Not Telling People Where to Go or How to Play =/= Hardcore

[Xaandrian]

Hardcore gameplay is established THROUGH GAMEPLAY not through obfuscation.
Not telling people where the extraction points are and insisting that they instead alt+tab, use a second screen, or pull up the map on their phone/tablet is not hardcore.
Not informing players where to find items or how to acquire guns is not hardcore.
I repeat: hardcore gameplay is established THROUGH GAMEPLAY.
Stop pretending that obfuscation makes the game hardcore and stop being apologists by saying "hehe, gitgud, look it up". Having to alt+tab just to google the info isn't what makes a game hardcore. A perfect example of truly hardcore games is the Soulsborne series. Players actually have to git gud, put forth the effort to learn the movesets of weapons, and the best way of dealing with specific encounters/scenarios. Even if they look up the info; they'll still have to actually put that info into practice and truly learn how to execute what it is they're trying to do. That is not the case with EFT.

Obfuscation in lieu of gameplay mechanics or of basic information about how to play/progress/gear-up doesn't make the game hardcore no matter how many fans dig their heels in and swear that it does. While I understand that these players most likely feel this way because it's what they did/had to do and so they feel that new players should need to do it too, it is still not a valid argument. There is absolutely nothing to master in regards to going on google to see 'oh, look, I can trade 1 crinket and 1 box of matches for 1 can of pacific saury at the Therapist', to pull up a map to see 'oh my extraction is that way', 'oh look, I find X item in Y area on Z map' or 'oh I need this mount for this weapon to use this attachment'. Having to do these things simply means the game has failed to set up its players for success. 

My solutions:

1. Barter items should have tooltips that tell you which dealer has trade offers for that item and/or what upgrade they can use them for in their hideout. 
2. Extractions should be marked in some way. The cherry picked realism will not be broken by the existence of a marker. We have a gauge that gives us a reading on our remaining aim/sprint stamina already which is highly unrealistic. So there's no reason we shouldn't have some indication of where we should be headed when it's time to extract. Perhaps a relatively long trail of green smoke that reaches up into the sky, which is visible from anywhere on the map to indicate where the active extraction points are.
3. Quests should inform us which maps we should be visiting in order to acquire the items we need to complete that quest. In the instance where the quest can be fulfilled anywhere, it should say as much or give us recommendations. This information can be introduced to us through the dialogue of the quest-giver.
4. Weapon mods should indicate which attachments they're compatible with and weapons should list which mounts they're compatible with. Not just which items you currently have that they're compatible with. Some items already do this (i.e Kocetov Mount for Mosin Rifle) --so why not all?

These suggestions would basically change nothing regarding the mechanics of the game but instead provide an enormous increase for the games Quality of Life... because googling things ad-tedium =/= hardcore gameplay.

Edited June 7, 2020 by Xaandrian

[Dragoony]

Personally don't see a problem with a game requiring you to learn it, yeah when you're new you have no idea what's going on and the game just says good luck but so what, that's a perfect representation of tarkov in my eyes at least. Barter items, look around, click on things, they tell you what they want, you learn yay. Basic extracts are on the other side of the map from spawn, walk that way and you'll probably eventually run into it, all secondary extracts do tell you if they are open. If a quest wants you to go somewhere it does tell you to go there, if not it lets you figure it out, why is that a problem? Weapon mods are pretty crazy and lots of stuff is going on but you can always look things up (not sure why that is a problem) and like you said if you have it, it tells you it works for it. The game isn't casual nor noob friendly, I'm a noob myself, but personally I enjoy the challenge of having to understand a game without it holding your hand, if you don't maybe the game isn't for you my guy

[Xaandrian]

1 hour ago, Dragoony said:

Personally don't see a problem with a game requiring you to learn it, yeah when you're new you have no idea what's going on and the game just says good luck but so what, that's a perfect representation of tarkov in my eyes at least. Barter items, look around, click on things, they tell you what they want, you learn yay. Basic extracts are on the other side of the map from spawn, walk that way and you'll probably eventually run into it, all secondary extracts do tell you if they are open. If a quest wants you to go somewhere it does tell you to go there, if not it lets you figure it out, why is that a problem? Weapon mods are pretty crazy and lots of stuff is going on but you can always look things up (not sure why that is a problem) and like you said if you have it, it tells you it works for it. The game isn't casual nor noob friendly, I'm a noob myself, but personally I enjoy the challenge of having to understand a game without it holding your hand, if you don't maybe the game isn't for you my guy

this is exactly the mentality I was referring to in my original post. People are content with information being obfuscated because it gives them a less than skill based advantage over others but the reality is that it doesn't somehow make you a better player than others. It only means the playing field isn't being made equal and the game itself has forgone truly hardcore mechanics in favor of obfuscating information.
There's nothing hardcore about looking something up on google--sorry. No matter how much your feelings tell you that it does.
Obfuscation =/="the game isn't casual nor noob friendly". The game itself is actually pretty easy; easier than most in fact due to how easy it is to hide or get a shot on somebody from a concealed position. Obfuscation of the lesser elements like extraction points and barter items isn't a laurel you should be comfortable resting on, my guy.