a link:

https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2022/04/28/save-the-date-xbox-bethesda-games-showcase-streaming-to-you-sunday-june-12/
 

Generally speaking: June/July has always been the month of big game reveals/new trailers for games that have already been revealed but yet to be released.

And as long as Klei is still releasing DS/DST onto new gaming platforms- you can realistically continue to hold out hope that they’ll continue to update them. 

[flamboyant wolf]

29 minutes ago, Mike23Ua said:

 

and I’m not even sure if it’s released AT ALL on Nintendo Switch yet… Switch literally just did get DST, 

actually Hamlet was released on switch a while before dst, in the Autumn(a few months after it did on xbox) 

[ALCRD]

Some small islands with unique mini biomes here and there as part of worldgen is my DST dream basically.

[loopuleasa]

There is still room for more content in this game.

I am awaiting more ocean content and the Fuelweaver portal next content arc.

 

For normal DS content, your best bets is using community mods that revive that content. Tarunio made a guide on 4 shard servers with shipwrecked enabled, alongside normal DS worlds.

[HansimUnglueck]

4 hours ago, Mike23Ua said:

and I’m not even sure if it’s released AT ALL on Nintendo Switch yet… Switch literally just did get DST, And as long as Klei released these Games/DLCs onto newer consoles: They Can’t Be “Dead” as Klei can’t just simply slap a port onto it and call it a day, certain things have to be configured to work specifically for the platform.

You clearly missed the point here.

Creating new content and porting games to different platforms are two pair of shoes. Just because a group of people still deals with the game doesn't mean said game will receive any creative content update. Last hotfix as far as the wiki is still up to date was on November 13, 2019. And last content update/change was June 25, 2019.

5 hours ago, Mike23Ua said:

And as long as Klei is still releasing DS/DST onto new gaming platforms- you can realistically continue to hold out hope that they’ll continue to update them. 

I don't see why that would be true but I won't argue with you on that.

6 hours ago, Waoling said:

It because they island inbetween ocean in SW that why it felt full but actually kinda empty once you take the island out of it, and also maybe I'm just carzy but is SW ocean smaller than DST ocean?

I don't have the numbers of maps for each DLC/game but Hamlet had a huge map and only used parts for the different islands, to me personally SW ocean was big enough and filled the gaps between islands with biomes. DST uses all the map for land and ocean likewise but to me it feels a lot smaller because of the world gen, be it the donut shape or any other though.

3 hours ago, ALCRD said:

Some small islands with unique mini biomes here and there as part of worldgen is my DST dream basically.

Great idea.

9 hours ago, hhh2 said:

I am %0.03 of the playerbase of singleplayer Xd

Wow, you're really dedicated. Chapeau!

[chocowarrior23]

I feel like it'd be too broken (for people that care about that stuff) or too off-brand (for DST) but I kinda want to build & decorate Hamlet houses with friends and strangers lol. I think it's just me cause I'm horrible at the classic base-building style cause I ain't got no aesthetic sense. *sob*