Love this game, but....

[David]

.......the planet exploring is way too random. Sometimes you can go to another zone after four digs, another time you dig and shoot and at the very last you find the gateway to the next zone.
And then first you have to fight of the critters before you can go dig/shoot for a gateway.
I think this needs some rework. Otherwise: Great game!

[john1v6]

It's the Stardew Valley mines with a new paint job. Sometimes you get lucky and find that ladder almost immediately, and sometimes you have to clear out the whole level before you find it. Going faster and/or slowing down the day clock would be nice. There doesn't seem to be enough time in the day to go five levels to the next elevator, er, checkpoint.

[David]

.....and the energy runs out too fast. Seems like a balancing thing.

[OreoFox]

Came here to say the same. I don't mind the RNG but please make it a bit less harsh. I can't get past level 7 on the gray planet even with an upgraded gun and several energy tonic. It's starting to get frustrating at this point.

[Tenoshii]

I think another thing worth considering is letting critter kills count toward checkpoint discovery. Across 4 areas the total amount of energy the player uses getting rid of enemies can add up pretty quickly.

[Dream ❀]

It’s grindy at first but once you have a better tool and food you’ll be fine and eventually the rng won’t matter

[[SB] Snuffa]

Originally posted by Dream ❀:

It’s grindy at first but once you have a better tool and food you’ll be fine and eventually the rng won’t matter

So I need to spend the 1st few years in game grinding out enough stone to make the machines to then get the material for the upgrades? The days have turned into this:
Wake up
Water plants (harvest, replant, sell)
Collect from smelter
Explore planet zone 1 or 5 and mine rock till energy runs out. (I cant get past 5 as the energy runs out before getting to the checkpoint)
Return to ship
Put ore in smelter
Sleep

[medledan16]

Originally posted by OreoFox:

Came here to say the same. I don't mind the RNG but please make it a bit less harsh. I can't get past level 7 on the gray planet even with an upgraded gun and several energy tonic. It's starting to get frustrating at this point.

Have you played Stardew? The first goal is to get a large farm going. You can get TONS of veggies everyday for energy with a rotating farm of crops.

[medledan16]

Originally posted by john1v6:

It's the Stardew Valley mines with a new paint job. Sometimes you get lucky and find that ladder almost immediately, and sometimes you have to clear out the whole level before you find it. Going faster and/or slowing down the day clock would be nice. There doesn't seem to be enough time in the day to go five levels to the next elevator, er, checkpoint.

I use the grey rotten veggie you dig out of the ground for quick energy bursts. I also went crazy with farming and have like 20 potato farms. So each day I get like 10 potatoes that keep going all day, energy.

If you all have played Stardew the key to success is starting an early farm and making it huge for food and energy.

[tammithix]

I nearly always found that the checkpoints are roughly in the same area, so it would take a 2 to 3 days on the grey planet to get to the next checkpoint, if I could remember where the points are. The grey planet seems to be a lot harder then the other planets.

[Picotrain]

Originally posted by SB Snuffa:

Originally posted by Dream ❀:

It’s grindy at first but once you have a better tool and food you’ll be fine and eventually the rng won’t matter

So I need to spend the 1st few years in game grinding out enough stone to make the machines to then get the material for the upgrades? The days have turned into this:
Wake up
Water plants (harvest, replant, sell)
Collect from smelter
Explore planet zone 1 or 5 and mine rock till energy runs out. (I cant get past 5 as the energy runs out before getting to the checkpoint)
Return to ship
Put ore in smelter
Sleep

Every 5th level has a checkpoint, so you can start exploration from level 5, 10, etc. I'm not sure why you can't get past area 5 when you can just start there. And that checkpoint isn't one you have to find, it's activated the moment you leave your shuttle