Craft The World suggestions

[Annieway]

In this topic, you can post any ideas related to improving the game Craft The World.
When all your ideas will be gathered in one place (topic) it will be much more comfortable to read for developers and others.

[ReneMiner]

better resource-collecting-rules:

like:

• if dwarf is done with a job where some resources drop as logging, hunting, mining, crafting, fishing etc. he should pick the closest resources and return to a stockpile. (as currently)

• if a dwarf starts at the stockpile to go for collecting ressources only, he should select the most far away item to pick up as very first, (except on portal-spell-use of course) and thereafter the next items he meets on his way back. This way the resources will come closer and closer to the stockpile, even if dropped while an assault. Currently it's vice versa and the distance between stock and the next item to collect becomes larger and larger.

• if a dwarf uses the blue portal (spell) to collect items he should empty his pockets at the stockpile first and not carry stuff away from the base, also has more space to pick up items

• dwarves equipped with a backpack should be preferred if the question is "Who will go to collect the stuff?"

[Annieway]

Your ideas are good, maybe we will make some of them.

[ReneMiner]

i'm a serious player and i love playing your game- at least sandbox-mode - and i want it to become perfect

Today i want to mention once more the unbalanced silver-amounts and here what i think about

 improving resource-placements:

Currently the larger the map the more rare the silver becomes (no random-silver-drops from any earth-layer), on large maps silver is more rare than mithril in the end.
And there's no coal to find below the soft-brown earth - except surrounding some random predefined tombs.
If i find coal visible in red earth then i know a tomb must be near... and if i need coal i only search the top-earth-layers for it.

i assume there is no additional random drop from any block that contains some visible ressource and only one random-drop per block,
if that's the case then the following i'd suggest: 

In all layers below sand-earth (starting at the soft-brown where mostly coal drops) should be a chance to get some random silver - would not just raise the amount of silver to find, but also reduce the other random-drops then.(coal,iron,gold,mithril)

In all red earth layers should also be a chance to find coal and silver as visible resource. This would reduce the amount of other random ore-drops there - and could perhaps raise the amount of coal & silver altogether a tiny little bit.

Edit: and please-please-please re-check for GREEN CRYSTAL-DROPS - i always buy them (if not a new dwarf brings some)

[ReneMiner]

some small idea for some underground-enemy that could fit any world:

centipedes


maybe spawn in abandoned areas and old tunnels where for a long time no dwarf was
could be able to climb any wall or obstacle , also climb straight up and down on dark underground-backwall and should move constantlly around like the larvas (but no digging)

ps. the cannon-towers & dynamite-minig+fishing was not a question but an idea

[Annieway]

Oh, ok, fine 

[Nevermore]

I'm really enjoying this game. The fun outweighs the few annoyances. That being said, there are a few fixes that would really improve the quality of life of your gamers. Here is one:

Dwarf task Assignment:
 
Problem: I am absolutely for a simple, non-cluttered UI. It's a great design decision. The AI needs just a bit more help than the tools at our disposal. One of my main concerns is that I cannot prioritize tasks for dwarves to do or ignore. Dwarves are SUPPOSED to decide among themselves who is best for a task, but I often see dwarves without a skill specialization going to a task first while the dwarf that actually has the skill sits around and chats. Or dwarves that stop doing a task to do another, then return to continue the original task. 

Proposed Solution: Add a 4th tab to the equip screen that has an icon for each kind of task. Mining, Logging, Smithing, Gathering, Hunting, etc. (I would leave attacking off of this list) Allow players to check on and off tasks per dwarf (Just like you can do with special arrows). You can even default every dwarf to begin with all tasks checked on if you are concerned with overwhelming new players. Essentially this would just add or remove tasks from the dwarfs AI list of things they should do next. By making it a 4th tab in the equip screen, it is in the same place you do most of your micromanaging (assigning Gear, skills, etc.) and it doesn't add extra clutter to the general UI. People that are fine with the way the AI works currently don't have to touch it, while those of us that want just a little bit more control have options.

[Nevermore]

Mage Potions:

Problem: It seems Mages just use potions whenever their cooldown is ready. I've seen a Mage use a Fireball on a single enemy and a Trans mog potion on a weak zombie. What this means is my magic potions dwindle no matter what I do. The more Mages I have the faster they go, which is one of the main reasons I tend to keep the number of Mages to a maximum of 2.

Proposed Solution: You can tell archers which ammo to use, why is this not available for mages and their potions? Make the potions assignable just like arrows.

Bonus Suggestion: It seems that if there are special arrows and you equip a dwarf with a bow, he will immediately have all special arrows on by default. It really should be the opposite. I would imagine if you made choosing potions for mages an option, this problem would effect those as well.

