LadyWYT

One thing I did forget to mention in my initial post--evil spiders did get added to the game, after a fashion, in the form of locusts. If it looked like a copy/paste of a creeper, sure. Otherwise, I think there could possibly be an enemy that has a similar attack pattern, since we have blasting powder and bombs in the game. Would I really want or expect to see something like that in the game though? Eh...not really.

The first chapter of the story was introduced in 1.18. Drifters were the first nighttime monster added to the game, and were added in 2017. That Tyron bit is from 2016, which suggests that he was considering more stereotypical fantasy elements like skeletal/necromantic monsters as a possibility. However, the game design ended up going in a different direction, with fewer fantasy stereotypes and a larger focus on realism with steampunk and Lovecraftian/eldritch horror elements sprinkled in. There's quite a lot of lore to uncover in the game, and while none of it yet goes into specific detail about the monsters and other supernatural phenomena, I will also note that pretty much none of it refers to magic, necromancy, undead, or other traditional staples of fantasy. There are, however, several references to real world historical elements, as well as a lot of steampunk technological elements and references. The monsters themselves are referred to in passing, but it's not explicitly stated where they came from, or exactly what they are, although there are some strong implications... Yes and no. It's implied that the traders might be derivative of the Hanseatic League, but it's not for certain. For the most part, they are just the more adventurous of the human survivors, seeking their fortune by braving the wilderness and facilitating trade between the few settlements in existence. As for the settlements...there might be a proper city or two out there, but I wouldn't expect anything very large or grand. Most of humanity was wiped out in a past calamity, and the remnants that remain are mostly gathered into small villages that are very few and far between(only one settlement currently implemented).

Nope. I tend to have the opposite problem, if anything. I bring too much food and end up ditching some in order to free up inventory space. I also keep a pretty good eye on my supplies in general, so if I do notice that I'm running low then I either head back home to retrieve more or hunt/forage for some. I don't usually bring crocks or cookpots with me at since pies are more stackable, so I will bring plenty of pie and get a lot more food out of the inventory space compared to relying on crocks, cookpots, and bowls. Not that I've noticed. Blackguards do require more food, that much is true, but it doesn't really feel like that much more than the other classes. Crank up the base hunger rate though to 125% or more, and then hunger starts to be a bit more of a concern. It's probably just another case of, when I go out on extended expeditions in the winter, I'm going to be carrying pie slices for efficient use of space, and save the crocked foods for home use.

Is it though? I play Blackguard mainly, and food is almost always the least of my worries. Farms produce a ton of food, as do livestock, and hunting isn't that tough. Meals like pie can stack quite nicely, so carrying enough food to keep yourself fed isn't really an issue either. Mind you, I'm not against hot beverages potentially warding off the increased hunger drain from being cold, and I know some players struggle securing a food supply since there are posts about it every now and then. But it's also baffling to me how food supply is an issue outside of the very start of the game.

It again depends on intent. If it's personal use or you're just making memes or whatnot to share, there's no issue with it. The issues arise when one tries to monetize the product. Even if you're up front about the image being computer-generated, it's still theft(or at the very least, in poor taste) if the source material for the generation wasn't public domain or otherwise something you had permission to use for that purpose. I would also note that logic doesn't apply strictly to AI-generated content either--it's more just a difference between making something for your own personal use, and something commercialized. Of course, even if it's an image generated for personal use, one should still be honest about how the image was created. Feeding a prompt into a computer and getting it to spit out an image is very different than putting in the work yourself to create an image. If you created the work yourself, there's a human element there that's easily understood by other people, and it's also possible to answer question about various design choices(such as "why are the curtains blue"), because choices were actually made in the design. You can't answer those questions if the computer did all the work for you, because it was the computer making the choices based on the given input. Ironically, this is a topic covered in the lore of Vintage Story. Similar logic applies to human-created content too, and that's where I would say again...it depends on the intent. The waters get really muddy in that regard too, and I'd also say that's where the art world has some problems in where to draw the line between as being inspired by other works, and being a copycat. Honestly, I don't think it's possible to put a stop to all copy-cats, especially since it's possible, in some ways, to copy the work of someone else and still change enough about it to make it your own. In that case, it comes down to which content the customers prefer to support, and honing your own talent and ideas to keep standing out from the crowd. Personally, I don't really have an issue with people selling computer-generated content, as long as they're open about it being computer-generated and they had permission to use the source materials in creation of said content. A museum is a public space, and plenty of art hangs in museums for public display. That doesn't mean it's acceptable to take those exact images without permission and starting using them for profit. And just because someone walks in front of their window naked doesn't mean it's okay to photograph them. And of course, just because something is legal, doesn't mean that it's right, or not in poor taste. Pretty much, hence why(in my opinion) it's ideal to have an actual human making the decisions regarding the final product. A human will understand the full context of what qualities are most desired for the intended audience, and what imperfections are acceptable versus which aren't. While a computer can produce a decent product depending on the algorithms and information fed into it, it can't produce anything truly great because there's nuances to being human that it can't comprehend. Pretty much. A great rule of thumb to use on the matter is if it would feel scummy if someone did it to you and your content, you shouldn't be doing it to them. That goes for traditional artistry as well as AI generation.

