The release of too many skins can ruin the dark feel of don't starve.

[Swiyss]

Lately we've been getting a bunch of bright colors and outstanding designs on skins. Back to 4 years ago, it was already starting to feel too much for me, but now it's getting too out of hand.

I'm no ruler to say what Klei artists should or should not do, but I wanna express my opinion and say that all of this lunar/electric vibe is building don't starve together in a different direction to what it once was. It's not only the skins, but the new game additions as well.

It's very non-don't starve to release so many magical skins alongside all of this light blue shine all over the place with gestalts, energy and moon related powers. And it's not to say that shadow wins this fight, because it just makes it worse in my opinion. It's just blue vs red, and it's tainting the game.

I expect for the developers to take this in consideration, and try to bring back a little of that original style. We can keep adding what we're currently adding, it's actually very interesting, but there needs to be that brown and grey somewhere, and also some of that old vintage style back.

And just to clarify, I'm mainly talking about the last magical blue skins, since they are too much in your face, instead of being slightly what they should be. Also this last electric fence and warbot white powers could benefit some better creative implementations to keep everything under this DS roof.

[POOH_LY]

Yes, this problem has been there for a long time, and it's clear that the direction Klei has for DST is pretty much different from the original game. A lot of the skins look good on their own, but look very out of place in Don't Starve environment. Many events, (Seasonal, Chinese New Year, Hallowed Nights, and etc.), have altered the vibes of DS completely. (I don't think it's a bad thing, though. It's a different game after all.) My point is, I don't think we'll be able to get the original vibe back from where we are right now. There are just too many elements in the game.

But at least, please make it's easier to tell what item it is with the skins are applied.

[Golden Daemon]

Are you asking for more dark and gritty skin designs or less skins with bright designs being released in general? since the latter could always be ignored if you dont like them in your game.
But i do agree with the former statement as i myself would love to see more skins in line with the old artstyle of the game.

[RexySeven]

Hot take. 
All fairy themed Belongings\Wurt\Wendy skins, Midsummer Cawnival and Masquerade skins are extremely tacky and out of the place. Especially ones mentioned firstly. Sorry Klei, but you're reaching the bottom of the barrel with adding bright-colored whimsy magical skins akin to something you'd expect to see in cheap mobile game. 

Edited July 22, 2025 by RexySeven

[Maxil20]

Maybe it’s just me, but I really don’t see it as a serious or bad issue. If you don’t like specific skins in a new set for being too tacky, it’s always possible to just skip them and use the existing skins you have instead. I don’t think there’s anything inherently wrong in using more vibrant colors for skin sets personally, since they’re entirely optional to get.

Something I will say though, is I am admittedly curious why they don’t do more “generic” themed skin sets. In particular, ones that use a skin as a base and have recolors of said skin, at a distinguished or the like spool price. A good example is the wooden fence skins from year of the carrat or the metal fence ones from the victorian set. Compared to skins like the gingerbread fence, these have vastly more applications for general purposes, especially when base building. I actually like those a lot and would like to see more like those in the future, since I imagine those skins are pretty popular for being able to work in a variety of builds compared to a set that despite looking very cool, has a much narrower scope.

[Well-met]

that ship has sailed many many years ago.

It's an unfortunate side effect of the micro transaction model that many games abide to, however it's done fairly elegantly in dont starve together. I don't mind it.

[Mr Giggio]

We lost the dark feel it has ages bud

It's not a skin problem

[-Variant]

An ounce bit late for that.

Though, personally, I yearn for more survivor-akin skin sets.
I'd personally prefer more skins that make items and equipment look horribly rundown or hand made. I love the survivor sets so much.
The Warly survivor skins that released a bit ago absolutely make my heart swoon. I love the more traditional 'survival' looking skins, so I'd like to see more like that.
Don't fancy the brighter flashier skins much myself.

[Valase]

As tacky as they can be, I think that every skin is in the same "out of place" bag, from the simpler wood fence skins to the fairy ones. I don't think that it is bad, but I'm saying that even survivor skins are not "in place", and I feel that putting the ones that you don't like as the out of place ones is not cool.

One small note, I hate that Year of the Beefalo saddle skin, I can't even unravel it.

[Wormboi]

This is just the TF2 hat problem all over again. I dont they ruin the game THAT much.

[Well-met]

1 hour ago, Valase said:

One small note, I hate that Year of the Beefalo saddle skin, I can't even unravel it.

it really is very awkward and strange that we can't get rid of some skins

[reddocc]

The only solution I see is that klei releases more skins inspired by the constant. Ej: rose, survivors, triumphant, moonbound, archaic. Not just survivor but items too.

[GenomeSquirrel]

My first reaction to this is

 

why would any character want to blend in with the eerie atmosphere?

