Threats -Toggle Option-

[Airget]

I know the devs have plans to add in things like artifacts which may or may not useful or even harmul but one thing I didn't notice on the roadmap is any form of hostile threat which could react based on the way Dupes are invading certain locations.

I say a toggle option because I know some might enjoy just being able to have a game where you just exist as long as possible without any wrench forcing you to rethink and adapt to the situation, but when I think about Don't Starve, scenarios like Krampus or the giants I feel would work well in this game. perhaps from above an alien race could come and attempt to eliminate the Dupe threat, where they aim for the Printing Pod and destroying it pretty much means you can no longer replace your Dupes or going further south, east, west, could reveal extremely hostile life forms that may pursue you for a set amount of time or just remain in their habitat preventing you from gaining said resources unless you prepare for battle properly.

Or opening new biomes could carry a chance of a new virus appearing and infecting your Dupes meaning that in order to overcome said virus/ailment you have to first get a blood sample from them, use the super computer to research the virus and then make sure you have the proper resources to create the antidote.

To make the more deadly viruses less harmful you could introduce cryogenic tubes which freeze any Dupes with the deadly virus while you attempt to find a cure and vaccine for it, all while making sure the biome i which the virus developed from is properly closed off so other Dupes don't get infected. 

Granted I'm only on Day 77 of my current run, and I believe my high score, but as it stands I've noticed 2 things.

There is more risk than benefits of taking on more Dupes than you can handle, having 6 seems to be enough to just exist and get by

Past that, the game is just existing, having the resources to exist once your oxygen and food supply is in check as well as stress, there are truly no other threats within the game as you are free to burrow deeper while existing. So throwing in specific viruses or actual threats into the game would throw a wrench into an otherwise rather straightforward experience as currently with the way I've set my base, I see it working 100% of the time and there is nothing within the game that would currently force me to stay on my toes or be alert of an imminent threat which I'm forced to adapt to or even require more Dupes to overcome.

[PickPay]

I totally agree in future updates there should be more elements to encourage expansion/exploration and taking in new Dupes. And yea creatures protecting valuables would give the game a twist.

As of now it feels like asking for unnecessary trouble to take more in, I'm down to 12 and everything works well. Stress used to get high and new Dupes would provide a buff but thats not a reason anymore.