initial impressions

[AndySchatz]

Played 4 times, prob around 30 minutes. Each time I progressed a little farther into the game. I didn't mind failure so much in the first 3 attempts, but since I had been playing for longer, failure in the fourth attempt was a bit frustrating. I also felt in that fourth attempt like I had discovered less than in my previous three attempts.First: Went around collecting things. Died in the night without having built anything and without light.Second: Discovered the crafting panel, built an axe. Died immediately when I attacked a spider den.Third: Figured out how to build a fire and lasted through the night. Built a pickaxe and began collecting rocks. Wasn't paying enough attention to food collection and starved in the second day.Fourth: Built a fire pit, torches, a trap. Lasted through 4 nights before starvation. Set the trap but never got it to work. Continuously felt on the edge of starvation, with little ability to improve my fate.I do like the general concept of fear driving gameplay. I also like the act of exploration and experimentation. The main sour note for me is that the challenge for me in the third and fourth attempt was in running around searching for berries and carrots, rather than in discovering new ways to improve myself. This meant that the nature of the challenge was in pixel hunting rather than creativity, exploration, experimentation. I simply didn't have time to explore ways to improve my fate since I was always on the edge of starvation. Perhaps a bigger boost for eating a carrot or berries would help.I am definitely curious to see what's next. Much simpler to get into than Minecraft, but the immediate challenge before you can get to a more relaxed, sustainable existence is much steeper. I'm looking forward to crossing that threshold of basic survival to see what's on the other side (gameplay-wise).

[AndySchatz]

Played another session, again, starved on the third day after building a firepit and a farm plot. I wasn't able to grow anything in the farm as I didn't know what to plant there (I assumed carrots, but I had to eat all the ones I found). There just aren't enough basic foodstuffs around for me to explore my options.

[Bigfoot]

Hmm... yes good point. I think perhaps there aren't enough options in the short term without hunting. Kind of hilarious considering Kevin is vegetarian.Thanks for playing, dude. Love the feedback. Also fun to watch your play-by-plays as you send in feedback through the form.

[Kevin]

Meat is murder! Don't Starve is my very own version of Shank!Ahem. I nerfed the non-meat foodstuffs a while back, From what people are saying I think I maybe should make them a little bit better. They're pretty hard to find, and the carrots at least don't grow back, so it should be OK.