# Needful things (simple additions to improve the game)
**URL:** https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/needful-things-simple-additions-to-improve-the-game/5570
**Category:** The Drawing Board
**Created:** [March 23, 2014, 10:36pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/needful-things-simple-additions-to-improve-the-game/5570 "2014-03-23T22:36:07Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 93
### Author:  [@Litppunk](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Litppunk)
#### Post date: [March 18, 2015, 1:44pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/needful-things-simple-additions-to-improve-the-game/5570/1841 "2015-03-18T13:44:21Z")
make it so that you can turn off the prompts to pain messages not just force a Shift+Y/N
holding down no for almost 2000 messages EVERY TIME you want to craft/do anything is rather obnoxious, especially when there is no potential of dying from the pain alone.
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### Author:  [@Derpular](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Derpular)
#### Post date: [March 19, 2015, 3:18pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/needful-things-simple-additions-to-improve-the-game/5570/1842 "2015-03-19T15:18:14Z")
The player should automatically learn recipes for which they are overqualified by a skill level or two, instead of having to scrounge for just the right book to learn something which is very simple for them. A character with archery and decent fabrication ought to be able to figure out how arrowheads work, for example, and even a middling cook should realize that you can boil pine needles and dandelions to make decent teas.
While I’m on about cooking, when cooking a liquid, the initial container check should also check the ground below the player. I shouldn’t need an empty bottle in my inventory if I’m dumping the clean water into the jerrycan below.
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### Author:  [@Valpo](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Valpo)
#### Post date: [March 19, 2015, 3:22pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/needful-things-simple-additions-to-improve-the-game/5570/1843 "2015-03-19T15:22:22Z")
I disagree that abillity should automaticly unlock recepies that are of a lower tier.
Its just as easy as it is once you know how its done. This is to be decided individual from recepy to recepy whether its reasonable to be auto learned or not.
Arrows seem reasonable at a certain fabrication and archery lvl.
edit: In this case i am not at all sure whether you actually need a book for making arrows.
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### Author:  [@Coolthulhu](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Coolthulhu)
#### Post date: [March 19, 2015, 3:34pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/needful-things-simple-additions-to-improve-the-game/5570/1844 "2015-03-19T15:34:03Z")
> [@Derpular](#):
>
> While I’m on about cooking, when cooking a liquid, the initial container check should also check the ground below the player. I shouldn’t need an empty bottle in my inventory if I’m dumping the clean water into the jerrycan below.
This one could be quite easy. I’ll check if it is.
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### Author:  [@Litppunk](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Litppunk)
#### Post date: [March 19, 2015, 3:45pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/needful-things-simple-additions-to-improve-the-game/5570/1845 "2015-03-19T15:45:22Z")
or even within crafting distance, like tools and ingredients.
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### Author:  [@Derpular](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Derpular)
#### Post date: [March 19, 2015, 3:50pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/needful-things-simple-additions-to-improve-the-game/5570/1846 "2015-03-19T15:50:28Z")
> [@Valpo](#):
>
> edit: In this case i am not at all sure whether you actually need a book for making arrows.
You do. You can make fletched fire-hardened arrows without one, but fletched wooden arrows? Book only.
And right now, if it’s in a recipe book, it’s only learnable via the book.
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### Author:  [@Litppunk](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Litppunk)
#### Post date: [March 19, 2015, 3:53pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/needful-things-simple-additions-to-improve-the-game/5570/1847 "2015-03-19T15:53:09Z")
hmm I know arrows have feathers on them… but how could I POSSIBLY go about putting feathers on MY arrows… No idea gatt a read a book to learn that 😛 makes a funny picture in my head.
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### Author:  [@Derpular](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Derpular)
#### Post date: [March 19, 2015, 4:07pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/needful-things-simple-additions-to-improve-the-game/5570/1848 "2015-03-19T16:07:50Z")
> [@Litppunk](#):
>
> hmm I know arrows have feathers on them… but how could I POSSIBLY go about putting feathers on MY arrows… No idea gatt a read a book to learn that 😛 makes a funny picture in my head.
I think the most egregious example is fish bait. I can make a fishing pole. I can make a fishing hook. But putting a scrap of meat ON that hook? Hm. That’s… that’s a real doozy there. I’ll need to check my library. I think I may have a number of [small pamphlets](http://cdda.estilofusion.com/fish_bait_meat/craft) which unravel this mystery, but if not, can’t help you.
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### Author:  [@Coolthulhu](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Coolthulhu)
#### Post date: [March 19, 2015, 4:10pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/needful-things-simple-additions-to-improve-the-game/5570/1849 "2015-03-19T16:10:16Z")
> [@Litppunk](#):
>
> or even within crafting distance, like tools and ingredients.
That would be much harder.
With containers at your feet it’s easier, because you get them listed after you craft. Try crafting water while standing on an empty tank - you will still need carried containers, but should be able to pour it all into the container at your feet anyway.
EDIT: It seems to be already in the game. I tried to craft water while standing on a tank and it allowed me, even though I had no containers.
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### Author:  [@Zireael](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Zireael)
#### Post date: [March 19, 2015, 5:44pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/needful-things-simple-additions-to-improve-the-game/5570/1850 "2015-03-19T17:44:07Z")
> [@Derpular](#):
>
> [quote=“Litppunk, post:1847, topic:5570”]hmm I know arrows have feathers on them… but how could I POSSIBLY go about putting feathers on MY arrows… No idea gatt a read a book to learn that 😛 makes a funny picture in my head.
