Applies to 2.1 only.
Don't let the title be misleading, I love a good challenge. I've thoroughly enjoyed Space Ex and Nullius, but I'm struggling to progress through this mod. Here are several bits of feedback that I think would enhance the mod:
1) Resource Challenges
1a) The Map Generator Resource sliders do not change.
---I don't know if this was intentional but the starting area is limited to a very tiny amount of each core resource. I appreciate some good resource management challenges, I'm exhausting my starting patches before I can find new ones. Since I can't adjust the sliders, I can't customize the map once I find a map seed I like.
1b) Finding secondary patches.
---If I'm lucky, I'll be able to find secondary resource patches once my starting area patches are exhausted. So far, that has not been the case in 2 previous attempts. In my current playthrough, I've only been able to find a second copper patch, but no coal, limestone or iron variants (I only learned of the Magnetite (Iron) when trying to find other means to produce iron/steel). The distances between patches make it difficult to really grow the factory.
---Thankfully, I could reduce the frequency of Biters and maximize my starting area in the map generator. I've needed to focus my early game research on resource management rather than defense, but I could find myself in a difficult situation if the secondary patches are too close the Biter nests.
2) Tech Tree needs optimizing.
---For instance, because I start running low on coal and coke, I needed to find an alternate power source. I ultimately landed on solid fuel from oil, but I started with Solar Panels, revealing that Borosilicate Glass is deep in the Tech Tree behind chemical science, making my Solar Panel research useless in the early game. This put an unnecessary strain on my research packs (hence my 1) observation).
Those are all I can think of for the early game; again, mainly focusing on resource availability. I'll add more to this thread should I think of any more.
