Arcane Gunslinger

You're not wrong, I did react poorly, probably for much the same reason you did as well. It's an unfortunate aspect of online these days. Even if at the time I did feel I was matching a tone that I felt you set, it was rather childish of me to match it back. I could have worded things differently in return. I am human, unfortunately, and we all have moments of fault.

You set the tone to begin with, didn’t you? So I don’t think you have much ground to act offended by my response. Your original wording came off as dismissive and condescending, speaking to others as if they were ignorant, when in fact, you were the one who was misinformed. That said, I did notice you apologized later, and I want to acknowledge that. I’d also like to apologize in return. It was late, I didn’t read further, and I shouldn’t have been as snappy as I was. Two wrongs don’t make a right.

It's pretty weird for you to be accusing people of not "studying" how gardening works in the first place when what you're saying shows a really narrow view of it. No, mulch is for water retention and in dry or desert climates, that’s actually the main reason it’s used. In hot, arid environments, water evaporates from the soil almost immediately. If you don't mulch, you're losing moisture faster than you can replace it, and nothing will germinate or survive. Mulch traps that moisture, keeps the soil cooler, and gives seeds a fighting chance. That’s not some niche technique, it’s basic practice in dryland gardening and it’s been used for generations across the world in places where water is limited. In fact, Mulching as a practice started primarily in dryland and arid regions where water conservation was critical for any kind of successful agriculture or gardening. The main goal in those environments was to retain moisture, protect the soil from intense heat and erosion, and give plants a fighting chance in harsh conditions. Over time, as mulching proved effective, the technique spread to more temperate and even wetter climates. In those zones, the benefits expanded beyond water retention to include weed suppression, soil temperature regulation, and organic matter addition. But the origin of mulching lies in dryland agriculture; it was born out of necessity where water was scarce, not as a general gardening convenience. Gardening isn’t universal. It’s shaped by climate, soil, and resources. What works in your backyard doesn’t necessarily work in a place where it hasn’t rained in weeks and the sun is baking the ground to dust. So before you call people out for not knowing what they’re doing, maybe take a step back and realize you might be missing the bigger picture.

I get where you're coming from, especially if you're wary of anything that smells like organized religion in a game system. That said, I think there’s a key distinction worth making here. What I’m proposing isn’t “religion” in the doctrinal or institutional sense. There’s no dogma, no worship, no divine authority handing down rules. It’s not about belief; it's about relationships and systems of meaning. The rituals, offerings, and pacts aren't religious obligations; they're mechanics with narrative weight. They're a way of grounding magic in a cultural or metaphysical framework that feels deeper than just "cast fireball, roll damage." Yes, it uses the language of reverence and symbolism, but that’s because those ideas have been historically effective in human cultures to explain the unknown. Magic systems without some kind of metaphysical structure can feel like just tech with glowing VFX. I'm not against abstract or modular magic, but I want an option where magic feels consequential, costly, and intertwined with the world’s logic and entities. To your point about modding, absolutely, customization should be on the table. But I do think the base game needs to stand for something. If it tries to please everyone by defaulting to something generic, it ends up with no flavor at all. So if the base game’s magic feels too evocative for some, that’s honestly fine. Clarity in marketing and good mod support can bridge that gap. But let's not confuse symbolism and metaphysics with religion. This is about designing meaningful systems, not preaching. I personally feel that generic "High Fantasy Spellcasting Magic" is the wrong call. There are already many great systems in the game that can synchronize with magic: Seasons, star alignments, herbology, etc.

