Difficulty Settings for Geysers

[Machenoid]

While it is only a test branch and the numbers are subject to change without warning, i think the numbers of a Geyser or other resource feature would be a prime candidate for new difficulty options when generating a new map. This isn't a suggestion for what those numbers should actually be, it's a suggestion to modify the end result as a difficult setting.

 

Just like the dupe mood and immune system multiplier, there can (and should) also be options to modulate the generated Geyser dormancy time and output quantity, and as seperate options for each. The defaults would be the "Normal" setting which would be exactly what the final balance settings the developers decide for the new features of the Ranching update, whatever they may be; a 100 cycle dormancy default thus remains 100 cycles in a "Standard" game.

When the player changes the difficulty setting for dormancy and output, the defaults are multiplied by the difficulty variable there. Setting a domancy value to Half (0.5) would turn the randomly generated 87 cycle dormancy to a 43.5 cycle dormancy upon map generation. Setting an Output amount of Double (2.0) would change a 263g/s output to a 526g/s output. The limit of these values i would suggest be between 0.2 (1/5th) and 5, and does not need to be granular for either Dormancy or Output.

 

There could also be additional settings as checkmark boxes:

• An option button pair (select one only) "never goes dormant" and "will go dormant forever" When either is checked, any difficulty setting dealing with dormancy time is greyed out, showing they won't be used.
• "Until Excavated" which prevents the dormancy timer from activating while the geyser is blocked for whatever reason. So a geyser that would have gone dormant by cycle 214, becomes a geyser that will eventually go dormant after spending 214 cycles unobstructed (even if it was cycle 215+ when first excavated)
• "Continual Eruption" where there is no down-time between output cycles. The math would be (Time active / Time inactive) * Output quantity = Output g/s. A gesyer that would've been (227 seconds active of 581 seconds) * at 112g, now becomes a constant unceasing flow of 43g/s. Mathmatically it's identical total output but it never stops to cool down, and if used with "Never goes dormant" then there's never a safe moment to analyze it without danger.

And you can see how one could go on with this list of difficulty options, but i'll stop here.

Lastly, I would also suggest that you should avoid joke adjectives for difficulty (like describing active real-life volcanoes) because most people probably don't know the difference between a Kīlauea, a Yellowstone National Park, and Mount Vesuvius. These adjectives and descriptions do nothing to actually tell the player what the setting does in-game; is this setting doing more or doing less, and what is it effecting? What does this name quantify? Someone who actually knows their volcano history or geology would be disappointed when something infamous related to those names and places doesn't happen, too.

[Dopey]

This seems like it'd belong to an advanced settings tab.

I'd personally prefer a dumb dumb easy generation setting like the existing immune and mood ones.

Something like Dormant, Sleepy, Normal, Active, Dangerous

Mapping to the amount of dormancy, always off (Dormant) or always on (Dangerous)

I'm personally overwhelmed when I get a big menu of generation options to spend too long to learn and fiddle with, not knowing what slider settings will be game breaking, boring or boundlessly fun.  So I'd prefer your options existed, but were hidden away in a separate advanced setting.

[sixsevensix]

I would be happy with an advanced settings tab that would allow fine tuning of mechanics like this. Have Default, Basic settings and Advanced settings tabs.

It could have options like:

Geyser Count: Max # of geysers per world gen

Geysers allowed: a sub-list of the geysers which could be turned on or off for specific geysers.

EruptionFrequency: how often geysers erupt

Dormancy range: sets the variable time range for geysers to go dormant from X seconds to Y seconds.

Biomes allowed: allow players to select which biomes are generated.

etc...

With the changes lately I would really like the option to just change some settings back to older values without having to play an older version. I like having the ability to choose how I play a game since... ya know I paid for it; kinda want to enjoy it the way I like to play without having to mod.

Having the ability to customize a players game experience is not really a bad thing. It would give people the option to ease the game up if they are having difficulty or ramp up the difficulty for some hardcore modes (having only the start biome spawn, everything else being empty vacuum is a fun challenge). 

 

 

 

 

[el_fidel]

just have a look at Don't Starve. this surely will be in the final version