Structural integrity and monsters of the fiercer variety

It has been shown on more than one occasion in the streams (I can tell from the pixels and having seen a lot of streams in my time) that blocks seem to "remember" damage for a short duration, unlike Minecraft where a block reverts to "full health" the moment you stop hitting it. Could it be reasoned that this may be an indication that some of the more powerful creatures will be capable of breaking down structures?

I know that it may seem like a rather far-fetched association to make, but why implement a system where blocks can be gradually damaged and destroyed over a comparatively significant period of time if the players will in all likelihood rarely, if ever, will be affected by this when partaking in block-removing activities such as mining or tearing apart an ancient holy Avian temple to recreate Castlevania.

It does, at least for me, also stand to reason that the high-difficulty worlds would need something capable of presenting a threat to structures and players in structures, lest a simple box of dirt and wooden planks shield the intrepid adventurer from all dangers presented by a planet populated by metal dinosaurs with napalm-vision.

Of course not all creatures would be capable of such destructive feats, only the bigger burlier ones, as to not have the players worrying about level 100 gophers capable of penetrating solid durasteel.

If one, for some unfathomable reason, was to ask me how things should be done I would suggest that the materials monsters are capable of destroying would change with the difficulty level. I.e. on a level 1 planet a simple dirt wall will be able to weather the fury of the fauna, whereas on a level 10 or some such planet wood would be required to withstand the monsters, up untill level 100 where perhaps even the most durable materials can be gradually worn down by extended, continious monster attacks.

 

I'm guessing that they've only made this possible because they want monsters to be able to do it, otherwise it'd just be an annoying griefing tool with no purpose other than having a neat visual effect when shooting rocket launchers at mobs.

It'd always be interesting to see mobs that will slowly break through your barricades during a small event where they attack your base or position, so long as nothing is permanently destroyed and can be picked up again I don't see any problems with a system like that. And it'd certainly be interesting for boss battles... I'd love to see a GIANT master ape smashing his mighty ape-fists down and creating large craters in the dirt, or perhaps an overgrown floran that shoots massive solar beams that could cut thin but long holes through the terrain.

Also, it sounds like creepers are going to be in the game, so I think mobs causing terrain damage is a guarantee, not a "maybe."

 

Interesting assumption to make... I actually kind of like that idea.
But... Terraria had blocks "remember" damage for a short duration as well. It may not have been very noticeable, but it was there. I remember being able to jump, smack stone a couple times, go kill a bat, then hit the stone once and it would drop.

 

It has been said that some monsters can displace blocks, such as throwing dirt clumps at you (and possibly other blocks). As for other materials? I would like to THINK they had varying degrees of breakability. Such as stone blocks being harder to break through/explode than dirt or sand. That seems to just be a given.

 

Not to mention the other KINDS of blocks we'll be getting! Just imaging the kinds of things you'll be able to dig up!

 

Look at me, look at your house, your house is DIAMONDS!

 

I don't think structures will be damaged often. Also wouldn't be cool if there was a mob that burrowed and made tunnels?

 

I think that some should be able to, so that you can't just box yourself in and make fun of all the monsters.

 

As long as you didn't accidentally hit ANOTHER stone beforehand.
That made mining things out of reach (when you had to jump to hit them) difficult; I'd always accidentally hit the wrong block, making my progress reset...

 

I wouldn't be surprised if the higher level planets' lifeforms are near allergic towards your presence (right word? Brain fart) on the map and attempt to destroy both you and anything between them and you. Such as walls, entire buildings and possible dig holes through the planet to reach your location to commit to your doom.

 

Since the game is not released I will not state weather or not I know for sure if it is or isn't in the game. Would be interesting though.

 

I hope that there are creatures that can pound or dig their way to you, that would be cool. As long as they're not a common enemy at all. But I do agree that there's a possibility that such creatures may end up existing in Starbound.

 

Like the clown in Terraria o.o

 

I would honestly be surprised (and a bit disappointed) if tougher monsters couldn't bash their way through your defences to get to you, at least on higher difficulty planets. Without it, as OP said, you could just build a dirt box around you even on the toughest of planets and become invincible, and I'm sure the devs don't want that.

 

well since you have pointed this out to the community.. it has to be in the game or we will all be sad. ;_; why do you put us through this!?

 

Why would you box yourself in? This is Starbound, just beam up to your spaceship if you don't want monsters on your tail. Plus, pretty sure you don't heal over time either.

I agree with the monster terrain destruction on higher tier planets, and only if the items have 100% drop rate when destroyed. The only reason I hate Creepers in Minecraft is because I can't fully repair the craters they create...