# A few questions about vehicle construction

**URL:** <https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/a-few-questions-about-vehicle-construction/4791>\
**Category:** The Bunker\
**Created:** [January 18, 2014, 2:00pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/a-few-questions-about-vehicle-construction/4791 "2014-01-18T14:00:02Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![DG123](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/54ee81/32.png) [@DG123](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/DG123)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2014, 2:00pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/a-few-questions-about-vehicle-construction/4791/1 "2014-01-18T14:00:02Z")

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1. What are the pros and cons of the “heavy duty” frames you can build now? Do they slow down the vehicle while making it take less collision damage? That would be my guess.

2. Would there be a practical advantage to making an area in my truck that can’t be seen from any direction? Would it stop the zombear attacks whenever I try to sleep in it?

3. If so, could I install a line of opaque doors parallel to the windscreens, so I could “close the shutters” and block off anything outside seeing into the cab?

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**Author:** ![Waladil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/41988e/32.png) [@Waladil](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Waladil)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2014, 2:07pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/a-few-questions-about-vehicle-construction/4791/2 "2014-01-18T14:07:05Z")

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1. Stronger but rarer and heavier. Although it seems that weight doesn’t actually have impact on vehicle speeds. Not at all sure about that though.

2. Yeah. It reduces attacks from animals that can see you. Unfortunately that doesn’t include zombears and zombie dogs (since they can smell you through your car). More importantly to me is the fact that it removes “Hostile dangerously close!” and “Hostile spotted!” prompts when trying to craft/read.

3. That sounds doable and clever. Except for the extra spacing needed for those doors.

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**Author:** ![DG123](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/54ee81/32.png) [@DG123](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/DG123)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2014, 2:14pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/a-few-questions-about-vehicle-construction/4791/3 "2014-01-18T14:14:53Z")

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Rarer? But it seems you can build them with nothing but steel plating…

Also I think I may have found an exploit.

I’ve just been trying to install heavy plating on my fragile crafting stations like the welding rig.

Every time I see Hard Plating mentioned in green text, and I can perform the task. However, I get a debug message saying Item Not Found or something similar.

And it seems to keep letting me do this. There IS a hard plating nearby but no matter how many times I use hard plating, it’s not disappearing.

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**Author:** ![Waladil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/41988e/32.png) [@Waladil](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Waladil)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2014, 2:19pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/a-few-questions-about-vehicle-construction/4791/4 "2014-01-18T14:19:19Z")

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The recipe for them is supposed to take more metal resources than regular frames at higher difficulty. I know briefly the recipe actually took less than a regular frame but I think they fixed that.

I’ve noticed that bug too. It’s when you try to install stuff from a vehicle trunk.

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**Author:** ![DG123](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/54ee81/32.png) [@DG123](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/DG123)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2014, 2:22pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/a-few-questions-about-vehicle-construction/4791/5 "2014-01-18T14:22:06Z")

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My mistake. It’s not frames. Heavy duty ROOF is what I can build with steel plating only.

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**Author:** ![The\_Lone\_Badger](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/the_lone_badger/32/8063_2.png) [@The\_Lone\_Badger](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/The_Lone_Badger)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2014, 7:52pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/a-few-questions-about-vehicle-construction/4791/6 "2014-01-18T19:52:03Z")

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Instead of installing windshield + opaque doors, install the doors only. Open them for driving, close them when you stop. (Windshields are fragile. Doors are not.)

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**Author:** ![DG123](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/54ee81/32.png) [@DG123](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/DG123)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2014, 8:13pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/a-few-questions-about-vehicle-construction/4791/7 "2014-01-18T20:13:33Z")

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I could do that, but don’t windshields actually act as armour in a way?

I’ve driven towards turrets while having my windscreens shot up but didn’t seem to get hurt myself.

So I could, if I can find enough resources, install multiple layers of reinforced windshields.

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**Author:** ![The\_Lone\_Badger](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/the_lone_badger/32/8063_2.png) [@The\_Lone\_Badger](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/The_Lone_Badger)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2014, 8:17pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/a-few-questions-about-vehicle-construction/4791/8 "2014-01-18T20:17:48Z")

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Just use (armoured) quarterpanels for that. Or non-opaque doors.

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**Author:** ![Nemonole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nemonole](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Nemonole)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2014, 8:18pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/a-few-questions-about-vehicle-construction/4791/9 "2014-01-18T20:18:28Z")

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You could just shut the doors until you hear the explosion of a flattened turret…

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**Author:** ![DG123](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/54ee81/32.png) [@DG123](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/DG123)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2014, 8:23pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/a-few-questions-about-vehicle-construction/4791/10 "2014-01-18T20:23:54Z")

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Wait, so quarterpanels block bullets heading for your face despite actually not being in a position to block anything passing above them?

Hm. So if I make a really long “bonnet” out of quarterpanels and hard plating, bullets can’t actually reach the windscreen area?

Kind of silly, but I can work with that.

I also just demolished a house somehow by driving into it at 70mph. I didn’t take ANY damage. I have no idea how I managed that. Sure I have hard plating at the front of the car, but still…

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**Author:** ![EkarusRyndren](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/ekarusryndren/32/80_2.png) [@EkarusRyndren](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/EkarusRyndren)\
**Post date:** [January 19, 2014, 9:35am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/a-few-questions-about-vehicle-construction/4791/11 "2014-01-19T09:35:47Z")

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Heavier vehicles need more power to move, vehicles using heavy duty parts usually need larger engines.

