# 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:** 162

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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:** [May 18, 2014, 4:07pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/3221 "2014-05-18T16:07:39Z")

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> [@Datanazush](#):
>
> [quote=“Kyriolexical Dino, post:3219, topic:42”]On the topic of trapping, can I set up spiked pits?

You can construct them, The path is \* → a, , which will form a shallow pit, then repeat again to make it deep. And then \* → b with 4 wood spears or pointy sticks in your inventory to put spikes in it.[/quote]They can be lying on the ground nearby, FYI.

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**Author:** ![Datanazush](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/datanazush/32/1055_2.png) [@Datanazush](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Datanazush)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 4:10pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/3222 "2014-05-18T16:10:29Z")

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> [@HunterAlpha1](#):
>
> [quote=“Datanazush, post:3220, topic:42”][quote=“Kyriolexical Dino, post:3219, topic:42”]On the topic of trapping, can I set up spiked pits?

You can construct them, The path is \* → a, , which will form a shallow pit, then repeat again to make it deep. And then \* → b with 4 wood spears or pointy sticks in your inventory to put spikes in it.[/quote]They can be lying on the ground nearby, FYI. [/quote]

You’re right, I think the crafting screens count all objects within a distance of 2 tiles or less?

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**Author:** ![Rutilant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a88e57/32.png) [@Rutilant](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Rutilant)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 7:26pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/3223 "2014-05-18T19:26:00Z")

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> [@Datanazush](#):
>
> You’re right, I think the crafting screens count all objects within a distance of 2 tiles or less?

It’s something like 6 now.

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**Author:** ![DinoMC](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/dinomc/32/1113_2.png) [@DinoMC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/DinoMC)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 9:44pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/3224 "2014-05-18T21:44:38Z")

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Heh, discovered spiked pits in the construct menu and build my first one just before reading this.

So, is surrounding my whole shelter with spiked pits a good idea? Leaving one square free to get out. Or while zombear/zwolves/… just see them and cross on the free square?

Also, it looks like I don’t get alerts anymore when hearing a noise, did I deactivate something by mistake?  
Sometimes I’m reading or crafting in my shelter and suddenly get a message saying a monster is close. When I check the log, I see, eg. “You hear a whump! x6” so it means my character WAS hearing this for several turns, right? Why no prompt to stop crafting/reading?

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**Author:** ![Khrysanth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@Khrysanth](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Khrysanth)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 9:48pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/3225 "2014-05-18T21:48:54Z")

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Keep a two by four next to where you cross, and you don’t have to leave a path at all. Just examine the pit and put a plank across, then remove it when you’re over.

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**Author:** ![DinoMC](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/dinomc/32/1113_2.png) [@DinoMC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/DinoMC)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2014, 11:17pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/3226 "2014-05-18T23:17:52Z")

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Just saw a zombie dog fall into one and he survived and got out. Damage must be pretty low, dunno if it’s worth it.

I’ll try putting them only in front of my doors/windows and having 2 rows. Do I need a space between 2 pits for the monsters to fall again or does it work even if they walk directly from one pit to another?

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**Author:** ![Moral\_Grey\_Area](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d2c977/32.png) [@Moral\_Grey\_Area](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Moral_Grey_Area)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2014, 12:49am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/3227 "2014-05-19T00:49:47Z")

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Why wont fullscreen mode work? Its turned on. SDL only? Whats SDL?

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**Author:** ![Aslandus](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/aslandus/32/1086_2.png) [@Aslandus](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Aslandus)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2014, 1:24am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/3228 "2014-05-19T01:24:40Z")

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[quote=“DinoMC, post:3226, topic:42”]Just saw a zombie dog fall into one and he survived and got out. Damage must be pretty low, dunno if it’s worth it.

I’ll try putting them only in front of my doors/windows and having 2 rows. Do I need a space between 2 pits for the monsters to fall again or does it work even if they walk directly from one pit to another?[/quote]  
It takes at least one turn to get out of a single pit, so if they fall into another one right next to it it’s more time and damage they are taking to get to you… on a related note, be careful digging out a field of pits when you only have one 2x4 on your person…

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**Author:** ![Creamy\_Goodness](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/creamy_goodness/32/292_2.png) [@Creamy\_Goodness](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Creamy_Goodness)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2014, 4:11am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/3229 "2014-05-19T04:11:32Z")

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> [@Khrysanth](#):
>
> Keep a two by four next to where you cross, and you don’t have to leave a path at all. Just examine the pit and put a plank across, then remove it when you’re over.

