Let's have a chat about the Deep Caverns. (wall of text, and OBVIOUS SPOILERS)

[player1]

I just finished DC yesterday, and to me it was decent experience. Not as annoying as other forums posts would say.


Was there backtracking? Yes, but I backtrack through the whole game anyway to due to loot/merchant system, so it was not a big or new issue.

Also, most of the areas are empty, so backtracking was not painful.

Ark station was fantastic experience, deep worms section was boring but quickly finished, mushroom section required looking into wiki to figure it out and mutogen puzzle was not too difficult to figure out on its own, yet due to its placement it can be easy to miss it and just straight go to the endgame.

I did not like creeping dread mechanic, but it was not too annoying experience, since only several maps use it, and they also have little or no native monsters (just snails), so you can just get in and get out quickly. Also, Leo helps a bit to make it easier.

Only time I had larger battle with Tchortlings was when I was scanning mutagens in the lab and then writing them in the notepad. Luckily, I fist locked lab doors with the card, so I could do research in peace. At least until I opened the door. 

I only rerouted Ark power twice total, so not too much backtracking there. It just made sense to first power up residential section and warehouse B, since they are the closest to the plant. And later power two other sections (mugotens and lab) and that's it.


Anyway, game logged 4d13h for my whole playthrough (108h), 3d21h when entering Deep Caverns. So my playtime of DC took 16h total. Yeah, I know effective time is more due to save/load, but still not close to "stuck 40h in DC" horror stories. 

[Sanger]

Most DC horror stories come from late December/early January. Styg released a battery of changes to DC (including many of those touched on in this thread's OP) between versions 1.0.0.6 and 1.0.0.8 which I think have made the whole area much less tedious.

[chimaera]

Exactly. Of course people needed more time to get through in the older versions, when trying to wait out the debuff took almost a minute each time.

[The Saint]

I'd like to contribute some thoughts.

Topic author propably refered to most notable problems haunting DC. I completely agree. But there is one more: DC are horribly BORING. Whole DC concept looks like makers completely lost an idea what to do with the end game. The player is thrown into complete nonsense, absolutely lost and attacked by endless hordes of almost immortal mobs. The last problem was fixed with the last few patches, but then it generated another one - now areas are empty. Player has to wander around without any help, look for god knows what and it quickly becomes an aweful boredom. The area is big, but there is no fun in exploring it, because you won't find any good stuff, no NPC's or interesting quests.
I admire people who finished the game without getting any help from forum or wiki, but it was to much for me. At some point I just wanted to end the game ASAP. Normaly I could play Underrail for long hours, but end game is so damn boring, I had to push myself not to abandon the game. This is not the way it should work.

I know the game is finished, and aside from some fixes there won't be any major changes in the gameplay, but if you guys ever thought about Underrail 2 (what would be extremely great), please don't repeate the same awful mistake.

[Megabiquette]

It's my first playthrough. I think Underrail is great... then DC happen. I'm so frustrated because I feel I won't be able to finish that game.
Everything suddendly has become so difficult and boring. What a shame!

[dirtman]

i really liked the deep caverns, especially the atmosphere, being alone and hunted. but the thing i had issues with is the big bad boss. it is basically only that, the big bad boss. there is no option to evade combat and you can't even communicate with it even though it has the small guy who gives some introductory monologue. i was hoping for at least a short conversation and in the end it was one of the major disappointments in the game.

first one was not being able to switch core city factions which felt rigid and underdeveloped. primarily during the jkk questline, things just happen and then you move on apparently not caring.

[hilf]

i really liked the deep caverns, especially the atmosphere, being alone and hunted. but the thing i had issues with is the big bad boss. it is basically only that, the big bad boss. there is no option to evade combat and you can't even communicate with it even though it has the small guy who gives some introductory monologue. i was hoping for at least a short conversation and in the end it was one of the major disappointments in the game.

Tchort told you that you're but a filthy rat to him. You are not worthy of conversation with a god!

[Darthgrey]

My own experience in DC: I was playing as stealth character and when I first saw tchortlings - I made an attempt to kill them all in location, but in few seconds after I killed first pair of them and  battle ended they spawned again... After that I started exploring all the locations in full stealth mode without shooting tchortlings to avoid Eye of Tchort and such gameplay combined with the lack of quests made DC the most boring location in the game for me personally.

[player1]

^That is really weird play to play that section.

Recommended way is to rush, loot and hide in bunkers. That way, you pretty much do not have them spawned at all.

Only time I had spawn of them was when I was in the laboratory analyzing mutagens (since that takes some time).

[dirtman]

i really liked the deep caverns, especially the atmosphere, being alone and hunted. but the thing i had issues with is the big bad boss. it is basically only that, the big bad boss. there is no option to evade combat and you can't even communicate with it even though it has the small guy who gives some introductory monologue. i was hoping for at least a short conversation and in the end it was one of the major disappointments in the game.

Tchort told you that you're but a filthy rat to him. You are not worthy of conversation with a god!

meh, very foolish of him since i killed him without solving the mutagen puzzle and before he managed to lower my shield to 0.

[Cbert]

i really liked the deep caverns, especially the atmosphere, being alone and hunted. but the thing i had issues with is the big bad boss. it is basically only that, the big bad boss. there is no option to evade combat and you can't even communicate with it even though it has the small guy who gives some introductory monologue. i was hoping for at least a short conversation and in the end it was one of the major disappointments in the game.

Tchort told you that you're but a filthy rat to him. You are not worthy of conversation with a god!

meh, very foolish of him since i killed him without solving the mutagen puzzle and before he managed to lower my shield to 0.

Tchort could be mutant creature that thinks he is god, and be foolish. That-s okay.
I-m also didn-t solved mutagen puzzle.