Confusing game mechanics

[Captain History]

Before I start, I would like to say I enjoy the game. The game has a balance of being interesting, tense, and fun. What I am going to mention is more of a constructive criticism than an attack. I am sure if it can't be fixed in game proper I can find a mod that fixes these things and more things I am unaware of.

First item: Lacerations in game are...confusing to say the least. During some of my game play, I noticed one of my characters had lacerations and thought "Lacerations, okay just grab some bandages and I should be good." Instead I'm supposed to use morphine to heal lacerations??? Pain relief is one thing, but I think large, deep cuts need bandages at the least...probably stitches as well. (Side note: While I haven't experienced them really the wiki says "gunshot wounds" also are treated the same way due to them being "internal injuries." Again, pain relief makes sense but I'd think bandages would work better than morphine from a medical standpoint for the actual healing.)

Second item: Creating flash powder makes no sense from a chemical standpoint. Referencing a Periodic Table shows magnesium and potassium belong in the alkaline earth metals and alkali metals columns respectively. Due to their proximity on the Table, they are would not react to each other. I can understand their use in making flares and other items, but together makes no sense chemically. While this is my primary example here, shouldn't crafting using elements be done from a chemical standpoint?

Third item (More likely I'm just being foolish here and this one can be chalked up to inexperience.): Is there a way to notice resources on the sonar easier? Granted, I don't leave the sub to scour the ocean depths for every single resource but I honestly have little clue what I'm getting until I'm grabbing it. While I'm on the topic, is it possible to spot the alien ruins on sonar? Because so far I haven't seen any and would like to raid them for resources and adventure (pretty sure I'm going to enjoy searching them the same way I enjoy searching wrecks).
TLDR: Can it be possible for the sonar to identify resources/ruins easier?


These concerns are all I have right at the moment. Again, this is NOT an attack and more along the lines of constructive criticism. I can accept video game logic in my video games, video games have actions that make absolutely zero sense and would not work in the real world (use healing item = heal health instantly). However, it's bothersome when mechanics seem to conflict with one another. Barotrauma forces you to make hard decisions when the only thing you can do is react in the heat of the moment without hesitation...and the wrong one can lead to worse issues. If the game logic is at odds with itself...well that can take me out of the experience. The game can have its own rules and run by them as well, but I would find it better if those rules made a little more sense.

[Bloop]

Often you'll find that whatever caused lacerations also gave you a bleeding effect. Essentially your lacerations would be the painful cuts left over after you stiched or bandaged the wound. Lacerations caused by mechanical failures are assumedly so minor that they scab over before any major blood loss could occure.

Finding minerals on sonar is currently impossible. You may find hope in that this feature is listed on Baro's Trello page for their "hopes and dreams". Right now the best you can do is use exterior guns and spotlights to find minerals on walls.

Ruins can be visible on sonar, yes. They often look very similar to wrecks except for being a bit more boxy. Ruins have a habit of spawning a hundred or more meters behind background rock, meaning you'll usually have to go spelunking and hope you run into a ruin at the end of a cave

The chemical thing is a bit odd. Then again sodium was only recently made reactive to water so not everything is perfect.

[Captain History]

Personal example of healing lacerations in game: I take control of a guy to go out the sub and leave AI on coilgun turret for cover. AI shoots my guy and he gets lacerations without bleeding (go figure that one out). Seeing that I'm not bleeding out, I go about collecting various things off the sea floor (ice?) before returning home. My medic immediately gives him morphine and he's back to full health. We continue on as he shrugs off the drug effects.

Unless morphine got enhanced in the future, how exactly does it close wounds? Yes, they can be internal but to say opioids can heal cuts when there are specifically bandages gives me pause.

[Bloop]

Originally posted by Captain History:

Personal example of healing lacerations in game: I take control of a guy to go out the sub and leave AI on coilgun turret for cover. AI shoots my guy and he gets lacerations without bleeding (go figure that one out). Seeing that I'm not bleeding out, I go about collecting various things off the sea floor (ice?) before returning home. My medic immediately gives him morphine and he's back to full health. We continue on as he shrugs off the drug effects.

