Feedback and suggestions for improvement of mechanics
Proply
Member
in Suggestions
First of all, having not played Castle Story in a couple of years, I have to say that it has come a long way, well done! I am enjoying playing the release version.
However, after my first day or two playing there are a few game mechanics that, in my opinion, could do with improvement (Note: there may be some things here that are already implemented; if so, this is not made clear to me by the game at all.):
STOCKPILES:
-If a stockpile is set to store only a specific item, make the bricktrons prioritize storing that item in that stockpile FIRST, instead of just putting it in the closest stockpile that accepts all. This could also be achieved through some kind of priority ranking system, such as how jobs can be set to low, medium and high priority. Higher priority stockpiles would be filled with their specified item first. This would help a huge amount for setting up supply chains (ie: I want brimstone and iron ore to be delivered to the stockpiles set up next to the furnace, I want iron to go next to the forge, I want to store explosive barrels on the stockpile next to the catapult, etc). Probably needs some kind of range limit to avoid pulling from the other side of the map.
-Setting stockpile to stay empty: this really needs to give the bricktrons a task to move any items already on the stockpile somewhere else when you turn this on. At the moment the easiest way to empty a stockpile is to have them remove it entirely and then rebuild.
-Would be great to be able to set the stockpile accept type when placing the blueprint for it, so you don't have to wait around until they are built (and probably some bricktron has dumped the wrong stuff on there by then).
-Explosive barrels on stockpiles do no detonate when destroyed by a nearby explosion (bug?). This really needs fixing, otherwise why bother protecting your magazine?
BRICKTRON LOGIC:
-The bricktrons, while greatly improved, are still pretty dumb in some respects. The biggest culprit is the task system, want to build one brick? Great, put the blueprint down. Oh wait, now half a dozen bricktrons are racing to build that one brick. The job system needs to assign a specific bricktron to build a specific brick (etc etc), so that they are not running around on redundant missions. This also applies to supplying materials for building an item that requires multiple items, really frustrating to see a bricktron run all the way across the map with planks to build a bridge, only to turn around because the bridge planks he was thinking of building were placed by another bricktron, despite the fact that the bridge is still not finished and there are plenty more planks for him to place down further along that bridge!
-While the new automatic job manager is great, there needs to be a way to disconnect specific bricktrons from this so that they do not run off and do their own thing when you are trying to micromanage them. No, Mr. Bricktron, I want you to stay on that catapult so I can fire exactly when I need to!
-Speaking of the automatic job manager, it would be useful to be able to set a specific area that this applies to, so that your base can automate its own tasks, but you can control the activities in the further away (more dangerous) parts of the map.
-Manually telling a bricktron to pick up an item from a stockpile does not seem to work (bugged?)
-Bricktrons still seem to occasionally drop all the stuff they are carrying on the ground for no particular reason.
COMMAND AND CONTROL:
-The hold right click system is nice, but really overcomplicates some things. A prime example would be queuing up a bunch of items (eg: explosive barrels) at a crafting station. For each barrel I want to make, I have to hold right click, wait for the menu to pop up, mouse over the explosive barrel and release the button. Quick enough to do once, but really slow when you want to queue up a dozen barrels. Just let me click on the crafting station, then click the "build barrel" button as many times as I want.
-Overcomplication of controls is also a generic complaint of mine throughout the game design. Why does firing a capapult require right click menu > aim > rightclick menu > fire. Just let me click on the catapult and click where to fire (with a hold fire toggle to allow pre-aiming of shots when desired). The right click menu really is a pain, it is slow, and feels like it was made for a console game.
-Speaking of the right click menu, make the delay time before menu to pop up customisable.
-It would be really handy to be able to set up predefined defensive positions for each bricktron. ie: click a"to arms" button, and each bricktron knows to go an get a specific kit and stand in a specific place using a specific stance, all of which you defined for them previously. Click the "return to work" button and they take their weapons back to the rack and go about their business
-The UI is really small on my screen. Not unreadable, but a scale slider would be appreciated.
BUILDING:
-Building upwards is a real pain, and the wooden scaffolding is a real pain to build too. Make this easier somehow, be it through simplification or automation of scaffolding, or through some kind of building crane.
-Need to be able to drag select when deleting placed items/blueprints, it takes a long time to click every single brick in a building for removal.
-Click and drag should be extending to work in two dimensions (instead of only in lines, so you can place an entire roof at once, for example.
-How am I meant to edit the inside of a building after putting the roof on? Really is a pain at the moment, requiring some serious camera angle juggling. Some kind of cross section visualisation tool would be great to have.
OTHER:
-Explosive barrels fired out of catapults don't destroy trees?
-Is there a way to remove tree stumps? (except for explosive barrels). If not, maybe there should be.
-Tutorials!! I convinced a friend to buy the game, but now that he has it he is put off by lack of any assistance in game to overcome the learning curve! To be blunt, this should have been in before a 1.0 release.
