# 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:** 251

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**Author:** ![BigLie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f14d63/32.png) [@BigLie](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/BigLie)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2014, 8:49pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/5002 "2014-10-30T20:49:09Z")

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How do I play cata on more advanced levels?

All I have been doing so far is raiding cities for food and (entry-level) loot. Sometimes I would find a working car, sometimes even with a petrol station nearby so I would fill it to the brink and drive somewhere to find another city, loot it, wash, rinse, repeat.

I see you folks are doing much more complicated things in your worlds: building bases, constructing vehicles, wiping out shite like fungal blooms and triffid groves, raiding the bottom levels of the labs. I haven’t even touched crafting and construction menus thoroughly, bar the ‘Clean broken window’ and occasional ‘craft a joint’ things.

I tried to settle somewhere and stockpile food. Well, so-so, it doesn’t last too long. Then I had to spend various amounts of time running here and there just to make it to the next day.

Obviously I’m missing pretty much things here. Can you guys’n’gals spare some advice? It is not bad to be a vagabond but apart from riding and killing zeds it’s pretty nothing.

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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:** [October 30, 2014, 9:00pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/5003 "2014-10-30T21:00:57Z")

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Try to make a super-vehicle. Start out small, like the Solar Roller I. It was an electric car with two engines and steel plating on the front. Then, graduate up bigger. Eventually you will have something more like the Solar Roller VI, a massive monstrosity capable of driving through just about anything, with more storage than a semi trailer.

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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:** [October 30, 2014, 9:12pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/5004 "2014-10-30T21:12:38Z")

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[quote=“BigLie, post:5002, topic:42”]How do I play cata on more advanced levels?

All I have been doing so far is raiding cities for food and (entry-level) loot. Sometimes I would find a working car, sometimes even with a petrol station nearby so I would fill it to the brink and drive somewhere to find another city, loot it, wash, rinse, repeat.

I see you folks are doing much more complicated things in your worlds: building bases, constructing vehicles, wiping out shite like fungal blooms and triffid groves, raiding the bottom levels of the labs. I haven’t even touched crafting and construction menus thoroughly, bar the ‘Clean broken window’ and occasional ‘craft a joint’ things.

I tried to settle somewhere and stockpile food. Well, so-so, it doesn’t last too long. Then I had to spend various amounts of time running here and there just to make it to the next day.

Obviously I’m missing pretty much things here. Can you guys’n’gals spare some advice? It is not bad to be a vagabond but apart from riding and killing zeds it’s pretty nothing.[/quote]

Turn off skill rust and hordes. Those things are booty and I will never play with hordes.

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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 30, 2014, 10:04pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/5005 "2014-10-30T22:04:08Z")

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Skim the supercar guide:  
[http://www.wiki.cataclysmdda.com/index.php?title=Making\_a\_Supercar:\_Guide](http://www.wiki.cataclysmdda.com/index.php?title=Making_a_Supercar:_Guide)

Having a cool mobile crafting rig is one of the most important things in the game.

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**Author:** ![Caprice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@Caprice](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Caprice)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2014, 10:32pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/5006 "2014-10-30T22:32:05Z")

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> [@FunsizeNinja123](#):
>
> Turn off skill rust and hordes. Those things are booty and I will never play with hordes.

I haven’t found either of these things to be necessary to get high-end loot or skills, though I’ll cop to investing in high intelligence most of the time, and hordes come closer to killing me than most stuff does.

My advice would be to crack open the crafting menus - if someone’s still having trouble in the early game, getting a wooden needle (fabrication 1, a knife, and any source of wood is all you need; add a rock and some metal scraps if you don’t have fabrication 1 yet) and raising tailoring for the extra armor and warmth it can get you is likely to help a lot, and there’s a few easy-to-make weapons that will make early game fighting a lot safer. Thread and rags are easy to get from window curtains, so most starts will be able to get them really easily.

