Subnautica - another stranded survival game..looks good.

mori · Post by **mori** » Sat May 07, 2016 9:16 pm

I have spent far too much time on this game and then having to restart for a new update. But I keep on doing it because I enjoy this game. I just wish they would better explain the changes after each update. It took me forever to figure out why I could not build the Seamoth after the last update. Wiki's and game guides do not get updated because game mechanics change so often.

Paingod · Post by **Paingod** » Fri Jun 03, 2016 8:29 am

They've released a new update that adds some nice features. I'll also include prior updates since the last time I played because those are cool too.

Latest Updates added...

Recharging Power Cells!
Beds in your habitat for resting
Toxic Gasopods use toxic orbs that can be harvested before they pop to create toxic torpedoes
Non-violent Sea Treader creatures
New Solar Panel model

Previous Update Added...

Cyclops Sub enhancements - sensors, cameras, dive depth, lockers, and more
Bio-Reactors to generate power using plant matter
Nuclear Reactors requiring Radiation Rods for fuel
New model for Thermal Reactors
Blood Kelp zone changes
A relatively easy to craft (3 Titanium) deployable floating 4x4 storage chest (good for early game storage before you build a base, or for item drops by caves).
Bases require power to generate 0xygen - no more quick tubes + hatch to refill air.
Sitting doesn't deplete food & water meters (as fast?) so you can read through the PDA without dying of thirst.
Predators have a visual overhaul
Extended crash sequence
Underwater gardening & plants inside bases.
Greenery for wall panels
Light sticks for dropped or carried illumination
Floodlights and Spotlights (tracking predators) for bases
Abandoned bases to explore and loot
Massive indoor aquariums that can span multiple levels of a base.
Creature eggs you find to let you bring in un-capturable creatures (large beasts, predators) and store them in your new giant aquariums.

I'm digging the new content, a lot. I love the giant aquarium - it has no limit on the number of fish inside (unlike the smaller ones). The predatory animals (at least the Stalker) are more aggressive in their chases - I had two running after me for a couple minutes across the map until I finally distracted them with metal scraps.

Lorini · Post by **Lorini** » Fri Jun 03, 2016 11:03 am

I know I'm going to love this game so I'm waiting for it to come out of EA before dedicating like a week to it.

Paingod · Post by **Paingod** » Mon Jun 06, 2016 7:28 am

Lorini wrote:I know I'm going to love this game so I'm waiting for it to come out of EA before dedicating like a week to it.

One thing I like is how the game tech revolved not around getting better armor and weapons, but about increasing your depth capabilities. When you start, you're living dangerously if you go to 30m deep. I've been playing for several nights straight and I think I'm close to 'done' in terms of just acquiring tech. My dive limit is now about 1000m. I'm still having fun just poking around and observing all of the various biomes and creatures.

While the sandbox is fun and the world is beautiful, I'd say this game is dying for a story of some kind too. I'd love to be able to find crew PDA's and piece together their lives before the crash or clues left behind by a previous survivor that lead me down to some abyssal alien ruin.

There are a number of nasty bugs still around (like falling below the world and drowning, which happened to me just once) and a few graphical glitches have been introduced in recent patches (like debris floating in the sky). Another odd bug - the Observatory (base structure, just a large glass dome) is missing. I loved that room and miss having it jut out into open water away from my base.

AWS260 · Post by **AWS260** » Mon Jul 04, 2016 2:13 pm

Subnautica was my one Steam Summer Sale purchase, and it has been very much worth it. I wasn't planning on taking a close look at the game until it was out of EA, but the recent Cool Ghosts bit sold me on it.

