Very Confused - take 2

[haughty sable]

Reposted starting message

Posted this over in Watcher because I didn’t know - was informed to post back over here because it is vanilla.

Am I supposed to be this confused about what the point is or where I am going?

I’m on cycle 29 and just followed the lights to a robot alien that shakes its head when I grab the light flies.

Nothing happens if I wait out until the storm. It dies if I eat them. It also doesn’t seem to want the gold pearl that is conveniently nearby. And seemingly the only thing to do is trek the whole linear path back to … what?

Generally like figuring things out and puzzling through, but this game is testing the limits of what I find fun.

Please give me some small poke because I’m so close to just bouncing off this game and not looking back.

[hollow quail]

being confused is a very normal feeling! when i play i tend to just explore, using my map as a guide and aiming to fill it out

[autumn kernel]

but ... like ... what is the point?

I'm pretty confident that I'm trying to accomplish something, because I keep failing to accomplish things. it's clear that this isn't a sandbox game that you just exist in.

just in general, not even wanting spoilers - is the completion criteria to get somewhere? do something? The only sort of performance feedback this game has is the day counter going up and even that is capped. well, that and the electric things directing me toward things. which brings me to my next point - they brought me to the robot. which is a dead end

this daggum robot has broken my will. because I felt like I was actually making progress on something until this chamber. and now either (a) I backtrack having not taken action and then risk having to go through this entire area again later or (b) I backtrack having taken the only action that changes anything and risk having made life somehow harder for myself without knowing it

[hollow quail]

you dont have to follow the guide that is pointing you to places. there are things you will find that will help move the game along. its about the journey and learning how to survive in a world that is unknown to you

one dead end is something you can come back to later too, it is a step in the right direction (metaphorically) to even have gotten there!

[autumn kernel]

i recognize that i'm being argumentative and sour ... but my patience for the journey is wearing thin.
I was hoping for for some glimmer of something that several hours during which I did not learn anything new were not wasted.

[hollow quail]

once you find things and learn more about what is going on you may find more enjoyment. be sure to take breaks if you need to! many people (myself included) may drop the game for weeks or months then come back later due to these frustrations

rain world is unique and you are not alone in your feelings about it

[pulsar warren]

To reaffirm, yes this game has an ending. There is a location and a criteria. It is not something you have to worry about now.

A long journey is still ahead of you and your mission is the same you've been performing up till now. Explore the world!

It is okay to not understand yet what your goals and purpose and direction are, because you're not meant to yet. Those moments will dripfeed in their own time, like an epiphany, and you won't miss em out. Just move forward in the world.

[pulsar warren]

Oh and, you've definitely not wasted your time! l emphasise that the journey is the game, the story isn't. The story exists and is rich and lovingly detailed, but it is background noise. The point of Rainworld is first and foremost the environment simulator, and interacting in biomes with animals and applying your problemsolving to survive in an ecosystem just like a wild critter. It is the real meat, it's not a connection from point A to B