"Discard" vs "Keep"

Forum rules
Please DO NOT POST BUGS on this forum. Please report (and vote) bugs on : https://boardgamearena.com/bugs
stuffedrobot
Posts: 1
Joined: 27 May 2025, 05:18

"Discard" vs "Keep"

Post by stuffedrobot »

I assume in the creation of the interface, the designers mimicked language and rules from the game itself. However, I really wish whenever you are prompted to choose what do with between the cards you have that there was some consistency. Some situations call for you to "discard x" cards where as others warrant "choose a card to keep". The amount of times I have been too quick on the mouse because I assumed I was doing the opposite thing have really messed up some games.

Anyone else feel this way?
User avatar
Tisaac
Posts: 2736
Joined: 26 August 2014, 21:28

Re: "Discard" vs "Keep"

Post by Tisaac »

stuffedrobot wrote: 03 July 2025, 19:21 I assume in the creation of the interface, the designers mimicked language and rules from the game itself. However, I really wish whenever you are prompted to choose what do with between the cards you have that there was some consistency. Some situations call for you to "discard x" cards where as others warrant "choose a card to keep". The amount of times I have been too quick on the mouse because I assumed I was doing the opposite thing have really messed up some games.

Anyone else feel this way?
This has already been discussed several times, at least in the bug report section. There is a consistency : the game always ask you the minimal number of clicks needed and will always display a big trash icon on the selected card(s) if the card(s) is going to be discarded.
I am still puzzled to learn that people keep misclicking despite that, really. Do you have any specific examples that you find counter-intuitive ?
User avatar
Azoken
Posts: 122
Joined: 08 October 2014, 14:47

Re: "Discard" vs "Keep"

Post by Azoken »

I can think of two exemples.

On the rescue map, when i want to dig the button is blue and the rescue one is yellow. Muscle memory wants me to click on blue.

When you reach 10 conservation points, you are asked to discard an end game card, as opposed to the elephants wanting you to keep one.

I don't think it's unintuitive but I made the mistake more than once.
User avatar
Tisaac
Posts: 2736
Joined: 26 August 2014, 21:28

Re: "Discard" vs "Keep"

Post by Tisaac »

Azoken wrote: 04 July 2025, 09:13 I can think of two exemples.

On the rescue map, when i want to dig the button is blue and the rescue one is yellow. Muscle memory wants me to click on blue.

When you reach 10 conservation points, you are asked to discard an end game card, as opposed to the elephants wanting you to keep one.

I don't think it's unintuitive but I made the mistake more than once.
The first one is not really related to discard/keep, is it ? And this is exactly why we added a big warning pop-up to again reduce misclick, so I doubt that exchanging the color would really help, but I might give it a try.

For your second case, you are asked to discard when you reach 10 because you may have more than 2 cards so as I said, we always go with smaller number of clicks. Now for the elephant, we could have done either way since it's one click anyway but we noticed (or were informed by players) that in these situation, players tends to more naturally click on the thing they wanted to keep, so we consistently changed for keep instead of discard (same thing for initial 4 out of 8 cards, adaptation was originally asking you which ones you wanted to discard, but it was changed after users argued it was more natural to click on cards to keep).
User avatar
Azoken
Posts: 122
Joined: 08 October 2014, 14:47

Re: "Discard" vs "Keep"

Post by Azoken »

Tisaac wrote: 03 July 2025, 20:04 I am still puzzled to learn that people keep misclicking despite that, really.
I am trying to answer that part.

I have not played the rescue map recently (and hope not to) so it may have changed, but if i click on either button be it dig or rescue, i'm expecting a confirmation window, so i might be lazy and not read it as i know it should pop up anyway.

As for the elephants, more than 8 times over 10, when i'm faced with 2 end game cards, i'm prompted to discard one of those. It's really easy to develop a biais and act as such when playing an elephant.

I clearly dont think it's a UI issue but i try to explain why one migth get it wrong.
User avatar
Tisaac
Posts: 2736
Joined: 26 August 2014, 21:28

Re: "Discard" vs "Keep"

Post by Tisaac »

Azoken wrote: 04 July 2025, 14:53
Tisaac wrote: 03 July 2025, 20:04 I am still puzzled to learn that people keep misclicking despite that, really.
I am trying to answer that part.

I have not played the rescue map recently (and hope not to) so it may have changed, but if i click on either button be it dig or rescue, i'm expecting a confirmation window, so i might be lazy and not read it as i know it should pop up anyway.

As for the elephants, more than 8 times over 10, when i'm faced with 2 end game cards, i'm prompted to discard one of those. It's really easy to develop a biais and act as such when playing an elephant.

