Should the Floating Island Be Visible like The Aurora?

[ThatNickGuy]

I wasn't sure if this should go in the Feedback thread. Maybe something more to discuss.

As far as I know, there are only three things in the game that are above water: the Aurora, the Precursor Defense Array (and mountain range), and the Floating Island.

From draw distance, you can see The Aurora from quite a long ways away. And yet, neither of the mountain ranges are visible from your lifepod. I don't know the exact measurements, but I feel like if you can can see The Aurora from your lifepod, then you should be able to at least get a glimpse of the other two large masses. Even just a faint outline or something.

Obviously, the game is all about exploration and finding things for yourself, but both of those locations are pretty early-game stuff to find. And would give new players some idea of places to go when they first climb out of their lifepod at the start of a new game. If they see a faint land mass in the distance, they would have an early goal to strive for.

[Ages]

Looks like they tried to create a mist affect around the island to make it more mysterious and to make it "discoverable" as part of game progression. Somehow knowing it is there is not as fun as thinking that there is just ocean then finding this floating island. Coordinates are eventually given to the player for it (I think so atleast... I am so used to knowing where it is I instinctually turn and swim right for it on a new game)

So sure you could in theory see it, but a cloud or mist is surrounds the island and obscures view. Perhaps this will be done better close to release, if they are infact going for that effect - and I think it would be cool if they did. (mist / fog that is thick around the island but once you get close to it it lifts somewhat so you can see the island, maybe still lowers visibility to a degree)

[margalus]

They shrouded them on purpose until the story leads you to them.

[inXecure Gaming]

Originally posted by Ages:

Looks like they tried to create a mist affect around the island to make it more mysterious and to make it "discoverable" as part of game progression. Somehow knowing it is there is not as fun as thinking that there is just ocean then finding this floating island. Coordinates are eventually given to the player for it (I think so atleast... I am so used to knowing where it is I instinctually turn and swim right for it on a new game)

So sure you could in theory see it, but a cloud or mist is surrounds the island and obscures view. Perhaps this will be done better close to release, if they are infact going for that effect - and I think it would be cool if they did. (mist / fog that is thick around the island but once you get close to it it lifts somewhat so you can see the island, maybe still lowers visibility to a degree)

The Sunbeam messages give you the coordinates for the gun base, and there's a teleporter on it that takes you to the floating island. Alternatively, players can accidentally find them early just by exploring.

I find this an acceptable method of hiding the islands. Showing the players the gun base especially would ruin a lot of the early game mystery, I think.

[Magma Dragoon]

The Aurora also has a cloud bank around it when you get too far away

[Cougarific]

The rationale for having them shrouded is pretty clear - as a new player, if you popped up out of your lifepod and saw that you were surrounded by water but also saw an island off in the distance, your first impulse would be to swim to that island - which is the exact opposite of what the Devs want you to do - they want you to dive in and start adapting yourself to the aquatic environment.

[TBdog]

Yes yes. It is a terrible design choice.

[Red Dirt Gamer]

All you would be able to see from your position is the mountain that blocks the view of the gun, so I see no issue for that to be visible from your escape pod. I think most players would ignore it for a while till the time it comes to go to it, since it is rather far away. Add measure to keep players from getting to the island early, would be to add creatures of very dangerous pedigree between you and the island. You would need to get access to vehicles first before even venturing to the island.

Maybe there could be a explosion in the air, from an salvaging ship that wants to get first dibs on aurora, but gets destroyed by the gun which would alert you to the fact it is there. Then you could get the message from potential rescue later on in the game, making it much more urgent that you get there and shut it off since you already know it knocks ships out of orbit.

Of course we knew it will be a doomed attempted, but I think it would definitely set the mood early in the game if another ship was destroyed aka salvage ship that is coming for aurora. Com chatter from the salvage ship should be heard freely over the radio, allowing you to listen to their talking before it is taken out of the sky. They are not there to save you, but to salvage any resources they can from the aurora itself.

Definitely would set the mood that you are not getting off this rock. The failed rescue attempt would be hope dashed at the last second, second blow to player's chances of survival. Third blow would come in the form of a virus aka Caraar virus and the inky darkness of the caverns below.

