Rabbit Earmuffs should NOT require a Science Machine

[Delannion]

These would be the perfect hat for players who join/start a game during winter, as the necessary ingredients should all be available in the starting biome, but the requirement of a Science Machine throws all of that out the window.  

 

Considering what a weak item they are and how simple the materials are, being available without a Science Machine is fitting and would encourage players to be braver about joining a server during winter.  

 

Any player who does have access to a Science Machine is likely to have access to silk and/or beefalo as well, making it unlikely they'll opt for earmuffs in the first place.

 

Let's all take a moment to acknowledge just how brutally difficult it is to avoid freezing without winter gear.  Even as a very experienced player I have a rough time when I join a server during winter.  For players who are less than expert, joining a winter server isn't just difficult, it's impossible.  

[Silentdarkness1]

It is true that it is hard to survive winter if you don't know how things work in Don't Starve. Which is why it is so heartily reccommended to get good at singleplayer before you go diving into multiplayer.

 

Existing players should always give incoming players a fair shot, instead of letting em flap around in the breeze. You can't control what the season is if you're a new player. The intention is that one of the old players will lend you some earmuffs, give you some basic materials for a Science Machine so you can put together your own.

[Mr.Mulk]

It would be interesting if there was a game mechanic where people joining a DST server  in Winter or just before would be granted the blueprints for rabbit earmuffs or maybe just the earmuffs themselves. I think I saw some stuff about this on the mods workshop.

[Trenix]

It is true that it is hard to survive winter if you don't know how things work in Don't Starve. Which is why it is so heartily reccommended to get good at singleplayer before you go diving into multiplayer.

 

Don't Starve Together is balanced off of multiplayer. Therefore there is no singleplayer unless you're recommending players to buy the singleplayer version of Don't Starve.

[Silentdarkness1]

Don't Starve Together is balanced off of multiplayer. Therefore there is no singleplayer unless you're recommending players to buy the singleplayer version of Don't Starve.

 

Well yes, that is exactly what I am suggesting, actually.... Seems like DST is quite often bundled alongside it......

[Trenix]

Well yes, that is exactly what I am suggesting, actually.... Seems like DST is quite often bundled alongside it......

 

But I don't want singleplayer. I never bothered getting this game until multiplayer was released. Therefore I don't want to spend money on something that I don't want.

[Silentdarkness1]

Think of it like this, Trenix.

 

What do a lot of good multiplayer games have? A solo mode, so that you can train by yourself, get familiar with all the mechanics before joining a multiplayer game. Killing Floor and Left 4 Dead both do this, among many many others.

 

Now, granted, this is Don't Starve, where you learn the most about things by simply experimenting with them yourselves....

 

However, aren't we getting off topic now?

[The Letter W]

Given it's just a tiny boost of warmth, I don't think it's a bad idea. It's a pretty simple recipe and could save people in a pinch.

I'm for it, sure, seeing as you don't start with the items and still have to not freeze while acquiring them.

[Trenix]

Think of it like this, Trenix.

 

What do a lot of good multiplayer games have? A solo mode, so that you can train by yourself, get familiar with all the mechanics before joining a multiplayer game. Killing Floor and Left 4 Dead both do this, among many many others.

 

Now, granted, this is Don't Starve, where you learn the most about things by simply experimenting with them yourselves....

 

However, aren't we getting off topic now?

 

A good multiplayer game does not need a solo mode or even a tutorial.

[SaberYourNeighbour]

YUP! the earmuffs are pretty much useless when you have a science or alchemy machine because you now likely have other things to craft. A noob item like earmuffs should require no machine because they are useless under that tier. With their insulation being less than winter hats and beefalo hats, etc, they dont deserve same tier as something like a beefalo hat which is far warmer.

[Silentdarkness1]

A good multiplayer game does not need a solo mode or even a tutorial.

I disagree whole-heartedly with this. You may be confusing good with simple. A good multiplayer game is one that makes it easy to get along with other players and work together to achieve victory. That does not mean that the game mechanics neccessarily have to be so simple that they take only a matter of minutes to learn.

[Brain]

Great idea OP. Small change that will make public servers more alive after the first few days.

[Trenix]

I disagree whole-heartedly with this. You may be confusing good with simple. A good multiplayer game is one that makes it easy to get along with other players and work together to achieve victory. That does not mean that the game mechanics neccessarily have to be so simple that they take only a matter of minutes to learn.

 

I've played many survival games that never had singleplayer or a tutorial and they're great games.

[Silentdarkness1]

But the mechanics were no doubt simplified so that they would be more easily accessible without singleplayer/tutorial......Don't Starve is not a simple game, this much is for sure. Which is why I stand by the fact that you are better served having played some singleplayer before trying multiplayer.

 

Actually, some sort of quickstart guide full of helpful tips for newcomers would be good for the DST general discussion forums....

[Trenix]

But the mechanics were no doubt simplified so that they would be more easily accessible without singleplayer/tutorial......Don't Starve is not a simple game, this much is for sure. Which is why I stand by the fact that you are better served having played some singleplayer before trying multiplayer.

