What do you think of Don't Starve's difficulty?

[jotun]

I've been killed by hounds, spiders, pigs, tentacles, tallbirds, bees, and treeguards. I've never felt threatened by a scarcity of resources though, which seems like it should be the main focus of the game's difficulty. My starting area has enough berries, rabbits, and gobblers to feed a family of five indefinitely. I only occasionally need to leave to get flint/gold for making new tools.

The initial series of deaths, for people who don't go online to look these things up, comes mostly from curiosity or small mistakes. What happens if I hit this bee hive? What happens if I take this egg? Can I take out this spider nest? Oops, I accidentally attacked a pig. Once you learn the basics of what not to fight, what to fight, and how to fight, the difficulty just becomes a matter of surviving increasingly ridiculous hound attacks and the inevitable spider queen takeover.

I think the game needs to provide more impetus for moving from place to place, and less threats from things like hounds. Maybe you could have a goal to reach some far-away place where you can be rescued, and the environment becomes more hostile the farther you go (less food and resources, more dangers).

[Kevin]

Hey guys,

Some good discussion here, just be sure to keep things civil. Different people play the game differently.

In my opinion, the "early game" is balanced pretty well. Once you have things figured out, it gets a bit rote. I'm currently focusing on giving you more things to do once this happens. I'm trying to do this in a way that doesn't change the initial experience too much.

There is a pretty big balance change coming out in the update tomorrow. It should make things more interesting for mid-game people without affecting early people too much. I'm curious to see how that goes - I imagine that the particular numbers will have to be tuned over the next couple of updates.

In the next-next update I hope that we can start having a (very basic) level-progression. ( And by basic, I mean 'just run the level gen again' basic ) Even without escalating difficulty (which will come in in layers over the next two months), I think that this will serve as an end goal for late-game players. Time will tell.

[w00tyd00d]

Hey guys,

Some good discussion here, just be sure to keep things civil. Different people play the game differently.

In my opinion, the "early game" is balanced pretty well. Once you have things figured out, it gets a bit rote. I'm currently focusing on giving you more things to do once this happens. I'm trying to do this in a way that doesn't change the initial experience too much.

There is a pretty big balance change coming out in the update tomorrow. It should make things more interesting for mid-game people without affecting early people too much. I'm curious to see how that goes - I imagine that the particular numbers will have to be tuned over the next couple of updates.

In the next-next update I hope that we can start having a (very basic) level-progression. ( And by basic, I mean 'just run the level gen again' basic ) Even without escalating difficulty (which will come in in layers over the next two months), I think that this will serve as an end goal for late-game players. Time will tell.

That's all great news, Kevin! Thank you for the feedback and I can't wait to see what you guys got planned for tomorrow.

[Dr.Cox]

Hey guys,

Some good discussion here, just be sure to keep things civil. Different people play the game differently.

In my opinion, the "early game" is balanced pretty well. Once you have things figured out, it gets a bit rote. I'm currently focusing on giving you more things to do once this happens. I'm trying to do this in a way that doesn't change the initial experience too much.

There is a pretty big balance change coming out in the update tomorrow. It should make things more interesting for mid-game people without affecting early people too much. I'm curious to see how that goes - I imagine that the particular numbers will have to be tuned over the next couple of updates.

In the next-next update I hope that we can start having a (very basic) level-progression. ( And by basic, I mean 'just run the level gen again' basic ) Even without escalating difficulty (which will come in in layers over the next two months), I think that this will serve as an end goal for late-game players. Time will tell.

Wise words indeed.

[Moonkis]

Hey guys,

Some good discussion here, just be sure to keep things civil. Different people play the game differently.

In my opinion, the "early game" is balanced pretty well. Once you have things figured out, it gets a bit rote. I'm currently focusing on giving you more things to do once this happens. I'm trying to do this in a way that doesn't change the initial experience too much.

There is a pretty big balance change coming out in the update tomorrow. It should make things more interesting for mid-game people without affecting early people too much. I'm curious to see how that goes - I imagine that the particular numbers will have to be tuned over the next couple of updates.

In the next-next update I hope that we can start having a (very basic) level-progression. ( And by basic, I mean 'just run the level gen again' basic ) Even without escalating difficulty (which will come in in layers over the next two months), I think that this will serve as an end goal for late-game players. Time will tell.

Pfft, nice way to ruin the discussion with your logical and civil way of handling things! God damn it! Stop being rational Kevin, we have talked about this before!

PS. When is the teaser trailer coming out? Today or tomorrow?

[Torasko]

Hey guys,

Some good discussion here, just be sure to keep things civil. Different people play the game differently.

In my opinion, the "early game" is balanced pretty well. Once you have things figured out, it gets a bit rote. I'm currently focusing on giving you more things to do once this happens. I'm trying to do this in a way that doesn't change the initial experience too much.

There is a pretty big balance change coming out in the update tomorrow. It should make things more interesting for mid-game people without affecting early people too much. I'm curious to see how that goes - I imagine that the particular numbers will have to be tuned over the next couple of updates.

