Various wish list items (organized in bullet list)

[IAmFoxGirl]

My suggestions/Idea’s for grounded two (based mostly on my experience on Grounded 1).

For context: I purchased Grounded (the first one) June of 2024 but got frustrated and didn’t return to it until recently, after some youtubers I watch were playing Grounded 2. Before letting myself buy Grounded 2, I wanted to play through the first game. I figured out the controls that caused my frustration and have since thoroughly been enjoying the game for the last month or so. (127 hours so far). I have a little over 3 hours so far in Grounded 2.

I adore the game, the premise, and the nostalgia of being a kid and finally getting to ‘live’ the experience of the kids from the first honey I shrunk the kid’s movie (and subsequent movies). You did the premise beautifully. (Every time I see a cookie I think of the scene from the movie, and every time I hear the ants, I remember when the older teen gal petting the ant). It is the perfect level of survival, base building, crafting, open world, horror, and combat for me. Thank you for the work and art created, helping me so much on my bad days, and wonderful time playing through it! I look forward to coming updates- whatever they are! (Regardless of my suggestions.) These really are wish list items for me because I am confident that whatever this brilliant team comes out with, it too will be enjoyable and fantastic. Thank you!

Suggestions for Grounded 2:

•  Have the omni-tool be a selectable item, even if it is in its own hot pouch/special button. Collecting things but being to near a grass blade or something else, it gets really frustrating I can’t control when I use the tool.
  • I love that it automatically becomes the correct tool variant based on context, however controlling when the tool comes out is my actual frustration.
• Base Building:
  • The round floor that goes on the outside of a curved wall is very limited, there is no other building blueprint that works with it on the outside edge- whether a fence, a stair, etc. I would like to see a railing that fits the round outside half floor.
  • Outside round ‘spiral’ staircase- I had a design idea of a round tower with a staircase going up around the outside of the tower. I can kind of do it with the outside curved floor and quarter roof, but without the railing makes it too precarious
  •  ‘smooth’ or ‘flat’ stone looking flooring- the clay foundation comes close, but being so thick compared to flooring, doesn’t work for mixed flooring options
  • Tables (and other furniture) have optional clutter, like the shelving. I adore the look of the pinecone table in Grounded 1, and understand the lack of need for plates/cups/silverware- however having them on the table (organized or cluttered/used/teens with too many snacks) would be a nice aesthetic to make bases with high cozy levels to look lived in.
  • I saw another suggestion for bug wing glass/stained glass windows and love this idea. Another option could be a new workstation “bellows”, requiring acid or sizzle causing type glands, other bug parts, etc.
    • Use with sand/other material to make old fashioned looking glass
    • Use with bug parts and marble/the red stone one to make ‘tempered’ weapons, armors, or upgrade pieces
    • I am sure there are other cool things that could be made with it too. (like armor for buggies?)
• ‘Farming’
  • I haven’t investigated it, so I don’t know if you can ‘farm’ aphids for their honeydew drop. However, a way to farm bugs for items would be fun/interesting.
  • If Ominent is working so hard to have ridable bugs, I would be surprised if they aren’t also looking for profits from farming/harvesting certain bug stuff. So it could line up with in game world.
• In game Notebook
  • I find myself keeping a notebook with me to make lists of the items I want/need to collect, or I will make a note of what I am going to do/tasks for the next time I play when I got to save and quit. Having an in game notes/notebook system would be wonderful.
  • Wishlist/stretch goal version- be able to add items/quantities and receive notification when total is collected
  • On screen ‘pinned’ recipes/lists are annoying to me, but I have used them in other games. A way to easily hide the pinned list from view but still have it tracked would be appreciated, if implemented and implemented this way.
• Item recycler or secondary usage option
  • In first game, fire ant eggs don’t have a crafting use and no quest/task option associated with them.
  • Likewise, first game, extra trinkets have no usage and can’t be deduped (I understand why now that I have gotten further into NG+)
  • It feels bad/waste when I am just trashing stuff so I don’t have to store it. Being able to grind things into ‘bug gunk’ (not tough gunk) that is used in décor only or something would be nice.
• Custom game options (I play solo only, so please don’t think of me as a cheater. I love that I can customize the game play to get the maximum enjoyment of the game in a play style that matches my abilities.)
  • Have ‘unlock all recipes’ and ‘no build cost’ separated for structural recipes and crafting items. I do not use these settings currently because I still want to grind for the recipe unlocks as well as the armor’s, weapons, décor, etc. However, for the structural things (foundation, walls, floors, roofs, etc), I want to build the ‘canvas’ that will hold all the cool stuff that I will eventually unlock without limitation from the beginning.
  • Secondary bug aggro option- make all bugs neutral (only aggro if attacked). This would be awesome, as boss fight calls could still be allowed- if you summon them, you have aggro’d them. Also, while collecting materials, if I accidentally hit a bug- I am going to have to fight.
• Accessibility Options
  • Have volume control for eating/drinking sounds.
    • I deal with Misophonia, so being able to turn eating/slurping sounds off would be greatly appreciated without losing other sound effects/voice lines.
    • I do not deal with Trypophobia, but something for that could also be helpful for those who do. I don’t think I noticed anything so far that would trigger it- but as I don’t have it- don’t go by my word for it
  • Have player character voice volume separate from interactable objects/voice lines.
  • In the beginning I liked hearing the character interject with phrases, but after a while, it became repetitive. I understand the limitation of voice lines, and there is a lot of variety in Grounded 1 and what I have heard so far in Grounded 2. However, if I turn the volume to 0- if I pick up a tape, I can’t hear what Wendell was saying unless I stop the game, change the setting volume up, and wait for the next voice line to start.
• Misc- QoL that I would be nice to haves, but nothing I am too worried about.
  • For HUD/On screen waypoints, being able to toggle each type individually would be nice. Rather than all/none.
  • With the upgraded/fancy tech of Ominent, an eventual compass/waypoint navigator in the top of the screen would be nice. However- this may be contentious for the survival aspect. (I am also just really bad with Cardinal directions in games).