How to make PVE more enjoyable? Randomness is the word.
Heres what i was writtin last time about them:
Encouters
I like the way how it is now, but more randomness with piece of surety in other ways would be appreciated same as with more variety and "good squares". The map is big and this game is almost all about encouters(atleast the PVE part), the hard work in this way would be most creditable. I would love some encouters with random corpses tents or whatever where you can find, scavange some random stuff/treasures, ofcourse embattled with some critters or NPC's.
So this combinated with my another suggestion, but iam not sure if engine could support this but i'll throw it outside anyway.
Here it is. Randomness in encouters NPC's health, skills, stats and mainly stuff. Now its like - you have encoutered Raiders - everyone can imagine few punk girls with spears, guy/s with mauser and some corpses where the dead tribal women has stimpak - "cancel". This is boring. There should be some randomness, ofcourse in some limits of each encouter difficulty but still. Skills, it could be like - "Look at that mutie with laser rifle, hes totally lame" or "Kill that sniper mutie, his aimed shots are nasty".
Stuff, i know there are some limits with sprites, so some NPC's cant use rifles etc. But you could still prevent it by setting some percentage or scale of weapons. There could be some little chance for some nice weapons or other stuff too, what would make the encouter even harder and interesting.
Just dont go this way - "We implemented and made a lot of work with crafting system so nerf encouters and force people to craft" crafting is boring and should be in game just like an option, encouters should be fun and interesting, not predictable(that much). Nothing can bore you more when you make a work with some equipment, you invest time and effort into it and you'll lose it in one bad encouter or troll in city(ofcourse they would have a lot of fun, the more time and effort you spend into your stuff). It's good how it is, dont go lower or people will run in bluesuit all the time, its not matter of stuff but the pain by losing it, losing your time.