 

Actually, some sort of quickstart guide full of helpful tips for newcomers would be good for the DST general discussion forums....

 

Since when are survival games simple? No, most survival games don't have a tutorial and they're far from simple. I'm going to assume that you're new to this survival genre. Minecraft doesn't have a tutorial, Wurm Online didn't have a tutorial when I played, Life is Feudal doesn't have a tutorial, Xsyon didn't have a tutorial when I played not sure if it does now, and I can go on and on.

[Johnnyprofane]

Since when are survival games simple? No, most survival games don't have a tutorial and they're far from simple. I'm going to assume that you're new to this survival genre. Minecraft doesn't have a tutorial, Wurm Online didn't have a tutorial when I played, Life is Feudal doesn't have a tutorial, Xsyon didn't have a tutorial when I played not sure if it does now, and I can go on and on.

This is true. But how many people do you know who pick up minecraft (STOP COMPARING DST TO MINECRAFT! MINECRAFT IS A GLORIFIED LEGO SIMULATOR NOT A SURVIVAL GAME! Even hardcore mode only kind of comes close to a survival game, and just barely!) either without a friend or looking up recipes? Personally, 0. But that's exactly what people new to DST do when jointing a new server. Sure, the recipe thing doesn't translate because recipes are all conveniently listed, but the point is building things isn't the hard part of DST, surviving is. Does dying in Life is Feudal penalize everyone else playing? No? Oh. Well then they really aren't comparable either are they? DS was supposed to be a roguelike survival game. So unless you want to compare DST to other roguelike survival games don't compare it all.

That being said, seeing as it was supposed to be a roguelike, I don't believe a tutorial is in order. Roguelike tutorials are experienced through dying over and over. This is best done in single player. Single player means DS, not DST. I.e. Buy DS and learn how to play.

Edit: also, not just death loses you your crap survival games, but everyone suffers for your death. Find a game like that then compare it. Otherwise all your comparisons are pointless. (Technically you don't get kicked from a server in DST wilderness when dying but you should!)

Edit 2: had to try and make this post on topic. I think that absolutely the rabbit earmuffs shouldn't require a science machine, but given that to get them on a winter start a new player would have to find enough grass and twigs to make a trap, then trap two rabbits, plus find additional twigs to make the earmuffs, it still would be quite difficult. But much easier than doing the same and getting a science machine. The change wouldn't be game breaking and would be a step in the right direction though!

[Trenix]

This is true. But how many people do you know who pick up minecraft (STOP COMPARING DST TO MINECRAFT! MINECRAFT IS A GLORIFIED LEGO SIMULATOR NOT A SURVIVAL GAME! Even hardcore mode only kind of comes close to a survival game, and just barely!) either without a friend or looking up recipes?

I'm not understanding what you're saying. I know plenty of players who picked up Minecraft to play with and without friends. Also the wiki is a required for Minecraft, without using the wiki you'd never reach the full potential of the game because you'd never know certain blocks and items exist without checking it.

 

Does dying in Life is Feudal penalize everyone else playing? No? Oh. Well then they really aren't comparable either are they? DS was supposed to be a roguelike survival game. So unless you want to compare DST to other roguelike survival games don't compare it all.

First off, having one player penalize everyone on the server is a terrible concept. It not only ruins Wilderness Mode, but it forces people to make private servers because of the excessive griefing possibilities with this feature. The developers already implemented replenishable resources for a reason. Also most survival games are roguelike, Minecraft included.

 

That being said, seeing as it was supposed to be a roguelike, I don't believe a tutorial is in order. Roguelike tutorials are experienced through dying over and over. This is best done in single player. Single player means DS, not DST. I.e. Buy DS and learn how to play.

Sorry I don't agree with you, if the developers encourage what you're saying, then they're just greedy.

 

Edit: also, not just death loses you your crap survival games, but everyone suffers for your death. Find a game like that then compare it. Otherwise all your comparisons are pointless. (Technically you don't get kicked from a server in DST wilderness when dying but you should!)

Only in Survival mode do others get penalized from your death, what are you talking about?

[GalloViking]

Think of it like this, Trenix.

 

What do a lot of good multiplayer games have? A solo mode, so that you can train by yourself, get familiar with all the mechanics before joining a multiplayer game.

 

Just to be clear, multiplayer in this game is fanservice. It was never intended and was added because there were so many poeple begging for it that they finally added it just to keep them quiet for a while. Now what? Because this game was never supposed to be multiplayer, it has an incredible amounts of flaws that must be fixed hence two things:

 

1) Updates. Tons of updates.

2) Solo version of Don't Starve is slowly fading away.

 

Poeple cannot understand that Don't Starve Together is not balanced and can't be balanced. Now devs are wasting their time to keep updating the game over and over to please DST fans.

 

This problem of players joining a server during winter just to freeze to death during their first day is just one consequence.