The season problem's solution

[XirmiX]

I'm sure that a lot of people who play in open maps, have experienced the fact that they enter during winter. This is a very big problem, if the base is not close to the spawn area. My suggestion for this, is that people that join the game during winter, would have some basic resources to survive the season. Not like in Adventure mode, where you have a chest of stuff, but straight in their inventory. So if they join during Winter, someone would get like a stack of logs, grass, twigs, flint, a winter hat, thermal stone and breezy vest. Same for other seasons once the DLC comes in, say in Spring you would get: Rain hat and Umbrella (Spring isn't too much of a hard season, once you have the rain protective equipment, as stuff regrows really fast). And if joining in summer: A stack of nitre, grass, logs, twigs, flint, Summer frest and Thermal stone. Because an endothermic fire requires most people a science machine in RoG, it would either need to be possible to craft without a machine in DST, or a science machine would be needed near the spawn point. And say if you start at night or dusk you would get a bit of grass, twigs, flint and logs, unless it's a harsh season (Winter, RoG's summer, RoG's spring) as you would have. You would also get a torch in your hand slot straight away if it's night time, and just for the sake of complete newbies, the torch would be in your inventory instead if it's dusk.

 

This all would however occur in those situations and if you're entering the game for the first time, so you couldn't just join, leave, come back again and get more stuff. It would be a bit like more starting items, which are given to you depending on what season and time of day you are in.

 

EDIT: starting with some food items during RoG summer and Winter would be better as well. But just some, as people need to co-operate to not starve

[Sleestak]

I like this idea, but I think that it shouldn't be free resources for any starting player.

 

I think that there should be a package that a player can craft, and once the player consumes the package, it goes into a virtual pool of, so that the next time a player joins while it's winter, if there's a winter package in the virtual pool, then they get the items, and if not, they get nothing. (Same goes for other seasonal packages, obviously)

[XirmiX]

I like this idea, but I think that it shouldn't be free resources for any starting player.

 

I think that there should be a package that a player can craft, and once the player consumes the package, it goes into a virtual pool of, so that the next time a player joins while it's winter, if there's a winter package in the virtual pool, then they get the items, and if not, they get nothing. (Same goes for other seasonal packages, obviously)

I see where you're going with this, however this would not work, as the first person playing, would need resources for himself/herself and he or she could be going far away in a swamp during the time. There would be no time for making any packages. Right now I played my hosted map, and people just kept freezing, but I was somewhere else and I didn't have enough resources for everyone, especially, if a person consumes something and then leaves, without dropping what they have taken. This is why what you said would not work. If items are given from the start, they would have enough to survive a few days and also to find the base, as well as help out those who are playing, which would be even more helpful if the people who have already been playing for a while were running low on resources. That way there would be non-intentional ghost parties, with a map that's hundreds, or even thousands of days old.

[rezecib]

There were a couple of threads on this already, mainly this one. SethR said there that he feels pretty strongly that giving items is not the right way to do it.

 

As I said there, personally I think this could be handled the same way as the spawn light-- if the last time a player joined was not during the current winter, then upon joining they should get a little warmth aura where they enter, which lasts a day. Any other solution would be too exploitable, I think.

 

Edit: The winter package crafting idea is interesting, though, but I think it's pretty close to just leaving a winter welcome kit at the spawn. If the spawn point weren't bugged and changing periodically, that is...

[Sleestak]

The winter package crafting idea is interesting, though, but I think it's pretty close to just leaving a winter welcome kit at the spawn. If the spawn point weren't bugged and changing periodically, that is...

 

Yeah, once they fix that spawn point bug, (if it is a bug, because I think it's a neat thing in my opinion, having everyone spawn at different places) my idea would be entirely useless, but it's just a suggestion

[Ridley]

You know, I tried setting up a telelocator focus at the base and leaving telestaffs at the spawn point. In theory that should of solved every problem, but the game threw me a new one. There is no set spawn point it seems.

 

Maybe players could opt to have the shadow hands move them to my base or to myself when joining the server the first time.

[Toros]

Just make some signs leading to your base and some meat effigys when their ghost gets there.

Problem solved.

[J192]

Because helping them out yourself is boring, right?

There's communication, use it.

[Starvation]

Why don't you just start on the default first day on winter (like in DS vanilla) instead of the middle of Winter. Cos if u remember in single player, when winter comes, u don't freeze at all on the first day of winter in singleplayer right? [or am i wrong?]. Just do that. 

 

OR disable freezing mechanic for the first 2 days. Simple. No items or complicated starting packages needed.

[The Letter W]

I think I've said this twice before, but as a server host, it's your job to make sure players are accounted for when they join the server. That includes setting up a starter kit at the spawn point (I believe it's been fixed that it won't be jumping around, yes?). I've done that and people usually seem to be quite tickled to see there's a Winter Hat, Breezy Vest and a Fire Pit where they spawn. I also dug up turf that points to the base I have. (Though they're a bit harder to see in the winter... considering replacing it with trees.)

[Mickmane]

I think I've said this twice before, but as a server host, it's your job to make sure players are accounted for when they join the server. That includes setting up a starter kit at the spawn point (I believe it's been fixed that it won't be jumping around, yes?). I've done that and people usually seem to be quite tickled to see there's a Winter Hat, Breezy Vest and a Fire Pit where they spawn. I also dug up turf that points to the base I have. (Though they're a bit harder to see in the winter... considering replacing it with trees.)

 

Wow, that's a nice attitude.

 

I got a key from a friend the other day, so I'm rather new to DST. He couldn't play with me then (he's also on the other side of the Atlantic), so I just joined nice-sounding server names.

