The feel of Don't Starve

[EuedeAdodooedoe]

I've noticed that a lot of mods out there and some of the general content for Don't Starve as well as Don't Starve Together (unless a mod is a recreation of an existing character into this game, in which case whatever really) although possibly having some good thought to them, quite often seem to miss it when it comes to the feel and the art-style of the game in terms of art and in terms of mechanics too, I'd argue. And I would understand why; for somebody who's pretty good at art, even for me it's pretty hard to get things on-spot when it comes to art and whatever else not. And when it comes to problem solving or getting something done, sometimes you might just have to do it the "boring, long and unnecessary effective way" or the "easy, short, but plane way" or something, I don't really know how to describe this. I don't know about others, but when I do something mod related, I quite often listen to Don't Starve music just to get the feel of the game, so that when I try to extend something via something for a mod, the feel translates to art and great ideas that would keep the Don't Starve feel. So, I'm just suggesting for devs and modders alike to listen to Don't Starve soundtracks. The original in particular, because that is the core of Don't Starve, right?

And why not watch some nostalgic video too?

To me, it's always this creepy, dreary and sort of hope-less feel, but also artistic in all of its shenanigan filled hell of an idea. Generally, I would want some more horror into this game. And I know it's not supposed to be a horror game, but hei, why can't a survival game be a horror game at the same time too? It would fit it well! Remember being scared from various things (unless you read the whole wiki before playing this game the first time) and hoping that you don't get killed by something in the night? Or having weird sounds or weird new creatures spook the hell out of you the first time you heard/saw them? I would welcome a lot more of that than anything else in this game. Spook me, Klei!

P.S. Looking at this cinematic trailer and the A New Reign trailer, I found that the Forbidden Knowledge trailer has some muffled sound and that Old Movie effects, which the A New Reign trailer didn't. Which is kinda sad...

[GiddyGuy]

...What?...Literally...What?!

*After reading a time second*

1 hour ago, EuedeAdodooedoe said:

P.S. Looking at this cinematic trailer and the A New Reign trailer, I found that the Forbidden Knowledge trailer has some muffled sound and that Old Movie effects, which the A New Reign trailer didn't. Which is kinda sad...

So for like the longest time I think the game never changed how anything sounded and it all sounded pretty clear no muffled sounds or old movie effect? Seeing as to how Don't starve takes place in another world it would probably make sense everything sounds different, but if we look at the old puzzle video of Maxwell and Charlie getting sucked into the Don't starve world, you'll see how the sound is muffled, the quailty is a bit grainier and terrible, and they only talk using intertitles, anyway getting to the point it seems the world or universe they live in upgrades in quailty when time passes. ...Don't starve: VR?

Or maybe it just seemed more appropriate for the scene that's taking place, we'll never know unless they tell us, I for one don't see what's wrong with them taking another direction I quite liked the "A new reign" trailer in my honest opinion.

[TheTraditionalGentleman]

I do wonder, what kind of genre would you classify the theme of Don't Starve? Not the game itself, but rather the music/art/setting. I've heard it described as Lovecraftian, which kind of fits, but is there an actual name for the genre? I feel like if there were less jokes/references and the characters were more realistically proportioned, Don't Starve would very easily be a horror game.

[EuedeAdodooedoe]

14 minutes ago, TheTraditionalGentleman said:

I do wonder, what kind of genre would you classify the theme of Don't Starve? Not the game itself, but rather the music/art/setting. I've heard it described as Lovecraftian, which kind of fits, but is there an actual name for the genre? I feel like if there were less jokes/references and the characters were more realistically proportioned, Don't Starve would very easily be a horror game.

Oh, but you don't need proportions to make a horror game... Also, it's an action/adventure survival game. Survival at its core, or at least that's what's intended (although it becomes a farming simulator later on due to things like mega bases at world days in thousands and whatnot >_>). Though a game doesn't need to have just one specific genre; it can be multiple ones! A game(s) I used to play as a kid (and recently I played the 5th chapter of the game) called Nightmares the Adventures or Victor's Nightmare has cartoony style and cartoony proportions, however it's pretty creepy. It's supposed to be a puzzle game put together with horror... This is a game for kids, btw. Yeah; a horror game for KIDS, how awesome is that

48 minutes ago, GiddyGuy said:

...What?...Literally...What?!

*After reading a time second*

So for like the longest time I think the game never changed how anything sounded and it all sounded pretty clear no muffled sounds or old movie effect? Seeing as to how Don't starve takes place in another world it would probably make sense everything sounds different, but if we look at the old puzzle video of Maxwell and Charlie getting sucked into the Don't starve world, you'll see how the sound is muffled, the quailty is a bit grainier and terrible, and they only talk using intertitles, anyway getting to the point it seems the world or universe they live in upgrades in quailty when time passes. ...Don't starve: VR?

