Suggestion: Hardcore or Survival Mode for hunger/thirst

[Athenian]

So, it looks like the reception of some of the new game mechanics are mixed. Specially hunger and maybe thirst when that gets implemented (if its not already).

Some people love it, some people hate it, some people just seem to like to hate people who don't agree with them (I say that last part tongue in cheek..mostly).

What about just changing the consequences of these mechanics rather than enabling or disabling them? A regular game would have some kind of stat/skill penalty based on how hungry or thirsty a particular character is. They won't keel over and shuffle off this mortal coil, but there will be an impact on his/her ability to interact with the game world.

That would appeal to the people who mostly want to play a squad building, base building semi-rpg sandbox game.

For those who want the hardcore experience, have a survival/hardcore option that allows you to keep the game mechanics as they are now, and let player NPC's go to the big sandbox in the sky when their hunger/thirst meter's bottom out.

I don't do software development for a living, but I do think that should prove very feasible for the development staff.

We've seen these kind's of settings in other games, and it seems to settle the issue.

Having said all that, I have no idea if anyone on the development side actually reads these suggestions. Not to put too fine a point on it, but they rarely (if ever) chime in.

And let the games....begin.