A message to the developer.

[Cybernetic General]

Hello there. Words cannot express how much I adore the themes and concepts of Dredge. You've beautifully captured the essence of docking in rustic seaside towns and lightly Lovecraftian horror elements.

I've posted these personal suggestions on behalf of the community and out of my wish for this game to truly succeed. If you ever decide to release a patch or DLC, please consider these:

1. More challenge.

Some players express disappointment at how easy the game is: money eventually stops becoming an issue, dangers can be evaded with practice, and certain gameplay systems can be exploited for effortless fishing and rewards. A higher difficulty mode with more demanding gameplay and legitimate dangers - less exploitable systems, fatal encounters with sea monsters, randomized storms, etc. - would be greatly appreciated by the community. An optional 'hardcore' mode with no map, permadeath and 'save on exit only' would really amplify the tension of treacherous exploration. Dying once would mean losing all progress, and saving would automatically exit the game and overwrite a single save file.

2. More fish and minigame variety.

Some players find the minigame too one-dimensional and fish lacking in meaningful differentiation, eventually making it monotonous and unrewarding. This could be remedied by incorporating more 'diversity' in fish species and creating more 'intriguing' methods for catching them.

3. Refined and expanded horror.

Some players feel the game doesn't reach its potential in this area. More perturbing dialogue, unhinged denizens, Lovecraftian references, hallucinations causing players to 'get lost' or accidentally strike jutting rocks, and fatal encounters with terrifying sea entities would help to enhance the already present horror elements.

4. Illustrations that further immerse the player.

When you're interacting with the game world, it would be wonderful to see more of your character's actions visually represented: sleeping in a dimly lit cabin, docking at port, putting out to sea, etc.

5. More discoverable treasures and map fragments.

Using logic to trace and discover sunken treasure is thrilling and appropriate in a game like this.

6. More boat customization.

Visual components, paint colours, etc. could make money feel more meaningful.

7. More interesting quests.

Discovering eldrich artefacts, recovering lost valuables, venturing into dangerous areas, etc.


Thanks kindly for reading and creating this game.


EDIT: To one or two Dredge fans who misread this as 'demanding more': there's a difference between self-entitlement and respectfully suggesting ideas. The very foundation of game development is ideas. I expressed thanks and appreciation to the developer in my very first post. Take care.

[nuzero1]

I wanted to jump on to this, because it touches on something important.

You guys have built a simply wonderful game. The core foundations, even if left untouched are excellent. It is unique, it is excellent. Everything is there for one of the best games, not only of this year, but of all time.

It's honestly a worthy follow-on to Zelda Wind Waker, and I think that's high praise.

Speaking of the game mechanics alone. Yes, some cool extra features on the gameplay side could be added, I could name some, but honestly we understand it isn't going to happen. It's clear what happened here. As soon as the game itself was fixed and put into a working state, the time when writers should have gotten involved to script the missions and write dialogue, the publisher pushed it out the door for a quick cash grab.

That's a ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ crime.

The writing is clearly unfinished and rushed.
I wouldn't call it "Bad" so much as, "We were told to put out a finished product in 6 months, so here it is".

The sad thing is that we can see exactly were it happened. The opening in chapter 1 with two towns in marrow were a cool and atmospheric set-up. There was a lot of mystery established and cool characters.

You got up to halfway into Gale Cliffs and the Publisher told you they wanted the game finished. So instead of making more interesting towns with back and forth courier quests, you were forced to replicate the trading pontoon. Then you hurriedly finished astral basin, which was sadly a wasted opportunity for a bunch of quests, slapped on 1 main quest for mangrove island, and finished the setpiece for chapter 5.

You had an opportunity for each area giving additional sidequests as each chapter progresses, and an opportunity to do the islands out of order for more sidequests, but the rush caused missed opportunities.

I understand why it happened, it's just sad.

Also, and I hate to say it, main story isn't lovecraft. You've just rehashed Silent Hill 2. With less endings. In Water and Rebirth. Beat for beat. I mean, "Come on, man". You have the set-up, but time constraints clearly did not allow you to follow-through.

Please don't take this as discouragement. The community understands and supports you.

If you can release a scripting solution to re-write quests and docks, and it can be re-written by the community. The mechanics are already all there. Just needs more and more interestingly written courier quests to break-up the fishing and it can be excellent. the existing docks without graphical edit can be used to write in some new towns and townsfolk characters. Sidequests can be made less one dimensional, with branching solutions and consequences.

[Cybernetic General]

Originally posted by nuzero1:

I wanted to jump on to this, because it touches on something important.

You guys have built a simply wonderful game. The core foundations, even if left untouched are excellent. It is unique, it is excellent. Everything is there for one of the best games, not only of this year, but of all time.