It's taken a fair bit of trial-and-error, but I think I am finally confident that I am not going to die of starvation or dehydration. And I just found the

Spoiler:

which has pretty much changed my life.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Mon Jul 04, 2016 4:25 pm

I haven't been playing it for awhile, but I think it's pretty good, especially now that they have implemented a simple selection for Vsync. I'm waiting for the release version so I don't burn out on the alpha.

raydude · Post by **raydude** » Wed Jul 06, 2016 7:49 am

AWS260 wrote:Subnautica was my one Steam Summer Sale purchase, and it has been very much worth it. I wasn't planning on taking a close look at the game until it was out of EA, but the recent Cool Ghosts bit sold me on it.

It's taken a fair bit of trial-and-error, but I think I am finally confident that I am not going to die of starvation or dehydration. And I just found the
Spoiler:
SeaMoth
which has pretty much changed my life.

I saw the Cool Ghosts bit on July 4th then headed over to Steam to buy Subnautica. Only to realize the summer sale had ended.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Wed Jul 06, 2016 12:22 pm

(Micro) Update 67 Released on Steam

Update 67 is now available on Steam. We haven’t named this update, because it is a little baby update. Unlike Farming, Power Nap, Machinery, and other updates, 67 doesn’t include any big exciting new features. It does include important and useful improvements to the game. Read on to find out what’s inside.

Big news is that the game now supports Xbox controllers when playing on PC.

AWS260 · Post by **AWS260** » Fri Jul 08, 2016 9:35 am

jztemple2 wrote:Big news is that the game now supports Xbox controllers when playing on PC.

I tried it with a controller for about 5 minutes last night, but found that button presses occasionally weren't working on items in my base, so I went back to the mouse. Movement with the controller was great, though -- hopefully everything will be working smoothly for the full release later this year.

YellowKing · Post by **YellowKing** » Fri Jul 08, 2016 9:54 am

I need to get back to this one. I bought it awhile back and thought it was great, but put it aside to wait for a few more updates or even a full release.

Toe · Post by **Toe** » Fri Jul 08, 2016 10:44 am

This game seems like it might work well in VR with motion controllers, depending on how movement is handled.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Tue Aug 23, 2016 11:43 am

Ive reinstalled and started a new game since its been so long and a lot has been added. But now Im lost as to what to do. Ive made me some flippers, a couple air tanks, and a knife. Other than getting food and water Im not sure what to be doing. I have no blueprints for any motorized stuff not even the little hand held propeller one. And I cant just keep collecting items because I have my pod, my inv, and multiple lockers full of useless junk.

Paingod · Post by **Paingod** » Tue Aug 23, 2016 12:37 pm

Daehawk wrote:Ive reinstalled and started a new game since its been so long and a lot has been added. But now Im lost as to what to do. Ive made me some flippers, a couple air tanks, and a knife. Other than getting food and water Im not sure what to be doing. I have no blueprints for any motorized stuff not even the little hand held propeller one. And I cant just keep collecting items because I have my pod, my inv, and multiple lockers full of useless junk.

Stay fed & hydrated
Explore the ocean floor looking for new blueprint pieces and resources
Build new pieces to explore further and deeper
Eventually get into the ship wreck and repair the reactor to stop radiation leaks
Explore the island for more blueprints, resources, and plantable plants
Build bases at different locations and depths to use as pit-stops
Explore cave systems and hope you don't die
Go deeeeeeeep and play with the glowing flora and fauna
Do battle with a leviathan

The game's progression system is mostly tied to depth. You 'level up' by opening new tech to go a little deeper, and a little more, and a little more.

I was excited when they made it possible to recharge batteries. It was such a waste to make them and toss them, and it makes it so much better to be able to simply cycle them in and out of the recharger.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Tue Aug 23, 2016 12:49 pm

Those batteries dont last long thats for sure. I stopped using my flashlight.

I found some safe looking things down there that I cant move or pickup. Also found some fish I cant grab. Guess they are too big. I can kill them but still do nothing with them..

It sure would be handy if I could add stuff to my hud that was a list of needed items instead of having to remember or go back to the pod all the time to see what it was I needed.

