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Suggestions / Small fixes for the expansion

« on: June 13, 2019, 05:44:36 am »

I'm finishing up my my first play through (what a game!), and had a few thoughts on minor things that could improve the experience, perhaps even for the expansion (though I know it is already in alpha testing).

• Some of the best parts of stealth are trying to get a lockpick/hacking attempt finished right under someone's nose.  In fact,  you can do almost everything stealthed: looting, transitioning zones, interacting with objects, entering ducts.  But interacting with computer consoles and going in elevators always brings you out of stealth, giving you no chance to complete certain objectives stealthily.  It would be nice if this were an option, even if it came with a penalty (like people investigating an empty elevator).  There are a new other oddities here, like I can craft a weapon and remain stealthed, but not repair a weapon (but I can charge an item).  I can take drugs, but not use a bandage.

• New players have quite an uphill battle to learn the systems enough to build a decent character.  Fixing this is pretty tough, but I wonder if starting all attributes at 3 instead of 5 (and increasing the points to spend correspondingly) would help new players think in "underrail".  In most RPGs, the systems are designed so that it's a good idea to leave most attributes at the "neutral" level and boost a few, but underrail requires a different approach.  (I think providing a few suggested characters would be an improvement too, but that's beyond a small fix.)

• The crafting system is pretty daunting for new players.  One way to simplify it would be to remove some or all of the components that are required, common, but have no functional effect on the recipe: leather soles, knife/sledge handles, bolt trigger, googles frame.  They add nothing to the recipes but provide annoyance if you don't have one on hand.  At least, vendors should stock them 100% of the time so you don't have to wait 90 minutes or travel across the map to get one.

• Silenced weapons are super fun, but the damage penalty is pretty severe considering they are only compatible with 5mm barrels and exclude the use of muzzle brakes.  Despite regularly upgrading my silenced SMG with high quality frames, I only found it viable here and there (but it was great fun when it worked.)

• "Recharge item" and "start combat" really shouldn't have the same sound effect.  The number of times I thought "shit, someone spotted me"