[Nevermore]

Dwarf Selection:

Problem: From what I can tell, the only way to select a dwarf is to cycle with the space bar or click on him manually. The default dwarf that comes up when you hit the space bar is the Second Dwarf on the list. The easiest way to work up a dwarf is to manually control him (I like to call him the Foreman ). In particular Mining, which is about 75% of what you spend the time doing in this game. Once the default dwarf is built up (let's say he has maxed his mining skill, so I want to work on another) I have to space bar around to find the next in line. I cannot see which dwarves have what skills without going into the equip menu, which means I have to memorize names, which is just not really ideal, since Gordain in one game might be a miner and be a cook in another. In reality what happens is I have to keep opening and closing the equip screen to remember who has what skill at what level. This creates a bad user experience.

Proposed Solution: Allow us to set which dwarf is picked first when we hit the space bar. I'll admit, I'm not entirely sure where to put this option, since I don't want to see the UI cluttered. Clicking on his portrait to give him a golden star perhaps? More than likely doing this from the Equip menu portrait is a better place than the active world since it reduces the chance for someone to do it accidentally. All this is essentially doing is changing which dwarf is at the top of the list.

[Nevermore]

Direct Control Dwarf:

Problem: I think it one of the best things about the user experience of this game is that I can manually control a dwarf. The fact that I don't have to wait for him to go all the way back to the stock pile to build something is terrific. That being said, while under my direct control he has way fewer options than normal. For instance, when I left click on a space with multiple options (Let's say there is the option to dig, remove ladder, or gather water), those options pop up win a contextual menu. If I am controlling a dwarf those options are not available. I destroy the ladder on top even if all I wanted to do was remove the wall underneath it. Also, when building walls, normally you have to ability to replace something that is already there (Replace Earth with Stone for instance). I miss it when it's gone 

Second, manually controlled dwarves cannot interact with objects like elevators and mine carts in world. I also cannot tell a specific dwarf to go to a specific location unless I am manually controlling him. When you have an elaborate system of rails and lifts going, it winds up being hard to manually move specific dwarves around the world without taking a long time.

Proposed Solution: That contextual menu is one of the better things about the game. By removing it when you take direct control of a dwarf, it creates an inconsistent user experience. Allowing it doesn't add any extra UI that isn't already in the game. Manual Dwarves can interact with Portals by Pressing UP when standing over them. Elevators and Mine carts could work the same way. Ideally though, I should be able to click on an elevator/rail road switch and call a lift to the dwarf with the contextual menu, but I'm not sure how difficult adding something like that to the menu would be to implement.

[ReneMiner]

about crafting-tasks that require a crafting-station (as workbench, kitchen etc.)

• Please change the ability to cancel the task with the red X - accept clicking the red X only if NO ITEM AT MOUSEPOINTER (like food to place on a table or item to build or replace)

- simple: make it unable to cancel a crafting task while any quickslot active to prevent from accidently cancelling.

Very often happens - either when doing some renovations in shelter or just filling up tables with food that some dwarf starts to work on a station nearby
and then the red X appears just where i wanted to place that food or other item.
Sometimes i'm not sure what i just clicked- was it a speech-bubble or did i just cancel a task? I just wanted to (re-)place something...


• crafting barrels (and all windows) should require workbench, (so not instantly done on click)


• someone has to go through all the prices at the shop.
There's lot of odd things (like iron axe cost same as steel axe but i certainly can not list all here to keep this post short and informative).

Go away from fantasy-prices like 5, 10, 15, 20 and make a price-list of the base-resources and recalculate prices on those facts + some profit for the trader. 

• once more to mention the gaining skill-points of dwarves-  please check
miners too fast
millers too slow ( but it's probably the milling that takes too long here)
climbers do not gain xp at all
hunters only when in manual control mode

• check behaviour of dwarves sharing a block with a table (i.e. dwarf stands in front of a table).
If placing beer onto this table then, dwarf plays eating-animation every time i click while beer on cursor, but does not allow me to place beer.
Dwarves should step aside and let me place beer first, then drink it.
Seems to affect only beer, other food i can place while dwarf in front of table. Tea i never tested.

[Metal Khai-Sez]

Goodmorning at all    i have a suggestion:  please add the shields and the ability to use two weapons simultaneously (dual wielding) , a dwarf warrior is not a true dwarf, without the shield 

[yariel]

...
I think Dual wield is strange for Dwarf ...
However, Shield is quite common (unless they use extreme heavy 2H weapon)

Amulet or enchanted thing is good too ...