Thanks for your attention!
However, after my first day or two playing there are a few game mechanics that, in my opinion, could do with improvement (Note: there may be some things here that are already implemented; if so, this is not made clear to me by the game at all.):
STOCKPILES:
-If a stockpile is set to store only a specific item, make the bricktrons prioritize storing that item in that stockpile FIRST, instead of just putting it in the closest stockpile that accepts all. This could also be achieved through some kind of priority ranking system, such as how jobs can be set to low, medium and high priority. Higher priority stockpiles would be filled with their specified item first. This would help a huge amount for setting up supply chains (ie: I want brimstone and iron ore to be delivered to the stockpiles set up next to the furnace, I want iron to go next to the forge, I want to store explosive barrels on the stockpile next to the catapult, etc). Probably needs some kind of range limit to avoid pulling from the other side of the map.
-Setting stockpile to stay empty: this really needs to give the bricktrons a task to move any items already on the stockpile somewhere else when you turn this on. At the moment the easiest way to empty a stockpile is to have them remove it entirely and then rebuild.
-Would be great to be able to set the stockpile accept type when placing the blueprint for it, so you don't have to wait around until they are built (and probably some bricktron has dumped the wrong stuff on there by then).
-Explosive barrels on stockpiles do no detonate when destroyed by a nearby explosion (bug?). This really needs fixing, otherwise why bother protecting your magazine?
BRICKTRON LOGIC:
-The bricktrons, while greatly improved, are still pretty dumb in some respects. The biggest culprit is the task system, want to build one brick? Great, put the blueprint down. Oh wait, now half a dozen bricktrons are racing to build that one brick. The job system needs to assign a specific bricktron to build a specific brick (etc etc), so that they are not running around on redundant missions. This also applies to supplying materials for building an item that requires multiple items, really frustrating to see a bricktron run all the way across the map with planks to build a bridge, only to turn around because the bridge planks he was thinking of building were placed by another bricktron, despite the fact that the bridge is still not finished and there are plenty more planks for him to place down further along that bridge!
-While the new automatic job manager is great, there needs to be a way to disconnect specific bricktrons from this so that they do not run off and do their own thing when you are trying to micromanage them. No, Mr. Bricktron, I want you to stay on that catapult so I can fire exactly when I need to!
-Speaking of the automatic job manager, it would be useful to be able to set a specific area that this applies to, so that your base can automate its own tasks, but you can control the activities in the further away (more dangerous) parts of the map.
-Manually telling a bricktron to pick up an item from a stockpile does not seem to work (bugged?)
-Bricktrons still seem to occasionally drop all the stuff they are carrying on the ground for no particular reason.
COMMAND AND CONTROL:
-The hold right click system is nice, but really overcomplicates some things. A prime example would be queuing up a bunch of items (eg: explosive barrels) at a crafting station. For each barrel I want to make, I have to hold right click, wait for the menu to pop up, mouse over the explosive barrel and release the button. Quick enough to do once, but really slow when you want to queue up a dozen barrels. Just let me click on the crafting station, then click the "build barrel" button as many times as I want.
-Overcomplication of controls is also a generic complaint of mine throughout the game design. Why does firing a capapult require right click menu > aim > rightclick menu > fire. Just let me click on the catapult and click where to fire (with a hold fire toggle to allow pre-aiming of shots when desired). The right click menu really is a pain, it is slow, and feels like it was made for a console game.
-Speaking of the right click menu, make the delay time before menu to pop up customisable.
-It would be really handy to be able to set up predefined defensive positions for each bricktron. ie: click a"to arms" button, and each bricktron knows to go an get a specific kit and stand in a specific place using a specific stance, all of which you defined for them previously. Click the "return to work" button and they take their weapons back to the rack and go about their business
-The UI is really small on my screen. Not unreadable, but a scale slider would be appreciated.
BUILDING:
-Building upwards is a real pain, and the wooden scaffolding is a real pain to build too. Make this easier somehow, be it through simplification or automation of scaffolding, or through some kind of building crane.
-Need to be able to drag select when deleting placed items/blueprints, it takes a long time to click every single brick in a building for removal.
-Click and drag should be extending to work in two dimensions (instead of only in lines, so you can place an entire roof at once, for example.
-How am I meant to edit the inside of a building after putting the roof on? Really is a pain at the moment, requiring some serious camera angle juggling. Some kind of cross section visualisation tool would be great to have.
OTHER:
-Explosive barrels fired out of catapults don't destroy trees?
-Is there a way to remove tree stumps? (except for explosive barrels). If not, maybe there should be.
-Tutorials!! I convinced a friend to buy the game, but now that he has it he is put off by lack of any assistance in game to overcome the learning curve! To be blunt, this should have been in before a 1.0 release.
Thanks for your attention!