As a long time player (Alpha 3 or so), I'm frustrated with gold, components.

[hoochy]

One of the mods has something called the "ore extractor" which greatly enhances the resource aspect of rimworld. Though I think that gameplay element could be done better. Knowing at some point you can start to mine resources - even if it takes a while to get there, gives you a reason to keep going through the stupidity of having to buy everything.

Some maps do not have many hills, and it doesn't make sense for some maps to have them (ie plains) so requiring mining of hills and mountains to even get anywhere shouldn't be a gameplay element in rimworld imo. Makes sense instead to have to dig down, or build production items which obtain elements from the ground.

[makapse]

mechs already give some plasteel and components. Ading gold will be too much. On the other hand, the poison ship giving 10 gold and psychic one 20 will be nice. What i worry about is that if centipedes give 20 gold then a single 1 can give you all u need to build the multi analyzer

[Shurp]

So how about a centipede gives you 2 gold instead?  If you've killed ten, surely you can scrape together enough gold to build some high tech gear.

[Negocromn]

I dont think that I ever played a map without ancient ruins, and it gives more than enough gold.

[zandadoum]

2) Relatedly, make friends. You can give a faction silver in return for goodwill and (sometimes) military aid when called.

Yes, because 4 blokes armed with Shiv's and pistols are not going to get spanked in the first fire fight.

"4 blokes armed with Shiv's" are the perfect distraction for the enemy. better shoot them than me or my turrets. and meanwhile, i rip them a new a-hole

[Aarkreinsil]

My biggest problem with components is, that there seems to be a limit on how much you can actually build now.

Now let me elaborate a bit on that.
I never had an issue with components so far, mostly because I always buy ALL of them, because I only play on mountainous maps (I think if you're playing flat, you're completely screwed now), and because I usually get a truckload of mechanites to disassemble.
Also I immediately rush for component production ASAP, but that's a different story.

So, I got a pretty big base in the tundra, needing a ridiculous amount of heaters, indoor sun-lamp grow areas and over a dozen wind turbines to keep all of that going. The new cooling effect of overhead mountains doesn't really help with heating that, either.
But now I'm at a point where I get like 3-5 breakdowns each day, and am constantly lacking components, only because I have so many component-filled structures around.

Given that there is a fixed amount of metal coming in, mostly in the form of slag from drop pods, mechanite bodies and maybe dropped weapons and armor that I could smelt in, there is a limit to how many technological things I can keep running at any given time.

I didn't even factor in the decay of armor, since I can usually just salvage some from downed pirates, but still. I need components for firefoam poppers, because I get an electrical explosion every other day. And with a base that drains more than 11.000 watt, I need a lot of stored energy. Rebuilding those poppers all the time is a top priority, so it can get a bit micromanagement-heavy.

So eventually you will hit a certain equilibrium where you are constantly spending all your components just to maintain your current setup, which is funny considering that I'm sitting on a stockpile of like 500+1000 plasteel by now, but have no components or metal to speak of. I also haven't had a ship part crashing down in over a year, and the map is mostly mined dry, so I spend all of my time smelting down trash and turning all my steel into components just to keep things running.

[Veneke]

So eventually you will hit a certain equilibrium where you are constantly spending all your components just to maintain your current setup, which is funny considering that I'm sitting on a stockpile of like 500+1000 plasteel by now, but have no components or metal to speak of. I also haven't had a ship part crashing down in over a year, and the map is mostly mined dry, so I spend all of my time smelting down trash and turning all my steel into components just to keep things running.

Well, it's always been the case that RNG could screw you over. If you don't get a trader (most/all of them carry components, and some steel), or a big mechanoid raid, over a significant period of time and you've mined out the map then yes you'll reach a point where you'll start to be unable to maintain your existing high-end buildings.

Second is that the introduction of components is the first indication we've seen where you can regress technologically. That's a core element of Rimworld's lore, and it adds to the difficulty which Rimworld sorely needed.

