#4425183 - 06/08/18 02:08 PM
Subnautica
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DBond
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Recently I decided I needed a new game as I've burnt out a bit on the ones I've been playing, mostly Elite Dangerous and Football Manager. So I wanted to get something different. I don't think I've played any 'survival game', though I've watched the kids play Minecraft Subnautica caught my eye during it's Early Access period, but I don't do early access. But it's out of EA now. Over the past couple of days I've been reading reviews of this game and they are absolutely glowing. I've learned to be cautious about such things. I mean after all if you look on Steam, all of those 'pixel scrollers' or whatever they are called get glowing reviews too. But when you see people who like survival games call Subnautica the best one of them all you take notice. So I decided to put it on the wishlist and pick it up during the summer sale, but when I logged in to Steam I saw Valve has been stealing my thoughts and already had it on sale. It's only $25 normally, and $20 this weekend. So I bought it. Since I am re-playing Prey I didn't try Subnautica yet, but will soon. The reviews and comments praise the game for it's story, graphics, mechanics, systems. It's equal parts wonder and horror, or at least that's what I've read. I'm particularly intrigued by the praise for the story, since that's one area that games like this tend to fall short on, if they have a story at all. So I'm wondering who here has the game? What are your thoughts on it? Please keep spoilers to a minimum if possible. What tips do you have for starting out if you can do so without giving away too much? Subnautica Homepage Subnautica on Steam
No, now go away or I shall taunt you a second time!
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#4425184 - 06/08/18 02:15 PM
Re: Subnautica
[Re: DBond]
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Sluggish Controls
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Also been on my wishlist for months, was about to click purchase the other day but then noticed “gamepad recommended”. I don’t have one :-/
I will be following this thread with great interest.
Cheers, Slug
"Major Burns isn't saying much of anything, Sir. I think he's formulating the answer..." - Radar - M*A*S*H
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#4425187 - 06/08/18 02:19 PM
Re: Subnautica
[Re: Sluggish Controls]
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DBond
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...was about to click purchase the other day but then noticed “gamepad recommended”.
Haha, I completely missed that. Well, that's a great thing to hear from folks who have it. How is it with mouse and keyboard? Maybe I'll dive in to it tonight and see.
No, now go away or I shall taunt you a second time!
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#4425188 - 06/08/18 02:26 PM
Re: Subnautica
[Re: DBond]
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Chucky
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I've only ever played it with mouse and keyboard and it seemed fine to me. Having said that I've not played it recently. In fact the last time I put any effort into it you couldn't explore the Aurora.
EV's are the Devils matchbox.
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#4425192 - 06/08/18 02:40 PM
Re: Subnautica
[Re: DBond]
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DBond
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Thanks Chucky, good to know. Controller recommended, but not necessary I'm sure. We've all been using mouse and keyboard for 40 years so can't tell us nuthin' Any plans to revisit the game now that it's full release? A different sort of exploration eh?
No, now go away or I shall taunt you a second time!
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#4425195 - 06/08/18 02:47 PM
Re: Subnautica
[Re: DBond]
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Chucky
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I'm not sure DB,the game never really gripped me as much as I'd hoped and probably won't again, even with all the new content. I watched a 'Let's Play' of the ship exploration and thought 'nope'. I enjoyed No Man's Sky more. In fact I bought a controller to play that,just so I could have the virtual cockpit view. Besides,if I start Subnautica again now I'll have less time to get double Elite ranking I guess I'm getting really fussy in my old age.
Last edited by Chucky; 06/08/18 02:49 PM.
EV's are the Devils matchbox.
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#4425197 - 06/08/18 02:57 PM
Re: Subnautica
[Re: PanzerMeyer]
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DBond
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I guess I'm getting really fussy in my old age.
Not at all. Elite's a great game anyway. I might try this one and not find it to my liking, I dunno yet. So how exactly would you guys define a "survival" game?
Not too long ago I played and finished Alien: Isolation. I would definitely call that a "survival game". I think in general survival games are ones that are open world and focus on resource gathering/management, crafting, sustenance and shelter. And survival. Just my take PM.
No, now go away or I shall taunt you a second time!
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#4425227 - 06/08/18 06:12 PM
Re: Subnautica
[Re: DBond]
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Sokol1
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I think in general survival games are ones that are open world and focus on resource gathering/management, crafting, sustenance and shelter. And survival. Just my take PM. All this in small scale, but no magic click and build a house wall: The Long Dark in survival mode, story mode is boring.
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#4425235 - 06/08/18 07:30 PM
Re: Subnautica
[Re: DBond]
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DBond
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PM, I'd agree with you normally. The fact that I've never purchased a survival game I think shows I felt it wasn't my thing. But I sense something in what I've read. That this game may be the exception. A game good enough to transcend the genre. Of course I may not like it at all. Time will tell.
