In Terraria, the game used an armor system that utilized flat damage reduction. I talk about it one of my threads. Anyway, that is the reason why Green Slimes and Zombies start out formidable and become totally laughable when you have better gear. Once they do only one point of damage per hit, they aren't scary. What makes a huge beast scary is not whether you can kill it, but if it can kill you. Making an indestructible beast is a very heavy-handed way of making players feel weak and vulnerable, and it doesn't work nearly as well as mobs and bosses that pack a lot of offensive firepower. Take this example: In Final Fantasy VIII there is an invulnerable boss that you are forced to flee from. This giant robot spider thing chases you through a town, demolishing everything until you escape on a boat. It was kinda cool because of the cinematic cut scenes, but the actual experience felt dry. Basically, you start fighting this boss, using items along the way, and then someone says you have to run away because you can't beat it? But you already used all those items! As you are running away, you realize that all you have to do is point your character in the opposite direction and move. Honestly, after the first time I played the game, I always found that section boring. In Metroid Fusion, there are several points when you have to hide or run away from the SA-X, but none of those moments created the heart pounding excitement that FIGHTING the SA-X gave you at the end of the game. It was a fun, difficult fight. Starbound should focus on recreating THAT excitement with intricate enemy AI and mechanics that lend depth to the combat. Invulnerable foes do not add depth, they are as shallow as it can get.
Well DeadlyLuvdisc, I think invulnerable enemies you have to run from CAN be done right, it's just that it requires an actual skill element to escaping them, which many games fail at terribly, and would also not work in Starbound.
Well, yeah. I may not be a fan of Survival Horror myself, but Slender is very popular for a reason. It is incredibly simple, and yet manages to create a very engaging feeling of helplessness and also requires skill and forethought. Older Survival Horror games actually have this element in their designs with fairly good success. I, however, play games so I can feel Godly, not so I can fear the Gods. I have enough of that in real life.
When I play video game I expect at some time or another I can kill the whale monster thing that has killed me 10000000000000 times and feel really good about so instead of unkillable how about nearly unkillable
If you want something that you can't beat you can just PVP with me. But, seriously, I like the idea, but I don't think it would be good for Starbound. Even if there were things you couldn't beat in the game, you'd still be considered done after you've defeated everything that CAN be defeated in the game. Having an undefeatable boss is pointless, to me, because bosses are meant to be beat. To add to you idea, instead of making a totally indestructable boss, how about having a boss that would be invulnerable for a certain amount of time, and attack you, making you have the thrill of running away, without defeating the purpose of a boss.
@ OP: I have to admit that I felt the opposite once I started reading the first couple of sentences. (I like being able to beat everything, although increased difficulty and challenges are welcome :alien However, I was persuaded before I had finished reading. I now think that this is actually a good idea and would add more value to the game, an element that enshrines adrenaline-filled moments. Some enormous creatures, as you've stated, should not be able to be defeated by regular means (though perhaps old school attacks could slow them down) and would need wits and some know-how to escape/defeat them. For instance, lure one to a minefield. However, I understand they are supposed to be lethal and dangerous but I believe dangerous can be split up into two bits: a) Creepy Dangerous, where you realise that the creature is coming at you a few seconds before it becomes fatal, thus giving you enough time to do something if you're paying attention. For instance, flashlight batteries failing might indicate an electricity-fueled gas being approaching. Another example is that the player could be able to move slightly faster than the monster. b) Die-and-Try Dangerous, where you are very likely to die if you do not know what to do. Several games work like this and, unless you check the answers online, you will very likely die several times before you learn the tactics. For example, you have to press button X three times, while crouching at midnight facing East and have a penguin suit equipped. I'm not a fan of option B so if something like this were to be implemented in game, I'd definitely prefer something among the lines of option A, where you learn from the on-going situation instead of having to perish. I'd definitely like to see this in game. It sort of reminds me of the Dahaka from the Prince of Persia series.
That they cant be beaten in game doesnt mean they cant be beaten... It just means YOU cant beat them. Theres always something that you cant beat. Other creatures may beat it, but not you.
Rather than running, I have a feeling this is gonna one of THOSE monster hunter moments... THEY NEVER DIE!!!! *runs out of supplies*
Giant monsters?... Only giant monsters? YOU BEST BE SENDING MORE THAN GIANT MONSTERS AT ME IF YOU'RE SERIOUS.
A rather large necrobump... better make use of it. Of course I can beat everything. I'm an effing Kirby.
Yes! Thats actually good idea. Only instead of unbeatable, to ultra mega hard. Well like you said, it will get boring after getting hallowed set! So why don't kill monsters, bosses that are actually really really hard. Like combined all mechanical bosses from Terraria. And instead of getting even more powerful armors and weapons, maybe loads and loads of gold!. Well i totally support your idea anyway .
I think this is something a lot of games are afraid to do, but I think one of the best things in a game is when it makes the character feel something other than all powerful as most modern games do. I can't think of a modern game that you can find yourself up against something impossible.
I like this! Especially the last example of a mission is great! I would love to fight a giant flying monster with my airship.
Yeah, if the planet growled at you when you tried to mine it, that would be a good sign something was off. *Warning Opinion!* I think you should get a symbol appearing in the top right randomly generated based off the monster, like a warning to a specific species. Then you would sort of see it coming. Of course you wouldn't know what kind of monster it was, if it was going to climb out of the earth and gobble you up or rip you up from the sky. I think the warning should be short ranged and only activate if the monster is awake...
Anything is flammable if you try hard enough! On a more serious note, I partially agree with your idea. There should always be things that threaten the player - it's boring to be completely invincible. On the flipside, nothing should be impossible. The idea of super-hard monsters is great, but a skilled and dedicated player should still be able to take them out.
How about a monster that can't be beaten alone? I'm talking about a super boss that has ten maybe twenty times the health of a regular boss. I really love co-op aspects in games. The creature may even turn out to be intelligent, once you damage it enough, and it might try to strike a deal with you.
See it's that sometimes they could be taken out, or avoided or warded off, killing them might not be the goal! I think that not all monsters should be able to be fought... effectively, as in you wouldn't be able to beat them with "conventional weapons".
