New Walani Changes


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So a new patch came out which changed the following:

  • Walani can ride big waves, in addition to small waves.
  • Surfboard durability up to 100 from 75.
  • No noticeable speed change.

Immediately went for a snakeskin sail rowboat with a torch attachment, since was way feasible.

How do you folks feel about these changes?  I welcome the effort, however don't really see myself much impacted by these if at all.  The surfboard is still the same effectively, only difference is you could technically go along the waves in the worst of the hurricane season, but that's a brief period functional for over one season, and you're still not very durable, particularly fast (discounting the speed boosts) or light efficient (boat lights last longer than simple torches).

So the surfboard is just a fun little toy with no on-going practical use, which I feel isn't quite right for a surfing character.

I would still like to see Walani capable of at least surfing the waves (going against them, not along them), with higher surfing speed (between cloth and featherlite speeds of 35% yielding a surfboard sailing speed of 8 up from 6.5).  And higher durability than a shoddily put together raft, without matching a proper board-built boat of 175 (rafts have 150, row boat has 250).

Above changes would definitely make me keep the surfboard, even though I would be sacrificing 6 extra slots on a cargo boat or massively higher durability on an armored boat, or maximum speed on any ironwind boat.

Shy of such changes I still can't see the surfboat as anything other than an early game convenience item which is kept as a decoration at best for later on, completely removing the "surfer" image from Walani.

What are your views on the matter?  Any others who feel character is still lacking or are you motivated to keep using her surfboard now?

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Riding Big Waves is probably also useful for, say, artificially created waves from monster attacks or volcano impacts.

One thing that could make the Surfboard more useful is if it allowed for better manoeuvrability than a boat by instantly moving at top speed after stopping, making kiting enemies at sea and reacting to trouble a bit easier. (I don't know if this already exists or not. I don't have time to check.)

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12 minutes ago, SapphireBullets said:

Riding Big Waves is probably also useful for, say, artificially created waves from monster attacks or volcano impacts.

One thing that could make the Surfboard more useful is if it allowed for better manoeuvrability than a boat by instantly moving at top speed after stopping, making kiting enemies at sea and reacting to trouble a bit easier. (I don't know if this already exists or not. I don't have time to check.)

Big waves generally tend to come at you, meaning you'd have to first maneuver past them, and back onto them, which would be a little weird, if you already dodged them, there wouldn't be much use other than trying to run away to ride them again.

Also, the surfboard still works like a boat, has a speed of 6.5 and no slots, durability of 100.  Movement physics seem to be shared across all boats, and I agree with maneuvering, particularly for the surfboard could do with some sharpening up.

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why not just make her surfboard invincible and make it so any damage done to is done to walani instead, then you have permanent ability to sail, you dont run into the paradox of needing a science machine to build the surfboard then instantly realizing you could just make the rowboat.

I also kind of want her to hold her surfboard in her hands and use it as a makeshift umbrella, make sense for someone who's whole thing is being immune to wetness.

But yea these changes dont solve the underlying problem that wicker bottom is better for early sailing, Maxwell is better for sanity and ignoring wetness and neither of them have only that as their "powers", Walani needs something that allows her to be played differently to everyone else, otherwise shes just beardless Wilson like the old dont starve character used to be.

 

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I have a similar opinion. These buffs are nice but surfboard is still "early game pocket boat". She is still bland, with not much lategame potential. I have no idea why the devs even let her be playable in RoG like this.

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6 hours ago, ZeroGrim said:

why not just make her surfboard invincible and make it so any damage done to is done to walani instead, then you have permanent ability to sail, you dont run into the paradox of needing a science machine to build the surfboard then instantly realizing you could just make the rowboat.

I also kind of want her to hold her surfboard in her hands and use it as a makeshift umbrella, make sense for someone who's whole thing is being immune to wetness.

