I searched for this discussion but some posts are either locked, too old or not addressing my concern here. Let's start.
The definition of the word "cheese". (Not mozzarella, parmegiano regiano or pecorino romano)(also gouda and brie if you like that (I prefer brie, especially in pizza) and is from france)(Swiss cheese is not as good as other cheeses I think but this is not the topic's intention)(I like cheddar on hamburgers, but blue cheese is also great on big patties(not small patties, smash burgers are better with cheddar(uk cheddar)))(screw that "creamy" white cheese ball on pizza, it just tastes like mozzarella but creamier (try drinking milk when you're very hungry, you'll taste cream, boom magic) and people seem to love it, super overrated yeah but it doesn't matter because this is not the point of this whole thread and I don't wanna keep talking about it (I guess now you know that I like cheese (both types, the IRL cheese and Cheese strats)))
My definition of a cheese would be "an unintended way of accomplishing the same goal (as opposed to the intended way) made it easier, casual, simpler, creamier and delicious. By use of in-game mechanics (excluding glitches and bugs as these are different from unintended features, and considered exploitation), strategies and/or a compiled mass off both". This is MY opinion and definition of the term, subject to change.
There are more than a hundred cheese strategies in the game and it would be impossible to list them all.
My reasons for this post.
I know how to play my game, but I wanna know how you play your game. And what do you think is legit.
Topic of discussion.
The intention of this post is to DEFINE once and for all what is the ACTUAL intended way to kill every single boss in the game regardless of the character you're using. This would feel like "limiting" choices from people, but I am in no way encouraging people to tell others what to do and what is right or wrong. My intention is to come to an agreement as to what is the Official way of dealing with certain aspects of the game. I don't want anyone telling no one how you should play the game. This is only for educational purposes.
Some other things.
Feel free to add other topics to the mix like "is ruins rushing actually efficient, intended and the correct way to survive and thrive in the game OR are there any other strategies that are 'better'?".
Most of these topics would get to a point where maybe we'll have 2 or even 3 sides being "correct". In conclusion, there might be more ways of playing the game. Either the most efficient, one focused on building, another focused on obtaining every item or even completing every side quest the game offers.
MY OPINION ABOUT IT.
To achieve a consent between players I will first state my opinion about cheeses, bosses, strategies and gameplay progression. Please I want you to share yours, I'm interested to know your game plan.
I think that all cheese strategies that do not use glitches or bugs are really cool. They give an alternative way to accomplish the same reward, but differently. I am mostly talking about boss cheeses.
I myself use all possible cheeses in the game, but with a catch. I like to have the best experience possible when playing DST, so I do something I call "Standard DST Gameplay" in all my worlds. It consists of playing the game with only 1 character until I defeated every single possible giant in the game (even malbatross). I don't use any cheese, rollbacks or the celestial portal until I kill all bosses atleast once the intended way. I kill dragonfly without walls, fuelweaver without dmg buffs, crab king without bees, planar entities without planar damage etc. I do separate the twins tho and use any item available for me at that time, except in certain situations.
Because of this, the game takes way longer to "complete", and I usually don't focus on killing these bosses. The idea of defeating Klaus or going for fuelweaver simply pops in my head everytime I stagnate. At some point, I found myself farming every giant crop as wormwood, fishing for every fish, collecting every sapling and grass tuft, building my entire base and even mining every single boulder in the lunar island, surface and caves before even killing a single raid giant, it was day 650 when I fought dfly. The sensation of obtaining a boss drop after going through many years gives you motive to play the game.
Why I don't rush the game.
I found myself losing too much interest in the game whenever I did speedruns. They are frustrating and very hard, and most of the time you will be crying for a suspicious boulder to spawn on day 200 or lose the first full moon due to map rng. I once started the moonstorms at day 55, only to kill cc on day 195 because of rng.
Conclusion.
After completing the game. I usually play my favorite characters and then focus on megabasing. Killing every boss with cheeses and easy strategies. I also don't rollback or change settings. My only settings are winter feast always and Huge World size.
I think that if you went through the hard way of beating the game, cheesing feels nice, because you already accomplished everything. It doesn't feel bad to cheese later if I didn't cheese earlier.
My boss order is usually Deerclops >> Moose/Goose >> Antlion >> Bearger >> Eye of Terror >> Klaus >> Bee queen >> Dragonfly >> Toadstool >> Ancient Guardian >> Nightmare Werepig >> Shadow pieces >> Ancient Fuelweaver >> Ink Blights >> Twins of Terror >> Malbatross >> Sharkboi >> Crab King >> Celestial Champion >> 3 lunar bosses.
Because of the way I play, cheeses feel nice.