Hi Unknown Worlds Team,
I came up with a new tool concept for Subnautica 2 that fits the game’s pacifist survival philosophy while adding a new layer of high-stakes gameplay, mobility, and tension.
Crafting and Components (Fabricator)
Since Subnautica is not about killing the fauna, this tool is purely for utility, capturing, and mobility. It cannot be used to directly harm creatures. It consists of four craftable parts:
Special Blade: A standalone crafting component (not a handheld weapon) used strictly as the projectile tip.
The Chain / Tether: Metal links that connect the blade to the handle.
Rubber Ring: Acts as a tension shock-absorber and holds the blade in place before firing.
The Handle: An ergonomic grip with a trigger and a mechanical winch.
Gameplay Mechanics and Animations
Small Fish Hunting (Early Game): Instead of chasing fast fish like Peepers, you aim, shoot the blade, and reel them in straight to your inventory. The base chain length would be around 5–7 meters, making it an ideal tool for gathering food.
Leviathan Interactions (Risk vs. Reward): You can shoot the blade into a Leviathan to tether yourself to it. This allows you to hitch a ride and be pulled through the deep ocean.
The Pull-Out Mechanism: You can pull the chain with one sharp tug to dislodge the blade safely from the Leviathan without harming it.
Firing and Reeling Animations: When fired, the blade detaches and flies forward with a mechanical sound, trailing the chain link by link. When capturing small fish, a quick automatic rewinding animation plays as the fish is pulled straight into the player’s hands.
Tethering and Tug Animations: While riding a Leviathan, the player holds the handle with both hands as the chain goes completely taut, vibrating and producing heavy metal tension sounds. To retrieve the blade, a manual tug animation triggers where the player forcefully jerks the handle backward, pulling the blade out of the creature before rewinding the chain.
Durability and Risk of Loss (High-Stakes Survival)
To keep the game tense, this tool introduces a punishing but fair mechanic:
Chain Snapping: If you hitch a ride on a Leviathan and fail to tug the blade out in time before the tension gets too high, the chain will snap. The Leviathan swims away with your blade, and you lose both the chain and the blade. You have to return to your base to craft replacements.
Total Destruction: If a Leviathan attacks you directly while tethered, or drags you past your depth limit, the entire tool (including the handle) can be permanently destroyed, forcing you to craft it again from scratch.
Upgrade Progression (Modification Station)
Tier 1 (Base): 5–7 meters. Perfect for quick fish catching.
Tier 2 (Extended): 15–20 meters. Better distance for mid-sized creatures.
Tier 3 (Leviathan Grade): 35–40 meters. Heavy-duty Plasteel chain designed for long-distance Leviathan towing and advanced mobility.
I think this tool would add great adrenaline to the Co-op mode, allowing players to pull fish to each other or ride Leviathans together.
Let me know what you think of this concept.
Best regards,
Filipiny2526