Josiah Gibbonson

Yet you have no choice when you try to complete the story chapters! If we're not supposed to battle the supernatural, what's the freaking point of HAVING the supernatural? Just lock yourself in your home during temporal storms and run away from those annoyances (unless you're caving, in which yes, the game once again intends for you to fight them) and never worry about them again. Also, early game flax fibers are pretty sweet, actually. The occassional rusty gear and temporal gear are nice drops too. The harder rank the enemy, the better the loot. But whenever I see a drifter, or a bowtorn, or a shiver, I'm not like "oh the game doesnt want me to kill those, I better leave them alone" I'm like "I better kill those, because if I don't they're going to irritate me by camping around my house." There's really no reason not to clear them out since combat is so mindless. Toss several spears and the threat is eliminated. If you want an example of an enemy you aren't at all supposed to fight, look at minecraft's Warden. They only really "damage sponge" when you find higher tiers of them. Its not that they're any harder to fight, it's just that they literally take longer to kill and do more damage. Their AI isn't any better... If I get something that "improves" drifters via a mod, I'll depress myself it's not in the base game. I despise using mods, because when you add one, you're prone to add like twelve more, and then one of them doesn't work properly, and then your FPS tanks, and then you're left in a worse mood than you started. I do NOT want to fall down that rabbit hole again.

On further thought, i think most of my problems with combat would dissolve if enemies just had different weapon weaknesses or resistances. And Slightly better Ai, and a few new attacks for the harder variants, instead of just making the harder variants damage sponges with high damage output. My problem might not even be combat itself but the way enemies are implemented >->

I...really don't think of VS as a battle game. As is, there's no reason for a dodge roll because there aren't enough enemies or attack variety to justify it. The only point I'm trying to make, is if this game is so keen on making things realistic yet fun, why should combat be left out of the loop and be doomed to stay simplistic if it insists on having it? I don't really want it harder per-say, just . . .you know. Give it some depth so the people like me who enjoy PvE (could not care less for PvP) won't get bored of it so fast. As is, just make the weapon with the strongest damage output and go bonkers. Maybe it's just because the AI isn't the best. I personally prefer fewer monsters to spawn, with the counterbalance being you actually have to watch and learn during combat with them to learn patterns. Instead of bullying the poor things with the five copper spears in your hotbar. There clearly was a time the community was like "this sucks. Give us more monsters!" So I suppose we just have to wait until the two new monsters grow old and they want new ones. Combat currently isn't broke, so it doesn't need fixed. But it sure as hell isn't perfect, and I don't see why we shouldn't strive for something more in the future.

Was it like something like "there's only drifters! This sucks!" Devs: *adds extra variety* "Ew no we liked it better before, tf were you guys thinking?!" They said things may change. Although it's not a big deal now, who knows how they'll feel around chapter six. That's six bosses that all have to feel fresh and different from eachother...unless we can't expect each chapter to have a boss :c

I can just hope they take the time to make it a wee bit more complex and balance it. (In the future, someday) for those of us who actually enjoy combat. Just like they plan on adding actual fishing for people who aren't content with spear fishing or primitive survival's take on it. People don't seem to mind the new monsters, just the fact they make the game harder...which, given the game's trailer quote "if you only do what is easy, your life will be hard" seems to be part of the idea IMO

I swear if I'd suggested the bowtorn before the devs added it you'd be like "oh NO, A dark souls monster! Nope, can't have that." Pardon me for wanting to fight new types of enemies that were completely OPTIONAL. If you didn't want to fight them, just turn off monster spawning or stay away from rifts. ...We can agree to disagree on that little assumption. Having the option to add mods doesn't automatically make it a game catered to everyone. This game struck me as "minecraft for adults" more than anything. For people who don't like combat, sure. But if I'm expected to fight monsters in this game, I don't see anything wrong with wanted it a little more in depth like the rest of this game's mechanics seem to be. Crops get nutrient rotation, for heaven sakes! But I can't even have weapon resistances or weaknesses without getting "Go find a mod for that, son!"ed into oblivion? You've all managed to change my mind on needing a "dodge" button, and parrying isn't needed at all either. But I'm not caving all the way. Well yes, story is optional. But if you want to play through the story, then Combat is absolutely not avoidable. Which is why I don't really get why we can't expand upon it. The people who don't want it, would be able to, as you said, avoid it. The people actually looking for a fight, would get a more detailed experience. Nobody wants it overly complex, but i'd prefer it to not be overly simple either. But to each their own.

We really aren't...it's like "bare minimum" to at least add combat. No, in a game like stardew valley, we're lucky there's combat. In a game where you are expected to survive, it's expected to survive against wildlife. Which would mean combat. It would be incredibly boring if the only danger we had to deal with was hunger, freezing to death during winter, and fall damage, lol. And I don't know about you, but if a game is going to insist on having monsters and boss fights, something tells me it doesn't want to be the cozy farm sim you want it to be... Of course, it doesn't want to be some dark souls knockoff either. Everything must be balanced! And as someone who enjoys the combat aspect of games, it's only natural I'd want to see it expanded upon. Same as people who like to fish- they would LOVE to get more in-depth fishing.

Instead of wolves just appearing everywhere without rhyme or reason, the world could generate occupiable "spawn anchors" for spawning animals. For example, the world would generate empty caves to the side of mountains and cliffs. If a wandering wolf finds it, it has a chance to "claim" it, and turn it into a wolf den, which would spawn wolves around the area in a wide radius. (Some anchor points spawn already occupied) Players could clear out these cave's "animal clutter" and kill any nearby animals occupying said cave to revert it back to a claimable state. (As a result fewer of those animals would spawn naturally, since they now have anchor points...which would make some forests safer) Bears could claim these caves, and would sleep there during hibernation. "Burrow" anchor points could be found for animals like hares or other small animals. "Tree hollow" anchor points would be awesome if squirrels and when birds get added. For animals who don't den or nest, their spawns would remain pretty much unchanged.

