Some random interface suggestions:
- On the invite dialog. Show the gate and the depth that you are being invited to. In addition show the cost of joining.
- On the social tab, show the cost of joining someone (energy and crowns) next to the join option.
- Show more of the interface during the loading screens. In particular let players see their current crowns, energy, and possibly inventory in between depths.
- If possible show (global) chat channels during load.
Also not really an interface suggestion, but instead of dropping a players inventory on the elevator when that player decides to go up, transport to the start of the next level. This could avoid a lot of frustration with players leaving without dropping their pills first.
I like the idea of dropping the pick-ups to the next level, when a player goes up.
Players won't need to drop their stuff before leaving, for the others to get it, if they want to leave on the elevator (heat animation).
... but this change suggests an additional change:
In the next level people with fast internet connection, fast PC and fast route to the server will spawn first and get all the stuff. So there could optionally be some kind of locking, that prevents them from moving until everyone has loaded (if there are pick-ups present). This however requires a timeout, if one of the players takes so too long to load or does not complete loading at all.