 

First game I joined seemed stripped of rock and flint. I ran around for ages and found 1 flint eventually. There were 2 other players, one responded with a vague 'north' to me asking where they are, which didn't help at all, as there was just a small peninsula. After a while I said I'd just let the night monster get me and the so far silent other guy said I should build my own camp. When I asked what with, he called me names. I left.

 

2nd game was a nice guy, but I was rubberbanding, so while sorry I had to, I left.

 

3rd game had a planted grass arrow! ) They were struggling with winter themselves, but they had the same idea as I about 'playing together'; sharing and helping. We were ghosts a lot of the time, but it was enjoyable. Made Steam friends and playing more with them.

 

I met another nice player too (also now a Steam friend), so they are definitely in the majority.

 

Your attitude is kinda 200% of what I expect, uber cool. I'm happy with the grass arrow and the attitude of the other players being cooperative, sharing when in need.

 

More on-topic, I like the idea of limited freeze-immunity upon first joining, just like there's a light at night upon first joining.

[serpent]

I do agree with the 'kind' attitude, in together surviving is about helping .

But as is with all people, some are nice, some are not, so sometimes you have to fend off for yourself becaus A) The team does not have sufficient resources or B) they are maxwell's apprentices laughing on your demise.

 

So i think mickmane's last sentence about 'I like the idea of limited freeze-immunity upon first joining, just like there's a light at night upon first joining..' is the most fairest, this would not give any free items, and it would not be gamebreaking balance-wise. It just gives the player a chance of survival upon joining in winter.

[acemurdock]

I think I've said this twice before, but as a server host, it's your job to make sure players are accounted for when they join the server. 

 

 Was coming in to say this.

It's more of a hole in the current players' strategy if they don't set something up for new players joining. It's just another new facet of the play experience that has to be accounted for now, especially when RoG is added with more seasons and rain. 

[XirmiX]

So, what should we have overall? I don't think devs will respond to this as a good idea, so setting up a mod which works this way would be great. May be I'll try and make this mod when I have time.

[The Letter W]

So, what should we have overall? I don't think devs will respond to this as a good idea, so setting up a mod which works this way would be great. May be I'll try and make this mod when I have time.

 

I know Seth mentioned he didn't want to just give out items, though whether or not they'll do a temporary heating aura is currently unknown.

[CuteCatFace]

I am sure everyone will ignore this but why not just make it so the server tells you what season its currently in and its current day/night cycle. That way you can jump on when it makes the most sense for you to.

[rezecib]

I am sure everyone will ignore this but why not just make it so the server tells you what season its currently in and its current day/night cycle. That way you can jump on when it makes the most sense for you to.

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.

Edit: Wow, I didn't realized until after posting this how well these mesh together. It's almost like he's responding directly to you! (not being snarky, just genuine surprise)

[greenglacier]

C'mon @XirmiX you can't want that from me to read that wall of text T_T Ain't everybody go time for that while working.

[XirmiX]

C'mon @XirmiX you can't want that from me to read that wall of text T_T Ain't everybody go time for that while working.

Wall of what text?

[greenglacier]

*gah* Dies in text addition.

[The Letter W]

Admittedly, it's only the first Winter I have issues with getting a Starter Kit up since I'm usually still building up my own stuff. My second summer usually has it up though. I also leave tools in there (Axe, Shovel, small stack of flint and twgs) so they can do a bit of exploring themselves. The only thing I could see being useful that doesn't upset the game would be a heat aura that lasts for maybe half of a day. Long enough for someone to find you, but not so long as it starts becoming ridiculous as you could just go punch Winter it its ugly face.

[Yoyoto]

Heat aura doesn't sound awful... You could easily get the resources for a fire, even basic winter wear... Maybe you should run with that.

[XirmiX]

Look. Host's attitude towards clients isn't supposed to be abtallbird feeding its smallbirds. It's annoying that people can't do anything by themselves in a public server just because they joined during winter. So you're telling me that a day or so would be fine with heat aura to let people get to base and use the base's items to play. As I said, it's annoying and stupid. DST is about helping each other instead of hostpreparing everything for clients to enjoy the game. The system sucks. What is wrong with some free items anyway? With clients being helpless makes you think as the host being the only good player, like the god of the server. It sucks. There is no point in people playing publically if all host has to do is feed everyone his loot. It's like having followers but instead of pigs or something like that you have actual people who can't do anything. Just because you're doing good doesn't mean you have to shed all your stuff for some random person because they cannot take care of themselves as there's no way for them to make progress for themselves. DST is about progressing individually and then sharing the progress instead of having the host progress and then feed the clients like sheep. If you still don't get my point, then you probably need to stop playing DST. Just saying...

[SuperPsiPower]

I Thought of the idea that the lights spawn would also radiate heat, but only for a few minutes, after that your on your own. 

[XirmiX]

I Thought of the idea that the lights spawn would also radiate heat, but only for a few minutes, after that your on your own.

I think those lights shouldn't even be there, butbinstead everyone would spawn in with torches if it's dusk or night time (torch in inventory if you come in during dusk and torch in your hand slot if you come in during night). The reason for this is because the lights are just way too OP! The reason for this is because you can avoid night with them. Leave your world, join again and BAM you have the lights to protect you wherever you are from darkness and this is for the host AND the client I'm talking about. Torches on the other hand are temporary. They would only be spawning for clients if it's dusk or night when they FISRT join and night would only be avoidable by clients if they leave, wait a few minutes and then join back. If they can't be patient they would die from the night. See what I'm talking about? Game needs to stop this bs and needs resources as starting items. No lights, no heat aura, no host as a shephard taking care of their client sheep.