Ben Velveeta

So I finally explored some of the warmer regions, and that obviously lead me down the rabbithole of what future heat and hyperthermia mechanics could look like. Some of these ideas are ones I liked from various forum posts and discussions on the matter, others are a few of my own. Just wanted to throw my two cents into the ring to see what others think. First and foremost, I think the most important thing is that heat mechanics should be no more complicated than the already existing cold mechanics, keeping things simple and intuitive. Just as you start to slowly take damage from hypothermia below 37 degrees, getting too high above a certain threshold will lead to hyperthermia, making you take damage over time till you cool off. Hypothermia is a threat during winters in temperate/extremely cold environments, while warmer climates have very mild winters. So, flip the script, summer becoming the season to prepare for in warmer/extremely hot climates. You trade one season to prep for over the other, a harsh winter, or a harsh summer. If you don't need to bundle up in spring and summer up north, you won't need to dress lightly in fall and winter around the equator. I think the most important thing to factor is making high temperatures a parallel of the challenges winter brings; punishing if unaccounted for, but easy to handle if you prepare properly. I feel with how the game already calculates temperature in so many ways, this wouldn't be too crazy of an overhaul. Fire pits and smithing obviously raise temperature, so maybe doing so outside in open areas (anything that's not a "room") will lower the heat penalty. Cellars and stone buildings would be even more of a boon in turn. Instead of furs, you spend the milder seasons growing linen to make light clothing that helps shed heat. I also like the idea that certain articles of clothing can help with both, like straw hats helping retain one degree in colder climates, and shedding one from it's shade when its hot. Which leads to the more decisive topic I've seen, regarding liquids. I do like the idea that drinking water and juice can help with the heat, but I 100% agree that adding a whole thirst meter would just make it a micro managing hell. So again, keep it simple. Stepping in water and getting wet already lowers body temperature a bit, so I feel that's pretty intuitive. Why not another similar effect for taking a sip of your water jug? Just a small buff that helps shed a little bit of heat for a set amount of time. Enough that it can help cool you down when you're on the verge of overheating, without making it an absolute necessity if you have the proper clothing, nor making an entire thirst mechanic that would be unnecessary in any other situation. Finally there's one final point I see brought up; Why bother? Would this even be fun? If you have that concern, just think about why we find winter a fun challenge to begin with. Its about the threat that comes with the season, the prep needed to survive and thrive in a harsh environment, struggling one year only to barely think about it the next. It encourages you to go out and explore, gather resources, creating a ticking time limit that's always in the back of your mind. Or, you know, just head toward the equator and forget about all that entirely. That's the most obvious answer in my opinion, concerning the balance. Adding heat gives a new but similar challenge to a region that otherwise is easy mode concerning the seasons. But in turn it encourages traveling between the different regions during the right seasons to make the most of your time there, like maintaining crops during their preferred growing seasons, and gives a reason to come home after your little tropical vacation. A barren hot desert and a barren cold desert should be equally as challenging to survive after all. Sorry for the rambling. Short and sweet of it all; just keep it simple. I imagine the devs have had something like this in mind already for a while, just wanted to give my own two cents on the matter.