Suggestions Box (Jan 2018)

Every month I list five things I'd like to see added, altered or abolished from the game. Because even though my long time of playing Restaurant Story clearly shows I love it, that doesn't mean it's perfect. Some of the ideas I'll air will be significant game changers while others will be low-key and irrelevant in the eyes of many of you readers.

You can share your own suggestions too via the comments. If I like them, I may even include them in the next instalment!

In no particular order, here are this month's entries...

 #261: Vary bonus goal recipes required

I've been pretty positive about the bonus goals on the whole since they made their debut with a pirate themed update back in August, but there is an issue with them that I think needs addressed. And that is the repetition of the recipes called for in the various tasks.

Part 1 of glow party themed bonus goals

The likes of the Waffles, Chicken Pot Pie and Handburger are all mainstays of the bonus goals, and although we did have some respite during the seasonal quests, normal service has been resumed in the current goal set. The common denominator with these dishes is the level upon which they are unlocked. I believe you only need to be at level 12 to access the goals, so it is necessary for Storm8 to include recipes which are available to low level players.

But there are over 100 recipes which are available by level 12, so this isn't really an excuse. The gamemakers should be making better use of the vast array of foods they have designed for the game, rather than having us slaving over BBQ Wings every time.

 #262: Show time and battery level on screen

This is a simple suggestion to solve a small problem. Every app seems to take a different approach to the matter of the display at the top of the screen. I'm talking here about the likes of the time, battery level and network connection which the first world has come to rely upon massively. Storm8's approach (at least on iOS devices) is to prevent you from seeing these icons, meaning that to tell the time you have to minimise the app or (god forbid) check your watch.

I can't deny that this is a highly pernickety niggle, but we're at #262 so it's inevitable!

 #263: Avoid incorrect plurals in goal text

This is a bug of sorts which has been prevalent recently, although it is the result of sloppiness on the part of the game's developers rather than any underlying glitch. There have been a few occasions where the goal text has included a misspelling in relation to the pluralisation - one such example was the second part of the Turkey Cooker goals for Thanksgiving:

Part 2 of the Turkey Cooker goals

Every line here has an error - the plurals of hash and meatloaf are hashes and meatloaves respectively, while 'leftoverss' is certainly not a word. I'm a stickler for correct spelling and grammar so rest assured this annoyed me. And although it isn't a game destroying problem, it doesn't exactly set a good precedent for any youngsters playing the game.

I assume that the code being used to produce the goal text was just adding an 's' irrespective of the word preceding it, and clearly that does not end well 100% of the time. Storm8 seem to have got away from making these silly blunders in the past few updates, so I'm just calling for them to make sure that remains the case.

 #264: Allow wall posts to be blocked

This was a suggestion from regular contributor Nibble and Noms some time ago. When a player is not around for a period of time, it can be quite easy to not spot a message they've left on their wall addressing their absence if they enjoy a lot of wall activity. Even including a comment not to post on your wall can be ineffective, with players not taking the time to note.

This can of course lead to neighbours being deleted when it really isn't necessary. To get around this we need the ability to block posts from being made on the wall. This would not only solve the issue of all important 'please don't delete' posts being overlooked when you're away for a while, but would also allow those players who don't wish to interact with the community that opportunity.

 #265: Spice up goal structure

Let's face it, the current goal structure is incredibly predictable. And with goals coming so frequently it's beginning to grate. It all starts with wallpapers and floor tiles, then steps involving the first appliance, followed by the second. Add in a sprinkling of sidesteps that call for the purchase of tables and chairs along with community visits and you have a bland goal set.

 Recent Suggestions Box posts

 16/12/17 December 2017
 18/11/17 November 2017
 28/10/17 October 2017
 23/09/17 September 2017
 26/08/17 August 2017

A spicing up of the goal structure is long overdue. The bonus goals were a nice addition, and we need more innovation in this vein. Perhaps existing recipes related to the theme should be thrown into the mix (with the level of unlock dropped for the duration of the goals if necessary). Maybe do something different from collecting parts to build a cooker such as cooking a certain quantity of another dish. Just something to make it more interesting!