New Thoughts and Suggestions

[KnightX13]

Hello!

I've been playing Grounded since it first launched, and really love the game. With the latest updates and expansion, I'm enjoying it even more, exploring all the new bugs, areas, recipes, and other secrets of the game. However I do have a few suggestions for quality-of-life improvements, general feedback, or other wish-list items for future updates. Some of these were in my original post from 2020, but many of the things suggested there have since been implemented, which is awesome, so thank you to the Devs for continuously listening to player feedback!

Quality of Life:

• Please make items assigned to the Hotpouch not take up Backpack space. Not only would this inherently expand desperately needed personal storage for supply runs, but mimic the equipped armor setting. You can still have it that if you die those items aren't available until you pick your backpack up again. This also would help with cycling tools/weapons and trying to maintain sorting in your backpack as equipped items would go back to their pouch and not the first empty spot in the backpack storage. 
• Add sort functions/options to storage such as by item type/class, tier, vertical/horizontal space, etc., and the ability to move all like items in existing nearby storage via "auto-sort" or transfer (either directly from the backpack or at least individually for each chest) when in the base with chests and such.
• Hotpouch Control/Radial - change to "Tap LB" to quick cycle through the Hotpouch items (like Minecraft), and "Hold LB" to open Hotpouch radial menu as currently done
• Adding a basic compass marker to SCA.B HUD/UI = can be a purchasable upgrade
• Adding a "dodge" function, perhaps by double-tapping the crouch button, while moving/strafing to give alternative ways to engage enemies and avoid being hit. Including an option to slide by holding crouch while sprinting.

Feedback:

• Tier II weapons/armor don't seem to scale as well as they did in the past, even when upgraded with the Anvil. Overall, the transition from T2 feels much weaker and therefore progression much slower than past updates. Either damage doesn't scale as much, or bugs are more durable/hit harder, or a combination of those things, but progression really stalls for a long time when you are tyring to explore the labs and move up the ranks, especially with how much larger and diverse the world is now.
• Flying insects are a bit too powerful for current gear/mauneverability. As most flying insects (Bees, Mosquitos, Fireflies) are highly mobile and do a lot of damage, stay out of melee ranged for the most part, and blocking/dodging isn't as effective as it needs to be based on damage output (even with T2 weapons and armor, see above). This makes farming certain instects, like bees that are needed for a lot of the late game items, a wicked slog because you can only engage a couple before needing to restock (arrows, bandages, smooties, armor repairs, etc.) and heal. 
• Some of the recipies seem a bit "unbalanced" for the parts/resources needed based on availability, ease of access/farming, and manufacturing. The basic cycle to obtain is great, but late tier upgrades and items, while supposed to be difficult, are severly impacted by the limited manufacturing process and spawn rates/locations of items versus quantities and types needed. This is common in other similar games of this genre but they typically have a better manufacturing process that makes it easier and not feel so overbearing at times.

Wish-List:

• Continued diversity of insects, parts, and recipes, especially for unique items, weapons, and armors - i.e. a Grasshopper that gives legs which can be used for... (see next items)
  • Grasshopper Boots = increases jump height and reduces fall damage
  • Slingshot = uses Pebblets, Pollen, or bombs (Brat/Splatburst) as a ranged weapon
  • Grappleshot = alternative way to scale/climb the environment then always needing to build structures
• Additional "[new]burst" bomb variants that create AOE effects (Fresh, Gas, Glue etc.) and that can also be fired from a slingshot (see above)
• Healing Ointment = for immediate health recovery instead of recovery-over-time like the Bandage
• Dynamic weather, such as rain (I know everyone has been asking for this)
• Refridgerator/Cooler = new base structure/chest type that prevents food from spoiling (too fast)

I'm sure I will have more to add as I continue to play, but thanks for reading and to the Devs for making such an amazing game so far!

[Nathaniel Donley]

This is a great list. Only thing I would add is the ability to tame more of the bugs than just weevil and aphid. Then the option to tame fireflies or bees or mosquitos and then fly/ride them would be amazing.

[KnightX13]

I had another idea for a new item - a Thorn Shield made from Firefly wings, Thistle needles, and maybe Silk. 

This would be a Tier 2 shiled alternative to the Black Ant Shield, which just provides greater defense to the Weevil Shield, where the Thorn Shield could have similar defensive properties to the Weevil Shield but has a bonus effect that it damages enemies blocked with it, doing bonus damage to flying insects like Bees and Mosquitos. 

Overall this would give us another option for shields and tactics used for engaging enemies. 

This also gives a new use for Firefly parts as currently they don't do anything other than the mounted head and stuffed firefly.

Edited June 16, 2022 by KnightX13

[KnightX13]

Another idea would be to be able to grind items like tools, weapons, and armors back down through the Grinder to some of their recipe parts when no longer needed. This would allow to recoup some resources for unwanted items instead of simply trashing (deleting) them or dropping them until the despawn.

Edited June 18, 2022 by KnightX13

[KnightX13]

Love that many of the ideas on this original post were implemented in 1.0 and post launches patches so far. So thank you to the Devs!