"Refreshing" and "ragequit" in the same sentence? That might be a first
Glad to hear you're enjoying it!
Re: hotkeys and UI tweaks, I think this is probably the single most often cited problem with the game. The UI has evolved to be better over time, but obviously still has a ways to go. I have some things on my list which might help, and hopefully we can iron out the rough spots.
Re: having supernatural elements in the game, that's kind of a big deal for me, so I should be up-front about that. I played a lot of Rifts and Shadowrun back in the day, and enjoyed the mix of magic and tech in Arcanum, so I'll probably be steering a similar course in NEO Scavenger. Admittedly, Rifts went pretty bonkers with some ideas (Shadowrun too), so I'm hoping to keep a steadier hand in that regard.
Some examples of supernatural which might be closer fits include X-Files and Mage: The Ascension. Worlds where weird things exist, but are often rationalized away with science (or insanity).
I realize some folks prefer a more "The Road" experience, so one thing I'm considering is opening up the game to modding in the future. Perhaps if I can expose the game data in the right ways, folks can edit out the supernatural elements, or tweak the setting in other ways to suit their play style.
Re: hideouts and properties, that's sort of the thrust of the campsite feature that I added a while back. Each hex can have up to 5 different "sites" for stashing stuff and taking shelter. They provide variable amounts of concealment, shelter, restfulness, and healing rates (e.g. sleeping in an open field makes it harder to recuperate than in an apartment building). The latest build also features the ability to repair some tech in the cryo facility for heat and light. There's more that could be done, to be sure, but there are a few hooks like that already in there. (Note: some of those stat ratings are not visible to the player unless they have an appropriate skill, such as hiding->concealment).
Re: durability of items, it's mainly a measure of the items' remaining usable lifetime. Shoes with a low durability will fall apart sooner than a pair with higher durability. Repairing the damaged items is something that may come with the crafting update, once that's reached on the feature voting (more plot and bigger font/resolution are voted to the top right now). Also, you're right that NPCs should start with weathered items. That they don't isn't a design decision as much as a system I haven't had time to write yet
Re: companions and NPC packs, this is a tricky bit. I think it's unlikely that players will have companions in NEO Scavenger version 1. I'm having trouble keeping up with the systems I've added already, so adding more party members seems like biting off more than I can chew. If I reach a point where the other systems are mature enough and run smoothly, I may consider it (I really like the idea, mind you, I'm just trying to be realistic about my own capabilities).
NPC packs of 2 or more are something I'll probably add to v1, though. I may not be able to dedicate a lot of time to pack tactics and AI, but at least I can make certain NPC types appear in more logical numbers than 1. I'd also like NPCs to appear in more logical places and times. E.g. the dogman isn't meant to be everywhere in Michigan, but rather a more regional (and rare) encounter. I just have so few creatures to work with that I include them all, everywhere for now.
Finally, NPC spawns are tricky too. I totally agree that games are more fun when NPCs don't magically appear (random world encounters bothered me in other games, since I wanted to be able to outmaneuver them, or lay a trap). However, populating the world with creatures means the player must wait for AI to move each turn, which can really bog down the processor. Whenever I've tried it, my turns were taking too long to process, and it felt like I was always watching an hourglass.
Also, the population had a tendency to trend towards zero over time (dogmen vs. raiders vs. looters vs. bandits). With 50 or 100, this drops NPC encounters down to rare or never on the current map size. Realistic populations (e.g. 1000s or more) would help solve this, but would kill the CPU.
So as a compromise, I try to spawn NPCs at the periphery of the player's view range. When walking the map, the player may reveal a hex with a creature, and it will seem like they were always there. Plus, if the player flees many NPCs in a small area, they pile up and eventually kill each other off, keeping the turn processing time in check.
Scavenging, on the other hand, pops a creature into the current hex. My rationale here was that the player was busy inside, looting cabinets or drawers, and something was attracted by the activity. It seemed likely that the threat would be close by the time it was detected (i.e. the random combat starting range, usually beyond melee, but within rifle range).
I figured that scavenging was a rewarding process, and needed an appropriate risk to balance it. Accidents are one, as is time expenditure, but hostiles seemed more immedaite a threat. But this system may be too simplistic, or hand-wavy.
Overall, I'm open to suggestions for change, though I usually try to wait until I can see the system working in my head, and how it ties into existing parts. Completely new systems take weeks to design, and often weeks again to write and bug-fix, so I try to look for systems that bridge existing pieces as much as possible.
As always, thanks for the feedback and encouragement. There's always good info to be had here!