Lootcatchers and their limitation to one per wagon

[Hexerin]

I've seen the dev respond in the past about this limitation, but I'm curious. Is there a technical reason for limiting us like this?

The moment I unlocked this little guy, the first thing that entered my head was "I'm going to dedicate an entire train car to these guys. Make myself an adorable little zoo."

However, this is not possible, as you can't place them all on the same wagon. Each one has to go on its own wagon, which makes it impossible to realize that concept.

Additionally, since you have to space them out so much, that means I'm going to have to spend a ton of time running up and down the train to collect from them all... That sounds super tedious, not gonna lie.

[Niko]

There is no limitation of 1 per wagon. There is a limitation of 1 per platform. A platform is a part of a wagon with a 2x2 floor space. Therefore, on a maximum-sized wagon (4 platforms), you can have 4 Lootcatchers. So, on a train with 4 full-sized wagons, you will have 16 Lootcatchers, which is more than enough to fully automate loot collection.

Yes, there are reasons for this - optimization aspects, which are influenced by the animations/effects and 3D widgets of these creatures and their nests. Having them all in one place will create a simultaneous load on processing the mentioned points.

[Hexerin]

So for clarity, the segments that are added by upgrading are not "wagons"?

For example, I have 3 segments on my train currently, each of the 3 segments can hold 4 floor tiles in your mentioned 2x2 space. I can only place a single lootcatcher in each segment, as you mention.

Screenshot for clarity of what I'm describing:
https://i.gyazo.com/ceda9136d6ebde6f8b56d99445c99ddf.jpg

[Niko]

Originally posted by Hexerin:

So for clarity, the segments that are added by upgrading are not "wagons"?

For example, I have 3 segments on my train currently, each of the 3 segments can hold 4 floor tiles in your mentioned 2x2 space. I can only place a single lootcatcher in each segment, as you mention.

Screenshot for clarity of what I'm describing:
https://i.gyazo.com/ceda9136d6ebde6f8b56d99445c99ddf.jpg

Correct, 1 wagon consisting of 3 platforms/segments

[Necroscourge]

Originally posted by Niko:

Correct, 1 wagon consisting of 3 platforms/segments

I think the confusion is that the game makes zero attempt to tell the player this.

[umop-apisdn]

Originally posted by Necroscourge:

Originally posted by Niko:

Correct, 1 wagon consisting of 3 platforms/segments

I think the confusion is that the game makes zero attempt to tell the player this.

Doesn't it, though? It never refers to platforms as wagons, or vice-versa. Player confusion over terminology happens; I don't think it's a big deal.

[Niko]

Originally posted by Necroscourge:

Originally posted by Niko:

Correct, 1 wagon consisting of 3 platforms/segments

I think the confusion is that the game makes zero attempt to tell the player this.

The game actually communicates this numerous times through quests (including the quest in the first depot, where you add a Platform to your locomotive-wagon), tutorials, and also in the descriptions of some train modules, which are related to expanding platforms or specifying the required number of platforms. It's possible that the player missed this or disabled the tutorials. In any case, we have plans to enhance the construction menu in the depot and will include additional information there regarding platforms and wagons. Just as a note, the game informs you about this in several places and related tutorials.

[Hexerin]

Originally posted by umop-apisdn:

Player confusion over terminology happens; I don't think it's a big deal.

Correct, not a big deal. I got confused myself, as can be seen here in this very thread.

Originally posted by Niko:

It's possible that the player missed this or disabled the tutorials.

The tutorials are actually disabled by default, probably has something to do with that.

Originally posted by Niko:

In any case, we have plans to enhance the construction menu in the depot and will include additional information there regarding platforms and wagons.

It would be nice if "move up" and "move down" were enabled while in the train construction mode. I noticed immediately their lack, when I attempted to use spacebar and left CTRL to move around and nothing happened. Which was double odd considering both are available while floating around collecting resources in the void.

[Necroscourge]

Originally posted by Niko:

Originally posted by Necroscourge:

I think the confusion is that the game makes zero attempt to tell the player this.