Or maybe it just seemed more appropriate for the scene that's taking place, we'll never know unless they tell us, I for one don't see what's wrong with them taking another direction I quite liked the "A new reign" trailer in my honest opinion.

I know, I'm sort of confused as to what I'm talking about this time as well :L I'm basing what I'm saying in this topic on the feeeeeeeeeeeel, so understanding my point here might be a bit tricky... hell, even I'm kind of confused about it! Though the old and creepy feel to the game truly makes it all so much better. It would be great if Klei and perhaps even modders whenever they make mods add more horror element to their content. Like, who wouldn't want to be scared by this game? It's supposed to be quite scary, right? Right?

[PanAzej]

You only reminded me how cool would a Don't Starve: The Movie be if it existed.

In the style of The Forbidden Knowledge trailer. Could be kinda spooky, too.

[EuedeAdodooedoe]

1 hour ago, PanAzej said:

You only reminded me how cool would a Don't Starve: The Movie be if it existed.

In the style of The Forbidden Knowledge trailer. Could be kinda spooky, too.

If Don't Starve was a movie, it would HAVE to be a horror movie. Though, it being more of a horror game (whilst still an action/adventure survival at heart) would be great and awesome.

[Begeesy]

*picks up mic

there should be blood in ds to touch on the horror and gory feel

(this is a touchy subject because of how it might change the parental rating)

 

also characters/mods show have more staus implements (i.e. a beaten wes, wes skin when low on hp)

Btw the freezing, overheating and insanity animation aint gonna cut it

[Faintly Macabre]

1 hour ago, Begeesy said:

there should be blood in ds to touch on the horror and gory feel

Blood doesn't equal horror and the game doesn't feel gory at all. It's cartoony and silly, and it works without this lazy element.

[Arlesienne]

6 hours ago, EuedeAdodooedoe said:

I would understand why; for somebody who's pretty good at art, even for me it's pretty hard to get things on-spot when it comes to art and whatever else not.

Um, what do you mean: not even you? I'm rather confused. I want to get what you folks mean in the thread. One thing I would stick to it comparing the genre to a macabresque (people of the literary inclination will probably agree).

[CaptainChaotica]

I totally agree with the mods thing; one of THE main reasons I have hardly any mods is that so many of them break the _mood_.  Or feel, or style, or whatever.  I don't want anime people.  I don't want modern/futuristic stuff.  I don't want stuff that just plain doesn't..._fit_ within the Don't Starve universe.  (Add in the fact that I like mods that add some colour and variety without definitely "making it too easy" and you've got a VERY narrowed down selection.)

As for what I would call the style... ? Hmmn. I know that I know it when I see it and I can tell when something doesn't fit in instantly, too, but what its NAME is I don't know.  Tim Burton & Edward Gorey present:  H.P. Lovecraft's Harvest Moon.  : P  Something like that.  You're happily building up your base, making your farm...and suddenly GHARSTELY CREATURES FROM BEFORE THE DAWNATIME* appear from out of your own head and kill you--if the hideously disproportioned hounds, spiders the size of your head, 9-foot-tall birds with one giant eye covering their whole face, or the environment itself doesn't first.  Fun for the whole family!

...Notorious

*Misspellings on purpose--Discworld reference, yo!

[AnonymousKoala]

5 hours ago, CaptainChaotica said:

I totally agree with the mods thing; one of THE main reasons I have hardly any mods is that so many of them break the _mood_.  Or feel, or style, or whatever.  I don't want anime people.  I don't want modern/futuristic stuff.  I don't want stuff that just plain doesn't..._fit_ within the Don't Starve universe.  (Add in the fact that I like mods that add some colour and variety without definitely "making it too easy" and you've got a VERY narrowed down selection.)

As for what I would call the style... ? Hmmn. I know that I know it when I see it and I can tell when something doesn't fit in instantly, too, but what its NAME is I don't know.  Tim Burton & Edward Gorey present:  H.P. Lovecraft's Harvest Moon.  : P  Something like that.  You're happily building up your base, making your farm...and suddenly GHARSTELY CREATURES FROM BEFORE THE DAWNATIME* appear from out of your own head and kill you--if the hideously disproportioned hounds, spiders the size of your head, 9-foot-tall birds with one giant eye covering their whole face, or the environment itself doesn't first.  Fun for the whole family!

...Notorious

*Misspellings on purpose--Discworld reference, yo!

(I would play the **** out of HP. Lovecraft's Harvest Moon. Also you reminded me I should pick up discworld at some point)

In a way Don't Starve reminds me sort of of Binding of Isaac in how it tackles its dark parts. Isaac looks pretty light(despite gore and stuff, it has poop everywhere in the first floor, some have faces even to make it sillier), but as you understand more of it you realize the story is incredibly dark and visuals change into something darker as well as you progress(Like fighting your own corpse).