Paingod · Post by **Paingod** » Tue Aug 23, 2016 1:09 pm

Daehawk wrote:It sure would be handy if I could add stuff to my hud that was a list of needed items instead of having to remember or go back to the pod all the time to see what it was I needed.

I found the Pencil and Paper mod remarkably useful to keep track of that. No more running around with "Was it 3 or 4 of those I needed? Crap! What was that last item?"

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Wed Aug 24, 2016 4:54 am

Ive started a new game. Kinda silly that it resets all your controls when you restart.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Wed Aug 24, 2016 4:38 pm

Wow just wow. I restarted and was having a great time .Started in a nice area I thought and was gathering resources when some little creature the size of my hand and looked squid like attached to my forearm and poisoned me...I died before I swam 5 feet.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Wed Aug 24, 2016 8:17 pm

And new content has been added: PRAWN Update Released!

A brand new vehicle is available in Subnautica: The Pressure Re-Active Waterproof Nano Suit, or PRAWN Suit. This big bipedal mech-suit is yours to command, available now on Steam.

The PRAWN suit is capable of diving to great depths, allowing you to explore dangerous caverns and lava fields. PRAWN comes standard with a claw arm that can be used to smash small rocks and pick up items. The suit also accepts modular arm attachments:

Drill Arm: Collect resources from large resource deposits
Grappling Arm: Fires a grapple to reel in small objects, and pull the suit towards large objects.
Torpedo Launcher: Fire torpedoes to defend yourself against aggressive creatures
Propulsion Cannon: Lift, attract, and launch small and medium sized objects

Like the Seamoth Submersible, the PRAWN suit may be docked with a Moon Pool or Cyclops Submarine for repairs, recharging, and modification.

Aurora Wreckage Expanded

Also included in the PRAWN Update: Brand new sections of the Aurora, ready for you to explore. There are a multitude of story points and items to be found amongst the wreckage.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Thu Aug 25, 2016 12:21 am

I found more of those boxes I cant move or interact with. Something about a crawler or some type of vehicle part.

Turtle · Post by **Turtle** » Thu Aug 25, 2016 1:35 am

Probably a fragment that's still not implemented. You're supposed to either grab them and bring them to the fragment scanner to eventually unlock whatever it is, or there may be some sort of handheld scanner.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Thu Aug 25, 2016 6:36 am

Thats what it was. I just got the scanner and started using it . Will it run out of energy and is it worth it to scan fish and coral and everything I see?

Also where does one find silver?? I need silver to make a wiring kit and need the wiring kit to build me a rebreather.

Paingod · Post by **Paingod** » Thu Aug 25, 2016 9:48 am

Daehawk wrote:Thats what it was. I just got the scanner and started using it . Will it run out of energy and is it worth it to scan fish and coral and everything I see?

The last time I played, the scanner was "Energy Free" - and never ran out of juice.

Daehawk wrote:Also where does one find silver?? I need silver to make a wiring kit and need the wiring kit to build me a rebreather.

Depth and some specific locations. Try looking in caves that are near or below 50m deep. I found some decent places not too far from the start, but I had to dive into areas with tall kelp and hostile snaggletoothed sharks. The last time I played, I never had enough of this stuff and was always on the lookout for good places to find it. There may even be a couple shallow caves near the beginning where you can find it.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Thu Aug 25, 2016 10:11 am

Thank you....Ill look into the local caves

Ive noticed those sharks collect stuff....mainly metal....and I can kill them and get a lot of titanium easy.

Paingod · Post by **Paingod** » Thu Aug 25, 2016 10:13 am

No problem. Silver is found on those rock outcroppings, like other resources. Break it open and see what the pinata holds. You wont find it scattered on the ground.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Mon Aug 29, 2016 1:39 am

Ill sure be glad when they put a battery charger in this game. They must use 1940's battery tech because they dont last at all then you have to throw them away. And copper ore seems a pretty rare find. I go out looking for it and if Im lucky I find enough for 1 battery...but it costs me 2 to look that far from the pod.

