Deejicus

Crafting requirements ideas for the extra mods suggested at the end: Solar charger - 1 solar cell, 5 polymers, 4 electrical parts, 4 duct tape (lower crafting reqs since solar cells are rare and expensive AF) Extra Battery (might want to call it Reserve battery compartment) - 5 forged steel, 10 polymers, 4 electrical parts, 4 mechanical parts (this is the standard crafting reqs for drone mods in vanilla) Lightening - 20 scrap polymers, 5 military fibers, 10 duct tape, 5 glue Efficient Rotors - 4 robotics parts, 10 scrap polymers, 4 mechanical parts, 4 electrical parts

I would like to add, for the UI portion, that the batteries should be independent of the mods in terms of interfaces. Like the vehicles have, there could be radial menu option that allows the battery "compartment" to be opened. Changing out batteries would cause the drone to become inactive on the ground. I also think it should be ok to be able to put the drone in your inventory even if it has batteries in it.

Quick overview of a mod/modlet that has been going around in my head for a bit. It is more of a balancing mod and doesn't make anything easier. https://7daystodie.fandom.com/wiki/Robotic_Drone 1. Crafting requirements for Quality 1, and increase accordingly from there. 10 Robotics parts (up from 5) 10 forged steel (no change) 15 duct tape (no change) 20 electrical parts (changed place of scrap polymers) 2 motion sensors (no change) 2. Charged battery required for it to run. This might be tricky, but it would need a UI element for the battery. Additionally, as the drone quality increases, so do the battery requirements. (For extra clarity, they would not occupy the 'mods' space. They would have their own area in the UI, similar to what the battery bank looks like.) Quality 1-2 drone = 1 battery to operate. Quality 3-4 drone = 2 batteries to operate. Quality 5-6 drone = 3 batteries to operate. 3. Running the drone, drains the batteries. Different states affect amount of energy used from battery. Drone inactive or in your inventory - no power drain at all. Idle drone, <50% cargo filled. - .01 watt per minute? Idle drone, >50% cargo filled. - .05 watt per minute? Moving drone, <50% cargo filled. - .1 watt per minute? Moving drone, >50% cargo filled. - .5 watt per minute? **I am not sure those are good values I suggested for power draw. Only used to give an idea. I guess they use a "durability" system for draining batteries with banks, but the concept remains.** 4. Mods would increase power draw. (Again, I'm just throwing out numbers here as a rough idea) Each cargo mod adds a 1.5 or 2 multiplier power draw to each state. Medic Mod adds a flat extra .05 watt consumption all the time and spikes 10x when it's activated. Headlamp Mod only draws power when activated. Maybe like a .05 watt/min as well? Armor Plating and Morale Booster mods add a small increase in draw because of weight. 5. Drone would alert player at 50%, 25%, 10% and 5% battery power remaining. At 2% it would say something like, "batteries critically low, power loss imminent". :: Extra :: This is outside of the scope of the mod I just outlined, but these would be cool! - Solar Charging Mod: Now, Solar Cells have a second use and would slowly recharge drone batteries on the go (only during the day of course). Could just pop a solar cell into the mod slots, is what I'm thinking. (More than one could be added) - Extra Battery Mod: Be able to put an additional battery in drone for extra charge! When main batteries deplete, the drone would mention something about being on 'reserve power'. (More than one could be added) - Lightening Mod: Uses scrap polymers to lighten certain parts. Decreases discharge rate of batteries. (Only one could be added) - Efficient Rotors: Better designed rotors to increase flying efficiency, also decreases discharge rate. (Only one could be added)

