Dam Scrap Metal

[Bill Tarling]

I think we should be able to find at least some scrap metal at the dam [from broken lights in lower level, from the upper level shelves and lockers, etc]. Might even need to use up some of the crowbar to break down some of those objects [so decision: do I use it to open lockers, or get scrap metal then back to safehouse to repair/strengthen crowbar then back to dam to finish lockers].

Would be used for repairing the items like crowbar, rifle (etc.) but repairs would require doing them at the Homestead table [not really something you could do effectively on the go].

That would also give another reason to sort of require trips between those two points.

Side Note: Some of the boxes/crates should start disappearing if doing indoor foraging in the dam building. Only makes sense the crate would could be smashed and used for wood.

[Raphael van Lierop]

Woah woah...don't stack too many wish list items in the same post.

I can easily tune the loot tables to provide more scrap metal. Direct object harvesting is a bigger challenge.

Is there currently a shortage of scrap metal in the game?

[Bill Tarling]

Is there currently a shortage of scrap metal in the game?

Unless we're missing sources like cans or something, so far the main sources of scrap metal seem to be can openers, crowbars, lanterns, and perhaps rifles. Might be some I'm missing, but right now it's mainly a case of harvesting the main items before they hit 0% condition [where somehow they lose all metal and vanish rather than automatically becoming scrap metal].

[paloNJ]

I really like the idea of it instead of disappearing at 0% , staying in you inventory, for you to repair or turn to scrap.

[accurize2]

I really like the idea of it instead of disappearing at 0% , staying in you inventory, for you to repair or turn to scrap.

Love this idea. Same for clothes too.

Turling, I didn't think we could harvest can openers...which we should, but as it is in v.094 I don't think we can. I might be mistakened on that though.

Anyone else notice how the new wave of beta players have really good and practical ideas?! I'm impressed! Keep up with the brainstorming.

[TattooedMac]

Is there currently a shortage of scrap metal in the game?

Yes, and This vvvvv

I can easily tune the loot tables to provide more scrap metal. Direct object harvesting is a bigger challenge.

A can opener gets a % of 0 because the little turny wheel thing wears out, BUT the rest of the can opener is still good scrap.

I find it hard to swallow that a crowbar can deteriorate 5% every time its used, and can then be repaired with scrap metal. Its a solid piece of steel, that unless you have a forge, hammer and anvil, you are not going to be able to repair it. Simple tools wouldn't hold up, and rust shouldn't even come into it imho . . .

I would like to see the crowbar deteriorate at a much lesser % even if its 1% when its used.

Maybe we need to look at repairing in a more of IRL expectations ??

[accurize2]

Perhaps the crowbar should just not deteriorate at all (1% wear on this map, given the amount of lockers is essentially the same thing). I would also like to see it be a random find. As in, there is one on the map somewhere, but you have to search for it. Anything that gets Will away from crash landing and psychically knowing "I need to go here first to get this because I will use it later here, here and here".

I was pretty excited in my first run after the v.084 update when I couldn't find a rifle in the usual places. I knew I was going to have to work for it! Sadly, it seems now I'm always finding one in the Trapper's Homestead now. This complete randomization makes me explore, but not in a forced way. Rather, it's a real-life 'I have no idea, I hope this place has something useful for me' type of way.

It might just be this type of change is the best at this point in development from a bug/play test standpoint or something. But predictability sucks! Especially in a wilderness survival game, unpredictability is what keeps people engaged and hyper-vigilant. Unpredictability is the catalyst of suspense in survival games.

Examples:

TLD - you have no idea what the weather will be, better be prepared!

Don't Starve - you are uncertain when exactly the hell hounds will come, better be prepared!

Project Zomboid - you have no idea when the water and electricity will be shut off, better be prepared!

DayZ - you have no idea what 12-year old will KoS you 30 seconds after spawning in, better be prepared!

I have a feeling the secret location is an example of exactly what I'm hoping for. I haven't found it once, or even twice to be sure. But, it is causing me to have many frigid walkabouts in areas I normally would just skip altogether. And I LOVE EVERY BIT OF IT!

