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Buildings - Description Improvements


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Back again with a 4th base under my belt (it's about to go pear-shaped at about 150 cycles). I have a lot more feedback on helping make the game more accessible and fun to play. This time I am splitting it between topics to avoid an uber-thread. Original feedback from my first few attempts is in this thread.

Buildings

Here's a number of communication issues with buildings that I struggled with:

Submerged Buildings - Buildings should have a category in their main info box and when building, telling the player if the building can be safely submerged in water. Or it should specifically say in the description. Biggest offender is the Aquatuner which I had no idea you could submerge or that that was the primary method in which to cool it down.

Non default Tiles - Although the default tile states that it increases run speed, none of the other tiles state whether they also increase run-speed. This should be made clear in their descriptions. I am guessing they do, but its important for the player to know in case they need to optimise travel times.

Building Inputs/Outputs  - Many buildings do not mention their inputs or output substances in their description (examples: Sink, Ore Scrubber). This causes a few issues. First, you end up unexpectedly having to add a pipe to deal with an input/output after you've built the thing, screwing up your planning. Secondly, it makes it hard to plan ahead as you don't know what horrible/useful output the building might pump out or emit. Take the Sink - when you build it, the info tells you it needs and input and output pipe, but doesn't tell you what is going in and out of those pipes. I suggest listing all input and output substances in the info pages both when you are constructing a building, and when you have highlighted it. This should list both pipe inputs/outputs, and ambient inputs/outputs - for example imagine these as a vertical list:

"Sieve - Input Pipe: Polluted Water. Output Pipe: Clean Water. Manual Supply Required: Sand. Drops to Ground: Polluted dirt. Note: Does not kill germs in water. Heat Output: High (+20Jw)"

"Electrolyzer - Input Pipe: Water. Output to Air: Heated Oxygen, Heated Hydrogen. Note: Outputs Oxygen and Hydrogen at 35C, cooling solutions recommended. Heat Output: Machine: +6.5W (low), gases +? (very high)."

Parity between Building Construction info & Highlight info - Often valuable information is given in the window that appears when you click on a building in the construction menu. Much of the time, that info does not appear when you click on an already constructed building. I suggest retaining that information, it helps out new players a lot.

Materials Used - As mentioned in the heat feedback thread, when clicking on a building/tile (if not for all, at least for insulation tiles/pipes), the material used to build it should be listed on the main info box (also providing a useful tooltip for the player to learn more about that material).

Specific Building Descriptions:

  • Lights & Lamps - These should state that they add to decor levels in the vicinity. I had no idea they did this - I never even bothered building them as a result until my third base - when I finally realised by accident when browsing around in the decor overlay.
  • Aquatuner - As mentioned above, this should state it can be submerged and that water cooling is a good solution for dealing with its massive heat output.
  • Thermo Nullifier - See Heat feedback thread - requires a better description about its use of hydrogen. Also suggest a warning pop-up if you try to dismantle this device as you can't build it yourself.
  • Food Production - Not a description but an interface request - allow you to double-click an item to add it to the queue, instead of having to click +1 button each time.
  • Multiple Buildings - Missing info on inputs, outputs and the substances that go in and out of the building.
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