Hi there i have seen the actual stream for the desert and im really dislike the new cactus ^^ i think the old ones was much better? or what do you think?
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Well, I’m a bit torn. I think the color of the new one is closer to what I’d like, but the design is too blocky for me. It’s the thorns that do it–they look like giant bones jutting out of the plant rather than cactus prickles. If the amount of voxels composing the creation was doubled and the spikes could be finer and smaller (looking less like some sort of alien/corrupted organism), I think they’d look better. I’m okay with them not looking like your typical saguaro cactus.
Though if we’re going to have cacti that big, I feel that there should also be some smaller ones like the acacia trees so it blends a little more evenly.
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Yeah, my only issue may be this. Those are some massive cactus! Which Is ok if that’s the flavor of the world, but some blending sounds nice.
Other than that, i think they add a nice unique flavor and i’m ok with that.
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I know this may sound strange but I would rather there wasn’t any cactii at all.
The thing is they are an american plant and none of our cultures fits in america. The deserts in Africa, Asia and Europa don’t have indigenous cactii. I find it hard to think the Rayyan as an arabic inspired culture living in a desert with cactii around. So if I had to choose I would rather go for the smaller posible cactus.
I know about the corn, but that is a plant you grow. It could be imported. But the cactii would be local flora. Kind of puts me off. Even in a fantasy setting. 
Have fun, Kyth
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I did a bit of research [read: two Google searches] and found out that date palms exist around northern Africa and the Middle East. So, the old palm trees actually had a reason to exist.
I guess @Tom ended up moving the desert to another continent while trying to make it “make more sense”. It’s an easy mistake to make - us Americans tend to associate “desert” with “background in a Western” - but I think that’s wrong here.
A hybrid wouldn’t be terrible if it seemed more on purpose, though, I think.
I believe having the desert look more like an American Mid West area was a deliberate choice. Tom went through some different desert types before settling on that one.
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I guess it is due to what you are more used to. When I picture a desert I never think of cactus. Dunes, palm trees, oasis, bushes and small plants with colourful flowers is what comes to my mind. That is probably why I prefer the small ones.
I’ll go with whatever Tom likes, and If there is one I don’t like, well, I can always chop it down 
Have fun, Kyth.
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Clearly Tom’s choice is bounded to what he knows best. Anyway it’s a fantasy world so cactus for me isn’t a big issue.
Now, a little bit off topic, when I see the world generation I think there is an issue! 2 tiny spots of water in the middle of nowhere? Guess where 99% of the player will settle?
So with such design, the settlement’s location choice is totally flawed. Imho, I wouldn’t put open body water at all in such desert BUT people could find water underground. And to find water, we could imagine a peculiar soil color (not visible at map level) where one could dig. The frequency placement of these spots could be similar to the ones for berries or rabbit ruins in the Ascendency.
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Not going to lie, I absolutely love this idea. I might possibly love you for this idea… >.>
Back on topic. Agreed. Working from what Tom knows best makes sense, and the mixing of culture vs location doesn’t bother me mainly due to the fact that our towns are settlements possibly outside of where the Hearthlings originally came from. And if not… it still doesn’t bother me much. Fantasy is funny that way.
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Hey, anybody remember when we were obsessed over the lack of potatoes because we thought it meant that there might be a New World to find them at later on in the game? (Pokes @TurtleSquish)
Well, now we’ve got Old World crops alongside New World crops, and we’ve moved past that - so why not Old World people and New World cactus? Assuming Stonehearth’s world is split off just like ours would seem to be wrong at this point.
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I understand what you mean, and you are right, the hearthlings don’t live in our world.The problem lies in the other side of the screen. We, the players do live in this world. It is a problem (not biggy) of player inmersion. What is the message you want your desert to give? What image do you want the players to create in their minds? You have to be careful with what you use or add.
The small cactii with the lovely flower on top are perfect. They are cute and very Stoneheath. The big ones are so alien they create “fantasy” by themselves. A new, different world. I would avoid the branched ones though. When I see them I can’t help but expect Clint Eastwood with a poncho to turn up around the next corner. ( I do like those films, Btw)
So the question is, What kind of desert do you want the players to think of when they play? Arabian? Comanchero wild west? If it is a fantasy one avoid things that may direct them in wrong direction.
This are just my thoughts on the matter. Being a bit of a perfectionist I can help it 
Probably I pay too much attention to the details…
Have fun, Kyth.
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