On Natural Consequences

[YouKnowWho]

The current state of the acid rain and earthquake mechanics current state leave a lot to be desired. Acid rain is negligible at best and the boulders are simultaneously too frequent and infrequent to be anything more than a nescience. That being said, on a conceptual level I actually really like them. The idea that the presence of these rifts impacts the world in violent and erratic ways is very exciting. You're not just opening a portal to a couple odd baddies here and there, you're unleashing this plague of shadows upon the world.

While it might not be in the best shape now, I think Klei's on the right track here. My only hope is that they continue exploring the idea in different ways rather than leaving it half-baked or just outright removing it. 

It’d be interesting to hear everyone’s suggestions and further thoughts on the matter. 

[Pedro cc]

I want to rain from the caves piles of the rotting skin of the ancients that crawls towards the player and whispers them about their mistakes, Instead of the boring boulders

[Shosuko]

I haven't tested the changes to drain on water proof gear yet, but if its manageable (higher than normal but not burning an eyebrella in a day lol) I think acid rain isn't too bad.  All I'd ask is that it still makes everything wet.  This would mean the umbrella, which has rain AND acid protection would be superior to the cowl / robe which give only acid protection, giving us some choice and variation in effects.  Also it wouldn't invalidate electric type damage which can be used when the caves are wet, with the change as they are now wetness is just removed which I don't particularly like.

I think that change should be easy enough, and with that I'm satisfied with rain.

I don't think having boulders avoid structures is the best way to go with them.  Without destroying structures they really don't do anything.  I think having a few fall at the end of any quake, giving you the entire duration of the quake to evacuate to a safer place would be much better.  Later they could add pillars as a structure that prevents cave ins, something I've thought they should add since we got the archives.

I don't think this change would be difficult either, just only trigger them in the last bit of a quake.

tbh - I kinda feel the BS gates should have something more similar to this in world changing.  idk what could be added, but if we're going to swing this way we should get other cool weather effects.  I feel these are much more interesting then the BS portals.

[Baark0]

If earthquake boulders and acid rain provided a reward for enduring them then I don't think people would dislike them as much. Sure I guess acid rain gives nitre and boulders give rocks, but these are both obtained from generic boulders on the surface and petrified trees, not very interesting. 

[Zeklo]

32 minutes ago, Pedro cc said:

I want to rain from the caves piles of the rotting skin of the ancients that crawls towards the player and whispers them about their mistakes, Instead of the boring boulders

Honestly?

I could see it if the acid rain (shadow rain?) caused bones from beneath to resurface. Mangled skeletal ancients, [demons?], and centipedes coulda been super neat.

[Szczuku]

I want the acid rain to, at least:

-renew stalagmites

-make it so that creatures don't leave their houses while it's active

-make clockworks weaker

[-Variant]

The nerf to acid rain is super depressing.
'It's literally 10% of what it was before, for damage on equipped stuff.'
That on top of the Umbralla sort of losing it's main gimmick with the cowl being able to protect you sorta bums me out. I'm hoping something is done about that, I liked the intense drastic damage of the acid rain. Toning it down would've been fine but it feels super weak now.

Additionally, and I need to collect proper data on this, but it seems like the boulders stop spawning altogether when you're near a structure, rather than them just avoiding structures.
I might be wrong but it looks like you can put down a chest and be rid of them so long as you're near it.

Boulders would spawn on the marked position but once I got close enough they seemed to stop. Maybe it's really bizarre placebo but I can manage to get it to repeat.

[00petar00]

I am happy with how it is currently because these mechanics weren't going to be enjoyable in their current state and I am unsure if reworking them is possible within the timeframe.

There is a solution for boulders, replace them with stalagmites that don't do damage to buildings and just break when they land, they would be able to spawn near or above structures. This would increase difficulty of earthquakes while not making it tedious or destroying buildings.

Acid rain was too punishing for no good reason, the rewards were not worth dealing with it permanently. Eyebrella melting in a day or so and the only option available to you was hand slot protection item, how is this fun for anyone? Most of the players only go to caves during summer so it doesn't even matter to them but why should cave basers be the only ones suffering? There is darkness and permanent sanity drain that you have to deal with if you decide to base there that you don't have on the surface, making it more difficult when there is already a lack of players choosing to base there isn't a good idea.

It is not a good argument to say that it is optional, most players that kill all the bosses want to have access to every part of the game. Telling me not to activate it and that it should be only for players that like tedium is not a solution. Also, we don't know what else klei has planned for the rifts, so while currently there isn't much to do and you may have the choice to just not activate without losing out on much, that may not be the case in the future.

[Shosuko]

6 hours ago, -Variant said:

The nerf to acid rain is super depressing.
'It's literally 10% of what it was before, for damage on equipped stuff.'
That on top of the Umbralla sort of losing it's main gimmick with the cowl being able to protect you sorta bums me out. I'm hoping something is done about that, I liked the intense drastic damage of the acid rain. Toning it down would've been fine but it feels super weak now.

Additionally, and I need to collect proper data on this, but it seems like the boulders stop spawning altogether when you're near a structure, rather than them just avoiding structures.

Yeah 10% might be too low lol maybe in the 40-50% range but w/e.  The cowl or robe alone preventing acid rain, and themselves not being consumable is very odd to me.  I think it should either be a set bonus OR wetness should remain.  If they stopped the acid damage but you still got wet you would have a tradeoff between the options and the umbrella would have a purpose in keeping you dry and safe, but as it sits now the the umbrella is kinda worthless.

I also experienced the same thing with boulders.  I just stood on my chests and didn't get any boulders.

If things stay as they are now its w/e, I'm not going to complain but if Klei is wanting to dial up the threats these changes definitely need to be reconsidered.

[Mysterious box]

Personally if we're just going to get these broken half mechanics I'd rather they just scrap both mechanics entirely and just do something different leaving it as is just makes those who were interested in it bitter and those who weren't just begrudgingly accept that it's here now.

[-Variant]

7 hours ago, -Variant said:

Maybe it's really bizarre placebo but I can manage to get it to repeat.

Okay, news about boulders; they don't *actually avoid* player structures. They simply don't spawn if a player is near a structure. Somewhat like how standing *in* the Oasis Desert prevents wildfires, not stuff being present in the Desert.

There's a general bubble/radius around the player. This also means that in specific edge cases, boulders can spawn outside this radius and catch structures nearby.

If an Earthquake were to start while you're not near a structure and you then approach one, those boulders can catch them. This is because the radius follows the player. I lost my signs this way!

You can build a chest to simply stave off boulders.



Burnt structures don't work. (Sorry burnt decor users! You must suffer!)

[-Nick-]

So uhh boulders are still a problem in bases then lol.