Paingod · Post by **Paingod** » Mon Aug 29, 2016 9:04 am

Daehawk wrote:Ill sure be glad when they put a battery charger in this game. They must use 1940's battery tech because they dont last at all then you have to throw them away. And copper ore seems a pretty rare find. I go out looking for it and if Im lucky I find enough for 1 battery...but it costs me 2 to look that far from the pod.

It's already in the game. I don't know where or when the blueprints come in, but the last time I played I was able to charge both small batteries (flashlight, laser cutter), and big (submarine power). If you're not on the latest version for some reason, you may be missing it.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Mon Aug 29, 2016 1:48 pm

I just reinstalled a week or so ago. No idea where it is or what it looks like. I just now got the little personal jetpack thing that lets me get around easier but it zips through batteries so fast I cant use it. I cant find enough stuff to make batteries with.

Paingod · Post by **Paingod** » Mon Aug 29, 2016 2:43 pm

I was excited to get that little powered unit, too, and also immediately dismayed that I couldn't sustain usage of it. I think I always meant to get back to it, but never did because I had flipper upgrades and a Seamoth by the time I could actually recharge batteries... not to mention that it takes two hands to use it and 1/5 of your inventory to keep it with you.

Tao · Post by **Tao** » Tue Aug 30, 2016 4:56 pm

Just re-installed this on my new machine and was sorely disappointed to find that the multipurpose room is no longer available as a starting blue print. I like creating a small starter base where I can throw a few storage lockers and an aquarium, sometimes I will do a water distillation machine mostly for the free salt. I know this should be pretty minor as I am guessing you can still use the various tubes to make a small base but it I am finding the change irrationally annoying.

Paingod · Post by **Paingod** » Wed Aug 31, 2016 7:29 am

Tao wrote:Just re-installed this on my new machine and was sorely disappointed to find that the multipurpose room is no longer available as a starting blue print. I like creating a small starter base where I can throw a few storage lockers and an aquarium, sometimes I will do a water distillation machine mostly for the free salt. I know this should be pretty minor as I am guessing you can still use the various tubes to make a small base but it I am finding the change irrationally annoying.

When did they change that? The last time I played (after recharging batteries were introduced), the Multi-Purpose room was still my first segment. That is more than a little frustrating since you really can't build anything of note inside the connecting tubes.

Paingod · Post by **Paingod** » Tue Sep 06, 2016 10:52 am

I spent the weekend replaying this to see what's changed, and it's largely the same - but they've shuffled things around and included the PRAWN as well as more content in the Aurora wreck.

I was also surprised to find the Multi-Functional Room was absent the design plans and the only place I could find it was the floating island (south of the Aurora wreckage - when you look back at it from the island, you're looking at the burning engines and a bit of the left side). That island is good for a few other techs as well - plants, planters, bulkheads, observation rooms. I suppose this means that I'll have to make the Floating Island my first trek (it's a haul) when I get out of the escape pod and have made at least a Scanner and a Knife. Then I can actually start making a useful base. I didn't get back to the Island until after I had the Cyclops built. Up to that point, my "Base" was four tube segments connected together and crammed with storage.

I find it mildly annoying that such an essential room is so hard to get to. The same goes for the Moonpool. It's always a hard one to track down, and always well after you need it. I don't even have it yet - and I've got the Cyclops poking around the ocean looking for parts. The compass tech should also be an early-on thing. It's not hard to make and is essential for basic survival. Instead, I find it far too late in the game, after I've wandered the oceans with little knowledge of which direction I'm really going in except to surface and use the Aurora wreck as a landmark based on its orientation.

I haven't made a PRAWN yet, despite finding all the parts to do it. I've been avoiding it mostly because the description says it walks - not floats or swims - along the bottom, and that seems pretty risque given all the cliffs you can fall off of. I'll make one to see it tonight, and I'll hope it actually swims somewhat - maybe not as well as the Seamoth - but in a serviceable manner that gets up sheer cliffs. It's supposed to also dock in Moonpools and the Cyclops, like the Seamoth.

