I really really like the idea of using the dining table as the "food dispenser," as well as the idea to lengthen the growing cycles and reduce the food bar depletion rate. The key would be to figure out the correct logic for consuming meals, especially if some foods gave other status effects in addition to just filling food points.
But you really don't need to eat a lot if you take care what are you wearing and with what boosters... you will need to eat like once or twice a day most of the time - you just have to find combinations that are good for you, and for what tasks. Few weeks ago people ware complaining on MP server about how much they have to eat, and how devs need to drop that from game... and of course it turns out they are all the time in heavy armors, no matter what they do. After couple of us explained them thing or two about armors & boosts - they all changed their minds If you use Medium Armor it has 1.73 food cons. but when you put on it 3 multi-boost add ons food cons. fall to 0.77! ... so you can work, drive, even fight and not to think about food at all Ok, different people plays in different styles, but for me making food & eating is almost like non-existent part of the game...
Honestly, I'd rather have my suit draw power from fuel packs than deplete my food bar. Many games with power armor have some kind of suit energy meter, which is one thing I think we're missing in Empyrion.
This...told some guys on my server yesterday as well. As soon as i go on a raid i equip my heavy combat armor, with my boosts already fitted out. When i get back i drop the armor, and if going outside i equip light armor only. I run faster, jetpack higher and eat less
Anyway, regardless, the current farming and food system has little to no depth to it; the only challenge is initially getting enough grow plots. None of the recipes except for canned vegetables are worth making, and basically no thought is needed as to what kind of and how many of each plant should be planted.
When they increased the harvest amount, then increased all food ingredients to reflect this, while keeping food values the same... yes, not thought out. Personally I don't see the point increasing the havest amount x4 just to increase amount required for recipies by x4. Pointless, should have left it the same.
AFAIK place holder/mechanic for future items and people complaing that the bush shows more then 1 tomato so why are we only picking one
... as SivRav said, I also still think that we are going to have better re-balance of ingredient numbers for meals and other things (it is ok to use full 4 tomatoes for canned meat or veg., but to use 2 or 1 for one-person meal, etc.). There are some really great and detailed ideas & suggestions regarding food, med. & farming, on the forum - but incorporating some of that is for later date (like after improving basic economics and we get option to sell). BTW Devs - is there a chance in empyrion universe that you suddenly decide to make grown veggies plants in plots 10-15% smaller (not a lot at all, tiny bit so that physically fit in their invisible blocks over grow.plot)... so, just like that - POOF!, and we can collect them much-much easier
They made them stackable, which allows for more inventory space. But to increase harvest amount by 4x then to increase recipe requirement by 4x is zero-sum, and in this particular circumstance, utterly pointless. Except since they left prepared food values the same, so it's better to NOT make prepared food. That last being suspected to not be the intent.
One key recipe did not increase to 4. Emergency Rations. For two items it is only 2 now. In the future we may see more of that.
