Deeper atmosuit progression

[Charletrom]

I think it would be fun to have a more gradual progression into atmosuits to  make them feel a bit more balanced. The addition of oxygen masks is great, but there is still a huge gap between what they offer and what atmosuits can do.

One solution would be to add some additional items to fill in the gaps: utility boots to avoid soggy feat, safety goggles for stinging eyes, a rebreather which stops dupes from exhaling CO2, and a thermal vest to allow dupes to tolerate temps up to 100C

Atmosuits could then be a way to incorporate the benefits of all while adding more thermal protection and and perhaps a larger O2 reserve and significantly buffed durability. Repair costs may need to be increased for balance, and perhaps atmosuits could be pushed down the tech tree.

Right now there is a huge sudden shift in gameplay before vs after atmosuits and it’s a bit disproportionate in terms of cost. 

 

[Henlikuoth]

Yes, I had a post about this some time ago.

I also think that the Atmosuit is available much too early and for that purposes way too powerful.

The Atmosuit negates practically all problems you have in the open world 100%. No coldness and heat can touch you (magma is irrelevant here), no gas can come close to you, no viruses or bacteria.

Actually, I have nothing against a powerful Atmosuit like that. I just think it is available too early.

I would agree that it should be a more gradual progression.

If a player then gets the Atmosuit much later in the game, the feeling of relief and success is appropriate and well-deserved.

The costs of the Atmosuit should then be adjusted also and include glass and plastic, maybe even a smaller amount of steel, aside from the usual refined metal and reed fiber.

[SomeChemistGuy]

I love this idea for more types of suits. You could even combine all of these equipment types with the oxygen mask dock (or some more general version of it) and add an option of which type of suit/equipment to deliver to it.

I do use the oxygen masks on occasion. I don't think atmosuits are available too early. You can get them very early, but the things are basically useless until dupes have the skills (minimum 5 points + whatever their actual needed skills are). By the time I'm ready to go for oil my little dupes only have 3 or 4 skills and 5 or 6 athletics.and end up doing the hamster wheel afk/run for 50+ cycles so I can use atmosuits effectively and start progressing into the midgame. I think Charletrom's suggestion would be a great way to bridge the gap between oxygen masks and atmosuits.