Feedback and Suggestions from a new player with around 140 hours in the backyard on medium difficulty.

[Stinkbughater]

Hello Obsidian and Grounded Community, 
 

My playtime has been entirely solo on medium difficultly, gaming on controller/xsx. 

As far as progression goes, I’ve completed the Hedge Lab and managed to craft the insect hammer and insect axe but haven’t yet discovered the Pond Lab. 

(1) My biggest complaint so far is frequently encountering insects that are either stuck inside of the ground or stuck inside of objects resting above the ground. 

Aphids stuck inside of the Oak Tree roots just jumping and making their scared noise over and over again. 

Weevils with 90% of their body under the ground also stuck and unable to move. 

I’ve also seen fireflys and wolf spiders skate across the ground meaning they are walking without moving any limbs. 

These types of issues are immersion breaking for me. If you’re going to make a game that is all about fighting insects and the insects animations, pathing or spawns are frequently messed up it kind of ruins the experience. 

(2) Stinkbugs are OP. I actually hate stinkbugs so much I trashed every single material, equipment and utility I had acquired or crafted in a massive fit of rage and then stopped playing the game. 

Stinkbugs are tanky. Their gas is obnoxiously powerful without fresh resist, toxicology badge and/or a gas mask and persists for a considerable amount of time. 

Yes I can kill stinkbugs when I have a gas mask equipped. I don’t have the toxicology badge as I haven’t discovered the pond lab entrance yet. And although I do have fresh resist to tier 3 already I still find that I cannot stand how my ability to kill a single stinkbug even though I’m using an ant club and acorn armor is entirely dependent on me having a gas mask equipped. 

I saw a video on Reddit of a skilled player killing a single stinkbug with no armor and just a pebblet axe so I do understand it is possible but many times you will encounter two or more stinkbugs in the same area. Obviously trying to kill two stinkbugs by relying on perfect blocking every one of their close range attacks and running from their gas is going to be much more difficult. 

I hate stinkbugs. I basically feel forced to wear a gas mask so I can deal with them.  

I wish stinkbugs were slightly less tanky and their two gas attacks had longer cooldowns between uses and they got a new close range attack like a 3 hit combo that they can use more often along with their existing close range 1 hit attack. 
 

(3) Relating to my deep hatred for stinkbugs is another issue. The durability of non-upgraded gas masks seems absurdly low. 

One encounter at a spot in the yard where three stinkbugs spawn and your gas mask is basically toast sometimes before you can even kill all three. 

I’m sorry but my gas mask breaking in the middle of a fight is just not fun gameplay especially if it was brand new and one fight later it’s already shot. 
 

(4) Peep.r mode sensitivity is way to slow to the point where it’s actually hard to peep fast moving creatures. 
 

(5) Why can’t raw meats of the same type and roasts of the same type stack like other consumable items? 
 

(6) The max distance at which an insect at rest can aggro on to you seems a bit far to me. This is especially noticeable with mosquitoes. 

Your exploring the backyard and see two or three mosquitoes just chilling on the ground up ahead so you intentionally keep some distance as you try to go around them well you better keep a pretty decent gap between you and them because they can aggro on to you from further than I typically shoot my bow. 

I have always wanted to beat Grounded as I really enjoy the concept of the game and the environment. I like Grounded a lot (I own the game) and I intend to continue playing it even as it is I just needed a break because I was starting to get frustrated. 
 

But yeah this is my feedback so far. If you made it this far thanks for reading.