Quirks

[tangmcgame]

My idea for Quirks is that they are traits you pick when you start a game that change the way you play. They all include a benefit and a drawback. You are not required to select them, and at most you could pick three per game. Not all Quirks would be available to all characters. Examples are included below to give you an idea of what I had in mind.

1/16th Werewolf on Your Mother's Side

Some in your family brag. Others keep it a dark secret. But one of your great-great-great-great-grandrelatives was a werewolf. According to legend, he or she was otherwise very polite and a generous humanitarian. Err...maybe "humanitarian" isn't the best word to use. Your health naturally regenerates at night, but when you eat vegetables or fruit you lose sanity. Also, on the full moon you quickly lose sanity.

*Ahem* Thick-Boned

Husky. Large. Bulky. These are the euphemisms you've clung to all your life to avoid being honest with yourself. You've got an appetite, no doubt, and the frame to prove it. Your maximum Hunger and Health are increased, but you receive less benefit from eating food.

Childish at Heart

Some people are childlike what with their sense of wonder at the world enormous. You are too, sure, but you're also just plain childish, whining about how hungry you are, how tired you are. Waah, waah, waah. You lose sanity much slower but you lose hunger much faster.

Entomological Enthusiast

Technically, you like all bugs, not just insects, but you're an Entomologist, darnit! Of course, your enthusiasm has led to some nasty stings and your nervous system has never fully recovered from the beating it's taken, what with all those venomous animals you like to cuddle with. You take less damage from insects or arachnids, but your maximum health is lower.

Frailbodied

You were sick a lot as a child. You didn't get to play outside much, either. On the plus side, you don't need as much to live on. On the other hand, you find it harder to live. You receive more benefit from eating food, but your maximum health and hunger are reduced.

Slacker

You'll never be a very successful person, but that doesn't bother you too much. You do exactly as much as you need to, and since you've gotten pretty good at taking shortcuts on jobs, you usually do even less than that! Structures you build require slightly fewer materials, but you can take no actions at night except to eat, sleep or fuel a fire.

Painfully Meticulous

Why do something in five minutes when you could take an hour and get it right? There are definitely benefits to taking your time, but do you really have to take so much of it? You may make up to five notations anywhere on your map, but constructing tools and structures takes three times longer.

Vegantarianist

What sort of sick, twisted, demented jerk would kill and eat a cute, innocent animal? Those hounds just wanted to be friends! And anyone who even thinks about killing a bunny is a merciless psychopath who deserves to burn. You receive more benefit from eating vegetables but you lose sanity for attacking mammals or eating meat.

Edited December 19, 2012 by tangmcgame

[Guest Dandytard]

Thick Bone... Sounds like a sort of pun I'd use, And it's usually HARD not to.

I do love the idea you've suggested though, Adding traits to the character to make it abit more unique in your own way.

The only contradiction I can find is that the developers usually give the characters a personality of a sort. If you were to add these, It might change the character into something he's not. Although as I said, I rather like these traits quite alot, as they sound very interesting.

[tangmcgame]

Like I mentioned, not all of them would be available to every character. That could be for balance reasons (Wolfgang can't take *Ahem* Thick-Boned) or for lore/personality reasons.

[Guest Dandytard]

To be honest, This sounds something like from the game of Oblivion or such, which I like. And perhaps you could make a 'custom' character. The character would still look like Wilson\the others, But you could perhaps choose the traits aswell.

[BinarySpike]

I would prefer a wide range of characters you can unlock. Though, it would be nice if you could also unlock "quirks" for each character.

[mobius187]

It reminds me of the Perks from Fallout 3... in fact, wasn't there one called "Child at Heart"?

[tangmcgame]

Yeah, there was. Or something to that effect. I won't lie, Fallout 3's perks did have some impact on this idea. But I thought a more interesting take, for this game, would be something with give and take. Yeah, you get a benefit here, but it hurts you over there. Like I said in the original post, they're supposed to alter how you play the game, but not really give you an advantage.

@BinarySpike: I could see Quirks being character specific and unlocked by playing with them. They could have hidden conditions that would unlock them (kind of like achievements). For instance, Entomological Enthusiast might be a Wickerbottom Quirk that's made available once you've harvested 200 honeys from Bee Boxes while playing as her. Each character could have maybe 6 Quirks but you could still only choose 3 and you don't have to choose any. I think I still prefer for Quirks to be generic with only a few prohibited for different characters, but I think either way could be interesting.

[mobius187]

Yeah, there was. Or something to that effect. I won't lie, Fallout 3's perks did have some impact on this idea. But I thought a more interesting take, for this game, would be something with give and take. Yeah, you get a benefit here, but it hurts you over there. Like I said in the original post, they're supposed to alter how you play the game, but not really give you an advantage.

Personally I liked the Perk system in Fallout 3 and I enjoyed how it let you customize your character creation. However, I just not sure if this is a good fit for Don't Starve, and the only reason I'm saying this ie bacuse I feel like we're being given pre-defined characters rather than being asked to create our own.

If there was an option to create a character that was a "blank slate" then make this could be an interesting option, but I wouldn't want to see it used for the established characters (i.e. Wendy). Of course this is just my opinion.

[tangmcgame]

I feel like the characters have some personality, true, but I don't feel like it's so strong that there's not a lot of room for personalization. Besides, the Quirk list could be expanded to the point where there's at least one or two that are appropriate for each character as they are. Like, for Wendy, maybe:

Aloof

Nothing gets you down. You're completely unaffected. By what? You don't know. Couldn't care less. Your sanity slowly regenerates while you stand still, but your map doesn't get filled in as much when you explore.

Perpetually Haunted

You've got a problem. Well, problems. Dead ones. Ghosts just won't quit bugging you. Sometimes they're helpful, other times they want to take your things. You know, like your toys or your food or your spleen. When an animal dies there's a chance for a ghost to rise. This ghost could be friendly or hostile.

But like I said, these should all be optional and provide no net benefit. So you don't really lose anything by not taking them. They're just more choices you get to make as a player and a way to alter gameplay in, what I feel, is a game- and theme-appropriate way.

Edited December 20, 2012 by tangmcgame