Thoughts on 2.0 (Dev stream)

[Elwynne]

I believe that the default version of the game is steadily moving away from a pure sandbox experience towards more of an adventure style game with RPG elements and some sandbox elements. But the days of the game being primarily a sandbox are past. As the game becomes more and more complete there will be rules and restrictions to facilitate balanced gameplay.

You can always change settings in order to make the game more like a sandbox such as turning off biome progression, turning on creative mode, adjusting block damage, etc.

Restrictions and Rules.

This in a nutshell is where we are heading it seems, I agree. As long as the game is mod-able and customisable, I think you can carry your veterans with you. If that ended it may be a different kettle of fish.

The adventure game - non sandbox I suspect is to cater for newer crowd, along with console market. I mean I get it, money comes from new players and customers so the drive will be to follow the money.

What the game needs most is many more POI's, a broader spectrum of weapons, food, et al. At the end of the day repetition is the main reason folks will drift away I think.

 

[Roland]

Restrictions and Rules.

This in a nutshell is where we are heading it seems, I agree. As long as the game is mod-able and customisable, I think you can carry your veterans with you. If that ended it may be a different kettle of fish.

The adventure game - non sandbox I suspect is to cater for newer crowd, along with console market. I mean I get it, money comes from new players and customers so the drive will be to follow the money.

What the game needs most is many more POI's, a broader spectrum of weapons, food, et al. At the end of the day repetition is the main reason folks will drift away I think.

Moddability won't end and in fact will get more support in the future.

Your assumption that the game has moved away from a pure sandbox in order to cater to a newer crowd is incorrect. The game was only ever a pure sandbox simply because planned elements were not in place yet. There was no meeting a few years ago where the devs all looked at each other and said, "Look what a financial disaster Minecraft is. We've GOT to move away from this game being such a complete sandbox and go where the profits are like adventure games."

The original kickstarter goals have features listed that require rules and restrictions in order for there to be a balanced game. That is what a balanced game is -- a collection of rules that prevent any one aspect of the game from becoming OP. Player progression, quests from NPCs, reputation levels with factions, and a main story line all bespeak restrictions and rules of one kind or another to make them work and have some kind of a game to them and these features have been planned from the very beginning.

And yet, 7 Days can very easily still be played like a sandbox with very few restrictions or rules. Flip the various toggles in the game and even open the F1 console and type dm for god mode and you can go wild with the game as the purest of sandboxes building anything with infinite blocks, fly and/or teleport instantly to whatever POI you want to see, spawn in whatever enemies you wish to try fighting. The game gets pretty close to Gary's Mod at this point for super pure sandbox type of fun.

 

[Elwynne]

Moddability won't end and in fact will get more support in the future.

Your assumption that the game has moved away from a pure sandbox in order to cater to a newer crowd is incorrect. The game was only ever a pure sandbox simply because planned elements were not in place yet. There was no meeting a few years ago where the devs all looked at each other and said, "Look what a financial disaster Minecraft is. We've GOT to move away from this game being such a complete sandbox and go where the profits are like adventure games."

The original kickstarter goals have features listed that require rules and restrictions in order for there to be a balanced game. That is what a balanced game is -- a collection of rules that prevent any one aspect of the game from becoming OP. Player progression, quests from NPCs, reputation levels with factions, and a main story line all bespeak restrictions and rules of one kind or another to make them work and have some kind of a game to them and these features have been planned from the very beginning.

And yet, 7 Days can very easily still be played like a sandbox with very few restrictions or rules. Flip the various toggles in the game and even open the F1 console and type dm for god mode and you can go wild with the game as the purest of sandboxes building anything with infinite blocks, fly and/or teleport instantly to whatever POI you want to see, spawn in whatever enemies you wish to try fighting. The game gets pretty close to Gary's Mod at this point for super pure sandbox type of fun.

Thanks for your reply.

I've pointed out its customisation and flexibility with options is a great strength previously, so its reassuring to know this is part of the vision.

I suspected it was for a newer crowd as financially that would make sense, meaning no offense. Your sentence about moving away from sandbox kinda implies that as part of the logic as the dev's stated in that meeting that's where the money is.

I get the vision included player progression, quests etc are part of the original vision. I just did not see a highly sandbox game as mutually exclusive with that vision or with balancing.

But am happy to see what else they roll out. There are few games that have sucked me in as much, just a handful, so they have done a lot right.

Out of interest I am playing with the progression on atm, I mean am not so cantankerous as to dismiss things without giving them a chance.

 

[fragtzack]

Well my thoughts are I must start playing this game again.

Goal is to reach 3500 hours played.

 

[Elwynne]

Well my thoughts are I must start playing this game again.

Goal is to reach 3500 hours played.

Am only around 1300 hours this time around. Played earlier versions probably around the same, so many more folks will have put in ten times as much as me.

My brother played it from the start pretty much, was introduced to it when i played on his machine at first. He's back on it now for a while there is new content so if it brings folks back that's a good thing.

My earlier point about increasing poi's, weapons, food, zombies etc is to keep folks from drifting away like he does.

 

[Riamus]

Your sentence about moving away from sandbox kinda implies that as part of the logic as the dev's stated in that meeting that's where the money is.

I think you misunderstood him. He said there was NOT that kind of meeting.

 

[Elwynne]

I think you misunderstood him. He said there was NOT that kind of meeting.

Thanks re-read it, yeah he said not. I still don't see them as mutually exclusive, but hey I'll hold my hand up when i'm inaccurate ^.^