Caves

[ImpalerWrG]

I loved Caves in H&H, they were mysterious, a little creepy, and great for hiding stuff in (I hid a whole town in one, as did many folks).

Unfortunately Haven style caves were an integrated part of map creation, so they can't be added now with out regenerating the whole map. OR CAN THEY???

I propose that caves be sprinkled over the map using the Node system currently used for mines and wells. The Cave would be found with the woo-woo wand alongside wells, but would be considerably rarer then wells, maybe 1:10 or 1:100 ratio. With the wand equipped the cave entrance is visible and can be entered if you posses the 'Spelunking' skill which requires medium to high Mines&Mountains. No alteration or construction is required so the Cave remains concealed for anyone not similarly prospecting. Inside the cave is darkness and has darkness humor drain on top of what ever the existing drain of the above area was. Foragables only appear if a torch or light source (lantern?) is equipped as well, so no lame client side evasion.

Now what is the point?

Whole new Biome!
Unique, rare cave foragables, great for WITCHCRAFT!
Places to hide stashes of treasure, silver, gold etc etc
Elite monster spawn zones with commensurate new elite drops

[Father_Strix]

I'd love to see caves in the game, but as it stands we'd have to wait for a new map. Would be a nice-thing™ when the game enters the β-stage.

[Jackxter]

****, almost forgot about caves in H&H. It'd be awesome to have them back.

[ImpalerWrG]

I'd love to see caves in the game, but as it stands we'd have to wait for a new map.

Did you miss the part where I provided a work around for that? Do you not think that is it technically possible?

[Father_Strix]

I'd love to see caves in the game, but as it stands we'd have to wait for a new map.

Did you miss the part where I provided a work around for that? Do you not think that is it technically possible?

By that standard it would be possible; but at the same time it would not feel like caves did from H&H. I can agree on the idea of their use in magic though as it would be interesting. Just not sure how it would fit in the game completely. I should have specified that I was coming from the classic sense that H&H had.

[pistolshrimp]

Just not sure how it would fit in the game completely.

Caves would totally fit the feel of this game, though the OP makes it sould a bit too Minecrafty for my tastes.

[Rifmaster]

I like this idea a lot, however why the hell would someone without a woo woo wand not see caves?
Just make it always possible to enter caves and see them. I mean its not like caves have a forcefield blocking people from entering anyway.

[pistolshrimp]

I like this idea a lot, however why the hell would someone without a woo woo wand not see caves?
Just make it always possible to enter caves and see them. I mean its not like caves have a forcefield blocking people from entering anyway.

I agree, and so does everyone in here, the problem is that putting caves in the game might require a completely new map.

[Feone]

I like the idea, except the hidden part.

Just make it require some building efford.
No materials needed, just say.. a lot of time to clear the entrance of rubble or something.

After that the thing will just be visible for everyone.

[ImpalerWrG]

Most cave entrances are actually hard to find, this is why caves continue to be discovered even in well populated and well traveled areas to this day. Anyone who has visited a 'tourist' cave has generally entered through an artificially created entrance that was dug out with a gentle ramp or stairway. A real cave entrance usually takes the form of a tortures crawl space between some rocks.

So this detail is both a practical consideration (not needing to regenerate the map), and a way to make the cave more exotic/mysterious, and it's not unrealistic in any way. That said I have nothing against allowing the cave to be made visible, though I don't know how that could be done without a construction of some kind which means some minimum materials, we don't have the H&H 'dig out' method (used for making basements) available in which a construction need to have material taken out to be completed. Personally though I would never make a cave I know of visible in this way unless it was a prerequisite for entry, which I would not like, having a secret hidy-hole is far more fun.

Alternatively, now the JC has this whole 'find stuff under rocks' thing going, the cave entrance could be under boulders, you could still prospect them with the wand, but moving the boulder opens/closes the entrance. When cave nodes are generated (in a one time seeding) they just get made with a new Boulder on top