Book morale buffs

[Siersha]

I previously asked others whether or not they read books for morale here.
It seems the majority of people who uses books use them in the case of an emergency (recovering from too survivor-killer-itis), or simply because they did not have any other alternatives.
Those that choose not to use it simply said that the duration isn’t long enough to be a worthwhile source of morale. Aside from the strength and duration of food morale items, this needs a buff.

Below are some of my ideas to buff book morale to be a more attractive option:

• triple the morale duration of reading book durations (from 1 hour to 3 hours) as well as remove book decay time.
• sextuple the morale duration (from 1 hour to 6 hours) but have decay begin at the 3-hour mark.
• buff bookworm so that the a duration buff is applied to book morale boosts.
• double the morale duration (from 1 hour to 2 hours) but also boost the morale gain from books.

In what ways would you guys buff reading so that its more of an option so that we dont just completely dismiss non-skill books altogether?

[darktoes]

Some way of letting books… “recharge” might be nice? Aside from the fact that I very rarely worry about morale in the first place, the main reason I avoid books for morale is that they’re very much a limited resource. Setting a timer on books once you’ve read them to “forget” what is in them, or simply letting you read them again for a reduced morale boost, would mean you could use them as a semi-reliable morale source, without having to worry about running out or going to find new ones.

That said, another problem with books is that they tend to take a while to read. Chugging a beer and snorting come coke is relatively instant, where the same morale boost for books can take hours. I’d expect them to give very long, but quite small morale bonuses. Somewhere in the order of a few days or even a week.

[ecchi_squid]

Could piggyback off of the skill degredation timers for forgetting what you’ve read.

[TheMurderUnicorn]

I like the idea of having books that ‘recharge’. I think that would be an improvement.

As for expanding the time required to read – I think that’s a bit ridiculous. Six hours for a morale book? The current reading setup is that you’re reading a chapter, if I understand it right. Therefore it’s a low reward for a low time investment. Six hours for anything, really, in-game would be extreme, particularly if the only benefit was a morale boost.

But I don’t use books as much as I used to, so my opinions might not be the most insightful.

[Siersha]

Just for clarification, it’s the duration of the morale buff, not reading the chapter itself. Currently, book morale bonuses last for only an hour.

[TheMurderUnicorn]

Well that makes a lot more sense to me. I was looking at it thinking ‘since when does it take an hour to read a book?’. x_x Just more evidence that I’m not super familiar with the subject at hand.

EDIT: I got a morale debuff for not properly reading the thread.

[kevin.granade]

Aside from the strength and duration of food morale items, this needs a buff.

That does not follow, not everything should be a viable morale booster. From a game balance POV books are already incredibly valuable and do not need a buff. From a realism POV I don’t think we have a detailed enough morale model for books to be a contributor to it.

would mean you could use them as a semi-reliable morale source, without having to worry about running out or going to find new ones.

Thats precisely why they are limited, we don’t want an indefinitely renewable morale resource.

[ecchi_squid]

From a realism POV I don’t think we have a detailed enough morale model for books to be a contributor to it.

So you’re welcome to the consideration of realism but…[quote=“kevin.granade, post:10, topic:18175”]
Thats precisely why they are limited, we don’t want an indefinitely renewable morale resource.
[/quote]

You don’t believe it’s realistic to have something that people can enjoy doing repeatedly for morale bonuses? I mean, couldn’t morale degredation be implemented? It would still be renewable but with diminishing returns. And would realistically reflect becoming bored with doing the same thing.

[Siersha]

Thats precisely why they are limited, we don’t want an indefinitely renewable morale resource.

Alcohol is so abundant that you may never run out as you simply just keep finding more in large doses. They may as well be an indefinitely renewable morale resource. Aside from that, skill books are an incredible resource for sure. Morale books, on the other hand, are treated as trash items, and this is generally what I’m trying to address.

[ecchi_squid]

Alcohol I’ve had mixed experiences with personally. Sometimes I get a lot, sometimes not so much. I’ve never played as a crazy drunk though lol. But yeah, morale books have never been worth their volume as a reasonable morale booster.

