# Thread for minor improvements

**URL:** <https://discourse.stonehearth.net/t/thread-for-minor-improvements/21327>\
**Category:** Suggestions\
**Tags:** multiple\_suggestion\
**Created:** [April 9, 2016, 8:34am UTC](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/t/thread-for-minor-improvements/21327 "2016-04-09T08:34:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 17\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![theFipmip](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/discourse.stonehearth.net/thefipmip/32/58662_2.png) [@theFipmip](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/u/theFipmip)\
**Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 8:34am UTC](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/t/thread-for-minor-improvements/21327/1 "2016-04-09T08:34:08Z")

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I was thinking about how the space engineer’s developers would implement an impressive number of suggestions by going for “low hanging fruit,” in that they would look for suggestions that were easy to implement and sounded beneficial. Here are a couple such suggestions, and i wanted to encourage people to post their own in this thread.

- Party leader:  
When a party is given orders, the leader is the one that follows the orders and the other members of the party follow him, thus keeping the group together.

- Shortcut for changing view levels:  
something like alt+scroll wheel should dynamically alter the terrain slicing level to allow people to see more easily into custom buildings that wont have their walls and roofs disappear when using the building views.

- Designating buildings:  
Clicking on a building once it’s finished should allow players to designate it as belonging to a specific class or specific individual. Once this is set, hearthlings belonging to this category will prioritize using this building when eating, sleeping, using workbenches, etc.

- Idle tasks:  
When idling, the hearthings should select random interactive objects in the town (like chairs) to use. While unrealistic, this gives the impression of a more lively town due to the hearthlings going from place to place, rather than have whole areas go seemingly unused. This could be fleshed out later to have hearthlings use designated buildings, have conversations with other hearthlings, inspect market stalls, and so on. Currently, when towns are finished, you simply end up with a whole lot of hearthlings standing around awkwardly in one place.

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**Author:** ![Hieronymous](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/discourse.stonehearth.net/hieronymous/32/28530_2.png) [@Hieronymous](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/u/Hieronymous)\
**Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 1:18pm UTC](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/t/thread-for-minor-improvements/21327/2 "2016-04-09T13:18:19Z")

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A hold-click button (shift?) for selecting mining terrain over multiple z levels

the ability to unselect individual blocks from large selected mining areas, without removing the whole area

The game’s autosave should pause itself while you’re on the save/load menu. I’ve had the game autosave over the save I was trying to load.

scaffolding needs to come down in about half the time it currently takes to deconstruct

The starvation warning alert needs to come earlier; there typically isn’t enough time for the dude to path get saved and path to food once you get that “low on health” buzzer.

**_The game needs an “auto pause on alert” option so I can go afk more safely._**

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**Author:** ![Raffo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/discourse.stonehearth.net/raffo/32/45845_2.png) [@Raffo](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/u/Raffo)\
**Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 10:19pm UTC](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/t/thread-for-minor-improvements/21327/3 "2016-04-09T22:19:49Z")

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> [@theFipmip](#):
>
> When idling,…

…you’re not giving your hearthlings enough jobs! 😛 They should start crafting signs by themselves and protest against their lazy leader! 😃

On a more serious addition to this list:

- Less strict “Defense points”:  
I’d love to have one half of my army usually positioned at the one entrance to my village, and the other half at the other side. But when I use the current “Defend point” command, they will rush there and stand around, possibly even starving themselves to death. I’d prefer if they were smart enough to patrol in a (tight) area around that point, and go to eat and sleep as usually, but the return back to their post. For bonus points, if several hearthlings are assigned to the same area (i.e. they’re in the same group), they should “take turns”, so while one hearthling has lunch, the other stays on duty, and then they switch.

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**Author:** ![Communistpenguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Communistpenguin](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/u/Communistpenguin)\
**Post date:** [April 10, 2016, 4:29am UTC](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/t/thread-for-minor-improvements/21327/4 "2016-04-10T04:29:18Z")

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Id like to be able to assign patrol routes. Also, a new mine option, where you designate the area to be mined up to a certain material quota maybe?