I clearly dont think it's a UI issue but i try to explain why one migth get it wrong.
Ok thanks for the explanation. So i guess that there will always be missclick, no mater what we do !
User avatar
werfmark
Posts: 28
Joined: 22 February 2014, 00:35

Re: "Discard" vs "Keep"

Post by werfmark »

Tisaac wrote: 03 July 2025, 20:04
stuffedrobot wrote: 03 July 2025, 19:21 I assume in the creation of the interface, the designers mimicked language and rules from the game itself. However, I really wish whenever you are prompted to choose what do with between the cards you have that there was some consistency. Some situations call for you to "discard x" cards where as others warrant "choose a card to keep". The amount of times I have been too quick on the mouse because I assumed I was doing the opposite thing have really messed up some games.

Anyone else feel this way?
This has already been discussed several times, at least in the bug report section. There is a consistency : the game always ask you the minimal number of clicks needed and will always display a big trash icon on the selected card(s) if the card(s) is going to be discarded.
I am still puzzled to learn that people keep misclicking despite that, really. Do you have any specific examples that you find counter-intuitive ?
this is not true?

if you get adapt 3 you go up to 4-5 end goals typically and have to discard 3 instead of keeping 1-2 to keep.

I would choose to make the interface with Keep always when you have to keep 1-2 cards out of a bunch (adapt, scavenge, hunt, perception, resistance, assertion) and Discard only when you're purely discarding cards (digging, pouching, sunbathing).

Adapt is a little counterintuitive and more clicks now.

Also Discard icon could definitely be more clear.
Shadow00Fox
Posts: 31
Joined: 05 June 2024, 18:15

Re: "Discard" vs "Keep"

Post by Shadow00Fox »

werfmark wrote: 05 July 2025, 00:16
Tisaac wrote: 03 July 2025, 20:04
stuffedrobot wrote: 03 July 2025, 19:21 I assume in the creation of the interface, the designers mimicked language and rules from the game itself. However, I really wish whenever you are prompted to choose what do with between the cards you have that there was some consistency. Some situations call for you to "discard x" cards where as others warrant "choose a card to keep". The amount of times I have been too quick on the mouse because I assumed I was doing the opposite thing have really messed up some games.

Anyone else feel this way?
This has already been discussed several times, at least in the bug report section. There is a consistency : the game always ask you the minimal number of clicks needed and will always display a big trash icon on the selected card(s) if the card(s) is going to be discarded.
I am still puzzled to learn that people keep misclicking despite that, really. Do you have any specific examples that you find counter-intuitive ?
this is not true?

if you get adapt 3 you go up to 4-5 end goals typically and have to discard 3 instead of keeping 1-2 to keep.

I would choose to make the interface with Keep always when you have to keep 1-2 cards out of a bunch (adapt, scavenge, hunt, perception, resistance, assertion) and Discard only when you're purely discarding cards (digging, pouching, sunbathing).

Adapt is a little counterintuitive and more clicks now.

Also Discard icon could definitely be more clear.
I definitely agree. I've also made mistakes with discard, dig, and keep, most notably when using the cards action cards that includes dig. That one is especially dangerous because of you dig from the display there's no option to undo as the display immediately refreshes!

I remember snapping an eagle and being very confused about what happened.

The discard icon instead of a tidy looking tiny trash can that blends in could be a big red X on the card(s) to be discarded?
User avatar
Tisaac
Posts: 2736
Joined: 26 August 2014, 21:28

Re: "Discard" vs "Keep"

Post by Tisaac »

Shadow00Fox wrote: 05 July 2025, 16:58
werfmark wrote: 05 July 2025, 00:16
Tisaac wrote: 03 July 2025, 20:04

This has already been discussed several times, at least in the bug report section. There is a consistency : the game always ask you the minimal number of clicks needed and will always display a big trash icon on the selected card(s) if the card(s) is going to be discarded.
I am still puzzled to learn that people keep misclicking despite that, really. Do you have any specific examples that you find counter-intuitive ?
this is not true?

if you get adapt 3 you go up to 4-5 end goals typically and have to discard 3 instead of keeping 1-2 to keep.

I would choose to make the interface with Keep always when you have to keep 1-2 cards out of a bunch (adapt, scavenge, hunt, perception, resistance, assertion) and Discard only when you're purely discarding cards (digging, pouching, sunbathing).

Adapt is a little counterintuitive and more clicks now.

Also Discard icon could definitely be more clear.
I definitely agree. I've also made mistakes with discard, dig, and keep, most notably when using the cards action cards that includes dig. That one is especially dangerous because of you dig from the display there's no option to undo as the display immediately refreshes!

I remember snapping an eagle and being very confused about what happened.

The discard icon instead of a tidy looking tiny trash can that blends in could be a big red X on the card(s) to be discarded?
I am really confused by this, the trash icon is really big already, no ? And all "dangerous" move always prompt you to confirm your choice, so it's also supposed to prevent this kind of issue
Shadow00Fox
Posts: 31
Joined: 05 June 2024, 18:15

Re: "Discard" vs "Keep"

Post by Shadow00Fox »

The trash icon to me blends in with most of the cards and isn't very noticeable. I play the vast majority of the time on mobile and find it's just not very visible.
Post Reply

Return to “Ark Nova”