BTW, I suggest :
1. using Wood as ingredient for simple (Pot) cooking instead coal ...
While advanced (baking) is using coal but yield more portion ...
(it's kinda odd to cook at Pot using coal, and it's more common in Survival / sandbox game using wood for cooking)

2. More variety of beast / animal ... like Bear, Rabbit, Bird (etc)
3. More variety of arrow and trap (having oil / smoke to slow enemy, and can ignite / explode it)
4. Enable to sell resource at shop (so player can obtain a bit more limited resource)
5. Pet system or rather "Familiar" / "Guardian" for dwarf (you are their god, so it might make sense ... but it need 1 Mana / day as cost) several type might be fine, and have their plus and minus ... also only available near Totem, and not strong enough for a long fight, basically still need Dwarfes to protect it ...
6. More spell for "God" ...
7. Divinity Level which affect the power of spell (I notice that most spell in this game can be leveled from weaker to stronger effect / damage)
8. Pray to Totem, either to summon guardian or increase Mana restoration rate ...

About Dwarf AI :
<< Most of it already fixed>>

"Mass Order" Suggestion :
1. <<Tea for Everyone>> (need at least having Tea = Dwarf available)
2. <<Beer for Everyone>> (same as above)
3. <<Everyone Focus on gathering>> (all Dwarf seek pickable item, and after all collected or normal command issued, they act as normal again)
4. <<Everyone Focus on Building>> (all Dwarf do any order like hunt, placing tools, digging, and after all has been done or normal command issued, they act as normal again)
5. <<Everyone do routine work>> (Cancel 3 and 4)

"More Shop" Suggestion (only 10% chance for all type) :
(but it's rip of for you and usually you only get few coins for trade)
1. Grim Reapers Shop rarely appear when horde is coming, usually floating near enemies gate, you need to reach it with one of Dwarf to open it and it's quite difficult, BUY things from you since Grunt already sell most of everything, (interest in Slime, Bones, Zombie Brain Skeleton weaponry and Eye) Will disappear at morning ...
(I have 999 Bones and Zombie Brain, can't even use them for mixture since other ingredient is more rare than this two)
2. Goblin Trader, rarely appear along with Goblin Horde, interest in Mushroom, Fish, Fish Dish, Bones, Potions and their old weaponry ...
3. Dwarf Trader, rarely appear near your gate after horde ... Interest in any metal (ore, Ingot), Dwarfen tools (armor and weaponry) Food (Fish, Meat, Apple Pie)
4. Fairies Trader, rarely appears near a lot of tree ... Interest in Apple, Fish, Fig, Leaf, Root, Apple Pie, etc ...
5. Mermaid Trader, rarely appears at deeper water ... Interest in Apple, Fig, Fish, Meat, etc ...

all the shop above might even sell something if you want to add extra new items too ...
very interesting for gameplay and adding new feature too, like new enemies, group, etc ...

"Sub Quest" system suggestion :
NPC might appear and give quest ... few coins along with items as reward ...

"Avatar" mode suggestion :
activated when you control one of dwarf ...
it will enhance speed and strength from the dwarf ...
(this will make player love to use this system more and more)
as addition, probably there's special effect with certain skill the dwarf have ...
Ex :
Miner and Loger have increased rare drop ...
While Archer, Warrior have damage increased ...

[Ellegon]

Dwarf task Assignment:

I strongly want to second that. For me the biggest down point of this great game is to be able to specialize dwarves (through the books), but then have the wrong ones doing wrong jobs. For example: I have a main smith. I put all the smithing books into him and even equip him with smithing equipment. But still very often another dwarf is doing the smithing tasks. This just doesn't make sense. I love the idea of being able to assign certain task to certain dwarf/dwarves.

For me this is the top #1 main most important thing to add. Actually I was VERY confused why this isn't already in place. It's so obvious together with the specialization possibilities.

[yariel]

...
err, about the Dwarf assignment ...
as I notice, if the Smith is on other task or at far from the Forge, the other dwarf will take it place for a moment ...
after the item finished being made, the game will check again if the skilled dwarf is available ...
of course if the smith goes far again, then the other will replace him again ...

As farming already implemented, I might as well suggest :
Outside Plantation / Advanced Farming
- Manure, will grow tree (any tree will do)
- Plantation, The tree Seed, for Apple, Berries and Fig (must be at outside)
*Full grown plant will drop 1 or 2 item above*
- Recipe for product above (might change depend on what world currently you play)

Underground Plantation / Advanced Farming
- Edible Mushroom (can be eaten as it is)
- Recipe for Mushroom (might change depend on what world currently you play)

As the world change, some other thing should change too, if not the game will be boring without significant change for each world ...