It's honestly a worthy follow-on to Zelda Wind Waker, and I think that's high praise.

Speaking of the game mechanics alone. Yes, some cool extra features on the gameplay side could be added, I could name some, but honestly we understand it isn't going to happen. It's clear what happened here. As soon as the game itself was fixed and put into a working state, the time when writers should have gotten involved to script the missions and write dialogue, the publisher pushed it out the door for a quick cash grab.

That's a ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ crime.

The writing is clearly unfinished and rushed.
I wouldn't call it "Bad" so much as, "We were told to put out a finished product in 6 months, so here it is".

The sad thing is that we can see exactly were it happened. The opening in chapter 1 with two towns in marrow were a cool and atmospheric set-up. There was a lot of mystery established and cool characters.

You got up to halfway into Gale Cliffs and the Publisher told you they wanted the game finished. So instead of making more interesting towns with back and forth courier quests, you were forced to replicate the trading pontoon. Then you hurriedly finished astral basin, which was sadly a wasted opportunity for a bunch of quests, slapped on 1 main quest for mangrove island, and finished the setpiece for chapter 5.

You had an opportunity for each area giving additional sidequests as each chapter progresses, and an opportunity to do the islands out of order for more sidequests, but the rush caused missed opportunities.

I understand why it happened, it's just sad.

Also, and I hate to say it, main story isn't lovecraft. You've just rehashed Silent Hill 2. With less endings. In Water and Rebirth. Beat for beat. I mean, "Come on, man". You have the set-up, but time constraints clearly did not allow you to follow-through.

Please don't take this as discouragement. The community understands and supports you.

If you can release a scripting solution to re-write quests and docks, and it can be re-written by the community. The mechanics are already all there. Just needs more and more interestingly written courier quests to break-up the fishing and it can be excellent. the existing docks without graphical edit can be used to write in some new towns and townsfolk characters. Sidequests can be made less one dimensional, with branching solutions and consequences.

Glad to see I'm not the only one who's passionate about this game. :) I respect the developers, but it has so much potential.

[tommy_beast]

I don't any problems with adding stuff — everything can be added in Dredge 2. But first if what @nuzero1 says is true, the devs should drop the publisher. I still don't understand why would anyone need a published today — just publish the game yourself on Steam.

[Glemt]

Originally posted by nuzero1:

Also, and I hate to say it, main story isn't lovecraft. You've just rehashed Silent Hill 2. With less endings. In Water and Rebirth. Beat for beat. I mean, "Come on, man". You have the set-up, but time constraints clearly did not allow you to follow-through.

I too love this game for what it is, but also recognise what you wrote. I do take issue with the story not being Lovecraft. Lovecraft wrote almost all his stories to have his climax being the end of the story. There is no falling action, no conclusion. This game clearly wanted the player to feel closure, so they had falling action and a conclusion. I think the whole atmosphere, the not revealing much about the dangers and why they exist, about the paranormal, is absolutely Lovecraftian. The taking possession of odd artefacts, dealing with people who know more than they let on, the setting, the themes of madness, it all screams Lovecraft. Again, the only thing that would be entirely different in a Lovecraft story is the sense of closure, the knowing a bit more about what happened.

Again, I agree with everything else you wrote, but to not call this main story Lovecraft is not correct in my opinion, and hope I could make clear why.

[GnomeSlayer]

Unfortunately, Team 17 has a reputation.

[Cybernetic General]

Originally posted by GnomeSlayer:

Unfortunately, Team 17 has a reputation.

Didn't Team 17 make Worms Armageddon? I remember playing that as a kid.

[Fenilli]

Aside from the tentacle slap, the boat anglerfish and a giant white whale/shark that attacks you if you're crazy enough at the sea, the game indeed does lack some sense of horror/danger.

[Janky Nose Hair Guy]

Originally posted by Cybernetic General:

Originally posted by GnomeSlayer:

Unfortunately, Team 17 has a reputation.

Didn't Team 17 make Worms Armageddon? I remember playing that as a kid.

Yes, the good old days :)

[Glemt]

Originally posted by Fenilli:

Aside from the tentacle slap, the boat anglerfish and a giant white whale/shark that attacks you if you're crazy enough at the sea, the game indeed does lack some sense of horror/danger.

Tentacle slap?!

[Machin Ator]

They got their money, why do you think they are planning to make an actual game? This is a proof of concept dressed up in a 30$ suit.

[Machin Ator]

"As soon as the game itself was fixed and put into a working state, the time when writers should have gotten involved to script the missions and write dialogue, the publisher pushed it out the door for a quick cash grab."

Well said - exactly. And its too bad as the concept is genius. Someone else will do it properly. The worst part is, it worked - people bought this ridiculously overpriced demo and the publisher is laughing all the way to the bank.