[cybers2001]

For me, the best skins are the ones that blend well with existing aesthetics. Like I really love how the wood wall skin complements Wickerbottom's bookcase. Or the parlor furniture skins with the old school carpet turf.

Edited July 23, 2025 by cybers2001

[Hungry French]

Skins ? Updates !

 

[PunkShark]

At this point it's important to clarify that This isn't Don't Starve. The original Don't Starve was embedded with the foreboding presence of loneliness, and it was built around the concept of a gritty world that hates you with no sign of hope of escaping this dark, gritty, edgy atmosphere. 

Which is why DST is not that, yes it's the same world, builds on the same story and characters, but the themes are different. it has events, skins raid bosses, and is all around based around being in this Together. And this is where it heavily changes from DS. Because it isn't trying to be DS 2. DST has allowed itself to be more colorful and invent into new territories much like what SW and RoG did that isn't just dark and gritty that goes boo in the night. it's an entirely different experience from DS because it is settled around playing with friends, having fun with friends. In short it is 'hopeful' .The hope that you might just get out of this purgatory of a world together. Which DS is the complete opposite of and it knows. 

And this is where we really have to face reality and realize that this isn't DS, Nor is it trying to be the same experience.. if you ask me, DS lost its grittiness and dark undertones once the DLC's rolled around for the original game.
Not that it's a bad thing, quite frankly i think it has only opened the two games up more and more and expressed themselves to be more visually interesting than to just be stuck on one thing. 
And DST is like the accumulation of it all into one package of all the thing's we've seen in the franchise. But even outside of events, skins, the world itself remains in that cold, foreboding atmosphere now haunted by cosmic horrors than ever before.But now it is no longer attached to only being in that bubble. DST can still have dark undertones but also have a little flair fit into a neat package to fit together.

 

[Cheggf]

On 7/22/2025 at 2:21 AM, Golden Daemon said:

Are you asking for more dark and gritty skin designs or less skins with bright designs being released in general? since the latter could always be ignored if you dont like them in your game.
But i do agree with the former statement as i myself would love to see more skins in line with the old artstyle of the game.

The third word of the game's title is "Together".

4 hours ago, PunkShark said:

At this point it's important to clarify that This isn't Don't Starve. The original Don't Starve was embedded with the foreboding presence of loneliness, and it was built around the concept of a gritty world that hates you with no sign of hope of escaping this dark, gritty, edgy atmosphere. 

Which is why DST is not that, yes it's the same world, builds on the same story and characters, but the themes are different. it has events, skins raid bosses, and is all around based around being in this Together. And this is where it heavily changes from DS. Because it isn't trying to be DS 2. DST has allowed itself to be more colorful and invent into new territories much like what SW and RoG did that isn't just dark and gritty that goes boo in the night. it's an entirely different experience from DS because it is settled around playing with friends, having fun with friends. In short it is 'hopeful' .The hope that you might just get out of this purgatory of a world together. Which DS is the complete opposite of and it knows. 

And this is where we really have to face reality and realize that this isn't DS, Nor is it trying to be the same experience.. if you ask me, DS lost its grittiness and dark undertones once the DLC's rolled around for the original game.
Not that it's a bad thing, quite frankly i think it has only opened the two games up more and more and expressed themselves to be more visually interesting than to just be stuck on one thing. 
And DST is like the accumulation of it all into one package of all the thing's we've seen in the franchise. But even outside of events, skins, the world itself remains in that cold, foreboding atmosphere now haunted by cosmic horrors than ever before.But now it is no longer attached to only being in that bubble. DST can still have dark undertones but also have a little flair fit into a neat package to fit together.

 

Early DST was even darker than DS was. They were making it so dark that they realized they went too far and removed the ability to cannibalize players with all of the depressing quotes surrounding it. Taste of Home is probably the saddest video they've ever released, and that's a Together video.

Edited July 24, 2025 by Cheggf

[ssbb]

I don’t think so at all. I think almost every skin set is gorgeous. I won’t lie, I get a little excited any time a new skin pack comes out thinking 🤔 “Which pieces in this skin pack are fire?” The latest Reliquary and Favorite Things are all so good looking.

(Only one skin pack that comes to mind that I didn’t enjoy so much was the one with the silly green WX and pink Winona skins)

Edited July 24, 2025 by ssbb

[Golden Daemon]

12 hours ago, Cheggf said:

The third word of the game's title is "Together".

Yes but that is besides the point.
Would you ask for players that ruin your ingame immersion by being goofy or cheesy towards ingame mechanics to have their access to game revoked and banned?
Just because the game is online doesnt mean you cant control the environment you play in or that you cant simply ignore them.

Edited July 25, 2025 by Golden Daemon

[cybers2001]

11 hours ago, ssbb said:

I don’t think so at all. I think almost every skin set is gorgeous. I won’t lie, I get a little excited any time a new skin pack comes out thinking 🤔 “Which pieces in this skin pack are fire?” The latest Reliquary and Favorite Things are all so good looking.