At various points I have considered buying The Long Dark, The Forest, Rust, Don't Starve and more. But each time I come to the conclusion that while they may indeed be great games, the gameplay may not appeal to me. Resource gathering just isn't my idea of a good time. But I decided to take a punt on this one.
No, now go away or I shall taunt you a second time!
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#4425259 - 06/08/18 11:37 PM
Re: Subnautica
[Re: DBond]
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DBond
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Thanks for the comments. The opinions are appreciated. I have also been ejected from the Aurora and begun the game and explored close to the pod. And mouse/keyboard is fine, good as any other game. Maybe in the watercraft it's better, but I'm nowhere close to that. From the little I've seen I like it already. For 20 bucks it's looking like a great deal. Looking forward to discovering more of it. The developer is donating 15% of the profit during the weekend sale to the charity Whale and Dolphin Conservation since evidently it's World Oceans Day which seems a noble pursuit and you can get a good game and help protect the ocean's creatures at the same time
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#4425562 - 06/11/18 01:59 PM
Re: Subnautica
[Re: DBond]
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DBond
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It was a rainy weekend and the kid's soccer season just ended so no far-flung soccer pitch to spend the day driving to and from. And that left me time to play games I've now dropped about 15 hours in to Subnautica and it's got it's hooks in. For a survival game I must say that progression is pretty fast. Compared to a run I recently did in the Stalker mod Misery, Subnautica is like greased lighting in regards to how fast you get stuff. The environment is amazing. The devs went with an alien ecology and I'm glad they did. It left them free to re-imagine the ocean, and they did a fantastic job of it I think. The flora and fauna are interesting and evolutionarily plausible (I made up evolutionarily). The sense of exploration and discovery is great. Swimming and diving through the brightly lit and colorful starter area, Safe Shallows, is relaxing and beautiful. As you venture further afield, the Safe Shallows reach the point where the next biome begins, you reach a drop off, or a cliff leading to deeper, darker, murkier waters with the far off (closer that time?!) sounds of creatures unseen, but imagined with huge teeth and poor dispositions. I've encountered some of these leviathans, but I'll avoid spoilers if I can. This is a game that should be played from a clean slate. Don't ruin the experience by looking everything up. You are a spaceship crewman marooned on an alien waterworld. It's best to approach the game with a healthy sense of what the hell am I doing? What am I supposed to do? What the hell is THAT?!? And then figure it out as you go. The player begins the game being ejected from the spaceship Aurora in Life Pod 5. You splash down in a random spot in the Safe Shallows. The Pod is damaged. Radio doesn't work. Smoke escapes from the various equipment on board. Ascending the ladder you climb out on top of the pod, with ocean as far as the eye can see. In the distance, the burning hulk of the Aurora lies in shallow water. Depressing yes, but maybe we can find something useful over there.... Unless you resort to guides and Google, from this point the player needs to find a way to survive. Gather resources, which can be plants, fish, metals, bits of man-made detritus found scattered here and there. Explore caves, shallows, depths, wrecks. With the resources you find you can craft tools to help you. Eventually you can create watercraft and even a base habitat. The crafting system is extensive and fun. Each requires resources yes, but it's not a grind. Resources are fairly plentiful and blueprints have modest requirements. Within three hours of starting I had most of the essential tools I would need to get out there and make my lot in life better. But, as I've found, I cannot craft courage After 15 hours I have vehicles and an underwater base. It's so cool to construct the base and see your handiwork, especially lit up at night in the clear shallow water. Of course you can build much deeper if you want. In time I imagine you'll have bases scattered around the various biomes, but I still have just the one. And it's really cool. Subnautica is an astonishingly open-ended experience. Nothing holds your hand, little guides you aside from some snippets from the radio or PDAs that you find, but I won't say more. It's left to the player to forge his own story, and I am loving it. A really good game.
No, now go away or I shall taunt you a second time!
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#4425666 - 06/11/18 08:31 PM
Re: Subnautica
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DBond
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That's one of the reasons I never pushed to far into the game since I bought it EA. I wanted to have a good, fresh experience once the game was finished. This, along with the ability to avoid backing a dud, is exactly how I approach EA games as well. Divinity Original Sin 2 was another. I knew I would like it. And I knew it would be good. But I didn't want to spend my 'first time' on unfinished content. Same with Subnautica. I wanted the game two years ago, but I waited for full release so I would experience the full game on the first exposure, And it sounds like we are just about at the same stage, I have all the things you mentioned but not much beyond that. I'm in no rush as I'm enjoying it and in no hurry to finish.
No, now go away or I shall taunt you a second time!
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