[Siersha]

A single swig of cold alcohol can net you 40+ morale (not including Gourmand bonus). You can do this twice. It stacks for various types of alcohol. Additionally, you receive relatively vast amounts when visiting mansions (the main source I have obtained them from). Drink a few before you sleep, and that’s an easy 200+ focus when you wake up

[Mantar]

From a game balance POV books are already incredibly valuable and do not need a buff

While that’s true for skill books which are worth their weight in gold, there are books whose only purpose is to give you, say, a 5-15 morale boost for about a half hour. I don’t know about you, but “I read a good book yesterday” has about as much effect on my mood today as “I ate pancakes yesterday.” Actually significantly more, come to think of it, though I probably have the bookworm trait.

I don’t think back about the pancakes much, but a novel has a lot to chew on in the days afterwards.

[Litppunk]

Alcohol is so abundant that you may never run out as you simply just keep finding more in large doses. They may as well be an indefinitely renewable morale resource.

Without some filter bionics and such, they do have an addiction effect that can kick in for serious debuffs though.
Still don’t get why Playboys mags count as a +1 while reading Sew Awesome Monthly gives +2 morale though, that side of things could probably use some tweaking

The ammount of morale Is actually pretty substantial, I was able to read a couple books to overcome -40 horrified by butchering another human, plus some gulty of killing, and wet (plus the time of reading to dry) to overcome so I could craft a towel and such.

Without some filter bionics and such, they do have an addiction effect that can kick in for serious debuffs though.

[ecchi_squid]

Well, alcohol has addiction, maybe having the debuff strained eyes for reading would balance it out. XD jk. The amount of time investment in such a minor buff from reading is punishment enough lol

[Siersha]

The ammount of morale Is actually pretty substantial, I was able to read a couple books to overcome -40 horrified by butchering another human, plus some gulty of killing, and wet (plus the time of reading to dry) to overcome so I could craft a towel and such.

They can have substantial morale buff values for sure. However, the duration of 1 hour only leaves much to be desired also taking into consideration the reading time it takes for the buff to be substantial.

Without some filter bionics and such, they do have an addiction effect that can kick in for serious debuffs though.

Addiction isn’t actually much of a problem with alcohol unless you try to have it up 24/7. It’s not very often outside of the early - mid game where you require 200+ focus.

[Litppunk]

so your argument is that since we have one source of unending morale, we should have all sources of morale be effectively unending?

[Siersha]

The term “unending morale” here is dangerous. I have attempted to nerf alcohol with this PR due to its overwhelmingly powerful use as a morale boost. My argument revolves around lifting an essentially unused game mechanic to be somewhat usable. 3 hours for the book buff to last is nowhere near compared to 18 hours for food items in general.

[ecchi_squid]

I second the alcohol nerf. Personally, I’m not a big drinker. But when surrounded by crippling depression I could see a bit of morale being gained from getting stupid drunk. Or if you have the heavy drinker perk, it might be more naturally enjoyable.

[kevin.granade]

You don’t believe it’s realistic to have something that people can enjoy doing repeatedly for morale bonuses?

Don’t put words in my mouth, I said we don’t want an indefinitely renewable morale resource. Regarding books specifically, no I don’t think it’s realistic to read the same book repeatedly for similar morale gains.

It would still be renewable but with diminishing returns.

Over what time period? If its a year or more to reset, sure, but then it’s pointless to add. If its a week to reset, it’s absurd. Also what diminishing returns? Does a second read give 10% of the original? Then it might as well be 0. Basically there’s no intersection between low enough to make sense but high enough to be worthwhile.

Alcohol is

That’s irrelevant to books, food and alchohol being broken doesnt justify doing the same to books.

It stacks for various types of alcohol

We need to put a stop to this.

“I read a good book yesterday”

This is part of the problem, it’s not a good book, it’s a random book. If it were a good book it’d be much rarer.