# Tips, Tricks and Newb Questions: Reborn!

**URL:** <https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions-reborn/16870>\
**Category:** The Bunker\
**Created:** [October 4, 2018, 5:58pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions-reborn/16870 "2018-10-04T17:58:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 153

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**Author:** ![PALU](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e56c9b/32.png) [@PALU](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/PALU)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2022, 4:35pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions-reborn/16870/3050 "2022-03-28T16:35:16Z")

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The standard search keys are ‘f’ and ‘/’. The latter is used for the debug spawn window. I’m using Windows, so I don’t know if there’s a version difference. In the Windows version there’s also a set of hints at the bottom, but it might not fit in tiny screen configurations. The standard key binding key is ‘?’, and it works in the debug item spawn window as well, so you can try that to see what keys are bound to in various menus.

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**Author:** ![potato\_guy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/potato_guy/32/11749_2.png) [@potato\_guy](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/potato_guy)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2022, 3:04pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions-reborn/16870/3051 "2022-03-30T15:04:11Z")

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your must have a lot of encumbrence if you can only get off 10 hits

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**Author:** ![PALU](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e56c9b/32.png) [@PALU](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/PALU)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2022, 5:55pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions-reborn/16870/3052 "2022-03-30T17:55:55Z")

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Edit: Forget my post: I’ve screwed up and have tried to use a heavy duty cable rather than a heavy duty TOW cable…

Old garbage below…

Why does my heavy duty tow cable just detach without any notice when trying to use it?

My current game version is about two weeks old, and I’ve towed successfully before in this game, mostly with a different vehicle than the failing one, but I did successfully tow my previous main vehicle the day before things started to just fail.

I’m not talking about the case where you get a feedback that the vehicle is struggling because the combined weight/drag is too large, but rather hooking up the towing vehicle, then the towed one, getting feedback that I did connect the vehicles, start to move away with the towing vehicle, only to find that the towed vehicle doesn’t follow, and the cable lies on the ground.

My old vehicle was a cube van, while the new one is a cargo van (3 tiles narrower). Neither of the vehicles have been modified, and both the towing and towed vehicle frames have at least some strength where attached (i.e. not “XX”). I’ve tried towing an Electric SUV with the cargo van, as well as trying to reverse the roles, and I’ve likewise tried with a Humvee, again with the roles reversed as well.

Any idea why things suddenly fail without any feedback with a different vehicle using the same executable?

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**Author:** ![PALU](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e56c9b/32.png) [@PALU](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/PALU)\
**Post date:** [April 8, 2022, 6:35pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions-reborn/16870/3053 "2022-04-08T18:35:54Z")

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I recently encountered an enemy invulnerable to everything I could attack with at the moment (5.56 and 7.62 rifles), with the bullets just bouncing off on a good hit (never scored any critical hits).

Thus, how do you damage a Shell Mutant? Is 12.7 sufficient (I’d run out of that caliber while dealing with Bovine Mutants)? Hand grenades? I’d rather not try fire, as I don’t want to set the facility on fire, and I’m not sure a fire would be contained without at least caving in the floor above).

Edit: 12.7 did indeed work.

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**Author:** ![Nuff\_Said](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/nuff_said/32/11826_2.png) [@Nuff\_Said](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Nuff_Said)\
**Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 4:41pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions-reborn/16870/3054 "2022-04-09T16:41:04Z")

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Is there a thread of place where people share good start locations? I just rolled myself a Lab start with -10th floor end room. Unfortunately, it is shimmering portal, which spawns mist and Nether monsters. World settings: x5 enemies and x10 loot, day 0 start. The lab is under the city.  
Version 0.F-3, mods: Disable NPC needs, Bionic Professions, Magiclysm.

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**Author:** ![MedNed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b38774/32.png) [@MedNed](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/MedNed)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2022, 3:26am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions-reborn/16870/3055 "2022-04-14T03:26:07Z")

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The Unliving History scenario (Bastion Fort) is a good start, although a bit tedious.

