Resource gathering in Wayward has always been a little strange. It’s always been a bit at odds with the stimulation of some of the other core components. To put this in to perspective, as of Beta 1.0, resource gathering works like the following:
Each hit of a mountain/tree has a chance to produce a specific resource regardless of anything else. It also has a random chance to break, also not dependent of anything else. So, it’s very possible to get a single Tree Bark from a tree and have it “blow up” afterwards. This is a little ridiculous. Now throw this factor in:
Depending on what tool you have equipped, each resource type can produce a new resource. Like for example, equipping a weapon with an attack of +3 or greater can now produce a Log from a tree, or Iron Ore from rock.
This system is more or less the same for digging on tiles, except without the change of resources based on equipped tool or specific tile strength.
This is very much a product of poor design choices left in the game, a little too long.
Proposed Changes
- Each tile will have a specific set of generic resources available. For example, rock will feature Stones, Large Rock, Sharp Rock, and Smooth Rock – leaving out Iron Ore, Talc, Limestone, and Coal.
- Each tile has a chance to be a “node” for a special type of resource, like Iron Ore, Talc, Limestone, and Coal in mountains, or Fungus and Red Berries in trees. This will be visible graphically to the player.
- Each tile will have a specific strength. This strength will decrease as you hit it, based on your attack value. If you want to break through tiles faster, equip a higher attack weapon/tool. The tool will have no effect on dropping the special resource.
- After breaking through the tile, the special resources contained within are available for pick-up.
- Tree tiles have two states: Full and bare. After all the Leaves, Tree Bark, Branches, etc. are removed (tile strength is decreased), they become “bare”. At this point, you can use a Sharpened to receive a number of Log resources.
On top of making the system less grind-focused, it will also promote exploration. All resources don’t exist around you at all times anymore. You can effectively shape which resources you get and how fast you break through a tile resulting in more player freedom.
Ideas and comments welcomed as always.
Treating resource tiles as containers seems very much the way to go. I’d really appreciate this, especially the visual differentiation between various resource tiles. I won’t go over why it would be such a tremendous help; clearly you already know. Just, y’know, err on the side of too many of the survival nodes (fruit bearing trees and the like) rather than too few, when you first implement this to avoid unplayable difficulty brought on by a near non-existence of food.
I really like the way your thinking of changing ressources gathering I always hated when I was in a dessert, after gathering soil and sapling then waiting for it to grow and then when I tried to gather ressources I ended getting 1 leaves before the tree broke, it was pretty annoying.
More different looking tiles based on what it has would be nice.
This sounds supremely better than the current system in place. I always found myself having to cut down large swaths of trees in order to have enough branches to make stripped bark. If using an axe tool guarantees a better chance at branches, then bring it on.
This, coupled with the storage update where we can actually see what’s being stored will be a great addition to the game. I can’t wait to see it.
Sorry for stupid question but how i can open wooden chest? I made one but I can’t use it.
If you face the chest and “move” towards the chest, all of the contents will be transferred en masse to your inventory. A more usable interface allowing you to withdraw only selected items into your inventory, is planned for an upcoming release, but as it stands now it is a little awkward for storage. I tend to use one or two for special items but bulk resources are currently easier to just keep in sorted piles on the ground. (Hope that’s all correct…)
Sounds good to me.
just wanted to say W0w. I stumbled onto this yesterday, and it’s all I play now. I have also told some friends as well as my Dad. If you made this a full product, I will buy it in a heartbeat. ( … will also coerce everyone else I know as well.=) That being said, can someone please tell me an easier to get my hands on coal?
Thanks for playing! Who knows when it will be a “full” product 🙂 Coal is just a randomized chance currently when hitting rock with a tool equipped with +3 attack or more.
I like the idea of having containers. Very positive in terms of the playability, and I like the idea that I have to go looking for a ‘specific’ type of node, rather than just grinding through the ones in front. There’s now a ‘I gotta go coal mining today’ sort of activity that now has to happen, and there’s a point in getting a whole stack so I dont have to go back to that place soon. Nice idea.
The trees and rocks would now be quite different though. Trees have two layers, rocks one. I’m not sure if aligning the two would be better or worse. Trees you get the light stuff, then the logs. Maybe rocks you get the rocks, then the goodies? Break through the rock to get to the iron/coal/whatever? Just a thought that might serve to create a more consistent feel across the different activities in the game. Could also be useful for animals, etc – use sharpened to get the skin, then get to the bones/meat underneath. A useful metaphor you have designed with the trees – it now appears to have no end!
Great game!
Will the new resource system affect durability differently?
I may be fuzzy on the details, but it seems like resources drop after the tile is destroyed. Or do generic resources drop as usual and special resouces drop after destruction?
Durability of tools will be based on chances (based on skill) per hit (instead of just 100% chance on resource drop like now). Generic resources drop as usual on hits, but special resources will drop after tile is destroyed.
What needs to be fixed is that sandstone rocks need to be common. I searched the entire map and found only 3 tiles of it in one spot, and I only got 2 sandstone pieces before they were used up, so I couldn’t make a kiln.