How stats and numbers are conveyed to the player

[Harry_Dicks]

When looking at the stats for apparel and you see Insulation - Cold -29, does that mean, you can go another 29 degrees colder? Or does it mean your "resistance" against cold is now 29 degrees crappier? I would think that a lot of times, because almost always seeing a negative sign beside a stat, you would think that it's not of benefit to you, but rather a negative! Is it the opposite for hot as well? I'm never really bothered to check or look it up, but I'm sure I can't be the only one that's thought this the first time I saw it. I still don't know the answer to it. I think it would be a lot easier if it just simply said for an item: raise or lower maximum comfortable temperature by x, raise or lower minimum comfortable temperature by x.

Let's look at Flake. On the info it says, "Rest 20%" and "Tiredness x33%". So I'm going to guess that you gain 20% rest? There is no addition sign. Tiredness x33%, does that mean I get put to 33% rest after the first rest boost? No, that can't be it. Maybe I only suffer 33% of my regular rest deterioration rate? Not really sure. I just feel like this information is harder to understand than it should be, because I'm dumber than I should be. I thought that when you click on those numbers, the information box to the right would have some more info for people like me. Also, is the duration for these effects listed anywhere? Bottom line is there is only one bar for Rest, and nothing for "tiredness" and no extra info on it.

It would be really cool if you could work out the numbers to see if how long extra you can afford to keep your pawns up with stimulants, if it is worth the extra work.

[Tynan]

You're right that many stats in the game aren't as clear as they could be.

Stats have always been a slightly neglected system. Just putting them in at all captured most of the value (compared to having these numbers be totally invisible). But, we should go through and polish them at some point.

Thanks for the suggestion with the in-depth explanation and play story.

[Icarus]

I've actually found that the values are perfectly clear, even more so after you observe how they work. x33% rest kind of obviously means that rest will be modified by 0.33 for the duration of the drug, so less being tired. IMO only people with poor grasp of English and mathematics would be confused.

[ethouiche]

Imho, it is confusing.

Getting used to something confusing, does not make it less confusing for new players.

[Harry_Dicks]

I've actually found that the values are perfectly clear, even more so after you observe how they work. x33% rest kind of obviously means that rest will be modified by 0.33 for the duration of the drug, so less being tired. IMO only people with poor grasp of English and mathematics would be confused.

Well my opinion, is that your opinion is wrong Look, I knock myself a lot with self-deprecating humor, just messing around. And I'm not trying to sound arrogant, but I feel like I have a solid grasp on the English language and basic mathematics, along with having played videogames for 25 years, that I should be able to decipher this information. I know I can't be the only one that has seen some stats, that just seem kinda inconsistent with each other and how they are displayed to the player, or at least make it easier for people to understand at first glance. I feel like you shouldn't have even spend more than a second or two to see that this jacket is better than this other piece of apparel, or this drug does this better than another one. Maybe they could just have colors for the stat numbers. Green for beneficial, red for negative, or whatever Tynan thinks up I'm sure will be better than how it is now.

[Injured Muffalo]

I think for instance shooting chance could be clearer. I understand it now, but I had to do the math myself to confirm my suspicion it worked as I thought.

Currently it's

Shot by Hare - 15%
Shooter - 50%
Weapon - 60%
Cover - 50%

So...not saying a huge complicated tooltip is the answer, but maybe somewhere you can look at your last shot to expand it:

Annie Oakley's shot at Mephistopheles, Accountant (of The Cutters pirate band)- 25%
     Health -35%
          Consisting of:
          Old shoulder injury -25%
               (Manipulation -10%)
          Too much coffee -10%
               (Manipulation -5%)
     Careless shooter -5%
          (Aiming speed +20%, aiming accuracy -5%)
     Weapon -20%
          Of which:
          Range -10%
               (Maximum accuracy 80% at 5 cells, 8 cells distant)
          Weapon conditon -5%
               (75%)
          Weapon quality -5%
               (Normal)
     Cover -20%
          Comprised of:
          Teflon chunk stops -10%
          Awkward angle - 10%

Or maybe furnishing all that data will just kill the fun.

Shot by Hare:
Shooter - x50% +
Weapon - x60% +
Cover - x50% =
----------------
Total - 15%

Or maybe it's better the way it is. 

[jamaicancastle]

I will say temperatures are perfectly clear when you see them on the gear tab, when it just outright tells you that it's the minimum/maximum comfortable temperature. And once you get used to that being how insulation is handled, the effect of say +3 or -3 makes sense. I think the problem is that the name and description of those stats in the clothes' info window doesn't make what it actually means clear.

So...not saying a huge complicated tooltip is the answer, but maybe somewhere you can look at your last shot to expand it:

Maybe in the combat log, perhaps as a mouseover? So you see "X missed Y with Z weapon", and then on mouseover it gives you a detailed breakdown of what the odds were. (Sort of like the old D&D PC games like Baldur's Gate used to do.)

[MajorFordson]

You're right that many stats in the game aren't as clear as they could be.

Stats have always been a slightly neglected system. Just putting them in at all captured most of the value (compared to having these numbers be totally invisible). But, we should go through and polish them at some point.

Thanks for the suggestion with the in-depth explanation and play story.

Is there any possibility of a simplification overhaul involving text? Where appropriate instead of just a number which is meaningless to all but the most experienced player you have text instead. So a lousy melee weapon would have POOR for the DPS value, alongside the numerical value. To do this you'd need to know the spectrum of possible values. Currently an inexperienced (or even experienced) player has no idea and no quick means to learning if a weapon (or items) statistics are considered good or bad for that type.

[Harry_Dicks]

You're right that many stats in the game aren't as clear as they could be.

Stats have always been a slightly neglected system. Just putting them in at all captured most of the value (compared to having these numbers be totally invisible). But, we should go through and polish them at some point.

Thanks for the suggestion with the in-depth explanation and play story.

Is there any possibility of a simplification overhaul involving text? Where appropriate instead of just a number which is meaningless to all but the most experienced player you have text instead. So a lousy melee weapon would have POOR for the DPS value, alongside the numerical value. To do this you'd need to know the spectrum of possible values. Currently an inexperienced (or even experienced) player has no idea and no quick means to learning if a weapon (or items) statistics are considered good or bad for that type.

Exactly this. Just like his post, if we could have red or green highlighted numbers, then I would think the player can always recognize something immediately as beneficial or negative.