The expanded wreckage was pretty neat and I look forward to more. I had to make two trips to collect everything I could find.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Tue Sep 06, 2016 12:40 pm

My youngest picked this up with his allowance, and I scrounged up the change to get myself a copy after watching him. I'm really enjoying it so far. I've got a decent base built up (scanner room, moon pool, lots o' reactors), and am scavenging now for the plans for the Cyclops. I still haven't been in the Aurora.

Paingod wrote: I find it mildly annoying that such an essential room is so hard to get to. The same goes for the Moonpool. It's always a hard one to track down, and always well after you need it. I don't even have it yet - and I've got the Cyclops poking around the ocean looking for parts. The compass tech should also be an early-on thing. It's not hard to make and is essential for basic survival. Instead, I find it far too late in the game, after I've wandered the oceans with little knowledge of which direction I'm really going in except to surface and use the Aurora wreck as a landmark based on its orientation.

Moon Pool:

Spoiler:

Compass:

Spoiler:

Paingod · Post by **Paingod** » Tue Sep 06, 2016 1:02 pm

So the islands, despite being vastly distant from each other (north and south of the start) are "must haves" for a new player - who, by definition, is less likely to explore that far anytime before mid-game.

I did check out the northern island briefly, but found nothing of value on it. I didn't explore much under it since a reaper bit me in the ass and sheered off like 80% of my health bar, sending me screaming for the surface. Now that I've got the Cyclops, I suppose I can head back. I've done a bit of southern exploration, so I'm due north now.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Sat Sep 10, 2016 8:12 pm

I've had a blast with this game. For now, though, I think I'm hanging up my flippers.

Steam says I put exactly 50 hours into it. I've reached the point where I've done everything that is available right now - but 50 hours for a pre-release game is still a lot of content. I've explored every biome, from the safe shallows to the inactive lava zone. I built a huge, sprawling main base, and I built a smaller, forward base for deep-sea work. I've explored the Aurora, and I'm pretty sure I've found every blueprint, save for two from a plant I never bothered to go deep enough to gather (deep shroom.)

It really is a great game. If you like Minecraft/ARK type games that combine exploration, building, and light survival, take a look at it. It gets my recommendation. Some shots. Click to embiggen:

More shots in a sec. Need to reboot. Internet is giving me kb/s upload. Thanks, OComcast.

Paingod · Post by **Paingod** » Mon Sep 12, 2016 2:16 pm

I tend to build the big base near the start, and the observatory reaches out into the kelp forest - which makes for a nice, dark, green filled view. It also seems that if you catch a bunch of fish elsewhere and release them near there, they hang around for some time - so I also improved my view by adding fish that weren't around there.

I'm also done for this round, but this is my second or third foray into the Early Access title, and I've logged over 70 hours now. I don't get tired of exploring the depths as a naked crash survivor, though. I've made several bases. I've created ever-lasting sanctuaries in different biomes and depths - before I ever got the Cyclops for depth work, I built tiny bases in the deep powered by thermal vents to resupply myself and refuel the Seamoth. I've been attacked by giant sea monsters and startled countless times by predators in the deep. I like the additional recent content - other crashed pods and their stories, as well as expanding the Aurora wreck.

Overall, awesome game. Even if they stopped development right now, it'd be worth owning.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Tue Sep 13, 2016 5:14 pm

Blackhawk wrote:It gets my recommendation. Some shots. Click to embiggen:

More shots in a sec. Need to reboot. Internet is giving me kb/s upload. Thanks, OComcast.

As promised. Oh, and it wasn't Comcast, it was my router. I think. Or maybe not. It gives me a headache.

