# 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:** 133

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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 19, 2014, 12:27am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/2641 "2014-03-19T00:27:27Z")

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Do (G)rab (case sensitive). somethings you cant grab and it will tell you you can not grab there.

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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, 12:38am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/2642 "2014-03-19T00:38:51Z")

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Excellent!

And what about the situation where - I examine an electric car, its apparently not damaged except for the seat. I move inside of it, move over where the controls are - get told nothing. ^ lets me turn on the engine…but never any option to drive. Other vehicles work fine. (well, or don’t work fine, heh)

Ideas?

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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 19, 2014, 12:40am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/2643 "2014-03-19T00:40:31Z")

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[quote=“secretfire, post:2642, topic:42”]Excellent!

And what about the situation where - I examine an electric car, its apparently not damaged except for the seat. I move inside of it, move over where the controls are - get told nothing. ^ lets me turn on the engine…but never any option to drive. Other vehicles work fine. (well, or don’t work fine, heh)

Ideas?[/quote]

Replace the seat. You need somewhere to sit while you drive.

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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, 1:39am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/2644 "2014-03-19T01:39:45Z")

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How do I put an item in my backpack or purse? Its annoying. The only thing I’m carrying (not wearing) is a sewing kit, and I’m told I can’t pick up a hammer AND a pda.

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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 19, 2014, 2:09am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/2645 "2014-03-19T02:09:53Z")

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> [@secretfire](#):
>
> How do I put an item in my backpack or purse? Its annoying. The only thing I’m carrying (not wearing) is a sewing kit, and I’m told I can’t pick up a hammer AND a pda.

Just (W)ear stuff like backpacks and purses. They passively increase the volume of goods you can carry while you’re wearing them.

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**Author:** ![Lord\_Sunder](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/lord_sunder/32/215_2.png) [@Lord\_Sunder](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Lord_Sunder)\
**Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 3:11am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/2646 "2014-03-19T03:11:41Z")

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Mildly spoilery question here, so I erred on the side of caution.

Artifacts. They have charges. I’m one of those people who loves to hoard things, and I’ve always been afraid to waste a charge on something frivolous. Given that most have like 2 charges, that’s enough for figuring out what effect they have, and maybe one for actual use. Do they recharge, or will it be gone forever once I use that second charge?

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**Author:** ![detahramet](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/detahramet/32/58_2.png) [@detahramet](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/detahramet)\
**Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 4:05am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/2647 "2014-03-19T04:05:30Z")

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Its a tadbit random, but typically, it regenerates.

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**Author:** ![KA101](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/278dde/32.png) [@KA101](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/KA101)\
**Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 4:58am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/2648 "2014-03-19T04:58:10Z")

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> [@detahramet](#):
>
> Its a tadbit random, but typically, it regenerates.

Usually you’ll either get Pinged! a bit (nothing serious IME), or you’ll need to take it out in the sun for an hour or so.

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**Author:** ![Catfoodbob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ee59a6/32.png) [@Catfoodbob](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Catfoodbob)\
**Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 12:12pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/2649 "2014-03-19T12:12:59Z")

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> [@Rivet](#):
>
> [quote=“secretfire, post:2644, topic:42”]How do I put an item in my backpack or purse? Its annoying. The only thing I’m carrying (not wearing) is a sewing kit, and I’m told I can’t pick up a hammer AND a pda.

Just (W)ear stuff like backpacks and purses. They passively increase the volume of goods you can carry while you’re wearing them.[/quote]  
I just don’t feel backpacks are worth the 1 encumberment on torso though 😛

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**Author:** ![kingorkami](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/kingorkami/32/242_2.png) [@kingorkami](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/kingorkami)\
**Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 6:39pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/2650 "2014-03-19T18:39:42Z")

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Guys how does yeast work?

I understand that its used to make beer?

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**Author:** ![IcedPee](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/icedpee/32/259_2.png) [@IcedPee](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/IcedPee)\
**Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 7:58pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/2651 "2014-03-19T19:58:35Z")

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> [@Catfoodbob](#):
>
> [quote=“Rivet, post:2645, topic:42”][quote=“secretfire, post:2644, topic:42”]How do I put an item in my backpack or purse? Its annoying. The only thing I’m carrying (not wearing) is a sewing kit, and I’m told I can’t pick up a hammer AND a pda.

Just (W)ear stuff like backpacks and purses. They passively increase the volume of goods you can carry while you’re wearing them.[/quote]  
I just don’t feel backpacks are worth the 1 encumberment on torso though :P[/quote]

1. Only wear backpacks when going on loot runs where you probably won’t be fighting.
2. Drop the backpack and any stuff that makes you go over the volume limit if you get into an accidental fight.
3. After you win, pick it all back up and continue looting.
4. Profit

That, or find/craft clothing that gives you storage space and 0 encumbrance.

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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, 9:48pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/2652 "2014-03-19T21:48:56Z")

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More Annoying Questions! Thanks in advance guys!

1. Holy crap driving cars is annoying! I turned on the option in the options to put an ‘x’ in front of the car so I can see which way its facing - but none appeared. I can’t tell which way its facing some of the time, it doesn’t seem to really want to drive, and the controls feel sluggish and nonresponsive instead of intuitive and easy. It also changes shape whenever I turn. (?!?!?!) Is there an option to make driving work like moving? If not, how do I suggest one? I’m all for realism, but playability comes into it at some point, too. I ended up driving in random directions until I hit shrubbery, was stopped, and ran out of gas/power. (solar car).