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**Author:** ![Logrin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/logrin/32/209_2.png) [@Logrin](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Logrin)\
**Post date:** [January 19, 2014, 8:44pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/a-few-questions-about-vehicle-construction/4791/12 "2014-01-19T20:44:04Z")

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For the sleeping without being seen approach, just have a stow away privacy privacy screen like the old Loco-Motive.

![](http://i40.tinypic.com/29na5iw.png)

As for heavy duty frames and resource gobbling, let’s put it this way. I basically DOUBLED the size of the vehicle I just linked, filling it with standard frames, aisles, trunks and roofs. Starting from scratch and feeding the components to a steel compactor barely gave me enough material to make the exterior with HDs.

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**Author:** ![DG123](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/54ee81/32.png) [@DG123](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/DG123)\
**Post date:** [January 19, 2014, 8:50pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/a-few-questions-about-vehicle-construction/4791/13 "2014-01-19T20:50:24Z")

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How the HELL do you actually move that thing anywhere? I mean I suppose it just destroys everything in its path, but water or lava would be a big problem at least, right?

I’m just trying to work out what kind of turning circle it would have.

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**Author:** ![Logrin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/logrin/32/209_2.png) [@Logrin](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Logrin)\
**Post date:** [January 19, 2014, 9:58pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/a-few-questions-about-vehicle-construction/4791/14 "2014-01-19T21:58:57Z")

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The V-1 was slim enough to ride down the middle of roads, though from time to time Dustin would have to climb out and haul wreckage from its path.

It’s big brother, the V-2 is twice as wide…

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**Author:** ![DG123](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/54ee81/32.png) [@DG123](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/DG123)\
**Post date:** [January 19, 2014, 10:27pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/a-few-questions-about-vehicle-construction/4791/15 "2014-01-19T22:27:09Z")

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And to think I had problems navigating a 3 tonne RV.

Maybe the problem is I’m trying to avoid hitting things.

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**Author:** ![EkarusRyndren](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/ekarusryndren/32/80_2.png) [@EkarusRyndren](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/EkarusRyndren)\
**Post date:** [January 19, 2014, 10:32pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/a-few-questions-about-vehicle-construction/4791/16 "2014-01-19T22:32:17Z")

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[quote=“DG123, post:13, topic:4791”]How the HELL do you actually move that thing anywhere? I mean I suppose it just destroys everything in its path, but water or lava would be a big problem at least, right?

I’m just trying to work out what kind of turning circle it would have.[/quote]

Actually, the base-game vehicles handle shallow water and lava surprisingly well. The biggest problem with huge vehicles is turning, mainly because you need a /huge/ area to turn, and if you try to make hairpin turns weird things happen. On top of that unless you want to be repairing your vehicle constantly, ramming your way through towns isn’t an option. The damage, especially if you so much as tap a bloody swivel chair, can be catastrophic.

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**Author:** ![DG123](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/54ee81/32.png) [@DG123](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/DG123)\
**Post date:** [January 19, 2014, 11:01pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/a-few-questions-about-vehicle-construction/4791/17 "2014-01-19T23:01:38Z")

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…Then how the hell did I just destroy a house by hitting it with my relatively small 3 tonne RV?

Even the windscreens were unharmed. And they were only one tile away from the point of impact on the hard plating.

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**Author:** ![wad67](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/wad67/32/7_2.png) [@wad67](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/wad67)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 10:46am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/a-few-questions-about-vehicle-construction/4791/18 "2014-01-20T10:46:44Z")

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The houses, bank vaults ect are no problem for vehicles. Other vehicles are the real damage dealers.

So yeah, don’t ever drive through a hardware store, as the wheelbarrow landmines will destroy even the most powerful vehicles.

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**Author:** ![Natures\_Witness](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/natures_witness/32/165_2.png) [@Natures\_Witness](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Natures_Witness)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 4:09pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/a-few-questions-about-vehicle-construction/4791/19 "2014-01-20T16:09:22Z")

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[quote=“DG123, post:10, topic:4791”]Wait, so quarterpanels block bullets heading for your face despite actually not being in a position to block anything passing above them?

Hm. So if I make a really long “bonnet” out of quarterpanels and hard plating, bullets can’t actually reach the windscreen area?

Kind of silly, but I can work with that.[/quote]

As the person who made the quarterpanels, I must admit I’m deeply embarrassed about this. I meant the quarterpanels to just be a way to close up some holes in some of the smaller vehicles, and to make vehicles feel more “solid” so you couldn’t casually stroll right across one. Instead, I ended up making a superpart that makes windshield redundant.

Sorry about that.

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**Author:** ![ChunkOfMeat](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/chunkofmeat/32/11049_2.png) [@ChunkOfMeat](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/ChunkOfMeat)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 4:27pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/a-few-questions-about-vehicle-construction/4791/20 "2014-01-20T16:27:44Z")

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I’m not so sure. Without windshield acid rain or smoker zombie takes a lot of trouble. IMHO.

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