What a new dlc means to the game.

[Sasza22]

So we are getting a new dlc soon. We don`t have any details on what it will be about (other than unspecified new biomes and critters) so it`s a good time to theorise. There are multiple ways this can go some of them really cool other kinda boring so lets see some scenarios:

1. The opimistic variant. - New dlc brings stuff altering how the game plays to the point it makes sense to make it a separate mode. Different people enjoy different aspects of the game so they could build on that. Examples:

- Survival dlc with more dangerous diseases, more hostile enviroment and more challenges in the midgame where you usually just chill and build up. Maybe even a DS:Hamlet style timer where you need to be fast with your progress.

- Megabase dlc with more intricate industry, heavy machinery as well as more visual customization and huge maps with infinite resources to build the perfect base.

- Some weird wild science dlc where the resource economy is turned upside down and you get special critters producing high tech stuff. Just a cool alternate way of playing the same game that is incompatibile with the base game resource distribution and needs it`s own dlc.

2. The meh variant. - The new dlc adds new content that`s just stuff that could have been a part of the base game and SO. It would be just a set of different planetoid starts some handcrafted other generated with new resources, recipies, critters and plants. This would be cool but ultimately not a revolutionary change that warrants a dlc.

3. The pessimistic variant - The new dlc would be just for skin packs and and a single new planetoid start per dlc with not much else. I think that one is pretty unlikely given the quality of Klei games but i`m adding it after the recent forum discussions.

[Gurgel]

Well, Klei has a reputation that is very valuable. Hence a mix of 1./2. is likely, 3. is unlikely. On the other hand, somebody from "management" could always go for short-term profits destroying that good name because of greed and lack of a clue. It has happened often enough. Let us hope it will not happen at Klei. On the plus-side, Klei is still relatively small and relatively unknown. So the risk that they forget they critically depend on their reputation and their customers is much lower than in some large enterprises. 

Incidentally, except for one very verbose outlier (who now has a nice space on my ignore-list) I think the discussion attached to the announcement saw this mostly as a positive thing. 

[SGT_Imalas]

To me it sounds like they will release dedicated content packs, similar to paradox dlcs.

they are enabled in addition to the main game (either base game or spaced out) and bring a unique twist with them.

the content of these dlcs doesnt add entirely new mechanics (ie. Radiation, SO Rocketry), but instead builds on existing mechanics as a foundation, similar to a large content mod. (like Diseases Expanded or  Chemical Processing: Industrial Overhaul).

Even without adding these entirely new mechanics, I still think that these DLCs will introduce unique enough gameplay loop elements to be long time enjoyable, be it new ways of acquiring progression, new unique buildings that rely on new elements or new dangers you have to permanently look out for

That first teaser image for the first dlc points imo towards something that might look like a "paid 100K-Challenge Clone" at first glance, but I'm pretty sure that "extreme cold" will be the only denominator the dlc and the mod will have in common.

I expect something like

• new critter variants that are adapted to the cold (maybe even entirely new critters!)
• new buildings that possibly rely on the cold or help you contain it
• cold related debuffs and sicknesses
• new elements that add new unique properties to stuff
• possibly some new endgame goal, be it a new directive or something related to that floppy disk from the recent trailers (maybe a giant ruin?)

Edited March 2 by SGT_Imalas

[Charletrom]

I would hope for a new energy source or form of industry, similar in scope to arbor trees. 

[Sasza22]

16 hours ago, SGT_Imalas said:

That first teaser image for the first dlc points imo towards something that might look like a "paid 100K-Challenge Clone" at first glance, but I'm pretty sure that "extreme cold" will be the only denominator the dlc and the mod will have in common.

Yah it would make sense to make a lower temperature limit below which machines and dupes take damage. This kind of thing would break many current designs so putting it in a dlc is a good idea. Still a dlc that`s just about the cold would be pretty lackluster. IMO they should redo the temperature related stuff like sweaters and cool vests whicn is long overdue and make hypothermia and heat stroke actual diseases that need treatment (or at least have one) and are threatening not just annoying but have better contermeasures than "don`t walk there".

[Carib94]

As someone who likes ranching, I would like another fish/water critter that lives in /requires water cause we only have Pacu right now and Pokeshells are semi aquatic, also would like another flying critter because the current 1s are more complicated compared to others pufts need gas and puft prince, Beetas needs to be cold/needs uranium(and situational) And Moos you need to fly to them via rocket, and to ranch them takes more setup and is more late game oriented. I want a flying critter that can be early game or mid game friendly like hatches and pacu( you can argue that pufts are mid game)of course they have to be useful for something maybe a critter that eats rocks and excrete metal ores(that would be nice only way to get renewable ores is via Space Pois)

 

Next might not be necessary but I would like another high tier food that goes with cooked seafood cause surf and turf is quite ez to make and feel like it should have another gas range food. Also would like lettuce to also have another food like maybe some type of salad , maybe tofu with lettuce that can be made in electric grill cause there is grilled tofu salad irl so why not.

