dwarfcorp
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Blecki
Redesign: Dwarf status feedback
Consider this a first pass at the issue of players knowing what their workforce is feeling.
The clearest issue from this is that when a dwarf refuses to work, after the announcement, there's no simple way for the player to check up on who that is and why they are refusing. Player expects to see something in the employee list, but there isn't.
The larger issue is that there's no clear way to tell the status of your dwarves at all, other than through a meticulous search through every employee in the employee menu. So, for instance, if a dwarf is starving, depressed, etc, the player doesn't currently know. Not soon and easily enough to make it fun, anyhow.
Right now I propose this quick design fix:
- Add clear text, in red, on the employee's info menu that marks them as refusing to work. Preferably near the top, like under their name. This'll make it easy to confirm one of the biggest problems the player can have, from the player=boss perspective.
1B) Probably good to add a "working" status as well, to confirm player's action resolved issue.
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For simplicity, I propose a simple system of exclamation marks. Red marks are your dwarf refuses to work, yellow marks are when all other attributes get pretty bad. Let's say a quarter past half way on the range. These exclamation marks would show up next to the dwarve's name on the employee list, which means the player can check the list at any time and get the gist of dwarf happiness.
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If it's not too much work, it'd also be good to have these marks appear around the dwarves. Yellow occasionally. Red permanently until the situation is resolved.
Version d2deec04
for 1B and (3), dwarves already have indicators over their heads for being tired, hungry, etc. When refusing to work they already have a frowny face indicator. The whole "refusing to work" thing should be redesigned anyway. Right now it just randomly has them cancel random tasks. Instead it should lock them out of being assigned tasks for a number of ingame hours.
For 1B ) For working specifically, it should just replace the not working status on the employee menu.
Didn't realize those indicators were that varied. Here are some better fixes then:
- Make the indicators larger/a highlighted color. Right now they don't read as differing from sleep and other neutral indicators.
3.) Hook up these indicators to the employee list. Plop them under the employee's name on list as well as put them next to their appropriate meters in the employee info.
I'll throw in an issue for refuse to work in a sec.
hmm that's a good idea. They should last longer and also appear on the employee menu.