When I think about the kind of fantasy that would truly complement what Vintage Story already offers, my mind goes to a concept from tabletop RPGs, specifically, Pathfinder’s Kingmaker. You arrive in an untamed land, tasked with establishing a foothold. Building a forward settlement or colony naturally ties into Vintage Story’s strengths in survival, crafting, and world-building, while introducing a strong layer of adventure and exploration. It’s a classic “New World” scenario, pushing into the unknown, carving civilization out of wilderness, and making strategic choices about growth, governance, and defense. And in regard to Magic in a Vintage Story fantasy context, I’d much rather see something mysterious, ritualistic, and utility-focused, rooted in folk traditions or animism, than the flashy, combat-heavy systems of typical high fantasy. Think less fireballs and more blood rites, carved runes, spirit pacts, herbalism, and weather omens. Magic should feel like a strange, ancient force, something you earn through understanding and reverence, not just another skill tree to min-max. Vintage Story already has the right foundation for a more grounded, mysterious take on magic. Systems like temporal stability, astrology, and the game’s overall folk-horror aesthetic naturally support a form of magic that feels ancient, ritualistic, and deeply tied to the world. Instead of high fantasy spellcasting, I’d rather see magic as a subtle, earned force, something practiced through rites, symbols, offerings, and an understanding of natural or cosmic cycles. Think animism, folk magic, and forgotten knowledge passed down in fragments, druids and bog witches, not fireballs and mana bars. I mean, come on, there is already a Carcosa, the King in Yellow, Yellow Mythos vibe going on, play into that.

I can't see how anyone could think this is a bad thing. One of the core pillars of any kind of "Adventure mode" is Exploration. This can only expand the core engine's capabilities. Exploration means Breathtaking Vistas- Which can only benefit the world generation overall Likely far more Animals- Herds, migrations, expanded ecosystems - which in turn could mean herd management, over-hunting mechanics (survival, anyone?), seasonal migrations Greater depth to NPC interactions Likely actual economic/trade systems Quest system - while it may not be entirely applicable to the VS side, there is a tertiary side effect of an expanded events system that can play into VS. All these things can only expand the base engine

Don't see this as bad whatsoever; exploration could use beefing up in VS, and I think an "adventure mode" would lend itself to this perfectly. Though if I had to be honest, I think a better avenue would be something a bit more complimentary to the core already in play, A "Rebuilt Civilization" mode. War, geopolitics, settlements, land claims, economy etc. Something I think the game Eco has done a fair job on in many ways. I think this would be the type of thing that appeals to a greater influx of people. Regardless, "Adventure mode" could have a ton of cross with the core. I'm not so sure "RPG" elements really fit, but exploration sure does.

ECO, I think, would have the best synergy with the Vintage Story team, but that's probably dreaming lol You’ve already built a beautiful foundation for a survival experience. From here, the next natural step is evolving into something broader, something focused on rebuilding civilization itself. That’s where long-term engagement and a wider audience could really come into play. Imagine systems for land claims, geopolitics, and regional economies. Think of trade routes forming between settlements, players establishing kingdoms, or even small-scale conflicts arising over resources. Picture-rich farmland being claimed for agriculture, or high-value mining areas becoming contested zones. You could create entirely new gameplay loops by building mechanics specifically around these ideas, rather than trying to retrofit them into the existing survival systems. Resource transportation could be expanded, too. Roads would matter, carts or pack animals would be essential, and logistics would become strategic. The environment itself could become dynamic, with migrating herds, dwindling animal populations due to overhunting, or localized extinctions that shift the survival balance and push players to move or adapt. All of this opens the door for a different kind of story. Not just surviving the wilderness, but navigating relationships, politics, and economies. The interpersonal aspect could become just as important as the environmental challenges. Now, about magic, while classic fireball-style fantasy doesn’t feel like a natural fit, a more grounded form of mystical influence could. Something like seasonal or ritual magic, tied to agriculture, animal health, weather, or even safety from wild creatures. You already have systems for seasons and celestial events, so magic based on timing or star alignment could feel like a natural extension of the world. Picture rituals held during certain moon phases to bless a harvest, or using carved stones to ward off predators during a migration season. I know this might drift a little from the core conversation, but it feels like a strong direction. You're sitting on a foundation that’s perfect for moving from micro-level survival to macro-level worldbuilding. And that shift could be what brings players in not just to survive, but to shape the world itself.