Subnautica - Deep Sea Exploration & Survival-All

I just heavily used beacons for points of interest. It gave me directions for places that I frequently needed to get to (or remember where resources were) while still allowing me the pleasant shivers of getting a bit lost now and again.

Finally got this finished but I must say it felt like looking for a needle in a haystack at times. I had to use cheats and a walkthrough to have any idea of where to go and how to get it finished.

I did go through the beacons I had logged in my PDA (I was carefully checking the radio often as well) and the various information captured but nothing gave me an idea of where to go for the end game sequence actually within the game.

Despite that I did have a great experience of Subnautica, I thought it was a very carefully thought out and well polished game.

I really want Below Zero. But at 0% discount on steam sale and still in early access, it's kinda stupid to buy it now. That being said, still very much want it.

How complete is the story thus far? I heard they just released a new big patch.

So, I've never really got on with the survival genre too much, but thought I'd give Subnautica a go considering it was free on the Epic Store a long time ago. I finally fired it up a few weeks ago and I've just finished the game! I must say, I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did; I'm actually surpised at how much fun I had. I'd echo a bit what kborom said above, there's a few times where I just felt at a total loss. I tried to tell myself I'd not use a guide at all for this, but found it a bit impossible several times. There's a few gripes with it particulalry at the end where...

Spoiler:

You need the cyclops barrier shield to build the final part of the Neptune rocket. I honestly went the whole game just ignoring the Cyclops, as although it looked cool, I was fairly happy with my little Seamoth which was doing the job. This is one of the areas I was at a total loss, and had to look up and find that you need to not only build the Cyclops, but find the PDA for the barrier shield. I'd already got through the main story parts and it was all I needed left to launch off, so I did just look up where to find the PDA, as I felt like I was at a good stopping point. It was a little frustrating, although when I did get in the Cyclops I did have a little bit of regret I didn't actually build it, as it does seem quite cool.

I don't know if maybe if it's just a way modern games have conditioned me to keep me on track, but I warmed to the game mostly when I was getting the radio signals and using them to go out in the world. When they largely stopped and you had to follow certain clues (explained below), I sort of felt a longing for my radio broadcasts to come back...

Spoiler:

The clue to find the disease research facility was a huge sticking point for me. It said southwest of the containment facility, I believe, which wasn't exactly the most helpful of clues. By the time I'd eventually found my way to the Lost River, I then received the radio broadcast for lifepod 2, which is next to one of the main entrances. I don't know if it just didn't fire before this because I hadn't built the Neptune launch platform, but I wish I had got to sooner to help me find it on my own!

Overall though, this is a wonderful game and there's so much to do. I'll probably end up getting Below Zero when it comes out of early access.

Clusks wrote:

So, I've never really got on with the survival genre too much, but thought I'd give Subnautica a go considering it was free on the Epic Store a long time ago. I finally fired it up a few weeks ago and I've just finished the game! I must say, I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did; I'm actually surpised at how much fun I had. I'd echo a bit what kborom said above, there's a few times where I just felt at a total loss. I tried to tell myself I'd not use a guide at all for this, but found it a bit impossible several times. There's a few gripes with it particulalry at the end where...

Spoiler:

You need the cyclops barrier shield to build the final part of the Neptune rocket. I honestly went the whole game just ignoring the Cyclops, as although it looked cool, I was fairly happy with my little Seamoth which was doing the job. This is one of the areas I was at a total loss, and had to look up and find that you need to not only build the Cyclops, but find the PDA for the barrier shield. I'd already got through the main story parts and it was all I needed left to launch off, so I did just look up where to find the PDA, as I felt like I was at a good stopping point. It was a little frustrating, although when I did get in the Cyclops I did have a little bit of regret I didn't actually build it, as it does seem quite cool.

I don't know if maybe if it's just a way modern games have conditioned me to keep me on track, but I warmed to the game mostly when I was getting the radio signals and using them to go out in the world. When they largely stopped and you had to follow certain clues (explained below), I sort of felt a longing for my radio broadcasts to come back...

Spoiler:

The clue to find the disease research facility was a huge sticking point for me. It said southwest of the containment facility, I believe, which wasn't exactly the most helpful of clues. By the time I'd eventually found my way to the Lost River, I then received the radio broadcast for lifepod 2, which is next to one of the main entrances. I don't know if it just didn't fire before this because I hadn't built the Neptune launch platform, but I wish I had got to sooner to help me find it on my own!