Very nifty trick thanks for the info, my lawn is currently a bumfux bonfire of zombie corpses and pits scattered because I thought I needed my own path

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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:** [May 19, 2014, 4:34am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/3230 "2014-05-19T04:34:23Z")

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When I’m building my main base I place a large square of spiked pits around it, and then another outside of that separated by a space. Then on the inside of the inner square I build palisades. Inside of that I place turrets sheltered by roofs and separated by a single wall tile so they don’t shoot each other. If I still feel I need it I add another row of spiked pits outside of the outer row. At this point my base is pretty much impregnable by anything, but if I feel like it I’ll add a row each of nailboard traps and caltrops just in case a Zombie Hulk that’s part of a horde stumbles across my fortress.

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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:** [May 19, 2014, 12:31pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/3231 "2014-05-19T12:31:15Z")

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> [@HunterAlpha1](#):
>
> When I’m building my main base I place a large square of spiked pits around it, and then another outside of that separated by a space. Then on the inside of the inner square I build palisades. Inside of that I place turrets sheltered by roofs and separated by a single wall tile so they don’t shoot each other. If I still feel I need it I add another row of spiked pits outside of the outer row. At this point my base is pretty much impregnable by anything, but if I feel like it I’ll add a row each of nailboard traps and caltrops just in case a Zombie Hulk that’s part of a horde stumbles across my fortress.

You can build your trap layers 2 tiles thick and still reach both sides easy enough. It also gives room to have diagonal holes as entrances, much less likely for something to get through and avoid a whole line of traps.

I havent been playing against hordes, will your setup hold out against them?

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**Author:** ![Arek\_PL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b77776/32.png) [@Arek\_PL](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Arek_PL)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2014, 1:36pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/3232 "2014-05-19T13:36:23Z")

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hordes are realy dangeours with over thousand of zombies so maybe traps are usefull but you still need to butcher corpses

sometimes hordes are small something about 10-20 zombies + 1 necromancer (every hode have at least one) that amout of zombies even new player can beat if they know how to deal with slower enemy

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**Author:** ![acehawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/65b543/32.png) [@acehawk](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/acehawk)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2014, 1:47pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/3233 "2014-05-19T13:47:57Z")

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If you kill and butcher all the necromancers, does the horde die?

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**Author:** ![Arek\_PL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b77776/32.png) [@Arek\_PL](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Arek_PL)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2014, 2:57pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/3234 "2014-05-19T14:57:32Z")

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in static i managed to kill whole horde (12 zombies i used debug to check that) and it disapear for dynamic i am not sure

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**Author:** ![Jakers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ab097/32.png) [@Jakers](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Jakers)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2014, 3:45pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/3235 "2014-05-19T15:45:16Z")

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You don’t need to butcher the corpses, as that’s time consuming and you need a knife (although it gives you survival XP.) Use ‘s’ to (s)mash the zombie corpses instead - you can smash a whole stack of zombie corpses in one command and it doesn’t take very many turns at all.

As for the necromancers - no.

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**Author:** ![Ant](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/ant/32/310_2.png) [@Ant](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Ant)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2014, 11:55pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/3236 "2014-05-19T23:55:19Z")

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When making generators, does engine size or alternator size affect the charge rate? Does having more than one engine/alternator set affect it?

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**Author:** ![flaede](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/flaede/32/10778_2.png) [@flaede](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/flaede)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2014, 12:02am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/3237 "2014-05-20T00:02:22Z")

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So I somehow enabled “Desert Mode” for my last generated world. I am not sure how I did this.  
The game ended horribly and I can’t seem to generate another desert world. Anyone have any tips on how?

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**Author:** ![Funk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d07c76/32.png) [@Funk](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Funk)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2014, 12:05am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/3238 "2014-05-20T00:05:34Z")

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Engine size matters only for fuel costs, so use 1-cylinder engines from lawn motors.  
Bigger alternators take more engine power and make more energy.  
You can have more than one alternator per engine.

I’ve never tried multi engine set ups but i reckon it will take each engine and deducted the alternators power loss.

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**Author:** ![Ant](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/ant/32/310_2.png) [@Ant](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Ant)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2014, 1:20am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/3239 "2014-05-20T01:20:46Z")

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[quote=“Funk, post:3238, topic:42”]Engine size matters only for fuel costs, so use 1-cylinder engines from lawn motors.  
Bigger alternators take more engine power and make more energy.  
You can have more than one alternator per engine.[/quote]

I didn’t realize you could add more than one. Thanks.

> [@Funk](#):
>
> I’ve never tried multi engine set ups but i reckon it will take each engine and deducted the alternators power loss.

I don’t understand. Would it give you more power output? Would it waste gas?

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**Author:** ![FunsizeNinja123](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/funsizeninja123/32/118_2.png) [@FunsizeNinja123](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/FunsizeNinja123)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2014, 1:27am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/3240 "2014-05-20T01:27:57Z")

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Well you’re gonna need 12 mechanics for a second engine.

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