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**Author:** ![theFipmip](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/discourse.stonehearth.net/thefipmip/32/58662_2.png) [@theFipmip](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/u/theFipmip)\
**Post date:** [April 10, 2016, 6:37am UTC](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/t/thread-for-minor-improvements/21327/5 "2016-04-10T06:37:37Z")

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- Have combatant classes within near the town automatically attack any enemy that causes an ‘invaders’ alert. This is in combination with the party leader idea, so that they all attack together. Similarly, combatant classes near a hearthling that runs into an enemy and causes an ‘enemy’ alert should also automatically attack. This increases the ‘simulation, not micro’ aspect of Stonehearth.

- Add an option to combatant commands to have them fall back to defense flags, a command which is also automatically turned off when exiting city alert mode.

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**Author:** ![lios](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/discourse.stonehearth.net/lios/32/28824_2.png) [@lios](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/u/lios)\
**Post date:** [April 10, 2016, 11:39am UTC](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/t/thread-for-minor-improvements/21327/6 "2016-04-10T11:39:37Z")

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- removing scaffolding.  
In order to improve the more complex buildings made out of slabs.  
Let them hearthlings clime up the scaffolding and break it down from the top with a 2 block reach (so a 5x5 block area). And remove the ladder spam in the scaffolding. Since the scaffolding act as a ladder too ( or make the ladders part of it in the scaffolding render so its one item).

- setting markers for your troops.  
I would love to see a (new) flag that you can craft that the troops will use as a marker to guard/ patrol.  
Now my guard are mostly around my farms, witch don’t need protections because they are behinds 4 city walls from the out side. (and the guard option is just evil.)

- more inventory tweaks for containers.  
I would love to have more control over the inventories for chest and crates etc. From setting it to hold a certain item to the amount of that item it should hold. for example my blacksmith has a ore crate. but its over flowing in tin ore while a ton of copper ore is laying out side. making a new crate would just fill it up with what ever is picked up. (and it would not me it that one was filled with tin ore as well.)

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**Author:** ![Simica\_Na](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/discourse.stonehearth.net/simica_na/32/52745_2.png) [@Simica\_Na](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/u/Simica_Na)\
**Post date:** [April 10, 2016, 11:57am UTC](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/t/thread-for-minor-improvements/21327/7 "2016-04-10T11:57:58Z")

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i completely agree with @lios

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**Author:** ![theFipmip](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/discourse.stonehearth.net/thefipmip/32/58662_2.png) [@theFipmip](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/u/theFipmip)\
**Post date:** [April 11, 2016, 1:25am UTC](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/t/thread-for-minor-improvements/21327/8 "2016-04-11T01:25:40Z")

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It’s not the jobs, I’m just thinking ahead to when you have a finished city and all you want to do is explore the map and interact with other places and stuff (check the roadmap). I want the place you leave behind to be more lively.

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**Author:** ![Hieronymous](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/discourse.stonehearth.net/hieronymous/32/28530_2.png) [@Hieronymous](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/u/Hieronymous)\
**Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 2:22pm UTC](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/t/thread-for-minor-improvements/21327/9 "2016-04-16T14:22:06Z")

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The ability to click “remove” or even “clear” or “destroy” on automatically placed scaffolding ladders to just make them GONE when they aren’t removable any other way (even if you surround them with ladders)

Automated slaughtering checkbox for when your pastures max out on capacity.

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**Author:** ![Jim\_Bozo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ad7895/32.png) [@Jim\_Bozo](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/u/Jim_Bozo)\
**Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 3:39pm UTC](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/t/thread-for-minor-improvements/21327/10 "2016-04-16T15:39:46Z")

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@Communistpenguin, there’s a mod called Patrol Mod at [praisedb.x10.bz](http://praisedb.x10.bz). It’s not updated to the latest version number but maybe it still works?

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**Author:** ![theFipmip](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/discourse.stonehearth.net/thefipmip/32/58662_2.png) [@theFipmip](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/u/theFipmip)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 10:05am UTC](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/t/thread-for-minor-improvements/21327/11 "2016-05-15T10:05:15Z")

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I just had a large fight and here is the aftermath:

 ![](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/stonehearth/original/3X/1/0/100f00ca80102ab031957d483bb083f079a14329.jpg)

Here’s how I think this could be better:  
-have creatures lay down when they die. Then a worker or other appropriate class has to come and turn  
them into a gravestone or in the case of an enemy, turn them into the loot you would normally get.

