User experience interacting with washing machine with frozen water is very confusing

[dholmes215]

Describe the bug

When a washing machine is filled with clean water, and that water freezes, the washing machine cannot be used, but it gives no indication why and instead gives very misleading feedback:

1) If you try to use it, it says only that it needs to be filled with water. 2) Examining the washing machine, it appears as though the tank is empty. 3) The option to refill it is disabled.

I spent quite a lot of time trying to figure out why my washing machine couldn't be filled with water, since the UI indicated its tank was empty. I eventually had to step through the code that enables the menu options in the debugger to discover that it was actually full, but frozen.

Steps to reproduce

1) Set up a washing machine with power and contents. 2) Fill it with clean water. 3) Wait for it to freeze in winter. 4) Try to use it. 5) Try to refill it.

Expected behavior

The details of how this should work is a matter of opinion, but I think at the very least:

1) it should not claim the tanks are empty 2) if you try to use it in this state, it should either tell you that the water is frozen, or else give some more flavorful text of what you might actually observe if you try to operate a washing machine with frozen water

Screenshots

(the tank actually is 100% full with frozen clean water)

Versions and configuration

• OS: Windows
  • OS Version: 10.0.19042.1348 (20H2)
• Game Version: 0.F-9412-g2f9a6353c7-dirty [64-bit]
• Graphics Version: Tiles
• Game Language: System language []
• Mods loaded: [ Dark Days Ahead [dda], Disable NPC Needs [no_npc_food], No Fungal Growth [no_fungal_growth], Bionic Professions [package_bionic_professions] ]

Additional context

No response

[deafmole]

As a returning player, I knew frozen water can be an issue. Though it was still confusing for a second and later on funny, that the water i filled my washing machine with (using the well next to it) froze instantly. It would certainly help (newer) players figure out what the issue is. It is not just the washingmachine either. While cooking (using a stove etc.), the status 'frozen' doesn't matter, while other tools/appliances won't work with it. For example using a stove to make clean water works, while purifiers will show you '0 water'. It would make sense to always give you a feedback - maybe a light blue (frozen!) behind it.

[hexagonrecursion]

/confirmed

• OS: Linux
  • OS Version:
• Game Version: cb051eb [64-bit]
• Graphics Version: Tiles
• Game Language: English [en]
• Mods loaded: [ Dark Days Ahead [dda], Disable NPC Needs [no_npc_food], No Fungal Growth [no_fungal_growth], Bionic Professions [package_bionic_professions] ]