Do we really need MORE bosses?

[FillerText]

 

52 minutes ago, Mike23Ua said:

Annoying little cute doggos who would rummage through your storage chests and throw your items out onto the ground only for the games weather seasons to give you the middle finger when strong winds blow your loot off the edge of the map and erases it from existence.

DST is a raid boss focused joke compared to all of that.

I do agree that DST needs to put less effort into making new bosses, and do a huge portion of refining for the game's basic gameplay loop(although at this point the basic loop is killing bosses). But I feel as if strong winds is just a bad example. The problem is instantly solved if there is a cave cleft conveniently placed.

Although If it isn't, then you have to do a tiny cool quest for the key to the city so you can build your own house in a location that doesn't force you to run a marathon(I dislike housing in Swinesbury because then you are very far from jungles and ruins) while also protecting your items from being blown away by strong winds. Then I find it to be a really cool mechanic. I also like Fog although Hay Fever not so much because not being prepped for Lush during only 22 days makes me want to honestly uninstall due to the amount of stuff you have to do within those 22 days to counter Hay Fever. If you had about 6 days of more time it would also be an awesome mechanic IMO. 

You made me want to play Hamlet.

[erick was right]

Just now, FillerText said:

The Unique loot is 

 

I do agree that DST needs to put less effort into making new bosses, and do a huge portion of refining for the game's basic gameplay loop(although at this point the basic loop is killing bosses). But I feel as if strong winds is just a bad example. The problem is instantly solved if there is a cave cleft conveniently placed.

Although If it isn't, then you have to do a tiny cool quest for the key to the city so you can build your own house in a location that doesn't force you to run a marathon(I dislike housing in Swinesbury because then you are very far from jungles and ruins) while also protecting your items from being blown away by strong winds. Then I find it to be a really cool mechanic. I also like Fog although Hay Fever not so much because not being prepped for Lush during only 22 days makes me want to honestly uninstall due to the amount of stuff you have to do within those 22 days to counter Hay Fever. If you had about 6 days of more time it would also be an awesome mechanic IMO. 

You made me want to play Hamlet.

I totally get where both of you are coming from — and yeah, I think it's fair to say that DST’s core gameplay loop has drifted more and more into “kill boss, get loot,” and less into the survival-sim sandbox that the original Don’t Starve vibe was built on.

But I also think Klei’s boss design isn’t just about loot — or at least, not just about gear farming. Most DST bosses are basically “setpieces” that also serve to gate progress, craft progression, and encourage exploration. Like yeah, Fuelweaver gives you Enlightened Crown access, but the actual fight, lore, prep, and mechanics are part of the whole experience. They’re not just punching bags — they’re mini-challenges that expand what you’re doing in the world.

That said, I 100% agree with the sentiment that world gen, biomes, and caves need love. Caves especially — they're mechanically dense but visually bland and kind of grindy. If you’ve already beaten Ancient Guardian and cleared some ruins, there’s just not much reason to go back except for light bulbs and thulecite.

As for Big Worms — I honestly liked them! They’re threatening, persistent, and disruptive in a good way. The problem is that DST players are now trained to look for a reward loop: fight = loot. And when there’s no fancy blueprint or shiny item, they feel “optional” or “pointless.” I don’t think that’s the fault of the mobs themselves — it’s more a consequence of how updates have been structured.

Also... the Hamlet mention hit me hard. You’re totally right. Strong winds, hay fever, housing — all those mechanics had real teeth, even if they were annoying at times. Hamlet felt more like an evolving world trying to push back against you. In DST, bosses try to do that — but the rest of the world is kind of passive.

So maybe what we need isn’t “more” bosses, but bosses (and biomes, and caves) that act more like forces of nature, not just arena fights. Make the world itself more hostile, unpredictable, alive. Klei clearly has the talent to do that — just look at how much depth they can squeeze out of each patch.

You definitely made me want to revisit Hamlet too though. Classic British fog-core survival 

 

[FillerText]

4 minutes ago, erick was right said:

I totally get where both of you are coming from — and yeah, I think it's fair to say that DST’s core gameplay loop has drifted more and more into “kill boss, get loot,” and less into the survival-sim sandbox that the original Don’t Starve vibe was built on.

But I also think Klei’s boss design isn’t just about loot — or at least, not just about gear farming. Most DST bosses are basically “setpieces” that also serve to gate progress, craft progression, and encourage exploration. Like yeah, Fuelweaver gives you Enlightened Crown access, but the actual fight, lore, prep, and mechanics are part of the whole experience. They’re not just punching bags — they’re mini-challenges that expand what you’re doing in the world.

That said, I 100% agree with the sentiment that world gen, biomes, and caves need love. Caves especially — they're mechanically dense but visually bland and kind of grindy. If you’ve already beaten Ancient Guardian and cleared some ruins, there’s just not much reason to go back except for light bulbs and thulecite.

As for Big Worms — I honestly liked them! They’re threatening, persistent, and disruptive in a good way. The problem is that DST players are now trained to look for a reward loop: fight = loot. And when there’s no fancy blueprint or shiny item, they feel “optional” or “pointless.” I don’t think that’s the fault of the mobs themselves — it’s more a consequence of how updates have been structured.

