If you could add one gameplay element to the game what would it be?

[junaid_hussain]

Just another one of my crazy ideas, but if you could ADD a game play element that wasn't in the game as far as we know, what would it be?

I think I would like to see some senses - for example, like spider man has spidey sense, perhaps the main character in teh game can trigger his own senses that will help him survive.

Scenario: It's dark outside, you have no lamp, you're looking for wood, and then perhaps your sense is triggered by something following you, maybe something dangerous - the screen dims slightly to suggest that something dangerous is heading your way, or you hearing improves as you stand still in the blizzard when something is following you - standing still you can hear footsteps in the snow, the sound emits from the rear speaker, so you know something, or someone, is behind you.

That's a craptacular example I know, but you get the idea.

I'm sure you guys can think of better examples of gameplay elements that could be added. Share away!

[McSquishin]

I like the thread idea.

It would be nice to see if skills became progressively more efficient/effective. The idea is this, practice makes perfect. In real life the more you do something the more skilled you become at that task. That can translate into the game with faster fire building, increased weapon prowess (i.e. more stable aim with a rifle, or more damaging fixed blade stabs since in theory you would have more experience knowing where the crucial blows should land).

Now I know what a lot of you are probably thinking. I've just described a basic premise of an RPG set up. I know. The difference is that instead of it being invisible in the background it could be more out in the open. Maybe our protagonist Will can verbally bring these "skill level ups" into the open. Maybe, he could verbally interject real survival "lessons learned" type of stuff as he himself learns them in the game. These would be dynamic, non scripted events as far as the plot is concerned though, and it would add a bit of a legit survival guide element to the game.

[Bill Tarling]

1) A sense of direction (since a compass won't likely be usable due to the Aurorae)...

2) A sense of distance/time (being able to plot approx. distance between 2 points/places already visited. I say approximate since weather, terrain, and route will vary -- plus how fast you can expect to travel [avg with same variables]...

That would help once the character has gained some survival experience [perhaps getting more accurate as skills increase] -- would be very helpful in trying to make best choice decisions on when/where to travel [needing to mark stopping points along the way].

That way (unlike other games where you can just set off without worrying about taking safest and fastest routes), you would actually need to plan out your travel... and you wouldn't get that information unless you've either been to both points, or have picked up reliable info from others [which itself may not be accurate].

[junaid_hussain]

Hmm tagging on to that suggestion about directions, what if the weather was always changing, blocking old paths, creating new ones etc?

[ThorsHand11]

I have two ideas to add:

1. The ability to climb trees, this could useful for getting the lay of the land, avoiding predators, or being a predator.

2. The ability to mark landmarks you can see on a map.

These could work in conjunction with each other, you could climb a tree to see farther and then add a landmark that you see to your map.

[daavpuke]

Hmm tagging on to that suggestion about directions, what if the weather was always changing, blocking old paths, creating new ones etc?

That would be pretty awesome. I don't think it's done often, so I'd definitely be open to the idea. However, I'm not sure how realistically doable it could be to implement, but it's fun to dream, I suppose.

[edward_smith]

Orienteering skills or even marking trees like wolves and bears.

[Kessa]

I agree, @Edward_Smith. I keep thinking that carving trees would be an awesome in-game element.

I'm hoping that the reading the books you find/have in your shelter actually pay off. I know you can't always do things perfectly from only ever reading it, but it'd be nice to learn new skills and then try (possibly fail the first two times) it in game!

[robdoar]

I would want to add complex variables when doing tasks.

In some MMORPGs, when doing something like crafting, there are various things that come up that require a reaction on the player's part.

For example when I played Everquest 2, when crafting something with wood, something like "Tough Knot" would appear, and you would have to respond accordingly, or the final quality would suffer.

I'd like to see that when you're building a fire, different variables arise that you have to respond to... "Fan Flame, Add kindling, block wind, etc."

[Bill Tarling]

I'd like to see that when you're building a fire, different variables arise that you have to respond to... "Fan Flame, Add kindling, block wind, etc."

... and even the type of wood/kindling... and how dry/damp/wet it is (plus risk of heavier smoke from damp stuff potentially signalling less friendly NPC groups about your presence -- I'm assuming there will be times when stealth venturing is critical to survival)

[Dalec]

I'd like to see a lot of these other suggestions, but make them real time.

What I mean is, in this one situation, when you make a fire, it doesn't just drop. You have to get out your flint and tender/strike box(flint stick)/friction bow and actually try and make a fire. The more often you do it the better you get, or you can find better ways of doing it (new equipment). Depending on the weather though it could be harder or easier. Things like your equipment getting wet if you've gotten wet and dealing with the real world consequences of trying to take the easy/quick route somewhere instead of looking for a better way to cross say a stream or small river. But, in a situation where you've found or traded for a strike box or flint stick that is water resistant/proof you can still start the fire up without your body temperature getting to low and you freezing to death.

[rockinraine]

I was thinking maybe something like a skill tree. Completing certain tasks or achieving something could give you skill points to upgrade skills, lets say you have helped someone out or killed so many of a certain animal. You could use those skill points to upgrade your hunting ability or how fast you can run. Maybe even weapon skills or faster fire making abilities. Another thing would be real life environmental struggles. Thicker snow means slower walking, running and sometimes tripping, stamina so you don't run forever, maybe even how fast can you close a door before the enemy gets to you. That is about all I have on my mind at the moment, I will check back in if I think of something.