In the next-next update I hope that we can start having a (very basic) level-progression. ( And by basic, I mean 'just run the level gen again' basic ) Even without escalating difficulty (which will come in in layers over the next two months), I think that this will serve as an end goal for late-game players. Time will tell.

Aye Capt'n! Weigh anchor and hoist the mizzen!

[zombiebiscuits]

Hey guys,

Some good discussion here, just be sure to keep things civil. Different people play the game differently.

In my opinion, the "early game" is balanced pretty well. Once you have things figured out, it gets a bit rote. I'm currently focusing on giving you more things to do once this happens. I'm trying to do this in a way that doesn't change the initial experience too much.

There is a pretty big balance change coming out in the update tomorrow. It should make things more interesting for mid-game people without affecting early people too much. I'm curious to see how that goes - I imagine that the particular numbers will have to be tuned over the next couple of updates.

In the next-next update I hope that we can start having a (very basic) level-progression. ( And by basic, I mean 'just run the level gen again' basic ) Even without escalating difficulty (which will come in in layers over the next two months), I think that this will serve as an end goal for late-game players. Time will tell.

Awesome Kevin! Thinks like this are Great to hear

[Kevin]

We're working on a trailer today. It might come out tonight or tomorrow morning. It was a busy week!

[Spazmatic]

Hey guys,

Some good discussion here, just be sure to keep things civil. Different people play the game differently.

In my opinion, the "early game" is balanced pretty well. Once you have things figured out, it gets a bit rote. I'm currently focusing on giving you more things to do once this happens. I'm trying to do this in a way that doesn't change the initial experience too much.

There is a pretty big balance change coming out in the update tomorrow. It should make things more interesting for mid-game people without affecting early people too much. I'm curious to see how that goes - I imagine that the particular numbers will have to be tuned over the next couple of updates.

In the next-next update I hope that we can start having a (very basic) level-progression. ( And by basic, I mean 'just run the level gen again' basic ) Even without escalating difficulty (which will come in in layers over the next two months), I think that this will serve as an end goal for late-game players. Time will tell.

Everytime you make a forum post,you're gonna get a ton of notifications of people quotting you

Anyhow,I look forward to what the update will bring tomorrow,and what you guys will do to make mid-game more interesting.Untill the trailer comes out though,it's gonne be speculation time But I'm sure regardless of what the update will introduce,it will be great,as always.And should hotfixes be neccecary,those get implemented really fast aswell.Kudos!

[GamingGorman]

Honestly I agree that early game seem pretty balanced except for food, food is just to easy to obtain in huge stacks even without farming, I live the first 5 to 10 days usually on seeds.

[n8satt]

First of all, I appreciate the question and I hope our opinions truly do help. That being said, one of my ideas is to create a shift in seasons that sweep across the land (say east to west) so that the player can either be a nomadic hunter type, or a farmer that braves the elements, stocks up preserves (maybe a jarring/canning system through research), and takes advantage of different growing times depending on climate.

To enrich this system, you may even introduce world events like spiders migrating around instead of stationary on the map, or herds of tallbirds and buffalo roaming the land. This would change up the defensive procedure for each event (now a barrier of burnt trees will stop any hound, tree ent, tallbird, or werepig from getting in your camp) as well as make those random world events seem more random.

One other idea I would really be interested in seeing is a sneaking and stealth kill system, especially during the night hours. If you could use glowing bugs on a suit to keep you safe while you hunt buffalo at night, I wouldn't hunt anything else. This could also introduce knives, noise level importance, and maybe a few nocturnal creature types.

Either way, thanks for asking our opinions and for making a great sandbox style survival game. I'm hooked but finding myself bored now after 180 days and can't wait to see more research options and whatever else finds its way into the game.

[Dayemos]

My first 2-3 play throughs I did not make it past day 40, had no idea what effigies were, and although I didn't ever come close to running out of food, there were enough dangers in place to keep me on my toes as I was ignorant to all the various threats that existed.

Once I made it past a few trial and error games, learned how to build effigies, figured out how to kite kill every mob in the game and have 10 chests full of food; there is absolutely no danger or threat.

Personally I do not want to see food spoilage, I just want to see less food. If you can find a creative way to stockpile food then you should be allowed. I feel like the game should require you to use every food source to its fullest extent, slower food growth, longer respawns, tougher critter kills. I hope winter suffices.

[Enchanter]

I think it is too easy (as many others do), and especially the combat.

I want a monster that requires alot more skill to kill.

Not something kitable, not something unkitable, and definitely not something that relies on luck.

[Mathenaut]

The early game is pretty solid.

It's the mid to end game that needs tweaking.

Winter and sanity (if it's effects become significant after a month or so of survival) seem like they will address this issue more consistently than just spawning more and more hounds for me to intercept and drag into my pig camp.

[GamingGorman]

After the progress update the game is indeed still to easy but is much improved. The new research system and seed fix raise the difficulty a fair amount.

[BrokenCrown]

I think that is a very dangerous question, it should read, "Is the EARLY game to easy or hard?" fallowed by, "How is the difficulty of the LATE game?"

Personally, I think the difficulty of the early game is right where it needs to be. Oh sure, it's easy for us veterans who are doing challenge runs and stockpiling sleep and fire darts, but the learning curve is perhaps the most important thing to overcome in the early game.