In Don't Starve, after some time the "creepiness" wears off. But then you start thinking about it. Maxwell's story is pretty depressing, the world is a place you can't get out of and is full of horrible monsters and controlled by them, the remains of dead adventurers/creatures in general(ruins and boons) are everywhere, even the night is out to get you. The way the first year goes actually is a wonderful way to demotivate the player and make him scared of everything(you spawn. you die to the night. you play again, get the idea with not being in the dark, eventually hounds come, rain, hounds, rain, hounds, you get into a routine, and then winter where the world incresingly flips you off, ending in deerclops in vanilla, and in dragonfly in summer in rog). When you passed everything at least once, you stop being scared, since you know how they work.

TLDR: You don't have to hammer the point in, to make it effective. You just have to trust that your player cares enough to realize what he's facing.

[EuedeAdodooedoe]

6 hours ago, AnonymousKoala said:

(I would play the **** out of HP. Lovecraft's Harvest Moon. Also you reminded me I should pick up discworld at some point)

In a way Don't Starve reminds me sort of of Binding of Isaac in how it tackles its dark parts. Isaac looks pretty light(despite gore and stuff, it has poop everywhere in the first floor, some have faces even to make it sillier), but as you understand more of it you realize the story is incredibly dark and visuals change into something darker as well as you progress(Like fighting your own corpse).

In Don't Starve, after some time the "creepiness" wears off. But then you start thinking about it. Maxwell's story is pretty depressing, the world is a place you can't get out of and is full of horrible monsters and controlled by them, the remains of dead adventurers/creatures in general(ruins and boons) are everywhere, even the night is out to get you. The way the first year goes actually is a wonderful way to demotivate the player and make him scared of everything(you spawn. you die to the night. you play again, get the idea with not being in the dark, eventually hounds come, rain, hounds, rain, hounds, you get into a routine, and then winter where the world incresingly flips you off, ending in deerclops in vanilla, and in dragonfly in summer in rog). When you passed everything at least once, you stop being scared, since you know how they work.

TLDR: You don't have to hammer the point in, to make it effective. You just have to trust that your player cares enough to realize what he's facing.

Hmm, this reminds me of Corpse Party... That **** was incredibly dark; it was a mental mind **** and kind of a break down for me. And I love it for that  . The horror element could be brought in to be still scary whilst kind of repetitive. Although, the same things could happen rarer and things could be harder in general to make you feel like you're ****** and feel scare much more the next time a hound attack comes. Having more stuff in-between and randomly selected events happen on an occasion to really put you on your toes would be great as well. Also, perhaps some set pieces that are made explicitly to scare you. And perhaps, the same kind of a set piece could have a wide range of scary things happen, so that it isn't repetitive the next time you encounter it. Or, perhaps you could encounter a similar set piece and not realize that it's similar... So then, unless you look inside the code, you'd pretty much always be surprised by the game!

[Brandyn]

Thats why I use this mod http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=416991215 because it makes more music and by default the music never stops.

Or I can turn it to default back where when I'm working (like cutting down trees) it plays it.

But I like to have the music always playing so I can keep the nice music even during the night,

Although the music is made by someone other than klei devs it feels nice enough to actually be in the game.

Give it a look or even a try you might like it.

[EuedeAdodooedoe]

19 minutes ago, Brandyn said:

Thats why I use this mod http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=416991215 because it makes more music and by default the music never stops.

Or I can turn it to default back where when I'm working (like cutting down trees) it plays it.

But I like to have the music always playing so I can keep the nice music even during the night,

Although the music is made by someone other than klei devs it feels nice enough to actually be in the game.

Give it a look or even a try you might like it.

Omg, am I the only one here who things it's rubbish? Like I respect the person not being able to use too many samples, but GOD is it awful. I can't stand listening to it at all! And really, all it is is worse versions of original soundtracks. And did you say... never stops...? The nightmares never stop ;_; ... THE NIGHTMARES NEVER STOP!!!

Ahh, phew... they stopped.

[PanAzej]

14 minutes ago, EuedeAdodooedoe said:

Omg, am I the only one here who things it's rubbish? Like I respect the person not being able to use too many samples, but GOD is it awful. I can't stand listening to it at all! And really, all it is is worse versions of original soundtracks. And did you say... never stops...? The nightmares never stop ;_; ... THE NIGHTMARES NEVER STOP!!!

Ahh, phew... they stopped.

jeez, chill out dude

It's not like everybody who puts stuff on the workshop is a professional musician/game designer/artist.

Appreciate that you have some free content to choose from...

[EuedeAdodooedoe]

10 minutes ago, PanAzej said:

jeez, chill out dude

It's not like everybody who puts stuff on the workshop is a professional musician/game designer/artist.

Appreciate that you have some free content to choose from...