Obviously if a sweep mechanic was implemented creature AI would have to get a boost to counterbalance it

Me and support beams have a love/hate relationship.

Surprisingly in TheHunter: COTW most of my headshots never kill...skull is too thick. I aim for the heart. But, if it was an insta-kill, it'd make sense why it'd be hard to hit. But yeah, in the chaos of battle, it'd be a rather useless mechanic- why I mentioned beforehand it'd mostly just be something to reward good aim during stealth, like on hunts.

Opens up more little branching paths, if you ask me. At the very least enemies should have weaknesses and resistances so there can be melee weapon variety outside the silly-looking sickle thing we get or spears.

If our main hand is empty, please let us light fires with the torch in our offhand. It makes no sense to only be able to light a fire if the torch is in our main hand.

There's so many little gameplay loops in the game, yet enough is never enough! Besides the upcoming additions planned from the roadmap (Gemcutting, Quenching, Fishing, ect) what gameplay loops would you like to see added, or expanded upon? I'd enjoy a butchering gameplay loop. Just take your prized game back to base, skin 'em, hang them out to dry, then chop them up for extra meat. (Less gore, no blood involved!) Refurbishing broken clutter to restore it to it's former functionality would be great too. You could take back a bunch of broken junk to your base, then fix it up with glue, rope, twine, and other stuff. Expanding on clay forming would be amazing. Let us mix two different clay types to create unique patterns! But what do you guys think would be a nice gameplay loop to add or expand upon further? I know beekeeping could use some tweaks...(From Golden Combs is amazing, don't get me wrong)

I was mostly imagining how most hunting games do it, where you should aim for the vitals for "more damage" per-se. Would only really be noticeable for hunting and boss fights. It appears "critical hit" boxes are only really useful for people using a bow, or maaaaybe a spear.

Oh, lol. I never knew that. Well, if it gets added, I'd definitely just keep it to where it's just for moving them short distances. You could even load up a boat (or handcarts, if we ever get those) easier that way. For doublechests, one player could grab one end and another player grabs the other end in order to move it. (More complex, but would be cool as heck)

I suppose so. With improved hitboxes and AI, and a few new drifter subclasses to diversify it, combat currently really wouldn't be all that bad. At bare minumim though, I wish there were resistances and weaknesses. . .maybe even parts of hitboxes being "weakpoints" to reward more calculated hunting. Currently the three monsters we see most are: Drifters, the regular derpy bois. Melee and ranged (please for the love of gears improve their ai so they just lunge or something, not grab a stone FROM MY WOODEN FLOOR and spam chuck it at me) Shivers: The fast, spider-gollum bois. Somehow too fat for going through a 1x2 entrance. Would be cool if they could squeeeeze through Bowtorn: Generic long-ranged boi Numbers, speed, and ranged have all been covered by these (if the locusts count, they come by numbers AND climb walls ) I wonder what gameplay mechanics new variants would cover!

Well, it's certainly one of my favorite gameplay loops. So, it'd at least be "my" main focus...Definitely would liven up temporal storms for one such as me! I didn't think of this...a good point! But unfortunate. When I'm all armored up I want to kill some things. Early game we're in agreement! I suppose not everybody makes a base right at world spawn. Well, say a huge boulder hurling towards you. Your shield won't do squat, but a dodge might save you. Or like, melting acid. Definitely don't want it eating away at your shield. Can't wait! Haven't gotten to any of the chapters yet. Still in late copper age with my uncle.

carry on just lets you pick up a storage container (both hands must be empty, and once in your hands you cant move with your hotbar...and you're way slower) so it's mostly just for redecorating or moving short distances without having to take everything out. Although I forgot they're looking for alternatives to the grid crafting system. Once that changes, it only makes logical sense the inventory would change as well. Thanks for the insight!

I...really don't know why everyone immediately jumps to the bandwagon that if you improve combat, suddenly the game revolves around it. I despise PvP with a passion. Wouldn't touch it with a fifty foot pole. PvE on the other hand? Loveeee it. Live for it. How is it you guys don't mind a million steps to make a simple bit of leather, or "complex" crop rotation, but the moment making combat a wee bit more complex in and of itself instead of oversimplified, everyone loses their minds and thinks "oh no, it's dark souls now!"

Because some of us would argue pressing "A or D" while sprinting is still too slow if one wanted to add faster enemy projectiles.

I Just can't wrap my head around all the complex systems in this game, and combat is where we're like "oh no, can't make that complex, new players wouldn't like it" . . .like come on, you think new players like the incredibly long, and detailed task of getting their first copper tools? Or even making a single piece of leather?? "If you only do what is easy, your life will be hard..." I don't mind combat being simple...I just wish it was more in depth so we can have more weapon variety. (Like weaknesses/resistances at the very LEAST)

Just curious. It's such a huge time saver and doesn't at all seem overpowered to me. Seems logical. What would be it's downside?

Maybe my years and years of minecraft combat shenanigans make these concepts easier to me specifically...probably harder for new folk. But if you were that new to the genre, you'd think minecraft would be your training grounds of sorts.

By difficult to master, do you mean hitting the enemy and backing up, and then repeat until they're dead? Or just run, turn, throw a spear, run, turn, throw another spear, and run to retrieve them, rinse and repeat?