I want to say, that i originally had an hours worth of typing, but decided to shorten it. Tldr: the map is killing the ocean vibe and needs to be changed
im not saying go full archipelago either, just hear me out.
the main problems with the ocean as i see it are as follows:
1: its far too large to ever be sailed around in a reasonable manner.
2: the small channels are nearly impossible to sail through and only add to the first problem. They worked well in dont starve and reign of giants. If we didnt have an ocean they would be perfect for dont starve together as well, but we do have an ocean.
3: there is no incentive to try to sail from one location to another, unless that location is “ocean content”, this leads to a strong feeling (at least for me) of ocean content being very separate from the “main game” as a result it can feel very gimmicky as well.
4: in the exact same vein but from the opposite direction: i can only reach ocean content WITH A BOAT. We have caves that go underneath the entire map, why isnt there a cave entrance on the moon quay, with monkeys underground, or even in the wilds with the two monkeys having a constant thieving war? or from the lunar island leading to the grotto. It just makes the caves feel disconnected, when they should be connecting everything.
5: the islands are extremely separate from the mainland. This is the most clear in the fact that even when theres daily rewards for living on an island (good rewards too, and the island isnt small either) it still is so remote from the mainlnd that no one even considers living there. Because they’d have to sail to the closest branch, park their boat, walk to the center of the map, and from there they can finally walk towards their destination.
what i suggest to solve these problems:
1: do away with branches. They’re literally anti fun at this point, we all just like them because they’re classic, we can still have some branches to the word, but everything branching off from one center point has got to go.
this will solve sailing from place to place
2 stop centering the mainland. If the mainland is in the center of the map we have to put ocean on all sizes, this makes the current ocean HUGE with massive chunks of empty or functionally empty water between actual landmarks.
This will help with sailing time, and make the map a little less awkward.
3: make the mainland smaller. I mean by like 30-40% take away every duplicate biome completely, reduce the size of existing biomes, make it have interesting shapes like a coastal swamp, make it U or bean shaped with a giant bay you can bounce around from location obviously we can have a branch leading to another location but we could use some real tapography. And most importantly, give it some REAL randomness, i swear after 200 hours ive seen every map and ive been playing a lot longer than that. But it needs to be perfectly functional still. Like 3 players need to be able to base there with no major problems.
this will help with sailing time, and also provide a reason to expand: more space.
5: Now take all those removed biomes, and do something with them. Smaller second island? why not? Savanna attached to the lunar island? Sure. Moon quay with a deciduous biome with monkeys fighting random pig spawns because they ate their bananas? That sounds funny asf. Make it random and make it interesting. Make sure every island with 3 or more biomes has either a wormhole or a cave entrance. Preferably both.
this is to put more content out in the ocean without too much additional effort. Theres no reason why there cant be a swamp island, aside from the fact that we already have two swamps. But it also provides ways to locate islands for players who dont like the sea content as much.
6: start giving players some actual choice for how they get around. Honestly it feels like im railroaded into getting set up on the mainland, then once im ready, i can sail. The moon quay has only reinforced this feeling. I get set up then i go to the ocean, do what i need to do, then head back to base. I CAN rush the lunar island, but why is something a boatride away a rush? Connect the lunar island to the grotto, connect moon quay with idk the wilds and make it monkey on monkey. Tldr: make sure that the wx mains can still run their widdle heart out.
this is mostly a furtheration of the previous point. Its a sandbox, players should have some choice when it comes to how they get from place to place.
finally and most importantly:
7: make the old branches a world generation option.
we will all want to revisit it, but i genuinely think its a relic and quite frankly at this point, holding the game back. I love my rediculous branches, but they make sailing a pain.
Please, PLEASE let me know what you think. I genuinely think the map is TOO big and TOO awkward as is. Tell me if you agree, or disagree, and what you’d change about my suggestions.