[Raphael van Lierop]

Thanks for your thoughts on this, guys.

The system created to facilitate the randomized "secret location" was sort of a POC for being able to do the same thing for key tools like the Rifle, Crowbar, etc.

All the Condition Decay and Repair times are tuned to make sense for the game, given the time scale, and to hopefully create some interesting choices. Obviously a crowbar should never really break (I've never heard of this happening), certainly not to open lockers. More likely you'd mess up the locker to the degree that you can't open it properly.

These are all on THE LIST (I'm just going to refer to it in ALL CAPS from now on, like a sacred relic) but I think we might like to make some other more holistic changes/improvements to things like Repair, Harvesting, Crafting, and then Lockers should just be revisited in general b/c they are not particularly interesting in their current form. In our early iterations we wanted to get more player involvement in things like this (think of how we handle the Safecracking) but like a lot of things, you sort of plug in a simple implementation to test it out and it works well enough to stay there, until it doesn't. And then you fix it.

[accurize2]

That is great to here Raph, especially desire for more randomness! I talk specifically about my thoughts on what should happen with the safe in my Let's Play Life 6. Basically, I think it shouldn't be a safe crack. Rather it might be better to have a combination found on a piece if scrap paper in a drawer or on a corpse. If you have a couple of those, plus a couple safes...suddenly you're not sure which safe the combo will work on, so you would need to keep trying the combo everytime you found a safe. If you get lucky and find the matching safe, then you should get something safe worthy...like a rifle cleaning kit, ammo and shiny newish rifle for example.

If you had a gun safe in the game, you could use this system making finding a rifle all that more of an accomplishment. Or maybe have one in poor condition stashed on a frozen corpse (very rare though), like the guy died hunting.

[TattooedMac]

That is great to here Raph, especially desire for more randomness! I talk specifically about my thoughts on what should happen with the safe in my Let's Play Life 6. Basically, I think it shouldn't be a safe crack. Rather it might be better to have a combination found on a piece if scrap paper in a drawer or on a corpse. If you have a couple of those, plus a couple safes...suddenly you're not sure which safe the combo will work on, so you would need to keep trying the combo everytime you found a safe. If you get lucky and find the matching safe, then you should get something safe worthy...like a rifle cleaning kit, ammo and shiny newish rifle for example.

If you had a gun safe in the game, you could use this system making finding a rifle all that more of an accomplishment. Or maybe have one in poor condition stashed on a frozen corpse (very rare though), like the guy died hunting.

I like this idea a LOT.

More safes, and having to find the combination or puzzle type maybe finding two pieces of paper then trying to find out which way the combination goes ?? I think we are getting there in our thoughts for THE LIST

[Raphael van Lierop]

Oh boy, THE LIST is so long it'll take is 5 years to get it all done.

BUT I'M OK WITH THAT.

[Bill Tarling]

Oh boy, THE LIST is so long it'll take is 5 years to get it all done.

5 years a fair timeline I can live with...

So -- it'll all be completed by tomorrow morning then?

[heather]

"Obviously a crowbar should never really break (I've never heard of this happening), certainly not to open lockers. More likely you'd mess up the locker to the degree that you can't open it properly. "

You know, you should also have a risk of hurting yourself doing stuff like that. I could see myself cutting myself on a hatchet or getting a bruise trying to hammer at something with a crowbar. Not a permanent, life-draining injury, but a quick % hit.

[RJIII]

Not a bad idea... I read a story about a caribou trapper that cut his leg with his hatchet while forging for wood, got infected, almost lost the leg, and almost died. He was 4 days, by snowmobile, away from civilization.

[accurize2]

two pieces of paper then trying to find out which way the combination goes

I thought about mentioning this also, but was afraid my idea would get too detailed or confusing. Hell yeah, I love this idea!

You know, you should also have a risk of hurting yourself doing stuff like that. I could see myself cutting myself on a hatchet or getting a bruise trying to hammer at something with a crowbar. Not a permanent, life-draining injury, but a quick % hit.

Ummmm. Double Hell Yes! Then I have a reason to use all this antiseptic I've been stockpiling!