How to resolve problems joining a server in wintertime? Suggestions?

[goldfish911]

Ok, so first of all, a quick anecdote.

I joined a server that was open today in DST, ready to start summer survival. Then i realized it was night and wintertime. Being Willow, I got out my lighter and started looking for materials. But wintertime is a horrendously cold thing, and I started freezing. I found a base which I used to make myself some earmuffs, but I couldn't do much else because I found no tools or flint lying around.That's rather problematic.

 

So here are some suggestions:

1. When players join a server, they get an axe and torch, and maybe a warm hat?

2. Add an X-day grace period where one is immune to freezing.

3.Implement passively rejuvenating flint(like those other musltiplayer survival games)

4.Do nothing i.e.  Hope that people are kind enough to leave a fire pit, trees, and supply of axes near the spawn point with some other goodies for new players.

 

Any other suggestions/ideas?Opinions? Reply below!

 

[rezecib]

Given how exploitable the cave light upon joining at night is, I don't see why the same rule shouldn't apply to joining in winter. Say, a campfire appears that can't light nearby things on fire and can't be refueled.

 

Granted, I think all of these rescue-on-join things are a temporary patch. I'd guess cave lights were added because they already existed, while the campfires would take a little extra coding.

[ChesterSpy]

maybe you can spawn with earmuffs and a heat stone next to a fire?

[The Letter W]

I was thinking the same start it gives you for King of Winter, more or less. Things are on fire and you get a Thermal Stone, and some things for a couple fires.

I was meaning to drop a starter kit at the spawn point in my world, but it may have changed it on me...

[PiTHON]

I was thinking the same start it gives you for King of Winter, more or less. Things are on fire and you get a Thermal Stone, and some things for a couple fires.

I was meaning to drop a starter kit at the spawn point in my world, but it may have changed it on me...

 

I would say just fix the spawn points changing thing (which does appear to be a thing, I don't think you're going crazy ), then add some code that makes you stay warm somehow as long as you are in spawn -- though if you go more than a screen or two away from spawn you lose that ability so you can't exploit it, or just make it last only half a day or so. That way you can hang out for a while until someone makes their way to you instead of the ~45 seconds you get right now. I *think* this code is already there for a light, I remember re-joining a server I was on before and there was a skylight over me and I wasn't at spawn, but it didn't stay. So maybe it's as simple as changing that skylight to also warm as if it's a fire.

 

I would rather they not hand out free items just because it's winter, I would rather have the players themselves  place starter kits and maintain them as it adds another dimension to the DST experience (for public servers, anyway).

[The Letter W]

I would say just fix the spawn points changing thing (which does appear to be a thing, I don't think you're going crazy ), then add some code that makes you stay warm somehow as long as you are in spawn -- though if you go more than a screen or two away from spawn you lose that ability so you can't exploit it, or just make it last only half a day or so. That way you can hang out for a while until someone makes their way to you instead of the ~45 seconds you get right now. I *think* this code is already there for a light, I remember re-joining a server I was on before and there was a skylight over me and I wasn't at spawn, but it didn't stay. So maybe it's as simple as changing that skylight to also warm as if it's a fire.

 

I would rather they not hand out free items just because it's winter, I would rather have the players themselves  place starter kits and maintain them as it adds another dimension to the DST experience (for public servers, anyway).

 

That would work too! I wasn't aware the spawn changing was any sort of bug, as I thought they had said at one point that there were multiple spawn points.

[Ridley]

I restart the server after announcing that it is winter in the server title. I still try to rush to new players, but they join knowing it is winter now. 

[Tulingu]

Temporary immunity to freezing sounds like an idea. That way the player won't be given bonus items BUT still have time to make it back to camp.

[cranberry]

I would say just fix the spawn points changing thing (which does appear to be a thing, I don't think you're going crazy ), 

 

 

THANK you!  I did not know that was a thing. (Ha! Do you hear that, Terrorbeaks? Now begone!)

 

I also prefer the method of letting existing players in the world provide the necessary winter-survival items at the spawn point(s) for incoming players. If it is a non-PVP world and you haven't passworded the server, it's because you want strangers to come in and work together - so it makes sense that it should be your job to help them survive their entry into your harsh winter world. 

 

I tend to just leave a couple of backpacks at the spawn point containing logs, grass, twigs, torch, axe, and earmuffs/winter hat. That's all an incoming player requires in order to survive long enough to get to camp.

[MaximilionM]

My Friend and I have made a game, and right by the spawning point we build a little satellite camp so new players can easily get started. its self sufficient and players can eat and take what they need, but should replace it whenever possible

 

So players can join at night or winter and they will be safe!

 

 

[GoshJosh]

I don't like the idea of giving players free items upon spawning. A temporary freezing immunity (1-day?) would suffice. Like many others have stated...people that have an open server can make starter camps, or even just a fire-pit would help. I'm so excited for this game.

[Halielman]

I think that maybe starter items (hat and vest?) Just like in adventure mode so they won't freeze and be able to get resources.

[cptCalavera]

I would say that spawning a burning fire and heatstone is enough.

