Thoughts on the future

[Fisherman]

Paul, as I was testing the game on experienced level(caught a nice 9.4 lb pike), a few thoughts came to me on some things I'd like you to consider, if you will. For give me if they have been mentioned already, it is becoming a bit of a maze here:
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I'd like to see the Baitshops' products reflect the type of fishing at that particular lake. There is no reason for a lake with no muskie in it to sell those lures, nor a lake full of trout to sell bass lures. It would add some nice individuality to the baitshops, and encourage exploring the various lakes. For that matter, it would be nice to have a few tackle boxes, specializing in one species or another.
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There should be more trout related lures, like Super-Dupers in silver and gold, Mepps type spinners etc. Trout are a blast on light tackle and the right lures. And when you consider fly-fishing, what about fly-bobber fishing? Never tried it, but I hear it works. I've also been fishing a lot over the years with jigs, and the last few years have added a small spinner rig to the jigs. Pike, walleye, bass and crappie like these. Cheap, too.
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Good-sized to large Bluegill and Perch should be attracted to small spinners and other lures. My biggest bluegill ever was over two pounds and caught on a spinner. One of the best fights ever. I have not seen any of the panfish save crappie going after lures.
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[Mydnyte]

I like the tacklebox idea, so you wouldn't have to sort through everything you got to get to a certain lure.

[paul]

All good ideas. I like the idea of different bait shops specializing in the species in that area. A shop on a muskie lake would have a good assortment of the big stuff, and a trout lake would be full of spinners, spoons, a few jigs, etc. That wouldn't be hard since the game already knows how appropriate any given lure type, size and color combination is for each species.

The bluegills in the game will hit small jigs, but their interest in a spinner is minimal. That could change though, since as you pointed out the smallest spinners make good 'gill lures.

Paul

[Fisherman]

Casting in this game is very intuitive. No bars and circles, like so many before it. With the popularity of casting contests in many areas, it might be cool to see a pond with a series of levels of hoops of increasing difficulties to cast into for special prizes.

[gonefishin]

I'd like to see some more lures with varying colors. The tackle box idea is awesome - that should definetely be implemented.
What would also be cool (and I'm stealing this idea from Pro Fishing Challenge) is user-customizable player profiles, e.g. skin color, hair color, shirt type, pants type, hat type, etc. Such customization ability gives a personal touch which would make the game even more fun to play!

[71__cuda]

last night i had a thought. I bought a couple new spinners and had no room at all in my tackle box. I was wondering, could you add actual 3d tackle boxs with slots and trays for lures. for example: 6 slot fly box,10 slot tackle box. etc. and if all you have are six slots than all you can have are six lures, and so on. 1 tray 10 slots,2 trays 20 slots,3 tray 30 slots.etc start off with 6 slot and buy a bigger one later from the baitshop. just a thought, but I mean the game is called virtual reality sportfishing. its not very realistic to have 800 lures at a time, where would you put them.

[paul]

I originally had virtual tackle boxes in mind. What kept me from doing that was the complexity for the user. If the game automatically organizes the lures every time you buy new ones or lose some, it could get tricky to find the one you're after. If the players organized the lures themselves that could get ever messier. Unless the game does it really intelligently - I think the default should be to sort lures by type, then size, then color. But the user could select that. So if you're fishing for muskies, you might sort by size, then type, then color, so you get all your big lures in the first few boxes. Then there would need to be an option to search your boxes for a particular lure... Maybe you can view all lures, or a certain group. For the group you could pick one or more types, sizes, and colors. Then if you select to see all your white, silver and yellow crankbaits from 2 to 3 inches long, you'd see those in a however many lure boxes they fill.

I'll give that some thought. Part of the complexity is lure size and shape. Allowing sorting in different ways would make for interesting arrangements in lure boxes, but it could be done. And I agree- that would be more like real life.

Paul

[71__cuda]

thanks for the quick reply.

I was talking to a couple of my friends who only have the demo, they both said if this or somthing like this was added they would buy it, but don't quite want to yet.

[Fisherman]

To the Wafflers-Now is the time to buy this game while the price is down and before the game becomes a solid build. Who knows what the future brings? Paul has been very generous during these Beta-tests, but as the game grows more solid and yet still deeper and more complex, expect costs to go up somewhere along the line. BUY IT NOW!!
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Expert level is a lot of fun, Paul. I found some muskie fishing and got a good one (16.6 lbs)on 12 lb test. While fishing, I thought it might be nice to have the fisherman at least smile while weighing a big'un, and a "What a hawg!" statement might be appropriate, and a "Gol'durn it" when losing a fish would add some life. Seriously, some animations and voice for the fisherman would be a nice touch.(as well as the lateral movement for the fishing rod).
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The sky is so alive now, and the lakes are murkier, but.... What about a living lake? I'm talking a lake where the water level rises and becomes muddy when it rains in the spring and goes down in the long summer months. Where the plants grow during the season, and fishing conditions therefore change daily as structure and rocks, points and drop-offs are revealed. In the case of the desert lakes, the monsoons would add rainfall in the summer, and affect the water levels and conditions accordingly. With the sky full of color and movement, and changing weather conditions, I feel the lakes should have the same degree of life.
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There is no shade anywhere, on any of the lakes. Fish, as well as fisherman, need shade. Some trees and large bushes alongside the shore(Big trees!) and in the water would add an element of shade. In the hot summer months, if you cast into the smallest bit of shade, you catch a fish! Fish need shade. Fish even hang out under boats to get relief from the heat.

[Thefisherman123]

Hello Paul. It would be cool if you should do a river or something like that whit trout and so on. And a thing : when i use live bait it just bugs at the hole time. The line go somwhere and i cant use it but lures i can use whitout problems.(i can put some picture if u dont undestand what i mean)

[paul]

Rivers are part of my plan for the next major update.

If you could send me some pictures to show you what you mean with the live bait issue, that would really help. You can send them to me at paul@pishtech.com.

Thanks!

Paul

[Thefisherman123]

It would be very cool if u could do a own lure to the game a Lure editor.

[bones]

hi all my basic wish list is
1. a sound (as in pinging)for the tightness of the line,as in getting higher and higher as the line gets tighter to nearly breaking,because i hate watching the tension bar and trying to fish
2. nothing else that hasn't been mentioned before
3.fish to throw the hook if you don't act quick enough to the bite

i'm sure my suggestions may of been suggested before
tight lines and don.t forget to check out geraldro 's new maps and mine and any other new map makers in vrs developement
cheers bones

[Fisherman]

In tournament fishing situations, the computer fisherman ought to have to actually go to the weigh-in zone, just like we do. Why should they be able to stay far out on the lake, when we have to head back so early?

[paleodust]

In tournament fishing situations, the computer fisherman ought to have to actually go to the weigh-in zone, just like we do. Why should they be able to stay far out on the lake, when we have to head back so early?

Yeah. Just make sure they don't come crashing in like kamikaze pilots!