It's definitely one of the more frustrating things to be included in the game, and component requirements can be a bit strange (especially when you compare things like heaters to crafted armour), but the introduction of ongoing maintenance caused by wear-and-tear is still a pretty good addition on balance.

Without a question though you've got to beeline to the component crafting bench, and get a skill 10 crafter asap. Relying solely on traders to bring what you need is leaving yourself to the mercy of the RNG. That's never a good idea.

[Panzer]

Yeah breakdown happens a bit too often, I guess Tynan will balance that, else big colonies will really become a pain to manage.
Apart from that, I dont really know what all that fuss is about. My 2nd a13 colony, year 3, 9 colonists, sitting well at 75 components, and still some ship parts on the map. I have a component bench, but I dont remember using it even once. And I didnt run out in my first colony either. Buy components every chance you get, and think twice if you really need 50 batteries or that energy park that covers half the map.
Regarding gold, why should mechanoids drop gold? You get gold from the cryptopods in the ancient ruins, if you didnt find any on the map or got some from traders. Most research you need is accessible with the simple or hitech research bench, machining to produce some weapons or armor vests incase raiders only dropped crap, stonecutting, hospital beds etc.. Besides, the research locked behind the multianalyzer is really non-essential, vital monitors, charge rifles, powerarmor, component bench, all nice to haves, but one can do without.

[Drahkon]

I'd just like to see breakdowns of equipment that isn't even on heavily reduced >.>

[SadisticNemesis]

"As a player since alpha 1" I'm personally fine with it. I'm glad the progress has been slown down, I think it could be slower to be honest. Also happy gold has more use and DO remember. Computer tech DOES use gold to work properly *motherboards, ect* so it makes massive sense for gold to be used.

[Shurp]

Why do people keep telling me to get gold from the cryptopods in ruins, when two of my colonists are armed with survival rifles, the other two with great bows, and none have any armor?  My whole interest in getting a component bench going is to make enough weapons and armor that I can actually tackle a crypt without getting killed.

[Aarkreinsil]

Why do people keep telling me to get gold from the cryptopods in ruins, when two of my colonists are armed with survival rifles, the other two with great bows, and none have any armor?  My whole interest in getting a component bench going is to make enough weapons and armor that I can actually tackle a crypt without getting killed.

Of course you could also be totally gamey about it and set a ridiculous maze of wooden deadfall traps and walls in front of the crypt, crack it open in the right place and then let all the things that come out waltz through your gauntlet of doom.

I'm gonna try playing on a flat map and see how badly I get beaten down by the lack of metals and components now.

[DNK]

I think the gold/component issue is exacerbated by map type. On a flat map there's just not enough deposits, period. Once you exhaust ship chunks and the few little hills a flat map has, you're at the mercy of caravans (1-5 components per if at all) or ships (exceptionally rare now, and only the exotic has gold.) I haven't hit a component wall yet, but I never play anything less than large hills. I'm even frustrated when I don't have a visible plasteel deposit on the map at launch. It is a HUGE drag to develop a colony and hit a vital resource bottleneck.

Agreed that this is an issue for the game. The lack of Z levels makes hill-less maps practically useless. Mods have fixed this, but then this is one of those balance issues that shouldn't need to be fixed. Mining below ground should still be possible (via some machine), although with significantly increased labor costs per unit mined.

It would be nice if we had a hidden below-ground map created at game start for mineable goods. Then you could create sonar tech that would reveal that map, and so you could place "mining pits" or some such over an area to receive that mineable good with work. Something like that.

[makapse]

what are these mods that you say balanced it?

[Ironvos]

I have to say that for me alpha 13 so far has been my worst rimworld experience since i started playing during Alpha 6.
There's just so much unnecessary complexity now that doesn't contribute at all to the gameplay.
Instead of a colony simulator it's just a disaster simulator and micromanagement hell.