Dev Log #3.1 — About Death Penalties in the Game
[p]Hello everyone, I’m the developer of The Apocalypse.[/p][p]
In survival sandbox games, death is never just a simple failure—it often defines the emotional tone of the entire experience. If the penalty is too light, death becomes something you can reset casually. If it’s too harsh, a single mistake can completely crush a player’s motivation.[/p][p][/p][p]While developing The Apocalypse, I’ve been constantly asking myself: how much should death really cost?[/p][p][/p][p]In many survival games, dying means losing all your gear and having to return to your death location to retrieve it. At the same time, death often becomes a kind of “fast travel”—intentional death to teleport back is something many players end up using. So at its core, the question of death penalties is really about this: what are players afraid of losing in this world?[/p][p][/p][p]If a single death means losing dozens of hours of progress, survival quickly turns into a burden rather than a source of fun. In multiplayer, this issue is amplified even further—when one player’s death affects the entire team, the psychological pressure can become overwhelming.[/p][p][/p][p]That’s why I believe death penalties should be understandable and bearable, not a total negation of the player’s effort. Death should communicate that the world is dangerous, while still giving players a chance to recover—not a reason to quit.[/p][p][/p][p]Of course, different players tolerate pressure very differently. Some enjoy the tension of high risk, while others prefer a slower, more forgiving survival pace. Because of that, I think allowing death penalty intensity to be a choice, defined by server rules or difficulty options rather than a single fixed standard, will give players much more freedom in how they experience the game.[/p][p][/p][p]So what kind of death penalty do you prefer in sandbox survival games?
Feel free to reply with a letter below, or share your thoughts directly in the comments:[/p][p][/p][p]A. Heavy penalty — Death causes major losses, such as losing most equipment or requiring a long recovery time.
B. Moderate penalty — Death causes meaningful losses (resources, durability, or time), but doesn’t completely reset progress.
C. Light penalty — Death mainly costs time, allowing players to quickly return to exploration and action.
D. Customizable — Death penalties should be defined by server rules or difficulty settings, with different servers offering different levels of severity.[/p][p][/p][p]Thanks for taking part in the discussion!
And if you haven’t yet, please consider adding The Apocalypse to your wishlist—your support is what keeps me moving forward.[/p]
In survival sandbox games, death is never just a simple failure—it often defines the emotional tone of the entire experience. If the penalty is too light, death becomes something you can reset casually. If it’s too harsh, a single mistake can completely crush a player’s motivation.[/p][p][/p][p]While developing The Apocalypse, I’ve been constantly asking myself: how much should death really cost?[/p][p][/p][p]In many survival games, dying means losing all your gear and having to return to your death location to retrieve it. At the same time, death often becomes a kind of “fast travel”—intentional death to teleport back is something many players end up using. So at its core, the question of death penalties is really about this: what are players afraid of losing in this world?[/p][p][/p][p]If a single death means losing dozens of hours of progress, survival quickly turns into a burden rather than a source of fun. In multiplayer, this issue is amplified even further—when one player’s death affects the entire team, the psychological pressure can become overwhelming.[/p][p][/p][p]That’s why I believe death penalties should be understandable and bearable, not a total negation of the player’s effort. Death should communicate that the world is dangerous, while still giving players a chance to recover—not a reason to quit.[/p][p][/p][p]Of course, different players tolerate pressure very differently. Some enjoy the tension of high risk, while others prefer a slower, more forgiving survival pace. Because of that, I think allowing death penalty intensity to be a choice, defined by server rules or difficulty options rather than a single fixed standard, will give players much more freedom in how they experience the game.[/p][p][/p][p]So what kind of death penalty do you prefer in sandbox survival games?
Feel free to reply with a letter below, or share your thoughts directly in the comments:[/p][p][/p][p]A. Heavy penalty — Death causes major losses, such as losing most equipment or requiring a long recovery time.
B. Moderate penalty — Death causes meaningful losses (resources, durability, or time), but doesn’t completely reset progress.
C. Light penalty — Death mainly costs time, allowing players to quickly return to exploration and action.
D. Customizable — Death penalties should be defined by server rules or difficulty settings, with different servers offering different levels of severity.[/p][p][/p][p]Thanks for taking part in the discussion!
And if you haven’t yet, please consider adding The Apocalypse to your wishlist—your support is what keeps me moving forward.[/p]