Late game can always use more monsters. I would enjoy a difficulty ramp up speed that would force you to use the Wooden Thing to travel to a new world before dying epically under a shadowy wave of spiders and other horrible things.

[Snob]

The game is easy; not too hard, not too easy.

Turtling needs to be eliminated, that's all.

[Moonkis]

The game is easy; not too hard, not too easy.

Turtling needs to be eliminated, that's all.

No that is not all. The game still lacks any mid-end game, and that mid-end game needs to be hard and challenging. And what about kiting EVERYTHING to death this game? Monsters aren't even a threat.

There is SO much that needs improvement and saying: "Turtling needs to be eliminated, that's all." is simplifying the game problems so much.

[TalentedM]

Get past day 10. Laugh at how easy everything is from there on.

[boefmans]

Too easy....? Hrdcore players around hmmm?

I keep dying of stupid things that's what the games makes hard, u cannot afford to make one little mistake. For instance:

Drop stuff at base

Go to piggy camp where lots of bushes and grass is growing, to dig those for the camp

Give one piggysome meat

It's getting dark

Give the pig a berry

Pig turns into a werewolf (it was not full moon)

Run away

To find out not having stuff to make a torch...

[Moonkis]

Too easy....? Hrdcore players around hmmm?

I keep dying of stupid things that's what the games makes hard, u cannot afford to make one little mistake. For instance:

Drop stuff at base

Go to piggy camp where lots of bushes and grass is growing, to dig those for the camp

Give one piggysome meat

It's getting dark

Give the pig a berry

Pig turns into a werewolf (it was not full moon)

Run away

To find out not having stuff to make a torch...

I'm far from an hardcore player.

[Avarwen]

It's too easy as of now once you get set up as long as you keep logsuits and are careful you can survive for as long as you want. Even hounds are easy to kill without logsuit set them on bee hives or level 2 or 3 spiders nests as well as tree gaurd and problem solved. But this is just BETA I'm assuming on release the game will be harder then people will whine about it being too hard. XD

[dafunk]

first get to day 200+ and then talk chhhhhhhhhhhhhes

[Limon Sock]

Hello,

when I first started the game, I found it rather difficult. After establishing a base and learning what to do it became somewhat easier. Going about to collect stuff, such as rocks or whatever is still quite difficult, especially because of the number of spiders and tallbirds. But also if I don't prepare adequately it's easy to be caught out in the dark or without any food. The mid/end game is (or probably is, seeing as I haven't survived hundreds of days like some people) a bit easier than the start because you have reliable sources of food. With the winter update, I think this will help to solve a lot of the 'too much food' problem people think there is. It would hopefully end up forcing people to venture out for food, especially if the only food available is sparse and immovable.

The problem I see with trying to make this more difficult by, say, nerfing bases or weapons, or increasing the power/number of monsters is that the game will be moving away from the "Don't starve" aspect to more of a "Don't get killed by monsters". Obviously, this is just the title of the game, not the entirety of what it's about, but I would suggest altering the difficulty directly though the food first. The way I see it, lack of food is going to force players to encounter monsters anyway, so making all of them too overpowered is just going to make it frustrating.

If the game gets too hard (especially if early game) then I'm worried it'll end some good strategies for playing. What I mean is, players will pick the optimal solution for playing if there is no leeway. At the minute, I think you could survive off food in the wild, or make a farm, or kill some animals etc. But if it's made too difficult/impossible to survive with some strategies then everyone will end up playing the 'one' way that works, and if you can only survive if you perform a certain set of actions then it will get boring and repetative.

On the other hand, (in my opinion) people will naturally seek out an 'easy' way to do things, seeing as many people are apparantly making massive farms to survive (and so are getting bored, because the other methods are too difficult?) and using the same tactics over and over. If there was some way to temporarilly discourage certain strategies (such as making a farm) then it would help to make the game more varied. I found this a bit already, when the fire hounds come, forcing my to defend myself in a different way than ususal or risk letting my base burn up. Or mating season for beefalos/pigs turning into were pigs - things that interrupt the 'normal' routines that some people do and get used to. Although I don't know much about it yet, I'm hoping that the winter update will help with this by, for example, making farming difficult for a period, encouraging alternate survival methods. Hopefully some sort of cycle can by implemented that makes certain methods better/worse for a time.

So yeah, I would say rather than make it easier to die, make it harder to survive, if you get my meaning.

[Claptrap]

Well... for those guys who think it is way too easy I think maybe I found something for you

check out this vid. MikeB is doing a lets play on Don't Starve and actually he was the reason I found out about this game and had to buy it.

I think the Idea of "generating" a difficulty level by yourself is pretty neat. And with that "card-system" he wants to use I think it's pretty cool. Check it out.

And maybe some of you know how to build a "card-generator" like he mentions and can help out. I have no clue about programming, but I also saw the crock-pot simulator by terapin in the mod-section.. and maybe you terapin are willing to give it a shot.. hope you get to see this ..

And if you see this Mike... I love your TETs

Edited February 5, 2013 by Claptrap