But yea these changes dont solve the underlying problem that wicker bottom is better for early sailing, Maxwell is better for sanity and ignoring wetness and neither of them have only that as their "powers", Walani needs something that allows her to be played differently to everyone else, otherwise shes just beardless Wilson like the old dont starve character used to be.

 

You don't need science machine for new surfboard. You just collect few seashells and hammer few crates.

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I guess we can conclude the changes, while welcome are not yet sufficient to bring out Walani's uniqueness.

Assuming the surfboard is made fully game viable with upcoming changes, something along the lines of what has been suggested already, do you gals and guys think we'd need to add drawbacks? If so, which and how would this impact her in RoG.

I know sanity isn't the way to go, hunger's been tweaked already and her health can't really be lowered anymore.

8 hours ago, ZeroGrim said:

why not just make her surfboard invincible and make it so any damage done to is done to walani instead, then you have permanent ability to sail, you dont run into the paradox of needing a science machine to build the surfboard then instantly realizing you could just make the rowboat.

I like the direct character health damage, provided numbers reflect her already lower health value.

Also as @magia pointed out, science machine is not necessary for any character specific recipes, including surfboard. A science machine however will make the surfboard redundant as it stand by crafting a rowboat instead.

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5 hours ago, Luponius said:

A science machine however will make the surfboard redundant as it stand by crafting a rowboat instead.

In my opinion it would be enough, if she could craft a better mid/late game board that has a sail slot.

That would make her board the fastest thing in the sea and players could choose if they want to have:

staying power - Armored Boat

speed - Sail Surfboard

storrage - Cargo Boat

The speed would actually be a reason to use her.

P.S.

A Sentient Surfboard would be nice, but a board with a sail slot would give her a decent role in the game.

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7 minutes ago, SapphireBullets said:

Question about the Sailboard idea, would the Sailboard be pick-up-able and would the sail detach into the inventory when it was picked up?

It would act like a normal surf board, you can pick it up and put in on land,

but it will have a sail slot and can be combined with any sails. (except the iron wind)

So you need 2 item slots for the board and the sail, if you choose to carry it around in your inventory.

It should be no problem to integrate it that way and just think at that speed boost:

Surfboard + Feather Sail + wave riding = profit

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I like all the unique characters and items and I don't feel forced to make use out of every "ability" they get. I played tons of Wes, cuz hes hilarious and awesome. You can adjust the difficulty of the game by altering your play-style, character, world settings, and of course mods. This is just one of the reasons i keep playing this game with 250+ hours on my steam account, and nearly 200 hours on DST.

That being said... i think Walani's Surfboard and Woodlegs "built-in life vest" would go nice together...

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2 hours ago, HeilerderWelten said:

It would act like a normal surf board, you can pick it up and put in on land,

but it will have a sail slot and can be combined with any sails. (except the iron wind)

So you need 2 item slots for the board and the sail, if you choose to carry it around in your inventory.

It should be no problem to integrate it that way and just think at that speed boost:

Surfboard + Feather Sail + wave riding = profit

I do like the idea of directly upgrading the surfboard with a single sail slot, although I don't think that's what surfboards are like :p

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I wasn't posting my opinions on this topic earlier, because I wasn't playing Walani much. Since then I played her few times and I think that:

On 25.02.2016 at 11:00 PM, Luponius said:

I would still like to see Walani capable of at least surfing the waves (going against them, not along them), with higher surfing speed (between cloth and featherlite speeds of 35% yielding a surfboard sailing speed of 8 up from 6.5).  And higher durability than a shoddily put together raft, without matching a proper board-built boat of 175 (rafts have 150, row boat has 250).

This would be a nice addition :-)

On 26.02.2016 at 1:13 PM, HeilerderWelten said:

In my opinion it would be enough, if she could craft a better mid/late game board that has a sail slot.

That would make her board the fastest thing in the sea and players could choose if they want to have:

But this idea is the best in my opinion :-)

In any case she is very fun character - having a surfboard is great! Only problem now, is just her perks are weak... So buffing her up seem a good idea.

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