Post by Lynn Xternal in Minor Update 9 comments

Viewing post in Minor Update 9 comments

On the topic of furnaces, this is more of a UX thing than a bug, but when smelting many ore and the last fuel runs out, it's not possible to add more fuel until the furnace is stopped (either by completing the smelt, using up the fuel, or by manually stopping the furnace). It would be nice to be able to add more fuel while the thing is still going. Also, it's possible to pull out all the ores/fuel by clicking them when the furnace is in a stopped state, but not in a started state. Perhaps this too could be deliberated further?

Another thing: when smelting, in the instant when fuel is "accepted"/used by the furnace, its count drops by one immediately. Taking out all the fuel still leaves some partial fuel in the furnace which is used up until the next fuel is supplied. This is a fantastic mechanic, and I love this attention to detail.

However, the same does not apply to ore. Partially smelted ore does use fuel, which is correct, but it does not use up the ore. The entire ore can be removed from the furnace even if it has been almost fully smelted. This feels kind of strange; I think the ore should disappear the instant the furnace accepts it. if the furnace is stopped mid-smelt, then the partially smelted ore should either disappear or remain in the furnace like partial fuel until the next ore is accepted.

Maybe above/below the progress bar a small icon could be shown to indicate which fuel/ore is currently in the furnace?

Scoot158 days ago(+1)

These bugs are definitely getting more complex, haha. Thanks again for such detailed reports! I'll take a look at the issue where clicking "Close" on the reward panel also closes other interfaces. I might either change the behavior or just have the reward panel stay underneath other structure interfaces (like the furnace behaves).

As for the reward interface not closing when clicking outside of it, that is actually intentional. Important popups, like blueprints, unlocks, and rewards, are designed not to have the click-outside-to-close behavior to prevent players from accidentally missing something valuable.

The "mega slot" idea is really neat! I'll jot it down in my idea notes and come back to it in the future.

For the furnace UX improvements, I'll explore the possibility of allowing fuel to be added while it's still smelting, and also look into enabling players to pull fuel out mid-smelt.

Regarding partially smelted ores not being consumed, that was actually intentional. I wanted the ore to feel like it "cools down" if smelting is stopped. If ores were consumed immediately (like coal is), stopping mid-process would essentially waste the ore, and accidental clicks could become really costly. Keeping the ore intact helps protect players from those accidents.

As for having partial ore progress stay in the furnace (similar to fuel), I considered it, but it would add extra complexity to the furnace system, which could make it harder for new players to understand. Part of good UX is finding a balance between what we can do and how much complexity we introduce. Adding more complexity often opens the door to even more edge cases and potential bugs.

Thank you so much for these thoughtful suggestions. I really appreciate where you're coming from, and I hope this explanation makes sense.

Lynn Xternal158 days ago

Thank you for the detailed response. I completely agree with keeping the slot machine/important pop-ups open unless explicitly closed. They're special and unique moments that need the player's attention =)

I also understand the rationale behind ore behaving differently from fuel. It's a perfectly logical design as you've described it. On that note, I look forward to seeing how things turn out! And don't worry about bugs; I'll find them all ;-)

Scoot157 days ago(+1)

Thank you so much, I really appreciate it. Sometimes I do miss edge cases and little details, even after multiple playthroughs. Different players approach the game in their own ways, and that's exactly why bug reports and feedback like yours are so valuable. With my own playstyle, there are some bugs I probably never would have found without your help :)

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Viewing post in Minor Update 9 comments