-have tools and weapons stick out of the ground at random angles when they are dropped due the death of a hearthling or enemy, and get rid of the sparkling. armour should stay on the body until attended to by a worker. This should hopefully make it look more like an epic battle took place.

-this next bit is more major, but i want to say it anyway. later on, enemies should start fires to buildings and items. most enemies will be able to do this. the fires will leave charred and broken versions of any block they don’t completely consume, including ground blocks.

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**Author:** ![DeltaMachine](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/discourse.stonehearth.net/deltamachine/32/29879_2.png) [@DeltaMachine](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/u/DeltaMachine)\
**Post date:** [May 17, 2016, 7:34am UTC](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/t/thread-for-minor-improvements/21327/12 "2016-05-17T07:34:44Z")

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Hello Radiant !

In the weaver and blacksmith interface, I would love to see weapons and armors grouped by soldier class (knight, footman, archer, cleric) to find more easily what can be crafted, depending on levels, to upgrade newly promoted soldiers.

Sorry for my english, tried my best. 😉

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**Author:** ![8BitCrab](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/discourse.stonehearth.net/8bitcrab/32/48512_2.png) [@8BitCrab](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/u/8BitCrab)\
**Post date:** [May 17, 2016, 3:42pm UTC](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/t/thread-for-minor-improvements/21327/13 "2016-05-17T15:42:03Z")

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> [@DeltaMachine](#):
>
> In the weaver and blacksmith interface, I would love to see weapons and armors grouped by soldier class (knight, footman, archer, cleric) to find more easily what can be crafted, depending on levels, to upgrade newly promoted soldiers.

hmm… while it seems like it could work, at the same time the crafting menu’s could get really cluttered…

> [@DeltaMachine](#):
>
> Sorry for my english, tried my best. 😉

your English is excellent 🙂

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**Author:** ![DeltaMachine](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/discourse.stonehearth.net/deltamachine/32/29879_2.png) [@DeltaMachine](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/u/DeltaMachine)\
**Post date:** [May 17, 2016, 5:42pm UTC](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/t/thread-for-minor-improvements/21327/14 "2016-05-17T17:42:10Z")

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> [@8BitCrab](#):
>
> hmm… while it seems like it could work, at the same time the crafting menu’s could get really cluttered…

Well, I gave it a try on photoshop and got this result for armor crafted by the blacksmith. I have to admit that’s one more line, but at least I would figure out more easily which stuff every class could get based on their level from left to right.  
The same could be done for combat gears crafted by the weaver.

![](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/stonehearth/original/3X/5/0/50ade2b7bc5a49d7d770f0b7319a0bd651cdb630.jpg)

I’d love to get something like this on Alpha 17 😜

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**Author:** ![8BitCrab](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/discourse.stonehearth.net/8bitcrab/32/48512_2.png) [@8BitCrab](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/u/8BitCrab)\
**Post date:** [May 17, 2016, 5:44pm UTC](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/t/thread-for-minor-improvements/21327/15 "2016-05-17T17:44:16Z")

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> [@DeltaMachine](#):
>
> Well, I gave it a try on photoshop and got this result for armor crafted by the blacksmith.

oh! that looks really good, it also makes a lot more sense and would work a lot better than what i had in mind. i thought you meant having a separate category for each class, so instead of just “armor” it would be “archer”, “footman”, etc 😛

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**Author:** ![Reedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Reedo](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/u/Reedo)\
**Post date:** [May 17, 2016, 9:47pm UTC](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/t/thread-for-minor-improvements/21327/16 "2016-05-17T21:47:05Z")

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Looks good to me! +1

Also twenty characters…

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**Author:** ![theFipmip](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/discourse.stonehearth.net/thefipmip/32/58662_2.png) [@theFipmip](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/u/theFipmip)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2016, 1:37am UTC](https://discourse.stonehearth.net/t/thread-for-minor-improvements/21327/17 "2016-06-08T01:37:32Z")

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ability to hide health indicators, the same way you can hide the HUD