An Update on Don’t Starve

[jmido8]

Coming Soon! Lava Cave, Heatwave DLC, only $7.50!

 

To be honest, I'm disappointed. There's so much potental past what this game already has and I was hoping they'd reach out and take innovative steps rather than taking a safer approach and just working with what's already there. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad they're going to polish things up but I'd be lying if this update didn't kill all my excitement with what Don't Starve could be become.

 

Oh well, I'm still excited for the DLC. Hopefully it's pretty cheap and adds a lot to the game. Maybe even some of the features I'v been dreaming about for Don't Starve since the beginning!

Edited August 14, 2013 by jmido8

[tehMug]

However, I feel you shouldn't worry too much about breaking mods. It's of fundamental importance that we are left with a solid modding framework and pipeline by the end, but I feel improvements in the game until then should not be hindered by the thought of breaking mods, to the benefit of all. Perhaps you should take my position on this with a pinch of salt, since no mod of mine has ever been broken (or otherwise affected) by a game update, but still this is what I believe. 

I don't know @simplex.  Most of my mods break in horrible ways with each update.  I could use some breathing room myself!

[Acet]

That sounds like the right way of going about it.

 

I work as a Software Engineer (at the level of Technical Team Lead and Technical Architect) and always suspected that your release cycles were too short for full-blow releases to a retail crowd.

 

Agile programming is best for an environment where your requirements change a lot and you are constantly testing that the implementation fits the true needs of the end-users.

 

In this specific case the end-users requirements don't change at all, so frequent releases are purelly to keep engagement: your release frequency should be tuned to the need for engagement.

 

More in general, in everything exploration (i.e. new features) must alternate with consolidation (i.e. balancing, code/design cleaning, refactoring).

 

Good luck!

[Doomfan64]

I don't think that the DLC is going to be lava caves. Klei =/= EA, they wouldn't think up a concept and tease us with it only to make us pay for it. I like to think that it will be something that changes the game greatly, but the kind of thing that some people wouldn't want, so they keep it in DLC.

[ConeyKrab]

Awww, what? What of the unimplemented characters? Will we get to see Winnie and Wallace, or have they been tossed aside? That'd make me pretty disappointed... Hell, I'd be happy even to see them as DLC characters.

[pidois]

In these last updates, will the overspawning ice hounds (from the hunting party) bug be fixed? Because it's still in the game, right?

yes it is, and yes, i hope they'll fix it cause i just died yesterday from winter + 40 ice hounds + 4 spider queens lol

[LoayzaPaul]

Well, I'm a little sad to know that there won't be "lava caves and the new season heat wave", We know that keeping a game, repair its issues is very hard and takes work and a long time, I hope... when the game be stable, free of issues and the team has taken his rest, I hope lava caves and the new season, not now maybe next yearneither we demand but I think we were all very eager to the lava caves and the new season and I think that the caves would be perfect with the lavaGreat job and Go ahead

Edited August 14, 2013 by LoayzaPaul

[Avarwen]

Awwwwww I was really looking foward to the heat wave season maybe it could be a DLC later I'd gladly pay for it. Glad to see you guys are working so hard to keep the game running soomthly as for DLC I can't wait to see what you guys have up your sleave.

Edited August 14, 2013 by Avarwen

[Wolf Gang]

I dont support DLC for a game like Dont starve.

[taciturn]

The new test build is out I think. I just opened Don't Starve and had my test save game reappear in the menu. I went into the cave and it was like described: NO Walls Where is build notes?

[simplex]

I don't know @simplex.  Most of my mods break in horrible ways with each update.  I could use some breathing room myself!

I understand your frustration. I just think the final state of the game should be a higher priority. There aren't many updates yet to come, anyway.

[Capp]

What they really should focus on is balancing the game. Right now it feels as if there is zero end game content, because you can beat everything in the game with a spear and a log suit. I would rather have Klei focus on fixing whats in the game than trying to add more "features" that don't add depth to the game. 

 

I really like this game, but it will always feel incomplete as the "uncompromising survival game" if I can kill queens, deerclops and treeguards with basic weapons and very simple kiting. 

[jbeetle]

I really like this game, but it will always feel incomplete as the "uncompromising survival game" if I can kill queens, deerclops and treeguards with basic weapons and very simple kiting. 

That's not going to change. That's a mechanic for every single bad thing in the game.

[Captiva]

I am fine with the lets polish the game up a bit...

 

but you did promise content for 6 months after release and THEN continued support followed by a possible DLC... Now you are cutting out promised content to polish the game so you can instead focusing on a new DLC that really doesn't sound all that exciting...

 

Sounds like a money grab....

You guys just released the game, you cannot be hurting for money already.

 

Also I will not buy anymore content or games from you until you add the features you promised from the get go... You said 6 months worth of new features not 3.

 

SHAME ON YOU KlEI !!

Edited August 14, 2013 by Captiva

[Sindex]

Are you guys completely throwing out the overheating mechanic that you have been working on or saving it in case you want to return to it? Before you toss out your work (if you decide to do so) I would recommend giving the mod community so they can take a crack at it.

 

I always thought the overheat mechanic would be really cool because of it being reverse-winter. You would have to wear less and not more, in order not to burn out with a heat stroke. Certain armor types would incinerate or degrade faster. Just like food would spoiling faster. Also with the heat rising would cause creatures to be more aggressive, and willing to kill you for your shelter (even neutral creatures).

 

Alas if you can't get it too work under the time frame you guys have left that’s fine. I mean at least can get the game better polished in other parts of the cave system. Nevertheless I beg of you don't let the mechanic go to waste, if you can. Since I think it would be pretty cool to have the extra difficulty curve within this game once you survived winter.