Theres more I would like but this just to express a few.

[O.J.Vodka]

Many years ago, this game could create a cold initial planet with unseen minerals such as silver and gold, but no flora or fauna. Later, Klei deleted it and declared that the ecological community design had failed.

[CarLNX]

I would honestly love a DLC that would allow us to evolve technology so that we can upgrade working buildings, with the bonus of, for example, releasing more O2, and with the burden of consuming more water or energy.

Using a construction like this would facilitate the development of new explored bases. I think it sucks having to do it all over again on new planets.

Dehydrated food is the way to make this happen. Evolving construction that cleans carbon dioxide to one that already consumes land to release pure water instead of polluted water would be another example.

Ideas and ideas... I really like the idea that in the middle or end of the game, buildings can become more effective and simplified (in the sense that a building performs more functions and, for that, receives more inputs and outputs) to facilitate the new foundations that we are "forced" to create.

I used a translator to write this text, so I apologize for some literal sentences.

[RonEmpire]

For it to work in base and spaced out.  Most likely 2.  Nothing wrong with that.  

They said no new systems. 

 

 

Rime has always been challenging at the start. So cold is a good survival mechanic already in game.  New biome with new creatures variation could have challenges related to how hostile they are.   New story trait could add unique stuff 

[goboking]

1 hour ago, RonEmpire said:

They said no new systems. 

 

The previous roadmap listed new systems as a long-term objective, and here you are twisting the knife.  

Spoiler

j/k

 

[RonEmpire]

"At some point, we may make systems changes. If that happens, those changes will likely be added (for free) to any existing versions of the game that you may own. "

new systems will not be a DLC specific thing.  so if they add new systems, it will be for all versions.

"system changes"  but not 'new systems'

Edited March 6 by RonEmpire

[ALCRD]

1 hour ago, RonEmpire said:

"system changes"  but not 'new systems'

  They did say NEW systems are on the horizon in 2022 roadmap but no promises:

On 10/4/2022 at 8:31 PM, JarrettM said:

And then? 
Bigger things like new starting biomes, richer world gen options, and even new sim systems are on the horizon too, but these take longer to develop, so no short-term promises.

That's most likely what goboking was refering to in his post

 

On 3/2/2024 at 7:01 PM, Gurgel said:

Incidentally, except for one very verbose outlier (who now has a nice space on my ignore-list)

Oh no.

Anyway

Edited March 6 by ALCRD

[Sasza22]

On 3/4/2024 at 10:05 PM, CarLNX said:

I would honestly love a DLC that would allow us to evolve technology so that we can upgrade working buildings, with the bonus of, for example, releasing more O2, and with the burden of consuming more water or energy.

A higher tier of structures would make sense. We already upgrade our toilets and power systems. Some high tier stuff that is more compact or more efficient would definitely make sense. On the other hand this is something that should make it`s way to the base game unless it uses some of the dlc exclusive stuff. Maybe we will get new resources that are between steel/plastic and niobium/isoresin.

On 3/5/2024 at 1:12 AM, goboking said:

The previous roadmap listed new systems as a long-term objective

The current roadmap only mentions system changes but everything is possible. Obviously they will focus on building new stuff rather than addjusting the systems but it means they will add more stuff to the existing framework like new critters, diseases, machines etc. Some of the current stuff could use more content like crafting station that is used only to make oxygen masks.

[SakuraKoi]

Personally, I'm not too fond of changes even when they are better in the long term, since those most likely break mods and ONI has a wonderful lot of them. In the best case, Klei would be one of the first to recognize and incorporate them with the mod authors but that's just me being selfish. (They wouldn't be the first big case because of Repentance)

Anyway, additions, they are almost always neat and the Spaced Out DLC enabled a relatively straightforward way to implement new content complexes to explore. Namely asteroids with new materials, critters and stories. For the time being, I'd certainly not mind that especially if it adds to the less used materials and explored systems. One mod I am currently missing is one where one is able to dress dupes for their job. Just having decor+ or slower temperature change is saddening me (faster temperature change is always bad for dupes!).