Overall though, this is a wonderful game and there's so much to do. I'll probably end up getting Below Zero when it comes out of early access.

I'm impressed you managed to navigate the lava areas without a Cyclops. Were you using a prawn or free diving the whole way?

thrawn82 wrote:

I'm impressed you managed to navigate the lava areas without a Cyclops. Were you using a prawn or free diving the whole way?

No kidding. The thought of going down there without my Cyclops is more than a little disturbing.

I had a prawn with just the jump boost on, I was trying to use the grapple too, but it didn’t seem to work as consistent with me; I found the jump boost alone meant I could get almost anywhere. I’d generally try to stay up on fairly high ground and hover myself across.

I carried around back up power cells and batteries at all times, when my prawn took a bit of damage I’d wait until I was somewhere I deemed safe, climb out, and quickly repair to 100%.

I took quite a cautious approach throughout the game - I didn’t actually die at all! I was a bit worried that it’d be one of those survival games where you die and have to go all the way back to the start. Plus, l actually found the game made me jump a fair bit, so was fairly alert most of the time. I’m generally not one who likes horror movies/games though, so don’t know if it’s just because I’m a wuss

The Cyclops makes that segment of the game a lot easier; properly equipped, it becomes a portable base that can provide food and water indefinitely. And if you find the specs for the thermal generator, you've got effectively unlimited range as long as you can find the occasional lava vent. That's not usually a problem.

Completing the really deep areas in a Prawn is a bit eye-opening to even think about. How on earth could you carry enough food and water to stay alive that long?

Malor wrote:

The Cyclops makes that segment of the game a lot easier; properly equipped, it becomes a portable base that can provide food and water indefinitely. And if you find the specs for the thermal generator, you've got effectively unlimited range as long as you can find the occasional lava vent. That's not usually a problem.

Completing the really deep areas in a Prawn is a bit eye-opening to even think about. How on earth could you carry enough food and water to stay alive that long?

I built one base in the game, it was roughly under 1km away from the entrance to the the Lost River. I had a moonpool in the base and a water generator for things that really helped. Looking up, I built it in what is known as the Grassy Plateau area you find one of the crashed pods in. I can't remember exactly why I built it there, but it turns out it was somewhere just in reach of plenty of good resources, so actually turned out to be really great for me! I did start building another base in the Lost River, but in the end I just gave up. I liked my journeys back and forth!

I'd generally make sure my Prawn/Seamoth was fully charged (I don't know if my game glitched out or something, but for the last 5 hours I'd basically dock one of them and it'd be instantly charged), and then go hunting for supplies for a journey and keep them on me. I'd capture about 4 peepers and cure them, they lasted plenty to keep me going on my journey to the Lost River (usually more than I'd need). I'd take the bottles from my water machine (replenish h20 by 50!), and also had some coral tubes near by I could use to make even more water from bleach with all the salt I could gather. Most of that kept me going (at least it didn't seem like that much, I was playing on survival, which I believe is the normal setting?) I made most of my journeys have a goal, like I knew I wanted to get enough nickel ore or Kyanite down that way, I'd come back and build what I wanted and then I could set off again. Plus, you can pick things up with the Prawn, so it was a load of extra storage for me!

I also got the special knife fairly early on (found in a crashed wreck), before I headed out on a journey, I'd often just get the first few things I could see and eat them instantly to make sure my hunger was over 100. I found that most of the vitals were fairly forgiving in Subnautica, I think that's why I enjoyed it a lot more than other survival games as it let me enjoy the world a lot more.

thrawn82 wrote:

I'm impressed you managed to navigate the lava areas without a Cyclops. Were you using a prawn or free diving the whole way?

I traveled via prawn suit in all of the lava areas. I found it much more enjoyable than trying to maneuver the sub through some of the tight spots. I felt I made better time.

I thought I would hate the Cyclops but it helped me fulfill a childhood dream of commanding my own exploration sub. It can really take a beating too.

Jakobedlam wrote:
thrawn82 wrote:

I'm impressed you managed to navigate the lava areas without a Cyclops. Were you using a prawn or free diving the whole way?

I traveled via prawn suit in all of the lava areas. I found it much more enjoyable than trying to maneuver the sub through some of the tight spots. I felt I made better time.

