I wanted to create this discussion sharing my thoughts on possible improvements for this game. I understand that what I'll recommend may or may not have actual weight when the developers do improve/update this mod, but as someone who sees this game as possibly the next Counter Strike to Half-Life, I think and really hope that the creators of this high-potential mod take this into consideration. The fact of the matter is, Overgrowth is dying, and a mod like this that surrounds all the features that make Overgrowth unique and put it into its own everlasting story line, is an amazing idea. Therefore, as someone who wants to see this mod become even more popular and revitalize this game, I would like to share some suggestions. This discussion will be made into separate parts: Combat and Statistics(Although optimization is highly requested, I'll be focusing on gameplay rather than individual issues linked to software)


First off, since 80% of this game is combat mechanics, I believe Overgrowth developers already provided a great foundation, and frankly, I dont think there is much improving needed. The hunting system where using weapons puts a bounty on your head is already genius, and prevents people slashing through the game with broadswords. Combat capacity being dependent on your food and hunger levels are slightly unforgiving, but I think a few added mechanics can fix that issue.


Now this section, will be a big one. As this part of the gameplay, is honestly the most unbalanced part of the game. For this section, Ill be making points on the different objects in the game from top to bottom (The page where you press "i"). We'll skip gold, because I believe its quite balanced in the fact that you don't want to be able to buy everything you come across, and that most items only cost one or two pieces anyways. Instead, we'll talk about scrolls.

Scrolls

Scrolls can be expended in order to level up your characters four skills: Scavenging, Stealing, Bushcraft, and Meditation. As of now, each stat starts at 25% chance, and using a scroll to increase those stats, add about 1-3%. So, using these numbers, lets calculate a scenario. If it takes me an average of 8 minutes to find one scroll, and I get 2% increases each time an expend a scroll, and I need 300 scrolls to complete my skillset, I'll have to spend around 2400 minutes, or 20 hours of gameplay. For many people, this is way too great of an investment of time, especially considering that my survival is based solely on if a lake wants to generate, or if a rabbit fort wants to generate for me to even invest the scrolls I DO have. I believe that something more reasonable would be each scroll giving a 5% increase to the skill, with a 10% chance to add a percentage of skill ranged 6-10% instead of just 5%. This will allow for much more recognizable progression, and cuts down time investments from 20 hours to complete a skillset, to at most, 8 hours.

Map

I really dont have much to say about this, since I haven't noticed this statistic making an actual difference in my gameplay. But, I can offer a new mechanic. Since structures that add map knowledge are relatively common to find, adding a traveler rabbit (Almost like a Peddler) that can trade any sort of weapon for directions to the nearest rabbit fort, would be a great mechanic. As it stands, rabbit forts generate randomly like every other landmark. But, adding a mechanic that generates a guaranteed rabbit fort and points you in the direction of it, may take some of the unappealing randomness out of your progression.

Skills

I just decided it's best to address these all at once. All these skills need some progressive increase in some way, aside from scrolls. Loot containers is easy to come across, so I suggest that for every 10 loot containers searched, the player is granted a 1% increase until 50%. This just makes sense as the more you do something, the better you get at it. The reason it stops at 50%, is because by then, you should be able to find scrolls in your looted stashes, which therefore can provide the remaining increases through expending them.

Buschraft experiences are a little bit more dangerous, so I recommend doing 1% for every action tried (rather fail or not) until 50%. This is because eating mushrooms and leaving a bush to escape the Wendigo are VERY unforgiving if failed. If I get poisoned, I could die over time and lose ALL statistics, and if I die from the Wendigo I lose my weapons.

Meditation and lockpicking structures are relatively rare to come by compared to other structures, so I recommend doing the same process as with the looting, but for every two prayers, grant a 1% increase.

Status

Food really isnt that hard to come by, but what makes this aspect of survival slightly broken is the affects food has on combat. If I'm at 50% food, I strike significantly slower, jump lower, (and I think run slower). This makes sense, but striking slower means having a greater chance to die from whoever is guarding that stash I need to get to. See what I mean? The same issue with water. All I ask, and many people agree, that there be some portable food mechanic such as a water bottle and an inventory to bring 3 pieces of food. These pieces should only be replenished when at a rabbit fort, but can be expended anywhere when your status drops on either survival statistic. This allows for more time to complete missions, survive the environmental afflictions, and much more.

Freezing

The only issue with freezing, is that the time in between freezing when it snows must be around 5 minutes. As of right now with the randomized generation, this is a problem. Surely when there are other implementations such as the ones made above, snow can be much more manageable and/or may not even be an issue at all. But, as it stands, the freezing rates are very quick.

As a reminder, this game has great potential, and can re-ignite the Overgrowth game itself. You guys really have a gem of an idea on your hands, and I wish you guys the best of luck in developement!