# 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:** 185

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**Author:** ![shpider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@shpider](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/shpider)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2014, 12:30pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/3681 "2014-06-28T12:30:51Z")

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I turned spawn rate scaling factor down to 0.3, but I think that’s just for zombies.

I left item spawn factor at 1.0

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**Author:** ![Weyrling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7bcc69/32.png) [@Weyrling](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Weyrling)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2014, 1:18pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/3682 "2014-06-28T13:18:41Z")

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[quote=“shpider, post:3681, topic:42”]I turned spawn rate scaling factor down to 0.3, but I think that’s just for zombies.

I left item spawn factor at 1.0[/quote]  
Offhand I’d say you’re probably just extraordinarily lucky, but I’m not sure how the item spawn code works, so it might be a bug.

Also regarding food, a good tip is that you can combine salt/pepper/seasoning into ‘seasoned salt’ which you can use to preserve more food than with the individual ingredients.

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**Author:** ![Dorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/35a633/32.png) [@Dorian](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Dorian)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2014, 2:15pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/3683 "2014-06-28T14:15:36Z")

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What does an “evil presence” on an artifact do? I assume it means the thing is up to no good in some respect.

It does give +4 to INT, though, which means I’m going to be keeping it to use for installing CBMs, the Amigara fight, etc. 🙂

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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:** [June 28, 2014, 2:21pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/3684 "2014-06-28T14:21:49Z")

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[quote=“Dorian, post:3683, topic:42”]What does an “evil presence” on an artifact do? I assume it means the thing is up to no good in some respect.

It does give +4 to INT, though, which means I’m going to be keeping it to use for installing CBMs, the Amigara fight, etc. 🙂

If you must know, spoilers below.

The evil presence modifier will inflict a disease called ‘Evil’ on you. At first this will give you various buffs, but these will slowly turn to penalties, except for the strength buff which will increase further.  
The other drawback is that it will also penalize your stats if you STOP wielding it. Basically, get rid of it unless you don’t mind losing everything for some strength buffs.

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**Author:** ![Dorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/35a633/32.png) [@Dorian](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Dorian)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2014, 2:50pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/3685 "2014-06-28T14:50:04Z")

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Huh?

It didn’t do anything to my strength. The only thing it increased is INT.

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**Author:** ![vache](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ea666f/32.png) [@vache](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/vache)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2014, 3:45pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/3686 "2014-06-28T15:45:19Z")

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The explosives thing was probably a crate drop. I think the issue is the game tried to place the crate on a tree, and couldn’t spawn the crate, so it just started spawning items, but since they couldn’t be placed on the tree, they were placed on the tile next to it. The code to check whether it had generated enough items was still trying to place them on the tree though, so it just kept placing and placing them, until something (I don’t know what) told it had placed enough. Not sure if that’s actually it though, I’ll give it a look.

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**Author:** ![shpider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@shpider](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/shpider)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2014, 4:39pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/3687 "2014-06-28T16:39:10Z")

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Ah, that makes sense. There was a crate just slightly south of there, with guns and stuff in it.

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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:** [June 28, 2014, 5:07pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/3688 "2014-06-28T17:07:03Z")

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Noobs, the power of my lifeforce 😃

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**Author:** ![EpicMarble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/90db22/32.png) [@EpicMarble](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/EpicMarble)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2014, 7:58pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/3689 "2014-06-28T19:58:50Z")

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Quick question: with items on the floor, is there any way to have multiples of the same item stack the same way it does for your own inventory screen? I want my cupboard to have: “rag x50” instead of: “rag, rag rag, rag, rag, rag …” (you get the point). I do use the “/” sorting but I haven’t found a way to get a sorted and stacked view.

My compliments to the devs for an awesome game! I just started yesterday and I’m completely hooked 🙂

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**Author:** ![userpay](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/userpay/32/1128_2.png) [@userpay](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/userpay)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2014, 8:33pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/3690 "2014-06-28T20:33:32Z")

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Did the spawn rate for scientist labs get decreased in the experimental build? I usually find 2 or 3 by now in the standard but thus far in the experimental haven’t found any.

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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:** [June 28, 2014, 8:37pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/3691 "2014-06-28T20:37:46Z")

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Yup.

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**Author:** ![userpay](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/userpay/32/1128_2.png) [@userpay](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/userpay)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2014, 8:58pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/3692 "2014-06-28T20:58:27Z")

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> [@FunsizeNinja123](#):
>
> Yup.

Well dang, finding all kinds of military bases but can’t get into those… Are there any particular places where military IDs are common?

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**Author:** ![John\_Candlebury](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/john_candlebury/32/6437_2.png) [@John\_Candlebury](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/John_Candlebury)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2014, 9:26pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/3693 "2014-06-28T21:26:33Z")

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A single one on toxic waste dumps, and theres a desk in the waste sarcophagus that can spawn with one. And military outposts, but those are well defended.

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**Author:** ![blazing\_glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecae2f/32.png) [@blazing\_glory](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/blazing_glory)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2014, 9:52pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/3694 "2014-06-28T21:52:31Z")

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> [@John Candlebury](#):
>
> A single one on toxic waste dumps, and theres a desk in the waste sarcophagus that can spawn with one. And military outposts, but those are well defended.

And by well defended you mean tons of turrets that shred you and your makeshift armor to bits?

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**Author:** ![John\_Candlebury](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/john_candlebury/32/6437_2.png) [@John\_Candlebury](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/John_Candlebury)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2014, 9:56pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/3695 "2014-06-28T21:56:43Z")

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If you get lucky, if you don’t there are also zombie soldiers that take joy on brutally smashing your head against the pavement over and over again.

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**Author:** ![esran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/958977/32.png) [@esran](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/esran)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2014, 11:34pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/3696 "2014-06-28T23:34:11Z")

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labs should be more common. I always hate having to search around for engame content. Perhaps make things like labs and fungal blooms more common as you get farther from the starting shelter?

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**Author:** ![AseaHeru](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/aseaheru/32/8_2.png) [@AseaHeru](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/AseaHeru)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2014, 11:36pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/3697 "2014-06-28T23:36:57Z")

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You cant find enough labs? Why, less than two months ago I turned on classic zombies because there where toomany labs.  
And because skellies are bullshit,.

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**Author:** ![The\_Lone\_Badger](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/the_lone_badger/32/8063_2.png) [@The\_Lone\_Badger](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/The_Lone_Badger)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2014, 11:55pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/3698 "2014-06-28T23:55:10Z")

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> [@blazing glory](#):
>
> And by well defended you mean tons of turrets that shred you and your makeshift armor to bits?

Only attack military outposts at night. Turn your flashlight off, stop just outside the range of the turret’s spotlight, and blow it away.  
Never, ever let them shoot at you. Being robotic they have simple rules for when they will and won’t shoot, so exploit them.

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**Author:** ![userpay](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/userpay/32/1128_2.png) [@userpay](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/userpay)\
**Post date:** [June 29, 2014, 12:09am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/3699 "2014-06-29T00:09:36Z")

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Is there a way to build a bridge?

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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:** [June 29, 2014, 12:27am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/3700 "2014-06-29T00:27:29Z")

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Nope.

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