Hey Meganoth, thank you for your reply and taking the time to read that massive clump of text haha. I really tried formatting it better for readability but it didn't take when I hit submit. I appreciate your input and thoughts. I see where you're coming from with your responses. I would like to briefly respond to your responses 😁 1. A "simple" fix that wouldn't have to mess with the UI at all is to have the work bench include a zoned area for construction. When certain things are built they are deployed into that zone. This would obviously make people have to rethink their base layout, but it would solve the issue. You know when placing the powered drawbridge, how it has a massive indicated area to facilitate the bridge going down? Same idea for the workbench; predefined output zone for vehicles. As far as when you died and there's two vehicles, well that's more of an individual's problem in game they would have to figure out. Either get a buddy or walk/bike back to get it - which would suck, but I don't think is an unreasonable expectation for gameplay. 4. I didn't relay this well. I meant like as something you'd have to maintain, like in battery banks, how they eventually run out. Same idea, but with only one battery and it degraded way slower. 5. I have had L.O.T.L. maxed out and it still doesn't feel balanced to me. I understand the probability already so need need for an analytical evidence. It isn't balanced, even if it's roughly 50% chance. More specifically, with L.O.T.L. MAXED, it should really generate a ton more seeds, so my point still stands. To add to this, to make the amount of seeds harvested balanced, the amount of crop harvested might need to be brought down just a touch. Perhaps, they could add more more level to L.O.T.L (only has 3 ATM) and spread out the amount of seeds you get, per level, more, that way when one did max out L.O.T.L. it is a substantial 75%-80% chance of getting a seed as well as skill point investment, it would be worth it. Something along those lines. Additional note, I think the farming in general could use some tweaking, eg, the crops grow way to quickly. Maybe like double amount of time for harvesting but keeping the current output levels. 8. Understood, and I get you. It would just add more variety and maybe smooth out the damage gradient between weapons. Personally, and I know everyone has opinions, and this is just mine, but to me it would add to the fun having one more ammo type and a little more diversity with weapons. My solution wouldn't be a mechanic overall either but would utilize pretty much everything that already exists. 13. Fair, and I get your points. So if weight would be prohibitive to flight, let me Fred Flintstone the dang thing then, that would be faster still than what they have. Something, anything, than the close to nothing that exists. 14. Not saying the zombies ought to be "lootable" but simply provide at least a small amount of rotting flesh, bone, fat, cloth, maybe a chance for intact clothing. Balancing is usually what TFP are adjusting frequently, so it's not insurmountable for this suggestion to be balanced. Also, they still despawn pretty quickly, vanilla wise anyway. To go back to the farming thing, they could have rotten flesh be a fertilizer for the plants, which would then make them grow faster, which ties in to what I was saying about having more levels in L.O.T.L. and increasing the grow time. Hobo Stew could be reworked or removed entirely...because who really wants to eat rotten flesh lol. Also, it's already pretty overflowing. Balance can happen if they want it to. 16. 5 blueberries would make a very very small pie, that's my rationale. Granted I am sure they are not intending us to interpret the blueberries as being literally singular blueberries haha. But I think it indicates a slightly bigger issue with the amount of ingredients needed with a lot of recipes...but that can be talked about later. 17. That would be cool. 18-19. For horde night, I'll agree with that. But the way they affect your gyro is, weird to say the least. I also agree with random danger element you mentioned, it's good. My whole thing is with the way they strangely affect the motorbike, when say a few are attacking. It's like they immobilize it almost. That part needs fixed still IMO. Yes, I can boost most of the time with motorbike and outrun them. -- Again, thank you for your thoughts and checking this out!

