I hate the update

[Blender McBiscuits]

This new mechanic of "balancing" all the islands... The game, as was, needed a point, an aim, yes, but this one is boring and seems pointless. I hate that most of the ribbon-rocks that teach you are gone. I don't like the new methods of learning to make sails and rudders, etc, although I can put up with it. And the aesthetics of the starting island with all this broken-ship crap everywhere, and especially the floating tree-rock dangle combos. Those are really ugly!

I put hundreds of hours into the old-style game. Building windmills, happily automating things, making little furry friends and using their wool to make better sails. Build a huge farm hanging off one edge of the island, why not? The game was great, it was pleasurable, it was fun. Although it did lack an ultimate point. I think they need to go back and think up a new point cos planting trees (I'm supposed to chop those down! I need wood!) and seeds is dull.

The new battles with the mushroom-stalk things is less fun, and you're barely attacked by the mushroom troops. I can see why, because it would be difficult to defend against them while doing all the slicing in the new way. But the old way was better, just hack away, and look out for the mushrooms coming from all sides.

I've hardly learned to invent anything. Most of the inventions or discoveries seems to be missing, not programmed in yet maybe? Which is odd cos they were there before. I want to be able to do all the advanced stuff from the game before. The stuff that, once you did it, you'd pretty much progressed to the limit. At which point I was waiting for Astrolabe to create more game!

You've fundamentally altered the gameplay, and it's worse now. The aesthetic is tolerable but also worse. The game used to be a floating Scotland, desolate beauty, now it's like the Addams Family's back yard.

So primarly I want all the old inventing and material-working equipment back, and I want the mushroom stalks to be back how they were, so that I could hack at them every time I had a free second from battling mushrooms! And the whole nature guide book thing, just drop it! It's boring and pointless, and is in no way interesting enough to be the aim of the game. I know the devs don't want battle or much combat beyond the mushies, and I agree with that. But there needs to be some decent aim to the game. Maybe you just need to clear out all the islands, but they get re-infected slowly by proximity to other infected islands. Maybe the big fungus are spreading spores. Maybe we could use fire!

Also, re coal, coal itself isn't environmentally harmful. It's just the massive use of it, the massive energy demands since the Industrial Revolution, modern industry, that's causing the problem. Hacking out a bit of coal to make a fire to cook on isn't too bad. Coal could be back in the game. Currently there's no point to it's replacement, salt.

TL;DR I liked the old game better, it would be good to go back to it, finish it, and add a better plot. Maybe we need to upgrade our island well enough to fly into the tornado, and find something there to send us home.

[rdbury]

The stage where they released basically a full game with missing bits and pieces is gone, and now it's definitely just a demo where most of the content is locked up. So there are a lot of aspects of the new version that are going to be a disappointment if you've been playing the previous versions. But you do have a point; I have over 350 hours total playing time with previous versions, but I've spent only a few hours on this one mainly because the experience seems much more shallow this time. In previous versions I spent hours designing and building complex bases to be both practical and aesthetically pleasing, But in this version many of the islands have bases pre-built, you just have to repair them a bit. I've spent hours mastering the skill of sailing islands, to get the best possible speed from the space and resources available, but it seems rather pointless now because you can go anywhere in the game by gliding. I like the idea of the new environment restoration mechanic, but other than turning the grass a brighter shade of green there doesn't seem to be much point to it, and since they took away the animal component there doesn't seem to be much a challenge involved either; you don't even have to get sails working. I appreciate that the devs have been working on putting more craftable items in the game, and one of the issues I had with early versions was that I'd build large living spaces but there was nothing to put in them but a bed and a few flower pots. A lot of decorations don't make a good game though.

So even after all the time I've spent playing the demos, I'm still not sure if I'd actually buy the game. (I suppose morally I owe the price of the game for all those hours of gameplay.) I don't know what demographic or which group in the Bartle taxonomy of player types they're targeting, but it feels like they're drifting further and further away from the kind of games I like playing.

[Tachyon]

I have to say I agree that the prevous demo had a lot more to do than this version. I still enjoy this one, but I admit I won't be putting as many hours into this version as I did in the last one.

