Suggestion for Adding Material Usage Details in the Encyclopedia (U)

[DSName]

Dear Oxygen Not Included Development Team,

First of all, I want to mention that English is not my native language, so if anything is unclear, please feel free to ask me for clarification.

I have a question and suggestion regarding the material details shown in the in-game encyclopedia (U). While I really appreciate the detailed information available about various elements, I was wondering if it would be possible to add details about how certain materials can be used or interact with specific machines.

For example, when I search for "water" in the encyclopedia, it clearly explains what water can do and which buildings can use it. However, when I search for "Nectar" (from the Frosty Planet DLC), it only shows information such as its heat properties, freezing point, and source (Bon Bon Tree). It doesn't provide details about what buildings can use sugar or how it might be useful in other processes.

This makes it challenging to utilize new materials, and it can be hard to understand the benefits and applications of certain resources. I might be mistaken, and maybe this feature is planned for a future update, but I kindly request that more comprehensive information about each material’s uses be included. This would enhance the gameplay experience without affecting the balance of the game.

Lastly, I want to thank you for creating such a fantastic game! Even though I haven’t finished it, I absolutely love playing it.

Best regards,

[SGT_Imalas]

if you are in the base game (with spaced out disabled), sugar has no uses, it was a spaced out exclusive element before, where it is used in sugar rockets and grubfruit preserves (SO exclusive food).

since those two arent part of the base game, there is no (vanilla) use for sugar in the base game

[DSName]

On 9/23/2024 at 2:40 AM, SGT_Imalas said:

if you are in the base game (with spaced out disabled), sugar has no uses, it was a spaced out exclusive element before, where it is used in sugar rockets and grubfruit preserves (SO exclusive food).

since those two arent part of the base game, there is no (vanilla) use for sugar in the base game

I'm currently playing Spaced Out + Frosty Planet, but it still doesn't show the use of Nectar in the in-game Encyclopedia (U) like it does for other materials. So, I end up having to search on Google or the wiki to find how to use it. In the game, it only shows information like heat and freezing temperatures.

As you can see in the attachments (1-4), 1-2 show the Nectar details, but there’s no information on how to use it,

while 3-4 show water and its uses clearly.

Another thing to consider is Chlorine's functionality. It has very limited uses, and I don’t see the benefit of having two Chlorine Geysers on the same planet. T_T

[6Havok9]

On 9/24/2024 at 9:57 AM, DSName said:

Another thing to consider is Chlorine's functionality. It has very limited uses, and I don’t see the benefit of having two Chlorine Geysers on the same planet. T_T

Chlorine means bleach stone via squeaky pufts, which means double the water from water geysers or steam vents, double the yield and easier handling of salt water and brine geysers, free power from the hot geysers, free hot tubs and free hand sanitizers.

But it's a lot of effort. And, if you have a decent chlorine cloud on the starmap and can sustain the diamond cost, you can probably ignore chlorine vents.

Other "viable" uses, as in not definitely a loss:

Feed dasha saltvines. They are sand positive when you crush the salt into table salt.

Irrigate gas grass for moos.

While I find these chains fun, I'm not sure they are really worth the effort. I don't care and I just try to use them to some extent when I can. But maybe chlorine deserves some love. In RL, it has applications in the production of plastics, metals such as titanium, makes a powerful acid with hydrogen, used in the steel industry. And.. while cleaning some nasty toilets.

But let's not turn the game into a factorio mod. I don't want to provide sulfuric acid so I can mine uranium without beetas! 

Oh, btw.. what is nectar for? 

You're damn right. It's probably some oversight.

 

[Cats_On_Fire]

On 9/24/2024 at 12:57 AM, DSName said:

I'm currently playing Spaced Out + Frosty Planet, but it still doesn't show the use of Nectar in the in-game Encyclopedia (U) like it does for other materials. So, I end up having to search on Google or the wiki to find how to use it. In the game, it only shows information like heat and freezing temperatures.

As you can see in the attachments (1-4), 1-2 show the Nectar details, but there’s no information on how to use it,

while 3-4 show water and its uses clearly.

Another thing to consider is Chlorine's functionality. It has very limited uses, and I don’t see the benefit of having two Chlorine Geysers on the same planet. T_T

Necter might have to be processed first idk what I can process it into though

[Maxposting]

23 hours ago, Cats_On_Fire said:

Necter might have to be processed first idk what I can process it into though

You can turn it into plastic, I do agree the encyclopedia and structure tooltips sometimes lack knowledge (the Polymer Press mentions it polymerizes monomers like Nectar or Petroleum, but this knowledge is missing in the actual Nectar entry)

I myself discovered this fairly late than I should have during a blind Ceres Minor playthrough, because I didn't anticipate bonbon trees and spigot seals would essentially replace petroleum for plastic and power.

[KittenIsAGeek]

On 9/30/2024 at 12:55 PM, 6Havok9 said:

Oh, btw.. what is nectar for? 

Early game cooling loops.  Seriously, its awesome.  Much larger range than polluted water with rather similar conductivity and thermal capacity.

Oh. And plastic.  But who needs plastic? =^.^=