# Subnautica **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** video-games-e-games\ **Created:** [January 22, 2018, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/subnautica/807227 "2018-01-22T17:29:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 21
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2021, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/subnautica/807227/403 "2021-08-22T21:52:25Z")
I think it got to the point that they were the only creature I would actively chase down and stab. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2021, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/subnautica/807227/404 "2021-08-22T22:10:37Z")
The fucking crabsquids creaped me the fuck out the most. ---
**Author:** ![Arcite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/67e7ee/32.png) [@Arcite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arcite)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2021, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/subnautica/807227/405 "2021-08-23T00:04:25Z")
If by “octopus dudes” you mean [crabsquids](https://subnautica.fandom.com/wiki/Crabsquid), you can kill them. Just freeze them with it and hack away at them with the knife. If the stasis ends before they’re dead, just freeze them again and keep hacking away. This makes exploring that area much easier. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2021, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/subnautica/807227/406 "2021-08-23T00:36:58Z")
Yep, those are them. And yes, that is exactly what the plan was. Psyched to hear it can work. I expect that will be quite satisfying. ---
**Author:** ![Arcite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/67e7ee/32.png) [@Arcite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arcite)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2021, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/subnautica/807227/407 "2021-08-23T03:24:56Z")
And by “it” I meant the stasis rifle. Poor editing on my part. ---
**Author:** ![Chisquirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Chisquirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chisquirrel)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2021, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/subnautica/807227/408 "2021-08-23T04:14:58Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > I actually had a little bit of difficulty finding the “really really deep” access point. Maybe others had no issue, but I had to kind of search to find a way to go massively deep, like deep enough to get to the last major chunk of the story. There’s a lifepod that lands right by an access point big enough to fit the Cyclops. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2021, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/subnautica/807227/409 "2021-08-23T21:59:01Z")
After suffering through the intro almost a dozen times I finally lucked\* into one of my preferred starting locations. I’m going to see just how quickly I can construct my first base, which will go (checking now) 71m from this starting location, above the first jellyshroom cave entrance above the first proposed habitat. I’m not entirely sure I will progress much beyond my opening, but technically the opening just expands to cover every new story point I encounter. This next opening will go through at least the second proposed habitat at 500m I was stuck on. Only instead of 40 hours in at that point I’m thinking more like hour 2 or 3. At that point I might call it, but even if so it will have been a satisfying gaming experience. \*Here’s a screen shot of debug mode standing where my moonpool will go showing the edge of (the southern half of) start locations . My spot is near perfect; it’s even on the creepvine side for an extra quick start. Very lucky. I was willing to accept anything within 150m but this one is a less than half that. > **[NiceSpot hosted at ImgBB](https://ibb.co/HpgKkNn)** > > Image NiceSpot hosted in ImgBB ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2021, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/subnautica/807227/410 "2021-08-24T01:14:08Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > At that point I might call it, but even if so it will have been a satisfying gaming experience. If the issue is driving into the deep darkness (which I agree, is unnerving as hell) then I’d highly recommend finding/building the sonar upgrades for your seamoth and/or cyclops. Every ping gives a grid outline of the surrounding terrain even through the darkness. It uses up battery, but it can keep you calm(er) during your long descents. ---
**Author:** ![Arcite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/67e7ee/32.png) [@Arcite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arcite)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2021, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/subnautica/807227/411 "2021-08-24T09:41:49Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > After suffering through the intro almost a dozen times I finally lucked\* into one of my preferred starting locations. What are you talking about? All the spawn points are in the Safe Shallows, and it doesn’t matter which one you spawn at. You’re not required to build a base right there. I don’t understand why you keep restarting and refuse to progress through the story. You’re playing this game wrong. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2021, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/subnautica/807227/412 "2021-08-24T10:00:48Z")
> [@Arcite](#): > > What are you talking about? All the spawn points are in the Safe Shallows, and it doesn’t matter which one you spawn at. You’re not required to build a base right there. “Preferred.” Of course it’s not required. It’s what I want. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2021, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/subnautica/807227/413 "2021-08-24T13:14:01Z")
> [@Arcite](#): > > You’re playing this game wrong. Meh. It’s a fascinatingly weird way to play, but he’s enjoying it, so there’s no wrong there that I can see. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2021, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/subnautica/807227/414 "2021-08-24T16:46:12Z")
You wanna hear the latest weirdness? This playthrough will be “minimal impact” on prey fish. I’m allowing myself to catch two fish for breeding and that’s it. The hunger clock will definitely be ticking, especially since you start the game pretty darn hungry. I think the two nutrient bars can get me to the island. I can fill up there and hopefully get melons planted immediately on my return. It’s possible to subsist on creepvine samples but they only give like +3 food and are only good for 8 or 9 swipes before the vine disappears. The name of the game is getting to the floating island tout suite. (Or the Aurora, but that’s over an hour.) Turns out Lifepod 19 is triggered by building a mobile vehicle bay, which makes sense. I’m hoping to head out as the sun sets at the end of day 2, returning from the island with all my seeds and blueprints by sunset of day 3. My base will already be started with 6 lockers, meaning when I come back with full inventory I can offload it into lockers instead of dumping it all on the ground, which was my only real option with seamoth first. ---