If everything can be automated, what purpose do people serve anymore and why should one care about their fate? That's the scariest part.

Honestly you could say the same for Chapter 2 as well. How long or short a chapter ends up being depends heavily on a player's skill at the game and puzzle-solving, as well as how the player approaches the story content in general. If you focus purely on completing the objectives and don't care about loot or poking around looking at the lore and location details, the chapters are going to end up pretty short as a result.

It could, but it would be a pretty significant tone shift, as well as offer inconsistency in the storytelling itself. The NPCs could just react appropriately to whatever kit the player had equipped at the time, but it's going to get a little odd when you're a Clockmaker one moment and a Hunter the next, and I would argue that the player's relation to the story and world-building becomes...inconsequential...as a result. As for the story's tone...without spoiling too much, the player is a specific individual, with specific traits, that is a specific relic of the Old World. While one could argue that the present day offers a chance to turn over a new leaf, those are not qualities that are simply going to change on a whim.

I wouldn't say AI can do it better, just that it can easily achieve a passable result while cutting out most of the human element entirely(which people, as a rule, can be difficult to work with). The latter is spot-on though. I think it's another case of...it depends on the intent behind the product's creation. For personal use, memes, and the like, I don't really see a problem with using AI to spit out things. When it comes to actually getting paid for the product though, it's a different beast, since there is an exchange of goods/services taking place. I also think a lot of the friction stems from the original expectations of automation versus how it's actually being put into practice. Automation can be a very good thing, since it makes certain goods more obtainable, or certain jobs safer since humans don't have to physically do the dangerous parts any longer. In theory, that means that robots can do the boring grunt work that no one wants to do because it's boring or dangerous, which leaves people free to pursue careers that are more rewarding. In practice though...yes, we got some of the benefits of automation, but it's also proving that instead of using robots to do dangerous or boring repetitive jobs...they're being used instead to push people out of more desirable work and into boring/dangerous work instead(assuming there's even jobs available). Nasty can of worms, that, and again, boils down to intent of action. Pretty much. The tool itself is neither good or bad--the context of such depends entirely on how one uses the tools at their disposal. When the tool is used for the wrong purposes, bad things happen.

Many do, but not everyone can. It takes a lot of work and skill to operate at a level that can generate a livable income from that. I mean, it's possible, but fake personas were already a thing long before AI and computers, and aren't always bad. Many authors use pen names and actors use stage names, for example. However, that's getting into the weeds. I think again, it's a case that boils down to intent behind action, as well as...how many times can a concept be floated by various people, and still remain a unique thing? If I'm not mistaken, this is an issue regarding software that checks plagiarism, for example, since it has thrown false positives when no plagiarism was committed. That's not to say someone didn't just copy/paste words or images and try to pass it off as their own work, but it doesn't mean that everything similar is an attempt at theft. Sometimes people will come up with the same idea or concept independently of each other, and there's only so many ways to write certain phrases and whatnot. Pretty much this. My general impression is that most of those chasing the "influencer" lifestyle, aren't really interested in putting in the actual work to realize their goal, as much as they are just looking for a way to make a quick buck and feed an ego. I'm not saying every influencer is like that either, that's just my general observation/opinion on the type that the lifestyle seems to attract. My overall opinion on AI is that it's a tool useful for drumming up ideas, memeing, or organizing information, but achieving the best results for a finished product requires human talent.

