# Tips, Tricks, and Newb Questions!

**URL:** <https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42>\
**Category:** The Bunker\
**Created:** [January 3, 2013, 3:04am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42 "2013-01-03T03:04:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 132

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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:** [March 17, 2014, 10:44pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/2621 "2014-03-17T22:44:28Z")

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I’m a few versions out of date but I never found a way to improve on Chitin items either, for the same reason. I don’t think you can, unless someone added a feature.

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**Author:** ![secretfire](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/secretfire/32/2984_2.png) [@secretfire](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/secretfire)\
**Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 1:49am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/2622 "2014-03-18T01:49:58Z")

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A few newbie questions!

I’m new to Cataclysm - this is my first post!

1. I set Skil Rust to ‘Off’ in the options, but skills keep rusting. Its stupid and annoying. I am literally not past day one and I am already forgetting things. Is there no way to turn this off? Does the setting not work? I will not play the game with skill rust; its just the most absurd thing. Loosing is !!fun!! - but loosing your skills a few in-game hours after being created is not.

2. Is there any strategy that actually makes the wedding dress/bride a decent starting option? Anyone have any fun playstyles involving it?

3. I should be playing the experimental build, yes? This is the up to date one?

Those are my only questions for now. Otherwise, the game seems straightforward.

I found you guys via Dwarf Fortress.

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**Author:** ![Fish](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/fish/32/249_2.png) [@Fish](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Fish)\
**Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 1:54am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/2623 "2014-03-18T01:54:02Z")

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WELCOMEEEEE NEEEWBIEEEEE!!!  
1:Bug?  
2:I imagine experianced players use that for more challenge.  
3:No idea kinda behind myself

Uh, i have a question why do i get the “leader” dreams when i have barely talked to any NPCs (0.9)?  
Pretty much the only interactions i’ve had have been raming a guy with my souped-up car and zooming past two fleeing NPCs.

_EDIT_ Nvm i forgot NPCs are so bug for a few seconds…

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**Author:** ![Rivet](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/rivet/32/11_2.png) [@Rivet](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Rivet)\
**Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 1:54am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/2624 "2014-03-18T01:54:47Z")

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1. That sounds like a bug.

2. Take the ‘stylish’ trait and you’ll get morale bonuses for wearing pretty clothes like that.

3. If you want the most current version of the game, yes, play the experimental.

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**Author:** ![HunterAlpha1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@HunterAlpha1](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/HunterAlpha1)\
**Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 1:56am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/2625 "2014-03-18T01:56:23Z")

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[quote=“secretfire, post:2622, topic:42”]A few newbie questions!

I’m new to Cataclysm - this is my first post!

1. I set Skil Rust to ‘Off’ in the options, but skills keep rusting. Its stupid and annoying. I am literally not past day one and I am already forgetting things. Is there no way to turn this off? Does the setting not work? I will not play the game with skill rust; its just the most absurd thing. Loosing is !!fun!! - but loosing your skills a few in-game hours after being created is not.[/quote]It could be that you need to start a new game after turning skill rust off, idk because I’ve always made sure to turn it off as soon as I install a new version of the game.

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**Author:** ![secretfire](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/secretfire/32/2984_2.png) [@secretfire](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/secretfire)\
**Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 2:36am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/2626 "2014-03-18T02:36:25Z")

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I tried starting a new world. Has not helped. By 7 am on day two I’ve lost three skills already; one of which I literally just rose. I read a book to get first aid up to 3, went to sleep, woke up, it was back down at 2. There has to be something I can do. I even tried to cheat myself in the ‘anti skill rusting’ traits. And successfully did so using Debug Mode. Nothing.

One thing. I have noticed that no matter what my Int is in chargen, SKILL RUST: 50% is listed in pink. And Skill Rust is set to off. Does this help?

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**Author:** ![stone94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f9ae1b/32.png) [@stone94](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/stone94)\
**Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 3:10am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/2627 "2014-03-18T03:10:54Z")

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i play it with skill rust off and forgetfull selected and have absolutely now skill rust so i cant figure out your problem. are you sure its off xD

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**Author:** ![pulsefrequency](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/97f17d/32.png) [@pulsefrequency](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/pulsefrequency)\
**Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 3:20am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/2628 "2014-03-18T03:20:28Z")

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aye, i also am not able to replicate. seems to turn off fine for me. i always liked the novelty but in practice it does seem to degrade rather quickly. make sure you are saving your settings when you exit the menu… other than that i cant think of anything… weird

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**Author:** ![secretfire](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/secretfire/32/2984_2.png) [@secretfire](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/secretfire)\
**Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 3:24am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/2629 "2014-03-18T03:24:09Z")

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Found it!

It is a bug.

Sorry, I’m a dwarf fortress player. I just -assume- you have to modify the textfiles/raw. So I went into options and changed it. This was -NOT- reflected in the Options menu. I clearly saved it correctly. But you have to change it in the Options menu. No idea why.

THANKS!

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**Author:** ![HunterAlpha1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@HunterAlpha1](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/HunterAlpha1)\
**Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 3:57am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/2630 "2014-03-18T03:57:12Z")

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Y/w, enjoy!

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**Author:** ![Rivet](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/rivet/32/11_2.png) [@Rivet](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Rivet)\
**Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 7:50am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/2631 "2014-03-18T07:50:21Z")

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[quote=“Goombah, post:2614, topic:42”]So I had a middle of the city start with spawns up to 2.0.

