Suggestion for improving game-flow in story-mode

[Zero]

By now, i've spend some time on Niche and really like it. However, i feel like progressing through the story-mode can be rather slow. Maybe that's also in part on me, as i usually spend about 1-3 generations on each island, depending on how big it is. But by now, i've already crossed a couple of islands and in between i was wondering, when i will get to see something new and if i am progressing rather slow, or not.

To improve on this experience, i would offer a couple of suggestions:

a) Include an indicator for direction

In a way, a lot of the time you don't even know where to head. Thematically this is fine, you start lost and also don't really know where to go. Adam wants to return to his home, although he will never make it himself, it is the start of a journey for the following generations. However, it could be nice to get some pointers in between. Recently i got the "tip", that there are "more islands to the north", which made me wonder... "where the heck is north anyway?" There don't seem to be any indicators in the game currently, so the simplest suggestion would be to include a sort of compass for that.

b) Options to alter world-setup when starting story-mode

This could include the posibility for "faster progression/ fewer islands" and "slower progression/ more islands" as well as everything in between. It could also include information on what is to be expected. A lot more options would be possible, although i would suggest to maybe work up to that later.

c) link progression to different dynamic factors

As i understood it, currently when you start the game a "world" is set up, maybe with X islands in combinations of Y, which doesn't really change throughout the game. So another approach could be, to link progress to a mix of dynamic factors, like islands traveled, days survived, or generations, to impact progress, which then influences the ports on the next island.

[Jojo]

Not sure if I would like less islands but some sort of more indication or something has been suggested as well recently. Story mode could use some improvement. Maybe even meeting a member of Adam's island the closer you get so that maybe you could  breed in Home Island immunity in case you lost it

[Veroni]

I have seen it mentioned somewhere: A map of all the already discovered islands would come in handy.

[SnowBeast]

Nichelings arrive on new islands from the south (lower edge). Ports to the west (left) lead to easier islands. Ports to the east (right) lead to islands of equal difficulty to the current one. Ports to the north (upper edge) lead to more difficult islands. A few exceptions to these rules exist, but it's a good general rule.

[Lilytuft]

North port is the one that's on the other side of the islands when you look from the port you came from

[EverEntropy]

I would appreciate this since sometimes I'll rotate the map for a better view and then forget where I was heading