Question re potable water and soda?

[Fearsclave]

How come they don't freeze? Bottled water and canned soft drinks exposed to Canadian winter weather will freeze IRL. I'd suggest that in the interests of realism that once your potable water has been exposed to freezing temperatures long enough that it should have to be melted before drinking...

[Raphael van Lierop]

Right now it's just a case of wanting to avoid "meaningless" busy work and unnecessary frustration. If I've already "paid" the time and resources to melt water, it feels unfair that I have to pay it again. That said, from a pure simulation perspective it could be interesting, though it requires we track freezing states for ever individual water source you have in inventory or in the world, which adds a lot of overhead for possibly minimum real gameplay value?

[Fearsclave]

Right now it's just a case of wanting to avoid "meaningless" busy work and unnecessary frustration. If I've already "paid" the time and resources to melt water, it feels unfair that I have to pay it again. That said, from a pure simulation perspective it could be interesting, though it requires we track freezing states for ever individual water source you have in inventory or in the world, which adds a lot of overhead for possibly minimum real gameplay value?

Were I being asked, I'd suggest that erring in favour of more realism is always a good idea in simulation games (and yes, I am one of those guys, the ones who always insisted on turning the engine on manually in MS Flight Sim).

If nothing else, it'd hammer home the fact that it's cold in Canada in the winter...

[Raphael van Lierop]

Sure, but there is a point where you get diminishing returns, and we have to think about how changes like this modify player behaviour. Authenticity isn't the only goal. I think we strive to offer interesting choices overall, and when this means we have to simplify or intentionally overlook some things that might seem logical, we do so in the name of greater playability (note I didn't say accessibility).

Simulations can be a real rabbit hole and we're always straddling a fine balance between depth and complexity.

[Guest Alan Lawrance]

If it were kept simple so any water/soda freezes (much like a carcass), it could add some additional challenge to players managing their water/drinkable supply. From a code POV, the overhead with tracking frozen state will be very small.

[Raphael van Lierop]

Yes which opens the door to...

- where I store it would have an impact on how quickly it freezes

- what it is would have an impact on how quickly it freezes

- how recently I melted it would have an impact on how quickly it freezes

Etc.

Rabbit hole!

Just because we *can* do something, doesn't mean we *should*.

[Fearsclave]

Yes which opens the door to...

- where I store it would have an impact on how quickly it freezes

- what it is would have an impact on how quickly it freezes

- how recently I melted it would have an impact on how quickly it freezes

Etc.

Rabbit hole!

Just because we *can* do something, doesn't mean we *should*.

But if you do do it, you'll produce a game without a realism gap that's jarringly obvious to anybody who's spent time in the bush in winter .

[Raphael van Lierop]

Fair enough. I *might* just be able to live with that. But let's table this and revisit once Early Access launches, and you can play the game. Then you can let us know if you still think it's an issue worth addressing.

[Fearsclave]

Fair enough. I *might* just be able to live with that. But let's table this and revisit once Early Access launches, and you can play the game. Then you can let us know if you still think it's an issue worth addressing.

Done deal. You have no idea how much I am looking forwards to September 22. This game mashes all my buttons hard.