You have to deal with 20-40 reenactor zombies, which have a decent chance to drop black powder weapons and ammo. Even without weapons it’s a breeze to deal with by herding the zombies up on the 2nd floor of the fort and make them fall down again, again, and again until they die. Or you could just not bother with that and just escape by climbing down on the outside part of the 2nd floor. But be careful if you do that, the 2nd floor might have a zombie brute there. It’s usually not a problem since it beelines to you which results in it falling outside the fort.

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**Author:** ![MedNed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b38774/32.png) [@MedNed](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/MedNed)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2022, 3:28am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions-reborn/16870/3056 "2022-04-14T03:28:23Z")

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Do grackens actually do anything besides being bait for infighting other monsters?

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**Author:** ![PALU](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e56c9b/32.png) [@PALU](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/PALU)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2022, 7:44am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions-reborn/16870/3057 "2022-04-14T07:44:51Z")

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Not really. The can serve as a “beacon” to alert you to groups of dead people, as they tend to hang out among such groups.

I had one odd case a while back when when I fought off various zombies and slimes near a gracken, and it started following my character as if it was a companion. That was annoying as it kept getting into the line of fire. Eventually I managed to eliminate the enemies and moved a short distance to a nearby town, and the gracken got into the car with my character, traveled there, and followed the character out of it, again repeatedly getting into the line of fire. Eventually I hit it by mistake and it fled.

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**Author:** ![Sanarr89](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3bc359/32.png) [@Sanarr89](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Sanarr89)\
**Post date:** [April 21, 2022, 6:07am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions-reborn/16870/3058 "2022-04-21T06:07:16Z")

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In recent experimentals I noticed message like ‘you carefully record creature vulnerabilities’ (or something like that) when I dissected corpses. I haven’t noticed improvement over my skills or other statistics. So - does it change anything at this moment or it’s just flavor text / some work-in-progress that would come in handy in future?

Thanks.

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**Author:** ![Eren\_Rager](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/eren_rager/32/11883_2.png) [@Eren\_Rager](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Eren_Rager)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2022, 6:14am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions-reborn/16870/3059 "2022-04-29T06:14:07Z")

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So how does the Unload Containers zone works? I’ve tried putting wallets in it, does it count wallets as containers?

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**Author:** ![PALU](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e56c9b/32.png) [@PALU](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/PALU)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2022, 10:07am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions-reborn/16870/3060 "2022-05-04T10:07:14Z")

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@Sanarr89 I believe there’s some work on a diary thing. There’s also some weird new proficiencies concerning creatures that’s cropped up. Don’t know more than that, though.

Never used container unloading zones…

My question: Where do I find pebbles? I’m looking for tens of thousands of them (for planters), so manually smashing rocks to get ten at a time isn’t really an option.

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**Author:** ![Sediment](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/sediment/32/6534_2.png) [@Sediment](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Sediment)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2022, 10:56am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions-reborn/16870/3061 "2022-05-04T10:56:18Z")

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It isn’t an option right now, so won’t be any help to you (sorry, butnyour post gave me the idea), but what if pebbles could be an extractable source along river edges? You can get clay and sand beside bodies of water, why not pebbles? It’d be more likely to find large batches beside running water than lakes and I’m not sure if that could be coded in, but it just seems natural to find pebbles and other small stones by a river’s edge.

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**Author:** ![PALU](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e56c9b/32.png) [@PALU](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/PALU)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2022, 11:03am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions-reborn/16870/3062 "2022-05-04T11:03:26Z")

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Sticking to you handle, I see 😉

I guess sedimentation processes would deposit first rocks, then pebbles, and then sand when a rapidly running flow of water runs out into a larger body of water.

Technically I guess it would be a new type of terrain similar to the sand or clay ones, with a similar extraction action.

Edit: Found one answer to my question: Deconstructing a planter gave 180 or so pebble, so 15% or so of what’s needed to construct one.