The original shot, up there, was of my forward base, Deep Sea Nine (as named on the beacons I put there.) It was small, mostly just built as a storage and resupply base at the edge of the deep, nasty stuff. It is right where the blood kelp, dunes, and sparse reef come together.

My main base, Sealab 2016, from the front.

And from the other side.

My nursery, all food plants, with two water purifiers. Up the stairs at the back is a two-level alien containment unit (IE - a big aquarium) filled full of reginalds, a type of fish that is the best food source in the game. They breed fast enough that I never run out. I use the salt from the purifiers to cure a few reginalds every time I'm in the base (gives me a non-spoiling food source to take with me), grab the water from the purifiers, then fill up on the fruit and potatoes growing there.

I look forward to starting over after a few more big updates. For now, though, I've done everything that can be done. Great game.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Tue Sep 13, 2016 5:37 pm

Great screenshots! I have 29 hours in the game, but I'm going to hold off playing any more until release. Or until I get weak and re-install it again

Paingod · Post by **Paingod** » Wed Sep 14, 2016 9:34 am

Blackhawk wrote:My nursery, all food plants, with two water purifiers. Up the stairs at the back is a two-level alien containment unit (IE - a big aquarium) filled full of reginalds, a type of fish that is the best food source in the game. They breed fast enough that I never run out. I use the salt from the purifiers to cure a few reginalds every time I'm in the base (gives me a non-spoiling food source to take with me), grab the water from the purifiers, then fill up on the fruit and potatoes growing there.

I keep a few Cured Reginalds scattered around as well. I keep an emergency kit in each free-floating vehicle in case I get stranded somewhere and need survival goods. The kid contains 4 Medkits, 4 Large bottles of water, 4 Reginalds, and 4 Power Cells. Since I use a Stillsuit, water lasts a very long time and food is a bigger concern. I've only been lost once inside a deep cave in my Seamoth and only had to eat emergency rations that time before I found my way out. Seems like a huge waste of inventory space, but it makes me feel better.

Your base is really nice, too. Mine is all about function. I'll have to take some shots and upload them. It's very dense and functional, but has two moonpools and an observatory. I've yet to discover a good use for the Sensor room. Maybe you need to build it somewhere very dangerous and use the drones there?

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Wed Sep 14, 2016 11:51 am

Its nice in resource-rich areas if you couple it with the HUD chip. Otherwise, though, it is kind of a waste. Once you find all the goodies in an area it becomes useless. It would be easy enough to pull all the upgrades and deconstruct it, then move it to a new area, though.

I also stocked my vehicles (the Prawn and Seamoth) with 'emergency kits', but just one battery, one power cell, one food and water item, and one first aid kit. My Cyclops has two lantern fruit trees and two Chinese potato plants, plus chargers for batteries and cells, so as long as I have access to that I'll never run out.

Paingod · Post by **Paingod** » Wed Sep 14, 2016 12:05 pm

Blackhawk wrote:My Cyclops has two lantern fruit trees and two Chinese potato plants, plus chargers for batteries and cells, so as long as I have access to that I'll never run out.

Mine ended up with...

5 storage lockers in the lower deck, by default, with batteries, food, water, medical supplies, and tools.
8 full-sized lockers on the upper deck added, emptied into bases regularly.
9 2x2 planters (flowers, potatoes, fruit trees, live sample for later harvesting)
2 fish tanks (1 for sample fish storage for transfer to larger tanks at home, and 1 for live Reginalds & Bladderfish)
1 Fabricator for on-the-fly cooking and production
1 Bench for sitting idly and not consuming a lot of food and water while I wait for daybreak

There was never really a reason to go home, except to swap out batteries to recharge them. It's just a shame the Cyclops is so unwieldy in tight quarters. I'd love for the Seamoth to have greater depth, or an "in between" kind of ship - a slightly larger submersible that goes deep, is faster than the Cyclops but not as nimble or small as the Seamoth. Maybe enough space for a couple lockers and a planter or two inside and that's it.