[Cee64E]

I love the aesthetics of the game. I'm actually not bothered by the dual teachers in the game. It kind of makes sense that you would learn sailing from former sailors and it hints at more of a back story to how this all came to be. I do wish there was more to the food system. I like that it's a buff, but there should also be a minimum amount of food and water intake just for maintaining health. I dislike using charcoal to clean water, on a healthy island the water should already be clean. I'd like a way to -make- charcoal as a fuel source.

I'm disappointed with what has been removed from previous demos Especially since some of what was removed would be very useful in the game. I've managed to find the fungicide, but I can't build the brewing station, or the weapon upgrade station to use them. So I can't advance on the fungus side of the game.

Having no fatigue mechanism takes some of the planning away, but I like that I can glide a lot farther now. Gliding is not the panacea to getting around since you can't really carry anything large while doing it, like a goat, so you still need an island to sail. I hope they expand it soon. I liked the last demo a lot and this one is too limiting to really be fun, it's more frustrating because of everything that was lost.

[rdbury]

Cee64E eredeti hozzászólása:

I love the aesthetics of the game. ...

I sometimes lose sight of that. The islands are gorgeous and the changeable weather only adds to the experience. The clouds are fantastic as well. But you can't just stare at the scenery all day, or you can but it's only part of what makes a game good. Horizon Zero Dawn is known for it's beautiful views, but it also has a wonderful story, challenging combat, etc. etc.

Cee64E eredeti hozzászólása:

... I do wish there was more to the food system. I like that it's a buff, but there should also be a minimum amount of food and water intake just for maintaining health. I dislike using charcoal to clean water, on a healthy island the water should already be clean. I'd like a way to -make- charcoal as a fuel source.
...

Food and recipes seem to be a work in progress at the moment. I enjoy Don't Starve where, as the title says, you have to keep yourself fed or lose the game. I'm not saying Aloft has to be that hardcore, but having a dozen dishes that all do pretty much the same thing seems a bit silly. It's nice to have a health boost before going into battle, but you get way more food than you need for that. Maybe instead of losing the game your movement speed could be reduced when you're hungry. Something, anything, that would make it worthwhile to plant food crops and keep them growing. I don't mind filtering water to purify it, and charcoal is a natural purifier IRL. You're right that there needs to be a way of making it in the game. In Don't Starve you just set trees on fire, or just wait for lightning to do it. You have storms all the time in the game, so maybe every so often lightning strikes a tree and turns it into charcoal.

[Tachyon]

rdbury eredeti hozzászólása:

...In Don't Starve you just set trees on fire, or just wait for lightning to do it. You have storms all the time in the game, so maybe every so often lightning strikes a tree and turns it into charcoal.

I like that idea, and I must check that game out. It sounds like it might be my cup of tea. 🙂

EDIT:- Bought Don't Starve, Don't Starve Together and DLCs in a bundle for just under £12. It seems a very well-liked game!

[Traltwin]

Cee64E eredeti hozzászólása:

I love the aesthetics of the game. I'm actually not bothered by the dual teachers in the game. It kind of makes sense that you would learn sailing from former sailors and it hints at more of a back story to how this all came to be. I do wish there was more to the food system. I like that it's a buff, but there should also be a minimum amount of food and water intake just for maintaining health. I dislike using charcoal to clean water, on a healthy island the water should already be clean. I'd like a way to -make- charcoal as a fuel source.

I'm disappointed with what has been removed from previous demos Especially since some of what was removed would be very useful in the game. I've managed to find the fungicide, but I can't build the brewing station, or the weapon upgrade station to use them. So I can't advance on the fungus side of the game.

Having no fatigue mechanism takes some of the planning away, but I like that I can glide a lot farther now. Gliding is not the panacea to getting around since you can't really carry anything large while doing it, like a goat, so you still need an island to sail. I hope they expand it soon. I liked the last demo a lot and this one is too limiting to really be fun, it's more frustrating because of everything that was lost.

Eh ... if you have to make sure to eat/drink/sleep ... that gets rid of the Coziness of the game when it becomes a chore.

[Tachyon]

Traltwin eredeti hozzászólása:

...Eh ... if you have to make sure to eat/drink/sleep ... that gets rid of the Coziness of the game when it becomes a chore.