[nightshift]

I have a very strong hunch that this game will be shamelessly plagiarized VERY soon in a space setting with a scavenger ship or something like that. Same vibe with venturing out in the unknown sea of stars, finding parts and upgrading engines... Mark my words devs.
Just as they did with Dome Keeper, Darkest Dungeon and a few more titles, then covering themselves like it's just a genre - despite these having very specific signature gameplay mechanics.
Btw while the visuals are awesome, I can't help but think how fitting this would be with the same artwork as Darkest Dungeon. Anyway, a success well deserved.

[Ballsaque]

1. More challenge.

Challenge seemed good to me. It's not supposed to be a rogue like or something like that. It's fun to have a game with 0 frustration.

2. More fish and minigame variety.

More fish, more islands, more quests... It's a good game, so of course we want more. But I think this is fine the way it is. Save it for DREDGE 2.

3. Refined and expanded horror.

It's a game about fishing with a Lovecraftian atmosphere, not the other way around. It doesn't need to be a horror game.

4. Illustrations that further immerse the player.

Don't need it. Invest in gameplay instead of fluff.

5. More discoverable treasures and map fragments.

Again: "I want more, more, more!!!" That attitude is what got humanity in trouble. Sometimes less is more, and you just have to accept that this is it.

6. More boat customization.

It would be nice if money and materials had some use after being fully upgraded, yes.

7. More interesting quests.

I found most quest pretty interesting. I don't need needlessly complex quest in a game that is in it's heart one big fetch (catch) quest.


It seems you don't understand this game at all. Instead of MORE MORE MORE, why not be happy with the gem it is? I think this game is as close to perfection as I've seen in a long while.

[Ballsaque]

Originally posted by Glemt:

Originally posted by nuzero1:

Also, and I hate to say it, main story isn't lovecraft. You've just rehashed Silent Hill 2. With less endings. In Water and Rebirth. Beat for beat. I mean, "Come on, man". You have the set-up, but time constraints clearly did not allow you to follow-through.

I too love this game for what it is, but also recognise what you wrote. I do take issue with the story not being Lovecraft. Lovecraft wrote almost all his stories to have his climax being the end of the story. There is no falling action, no conclusion. This game clearly wanted the player to feel closure, so they had falling action and a conclusion. I think the whole atmosphere, the not revealing much about the dangers and why they exist, about the paranormal, is absolutely Lovecraftian. The taking possession of odd artefacts, dealing with people who know more than they let on, the setting, the themes of madness, it all screams Lovecraft. Again, the only thing that would be entirely different in a Lovecraft story is the sense of closure, the knowing a bit more about what happened.

Again, I agree with everything else you wrote, but to not call this main story Lovecraft is not correct in my opinion, and hope I could make clear why. :lunar2019piginablanket:

You get it. Lovecraftian doesn't mean enormous tentacled monsters and diarrhea running through ones underpants. It's a subtle kind of unease invoked by atmosphere. And this game does that very well IMO.

[Cybernetic General]

Originally posted by Ballsaque:

1. More challenge.

Challenge seemed good to me. It's not supposed to be a rogue like or something like that. It's fun to have a game with 0 frustration.

2. More fish and minigame variety.

More fish, more islands, more quests... It's a good game, so of course we want more. But I think this is fine the way it is. Save it for DREDGE 2.

3. Refined and expanded horror.

It's a game about fishing with a Lovecraftian atmosphere, not the other way around. It doesn't need to be a horror game.

4. Illustrations that further immerse the player.

Don't need it. Invest in gameplay instead of fluff.

5. More discoverable treasures and map fragments.

Again: "I want more, more, more!!!" That attitude is what got humanity in trouble. Sometimes less is more, and you just have to accept that this is it.

6. More boat customization.

It would be nice if money and materials had some use after being fully upgraded, yes.

7. More interesting quests.

I found most quest pretty interesting. I don't need needlessly complex quest in a game that is in it's heart one big fetch (catch) quest.


It seems you don't understand this game at all. Instead of MORE MORE MORE, why not be happy with the gem it is? I think this game is as close to perfection as I've seen in a long while.

You misunderstood the intention of this post, and probably don't get what facilitates game design in the first place.

There's a difference between self-entitlement and respectfully suggesting ideas. The very foundation of game development is ideas. I expressed thanks and appreciation to the developer in my very first post. In fact, I managed to get a part-time job in an indie gaming company because of an idea presentation I kindly submitted a couple of years ago.

Trust me, I get it - I hate whiny and entitled gamers too - but in this case, you were wrong about me, and some of your disagreements on completely optional modes showed a lack of consideration for other Dredge fans. Take care and have a nice day.