No Rats?!?!?! Awww Rats!!! :P

I have an idea I would like some feedback on. One of the biggest complaints about the Bloodloss system (especially for the Ishtarri because of their clan weakness) is going into an area void of blood. This is especially disasterous at the beginning of the game when you don't have money for blood bags and your Stamina is still 1 or 2. The Oceanhouse Hotel immediately comes to mind when I think about this problem.

What do you think about me putting some rats in the Oceanhouse Hotel, both on the middle floor and the basement. I mean it's an abandoned hotel for goodness sakes, shouldn't it have rats anyways?

Let's discuss.

I always drink up before going into a new area so it's never been a problem for me. But I don't have anything against it either.

I think there should be no rats. Lack of animals where they should be is one of the telling signs the place is possessed.

I'd place rats in the grounds, so the player can make sure to be well fed before entering the house itself. But at least part of the atmosphere there comes from your inability to feed, or fight against the poltergeist activity the husband uses to drive the player out.
So no rats in the house itself. It's been a long time since the fire, so most edible things have rotted away or been eaten by previous generations of rats. They have probably moved on by now...
At least in german, the common rat is called "Wanderratte", which suggests that the pack will move on when all the good stuff is eaten up.

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Oh no I'm getting overruled here, ACK! Hmmm, well I still think rats in the Oceanhouse Hotel would be a good thing. Not alot, just like 4 of them, like 2 on the middle floor and 2 more downstairs. But it sounds like you guys are opposed because of the realism... What if the prior construction crews left some snacks behind? LOL

I could always put a giant wheel of cheese on the staircase which would add to the realism of why the rats are there? LOL

I have to agree here with Feral and Malkav.. A better solution for newbs who doesn't know there is nothing to feed on is make a note in the quest log maybe.. like:

Quest text lalalalla
lalalal
lalalalalalal
NOTE: Don't think of any beings with blood in a hunted mansion... be prepared!

or something like that.. or a teenager on a test of courage who got lost and is in despair.

Hmm, well I guess I could always put some rats outside the hotel like what Malkav said.

I largely agree on the no rats thingy in Ocean House, though I wouldn't want to stab Zer0 in the eyes if he puts one of two brave rats in the house who fight for love, hope and sub-machine guns.

At the same time people should bear in mind that for one thing the place is haunted, and animals in particular would feel this.
In addition the house is devoid of food so I don't think many rats would stay there.

Karavolos wrote:

In addition the house is devoid of food so I don't think many rats would stay there.

Until I plant the "Wheel O Cheese" Muahahahahahaha

Yeah ok, I'll put the lil critters outside then on the front lawn (of gravel and dirt).

Or put them in the constructor's hut, where you can find the key. Isn't there a thermos in there somewhere?

And if you put the cheese wheel in the ocean house, I'll put your face on the guy hanging with his guts drawn out in Brother Kankers sewer

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Childe of Malkav wrote:

And if you put the cheese wheel in the ocean house, I'll put your face on the guy hanging with his guts drawn out in Brother Kankers sewer

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HAHA I would kill to see my face photoshopped on that guy's face!

Feral wrote:

I think there should be no rats. Lack of animals where they should be is one of the telling signs the place is possessed.

The dog is saying some true shit. Animals hit the road when ghosts start partying rock.

I think you should leave the hotel area completly empty of rats, both outside and inside, BUT WAIT!

put some more rats in the sewer where the stairs are, and problem solved, realism kept, and everybody is happy.

Any other places you need my genius advice on?

Running the ocean house is totally possible. No rats since no food, no corpses... they have no reason to be there, aren't they ?

Well it's possible rats will scavenge in a haunted house/mansion and such. I was in an abandoned plantation home in the dead of night with some friends. This place was reportedly haunted and justly so as my friend Crystal realized. She was being chased out the door behind me and almost knocked me down to get away from the heavy footsteps. I came across a rats nest and bee hive while I was there. Vermin don't fear the dead. It's the living they fear the most.

For realist sake, all kinds of nasty bugs hang out in abandoned places. Rats can feed on insects. Not to mention all the nasty dead things that can wash ashore on a beach that attract all kinds of vermin.

There is some truth to Anes' words.