Here’s the basics: I really, really love the underwater-bits in this game, but there just aren’t enough of it. So why not expand on it? I know a whole area set more or less entirely under water is just a dream, but can we expand on the zones we already have? Yes, I think so. And here’s how: Give us an underwater sonar as a mastery.
The sonar will function much like a PipBoy for you Fallout-fans, as in a small, wristmounted thingy you can use for various things like sending a soundwave (the “sonar”) to discover things, a small, explosive rocket and so on.
At level 1, you can use it to send out a small sound that will travel until it hits something, then bounce back to your sonar-device. This will tell you how far away the thing is, and how big it is. Think real-life ecco sounding for finding fish etc. But the sound here will be able to travel a short distance under sand etc, letting you find things you can’t see with your bare eyes. This can be “translated” to spawning things at random – even in old zones, as I said. That way, even old zones can be brought to new life with new treasures.
Later stages will obviously make the sonar device more powerful, so you can find things buried even deeper. Plus, it can also be send through solid rock to some degree, letting you know if there is anything behind it. And why would you want that? Easy. If there isn’t anything behind it, it means there is a cave of some sort there. And caves means treasure. Normal caves, ancient ruins, hidden pirate coves with zombie pirates, you name it. I’m thinking a small beeping-sound will be nice to tell if there is anything behind the rock, and if it is, the beeping could be faster the closer you get to the entrance. Then when you found the entrance, simply detonate a small, explosive torpedo to uncover the entrance, and have fun exploring.
This system can let you find things at random, so again, even old zones can have some interest in the underwater-sections. Plus, the caves can be spawned at random too, so you literally never know what you’ll find, and where you’ll find it. If each cave is instanced (a quick loading screen here, I think), the ocean floors won’t be covered in empty caves, either. Every player finds his or her own. If we already have individual crafting nodes, how hard can it be to get individiual caves and treasures?
On top of all this, the whole sonar-thing is a simple device on your hand, so there won’t be much need for more graphics etc. And, again, it can work in every zone, even the starter zones.