Well I did too, but I had a cyclopse down there to dock at to replenish power, food, water, etc.
i cannot imagine going from the grassy plains to the lava zone in nothing but a prawn suit. That's pretty baller.

I tried the cyclops on one play through, just too slow and clunky. Prawn suit all the way!

I just wanted to pop in to this thread to say, if you aren't aware that Breathedge exists (and you like Subnautica) you should totally check it out.

I got it for "free" with the Origin Access basic, started playing because of the spacesuit guy with the chicken and quite quickly realized it was just Subnautica in space. It's not done yet, but it's very playable. You unlock a lot of tech and get to a point of self sufficiency, start building a base and then it just sort of ends and says now you have to wait for the remaining chapters. Supposedly there will be 5 chapters (there are currently three) but the devs say that the next two chapters will be released this year ("the release is planned for 2020 — not for the beginning, or for the middle, and not even for the end, but just the year 2020, so uncertain and indefinite, but it is planned.")

Anyway... I've gone on long enough, but Subnautica fans should definitely check it out.

Why the f is that on Origin?

Bringing this over from “what are you playing this weekend”.

Coldstream wrote:
Redherring wrote:

I’ll give that a try ... I think I have beacon-making materials. What about not dying to various creatures who want to kill me? The knife doesn’t seem to help.

This is an exploration game. That knife is to cut coral bits and for last-ditch self-defense. Haha!

Basically, except for a few very special situations (that you'll recognise), for the most part you should be running away from pretty much everything that's aggressive. In the Safe Shallows (basically the starting area of the game), you should find almost everything you need to build a beginner base from which you can start exploring much more widely.

Build a radio! It actually gives some guidance that holds your hand a bit.

Below are a couple of very minor spoilers for locations that may assist you along a bit:

Spoiler:

If you follow a line almost directly away from the rear of the crashed ship (where the thrusters are), you'll run into an island. There, you'll find a number of things. Most usefully, the ability to make indoor planters, and a couple kinds of fruit. One of those fruits (looks like a melon) fills up your water and hunger meters very nicely and removes a lot of your food/water pressures). You could even build an above-water base if you liked.

Another island is located off the nose of the crashed ship and to the left. It has mysteries to be explored!

The crashed ship itself is explorable, once you have the right equipment.

The game is designed so that you go ever deeper. The shallows are where you establish the basics and build the equipment that lets you go deeper. The deep waters...well, that's where the fun is.

I absolutely adored this game, and played it from beginning to end with a sense of wonder. It's very relaxing and occasionally terrifying. And again, when in doubt....run.

Edit: And scan *everything*. *Everything!*

OK I’m starting to get it. Beacons are helping a lot. But more importantly I muddled through building a base. Got it set up with some large storage lockers, fabricator and radio, so I’ve got room to bring everything back and have it on hand when I need it.

Then I built a seamoth. Suddenly I can safely go a lot deeper but also can stay underwater so much longer, and I can stop to just look at things. It’s so much more chilled out. Except for the time I nearly destroyed it by diving too deep.

Redherring wrote:

OK I’m starting to get it. Beacons are helping a lot. But more importantly I muddled through building a base. Got it set up with some large storage lockers, fabricator and radio, so I’ve got room to bring everything back and have it on hand when I need it.

Then I built a seamoth. Suddenly I can safely go a lot deeper but also can stay underwater so much longer, and I can stop to just look at things. It’s so much more chilled out. Except for the time I nearly destroyed it by diving too deep.

Nice! The joy I got was really from just tooling around and finding cool places, and inevitably running away from whatever tentacle-nightmare came slowly swimming by. The game very gently nudges you to go further afield and ever deeper, and you'll get to build some cool stuff along the way. I'm excited to hear more about your adventures! I'm really tempted to start a new game myself.

@Red Herring, glad you're getting into it. Because I loved this game so much I feel sad when I see someone bounce off it.

Does anyone know how progress is with Below Zero? I'm deliberately avoiding info, I just want to play it when it's done, but some idea of timescales would be nice. Are they targeting this year even?

Yep, fell back into it based on this discussion. Decided to do a hardcore run, since I've finished the game on normal mode. Definitely ups the fear factor, and with no "low oxygen" warning, I nearly drowned in the first few minutes of playing. Haha! I forgot how little oxygen you have when you first start the game!

