I need your advice: does this seem like a fun farming mechanic?
Added 2021-07-19 03:43:14 +0000 UTCBefore I try to implement a farming mechanic, I think it would be smart for me to ask for feedback so I don't put all this time and effort into building it, and nobody thought it would be a good idea in the first place.
So I came up with a poor man's design document. I'd really appreciate if you opened it up and read it and told me what you think. I'm also open to any alternative or complementary ideas.
I just want to reiterate how important your feedback is to me: the only reason I'm even thinking about working on this is because so many people in the surveys said it would improve the game.
You can open the image by clicking here.
And here it is embedded in the post:
Update:
After gathering some feedback, I've come up with another implementation:
Comments
yay ! I'm happy to hear you say that
Bawdy Ink Slinger
2021-08-18 01:26:17 +0000 UTCThanks for your answer. I did like your ideas, I think it went into the right direction. Focusing on the writing part is also the best way to go I believe. I wouldn't want the farming to become too complex and time-consuming, just keeping it as something in the daily routine, quickly finished and running in the background, while keeping it interesting. I know that this is not easy to achieve, but I think you are on the right track.
Legengerry
2021-08-16 09:35:24 +0000 UTCHey I'm really sorry it took me so long to reply to this. Given what you are thinking, you probably don't like what I came up with, but there is a reason for my badness: I wanted to emphasize the written elements of the game more than the farming elements. While I do plan for you to manage your farm in interesting ways, I think caring for your crops isn't the most interesting part. Anyway, if people don't like it, I can always go in a different direction later.
Bawdy Ink Slinger
2021-08-16 04:26:35 +0000 UTCIn terms of other uses, I did sort of give an alternative version of a use for energy and affection, which sounds more interesting to me than just gaining energy or affection. > Another thought would be that using the same things/tasks for affection loose effectivity the more they are used and using crops can reset that. Same with sleep, multiple days without a nice homemade meal might result in not 100/100 energy. Other than that, I meant the things already mentioned. Special scenes, unique upgrades, quests, etc.. I terms of the new iteration, I'm not sure I prefer it over the first. I liked the farming aspect of the first, where it takes a bit of time, some watering , etc.. Maybe different crops require different amounts of water for perfect yield. The new iteration just seems like 2clicks and done. Doesn't catch me as much as the first iteration.
Legengerry
2021-07-20 06:47:10 +0000 UTCElliott: Yeah, I plan on making it so some of these can unlock scenes or be used in quests.
Bawdy Ink Slinger
2021-07-20 02:17:10 +0000 UTCJust so you know, I put a new iteration at the bottom of the original post. I'd like to hear your feedback on it. I wonder how much of your feedback still applies given that this only takes a few clicks more than what's already there. > The way I imagine it it would end up either with the crops being way too strong, the other ways way too weak forcing crop dependency, or the crops having no real benefit. Yeah, that would be a real shame and it seems like a real challenge too. > I could be wrong and this is a simple thing to balance, but if not I'd rather see effort put into making more unique uses for the crops. Can you give me an example of other uses? Thanks a lot
Bawdy Ink Slinger
2021-07-20 02:15:42 +0000 UTCI'm not a game dev so I can't say for sure, but it feels to me that trying to balance crops into the affection energy will be quite difficult. The way I imagine it it would end up either with the crops being way too strong, the other ways way too weak forcing crop dependency, or the crops having no real benefit. They need to at least be worth the time put into making them and then some more. I could be wrong and this is a simple thing to balance, but if not I'd rather see effort put into making more unique uses for the crops. Another thought would be that using the same things/tasks for affection loose effectivity the more they are used and using crops can reset that. Same with sleep, multiple days without a nice homemade meal might result in not 100/100 energy. Buffs and debuffs seem pretty legit to me. Same thing with balancing here, they should be worth the time put into farming them, but I can see this use more than the simple energy & affection use right now.
Legengerry
2021-07-19 21:16:11 +0000 UTCThis is some great feedback. "I think it would be fun to have some unique upgrades and scenes that require specific crops to unlock" Yeah that's what I'm thinking could expand the system. > You can get affection and energy from other sources, so I don't see use there, only for money. Well I was thinking that, through balancing, maybe it would be possible for there to be reasons to use them for affection and energy, too. Or maybe crops would only be useful for status effects? e.g., something you'd want to eat before/during encounters to make them easier or something you want to give to a monster girl because it "lowers her defenses." Thoughts?
Bawdy Ink Slinger
2021-07-19 19:59:13 +0000 UTCEugene: Due to limitations of this site, I can't tell which of these replies you are replying to. Who were you agreeing with?
Bawdy Ink Slinger
2021-07-19 15:50:44 +0000 UTCThis pretty much sums up what I was going to say.
Eugene Sheets
2021-07-19 09:45:16 +0000 UTCPersonally I love farming mechanics in games so I'd love to see this implemented. I also just find it a bit out of place that the MC is a farmer that doesn't seem to do much farming.
Crows_Of
2021-07-19 08:36:24 +0000 UTCI agree as well, if certain crops unlock scenes and/or upgrades would be nice but if the primary purpose of the crops is to make money there needs to be things worth spending money on.
Crows_Of
2021-07-19 08:33:10 +0000 UTCI second this. This system is fine but for it to shine, there needs to be a purpose for it beyond adding more busywork to obtain resources you can already get easily.
Whisperers
2021-07-19 08:26:02 +0000 UTCWith a system like this I think it is important to have a reason to use it. You can get affection and energy from other sources, so I don't see use there, only for money. Depending on what you can do with money that's worth the effort already, but I think it would be fun to have some unique upgrades and scenes that require specific crops to unlock. That way it takes a bit more thought in getting the right seed and some worthy rewards for the effort. But the system itself is fine in my regard.
Legengerry
2021-07-19 06:34:52 +0000 UTCCoOol
Bawdy Ink Slinger
2021-07-19 06:01:57 +0000 UTCThat's fine, I understand :) Do what you need to. If this is what the gameplay will look like, that works for me.
Piotr Bohdziewicz
2021-07-19 05:21:23 +0000 UTC> the time spent on developing a farming mechanic would be better spent on writing another scene or two That may be, but based off of the survey results I read, you seem to be in the minority. The squeaky wheel gets the grease.
Bawdy Ink Slinger
2021-07-19 04:18:49 +0000 UTCYeah I was thinking about 1 day for most things.
Bawdy Ink Slinger
2021-07-19 04:17:46 +0000 UTCIt seems okay, I don't mind a bit of busy work gameplay, but also I'm happy enough without it. Although IMO, the time spent on developing a farming mechanic would be better spent on writing another scene or two...
Piotr Bohdziewicz
2021-07-19 04:05:07 +0000 UTCIt's simple and efficient. I think the main thing about whether it will be good or bad is how long it takes for the seeds to grow vs how much money you can make selling the crops.
BoreasNocturne
2021-07-19 03:46:51 +0000 UTC