Unless morphine got enhanced in the future, how exactly does it close wounds? Yes, they can be internal but to say opioids can heal cuts when there are specifically bandages gives me pause.

The wounds don't need to be closed in this situation. Lacerations in the game are cuts on the body, not necessarily bleeding. The wounds are already bleeding so little the game doesn't mention it, or no bleeding is happening. You're using opiates to treat the pain caused by closed lacerations.

[P A K S I W]

they should just add stitch ability only to medics/doctor that requires you(as an injured) to lie/sit on bed before being stitch(this is to make use of medbay bed) that would be pretty cool!

[Error3000]

Originally posted by P A K S I W:

they should just add stitch ability only to medics/doctor that requires you(as an injured) to lie/sit on bed before being stitch(this is to make use of medbay bed) that would be pretty cool!

and it would require people to know how its done, currently most people (including a lot of medics) dont know what CPR does and do it on anythign that cant tell them to stop, imo the healing mechanics should be as simple as possible with how most people never bother to learn the basics anyway

[Captain History]

Originally posted by P A K S I W:

they should just add stitch ability only to medics/doctor that requires you(as an injured) to lie/sit on bed before being stitch(this is to make use of medbay bed) that would be pretty cool!

Stitching is something that came to mind. If I have this right, there are bio staples and a pad along the lines of a band-aid that can do the job. Since Barotrauma is in the future, maybe something along those lines? Probably the biggest issue here is that people would make the same mistake I made and think laceration = cuts = bandages/stitches to heal.

[Captain History]

New issue: Why can't you make bullets in crafting? You can make railgun shells, coilgun ammo boxes, grenades, and various plastic explosives...but you can't make bullets? In a way, it balances the game and yes I'd rather keep the monsters outside of the sub. However, I'm hesitant to use the revolver or shotgun (SMG has too much recoil for my taste) because that means more expenses to deal with the next time I'm in port. The harpoon gun is fine, but I would enjoy using the guns more. (Speaking of weapons in amused confusion...just why are there flamethrowers, grenade launchers, and normal grenades in pressurized submarines? The plastic explosives I can understand for breaching charges or sticking in a railgun shell but flamethrowers? LOL WHAT?! Sure, that's a BRILLIANT idea...)

[GreySciTe]

Originally posted by Error3000:

Originally posted by P A K S I W:

they should just add stitch ability only to medics/doctor that requires you(as an injured) to lie/sit on bed before being stitch(this is to make use of medbay bed) that would be pretty cool!

and it would require people to know how its done, currently most people (including a lot of medics) dont know what CPR does and do it on anythign that cant tell them to stop, imo the healing mechanics should be as simple as possible with how most people never bother to learn the basics anyway

I like that the medic is a bit more complex. One of my favourite roles because of that.

Maybe add an easy difficult mode for those who don't bother to learn the mechanics.

In general in the beginning of my journeys on Europa I also found it confusing that gunshot wounds and lacerations don't need to be bandaged and that bleeding and blood loss are two different thing and treat them correctly. Maybe the game could be clearer with some of the notations.

Stitching is a nice thing but i wouldn't say it's a priority. You could comparatively easy create a mod that makes it happen.

Originally posted by Captain History:

New issue: Why can't you make bullets in crafting? You can make railgun shells, coilgun ammo boxes, grenades, and various plastic explosives...but you can't make bullets? In a way, it balances the game and yes I'd rather keep the monsters outside of the sub. However, I'm hesitant to use the revolver or shotgun (SMG has too much recoil for my taste) because that means more expenses to deal with the next time I'm in port. The harpoon gun is fine, but I would enjoy using the guns more. (Speaking of weapons in amused confusion...just why are there flamethrowers, grenade launchers, and normal grenades in pressurized submarines? The plastic explosives I can understand for breaching charges or sticking in a railgun shell but flamethrowers? LOL WHAT?! Sure, that's a BRILLIANT idea...)

