Chacter trait recycling

[Zombiologist]

I've been thinking about how losing long standing characters can make it seem really pointless restarting sometimes, and can be a reason to stop playing for a while for some when it's a big loss. I think a way to balance this without breaking the core game play might be being able to save all of your traits for redistribution into your new character. Like for example if you start out with an out of shape character and during the course of you game play you grind them into shape then die, on you next character you will have all those traits by default on character customization and can choose to sell your in shape character trait to buy additional traits. This way you still lose all your XP and skills meaning death is still quite punishing, but there is a good reason to try again with a slightly better starting character than last time so it feels less discouraging. You'll still need to play to earn these points, since grinding new traits takes time and not all traits can be changed on active characters, but you get a small reward for continuing on so it doesn't all feel for naught.

[doshskia]

part of the game is letting go and getting over it
make a whole new character and start a whole new story

[Zombiologist]

16 hours ago, doshskia said:

part of the game is letting go and getting over it
make a whole new character and start a whole new story

I don't think this would violate the spirit of the game in this way, at least not any more than reclaiming your old character's base and items does already. You'd still lose all your hard work, you'd just be given a small reward/incentive to try again, to give the world you survived in another chance. It also gives the feeling of more continuity, as if your new survivor may have spent time living in this world while you old one was surviving. Otherwise why not simply go full rogue like and force the world to be deleted or reset each time you die?

Edited November 5, 2023 by Zombiologist