lifespan of items

[June]

Hello my fellow survivors,

i have a question regarding my favorite survival game:

When does item decay start? I´m picking up as less as possible to reach more gametime, even don´t leave my starting map for over 100 days. Do the items start to decay once you pick them up or find them in a container? Does decay start once i enter a region? Or do they decay right away, wherever I am? Thanks in advance!

cheers,

June

P.S. it´s damn cold out here! :?

[bethany]

Items start to decay once you actually pick them up and place them in your inventory. If you simply click on it and enter inspection mode, but do not actually take the item, the decay clock will not start.

[June]

that´s good to know! thanks, beth. also thanks for this great game, it keeps getting better and better ♥

[bethany]

Any time. Glad you're enjoying it!

[piddy3825]

What if you pick up an item, move it and then drop it again, placing it on shelf for example. what does that do to the age cycle clock?

[June]

dropping and placing will make the item decay eventually. tested it when i put all my food on a table

[June]

Bethany, unfortunately what you said isn´t the case

i looked at a box of matches (only inspection mode, didn´t pick it up) and it was at 81 %. Then i slept a night or two and when I looked at it again, it was at 77%! So apparently inspection mode does start the aging clock?

[Doc Gonzo]

Items start to decay once you actually pick them up and place them in your inventory. If you simply click on it and enter inspection mode, but do not actually take the item, the decay clock will not start.

Bethany, I could've sworn that inspection started decay. Is this a recent change? Good news if true!

[bethany]

Inspection should not start the decay clock. We did double check this before I posted my response, but I'll be sure to pass along your note.

Sorry to ask the obvious question first: Had you previously picked up the matches and then dropped them again, or was this the first time you'd encountered them?

[selfless]

I just did a quick check with the raw meat found in the DP cave, new game, v0.271. Left clicking it to inspect its quality (39%) then right clicking to not pick it up. 12 hours later, 29%. 12 hours later, 19%. 12 hours later, 9%.

So, inspection does start the clock. At least for pre-existing meat. In the DP cave. On my machine.

[bethany]

Sorry guys, there's apparently been some ongoing confusion on this topic. I did confirm with the team before I responded, but it seems there was a misunderstanding on my part.

I was under the impression that inspecting an item, but not placing it into your inventory, does not start the decay clock. This is not the case. Once an item is inspected, it is considered "handled", and the decay begins.

The only exception to this is simply moving an uninspected item with the placement system, rather than actually picking it up and inspecting it/putting it into your inventory.

Sorry for the confusion!