[Quady14]

I would say that spawning a burning fire and heatstone is enough.

 

Agreed, in all honestly while it is the bare minimum, a Heat Stone can take you through most of Winter as long as you keep recharging it, so while joining a server in Winter may be a little rough at first, you can at least make some progress on your own or find others who can outfit you with some more essentials like a puffy vest and winter hat, anything along those lines.

[RationalLemming]

I restart the server after announcing that it is winter in the server title. I still try to rush to new players, but they join knowing it is winter now. 

 

I don't have DST so I don't know what is displayed for games in the lobby. It seems to me that it is necessary for people such as yourself to update the server title manually with the season. Perhaps Klei could automatically add display extra details in the multiplayer lobby for each day. Information such as season, day/twilight/night and perhaps how old the world is (e.g. 3 days, 79 days, etc) would seem useful and then people would at least be able to choose if they join a server in winter or at night.

 

A fix is tricky but I think that spawning some items should be considered. It is not known how much of the surrounding countryside has been stripped of resources. There may just not be enough to build some basic survival gear. If people are concerned about new players getting free loot then perhaps the items could all be nearly destroyed (e.g. 25% remaining) and therefore will only last a short period of time anyway.

[Zomsabra]

Yea I spawned in as Wickerbottom and froze to death in seconds, I then found the main base after wandering as a ghost for awhile.

Maybe there could be some way to set spawns, maybe a craftable like the telltale heart?

[OrderedChaos]

Temporary immunity to freezing sounds like an idea. That way the player won't be given bonus items BUT still have time to make it back to camp.

 

This is probably the best suggestion so far to deal with this problem.

[SethR]

Perhaps Klei could automatically add display extra details in the multiplayer lobby for each day. Information such as season, day/twilight/night and perhaps how old the world is (e.g. 3 days, 79 days, etc) would seem useful and then people would at least be able to choose if they join a server in winter or at night.

 

We've been planning on doing exactly that from the get-go, in fact. We're still working on some tech to be able to include specific information about the current state of a game in the data sent to the server browser, but hopefully we'll be able to show this more detailed view before long.

 

As for the question of whether or not we give you any items (or other similar special-casing) when you spawn in winter, I feel pretty strongly that it's not the way to go. It's true that such solutions alleviate the difficulty of starting in winter. However, I'm not convinced that it's a problem that actually needs solving. Once we've hooked up the additional information about the state of the world in the server browser, you'll know that you're joining a server that's currently in Winter. If you've not played on that server before, that's a direct analogy to customizing your world gen options to be a Winter start--in the single player, you don't get any extra items when you do that. Further, I've noticed people starting to set up "welcome packages" at the spawn point in their server that give newcomers the bare necessities while they make their way to the base. It's a cool moment and is much more interesting socially than any designer-enforced similar solution.

[Colev]

You could spawn new players by the nearest firepit, at least on the non-pvp servers.

[Halved]

You could spawn new players by the nearest firepit, at least on the non-pvp servers.

I don't see how tha could work, but mostly I don't see why. It just sounds odd...the normal spawn point is ok.

[YodaNukudawa]

It is easy to survive even in extreme cold because you can burn down trees with a torch, and torches are easy to make. Problem becomes spawns during summer when there are no possible quick way to normalize your temperature. In my opinion from all the 4 seasons summer is the hardest to survive, specially if you are playing very long seasons.

[Halielman]

It is easy to survive even in extreme cold because you can burn down trees with a torch, and torches are easy to make. Problem becomes spawns during summer when there are no possible quick way to normalize your temperature. In my opinion from all the 4 seasons summer is the hardest to survive, specially if you are playing very long seasons.

There is no overheating since dont starve together Is vanilla don't starve currently(minus the wonderfull caves)

[TheKingofSquirrels]

Ok, so first of all, a quick anecdote.

I joined a server that was open today in DST, ready to start summer survival. Then i realized it was night and wintertime. Being Willow, I got out my lighter and started looking for materials. But wintertime is a horrendously cold thing, and I started freezing. I found a base which I used to make myself some earmuffs, but I couldn't do much else because I found no tools or flint lying around.That's rather problematic.

 

So here are some suggestions:

1. When players join a server, they get an axe and torch, and maybe a warm hat?

2. Add an X-day grace period where one is immune to freezing.

3.Implement passively rejuvenating flint(like those other musltiplayer survival games)

4.Do nothing i.e.  Hope that people are kind enough to leave a fire pit, trees, and supply of axes near the spawn point with some other goodies for new players.

 

Any other suggestions/ideas?Opinions? Reply below!

 

I like the third and second suggestion. 

[ichigo]

My suggestion would be to spawn on a lit campfire, so when you are joining a game, you don't have to find the other player, you simply join them in the person's base. Lets say I am in my game, I am building my base. I see a prompt that says "Wilson is waiting to join your server" Accept or Decline. I hit accept, and on Wislon's end, he'll see "Waiting to Join Server" into "Spawning near somewhere warm" and You spawn on the next campfire that is light by the host / player within the game. Solves the problem of "care packages" and does not have to give people who join the server any new items.