Easy Fix -- Admin Bldg: clearer rewards

[DarkGravity]

There are many ways in which this game doesn't seem natural, intuitive. One tiny example: I almost just sold some of my current science in the Admin building. via Research Rights Sellout. The game told me I would get 503.215 funds for 12 science. Since I read it as 503,215 instead of 503.215 it seemed like a much better deal than it actually was. The problem is that the . and the , look very similar -- especially when followed by three more numbers. In several places the Admin Bldg uses three decimal-place-accuracy where it is not only unneeded, but can be misinterpreted.

Simple Solution: when you list the rewards, limit the display to 1 decimal place accuracy. Changing it to "503.2" funds for 12 science, would have little to no downside, and would be harder to misinterpret, especially among the four-eyed crowd. As a writing professor once said: "If it can be misunderstood, it will be misunderstood. Try to write something that can not be misunderstood." Anyway, I know this isn't a huge deal, but it should at least be really easy to polish up.

[Streetwind]

This makes total sense, and I agree with everything you said.

[cicatrix]

Apparently this problem is relevant only for cultures where comma is used as a thousand delimiter. Never had any issues with that myself.

[DarkGravity]

Not only for other cultures, but also for idiots like myself who have below-average eyesight, and are dumb enough to assume that a little blip with 3 decimals after it surely must be a comma. Since there is no need for 3 decimal place accuracy in this situation, it is easy to assume it is not a period, and to rush past the looking carefully stage.

As a neuroscientist, I can tell you that when people read, they usually read whole words at a time. They don't usually look at each letter to decide what the word is (unless they are just learning to read). Same thing can happen with numbers (to an extent), and the 3 decimal place accuracy threw me. It provided enough of a context that my brain blew past the looking at each subcomponent of the whole and simply deciphered it as a six figure salary... Fivehundredsomethingthousand. I'm sure it will throw other idiots like me :-) If you want to keep the game flowing, keep the mind moving quickly and keep things intuitive, get rid of the unnecessary decimals.

Edited May 15, 2015 by DarkGravity

[cicatrix]

Not only for other cultures, but also for idiots like myself who have below-average eyesight, and are dumb enough to assume that a little blip with 3 decimals after it surely must be a comma. Since there is no need for 3 decimal place accuracy in this situation, it is easy to assume it is not a period, and to rush past the looking carefully stage.

As a neuroscientist, I can tell you that when people read, they usually read whole words at a time. They don't usually look at each letter and decide what the word is. Same thing can happen with numbers (to an extent), and the 3 decimal place accuracy threw me. It provided enough of a context that my brain blew past the looking at each subcomponent of the whole and simply deciphered it as a six figure salary... Fivehundredsomethingthousand. I'm sure it will throw other idiots like me :-) If you want to keep the game flowing, keep the mind moving quickly and keep things intuitive, get rid of the unnecessary decimals.

In my country they use whitespaces as a thousands delimiter and comma as a decimal one. So, I would never mistake 503.215 with 503,215 since it will mean all the same to me. At the same time I could easily mistake American 23,500 (meaning 23,500.00) with just 23.5.

[Mr. Scruffy]

Agree with OP.