I think this is also the main reason many artists get upset. Many share their work on social media, as that's a very good way to get your name out there and make potential customers aware of your products. However, my understanding is that the way some of these AIs are trained is...basically just scraping the internet for any images or other data it can find, and using it without regard to copyright or other protections that may apply.

Honestly, I don't know. It seems to be, given my experience, but I couldn't say for absolute certain. My best guess is that it's probably a thing, so that creepy reverb stays in the underground and doesn't add potentially unwanted ambience to large player-made structures or other locations that are supposed to be inhabited by friendlies.

I think the main risk of AI being "competition" is that AI has no human element, so you don't need to pay it or worry about it questioning your motives or anything like that. And certain individuals/corporations will do anything for a dollar, so if they can just replace people with AI and still get everyone to pay for the product...anyway, you get the idea. As for cover bands and what's plagiarism versus what's not...I think it all boils down to the intent behind the action. A cover band might not have written the song themselves, but they also aren't trying to claim that as their own work either. It's a homage to the original artist, and a good homage is going to point the viewers/listeners to the original. Actual plagiarism is taking someone else's work and trying to pass it off as your own, and in that case whoever is doing the plagiarizing isn't going to be giving credit to the original creator. You also have those that don't plagiarize, but do steal the creative work of others and try to make money off it. When it comes to AI, it needs a library of reference material to generate things from, since it cannot create. Unfortunately, what goes into the reference library isn't always open-source, public domain, or otherwise content that was given with permission.

I don't know entirely how it works, but it seems to depend partly on lighting, and partly on how big the space is. The only times I recall hearing reverberation was underground, where the natural light was dim or nonexistent. Likewise, the reverb seemed to occur more often in medium sized spaces approximately the size of large rooms, than in small spaces or large spaces(larger than what would qualify as a room). That probably doesn't help much here, but I would play around with the dimensions and lighting to see what kind of effects you can achieve. My guess is that the reverb effect is probably still very early in development, and isn't applying correctly to a lot of spaces it maybe should.

As far as block breaking and other similar actions being restricted in story locations, the reason for that I believe is two-fold. First, it stops the player from just stripping the location bare, or otherwise robbing NPCs blind, which happens frequently in the other block game. Likewise, the restrictions also ensure that the player needs to complete the puzzles and/or fight certain monsters at the locations in order to get the rewards, instead of just tunneling through the structure and bypassing all the challenge. Yes, one could argue that building defenses or tunneling through specific parts of the structure to avoid something is smart...but it's very low-effort. As it currently stands, the boss fights are fairly difficult, and some of the puzzles will make you think carefully in order to solve them. On the floating islands in a certain location: For building in the story locations though, I think there is at least one mod that removes protections from at least some of the locations. Otherwise, you can probably just remove the protections yourself, either by finding the governing command blocks in creative and tampering with it, or via making your own mod. If it's just the decorations you're after though, all of those can be obtained through creative, or perhaps a mod since I think there's a couple that make various clutter craftable(Better Ruins does this, I think). I do know that restoration of clutter to a usable/less ruined appearance is requested fairly often, so it's possible that more attractive, less ruined clutter that can be obtained outside of creative might be added in the future.

From what I understand of the situation, Hytale was a shippable product a few years back--I think even after Riot acquired it--at least as an early access game. There was, apparently, something actually playable there, and the conjecture I've heard seems to be that Riot was fairly hands-off regarding development and happy to let the devs do their thing and simply fund the work. What killed Hytale seems to be that someone, I dunno who, decided that instead of launching something playable so that players could start enjoying the product they'd been waiting for and giving feedback...instead decided to rewrite the entire game engine to work on different code type instead since it would be "better for the future". That's a really big ask and a huge drain on time and resources, and really an unneeded change if you've already got a functional product.

This isn't the case anymore, since other traders will now sell you a map to the nearest treasure hunter, should you wish to skip the search.

If you can get hold of one bronze pick, you can use Node Search on quartz veins to locate more silver and gold, and then use the bronze pick to mine it. That will get you more black bronze without panning. Or if you have access to a Commodities trader, you can purchase ore nuggets from them, and get to bronze that way.

Simply because farming was a common profession in medieval times, hence why I associate the Commoner class with farmer. Doesn't mean every Commoner would have been a farmer though.