Edited August 15, 2013 by Sindex

[ArcticFox789]

I am fine with the lets polish the game up a bit...

 

but you did promise content for 6 months after release and THEN continued support and polish followed by a possible DLC... Now you are cutting out promised content to polish the game so you can instead focusing on a new DLC that really doesn't sound all that exciting...

 

Sounds like a money grab....

You guys just released the game, you cannot be hurting for money already.

 

Also I will not buy anymore content or games from you until you add the features you promised from the get go... You said 6 months worth of new features not 3.

 

SHAME ON YOU KlEI !!

 

They never promised continued support. Or a DLC. They said continued support "if it's financially viable".

 

Anyway, released April 23rd, content ends October 22nd.

 

That is the six months promised content, and then a DLC, should you choose to buy it. 

Edited August 14, 2013 by ArcticFox789

[Captiva]

The way I understood it was they were going to release content for six months.... Now they are saying only 3.... fixing bugs is something they should have planned for instead of promising stuff they are not going to give us and then announcing they are going to add totally new content we will have to pay for but it is not the stuff they promised.

 

Just seems wrong to me.

 

I would pay a little more money if it meant getting the content they promised...

Edited August 14, 2013 by Captiva

[jbeetle]

I think when new content != a better player experience, readjusting how things work is more important. and that's what they decided. It's not just a bunch of bug fixes, anyway.

 

not only that, but the new content isn't over, they just haven't released everything they've created so far (as mentioned by the dev referring to the surprise characters, for instance).

Edited August 14, 2013 by jbeetle

[ArcticFox789]

The way I understood it was they were going to release content for six months.... Now they are saying only 3.... fixing bugs is something they should have planned for instead of promising stuff they are not going to give us and then announcing they are going to add totally new content we will have to pay for but it is not the stuff they promised.

 

Just seems wrong to me.

 

I would pay a little more money if it meant getting the content they promised...

 

Sorry if I sound rude, but you understood it wrong.

 

Right, here is what they promised. After the RELEASE (April 23rd 2013), we would recieve six months of content, guaranteed, October 22nd, the last update is the last update of those six months (April-October = six months).

 

These updates will provide more CONTENT, not just bugfixes. New Ruins things, new mechanics, new characters, etc.

 

They then said, if financially viable, they would continue updating. Clearly it's not financially viable. However, they have obviously wanted to continue development, and therefore are creating a DLC, which WILL be financially viable.

 

They can't keep creating more content at a loss. Even if they love the game, and the players want more. So, to satisfy all needs, they create a DLC.

 

They have not broken any promises, and have if anything, exceeded these promises, by working around the financial side of things, giving them chance to provide extra content, in a situation where otherwise game development would grind to a halt.

Edited August 14, 2013 by ArcticFox789

[Teratoma]

Just wanted to say that I am extremely happy to hear that you'll make DLC.

But please, don't make small DLCs, a huge one with loads of content would be appreciated even if it's gonna cost like 10 euros.

A great idea, in my opinion, would be pre-purchasing the DLC and getting early access.

Basically you'd pay for constant content updates again until the DLC gets released.

Edited August 14, 2013 by Teratoma

[Teratoma]

Sorry if I sound rude, but you understood it wrong.

 

Right, here is what they promised. After the RELEASE (April 23rd 2013), we would recieve six months of content, guaranteed, October 22nd, the last update is the last update of those six months (April-October = six months).

 

These updates will provide more CONTENT, not just bugfixes. New Ruins things, new mechanics, new characters, etc.

 

They then said, if financially viable, they would continue updating. Clearly it's not financially viable. However, they have obviously wanted to continue development, and therefore are creating a DLC, which WILL be financially viable.

 

They can't keep creating more content at a loss. Even if they love the game, and the players want more. So, to satisfy all needs, they create a DLC.

 

They have not broken any promises, and have if anything, exceeded these promises, by working around the financial side of things, giving them chance to provide extra content, in a situation where otherwise game development would grind to a halt.

 

I agree with you expect on the "there will be more content" part.

Besides the newest update, they said there will be more characters and that's it about content. I highly doubt we're gonna see anything new except bugfixes, balances and mod support.

[Blucher]

Actually don't mind that the heat wave is being scrapped. I can't possibly imagine how that would work and still be fun.

[ArcticFox789]

I agree with you expect on the "there will be more content" part.

Besides the newest update, they said there will be more characters and that's it about content. I highly doubt we're gonna see anything new except bugfixes, balances and mod support.

 

Nah, they cancel the next level to make the Caves more vibrant and full, and then leave the Ruins mostly empty? Just, no.

 

Also, they confirmed a time-based threat, and said the surface will get some more content.

[d3v1n96]

I support this decision, it makes a lot of sense and although lava was going to be awesome the untold mystery of a dlc seems more appealing. And thank Maxwell some of the really annoying bugs will get fixed! 

[the truthseeker]

Awww, what? What of the unimplemented characters? Will we get to see Winnie and Wallace, or have they been tossed aside? That'd make me pretty disappointed... Hell, I'd be happy even to see them as DLC characters.

So what’s to come after the the six months is over? We’re not quite sure yet, but we are excited to figure it out! In terms of updates, the team needs a break from 3 week sprints, that’s for sure. We still have a couple of surprise characters planned. I can’t say more about them right now, because they are supposed to be a surprise.

 

When November rolls around, the majority of the dev team is going to focus on the first Don’t Starve DLC. We haven’t decided what this is going to be yet (not multiplayer!), but I think that we are leaning towards bringing crazy new challenges set in the same world. We want to be able to make big scary changes to the game rules and do strange new things without changing the core, vanilla DS experience.

Think that clears it up.