Resting mechanics become an annoyance

[Crystalwarrior]

Currently, you're forced to rest quite often, and the time taken to recharge your energy requires you to take frequent breaks from the game to do something else. These breaks are forced by the game on you with no way around them, and the justification of being able to craft from your bed is only a niche application when you're not focused on a very specific task. The game already has an optional "TAKE A BREAK!!!" jumpscare pop up window built in. There's also negligible difference between bed quality to reduce the amount of time taken to rest, and if the work around to the mechanic is to always carry a bed with you even when you do something like mining to conserve energy, maybe the mechanic should be re thought into something that actually contributes to the game and not detracts from it as an annoyance.

One example is tying health regeneration to rest and removing the energy mechanics entirely, and maybe your energy simply dictates the amount of stamina you have for sprinting and other non essential but helpful abilities.

[wizardofgcc]

This is something that setting would be good for. I personally like the current resting mechanics. Settings could probably be implemented for energy regen speed and consumption speed, so you could decide how you want to play.

[DokimiCU]

Okay, I'm going to try break down the problem to help analyze it a bit better.

Whenever possible:

• players shouldn't be robbed of choice (e.g. forced to rest)
• players shouldn't get stuck with nothing to do (e.g. paralyzed, trapped in an inescapable hole, or ... made to lie in bed motionless staring at the ceiling).

Worst case scenario is exactly what Crystalwarrior is describing. You get bored, go take a break.

The problem then is... 1) Resting is mandatory:

• You'll die of hypothermia otherwise. This is the main mechanic that forces rest. This is something that needs to change, refer to #122.
• You'll be paralyzed by exhaustion. Again this is for #122. A minimal amount of movement should remain. Low energy should put you at health risk, slow you down, not paralyze you.

Fixing those two opens up choice.

2) Running out of stuff to do: The game cycle is this: Dangerous activity out in the world <-> Regroup in a safe location.

Removing the "regroup" phase messes with pacing. The game becomes constant high activity. All action, action, action. We lose the need to create a safe space. We lose the down phase. This is the time to strategize, to make choices. To feel safer, more relaxed. Thinking, thinking, thinking ;-)

The problem? Currently that "regroup" phase doesn't have much to do, other than crafting, or planning in your head. That thinking side could be added more explicitly into the game. e.g. writing a journal, making a map etc. Anything more calm, relaxed, reflective, thinking-based would be a good activity here.

Conclusion: When/if Health mod gets redone hopefully most of this issue will dissolve. With more content for the "regroup" phase it should be fine (I hope!).

Until then, I do agree with Crystalwarrior that we have a balance problem. Especially for beginners who get confused sleeping in the rain!

[wizardofgcc]

Really great in-depth analysis. I agree that removing energy as a mechanic completely would break pacing. Something that could be done to make the "regroup" phase more flexible would be restoring energy automatically when a player is indoors at a comfortable temperature, so a player could also do more active things like organizing storage not in the direct vicinity of the bed, etc. However, in that case something would need to be done do differentiate a player house from the Undercity, or else down there becomes too easy.

[Ceeee]

My vote 👎 for –keep as is–.