I can understand your desire to try to simplify the viewing of things so you can understand things at a glance.
However, i think the current implementation of this kind of advice and hints, or numbers put into words, no offense intended for the game designers, tends to be really poor and not useful. (ill list some examples at the end)
So i would argue that its a bad example of something that should be expanded.
Several of them afaik have been earmarked for improvement in the future, so i suppose i have some hope they will be good in the future.
For now, I usually avoid them alltogether and focus on direct comparison of stats and ratings through things like the compare vehicles screen.
So seeing as i dont use them or want to use them, im not interested in having time spent on creating more of them.
I would be happy with another set of rating numbers listed in factory screen, showing many of the hidden values that effect the quality of a factory.
Where we do agree, is having some kind of hint on a factory that suggests it is still costing money and not doing anything as it looks in your picture. That sounds like it would be useful to new players.
Examples:
To start off, i think you showed some decent examples of what is wrong with them currently in your post.
Usually though, i just a generic message telling me that its highest stat is basically its best feature, but this is already clearly visible in the stars/ratings/stats.
The only really useful information ive got from it is when it tells me my torque is low, as that's currently not displayed (there are several suggestions about that).
Other examples:
Gearcity Monthly:
This tends to give bizzare reviews sometimes as it really doesn't take into account the relative strength of the design vs other designs available. To me, this seems like something that basically all magazines do.
e.g. the vehicle may be terrible, but if its the best on the market and revolutionary in some way i doubt a magazine would not mention that and still say it was terrible.
Note: This has specifically been mentioned as something that Eric wanted to improve, which is why i usually dont bring it up, but its relevant to this discussion.
Marketing effectiveness/Labour skills report:
Another example of numbers being turned into words and made really vauge in the process. For example, i have access to 8 Clyinders in 1921 and my design skill is listed as "Poor" instead of what it started out as "Abysmal"/"Horrible". Sometimes, there is no change in the word at all but you get access to new things because it has passed the design skill requirement of the component, 12 for example, but that's not enough to trigger a new word :S
So in Summary:
I don't like the current implementation of advice/descriptions, and im not optimistic about their future, so i cant say i want to see more of them, especially in places where you can just as easily show numbers/ratings.
However, i think the current implementation of this kind of advice and hints, or numbers put into words, no offense intended for the game designers, tends to be really poor and not useful. (ill list some examples at the end)
So i would argue that its a bad example of something that should be expanded.
Several of them afaik have been earmarked for improvement in the future, so i suppose i have some hope they will be good in the future.
For now, I usually avoid them alltogether and focus on direct comparison of stats and ratings through things like the compare vehicles screen.
So seeing as i dont use them or want to use them, im not interested in having time spent on creating more of them.
I would be happy with another set of rating numbers listed in factory screen, showing many of the hidden values that effect the quality of a factory.
Where we do agree, is having some kind of hint on a factory that suggests it is still costing money and not doing anything as it looks in your picture. That sounds like it would be useful to new players.
Examples:
To start off, i think you showed some decent examples of what is wrong with them currently in your post.
(02-06-2014, 10:52 AM)Geredis Wrote: "This car engine is poor. The engine's size and weight make it impossible to reasonably fit in any chassis. Never mind that it's terribly underpowered. Why anyone would want to use this, I have no idea"I wish it regularly went into this much detail, it usually just tells me "this is a poor engine, you can do better, but you dont care as long as its cheap right?". Even when its actually quite a decent engine for the time, or has some kind of specific advantage.
Usually though, i just a generic message telling me that its highest stat is basically its best feature, but this is already clearly visible in the stars/ratings/stats.
The only really useful information ive got from it is when it tells me my torque is low, as that's currently not displayed (there are several suggestions about that).
Other examples:
Gearcity Monthly:
This tends to give bizzare reviews sometimes as it really doesn't take into account the relative strength of the design vs other designs available. To me, this seems like something that basically all magazines do.
e.g. the vehicle may be terrible, but if its the best on the market and revolutionary in some way i doubt a magazine would not mention that and still say it was terrible.
Note: This has specifically been mentioned as something that Eric wanted to improve, which is why i usually dont bring it up, but its relevant to this discussion.
Marketing effectiveness/Labour skills report:
Another example of numbers being turned into words and made really vauge in the process. For example, i have access to 8 Clyinders in 1921 and my design skill is listed as "Poor" instead of what it started out as "Abysmal"/"Horrible". Sometimes, there is no change in the word at all but you get access to new things because it has passed the design skill requirement of the component, 12 for example, but that's not enough to trigger a new word :S
So in Summary:
I don't like the current implementation of advice/descriptions, and im not optimistic about their future, so i cant say i want to see more of them, especially in places where you can just as easily show numbers/ratings.