Check local resources

[SpidersEverywhere]

Something that would save explorers a load of clicks: An Adventure command that takes a couple seconds, and pops up a prospecting-like window that tells you the water/soil/clay quality of the spot you're on. Might require a held tool like a sampling stick to poke into the ground, might take as much stamina as digging once or twice. The way I see this implemented it wouldn't take any less traveling to find quality resource points, but it would be less annoying to do.

(Standard apology disclaimer if this has already been suggested, I tried searching, etc.)

[Lusewing]

But searching for the recorces is half the fun...what is the point from taking away the the exploration side of the game? Sorry but
-1

[burgingham]

How is digging every screen fun? Some mechanism to make finding ressources more fun is definitely a good idea. Probably would be best if you could identify them by slight changes of the landscape. Sparkling water in rivers for high q water spots, lots of herbs growing in one spot for good soil etc.

[AnnaC]

I don't really like the idea because to me it would marginalize the purpose of exploring and foraging. As it is now there is some player instincts involved with finding natural resources, and it doesn't take too many mouse clicks; if you are not smooth in your pathfinding more clicks are taken just to travel than clicks taken to perform survey actions (hotkey Dig, seriously).

How is digging every screen fun? Some mechanism to make finding ressources more fun is definitely a good idea.

It's more fun than standing still every screen for 30+ seconds while a specialized action with an immersion breaking UI takes place.

Probably would be best if you could identify them by slight changes of the landscape. Sparkling water in rivers for high q water spots, lots of herbs growing in one spot for good soil etc.

This is a much better idea in my opinion, if it's relatively subtle. If it's obvious than there is no point as a player to learn how to forage, because any old newbie can just go out and see what they need.

[sabinati]

make it depend on exploration

[AnnaC]

make it depend on exploration

That could work but it still detaches the player from having to learn or understand their surroundings and just goes to back to how many numbers their player character has collected.

[Chakravanti]

make it depend on exploration

That could work but it still detaches the player from having to learn or understand their surroundings and just goes to back to how many numbers their player character has collected.

Have you forgotten that that is all video games ever were? I agree the OP's suggestion is rather...dull...but Birg is right...what is...isn't exactly 'immersive' but that fact permeates the entire game because of the (lackthereof) UI.

[SpidersEverywhere]

The right-click water flask, empty water flask, pick up flask, click on water, put flask in inventory, mouseover flask, dig clay, mouseover clay, drop clay, get out of boat, dig soil, mouseover soil, drop soil, get back in boat, travel and repeat repeat repeat process isn't really fun gameplay to me, and I have a pretty high tolerance for repetition...I think some cool complex surveying system would be great, but in terms of what could be done simply, this would be a big reduction in hassle.

[BWithey]

But searching for the recorces is half the fun...what is the point from taking away the the exploration side of the game? Sorry but
-1

This...

-1


But as a more comprehensive answer:
There are hot spots and areas of high quality that are frequently passed by because you DON'T get a visual indicator, and this is how it should be. Those who don't enjoy wandering around and digging every screen to hunt down resources AREN'T those who enjoy prospector style game play (To separate from explorer, being those who just wander about). I have a couple in my camp who enjoy the hell out of wandering around, doing the digging, water checking, etc. It is fun and exciting for them to make this discovery that other people may have wandered over a hundred times without knowing it.

[AnnaC]

make it depend on exploration

That could work but it still detaches the player from having to learn or understand their surroundings and just goes to back to how many numbers their player character has collected.

Have you forgotten that that is all video games ever were? I agree the OP's suggestion is rather...dull...but Birg is right...what is...isn't exactly 'immersive' but that fact permeates the entire game because of the (lackthereof) UI.

I know that, but right now general foraging is more about the player being aware of their hearthling's surroundings, rather than their hearthling's stats (minimal perc*exploration detection levels notwithstanding). This allows for younger hearthlings to still have a decent purpose, as the point of the entire game from a PvP standpoint is the discovery and control of natural resources. Needlessly adding new functions to this to make them more depending purely on Hearthling "levels" would be a mistake in my opinion.

I don't see the trouble with scouting resources, anyway. It really isn't that hard -- just time consuming -- and it's an important activity that almost any Hearthling can perform and learn about.

If there are ideas to make this activity more immersive or easier on the carpal tunnel, without making it less accessible because of stats/technology/special/tools, then go for it (again I liked burgingham's idea). But I don't think it's that bad of a game mechanic as it currently stands.