I think the most egregious example is fish bait. I can make a fishing pole. I can make a fishing hook. But putting a scrap of meat ON that hook? Hm. That’s… that’s a real doozy there. I’ll need to check my library. I think I may have a number of [small pamphlets](http://cdda.estilofusion.com/fish_bait_meat/craft) which unravel this mystery, but if not, can’t help you.[/quote]
LOL, good point.
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### Author:  [@Rivet](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Rivet)
#### Post date: [March 19, 2015, 6:44pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/needful-things-simple-additions-to-improve-the-game/5570/1851 "2015-03-19T18:44:22Z")
> [@Litppunk](#):
>
> hmm I know arrows have feathers on them… but how could I POSSIBLY go about putting feathers on MY arrows… No idea gatt a read a book to learn that 😛 makes a funny picture in my head.
Obviously you just tie them around the back half of the arrow with a shoelace and hope for the best, right?
[Fletching an arrow takes both knowledge and skill.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRzKcHaRmDI)
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### Author:  [@Derpular](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Derpular)
#### Post date: [March 19, 2015, 6:59pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/needful-things-simple-additions-to-improve-the-game/5570/1852 "2015-03-19T18:59:03Z")
> [@Rivet](#):
>
> [quote=“Litppunk, post:1847, topic:5570”]hmm I know arrows have feathers on them… but how could I POSSIBLY go about putting feathers on MY arrows… No idea gatt a read a book to learn that 😛 makes a funny picture in my head.
Obviously you just tie them around the back half of the arrow with a shoelace and hope for the best, right?
[Fletching an arrow takes both knowledge and skill.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRzKcHaRmDI)[/quote]
Knowledge and skill which you already have in-game - you can fletch fire-hardened or small game arrows with some fabrication skill, just not proper wood arrows.
The bit of the arrow that seems to require the book is the arrowhead, not the fletching.
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### Author:  [@Valpo](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Valpo)
#### Post date: [March 19, 2015, 7:01pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/needful-things-simple-additions-to-improve-the-game/5570/1853 "2015-03-19T19:01:26Z")
Arrow fledging is a basic idea that is furthermore known to pretty much every person alife. Perfecting this craft is a matter of skill . Knowing the basics should be considered common .
Maybe we want items with a range of quality depending on skill?
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### Author:  [@KA101](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/KA101)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2015, 1:53am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/needful-things-simple-additions-to-improve-the-game/5570/1854 "2015-03-20T01:53:06Z")
[quote=“Valpo, post:1853, topic:5570”]Arrow fledging is a basic idea that is furthermore known to pretty much every person alife. Perfecting this craft is a matter of skill . Knowing the basics should be considered common .
Maybe we want items with a range of quality depending on skill?[/quote]
I had no idea how to fletch until I looked it up online. Still wouldn’t be good at it.
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### Author:  [@Rivet](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Rivet)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2015, 2:00am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/needful-things-simple-additions-to-improve-the-game/5570/1855 "2015-03-20T02:00:13Z")
I have a feeling that the vast majority of modern Americans probably don’t even know what ‘fletching’ means, much what kind of feathers to use, how to cut and shape them, and how to affix them to a shaft.
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### Author:  [@John\_Candlebury](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/John_Candlebury)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2015, 3:01am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/needful-things-simple-additions-to-improve-the-game/5570/1856 "2015-03-20T03:01:04Z")
Well I do know the basics on fletching, but I’m not American so I am not statistically significant.
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### Author:  [@KA101](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/KA101)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2015, 4:06am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/needful-things-simple-additions-to-improve-the-game/5570/1857 "2015-03-20T04:06:03Z")
> [@John Candlebury](#):
>
> Well I do know the basics on fletching, but I’m not American so I am not statistically significant.
Only in the USian sense. Guatemala is a Central American state so you qualify. 🙂
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### Author:  [@Litppunk](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Litppunk)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2015, 4:34am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/needful-things-simple-additions-to-improve-the-game/5570/1858 "2015-03-20T04:34:05Z")
😛 If I am not mistaken fletching isn’t to hard. You basically just cut the feather in half, and glue or otherwise attach it to the arrow right? You have to make sure you line up the fletching correctly with the notch on the arrow so you don’t tear off the fletching every time you fire. Maybe less than half a feather on bigger feathers to reduce wind drag. Did I miss anything? Maybe groove the arrow to make the feather stay better when you glue it. I am basing all this info on having held a compound and a few ‘regular’ bows and shooting a few arrows a couple of times…but. Doesn’t sen that hard. Getting them to stay, and making a glue that will hold them would be the hardest part I imagine, but push comes to shove you could always just tie them into the groove with thread.
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### Author:  [@Valpo](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Valpo)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2015, 10:41am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/needful-things-simple-additions-to-improve-the-game/5570/1859 "2015-03-20T10:41:15Z")
The concept is to attach something to the rear of the arrow to make it stable in flight. Pretty much everyone knows the concept and can try to replicate it. Of course you ll at first produce drek. But eventually you ll get skilled with it. You ll not need a book as reference to start doing it and eventually get good.
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### Author:  [@LordHelmchen](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/LordHelmchen)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2015, 11:55am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/needful-things-simple-additions-to-improve-the-game/5570/1860 "2015-03-20T11:55:40Z")
Could the keys considered for inventory hotkey asignment be made configurable (preferably via ingame ui, but editing a .json is acceptable)? As I’ve stated elsewhere, the pipe (|) is only awkwardly reachable via ALT\_GR on german keyboards, but ä,ö,ü would make a welcome addition…
Ideally, you’d also be able to sort by priority (for example, / is shift-7 for me, so while not as bad as |, I would prefer to use # and + before it, as they are both single keypresses on QWERTZ…)
thanks (both for considering this and generally for making and constantly improving the game)
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