[CrutchPunk]

My optimistic DLC hopes:

Alien Colonies/Already inhabited planetoids

• Unique colonies (dupe morphs, basically) you can encounter on random planetoids
• This would finally scratch that "multiplayer" itch in a non-game-breaking way.
  • Colonies can expand with, or alongside, you; potentially competing for space.
• Offer advanced/alternative technologies (potential research tree expansions), critters, and resources
  • different tech tree branches allows for more variable gameplay (biome specific, maybe?)
• A trade mechanic* between colonies
  • Giving you more options to obtain materials/foods, etc. potentially unlocking specific trades
• Relationship/Alignment mechanics*
  • Potential for Alien Colonies to turn against you if rating is low enough.
  • Chance/Option for Alien Colony "Dupes" to join your Dupes
    (and/or unlock them as printable in the Printing Pod.)

Given how Spaced Out expanded upon but still kept the heart of the base game, I feel like this sort of thing isn't entirely out of the question. It also gives more content for the smaller updates to expand on (critter morphs, cosmetics, etc).

Idk ..am I out of scope?

*I use the word "mechanic" because I don't feel like these are big enough additions to be whole "systems," and get dismissed as such.

Edited March 9 by CrutchPunk

[GluttonyMain]

That sounds bigger than Spaced Out, Klei has said their DLC will be smaller than SO.

[Henlikuoth]

54 minutes ago, GluttonyMain said:

That sounds bigger than Spaced Out, Klei has said their DLC will be smaller than SO.

Klei could gradually provide those features over several DLCs.

[Sasza22]

Actually now that i think about it i fear they might end up adding a lot of unconnected stuff leaving multiple loose ends and not improving the existing things. I mean it`s always good to have more interesting scenarios but i really hope they build on the foundations they already established and improve existing systems rather than add new stuff that is useful only in specific cases.

Like the idea of a cold planetoid sounds like they want to do more stuff with heat transfer, new heating or cooling machines but what about the clothing system and sweaters/vests that wasn`t touched since the beta of the vanila game and doesn`t really work as it should. I really hope they can balance the new additions with improvements for the existing systems.

[Henlikuoth]

On 3/11/2024 at 2:28 AM, Sasza22 said:

clothing system and sweaters/vests

I agree this should be improved heavily. 

There are many creative ideas possible for that. They could add a kind of wardrobe that contains these clothes and find ways to make people use them and must use them in cold environments. 

This would require much harsher penalties and effects in cold environments without sweaters, for example. 

[Kderosa]

What I'd like to see in a DLC, oddly enough, is more game (for a game that already takes over a hundred of hours to explore/exploit all the planets).

Specifically, I'd like to see a bigger universe that requires you to have bases on strategic planets to reach the farther out planets.  The planets should be more challenging and require the rare resources you obtained on the current outer planets to conquer. The Tear/Tear Opener should be farther out.  Hyrogen rockets should be required to reach more distant planets.

It would be nice if we could upgrade or get improved versions of some of the current buildings once we obtain the rare resources - a refrigerator that can deepfreeze, a smaller exosuit fabricator, a larger spacefarer module, a portable liquid dispenser for filling pipes, a better liquid bottler/storage with metering, a one-use mini blackhole to pull a vacuum in a room, a real air/liquid lock like we have on the spacefarer, a smaller/less powerful mini nuclear reactor, an atmo sensor with an expanded range,  etc.

It would be really nice if some of the closer satellites could be salvaged for one or two tons of steel and a few doors worth of viscogel/naphtha, enough plastium to make exactly one radbolt joint plate and maybe some plastic for a very limited number of early builds where this more advanced material would come in handy (now you build temporary janky builds then have to rebuild later on when you finally gain access which gets tedious as does my 964th liquid lock).

In the same vein, the satellites and asteroid fields should have more useful resources that aren't available on the planetoids giving me a reason to actually explore/exploit them. How about requiring obtaining resources before you can research them - you need a ton of niobium before you can research it for example.

Planets with more exposure to space - wider but more shallow.  micro-planets, oddly shaped-planets, larger planets with empty space to build more easily without providing insane amounts of resources.

More research or something to do with all those data disks and the unlimited radbots you can generate once you have a nuclear reactor.

Something that consumes vast amounts of refined metals making metal volcanoes more useful.

The frozen inner planet, the water planet, the frozen outer planet, and the regolith planet should be made more interesting (right now their only use is scoot and loot missions) The 52B Tree and magma planets are better designed for interesting gameplay.

Basically, keep the game as is mostly (with a few additions/changes as above), but expand the universe a bit.