2. Hordes are new. Do they actually show up on the world map, as per the option in debug mode which brings up a map? I had a funny experience. I was in my evac shelter. It is in the middle of nowhere. Except for a solar car that was parked outside. I went wandering west across half the visible overworld map. I passed a lava chasm, found a mansion in a forest surrounded by fungus. I got a backpack full of books, and then bugged out, zigzagging back to my evac shelter. A day or so later, when sleeping, I heard TONS of noises outside the shelter. I waited a day, and then peeked the windows open - and was absolutely surrounded by zombies. They saw me despite my one turn ‘open/close the curtains’ peek, and broke in. When I got outside; its a massive swarm of them. But I don’t see anything showing a horde on the worldmap, or even the ‘show hordes’ option on the debug screen. I am in static spawn mode.

3. Is there a way to see what the day to day changes are in the experimental, so I know if its worthwhile to re-download it? I obsess over the dwarf fortress DevLog, so this would give me something new to obsess/redownload over.

4. Does the moral bonus of heels (with stylish they are ‘very fancy’) make up for their leg encumbrance penalty? I guess I should probably take them off before exploring towns, huh?

5. Since FLEEING FOR MY LIFE from the evac shelter, I found a cave. I am familiar with caves. Is there a way to mine/dig out tunnels in them? I feel like I’m somehow on familiar territory here… … …

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**Author:** ![Soyweiser](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/soyweiser/32/37_2.png) [@Soyweiser](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Soyweiser)\
**Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 10:01pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/2653 "2014-03-19T22:01:35Z")

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> [@secretfire](#):
>
> More Annoying Questions! Thanks in advance guys!

1. Nope, guess you will have to get your cata driving license.

2. No idea what happend. Could be a bug.

3. Not really. You will have to look at the most recent pull requests on github. [Pull requests · CleverRaven/Cataclysm-DDA · GitHub](https://github.com/CleverRaven/Cataclysm-DDA/pulls?direction=desc&page=1&sort=created&state=closed) here. Not all closed ones are merged iirc.

4. Depends on your playstyle. But imho morale +2 (or more, dunno) is not worth the movementspeed reduction.

5. Pickaxes, explosives, jackhammers. No other ways. But there is not really any loot inside walls. And it takes a long time.

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**Author:** ![elauminx](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/elauminx/32/283_2.png) [@elauminx](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/elauminx)\
**Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 10:33pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/2654 "2014-03-19T22:33:55Z")

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1. You could peek at [master](https://github.com/CleverRaven/Cataclysm-DDA/commits/master) branch log, but I’m not sure if that would satisfy your curiosity without knowledge of the code-base. Commit msgs have wide information density.

obsess away,  
eai

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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 19, 2014, 11:16pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/2655 "2014-03-19T23:16:32Z")

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hahaha i think cars should probably not default to cruise control. if anything should be changed, i vote for that.

you can make the screen stay where it is when youre driving and not move to look ahead of the car, and you can also set a vehicle heading indicator in the the options menu; the help tremendously but you really want to get a good idea of how cars are generally shaped in cata… the trunk is the brown H’s, the windshield is a line of blue quotation marks " and you kind of just get used to keeping track of your heading i guess. i have never liked the “you fumble with the controls” thing. i always thought it should be more like, you oversteer, or fail to steer, or same with the brakes or gas or something like that… idk, it just never really sat right with me, seems annoying but if you constantly turn back and forth while you are driving it will build your skill a bit. make sure you keep a high focus.

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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 19, 2014, 11:25pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/2656 "2014-03-19T23:25:11Z")

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I agree with you about “fumbling with the controls”. Its just bad, i mean with a vertitabal tank and fumbling it so you do a 360 into a lake?

```
                                                                                         Nope.

```

(If anything it should be HARD to turn)

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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 19, 2014, 11:27pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/2657 "2014-03-19T23:27:39Z")

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haha i mean i can definitely see someone who has never even sat in a car before (zero skill) to fuck up a bit but it is just a little too frequent right now imo

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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 20, 2014, 12:47am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/2658 "2014-03-20T00:47:27Z")

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Another question. How do I turn on an oven? I have a match to light the pilot with. (those will work until the pipes themselves rot away, which is probably some time).

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**Author:** ![kingorkami](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/kingorkami/32/242_2.png) [@kingorkami](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/kingorkami)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 12:53am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/2659 "2014-03-20T00:53:03Z")

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> [@secretfire](#):
>
> 3. Is there a way to see what the day to day changes are in the experimental, so I know if its worthwhile to re-download it? I obsess over the dwarf fortress DevLog, so this would give me something new to obsess/redownload over.

I know how you feel.

If you have an RSS tool, get the one for whatever version you play from [Cataclysm-Matrix [Jenkins]](http://ci.narc.ro/job/Cataclysm-Matrix/) (I dont bother with tiles so I mainly use [http://ci.narc.ro/job/Cataclysm-Matrix/Graphics=Curses,Platform=Windows/rssAll](http://ci.narc.ro/job/Cataclysm-Matrix/Graphics=Curses,Platform=Windows/rssAll) )  
Every time there is a new build it will tell you what was added.  
Pretty sweet.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![elauminx](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/elauminx/32/283_2.png) [@elauminx](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/elauminx)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 12:56am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/2660 "2014-03-20T00:56:26Z")

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> [@secretfire](#):
>
> Another question. How do I turn on an oven? I have a match to light the pilot with. (those will work until the pipes themselves rot away, which is probably some time).

AFAIK, ovens are mere smashable decore…

perhaps you mean some other oven than those in houses/furtniture store,  
eai

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