Sorry, I just can't stand it... I've tried once making a caves boss theme and though it was very rich in music it still didn't seem good enough a standard for me, so now, until I get the full version of either Reason 8 or 9, it's sitting there, waiting to be edited.

What I don't understand is why and how people find the soundtrack mod to be very good in the music. I really don't.

[PanAzej]

12 minutes ago, EuedeAdodooedoe said:

Sorry, I just can't stand it... I've tried once making a caves boss theme and though it was very rich in music it still didn't seem good enough a standard for me, so now, until I get the full version of either Reason 8 or 9, it's sitting there, waiting to be edited.

It's hard to replicate someone's style.

Even my drawings don't look exactly like Don't Starve style, and I (almost) try my best here.

Well, good luck on that music editing. Maybe you could make a music mod yourself if it's good enough, and even if not, still worth putting out on the workshop, because y'know, some people may enjoy it and make your day a little bit better.

[EuedeAdodooedoe]

29 minutes ago, PanAzej said:

It's hard to replicate someone's style.

That I can agree with. I tried to make my Bonnles as good as possible (almost) but it still doesn't seem quite on spot:

[PanAzej]

7 minutes ago, EuedeAdodooedoe said:

That I can agree with. I tried to make my Bonnles as good as possible (almost) but it still doesn't seem quite on spot:

DS's shading is not that smooth and lineart is a bit more 'sketchy'. Eyes look very don't starve-ish though.

[EuedeAdodooedoe]

7 minutes ago, PanAzej said:

DS's shading is not that smooth and lineart is a bit more 'sketchy'. Eyes look very don't starve-ish though.

Well, I tried to do it based on this:

It's very pixelized, so it's hard to see what exactly is there. But I suppose you're right. On the shading part though... Look at the top of the bunnyman's back; it's shaded exactly like that!

[PanAzej]

10 minutes ago, EuedeAdodooedoe said:

Well, I tried to do it based on this:

It's very pixelized, so it's hard to see what exactly is there. But I suppose you're right. On the shading part though... Look at the top of the bunnyman's back; it's shaded exactly like that!

It's a gradient, it's his fur color. Just like Pigman's back.

Yeah, if you tried in-game sprites, then they look a bit different than artworks.

It's still 'sharp', and overall sketchy-looking, though.

[Brandyn]

1 hour ago, EuedeAdodooedoe said:

Omg, am I the only one here who things it's rubbish? Like I respect the person not being able to use too many samples, but GOD is it awful. I can't stand listening to it at all! And really, all it is is worse versions of original soundtracks. And did you say... never stops...? The nightmares never stop ;_; ... THE NIGHTMARES NEVER STOP!!!

Ok if you don't like it then listen to undertale music because it appears to be your fancy judging by you made a whole profile based on the game. http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=715363801

[kazoooo]

25 minutes ago, EuedeAdodooedoe said:

Well, I tried to do it based on this:

It's very pixelized, so it's hard to see what exactly is there. But I suppose you're right. On the shading part though... Look at the top of the bunnyman's back; it's shaded exactly like that!

You're correct with the gradient part, but the main difference with yours and Klei's is that the original is a very subtle gradient. Yours hasn't quite been blended thoroughly. And be careful of the fur texture you drew as well d: it seems a tad out of place for Klei's style 

[graycrayon]

In regards to that mod; good, workable samples are very hard to come by. And when it comes to plugins you usually need to find creative solutions to...well, let's just say very expensive problems. 

Don't Starve's genre of music is hard to emulate because the specific style is never specified, at least nowhere that I've ever seen. My honest to God best guess would be that the OST uses variants of cakewalk ragtime; lots of off-beat syncopated rhythms to be had, although the tone is decidedly a lot more... hmm, dirgelike? (this is Wilson's personal hell, after all). We tend to associate ragtime with major key, chipper melodies and Don't Starve simply doesn't have that. With the exception of "Ragtime" (which follows the normal constraints of the genre, shocker shocker), all of the pieces in the game seem to be in a minor key. As though they exist to pervert the popular music of Wilson's time, which was the roaring 20s, respectively. This isn't surprising at all, given the creepy tone of the series. Even the more laid back, non-anxiety provoking tracks are filled with dissonant harmonies. The following is a good example.

 

 

The only real bone I have to pick with the mod is that it sometimes relents and gives way to major chords, but all in all the orchestration itself is very well done and it's apparent that a lot of work went into them. Personally, I like the off-putting silence of dusk and night, but I can totally see the appeal of this. 

 

In terms of the art style I've heard some interesting comparisons, but I'm not sure that they hold much water. "Tim Burton's Minecraft" is one of the more amusing ones. 

[EuedeAdodooedoe]

I was thinking that for working during dusk for Autumn/Vanilla Summer the Creepy Forest could play, which would fit well, whilst in Spring during dusk whilst working, D.R. Style could play, although with a more jazzy/Springy style and melody.