Interface questions

[Neofit]

Hi,

I've played only a few hours so far and have enjoyed what I saw for the most part. I have started as a Wanderer, now have a posse of 8 people and a small house in Brink, but I'm not sure what to do next. I find myself constantly fighting against the interface and it takes away a lot of the enjoyment.

I understand that to select people I press a number key. How do you do it with a group larger than 10 people?

Also, how do you guys manage people when building a compound? Right now I recruited 2 engineers, so in the room I bought I thought I would start crafting and researching, and for that I need to keep the engineers there. But if I start running around with the other 6, gaining fighting exp and looting, it's a real PITA to try and select, again and again, the 6 people who are not working in town. Do you guys separate your group or do you just throw everyone at the building tasks, increase game speed and read a book? Or am I doing something wrong and/or have missed an obvious option?

If that is the way it is working currently, I'd suggest creating groups like in an RTS or Towns. Or, if it's easier to implement, make it so a toon that was assigned to building or the research machine is not selectable by the 'select all' command, one would need to double-click on him to gain focus then right-click to cancel or change the task.

Another issue is the merchant window. Right now I am running around looting stuff. Then, when I am back in town to sell, I need to play some kind of weird tetris game with all the town merchants to try and sell my loot. I am so happy when one of them has enough room for more than two swords! How are you guys selling stuff? By drag-dropping from your inventory into an empty and large enough space in the trader's inventory? Not only is this interface is awkward to use, but it is not working well. Say I put my sword too close to an item (and it is not obvious how many squares it is occupying), I drop (e.g. sell) my sword, but for some reason I now have this item I don't want on my cursor. So I put it back and tadaa, I bought my sword back with the trader's markup. So, am I doing something wrong or this is the only way to sell.

If it is then I suggest something like a right-click to sell, of a black hole dropbox in the trader's window. I don't think the current Tetris-like sale window adds anything to the game experience.

So, am I doing something wrong? If not, then maybe we can suggest to fix these usability issued before adding more bells and whistles? Having me fight against the interface is the best way for a game to drive me away quickly. I started typing this because I was about to send my crew on another fighting-looting tour, then I thought to myself: "Why do it, it's going to be a PITA to sell it all again, and the toon select is a going to be a chore too, nah, I'll do something else".

Also, is it me or is Brink "broken"? I mean I can't go from the city gate to the Trader house directly, there is an invisible wall that makes my toons go around a house near the opposite city wall.

[hbrown]

Yo can simply drag the left mouse to select the group out of you ahve them close, simpl as that, or even, when you select all you can use shift and left click to deselect if i am not wrong, tho would be nice the option to "build group" like in some other games.

About the shops, no you not doing anything wrong, is how they are, i actually don t mind, but lot people seem to complain that mechants don t always have space to receive all the objects they way.

About Brink, to me i think is ok if is thetown i think.

About me i never bought houses in a town, i did research in my own village, so i had them reserach and others do other jobs, i would have either others just atroling (standing, if any enemy went clsoe to engage they would deal, if needed i could release others as well), in times i am not fighting and just want a research there might be a couple stuff i do, i leave normal speed and might be doing some other stuff outside Kenshi, tho this is rare unless i really have to and go look once in a while because of invaders or some sections of work, i leave the researchers, leave a small team behind, and take the new people to in field train, or just be full speed organizing everything and everyone stuff (jobs, positions and buildings) while others research.

[Beckz]

Welcome,

as you know the game is still in the alpha phase, so be a bit patient with the interface.
But I might have some tips that help you along.

First of, your suggestions - please write them in the Feature Requests Forum.

I understand that to select people I press a number key. How do you do it with a group larger than 10 people?

You use your mouse

Left Click - Select Character
Douple Left Click or Right Click - Center on Character
Hold Shift + Left Click - Select Group of Characters
or Hold Left and draw a rectangle around the Characters you want to select

Also, how do you guys manage people when building a compound? (...) Do you guys separate your group or do you just throw everyone at the building tasks, increase game speed and read a book? Or am I doing something wrong and/or have missed an obvious option?

Well, it depends - I usually have only one person who builds / produces whatever I need.
If I need something quick I might let the other guys help.

Important is, to have always someone close to your research tables -> if you are to far away from them they will stop researching until you enter the area again.

Additionally, above I gave you the Right Click and Draw Rectangle to move between groups.
Caution!! - If you draw a rectangle to select your group - look out not to select other members of your faction, whose names can be seen in the background. Or you may end up giving them commands too.

I need to play some kind of weird tetris game with all the town merchants to try and sell my loot. (...) How are you guys selling stuff? By drag-dropping from your inventory into an empty and large enough space in the trader's inventory?

Actually, I enjoy these little games of tetris and am really happy if I find a way to fit it all.

But here a little trick to make it easier on you:
1. Buy a merchant backpack and stack your items
2. Select an entire stack by dropping another item in its inventory slot
3. sell the entire stack

This way you can sell up to 6 items in the same spot. But be careful you can't pick it up again in the merchants inventory without destroying the stack and having to place all the items separately.

Also, is it me or is Brink "broken"? I mean I can't go from the city gate to the Trader house directly, there is an invisible wall that makes my toons go around a house near the opposite city wall.

Yeah... No! As I mentioned it's still an Alpha.

[Tolwrath]

I understand that to select people I press a number key. How do you do it with a group larger than 10 people?

You use your mouse

Left Click - Select Character
Douple Left Click or Right Click - Center on Character
Hold Shift + Left Click - Select Group of Characters
or Hold Left and draw a rectangle around the Characters you want to select.

Additionally, you can hold shift while drawing a rectangle to add those characters to your current selection instead of selecting just them. Shift + clicking works on both characters and character portraits.

Oh and if you shift + click in the inventory/merchant, you can pick up an entire stack, instead of just one item. No need to use a second item to displace the stack.

[Beckz]

Oh and if you shift + click in the inventory/merchant, you can pick up an entire stack, instead of just one item. No need to use a second item to displace the stack.

cool

[mehelsel]

I didn't know you can buy houses in a town, how do you do that?

[Beckz]

I didn't know you can buy houses in a town, how do you do that?

Left-Click the door of a building and it's information will be displayed in the bottom right corner of the screen. If the building is empty, there will be a line with "FOR SALE" and a button with a price.
-> Press the button if you have the money and the building will be yours.