(Only one skin pack that comes to mind that I didn’t enjoy so much was the one with the silly green WX and pink Winona skins)

Some of the moon bound skins make the players look like this

 

[_mylilsunshine_]

dark and gritty you say?

[Cheggf]

18 hours ago, Golden Daemon said:

Yes but that is besides the point.
Would you ask for players that ruin your ingame immersion by being goofy or cheesy towards ingame mechanics to have their access to game revoked and banned?
Just because the game is online doesnt mean you cant control the environment you play in or that you cant simply ignore them.

What kind of nonsense comparison is that? Do you think Klei adding a bunch of racist crap to the game wouldn't be bad 'cause the players can already be racist? How do you pretend not to know the difference between the game doing something and players doing something? 

[Evelo]

Some of the newer skins (ie under a year old) are fitting while others arent. Really depends. A lot of the character skins that tie into something existing (Archaic, Moonbound, Survivor, Triumphant, and some others) fit very well, though other character skins less so, (Masquerade, Victorian, the Winter ones) don't. Not that they are bad by any means. Snowfallen Wendy is my favorite character skin in the game. 

As was mentioned, the holidays while neat, don't fit the grim vibe. I love Cawnival A LOT. The colors are the wonderfully vibrant while still somehow muted. I love corvids immensely and it makes the summer, a season I hate the most IRL somewhat enjoyable despite it being a video game only thing. But I will agree, it doesn't fit the grim vibe of Don't Starve. I think some of the best items that were introduced that feel Don't Starvey while not being too gauche is the Year of the Carrat collection.  Which is ironic given I just mentioned how the holidays don't fit. But it feels don't starvey while also not being too in your face. It is more subtle and fits into the world pretty nicely. The more recent addition of the Reliquary set is also very fitting and ties nicely into Don't Starve's grim aesthetic. So it is obvious Klei is capable of doing that.

While the argument, "If you don't like it don't use it" is folly in video games with regard to balancing, it does also partially albeit not fully, apply here. While there are some I dislike, I do not purchase them, I will never see them in game, however I do not know the sales for skins. If the non-don't starvey skins are more profitable than the grim aesthetically fitting ones then at some point Klei is likely to discontinue development of the grim skins which renders the "if you don't like it don't use it" argument moot. Vote with your wallet and hope for the best. That's what I've been doing, both for patches and the actual skins. (I really like the Mystic collection, but I hated the recent update so I did not purchase it.)

[cropo]

For me if the skin looks nice I'll buy it regardless of it's artistic relation to the series. Klei themselves have went through a huge artistic shift during DST and I remember Joe saying something along the lines of them never having intended to keep a strictly consistent art style although I could be taking that out of context.


I wouldn't mind a server-host option to disable skins so that players can't run around in their server with bright and shiny looks but that should be the most that is done about it. I also don't want them to slow down on skin releases; without mods I feel skins are one thing that really shake the game up for me and make repetitive weapons like the Hambat more exciting to use(the original sprite looks awful and ugly imo.) Sometimes skins actually get me to try new characters; that Cthulhu looking skin for Wurt and Wormwoods triumphant skin are literally the only skins I will use on them because they look so cool they actually make me want to play the character to see them. 

 I'm more of a "I like skins that are cool and edgy" over silly event-looking skins. Pugna's hambat turning the Hambat into an actual mace; Webbers first Forge skin giving him a tribal combat look and turning his spider legs into swords, most of Willow's lighters, etc. Maybe I just have an issue with the art style of the base game weapons; all of the weapons were rudimentary, whacky, or incredibly transparent and the skins that turn them into more traditional weaponry or armor. Pre-rift armor in general just looks awful imo, the Football helmet looks very boring and being able to turn it into a stereotypical fantasy spikey helmet was the best. All of the chest armors looked like a glorified tube that the character was fit into, so changing them up to look better (and the general design of rifts armor even at base) even if they don't "fit" with the theme of Don't Starve will always be a plus for me.


On that note I think you lose the right to an "immersive" experience once you start playing with other people. I think Klei themselves were reluctant to make the game multiplayer way back then specifically because it would break immersion. I think I remember one of them saying "You're not playing as Wilson the lone survivor, you're playing as yourself."

Edited July 26, 2025 by cropo

[SapoLover]

Let us skin the environment, so everything is bright and in place :sanity:

Well, I don't dislike skins going beyond of Klei's original scope of the style, I like it very much in fact. But... yeah, too many at the same time, the skin packs have gotten massive. I'd like there to be new more grounded skins. Or maybe even some of that artistic effort could go towards adding variety to the default stuff, like distinctive pigs, merms, hounds, trees...