Reply To: Some Necrosavants Part II: The Rustling

[Sekata]

TLDR:

The necros do follow me on the worldmap. note: The two battle sites.

They also spawned from the building type, which itself spawned on or before day 21. note: The banner above the worldmap army and the banner above the base. Note also the base description which alludes to it being a place for hemovores- the previously used name of necrosavants.

(1) Being required to take injuries or combat losses from a roaming army that cannot be evaded is a punishment for the player being at the wrong place at the wrong time. This means a loss of time and resources without a clear mistake that justifies it. That is not a problem that exists with any other enemy in the game.

(2) The game does not need to be ‘fair’ but it should give players the tools in the form of mechanics or knowledge to hedge against loss. In most encounters where the player is overwhelmed, that tool is retreat. It is not a tool that applies to necrosavants, and again the player takes loss in the form of time and coin for being at the wrong place at the wrong time. This would not be the case if the army did not roam.

(3) Just because the game over is not automatic, that does not mean that the design is balanced. By creating a loop that punishes the player without clear reward (the necro encounter was not the quest encounter) and without a clear mistake, the player learns that the game will punish them whether they make an error or not. Again, fine for gambling and fine for certain gamers. Not fine for other kinds of players (like me) or games that imply that skill is more important than RNG. It’s the difference between dark souls and poker. One game is brutally difficult by nature of the enemies the player is facing and RNG is not the primary factor. The other game is challenging because of its random nature. These games attract different kinds of player.

(4). I never said that I wanted the game to be easy or that I don’t enjoy challenge. That’s a suggestion that you have made to de-legitimize my issue with this enemy type. As far as I can tell, you have ignored my words in previous posts just so that you can make the allegation. I have previously mentioned being perfectly fine with the state of enemy types that can wreck the player, like the ghoul re-work, since it made them a threat. I would have been fine if the necros were confined in the quest location, since it ties them to the quest/reward loop, and means that they are confined to the location. An army roaming on day 21 and the instant punishment that it implies for the player is where I have an issue. I am not sure whether or not it is intended to fit in the balance since the game has just released and am mentioning it here. If it is intended, I stand by my statement that I don’t like the design because of the implications for the risk/reward loop and punishing the player outside of a mistake being made.

I will take your points seriously and will be civil in debates of design and philosophy. I will give you the benefit of the doubt as a player and assume that you understand the game and are simply fine with its current state. I will cease to be civil (or take your seriously at all) if your basis for responding to my own critiques depends on suggesting that I hold opinions that I have not clearly stated (your 4 thugs scenario) or am incapable of playing the game. I can play, very well, and find certain design choices lacking.