Sensible Defaults

[Apocoreo]

I'm generally a fan of sensible defaults.

I joke, but let's keep this productive. This thread is for ideas that would improve the game without adding anything new, and hopefully with minimal dev time. I don't think that constitutes a "grab-bag" thread because there's not much to discuss about these things other than a personal preference for or against.

Item qualities on by default.
I don't know anyone who plays with them off after discovering this "option". Jorb doesn't count lol. If not at least move item qualities to settings so it's easier for new player to find. Feels less like a gameplay toggle, more of a setting anyway.

Turn off the whip crack on the wagon.
I actually avoid wagons because of this. When wagons are regrettably the most efficient answer, I turn the in-game event volume off. A friend linked me this Johnny Test video that gave me a PTSD flashback to the first time I hopped in a wagon all excited to try it only to be bombarded with that loud ass stock whiplash sound.

https://youtu.be/EL8APFugnPc?t=7


Tracking should be on by default.
It sucks to forget it or just not notice a scent on an undefended claim. If there's something I want to see beneath scents I'll toggle to off, but that's rare.

I think that's all I got for now without dipping into stuff that would require additions to menus and shit. If you have your own idea please add them with justification, keeping in mind the need for minimal dev time for QoL improvements.
remove midges

[TerraSleet]

+1. Quality is such a fundamental mechanic that it should be on by default so newbs are aware of it from the get go.
On the topic of obnoxious sounds - can we turn down boulder chipping a tad? It's excessively loud.

On the topic of sensible things - why does typing in the chat box trigger hotkeys? Basically every other game makes text fields/chat override hotkeys so they can actually be used. Kinda sucks to be forced to use Shift/Ctrl/Alt for hotkeys, especially in a game with so many different bindable commands like "dig" or "shoot".

[VDZ]

Claim visiblity should be on by default. When I started playing for the first time, I was utterly confused that I simply could not walk onto certain areas even though there was nothing visible indicating I can't move to that location.

[iamahh]

a couple buttons to save/reset the interface state would be handy

it would save windows positions and visibility, speed and toggles...

so each player could create their setup or reset if something breaks

[abt79]

Claim visiblity should be on by default. When I started playing for the first time, I was utterly confused that I simply could not walk onto certain areas even though there was nothing visible indicating I can't move to that location.

as of Hafen (i.e. 2015) and maybe earlier than that, claims briefly display their bounds when you try to trespass

moot point, play the game

[VDZ]

as of Hafen (i.e. 2015) and maybe earlier than that, claims briefly display their bounds when you try to trespass

I'm pretty sure this also happened in legacy. I spawned near some claims, and while walking every now and then I suddenly stopped and a pink line briefly flashed on my screen. So I tried walking somewhere else and bam, flashing pink line again. Why can't I walk anywhere? Why doesn't the game just show me where I can and can't walk? It was very confusing.

[MagicManICT]

I'm going to say tracking should remember its state--on or off. I can't say about recent changes to the client, but used to be logging out in an area with an excessive amount of scents would get you lagged up so bad when you did turn it on.

claim visibility should be another thing that remembers its last state--on or off.

You'll never make everyone happy with forcing anything on or off by default, but everyone can at least accept "remembered states" for toggles.

[Apocoreo]

-snip-

In general I'd say the best philosophy is that the defaults should be what is best for new players, and everything should have remembered states. I was thinking of suggest base speed 3 be default but that would suck early world.

I thought of another one! Turn off that fucking ping whenever someone on your kin list logs on or off. I got a lot of friends/kin that are going to make early world hell. Late would when checking for a siege that sound gives me a heart attack.

as of Hafen (i.e. 2015) and maybe earlier than that, claims briefly display their bounds when you try to trespass

moot point, play the game

i'm with VDZ, you have to run into it a bunch to see the boundary if you want to go around. Have it one by default, remember the last choice. Do it for the nabs.