[robdoar]

I'm not a fan of the skill tree, Just improvements of akills.

You can try to do anything, whether or not you succeed depends on skill level.

[Dalec]

@Raine_Rumple

Yeah, I don't think that would make sense in a game that is going for at least some form of realism. You can't say, I killed x amount of animals so now I can run faster because those two skills have nothing to do with each other. Running a lot makes you better at running, killing a certain type of animal makes you better at killing said animal (or at least you would know that that way is effective or not), and so on. It all boils down to how much hands on you have at "actually" doing something verses leveling up and being able to add points to different skills.

[rockinraine]

@Dalec

Don't pair those two up, what the hell? Use the killed x amount and the hunting upgrade. I mentioned two examples, pair up the right ones! Think with your head. I do agree somewhat with what you had to say.

[Raphael van Lierop]

I'm not commenting, but I'm reading this, FYI.

[ArrayKnight]

I'm not commenting, but I'm reading this, FYI.

I'm confused...this seems like a comment.

Also, I had been saving this for my conversations with the Hinterland team, but this thread seems appropriate enough of a place.

Crafting and trap reference:

Happy People: A Year in the Taiga (available on Netflix)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1683876/

Skis/Snowshoes (rough handmade, found?)

Digging (snow cave, supply cache)

Vegetation (food source, some are poisonous, poisons as a weapon?)

Marking of trees (route finding, cache pointer, trap identification)

Travois (crude cargo sled)

Cannabalism

Climbing trees

Using animals for more than food (skins, scent extract, etc...)

Dynamic snow, based on weather, affects movement (layers of pack, sleet, crust, powder)

Snow/ice caves covered in snow that the player can fall into

Using waste (animal and human?) as fuel

Tracking (tracks, markings, droppings) GTA style wind/smell

Ice fishing

Extract pitch/tar/sap from plants

Dynamic forest, wind blowing down trees, lightning setting trees on fire

Food preservation, drying, salting, canning, smoking

Creation of alcohol for drinking, trading, fuel, cleaning/medical, etc

Would a carbureted diesel engine still function? (no electronics, though hard to start cold...) but imagine a mission to raid a museum for it's old timey engine! Although...we're in the wilderness so there isn't a museum convenient. Maybe a barn find? An old tractor...

Now I'll have to come up with new stuff so I have something to talk about over pancakes.

[junaid_hussain]

@ArrayKnight - that's quite an extensive list, they may need another kickstarter if they were taking these into consideration

[robdoar]

I'm not commenting, but I'm reading this, FYI.

I can hear the gears turning. :-)

[TattooedMac]

I'd like to see a lot of these other suggestions, but make them real time.

What I mean is, in this one situation, when you make a fire, it doesn't just drop. You have to get out your flint and tender/strike box(flint stick)/friction bow and actually try and make a fire. The more often you do it the better you get, or you can find better ways of doing it (new equipment). Depending on the weather though it could be harder or easier.

To a certain degree. I have found with a "Friction Bow" or just the base and pole you use if you can't find string or similar, no matter how much you do it, or how good you are at doing it, there is a certain point where it just doesn't get any quicker. I have seen experts at times, not make a fire, as you have to get the right types or wood, and the same expert have the ultimate already made Base and Pole still only do it in x amount of time and know quicker. . . . So they will have to be careful in implementing these sort of skill sets and how they are managed.

[robdoar]

To a certain degree. I have found with a "Friction Bow" or just the base and pole you use if you can't find string or similar, no matter how much you do it, or how good you are at doing it, there is a certain point where it just doesn't get any quicker. I have seen experts at times, not make a fire, as you have to get the right types or wood, and the same expert have the ultimate already made Base and Pole still only do it in x amount of time and know quicker. . . . So they will have to be careful in implementing these sort of skill sets and how they are managed.

This is very true. I think the skill level could be manifested in ability to find good materials for things like this.

For a friction fire, materials is everything. Using a hardwood for the spindle vs. softwood for example. If you're materials are slightly wet, forget about it.

[junaid_hussain]

Did they mention if there would be some sort of sanity meter? I mean I don't want an actual meter, but something similar to Eternal Darkness's sanity would be great I think, where your character starts to hallucinate, has nightmares (which could be played out in terms of gameplay at random moments) and so on as your health and sanity deteriorates.

[simo_haaman]

I think it would be neat if even an empty firearm could be used to intimidate human opponents, but they'd have a chance to call your buff.

[harriholmstrom]

Hi;

Just some ideas, in real life I´m a hunter (moose, dear and so on), we use ear protection

www.amazon.com/Caldwell-E-Max-Profile-E ... B001B8ONZI

This increase the hearing radically in the wilderness, I hope we can get/find equipment like this in the game. You will notice everything that happened close to you in the nature.

Just my 2 cent

[robdoar]

Hi;

Just some ideas, in real life I´m a hunter (moose, dear and so on), we use ear protection

amazon.com/Caldwell-E-Max-Profile-Electronic-Muffs/dp/B001B8ONZI

This increase the hearing radically in the wilderness, I hope we can get/find equipment like this in the game. You will notice everything that happened close to you in the nature.

Just my 2 cent

But they're electronic....