Slime Rancher's (broken) Game Progression Line

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Slime Rancher's (broken) Game Progression Line

Postby SnailsAttack » Sun Nov 20, 2016 4:39 pm

Slime Rancher is an amazing game with very fun gameplay mechanics, beautiful graphics, and mostly stable FPS.

The game progression, however, is absolutely horrendous.

Let me say that the game DOES start off pretty well. It begins fairly well paced with the player running around collecting pink, tabby, and rock, and also possibly phosphor slimes. You'll likely begin building farms and pens for crops and chickens.

But then it gets totally messed up.

The game only has 2 unlockable areas that can be accessed after obtaining a slime key (after a short grind). However, one of these 2 unlock able areas (the moss blanket) can be accessed without a slime key. All you need is a level one jetpack, which can be purchased after about 3 days of gameplay for a very low cost.

And then all of the main gameplay gets crunched into the middle area of game "progression" as the player explores the moss blanket and indigo quarry and gathers and combines their slimes. That's when the player is put into a very awkward state in the game. While they have likely earned enough newbucks to access the barn, chances are they have already captured many of the game's slimes.

By the time they gather all the resources needed to actually DO any slime science, there isn't much left to be done. Why build a teleport system to the moss blanket when you've already gotten honey slimes and mint mangos? Why build a hydro blaster when your farm isn't in any danger of tarrs? Why spend time running around collecting massive amounts of plorts and various extracted items just for a few decorational objects?

The player is then left feeling empty and incomplete. What is left to be done? Is it worth doing? Why bother grinding for newbucks when there's nothing to spend them on? The upgrades are all complete jokes when it comes to their costs. Everything is well-priced at the beginning of the game, but the price scaling is so pathetic that you can probably buy out every upgrade by the 7th day, maybe the 10th if you take it slow.

My overall point is that the game is in need of changes. Here are the things that I propose should be changed.

- You should not be able to enter the Moss Blanket without a key.

- You should not be able to enter the Indigo Quarry without something found in the Moss Blanket.

- Plort prices should be scaled according to where/when they're slimes are obtained are found in terms of game progression.

- There should be an endgame area with difficult enemies and terrain that is only accessible by finding one (or several) items in the Indigo Quarry.

- The arch island should serve some purpose, as it is basically an extended section of the dry reef as of now.

- There should be at least 2 more slime types which can be captured and made into largos.

These are my proposed changes. I could probably go on about all the messed up areas of game progression, but overall I just want to decompress the middle section of gameplay, where almost EVERYTHING ends up taking place.

Thanks for reading.
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Re: Slime Rancher's (broken) Game Progression Line

Postby jmababa » Sun Nov 20, 2016 5:22 pm

don't you read the roadmap its not yet done and that's why this game is on alpha stage duh
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Re: Slime Rancher's (broken) Game Progression Line

Postby SnailsAttack » Sun Nov 20, 2016 7:34 pm

jmababa wrote:don't you read the roadmap its not yet done and that's why this game is on alpha stage duh

I haven't read the roadmap in a while, but I just want to point out the pre-existing problems and share my suggestions regardless.
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Re: Slime Rancher's (broken) Game Progression Line

Postby EmeraldPlay » Mon Nov 21, 2016 10:15 am

Having Slime Science become available earlier is already a common idea that might become a real thing.

The Moss Blanket issue isn't really an issue. As devs said "A shortcut is just your being clever". I mean, you can even venture easily to the Indigo Quarry if you try to think of a way to do so.

I'd also say that the Moss Blanket doesn't need to be the first unlockable area that you're wanting it to be. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to trash on your ideas with my statements, but it's more prefferable to be that way.

A plort scaling might be ok...?

An endgame area is going to be a thing in a future update.

The Arch Island is planned to have a bigger purpose in a future update, just like with other places, like the Volcano Island or the hunter feral slime area in the Moss Blanket.
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Re: Slime Rancher's (broken) Game Progression Line

Postby appples » Mon Nov 21, 2016 10:49 am

I do agree with you about the price scaling and that bugs need to be fixed, but you're acting as if the Slime Science update is the last update before Full Release. This game is far away from v1.0.0 (It's only at v0.4.0c) and by the time it reaches v1.0.0, all your problems should be fixed. Be patient and wait my friend, this game will probably be finished Q1 2018 at the rate it's going (not that there is a problem with the development pace :D).
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Re: Slime Rancher's (broken) Game Progression Line

Postby HappyRainbew » Wed Nov 23, 2016 5:38 am

There are also 2 new planned slimes (i think) for 0.5 or maybe later: the meteor and mosaic slimes, plus the devs have been adding slimes in between updates so there might be more. I do agree with slime science becoming avaliable earlier, maybe at a price of 5000 instead of 10000. Don't discount curios and decorations though, I really like those.
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Re: Slime Rancher's (broken) Game Progression Line

Postby WOLRUS » Mon Feb 20, 2017 3:17 pm

Oh don't whine. It's fine and there are three unlockable areas: The third is the Boneyard, and you have to fight your way past too many feral rocks. Then there's a bunch of fun stuff to see and do there. No spoilers.
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