I think Tallbird Eggs need to be toned down a lot.

[TheCelloPony]

So, for one thing, I love this game. It's in early Alpha and I think it's near-perfect.

But, one thing I've noticed is that Tallbird eggs seem pretty rigged in terms of power and use. They restore a lot of hunger, equal to about 2-3 cooked meats, are eaten very quickly and heal a lot of health meaning you can pretty easily use them to step out of combat for a moment then dive back in once healed and they give a LOT of research points. Like, an insane amount that allows you to reasonably easily get a large sum.

I understand this can be made up for by the fact the actual Tallbirds go after you upon you taking their eggs, no matter where they are in relation to you or their nest. But I've always managed to escape them very easily even while right next to them, because of the way they shuffle their foot threateningly. It becomes extremely beneficial to keep them alive and set up shop close to them, and you're never punished because they simply can't catch you. I've been able to get together about 12 of the eggs in a day under certain circumstances depending on how lucky I am with Tallbird placement. My second game I had about 4 of them in close proximity around the place I happened to set up shop, and from then on health and hunger never really became a problem.

I understand that a 'high risk high reward' thing was attempted here. You get a powerful item in exchange for having to escape or fight off a strong enemy. But there doesn't seem to be any real risk, because you can easily just run from them and they only seem to give up in a matter of seconds, allowing you to rather easily take their eggs again because they've forgotten about you completely. It's more of a 'no risk insane reward' system here.

My suggestion is to either nerf the eggs significantly or rework them completely. Maybe have a chance of the egg containing an actual young tallbird, and when you try to cook/eat it a much faster baby tallbird comes out and forces a fight? 'Sure, you've got something good, but it has a chance to backfire on you' might balance out the item's power. Either way, I definitely think the amount of Research it gives should be nerfed.

An alternative is to make them harder to obtain by making Tallbirds more imposing or hostile. I like that they leave you alone as long as you do the same to them. But because of, in the wild, how mothers are when their eggs are messed with, I think it'd make more sense for them to be much more horrifying when you try and take their kids. You know how their eye goes red and strained when they attack you? It might be good to have them go 'berserk' when you take their eggs, making them faster, hit harder and not give up on chasing you down as much as they normally would. So it creates more of a risk, and has the player make a decision. "I know that if I take this egg, I'll be getting a strong item, but is it worth the damage I could take in getting it? Could the Tallbird kill me with what I have now? How much will it benefit me if I'm forced to kill it and can't get eggs from it when I'm more equipped for it?"

Just some feedback. This is my only real gripe with the game, and I feel that something so powerful shouldn't be farmed so easily. Great work on the game, I really look forwards to seeing where it goes from here.

[Excess]

I suggested some tallbird behavior tweaks not long ago to address this issue. This has to be fixed.

[mobius187]

Yup. Well once research points are removed that will be one issue that's addressed.

In the past I've suggested that there be more tallbirds, their nest should be close together, the tallbirds should also never wander far from their nest, and all the nests should be placed near the edge of the island. Now you have a situation where one whole direction is cut off from the player because the nests are near the island edge, forcing players to come from the other direction (i.e. south or north). If the nests are close to one another, and the tallbirds are more protective of them, just running up to snatch an egg becomes more hazardous.

Lastly, I was told the tallbirds used to be faster than the player. If tallbirds eventually are given the ability to hatch babies (and can no longer become extinct) then I think this should be restored. I mean, if they were like beefalo in tenacity/speed (or faster) then stealing an egg could have a whole flock of tallbirds coming after you... and that would be frightening depending on how deadly they are and if they can surround you.

[Joyousterror]

I agree their behavior should be reworked in the future. Whether you found one bird or an island with 5. The eggs are just there every day without any consequence to grabbing them. Tallbirds are definitely not a threat to anyone at the moment.

[NeedPants]

Just wondering since ive never dared to try: if u actually kill the tallbird do they go extinct or does the nest respawn at some point (magically) ?

[Miss Andry]

This game is extremely easy as it is. A cooked Tallbird egg almost fills up your stomach. It's just way too strong and way too easy. It needs to heal less damage and not fill your stomach up as much and also it needs to be harder to get.

[LadyD]

They go extinct if you kill them

They are not fun to live next to.

I wouldnt worry about research points- this is changing Soon.

[501105]

Agreed with all, there is hardly any risk with getting some tallbird eggs and they are just way too good for hunger or research. Either the eggs need to be made less good or the tallbirds need to become more dangerous. I personally like more dangerous tallbirds that make you really work to get those eggs.

[TheCelloPony]

Just wondering since ive never dared to try: if u actually kill the tallbird do they go extinct or does the nest respawn at some point (magically) ?

I'm fairly certain that a Tallbird dies permanently as it is now. They might patch them to respawn at a later date, as they're doing with tentacles to prevent them from going extinct in any given game.

[NeedPants]

Tnx ppl, and yupyup i heard about the respawning tentacles next patch!

Btw Making the tallbirds stronger doesnt seem like a problem to me due to 1) Pan flute and 2) were getting tranq darts next patch, DOSE EM BOYZ! Buffing them would mean u need to prepare the right tools to farm them. Which i guess is a good thing. Cant ever be prepared enough!

[mobius187]

Btw Making the tallbirds stronger doesnt seem like a problem to me due to 1) Pan flute and 2) were getting tranq darts next patch, DOSE EM BOYZ! Buffing them would mean u need to prepare the right tools to farm them. Which i guess is a good thing. Cant ever be prepared enough!

Yes, and then these would become valid tactics for dealing with Tallbirds, as darts and pan flutes would be used-up in order to harvest eggs. The current method of running up and just taking the eggs isn't a tactic at all.

[Joyousterror]

Btw Making the tallbirds stronger doesnt seem like a problem to me due to 1) Pan flute and 2) were getting tranq darts next patch.

That's exactly the more enjoyable idea though. You have to use tools to get places in this game. If rushing in to take the egg would result in a fight which killing it would extinct the bird. Maiking several pan flutes and darts would be essential to gathering OP eggs.