Candles


AlexandraRussia

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Given that we probably wouldn't find all the chemical additives mentioned in the link just lying about in the gameworld (or would we? I don't know what they are!), what natural/everyday item could be used as a hardening agent (or would the ambient cold take care of keeping the fat solid?)? And what would be used as wicks? I don't know how to make candles, so sorry if I'm being dim.

I'm not sure I like the idea of such specific material being added to the game if they don't serve other more general purposes as well, is the point.

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@Pillock is correct. and add to that we would need, like everything else, what is the trade off?

Matches have a limited supply and do not allows work, flares are great but sparse and only use once.

torches cost fuel, wood, and time to create, and last only a certain amount of time, not to mention, they are "heavy" so you don't carry a bunch and their light radius is not nearly what a lantern has.

So all of these have plusses and minuses. What would be the purpose of a candle beyond what we already have? How would it provide any sort of advantage vs disadvantage? (remember this has to get coded into game play. )

Aside from being able to craft one, let's assume you can get animal fat, would it be any animal or certain ones? Would it require a container (meaning you would need to sacrifice a canned good perhaps, to use as a mold or a vessel for the animal fat.

What would you use for a wick? perhaps that would cost you 1 cloth? how many hours at the crafting table do you spend on it? is it a craftable item you can go back to like something you sew where you can make it in 30 minute intervals until you hit the total time, or do you have to expend X hours all at once to make it?

how does it work in the environments (inside vs outside, wind vs no wind) how much light does it cast (is it similar to a torch on its last legs, meaning it would not be useful for cave navigation but would allow you to read or craft inside a cave where you cannot build a fire for light? and outside it blows out with the slightest bit of wind? Would it work in a snow shelter?

all of these types of questions need to be thought thru so a dev could map out how it fits in the game, goes with any item we "should" have in the game. 

While I do not disagree with the idea (I have probably said it myself) how does it effect game play and balance. Adding another light source, another weapon, another craftable item, another edible item, another animal etc has an effect on the game play both positive and negative for the player of the game. You want a balance. If it is too easy to stay up all the time and craft like a mad man because you have a bunch of candles now, then some of the harder to make items are less "costly" to make in that you have less time where it is too dark to craft. The workbenches in the caves now become far more useful with candles because they would be less costly in theory than a lantern to burn long enough. with a lantern you have to carry a lot of extra fuel if you want to have light in the cave for extended amount of time.

SO I say to anyone still reading....how would you balance it?

 

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As far as crafting them I think fat from animal kills would already be something to add easily (especially bears), the wick could be us tearing the cloth into pieces possibly and maybe getting 2-4 wicks for 1 piece of cloth?  In regards to the other components I'm not really sure, maybe the candles without the alum just won't burn as long or keep shape for an extended duration.

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  • 4 weeks later...
On 5/16/2017 at 10:30 PM, cekivi said:

Have candles be lootable... but not craftable ;) 

 

On 5/17/2017 at 0:50 AM, SameMax said:

This. Candle could be used only inside the buildings (as outside wind might put it out) and only be lit by matches.

 

This this... 2 or 3 different sizes— the larger candles could burn longer, but would also be heavier.

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On 6/14/2017 at 8:44 AM, LeeHarveyOslik said:

I will just leave it here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rushlight

А для русскоязычного пользователя просто стыдно не знать про такой источник освещения как лучина.

Well that fits well for crafted candles, take a cat tail stalk and some animal fat and you get a crappy candle!

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On 6/19/2017 at 9:09 PM, ElCapitan said:

 

This this... 2 or 3 different sizes— the larger candles could burn longer, but would also be heavier.

I really don't think that candles should give the player any weight issues; after all, it's a candle.....

 

Like I stated, let's not make the devs' job complicated by putting in 3-4 different sizes: instead, let's have 1 average sized candle that ha slow light but lasts long.

On 6/20/2017 at 3:16 PM, continuity said:

Well that fits well for crafted candles, take a cat tail stalk and some animal fat and you get a crappy candle!

When I made candles, we would take a long string and dip it in wax. Afterwards, we would go around a circle  putting the candles in various containers (cold => hot => cold etc...). I admit that it looked really ugly :D but man could those candles burn...

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I really really would like some candles! When it's dark but my character isn't tired enough to sleep, I wish I could do something other than lay in bed to pass the time. I want to repair clothing, read, or craft, stuff that's actually productive to the game, without wasting my lamp fuel. 

And candles should be relatively easy to craft. We harvest animals for their meat, hide, and guts. Why not fat also? According to this link: http://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2012/02/how-to-render-beef-tallow.html making your own tallow should be relatively simple. You should basically render (cook over low heat for a long time-you can do this at night when it's too cold to go outside but your character isn't tired yet) the fat. Then you melt the tallow and pour it into a container (leftover foods cans or those cups you find in places but are non-lootable) with a wick (strip of cloth that's twisted, dipped in fat, and dried). 

Trade-offs would be that it can only be used inside buildings (wind blows it out) and that one candle doesn't light up the whole room. 

 

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