Resource naming conventions and Dyslexia
One of the biggest problems I've had playing the game so far is the resource naming conventions. I know it's still an early build and a lot is likely to change, but the current resources all bear strikingly similar names:
Scrap
Supply
Stock
What's more, they all apply to the same thing (whether or not you can build a unit). On top of the natural mix-up that can occur with 3 like words applying to the same consideration, this can be immensely confusing for someone with various forms of dyslexia.
I don't have traditional dyslexia but I do have similar problems differentiating between like words my head, and despite knowing exactly what scrap, stock, and supply mean in principle, I cannot accurately and consistently choose the correct word from the grab-back of "s-words" in real-time. Likewise it takes me a small amount of processing time after hearing or reading one of the words to correctly attach it to the right concept due to their similarities. If I am speaking quickly, I will choose the wrong word about 50% of the time, even with practice.
This is not something that will totally resolve itself with more play time: I will always have this problem to a reasonable degree even if I play the game for years (this has been the case with many other games for me that bear similar issues). And it's particularly difficult due to there being 3 such words (rather than only 2) and how often they are used in context with one another.
I don't know how many other people have this problem but even during alpha play it has made the game harder for me to talk about and approach. It also makes communication with my allies more difficult and slightly more frustrating.
Ultimately I feel only mildly bothered by this and would not be upset if it were to remain as-is, but I would 100% welcome a small naming revamp that changed the current triumvirate of "s-words" into something easier to differentiate for people with similar (or more severe) issues.
Comments
I did like the "Bioshards" as in the tutorial. It needs to change everywhere though.
It's certainly a step up, though "Shards" still doesn't feel very differentiated from Scrap, Supply, and Stock to my brain.
Aesthetically I like the Triple S aesthetic but from an approachability angle it's rough.
Scrap and Stock are placeholder names that will be getting swapped out soon! Supply will probably stay since its such a familiar term.
Hey, that's great to hear, Mark! I foresee many fewer hours of frustration ahead of me.