My Complaints And Suggestions About In-game Wikipedia

[goatt]

A lot of recent changes are made to attract more new players, and help guide new players and reduce their frustration since this game is still difficult when you are new. The new features includes in-game wikis and the new skill trees.

However, the wiki UI came to me as more like annoyance rather than help, I think there are several reasons:

1. The notification method is annoying. The constant nagging whenever a new "thing" is spotted, and the big icon and sound effect when I don't need wiki. From my experience, those popups know exactly when I don't need them and then pop up. I think the bottom is, we don't need and don't want to read wiki whenever a new thing shows up, and checking it off right away is not the reason to create the wiki.

2. The availability. The wikis serve to educate when the timing is right. When I do feel like reading the wiki, it's usually not visible on screen (you need to go to menu to open wiki). So I usually end up using Google because of my habit, and Google has more information anyways. In other words, the current in-game wiki doesn't serve convenience to those who need it, but seems to care more about getting people attention for no reason.

The popular "show me" mod is the best example of availability and convenience. But it's a little too convenient and reveals too much about the game. But you get the idea, "show me" is useful because it serves the pain points. Everyone can brainstorm, but here is my quick-fix for this problem:

Add a new sub-tab to the current categories called "recent", who the recent items, food, enemies, death and stuff, so people don't have to type to search for new stuff. Can also do "recent new" in addition to "recent". I think It's bad to assume players will want to regularly type to search in wiki. Also, always display the wiki icon for easy access.

3. Icon size. sorry, the icon size is just too big for me. It's bigger than any icons on screen, so much bigger than stats and clock on the top right corner. I think it's unnecessary. Maybe provide an option in setting for normal size icon for people like me. The icon size of skill tree point is also too big.

4. Wiki item. It would be my fantasy, but I think the game should have a wiki item. Having it in your inventory can view more information on mouse tip similar to "show me". I think current cook book should also have this. Having cook book in inventory should reveal food stats and predict final food in crockpot cooking, just like cooking while reading a cookbook in real life.

 

I think the current wiki is annoying but not that helpful. I've been ignoring it subconsciously, but I do have such need which, however, is replaced by Google because it's more useful than the in-game wiki.

[landromat]

you can turn notifications off in settings

[goatt]

1 hour ago, landromat said:

you can turn notifications off in settings

So it’s either on or off. Annoyance or absence.

so I’m asking the question: is there a middle ground that makes the notification appear but in a pleasant, sensible and useful way?

[Capybara007]

if you are talking about that piece of paper on the left up part of the screen, yes its kinda oversized

[ButterStuffed]

2 hours ago, goatt said:

So it’s either on or off. Annoyance or absence.

so I’m asking the question: is there a middle ground that makes the notification appear but in a pleasant, sensible and useful way?

It could pop up when standing near a research station.

[Dextops]

2 hours ago, goatt said:

so I’m asking the question: is there a middle ground that makes the notification appear but in a pleasant, sensible and useful way?

Make its icon above the map button around the same size if not smaller. It’ll stay there permanently and have a small icon when something new is discovered. That’d be nice I think.

[JustAFlower]

Another thing I hate about the scrapbook is the "Giants" category, it can only show the stats of the first phase of the Celestial Champion and the two other phases are just not here. It goes the same with the shadow pieces or the eye of terror.

[Dragonboooorn]

my only complaint is why we even have said wikipedia in a first place? Its literally just cntrl c + cntrl v stats from files, Klei didnt even added some kind of intresting quotes from "Constant experts". (Maxwell, Wickerbottom, Wanda and Wortox...)

Terraria at least had intresting thing in its bestiary with special remarks for mobs.