Messages

First of all if the game is becoming too frustrating simply turn the difficulty down.
Second, as to the sieges, a few colonists with high dps weapons can be sent out while the enemies are sleeping to bash/shoot them to death (they leave no guards awake).
Third, choose starting colonists with these traits: sanguine, optimist, steadfast, iron willed,masochist, bloodlust, prosthophile, green thumb. this makes moods much easier to handle.
hope this helps

-Argon

Although Z levels would drastically change the game, unlocking map expansions (some optimization required) could extend the life of colonies, with fresh land to ransack for all remotely usable materials.

-Argon

RABIES!

Yes, this needs to be added. If untreated it would have a 100% mortality rate as well as a 100% chance of causing a mental rampage.

-Argon

Just change the name of the current steel to magnesium, and make it continue to burn when rained on.

-Argon

Issue 1.
Sieges used to be difficult because the pirates or, pissed off townspeople would linger for long periods of time pounding away at your sprawling and vulnerable base, where as now with alpha 8 they will foolishly charge straight in to your killbox after just a few days of besieging. This needs re balancing.

Issue 2. Before Alpha 8  sieges could be quickly defeated either by using around four times the number of the explosive mortars owned by the besiegers, or sending in a black-ops squad w/ R4s to murder them while they sleep. the other raiders would sleep like stones while their comrades are butchered with loud automatic weapons, something that should wake them up.  If gunfire did rouse sleeping raiders, it could make melee weapons have a purpose, as sleeping raider killers.

-Argon

There could be many grades of liquor, and some types of alcohol that can't be made by the player and must be bought.

-Argon

^  I second this (both posts) as it could make melee combat a viable strategy for hunting as well as battling raiders.

-Argon

+1

I'd like to see a maximum skill limit for this as well, to add the option of a bench to "train" people's crafting skill on with cheaper materials.

Perhaps a separate tab within the bill config where the minimum skill can be set.
This would be easy to implement too.

-Argon

Situation: You use melee weapons for hunting, and you have a bill set to make a few plaststeel spears for your hunters, you intend for your crafting 15 colonist to make fine quality weapons, but instead a crafting 3 colonist fulfills  the bill and wastes your materials making poor quality spears.

Two options exist to fix this problem, assigning people/skill levels to benches, or assigning people/ skill levels to bills. The second option allows for a more flexible crafting system.

-Argon

An alternative to medicine for anaesthesia too and a crafting component for molotovs.

Agreed, this would make molotovs yet another player craftable weapon.

-Argon

Speaking of medicine, perhaps it could be used as a substitute for medicine in some circumstances, with a large mood debuff / a pain boost to the colonist? alcohol IS a disinfectant but it hurts something awful if you get it in a cut...imagine a gunshot being flushed with alcohol, crippling, and perhaps would also get you drunk...but it would prevent infection.

Seconded.

This could also be used as an alternative to medicine to prevent infections in prisoners without wasting valuable medicine.

-Argon

There's always the Prison Architect style.

Research "Satellite Mapping" and Expand the map on one side.

When activated auto-save the game, generate new terrain and write it to the save file and reload the save.
This is what PA does.

A good idea, but a 1.5 times ludeonicrous size map could cause unacceptable lag for all but the most powerful computers.

-Argon

Buffs to pain resistance, happiness, strength.
Cons to work speed, accuracy, movement speed ?

Second That

-Argon

Drunk colonists should also have a mechanic where they wander to a destination instead of taking the shortest route.

-Argon

It could also come with downsides, like the risk of alcoholism, or drunkenness improving mood but slowing work speed. And maybe certain traits, like depressive, could cause that colonist to react badly to it. Plus it would allow for a whole bunch of alcohol-themed traits.

Also, if medicine was ever craftable, it seems like it would be a good crafting component for it.

Agreed.

Alcoholism could come as a preexisting trait where the colonist requires alcohol or they become unhappy.
Prolonged heavy drinking could also cause cirrhosis, prompting you to viciously harvest the livers of your enemies to save your perpetually drunk colonists.

-Argon