As you already mentioned I think it's a balancing thing. Flame weaponry like the flamethrower and incendiary grenades only make sense in pvp to me. I saw the flamethrower only once successfully used against a crawler in 100+ hours of gameplay. Frag grenades and grenade launchers could be useful in clearing ruins but i never bothered to bring them at raids so far. EMP is maybe good in traitor missions and i am not sure if it's working vs some alien installations.

[Error3000]

Originally posted by GreySciTe:

Originally posted by Error3000:

and it would require people to know how its done, currently most people (including a lot of medics) dont know what CPR does and do it on anythign that cant tell them to stop, imo the healing mechanics should be as simple as possible with how most people never bother to learn the basics anyway

I like that the medic is a bit more complex. One of my favourite roles because of that.

I mean I like playing medic too but when Im not medic I like living, and half the time the medic on board is new so personally I prefer to keep medicine to the holy trinity of healing items, praise be the Bandage, the Blood Bag and the Holy Morphine

[GreySciTe]

Originally posted by Error3000:

Originally posted by GreySciTe:

I like that the medic is a bit more complex. One of my favourite roles because of that.

I mean I like playing medic too but when Im not medic I like living, and half the time the medic on board is new so personally I prefer to keep medicine to the holy trinity of healing items, praise be the Bandage, the Blood Bag and the Holy Morphine

"Holy trinity of healing items" xD When i know the medic is new i am prepared to treat myself. In my rounds i have more of the problem that everybody thinks morphine treats everything (and of course the roleplaying morphine addicts ). :D

[Error3000]

Originally posted by GreySciTe:

Originally posted by Error3000:

I mean I like playing medic too but when Im not medic I like living, and half the time the medic on board is new so personally I prefer to keep medicine to the holy trinity of healing items, praise be the Bandage, the Blood Bag and the Holy Morphine

"Holy trinity of healing items" xD When i know the medic is new i am prepared to treat myself. In my rounds i have more of the problem that everybody thinks morphine treats everything (and of course the roleplaying morphine addicts ). :D

lel, many times I have seen people either taking blood bags or antibiotics for literally everything which is irritating because then I have to save the captain from a medic after he injected the other with 3 antibiotics to heal lacerations and such, but yea If I can I always carry bandage and blood bag as anyone, if I have access to morphine I carry it too

[Captain History]

So I know I'm being clueless here and this is one of the original things brought up but is there an easier way to spot ruins? I mistook a cave system for ruins searching for an artifact. Yes this is something that can be fixed with time, but all I see is walls of ice and rock. In terms of sub wrecks, personally I find those recognizable enough and the idea of a Thalamus being an ambush predator (thus not easy to determine on sonar alone) doesn't bother me.

[Error3000]

Originally posted by Captain History:

So I know I'm being clueless here and this is one of the original things brought up but is there an easier way to spot ruins? I mistook a cave system for ruins searching for an artifact. Yes this is something that can be fixed with time, but all I see is walls of ice and rock. In terms of sub wrecks, personally I find those recognizable enough and the idea of a Thalamus being an ambush predator (thus not easy to determine on sonar alone) doesn't bother me.

well the ruins glow more and are made out of corridors/walls Im not sure if I have a screenshot of them but If I do I will post it here when I find it

[GreySciTe]

Ruins also look like an unnatural square box often seen behind the cave walls.

[Captain History]

Originally posted by GreySciTe:

Ruins also look like an unnatural square box often seen behind the cave walls.

Again, thought I saw them and in reality it was a cave system. Partially believed said cave system were ruins due to an artifact signature. Now I'm up for getting crafting materials (must have uranium...need fuel for submarine) but I do want to raid a ruin. Granted, I'm likely to flip out and have my sub get blown up behind me but I want to explore what's in there.