Needless to say, I was immediately surrounded by a huge horde of zombies. Reasonably, I decided to retreat down the stairs to kill zombies down in the basement as they came down the steps, using the doorways to limit their approach.

Only, apparently, the z ombies from upstairs were able to /teleport/ into the room behind me. It /had/ been clear.

Can someone explain? XD[/quote]

Some basements come pre-populated with zombies.

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**Author:** ![jimboblordofeskimos](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/jimboblordofeskimos/32/2_2.png) [@jimboblordofeskimos](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/jimboblordofeskimos)\
**Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 12:37pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/2632 "2014-03-18T12:37:04Z")

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[quote=“Rivet, post:2631, topic:42”][quote=“Goombah, post:2614, topic:42”]So I had a middle of the city start with spawns up to 2.0.

Needless to say, I was immediately surrounded by a huge horde of zombies. Reasonably, I decided to retreat down the stairs to kill zombies down in the basement as they came down the steps, using the doorways to limit their approach.

Only, apparently, the z ombies from upstairs were able to /teleport/ into the room behind me. It /had/ been clear.

Can someone explain? XD[/quote]

Some basements come pre-populated with zombies.[/quote]

Im also still seeing the odd zombie teleporting though a wall and ending up behind me when im fighting massive hordes at a 1 tile window. Could be that?

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**Author:** ![pulsefrequency](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/97f17d/32.png) [@pulsefrequency](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/pulsefrequency)\
**Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 9:31pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/2633 "2014-03-18T21:31:40Z")

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i witnessed a NPC “teleport;” i left the evac shelter where a npc had spawned and when i came back, i saw them inside through the window, they went out of sight and then one or two turns later they were outside and half a dozen tiles away, heading towards a moose. i entered the shelter a few turns later and all doors and windows were closed, and i know npcs dont close doors behind them

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**Author:** ![Fish](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/fish/32/249_2.png) [@Fish](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Fish)\
**Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 11:12pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/2634 "2014-03-18T23:12:55Z")

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Any tips for curing the common cold?

Other than (Read in as addition to) chugging Dayquil and vitamins i mean.

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**Author:** ![secretfire](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/secretfire/32/2984_2.png) [@secretfire](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/secretfire)\
**Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 11:30pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/2635 "2014-03-18T23:30:03Z")

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Another question guys.

I can’t get the numberpad to work. Only the arrow keys and the wierd keyboard bindings. I’ve tried with numlock on and numlock off; it doesn’t recognize it.

I’m running windows 7. With numlock on, I can enter numbers into my browsers input window, and with it off, I can move left and right as if its an arrow key.

Any ideas? I can’t even manually bind to the numpad; Cataclysm just doesn’t recognize it at all, in any way shape or form.

EDIT/UPDATE: Its a windows 7 bug. Windows had a setting automatically turned on in the ‘EASE OF ACCESS’ center which altered the numpad. Turning it off fixed it.

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**Author:** ![Caconym](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aca169/32.png) [@Caconym](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Caconym)\
**Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 11:33pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/2636 "2014-03-18T23:33:07Z")

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[quote=“Fish, post:2634, topic:42”]Any tips for curing the common cold?

Other than (Read in as addition to) chugging Dayquil and vitamins i mean.[/quote]  
Royal jelly, the instant cure to such things, can be found in labs and possibly bee hives(if they’re still a thing).

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**Author:** ![Fish](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/fish/32/249_2.png) [@Fish](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Fish)\
**Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 11:39pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/2637 "2014-03-18T23:39:21Z")

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WHAT!?!?!?!?  
YOU MEAN I COULD CURE MYSELF FORM ALL OF THOSE TIMES I HAD THAT HORRIBLE DIEASE?

> (

Thanks you for helping me. I hate that common cold.

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**Author:** ![HunterAlpha1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@HunterAlpha1](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/HunterAlpha1)\
**Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 11:43pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/2638 "2014-03-18T23:43:18Z")

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[quote=“Fish, post:2637, topic:42”]WHAT!?!?!?!?  
YOU MEAN I COULD CURE MYSELF FORM ALL OF THOSE TIMES I HAD THAT HORRIBLE DIEASE?

> (

Thanks you for helping me. I hate that common cold.[/quote]Yeah, in fact Royal Jelly is a real life natural cure for many ailments. My sister, who is kind of an amateur herbalist, told me about it. Interesting the things in a game that turn out to be real life things.

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**Author:** ![TheFlame52](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/theflame52/32/247_2.png) [@TheFlame52](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/TheFlame52)\
**Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 11:45pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/2639 "2014-03-18T23:45:52Z")

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> [@secretfire](#):
>
> I found you guys via Dwarf Fortress.

Same! Most people who play Cata play Dwarf Fortress, but not the other way around.

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**Author:** ![secretfire](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/secretfire/32/2984_2.png) [@secretfire](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/secretfire)\
**Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 12:20am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/2640 "2014-03-19T00:20:02Z")

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Query. I don’t have hammer and nails. I want to push furniture in front of a door so I can go to sleep. How do I do so? I know its a bad idea, I just want to know how to do it.

And while we are on the subject, when in a menu (such as the 'construct terrain menu \*) - how do I page-up or page down through super long lists of items? Page up/down doesn’t do it, and neither does the mouse.

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