# 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:** 241

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**Author:** ![Valpo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/valpo/32/341_2.png) [@Valpo](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Valpo)\
**Post date:** [October 17, 2014, 7:54pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/4802 "2014-10-17T19:54:50Z")

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Somehow the dynamic spawn never seems to work for me. Empty citys stay empty… i might be doing something wrong. Only things that spawn till they break my framerateto unplayableness are the blobs near a running car.

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**Author:** ![Thwap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4af34b/32.png) [@Thwap](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Thwap)\
**Post date:** [October 18, 2014, 8:24am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/4803 "2014-10-18T08:24:25Z")

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Jesus Christ, is there any way to put solar panels on the roof of your vehicle and not have them be the visible tile? I can’t see where my fridge or anything is.

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**Author:** ![Valpo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/valpo/32/341_2.png) [@Valpo](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Valpo)\
**Post date:** [October 18, 2014, 8:28am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/4804 "2014-10-18T08:28:03Z")

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> [@Thwap](#):
>
> Jesus Christ, is there any way to put solar panels on the roof of your vehicle and not have them be the visible tile? I can’t see where my fridge or anything is.

That issue has been fixed in the experimental. when you enteryour car they disapear from your field of view and you see the interrior

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**Author:** ![Thwap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4af34b/32.png) [@Thwap](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Thwap)\
**Post date:** [October 18, 2014, 9:06am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/4805 "2014-10-18T09:06:30Z")

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Awesome, but does experimental just now not run on XP? It won’t even open for me.

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**Author:** ![Valpo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/valpo/32/341_2.png) [@Valpo](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Valpo)\
**Post date:** [October 18, 2014, 9:29am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/4806 "2014-10-18T09:29:00Z")

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I am not aware of any problemswith win xp. However i never tried nor asked if there are so perhaps someone else can help there. I just dowloaded the recent version to try whether its the current build that has a problem. It works fine for me on win 7.

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**Author:** ![Thwap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4af34b/32.png) [@Thwap](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Thwap)\
**Post date:** [October 18, 2014, 9:36am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/4807 "2014-10-18T09:36:30Z")

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If it helps anyone, here’s the debug.log

* * *

## 5:30:18.250 : Starting log. 5:30:18.390 SDL : src/sdltiles.cpp:317: Failed to select render target: That operation is not supported 5:30:18.390 : initscr failed! 5:30:18.437 : Log shutdown.

EDIT: Never mind, I’ve got it. I just googled part of the error message and got a link to a similar thread from not long ago. For the record, just in case anyone googles up THIS post someday, the solution was to go to options.txt and enable software rendering. 🙂

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**Author:** ![Raskulle](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/raskulle/32/368_2.png) [@Raskulle](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Raskulle)\
**Post date:** [October 18, 2014, 10:06am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/4808 "2014-10-18T10:06:20Z")

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What can I do with soap bars?  
Should I bother hoarding them or throw them in the fireplace.

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**Author:** ![Valpo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/valpo/32/341_2.png) [@Valpo](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Valpo)\
**Post date:** [October 18, 2014, 10:14am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/4809 "2014-10-18T10:14:28Z")

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You can craft explosives with them.

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**Author:** ![Raskulle](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/raskulle/32/368_2.png) [@Raskulle](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Raskulle)\
**Post date:** [October 18, 2014, 10:19am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/4810 "2014-10-18T10:19:00Z")

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Nice.  
I guess I gotta study my “Napalm Warfare History Book”.

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**Author:** ![Raskulle](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/raskulle/32/368_2.png) [@Raskulle](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Raskulle)\
**Post date:** [October 18, 2014, 10:26am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/4811 "2014-10-18T10:26:45Z")

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How to train construction past 1 without books?  
Building a crate gives 4% qq.

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**Author:** ![Valpo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/valpo/32/341_2.png) [@Valpo](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Valpo)\
**Post date:** [October 18, 2014, 10:28am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/4812 "2014-10-18T10:28:06Z")

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i would build the tables in the &crafting menu they are skill lvl 1  
4% only 25 crafts 😃 you can be like the greater crater grader

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**Author:** ![Robik](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/robik/32/1349_2.png) [@Robik](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Robik)\
**Post date:** [October 18, 2014, 11:43am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/4813 "2014-10-18T11:43:50Z")

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[quote=“Raskulle, post:4811, topic:42”]How to train construction past 1 without books?  
Building a crate gives 4% qq.[/quote]

You don’t. It is not worth it.

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**Author:** ![Raskulle](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/raskulle/32/368_2.png) [@Raskulle](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Raskulle)\
**Post date:** [October 18, 2014, 12:46pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/4814 "2014-10-18T12:46:32Z")

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Just finished making crates, took literally all day.  
At least I can make a damn fireplace now hooray~

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**Author:** ![Coolthulhu](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/coolthulhu/32/2446_2.png) [@Coolthulhu](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Coolthulhu)\
**Post date:** [October 18, 2014, 12:52pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/4815 "2014-10-18T12:52:20Z")

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You can chop trees if you find (or make) an axe. That can get you (incredibly slowly) to level 3, so you can make beds.

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**Author:** ![bahihs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3d9bf3/32.png) [@bahihs](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/bahihs)\
**Post date:** [October 19, 2014, 12:46am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/4816 "2014-10-19T00:46:40Z")

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Where do you find spray can’s? I’m trying to build welding goggles (too risky to go in and get them from a garage)

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**Author:** ![Raskulle](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/raskulle/32/368_2.png) [@Raskulle](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Raskulle)\
**Post date:** [October 19, 2014, 2:56am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/4817 "2014-10-19T02:56:38Z")

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I find spray cans in houses all the time. Check basements too.  
I think I found a spray can at a sporting good store once.

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**Author:** ![Thwap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4af34b/32.png) [@Thwap](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Thwap)\
**Post date:** [October 19, 2014, 5:02am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/4818 "2014-10-19T05:02:27Z")

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I just switched from stable to experimental. Why does starting in spring mean it’s 20 degrees and snowing now?

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**Author:** ![edm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f08c70/32.png) [@edm](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/edm)\
**Post date:** [October 19, 2014, 5:54am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/4819 "2014-10-19T05:54:57Z")

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> [@Thwap](#):
>
> I just switched from stable to experimental. Why does starting in spring mean it’s 20 degrees and snowing now?

Windchill AFAIK, they’re trying to balance it. Welcome to the experimental, full of wonder and sometimes utterly dysfunctional, yet we love it anyway.

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**Author:** ![Thwap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4af34b/32.png) [@Thwap](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Thwap)\
**Post date:** [October 19, 2014, 6:30am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/4820 "2014-10-19T06:30:36Z")

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Ok cool, I just wondered if it was some sort of “actually starts you on last day of winter” thing.

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**Author:** ![Zireael](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/zireael/32/956_2.png) [@Zireael](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Zireael)\
**Post date:** [October 19, 2014, 9:44am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/4821 "2014-10-19T09:44:04Z")

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> [@Thwap](#):
>
> I just switched from stable to experimental. Why does starting in spring mean it’s 20 degrees and snowing now?

Because

> it doesn't stop snowing at midnight on spring equinox

as someone said on the forums.

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