A fair point, actually. This is a chill-out kind of game, not a "hardcore" (I loathe that term) game.

If anyone wants a game with more survival requirements as well as a flying base they might want to check out a game on Steam called Forever Skies. I like that game too, but haven't played it since the last couple of updates.

I really, really want to play the release version of Aloft though. I can hardly wait!

[rdbury]

Tachyon eredeti hozzászólása:

...
A fair point, actually. This is a chill-out kind of game, not a "hardcore" (I loathe that term) game.
...

So you're saying it's on the casual end of the casual/hardcore spectrum. Not that there's anything wrong with that; I've spent many hours with both casual and more hardcore games. (These days I leave the really hardcore games to people with younger reflexes.) But even the most casual games need some kind of challenge to keep players interested. In Stardew Valley there's a whole social aspect (it's almost a dating sim) and you have to turn your dilapidated farm into a profitable business. You don't have to keep yourself fed and hydrated, but you do have to water your crops and keep the weeds away, and feed your animals and keep them warm in the winter. Not that you're doing that for your own sake, but someone in town might have a craving for pizza, and tomatoes and cheese will come in very handy for that. If there's no social aspect then maybe there's exploration to do, or a technology tree to fill up. I think that what Aloft is heading for, but in the current demo there's not much in that line to actually do, In Subnautica the main drive is exploration and new tech, and that game is certainly not what you'd call hardcore, but even there you have to find food and water or it's a very short game with a sad ending. What I most liked about previous versions of Aloft was that you could release your inner Frank Lloyd Wright and create functional yet creative structures, like getting a large box of Legos included in the game. But there seems to be no new pieces to play with in this version, the structures are built for you, and it's hard to be functional when there's no real goal to achieve. Why create a farm when all the food you need can be picked for free?

[Mandrake]

I actually like the 'remnants of an unknown past' scattered about, kind of leaving a hint of what was, and I love some of the new designs... but I agree that I think they just went overboard with the clutter. There's just too much of it, everywhere on the starter island and a couple of the others... otherwise it's a great overall addition imho.
I definitely don't mind the grassy root-ball 'platforms' they've added for jump-to's and occasional environmental ambiance. I think this also points to other additions coming.
I would again agree that I miss the tons of stuffs we had preciously (especially windmills - definitely bring those back, just for the aesthetics if nothing else. I want my Feel Good, Inc. iland back! lol) however, I think that by the look and feel of the latest demo, it's just a matter of time for all the 'stuff' to come back in game. There's obviously just been a major overhaul to go through first. We'll just have to wait and see - which is the painful part! :P

[Tachyon]

Mandrake eredeti hozzászólása:

I actually like the 'remnants of an unknown past' scattered about, kind of leaving a hint of what was, and I love some of the new designs... but I agree that I think they just went overboard with the clutter. There's just too much of it, everywhere on the starter island and a couple of the others... otherwise it's a great overall addition imho...

I asked the devs in an earlier thread if this clutter (crates and bits of wood mainly) could be removed by axe or something. There were a couple of nice, small islands with so much of it that you couldn't build a base on them. A day or so later there was a patch that made it removable by axe! Yay! It's a nice way to get wood right from the moment your character starts the game.

[Mandrake]

Tachyon eredeti hozzászólása:

I asked the devs in an earlier thread if this clutter (crates and bits of wood mainly) could be removed by axe or something. There were a couple of nice, small islands with so much of it that you couldn't build a base on them. A day or so later there was a patch that made it removable by axe! Yay! It's a nice way to get wood right from the moment your character starts the game.

I noticed that. Definitely nice we can clear out the boxes and crafting tables now! There's still a touch much that we can't do anything about imho... but it certainly makes clearing things out a lot better!

[Blender McBiscuits]

All the clutter gets on my nerves, it makes the game much uglier than it was. Axing it is fine, but I'd be just as happy if it just wasn't there. Same with the horrible dangling branch / rock hybrid THINGS on the starting island! It's a foul look for a game that was so clean and simply beautiful before.

I'm a bit annoyed they've done this whole re-vamp, seemingly gaining nothing, and yet we're not really any closer to the game having an aim yet.