[2022] Digging is so tedious even with cart

We did have a shovel that was able to do that, but we were not happy with that and have since changed it to the compromise of being able to take more from storages, but not directly from the ground, which also is more realistic. You can still use the "Big Shovel" mod that basically reintroduces the shovel that we once had. We ourselves have no plans to change this.

You also mentioned storage linking, which indeed is a feature of Eco, but not one to stay in the current form forever. Logistics will become much more fleshed out and requiring specialized equipment for later game stuff in the future, where linking will no longer work. Especially transport via chain linking is something that is actually rather an exploit than intended and will not be possible for all times.

As for the pickup range, I've requested QA to take a look on that. Wonky cart physics are already known.

Originally posted by Nintendo: I just bought the game a few days ago so I never tried how it was previously, but what could be the problem with digging more than one ? I bet everyone would be happier, just need to empty the shovel and put it in [carry inventory]. Cart is still needed but not too dependent on it, even 2x or 3x would help much than one, especially for digging floors.

Imo a fun game mechanic is preferable than realistic approach for a game, but if that's how its gonna be then so be it. Its not like I can change anything.

Storage linking should probably just lower the distance or limit how many can be linked or what can link to it, like it's kinda funny for a campfire which usually for cooking to link to a cart, so for example make cart a standalone container that cant be connected to anything other than maybe stockpile, but only can be linked in 3 tile range, something like that for whatever storage is often being exploited.

Because it is a very helpful feature, making it gone completely would make the game super tedious. I've played quite many survival games and juggling through inventory and a ton of storages always annoys me and it can take a lot of playing time, I have a lot of time to play and I still complain, I wonder how ppl that can only play a few hours a day playing a game that needs inventory management most of the time.

Or unless workstations have its own inventory like in Ark SE, I can just drop materials that often be used for specific workstation in there.

(Sorry for the long text, doesnt mean to preach about how to make a game, but just my opinion as a gamer, not a dev, about what I like and dont like in a game)

Eco has several design pillars that we wish to honor and part of that for edutainment game is also to give players a sense of hardship and tediousness. I'm absolutely aware that this doesn't float everyones boat, but it's part of our design philosophy. We do not want players to have a much easier early-game terraforming wise and your first steps into the world should portray correctly that it's hard to terraform by shovel and cart and that manual labor is indeed labor, the achievement being respectively bigger. Zalzany also well explained our goals in regards to collaboration with other players. Having things not super easy to do is also a good reason for people to contract out work for others, which earns them money. Which is a basic design pillar of Eco as well, noone should be doing everything on their own, but relying on their fellow players. So it's a simple design decision. I do not doubt that most players would probably prefer the easy way, but that's simply not what Eco is about. If we'd go by that, one of the servers that ends after three days because it has 10x rates for everything would probably be what we'd need to follow - but that is a totally meaningless experience and has nothing to do with how we envsioned our game.

We don't have plans to remove the linking completely, it would be restricted and gone for later game stuff that requires other means of transportation.