Also... the Hamlet mention hit me hard. You’re totally right. Strong winds, hay fever, housing — all those mechanics had real teeth, even if they were annoying at times. Hamlet felt more like an evolving world trying to push back against you. In DST, bosses try to do that — but the rest of the world is kind of passive.

So maybe what we need isn’t “more” bosses, but bosses (and biomes, and caves) that act more like forces of nature, not just arena fights. Make the world itself more hostile, unpredictable, alive. Klei clearly has the talent to do that — just look at how much depth they can squeeze out of each patch.

You definitely made me want to revisit Hamlet too though. Classic British fog-core survival 

 

Is this chatgpt talking? 

[erick was right]

6 minutes ago, FillerText said:

Is this chatgpt talking? 

I use a microphone and my voice to write opinions and texts about the current state of DST.

I'm also an AI artist — sadly, I lost both of my hands, so I can't really use them to create anymore.

[Frosty_Mentos]

5 hours ago, WilsonHiggs said:

I would agree but, if they ever add events of that kind,they should be implemented in a better way. 

99% stays afk during moonstone (no wonder why people don't complain about that but do about FW).

Moon storm slight difficulty was removed once you get the BS helmet, what in the was klei thinking with this item, and BS staff. Semi afk event 

I mean, it's easier alternative to fighting shadow pieces, I guess being opposite of shadow to become more easier to farm, or something. It's not that bad imo. Farmed lots of it before and still will do it again, it might take a bit of grind but at least it's an activity given for us ingame if we want more crown shards.

[WilsonHiggs]

25 minutes ago, Frosty_Mentos said:

I mean, it's easier alternative to fighting shadow pieces, I guess being opposite of shadow to become more easier to farm, or something. It's not that bad imo. Farmed lots of it before and still will do it again, it might take a bit of grind but at least it's an activity given for us ingame if we want more crown shards.

Something can be easy and engaging. Being afk while some mobs acts like DST players because pathfinding is a mess isn't fun or engaging

The same goes for the moon storms. They weren't super challenging but atleast you needed to think about what to wear, specially in winter and summer, because your headslot was used for the googles. Also you needed to actually move to kill the birds

[Mike23Ua]

In the Hamlet DLC there were temple doorways that were “blocked off” by overgrown vines that before the player could enter these temple entrances required the player to first craft and use a machete to remove the over growth.

Whats interesting about that, is that DST actually has the animation of the Exits/Entrances into and out of caves to be covered in vines- However this animation is only used when the game is Retro-Fitting New Content into Old Game worlds and your not allowed to Exit/Enter shards.

Meanwhile: Klei could have made Brightshades seal up cave entrances & need to be killed to open it back up again, or Cave Acid rain to cause cave wormhole portals to shift and randomly relocate or become like single players “Sick” Wormholes that are a One Way Trip.

[WilsonHiggs]

10 minutes ago, Mike23Ua said:

In the Hamlet DLC there were temple doorways that were “blocked off” by overgrown vines that before the player could enter these temple entrances required the player to first craft and use a machete to remove the over growth.

Whats interesting about that, is that DST actually has the animation of the Exits/Entrances into and out of caves to be covered in vines- However this animation is only used when the game is Retro-Fitting New Content into Old Game worlds and your not allowed to Exit/Enter shards.

Meanwhile: Klei could have made Brightshades seal up cave entrances & need to be killed to open it back up again, or Cave Acid rain to cause cave wormhole portals to shift and randomly relocate or become like single players “Sick” Wormholes that are a One Way Trip.

And what is the interesting part of needing a tool to reopen a cave entrance or needing to talk throw the map because the wormhole is only one way trip? Nothing challenging is going on, just making the player walk more 

[Swiyss]

8 hours ago, erick was right said:

Fuelweaver gives you Enlightened Crown

Am I seeing this correct?

[Semind]

50 minutes ago, astareus said:

Am I seeing this correct?

That's what happens with AI generated text.

[Frosty_Mentos]

12 hours ago, WilsonHiggs said:

Something can be easy and engaging. Being afk while some mobs acts like DST players because pathfinding is a mess isn't fun or engaging

The same goes for the moon storms. They weren't super challenging but atleast you needed to think about what to wear, specially in winter and summer, because your headslot was used for the googles. Also you needed to actually move to kill the birds

Weird pointer with clothing but ok. Pathfinding part idk. It's been a thing for a long time in DST with creatures not being that smart and walls being useless because Klei refuses to buff them for whatever reason to be more useful. That or players don't like the idea of walls being useful for whatever reason.

[IR1]

I might sound crazy but the combat needs a revamp before adding new bosses because Kiting ain’t it and feels outdated. 

[mmmmmmmmmmm]

yes we do.

[SilverSpoon]

Yes. 

However, the next boss, I want to devs focuses attention on currently empty biome, such as the mountain, savanna, and swamp biomes on the surface, the mash caverns and moon caverns underground, and the vast ocean.