The game actually communicates this numerous times through quests (including the quest in the first depot, where you add a Platform to your locomotive-wagon), tutorials, and also in the descriptions of some train modules, which are related to expanding platforms or specifying the required number of platforms. It's possible that the player missed this or disabled the tutorials. In any case, we have plans to enhance the construction menu in the depot and will include additional information there regarding platforms and wagons. Just as a note, the game informs you about this in several places and related tutorials.

I just assumed the game was wrong given that a wagon is the entire thing, not a section. It's common for developers from other countries to use the wrong words in their games, so I just assumed that was that. I didn't realize you actually thought a train car was made up of four "wagons", because that's just not what that means xD

A train car, or wagon, is the entire thing from link to link, in this game it's made up of 1-4 sections that you mistakenly call "wagons" in game. The reason why every single person does not understand that a section is called a wagon is because it's not.

[Niko]

Originally posted by Necroscourge:

Originally posted by Niko:

The game actually communicates this numerous times through quests (including the quest in the first depot, where you add a Platform to your locomotive-wagon), tutorials, and also in the descriptions of some train modules, which are related to expanding platforms or specifying the required number of platforms. It's possible that the player missed this or disabled the tutorials. In any case, we have plans to enhance the construction menu in the depot and will include additional information there regarding platforms and wagons. Just as a note, the game informs you about this in several places and related tutorials.

I just assumed the game was wrong given that a wagon is the entire thing, not a section. It's common for developers from other countries to use the wrong words in their games, so I just assumed that was that. I didn't realize you actually thought a train car was made up of four "wagons", because that's just not what that means xD

A train car, or wagon, is the entire thing from link to link, in this game it's made up of 1-4 sections that you mistakenly call "wagons" in game. The reason why every single person does not understand that a section is called a wagon is because it's not.

But I never mentioned that wagons are made up of... wagons. I believe you might have misread my message.

I mean, yes, in the game, a wagon is a single structure consisting of platforms=sections. In one wagon, there can be a maximum of 4 platforms. This is what I wrote above.

The reason why every single person does not understand that a section is called a wagon is because it's not.

I'm sorry, but I'm starting to feel a bit confused. In neither the game nor this discussion is a wagon/train car referred to as a section/platform/segment.

[Necroscourge]

It is, but I kind of just expect deflection from you guys. I mean I only stream the game and promote it whenever I can. Screw what I think right? What I said is 100% correct, but here you are just trying to pretend you're not completely wrong when you are. Part of being an indie game dev is being a pathological liar.

The game refers to a wagon as four platforms, a that's like saying a a dog is made up of four canines. Or a glass is made up of four cups. It's stupid and wrong. I have had to explain this to every single person I have taught this game, that the dev does not know what the words wagon, train, and platform mean and that they actually mean a SECTION.

[umop-apisdn]

train: locomotion provider and some number of cars
wagon: an individual train car, comprised of 4 platforms
platform: a raised level surface on which people or things can stand

I'm not sure where the confusion arises, but these terms are not difficult concepts.

[Man man]

Yo but real talk, when do we get the upgrade to collect all loot catchers? Or kinda just one output spot.

[Sanquin]

There's 2 options when upgrading your train. On the left there's "add wagon" and on the right there's "upgrade wagon". "Add wagon" adds another wagon, upgrade wagon adds another platform. But when you hover over "add wagon" and you're at max wagons already it says "platform limit reached". Maybe that's where the confusion comes from?

[umop-apisdn]

Originally posted by Sanquin:

There's 2 options when upgrading your train. On the left there's "add wagon" and on the right there's "upgrade wagon". "Add wagon" adds another wagon, upgrade wagon adds another platform. But when you hover over "add wagon" and you're at max wagons already it says "platform limit reached". Maybe that's where the confusion comes from?

Okay, now that makes the confusion make sense. I believe the "platform" in that message is talking about the depot, not the train; perhaps the "not enough space to build more train" message could be changed to something a bit more clear?

[Sanquin]

Originally posted by umop-apisdn:

Okay, now that makes the confusion make sense. I believe the "platform" in that message is talking about the depot, not the train; perhaps the "not enough space to build more train" message could be changed to something a bit more clear?

Later on in the tech tree you actually unlock the ability to add more wagons. So I don't think it's because of the depot.