Firstly, I LOVE this game to death. This is not complaining at all. I would like to know everyone's thoughts. Criticisms are very welcomed. Also, sorry in advance if other people have mentioned some of these, I don't scour the forums all day so I apologize in advance. *Note: since this is "balancing" focused, it doesn't necessarily mean "easier". It's just a compilation of things, to me, that would make sense. This is clearly subjective. **One more note: I completely understand this game isn't intended to be a hyper-realistic survival game. Me having any 'realism' type commentary in the following list is to be taken with this note in mind. _____________________________________________________________________________________ 1. I know, right off the bat, this one is going to be unpopular, so here goes. Have a server/game option to turn off vehicles' backpack-able ability. It really irks me that you can put a gyrocopter or a 2-ton 4x4 truck in your backpack (or any other vehicle). What the heck. (expecting hate on this one lol) 2. Robotic Drone: Crafting for this is too easy and also, the components don't make sense. - Should start off with baseline (quality 1) 10 robotics parts, or even 15, in my opinion, then increase accordingly from there. - Change out 'Scrap Polymers' for 'Electrical Parts'. It's a powered electrical thing. 3. Robotic Drone: Should require a battery to operate. I really wish this was a thing. Would make it way more “realistic” and balanced, but again, I know this one too, will probably be wildly unpopular. 4. Continuing with the batteries, all vehicles (except minibike, it seems like a lawn mower style engine) should also require one battery to operate. Sure, it'll make it slightly more difficult, but honestly, not that bad, and it makes complete sense. It's already pretty dang easy to get a vehicle. 5. Seeds gathered from harvesting crops/plants needs to be at least, slightly bumped up at ALL levels of ‘Living Off the Land’, for ALL plants. Example: I farm 10 corn plants and get 2 or 3 seeds...really? Ears of corn are MADE OF SEEDS. XD 6. The Fun Pimps should add (or replace possibly) a lever action rifle in .44 magnum. Just do an internet search for '44 magnum lever action' and see what you find. If it is replaced to use 44 ammo, bump up the ammo capacity and lower the ranged damage. Damage should be more than the 44 magnum revolver (more on this later). 7. The fact that 12-gauge ammo doesn't take any brass at all to craft, is weird. Should take at least 1 in my opinion, besides, 12-gauge are already supremely powerful. 8. Ok this might seem a bit much, Fun Pimps, but hear me out: Make the Hunting Rifle, Sniper Rifle, AK-47 and M60 in 7.62 only, and then, ADD 5.56 ammo to the game to make the Pipe Rifle, Pipe Machine Gun, and Tactical Assault Rifle utilize 5.56. This game is very lacking in ammo diversity - I know it's not intended to be a realistic 1st-person shooter, still, adding 5.56 would do well in this game. Additional thought, it would be pretty easy to add 5.56 to the loot tables and the crafting menus. Make the crafting requirements be more than 9mm but less than 7.62. With this whole idea in mind, it would require no additional weapon models or animations to be added to the game. 9. The corollary to number 8, for clarity, balancing for the different cartridges would be the following, in terms of Ranged Damage, low to high: 9mm pistol, 9mm SMG, 44 pistols, 44 lever action, pipe machine gun 556, tactical assault rifle 556, pipe rifle 556, ak-47, m-60, hunting rifle & sniper rifle should be close to the same. For the less gun-nerdy out there, I ordered that list the way I did, because mostly of barrel length and the rudimentary firearm mechanics of the game. Typically, a longer barrel will give more velocity, ergo, power from a projectile. A 5.56 going out of a short barrel should have less power than a 5.56 coming out of, say, a long rifle barrel, despite them being the “same” cartridge (Yes, I know there is way more to it IRL, but I’m talking mostly in the context of this game). 10. If 5.56 ammo were implemented, they could bring back the Marksman Rifle! Could make it as powerful, or close to the same power as the AK-47, in regard to the aforementioned list. The animations and weapon model already exist! 11. Hunting rifle and sniper rifle should be way more powerful than the .44 magnum firearms. As it currently is in the game, it doesn’t make sense at all. If anything, their current values should be swapped to the following, in terms of Entity Damage (standard ammunition type): .44 magnum = 59, hunting rifle = 61, sniper rifle = 70. But, me personally, I’d change them even more than what is in the system now: 44 mag = 55, hunting rifle = 68, sniper = 72. (And Desert Vulture like 50 or 51, idk) 12. Note: I don't know if the following thing already applies, so, apologies if I'm not aware. The Dead Eye perk should apply to ANY long gun that has a semi-automatic or bolt action configuration. Additionally, there should be a buff to the skill levels, or a progression incentive of some sort, that when a scope is attached to semi-auto/bolt action rifles, there is even more benefit from Dead Eye. 13. Big one here. So, we have the aptitude to eventually learn, gather resources for, and manufacture our own seemingly complex gyrocopter, but somehow, we have NO clue how to create a better functioning reverse gear??? Fun Pimps, please, for the love of god, and all that is holy, fix the unnecessarily neutered reverse gear in the gyrocopter. If I can make a contraption that can take to the skies, I should certainly be able to figure out how to make a reverse gear that works. 14. Why can’t we harvest rotting flesh, bones, fat and cloth from zombies’ bodies, but we can from the static corpses and gore piles that exist in the environment? 15. This one might be a bit harder to implement, but it would be cool to have more food recipes. Miso soup, chicken soup, chicken ration, cat food, and pears have no recipes (I think). I have some suggestions for the Fun Pimps, so it doesn’t sound like I’m just complaining, and just for the record, I LOVE the food recipes in this game. *Warning: the following recipe ideas might be really dumb. - Chicken and Dumplings: Chicken ration, chicken soup, 1 corn bread, 3 fat, 1 water. - Pear Crisp: Can of pears, 2 corn meal, 1 fat, 1 egg, 1 boiled water - Kitty Burger: Cat food, 1 corn bread. - Miso Pot Stew: Miso soup, 2 meat, 1 mushroom, 2 grass, 1 fat 16. Another food related item. Increase the amount of blueberries needed to make blueberry pie. 17. There needs to be a MASSIVE increase in damage to zombies/animals when striking them at top speed with the motorcycle or the 4x4. Should be no more than like 2 hits, with either vehicle, to kill a regular zombie or animal. Big zombies and/or bears are another case. What’s the point of the huge, gnarly spikes on the front of both vehicles if they don’t actually significantly damage enemies at full tilt? 18. Gyrocopter should always be able to outrun a vulture (when boosting) and the blades should damage them as well. 19. Vultures attacking you on the motorcycle disrupts the driving insanely too much, and it makes completely zero sense that you slow down moving, or stop all together, when being attacked by them. This is really bad. If the absurd amount of driving disruption is intended, at least dial it down some, please! 20. Another unpopular one (probably), nails should be required for more craftable items.