Basically you are constantly reminded that chances of surviving the virus and escaping this planet is slim to none unless you solve the mystery behind the virus. Or they could make it so you can shut the cannon down early, but doom your species by introducing them to a virus. Basically three endings to this game... worst ending being the dooming of your species by escaping with virus, second ending could be you succumbing to the virus, and third ending being the successful wiping the virus from the planet and escaping.

Maybe add option to relay your discoveries to the alien race aka precursors, it would add a secret ending where you develop a peaceful relationship to the original inhabitants of that planet which further helps mankind. I'm spitballing here... some ideas.

[Ages]

Originally posted by Red Dirt Gamer:

All you would be able to see from your position is the mountain that blocks the view of the gun, so I see no issue for that to be visible from your escape pod. I think most players would ignore it for a while till the time it comes to go to it, since it is rather far away. Add measure to keep players from getting to the island early, would be to add creatures of very dangerous pedigree between you and the island. You would need to get access to vehicles first before even venturing to the island.

Eh I would still gun it at surface level with flippers and see what happens. Would have to be some sort of nasty surface loving predator to keep me away. (maybe a duck that likes grapes)

[Vince]

Originally posted by Cougarific:

The rationale for having them shrouded is pretty clear - as a new player, if you popped up out of your lifepod and saw that you were surrounded by water but also saw an island off in the distance, your first impulse would be to swim to that island - which is the exact opposite of what the Devs want you to do - they want you to dive in and start adapting yourself to the aquatic environment.

yup but you start swimming and you see the seabed for a few meter, then you start: "hum ... it seem deep now, not sure if it's reasonnable to go there at first or staying in the safe shallow to get set before venturing to that island" (aka is it safe to venture in a area where i cannot see what may come from the deep while i m for now in a an area i can see what's surrounding me + the wow the fauna/flora is for sure strange here but fish seem to be in a coral low depht + flora area like on earth and seem to share a few ecosystem behaviour i know ; shoal/shoaling of baby fish wich is the main indicator regarding that aspect, then come the should be safe aspect to get set before venturing => https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coral_reef#Biodiversity & https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coral_reef_fish & noticably this also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coral_reef_fish#Reef_sharks_and_rays and the various location)

also keep in mind aurora crew should get some basis knowledge about ocean to be hired for such a trip ^^ whatever there role aboard the aurora

wich is the second natural impulse someone gonna get "spawning" in a area it can see the floor that seem to follow a few known scheme and being a reproducing sanctuary location, venturing to the edge you may statistically encounter more predator than middle, that's why small fish reproduce here you know, because they can hide within the flora, coral while most predator attempt to catch them when they venture at the edge or hiding in less dense shelter proximity area within the reef ^^ for part, while if the game started in an area you don't see the floor yup your prolly 100% swim to the first island you see

[Ancient]

Originally posted by Ages:

(maybe a duck that likes grapes)

I LOL'd.

[arzosah]

I just assumed it was some sort of cloak by the precursors, maybe to prevent ships finding it from the air/space, but visible when you get close enough because you're within the cloak, or cloaking technology is not good enough to hold up.

[Vince]

Originally posted by arzosah:

I just assumed it was some sort of cloak by the precursors, maybe to prevent ships finding it from the air/space, but visible when you get close enough because you're within the cloak, or cloaking technology is not good enough to hold up.

cloaking why not, but this need some related devices/places dedicated to the said cloaking somewhere on the map, interesting idea, wich add a question why precursor would cloak the floating island ? gun isle side the device and facilities are already

the gun isle and floating island may get a different rendering approach from distance depending the interests precursor could have for each

(i don't know anithing about the current state of the lore since a few update, so just highlightin' that aspect parrallel what's already in place, will precursors have a serious reasons to hide the island, for example having something to do with the big floater under or somethin like that ?)

[elipod]

They have gates on the floating island. It's safer to cloak everything.
But then, question still stands: why would they build gates to an empty island?

[Vince]

("take a breath" or "sing i believe i can walk, i believe i can reach the floor .... lalalal la la lala" By 'Branchia-Kelly' a famous precursor ^^) joke aside, may be there something to do around this ^^

on side note may be the gates been added after the degrassi crash, and after they leave for the mushroom cave to eventually invest the survivor outpost, wich could be sort of legit as well

[AltheaWolf]

Or it could simply be that differential heating between rock and water causes mist to form around the islands?