Improvements for enjoyable gameplay ...

[pyrogen]

I really liked the demo but waited a while until picking up the full game.

I'm excited to see the expanded content, but I'd really love to see improvements in building and crafting before investing more time into the game, particularly with larger bases.

Some of these improvements would help game play for everyone.

1) Improved alignment and snap-to with stairs and platform / scaffolding

// Observation //

As is, a building structure placed on top of the platform scaffolding can rest just below or just above the surface. When placed above, the structure hovers above the walkway and looks strange and breaks immersion. When placed below, where the building and the platform intersect a little, the game won't allow you to place additional platform segments below a structure to (visually) expand the platform for new building modules).

// Fix //

You shouldn't be able to place a building component *in* the platform scaffolding, such that the platform can't be expanded. The snap-to units should match between platform and building modules. The two systems should work together, not against each other.

2) Improved building placement and module connection

// Observation

When building a platform structure, you get a handy link icon when the two components are clearly aligned with each other. The items are placed at a fixed distance from the user, for better or worse. While simple, the downside is a challenge when it comes to building taller platform structures (you can't place something a few units over).

When it comes to placing building modules, it's harder to align them. The link icon doesn't always show, and it's hard to get them to align on the internal doorway connector.

Similarly, some structures are opaque, like the round cylindrical room or 3x3 square room. When connecting a module to these rooms, it can be tricky to get them to align correctly. I don't recall whether all resources are refunded if not placed as intended.

// Fix

a) Slightly increase the range of the connection point alignment to make it easier for building modules to align to their respective preferred linked locations (on doorways).

b) Some build/craft games that don't offer a full refund on destruction of buildings will offer a blueprint mode. This allows you to inspect how the placed structure will look and how it aligns with other structures in a way you can inspect from different locations inside and outside the structure. Adding resources will finalize or commit to the placement.

2) Snapping craft elements to the floor panels or ability to move placed objects.

// Observation

Since I can't control the distance of a placed object from my camera's position, I can't always tell if an object is centered over a floor tile, aligned with a table, or aligned with other placed objects or not. Free placement is great because it feels more organic. However, there are times when I really would like to align something to the edge of a wall, a doorway, a table, or items of a similar type.

// Fix

a) Ability to control the distance of an object from the camera position would allow different viewing angles to the placed item

b) Alternatively, a toggle on snap-to position for placed items would be handy in some cases

c) Alternatively, the ability to move an object after placement would also be handy. I understand that collision mechanics can be tricky though (a table might have other objects placed on top of it... so moving the table might cause the objects to collide with a wall). Simple boundary detection for max rectangular cube might be a simple fix.


/// Game Play Mechanics ///

While I generally enjoyed the game mechanics, manually collecting ore for the majority of the early game is a bit too grindy. We have the technology to terraform entire planets, but not the ability to build drones to collect resources earlier on. Adding automated resource survey / collection earlier would help free up the user to focus on exploration and bio-engineering.

/// Graphics ///

While the low-detail poly feel is simple and performant, it's a little overly simple and detracts from the game a little. I'm not suggesting Death Stranding level of detail, but a little more variation in the terrain would really add to the look and feel of the world players invest their time into. This can often be done automatically by subdividing larger surfaces, varying the texture maps, or adding more ground clutter. Even a dune can and should be a little more than a few flat polygon surfaces.

[Jeronimosss]

All great observations!
I'm OK with some early grind though :)