[DST] The problems of freshly joining a server

[JohnWatson]

Problems:

• A lot of times, the server will be in a bad season to start out in. It sucks having to join a server that's 2 days before winter.
• But that's fine because the other players will have a camp ready for winter, right? Well, sometimes, nobody even prepares for winter at all.
• Usually, everybody will actually be prepared for winter. However, they will mostly likely have the camp far away from the spawn point, so you'll freeze or starve to death before you even get there.
• But you could survive on your own, right? Well, resources near the spawn point would usually be already completely gathered. Really sucks having no flint available on the first day. If you're lucky, it could mean some players are nearby, ready to help you. However, it could also mean that another fresh spawn just gathered all the resources around the spawn point, then disconnected or died in a faraway place
• It's pretty boring if you get forced to survive alone, especially since this is supposed to be a multiplayer experience.

My Solutions:

• The starting temperature of fresh spawns should be dependent on the current season. Freshly joining during the winter will have you start out with 65 body temperature (on the verge of overheating at 70). Freshly joining during the summer will have you start out with 5 body temperature (on the verge of freezing at 0). This is to make sure that fresh spawns have a chance of survival during the harsh seasons instead of just dying instantly as they join.
• Fire Pits and Endothermic Fire Pits should have their locations revealed on the map automatically. This is to give fresh spawns an idea where most players are gathered around and maybe they could decide to join and help them.
• The Florid Postern (spawn point) already tries to solve the problem of fresh spawns not having any resources to gather, however, I think it's not enough. Every time a fresh spawn joins the server and every 30 seconds, it should check within a large radius if there are at least 3 Berry Bushes, 4 Flints, 6 Grass Tufts, 6 Saplings, and 8 Flowers. If there aren't enough of those resources within the radius, then it should spawn them until there are at least 3 Berry Bushes, 4 Flints, 6 Grass Tufts, 6 Saplings, and 8 Flowers within the radius. A bonus to this change is that this will cause players to build their camp near the spawn point instead of far away because the respawning resources will attract them.
• When a player freshly joins a server, all nearby Berry Bushes, Grass Tufts, and Saplings should regenerate their resources.

I would expect some people to say that this would make the game become "Easy Mode", however, difficulty and inconvenience are different things. It doesn't necessarily make the game easier, it just makes the game more tolerable when starting out in a server than has any of the above problems mentioned. And come on, immediately dying just as you spawn kinda sucks, especially since you force other players to need to revive you. Besides, as I said, it's pretty boring to be alone in a multiplayer game.

[Arlesienne]

2 hours ago, JohnWatson said:

you force other players to need to revive you

Why this? You only get a bit of a sanity drain when the mode is survival.

There are mods aimed at giving new spawns an easy time. Personally I find joining outside of autumn my own decision for the challenge. And checking the season is very easy before you join.

[GentlemanFridge]

3 hours ago, JohnWatson said:

 

• When a player freshly joins a server, all nearby Berry Bushes, Grass Tufts, and Saplings should regenerate their resources.

 

I like this one, actually. But perhaps the there should be a thing that can't be moved by a player. Otherwise, it can't be abused heavily.

[CaptainChaotica]

Well, I don't know about the spawning new berry bushes, etc. but I _have_ at least started putting one of each kind of firepit by the portal, some axes, and planting some (more) trees...  Kind of a DIY don't-die-immediately-in-bad-weather kit. : P

...Notorious

[MrDeepDarkmind]

Well most of these servers have people going Werebeavers and Wigfirds, Webbers to kill others at a early start 

then you got people like wickerbottom to spam spells

 

[DVS_Zev]

I never understood why people even join a day or two before winter (or even mid winter).

its tough enough as it is trying to gear yourself up, and help others gear up for winter, all while rationing food.then someone pops in, asks where the base is and usually dies or leaves by the time you get there.its just a pointless thing to do.you wont know where anything is, you will hog up limited resources and just be another mouth to feed.

(not aiming this at anyone) just venting from a ****ty experience last game lol

 

[zzKratoszz]

8 minutes ago, DVS_Zev said:

I never understood why people even join a day or two before winter (or even mid winter).

its tough enough as it is trying to gear yourself up, and help others gear up for winter, all while rationing food.then someone pops in, asks where the base is and usually dies or leaves by the time you get there.its just a pointless thing to do.you wont know where anything is, you will hog up limited resources and just be another mouth to feed.

(not aiming this at anyone) just venting from a ****ty experience last game lol

 

I've done it a few times. I find it isn't too hard to do in summer or winter, if you jump into the first cave you see and stay there all season. The caves are much more forgiving than a lot of people I know make them out to be. There are normally some good starting supplies right by the entrance.

[JohnWatson]

17 hours ago, DVS_Zev said:

I never understood why people even join a day or two before winter (or even mid winter).

its tough enough as it is trying to gear yourself up, and help others gear up for winter, all while rationing food.then someone pops in, asks where the base is and usually dies or leaves by the time you get there.its just a pointless thing to do.you wont know where anything is, you will hog up limited resources and just be another mouth to feed.

(not aiming this at anyone) just venting from a ****ty experience last game lol

That's kinda the point why I'm making this suggestion. You're being a liability as a fresh spawn, and this can cause inconvenient experiences both the fresh spawns and the players who have already made camp. Remember that difficulty ≠ inconvenience. Even worse, you could meet them as a ghost and be an even bigger liability with less max health.

I try to gather as much resources as possible and be as healthy as I can be when I meet the rest of the players, but that happens somewhat rarely because of the reasons I stated in my post.

If fresh spawns get a fairer start instead of starting out on the verge of death, then it will be a much more enjoyable experience for everyone involved. As I said, it won't make the game less difficult, it just makes the game more tolerable.

[Ecu]

Honestly, I disagree with these suggestions.  Why?  Primarily because survival servers, on average, only last 10-12 hours before a reset.  With the abundance of servers available, it should not be all that hard to find a server that is far enough from winter to get a basic base setup.  That alone makes a lot of these suggestions kind of pointless.

To add to this...while I like the idea of regenerating materials around spawn when a player joins, it is quite easily prone to abuse.  Similarly, there are many cases when a player joins a server but wishes to do a run on his own (or make a spider base as Webber).  By showing all campfires on the map, you kind of ruin the entire purpose of choosing a hiding place away from standard travel areas.  This is an even bigger issue when regarding PvP.  I think it is perfectly acceptable for others to make the decision if they want to help you find their base or not.

In general, if you are worried about not being able to survive, don't join a server that close to winter and your problems are solved.  If you do join such a server, be polite and ask if others would be able to help you get to their base and provide some winter gear.  If they do not wish to, leave the server and join a new one if you don't feel you can survive.  I think suggesting the game changes isn't really the right solution.