**Author:** ![Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2021, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/subnautica/807227/415 "2021-08-24T17:28:12Z")
I made a simple tube with solar panel and locker as my 1st base. Then placed my formal base in the north near an entrance to the deeper parts of the game. Interesting challenge with no fishing. Will you do the same for water and bladder fish? ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2021, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/subnautica/807227/416 "2021-08-24T17:42:17Z")
> [@Grey](#): > > Interesting challenge with no fishing. Will you do the same for water and bladder fish? Yep. The plan is to catch 2 Reginalds and then only eat them and their progeny for the entire game, plus plants. All water will be salt and coral (or found in those locker things) until the water filtration machine, which is penciled in as the mission after returning from the island. The water machine is in the bulb zone right next to the “bottom of the sea bed” lifepod, and I “need” two bulbs anyway for my decorative/functional garden planter. How can I read my PDA without my pretty purple background?! heh. When I recently discovered that there is also ghost weed next to lifepod 19 (not 100% positive I can get to it that early) I got discouraged. Not because that makes 7 different seeds fighting with rubies, diamonds and lithium for storage space; I think technically I can fit everything I need. (I won’t be carrying food! lol.) I was bummed because ghost weed didn’t fit neatly into any of my exterior growbeds. It was messing up everything! Then I realized I had an open growbed in the alien containment, and then I got super psyched. Ghost Weed color matches Reginalds perfectly. So now I have a place for it – and eventually the sea crown, hopefully – and I think I can bring it back with everything else. It helps a ton that I have lithium right beneath the base in the jellyshroom caves. (And magnetite!) ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2021, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/subnautica/807227/417 "2021-08-24T19:09:47Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Meh. It’s a fascinatingly weird way to play, but he’s enjoying it, so there’s no wrong there that I can see. If I every played again, I’d probably do creative mode. Hey, I’m not that interested in the sequel, but does it have a full creative mode like the first game? That might get me to try it some time. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2021, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/subnautica/807227/418 "2021-08-24T19:22:05Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Hey, I’m not that interested in the sequel, but does it have a full creative mode like the first game? That might get me to try it some time. I think it does. Creative mode doesn’t really appeal to me–I’m a narrative junkie–but I get why it works for others. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2021, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/subnautica/807227/419 "2021-08-24T21:41:57Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > I think it does. Creative mode doesn’t really appeal to me–I’m a narrative junkie–but I get why it works for others. Wait, does it not have a narrative in that mode? I thought you were just invincible and could instant-create items. I only did it at the very end of the original to help build the final device to get off the planet. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2021, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/subnautica/807227/420 "2021-08-24T23:18:39Z")
Hmm…it’s been awhile, but I think that there’s a creative mode and a developer panel. The developer panel (or whatever it’s called) allows cheat codes, like instant-building some of the impossible-to-find components of the endgame. But creative mode is something you choose when you start the game, and it allows you to gain any resource or build any building, but eliminates the story. But wait–[it’s a lie](https://subnautica.fandom.com/wiki/Game_Modes)! > [@](#): > > The player can make story progress in this mode, despite the description saying otherwise. I never tried it because I like the story, and creative mode says something about “Story is disabled.” ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2021, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/subnautica/807227/421 "2021-08-25T11:04:31Z")
Yeah you can do the story in creative mode if you want. I’ve been going nuts with the console commands. I set up some auto hotkey scripts so I can easily turn on all sorts of cheats. I’ll think to myself “So where’s all the blueprints near me?” Then switch the creative mode, build a scanner room and upgrade it and give me the HUD upgrade and scan away. Unfortunately the scanner rooms are incredibly unreliable, to the point that I kind of don’t even bother anymore. It certainly can’t detect fragments with any kind of consistency. They’re pretty much only good for minerals. I’ve also found that the last thing I want on a scanner room is a range upgrade. I’m not looking for things that are a kilometer away from me, you know what I mean? All those circles just confuse me. ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2021, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/subnautica/807227/422 "2021-08-25T12:33:02Z")
My moment of horror was, yes, losing a seamoth, but a fully stocked one too. Full depth, storage extras, other addons inside storage, and loaded with stuff such as radiation suit mask and batteries. Sitting about 800 feet, in my cyclops, having used the seamoth to lead the way down. just on the lip and there’s a ghost leviathon and it just won’t leave my seamoth at all. Quite a few times it bit and threw the seamoth about and I repaired, I stuck it elsewhere around the area, away off to the side, or near the ground, but it kept coming. Caught it being destroyed once, and reloaded. But no, it wouldn’t let it be left. So I built a scanner room, and stuck Seamoth under it, just on the lip onto the next depth, and I was trying to get together the stuff to power it and I missed the noise, and two saves later and I then notice its gone. The damn thing had actually managed to push it out from under a scanner room and then destroy it when I was distracted. Took me about two hours up at the surface to build a new one with bits involved. I made sure I had it, and then built a moonpool down by the scanner room about 800 feet and parked it there. Finally the damn big snake couldn’t get at it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/subnautica/807227.md?page=20) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/subnautica/807227.md?page=22)