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**Author:** ![Udai\_Shankar](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/udai_shankar/32/8438_2.png) [@Udai\_Shankar](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Udai_Shankar)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2022, 7:37pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions-reborn/16870/3063 "2022-05-04T19:37:28Z")

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ok guys i am playing in the latest build. I am trying to disassemble fridge for the rubber hose but after disassembling it just shows ‘fridge’ when i am examining the tiles instead of the components. What gives? Am i missing something?

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**Author:** ![PALU](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e56c9b/32.png) [@PALU](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/PALU)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2022, 7:54pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions-reborn/16870/3064 "2022-05-04T19:54:02Z")

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It’s because the game now supports appliances, i.e. “vehicles” that form electric grids. Thus, what you’ve done is disconnect the fridge, converting it from furniture into an item. You ought to be able to actually disassemble the fridge item into its components.  
The fridge item can be placed and hooked up to your own electric grid (once you have one).

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**Author:** ![Profugo\_Barbatus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d26b3c/32.png) [@Profugo\_Barbatus](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Profugo_Barbatus)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2022, 7:54pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions-reborn/16870/3065 "2022-05-04T19:54:25Z")

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I haven’t played in a bit, but there’s actual building electric grids so fridges and stuff are probably moveable as items now - You probably just need to disassemble the fridge item, now that you’ve taken it down from being furniture.

Edit: Damn, ninja’d

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**Author:** ![Udai\_Shankar](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/udai_shankar/32/8438_2.png) [@Udai\_Shankar](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Udai_Shankar)\
**Post date:** [May 5, 2022, 7:00pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions-reborn/16870/3066 "2022-05-05T19:00:32Z")

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So i disassemble it again? How do i get the hose out of it?

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**Author:** ![Profugo\_Barbatus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d26b3c/32.png) [@Profugo\_Barbatus](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Profugo_Barbatus)\
**Post date:** [May 5, 2022, 7:14pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions-reborn/16870/3067 "2022-05-05T19:14:02Z")

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Disassembling the fridge item will give a hose, among other things, see the hitchhikers entry for [Fridge](https://nornagon.github.io/cdda-guide/#/item/fridge) for all the yield. Great resource in general if your hunting a part or figuring out whats worth taking.

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**Author:** ![Gotdamnmiracle](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/gotdamnmiracle/32/7660_2.png) [@Gotdamnmiracle](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Gotdamnmiracle)\
**Post date:** [May 5, 2022, 8:53pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions-reborn/16870/3068 "2022-05-05T20:53:55Z")

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The radio-activation mod can make explosives a LOT more useful. That coupled with a homemade bomb is a great way to deal with literally everything ingame except one or two nether creatures. So long as you don’t mind a bit of a mess.

Made of all the bits found in a two-way radio which spawns on every soldier.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![PALU](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e56c9b/32.png) [@PALU](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/PALU)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2022, 8:13pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions-reborn/16870/3069 "2022-05-20T20:13:47Z")

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How does the game deal with crops that haven’t matured when winter sets in?  
It obviously dies/goes dormant, but the question is whether it will be revived in spring or whether those seeds are wasted.  
Autumn planting is a real world thing, with rye being a cereal that’s frequently planted in autumn (including in New England, but apparently primarily as a cover crop rather than for actual harvesting in that location. Rye isn’t even included in the game).

Edit:  
I’ve tested autumn planting by fast forwarding the time. As far as I can see (assuming there aren’t any oddities happening because of the jump in time), it works by simply suspending the plants in the state they were when growing was stopped. This means unharvested corn was available for harvest in early spring, with seeds planted in autumn having turned into seedlings.

I’ve also performed an experiment with the placement of two large space heaters in a pot growing basement connected to solar panels and batteries on the roof. By moving some of the planters closer to the heaters I was able to plant all the planters (with rose plants, in my experiment) and harvestable plants became available in early winter after having advanced the time by a season and a day (the growth time is a season).

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