Aside from Commoner becoming entirely useless outside of being a niche challenge class, the other main issue I see to deleting all the drawbacks and keeping only the class benefits, is that some classes are going to end up entirely too strong...mainly Hunter and Blackguard. If Hunter gets a bonus to ranged accuracy and damage, and a bonus to animal looting, and no longer has a penalty for melee or mining...why would you pick Malefactor, Tailor, or Clockmaker? Blackguard is even worse, since on top of already being the strongest melee with a bonus to armor, a bonus to health, and a bonus to mining, you no longer have to worry about being penalized at range or struggling to secure enough food. It'd be such an absolute powerhouse in combat that it overshadows even Hunter. The only real crafting-based class I can think of, is the Tailor, just due to the wide array of clothing they can craft. Tailor is also a strange class in that it's very weak compared to the other classes...but that's also somewhat the point and appeal. Tailors are artisans and meant for civilization, not struggling to survive in a post-apocalyptic wilderness--how you manage to survive and thrive when you're completely out of your element?

I don't know that every class has unique NPC interactions, outside of a specific instance, but given what I've seen so far a player's choice of class is probably going to have quite a lot of impact on how certain things unfold regarding story and NPC interactions. To me, that's already covered by Commoner. However, I could see an Alchemist/Herbalist, or some other class that has farming as its emphasis once the herbalism gameplay loop is developed and added to the game.

I think even with "perfect" world gen...what makes a world good or bad is still going to be subjective. Players who want ocean worlds aren't going to like land-based worlds, and player who prefer land-based worlds aren't going to enjoy encountering more water than land. It's a good idea to play around with the world gen settings and figure out the configuration that best fits your preferred playstyle, as the default settings may or may not be exactly what you're looking for. To me, the new default world gen seems pretty solid, from what I've seen of it so far. The terrain is overall smoother and easier to traverse, with more grassland and fewer puddles littering the landscape.

I think it's the Commodities trader, mainly, but the Survival Goods trader might sell it as well. It depends on how many poultices one needs. For the average singleplayer game, I would say yes, provided that you aren't getting the snot beat out of you too often. I would say though, that you're probably going to have to choose between making sturdy leather and making poultices with each batch of sulfur you buy. It takes quite a bit of sulfur to create sturdy leather, and the traders don't always have it for sale. I would agree that's generally true, but in some games it might be the only good option you have at the time. For things like sulfur, the trader might not offer it for sale each time, but when he does it's usually easy to clean out his stock and stockpile it for when you actually need it, if you can't otherwise locate a deposit.

Thread in a nutshell, in my opinion. The general default in multiplayer games is to pick the most optimal routes(or what is perceived as such), whether it be for player classes, talents, gameplay strategies, etc. Likewise, not every player has the same preferences when it comes to RPG-style classes, point-buy systems, or just no classes/character progression at all. The main advantage to having specific RPG-style classes/roles like Vintage Story has currently, is that those are a lot easier to integrate into the lore, and are probably easier to balance in terms of gameplay as well since you can tweak traits as needed rather than needing to potentially rework entire talent trees. The benefits of a class have their advantages and can change the flavor of the game in a pleasant fashion. Likewise, the drawbacks are enough to change up the gameplay in an interesting fashion, without the game becoming impossible to complete. As for the lore integration...this is how you get NPCs that react to Blackguards and Malefactors differently than friendlier classes. The main advantage to a point-buy system like XSkills is that players have a lot more freedom to mix and match benefits as they see fit, with the main drawback being that you can't specialize in everything and will have to forgo certain benefits. The other main drawback to this kind of system is that it's very difficult to integrate into the lore, since there is no specific class/role that belongs to the player. I'd be surprised if a mod could be made that satisfies everyone, when it comes to classes and character progression. Some don't like having to pick a class or skills, and just want to do whatever, unhindered. Some prefer picking a class, because that gives them a specialization and identity in the game that's very different from what other classes offer--you know immediately what to expect from a character just by knowing their class. Some prefer a point-buy skill system due to the freedom of customization it offers, so they can mix and match strengths and weaknesses however they see fit. As for which option is the best one...that's entirely up to the players to decide for themselves. Servers will adjust settings and add mods as needed to serve the needs of their players. This is also why there is the option to turn off class-exclusive recipes--I often do so in my singleplayer worlds.

Correct. Sulfur will show up in prospecting data as well, but it also only spawns in sediment rock. The good news is you can just buy sulfur from traders, so you don't necessarily have to locate a deposit in order to acquire it.