Definitely easier the second time around, when you're not trying to figure everything out. Still, I miss the sense of wonder and exploration. Interestingly, it seems like there's some randomization to the map, as my starting area looks very, very different to the one in my old game.

Managed to establish a small base and a sustainable food/water supply that doesn't require me to run around after fish constantly. Haha! Now it's time to start building things up properly. I think my next order of business is the Seamoth, as it makes life so much easier.

I’m tempted to reinstall and play on creative mode. My 3.5 year old has gotten REALLY into Octonauts and is in-love with deep sea creatures. Subnautica might be a fun thing to show her.

Vector wrote:

I’m tempted to reinstall and play on creative mode. My 3.5 year old has gotten REALLY into Octonauts and is in-love with deep sea creatures. Subnautica might be a fun thing to show her.

In creative mode, does it still have the Reapers?

lunchbox12682 wrote:
Vector wrote:

I’m tempted to reinstall and play on creative mode. My 3.5 year old has gotten REALLY into Octonauts and is in-love with deep sea creatures. Subnautica might be a fun thing to show her.

In creative mode, does it still have the Reapers?

Yes but they can't hurt you. I don't think they even react to you.

A good alternative to creative mode is regular mode with the Invisibility cheat turned on. You still gather and do the story. (Im assuming creative just lets you build anything anywhere)

Below Zero is pretty rough. They're struggling with the story they want to tell and rebooted that part of it entirely. They're building cool stuff though. I'd wait on it for launch. (which is not any time soon. I'd guess 2021)

kergguz wrote:
lunchbox12682 wrote:
Vector wrote:

I’m tempted to reinstall and play on creative mode. My 3.5 year old has gotten REALLY into Octonauts and is in-love with deep sea creatures. Subnautica might be a fun thing to show her.

In creative mode, does it still have the Reapers?

Yes but they can't hurt you. I don't think they even react to you.

Unsure if they react but I'm more interested in just showing her the safe shallows anyway. You start with everything unlocked, no food or water management, and no damage.

polypusher wrote:

Below Zero is pretty rough. They're struggling with the story they want to tell and rebooted that part of it entirely. They're building cool stuff though. I'd wait on it for launch. (which is not any time soon. I'd guess 2021)

I bought Below Zero but haven't tried it. In the last update they detailed out that the land aspect isn't fitting in with what they want to do. They also redid the entire story. The original went through a similar story progress, though.

Little one had a blast. All creatures ignore the player but will attack the sea moth. We had a fun run in with an aggressive leviathan but she was not scared at all. Built a fun base. Our goals are to collect eggs and grow our aquarium. She’s also decided we need to go to the cafeteria and eat some food.

Small progress last night. Built a scanner room and started scanning. No new resources popped up, at least nothing I need. I’ll start by using it to look for wrecks that I might have missed. I’ve already got a decent collection of beacons marking locations of wrecks that I can’t fully explore without a laser cutter - got the recipe now but no diamonds in sight.

Redherring wrote:

Small progress last night. Built a scanner room and started scanning. No new resources popped up, at least nothing I need. I’ll start by using it to look for wrecks that I might have missed. I’ve already got a decent collection of beacons marking locations of wrecks that I can’t fully explore without a laser cutter - got the recipe now but no diamonds in sight.

It isn't obvious, but you can install multiple scanner room range upgrades into one room to greatly expand how far it can scan for you.

Coldstream wrote:

Definitely easier the second time around, when you're not trying to figure everything out. Still, I miss the sense of wonder and exploration. Interestingly, it seems like there's some randomization to the map, as my starting area looks very, very different to the one in my old game.

As I understand it, the map itself is fixed and doesn't change. However, where you start changes, and different areas of the Safe Shallows have very different starting resources. For instance, in one start I came out very near that geothermal vent (I think the only one in the Shallows), which made building a powerplant for my base pretty easy. In other starts I've been much further away, and have found it better to build solar panels instead.

Vector wrote:

I’m tempted to reinstall and play on creative mode. My 3.5 year old has gotten REALLY into Octonauts and is in-love with deep sea creatures. Subnautica might be a fun thing to show her.

Might I also suggest giving ABZU a play. It's got no scary parts save one moment where a shark jumps at you. My son loved watching me play it. Only about a 3hr game.