If you’re worried about the nastier critters that show up in cities - shocker brutes, hulks, etc - look into what it takes to craft molotovs and be careful how and where you explore. It’s possible, if a bit risky, to take pretty much anything dangerous you’ll find in a city with those at night. (Just don’t forget that once you’ve lit the molotov, everything nearby can see you. Throw it immediately!)

After that, what you want is basic tools, a few books, and an idea of where you’re getting food from. Hacksaw, wrench, screwdriver, hammer, soldering iron, any acetylene torches you can find, a welder if you’re lucky… once you’ve hit mechanics 2, you can currently raise the skill the rest of the way by dismantling vehicle hulks for parts. (Garages can have most of the tools; books come from libraries, schools, mansions, or getting lucky. Scientist corpses often have useful ones too, if you can fend off a mi-go.)

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**Author:** ![jokermatt999](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9bcb4/32.png) [@jokermatt999](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/jokermatt999)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2014, 11:28pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/5007 "2014-10-30T23:28:44Z")

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Great advice so far. My only addition is to make use of skill books. Imo, it’s the best and safest way to gear up. I’d prioritise tailoring, fabrication, mechanics, and maybe cooking, in that order. If you have food and water, you can hole up somewhere to read for a while and come out much stronger.

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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 30, 2014, 11:34pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/5008 "2014-10-30T23:34:06Z")

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Skill books are awesome but difficult to find (most of the time).

Also whoever suggested using process of elimination for the vehicle menu, thanks that worked. It seems the \_| and the \_  
|

piece merge together in the menu so that it looks like one single piece. Please separate 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 31, 2014, 12:31am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/5009 "2014-10-31T00:31:19Z")

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**|**  
ficksed.

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**Author:** ![baldamundo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/baldamundo/32/2859_2.png) [@baldamundo](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/baldamundo)\
**Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 12:35am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/5010 "2014-10-31T00:35:31Z")

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What are canvas bags for?

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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:** [October 31, 2014, 12:37am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/5011 "2014-10-31T00:37:17Z")

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Sandbags.

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**Author:** ![baldamundo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/baldamundo/32/2859_2.png) [@baldamundo](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/baldamundo)\
**Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 1:28am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/5012 "2014-10-31T01:28:59Z")

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[quote=“FunsizeNinja123, post:5011, topic:42”]Sandbags.[/quote]Those are canvas sacks I think - there is another item called ‘canvas bags’ the description of which says something about storing dried herbs, but I can’t work out how to use them.

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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:** [October 31, 2014, 1:29am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/5013 "2014-10-31T01:29:45Z")

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> [@baldamundo](#):
>
> [quote=“FunsizeNinja123, post:5011, topic:42”]Sandbags.[/quote]Those are canvas sacks I think - there is another item called ‘canvas bags’ the description of which says something about storing dried herbs, but I can’t work out how to use them.

That was someone being a bit hopeful re container-storage systems getting implemented.

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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 31, 2014, 8:14am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/5014 "2014-10-31T08:14:13Z")

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Are they useful for any crafting recipes though?

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**Author:** ![Rhodri](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/rhodri/32/342_2.png) [@Rhodri](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Rhodri)\
**Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 8:44am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/5015 "2014-10-31T08:44:36Z")

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They can carry stuff like pepper and salt. And only that.

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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 31, 2014, 9:47am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/5016 "2014-10-31T09:47:32Z")

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> [@Raskulle](#):
>
> Are they useful for any crafting recipes though?

Cut them up for rags. That’s their only use.

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**Author:** ![Rhodri](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/rhodri/32/342_2.png) [@Rhodri](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Rhodri)\
**Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 7:24pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/5017 "2014-10-31T19:24:58Z")

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What are the benefits and downsides of installing more wheels than needed on a vehicle?

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**Author:** ![pingpong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4bbf92/32.png) [@pingpong](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/pingpong)\
**Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 7:32pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/5018 "2014-10-31T19:32:46Z")

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> [@Rhodri](#):
>
> What are the benefits and downsides of installing more wheels than needed on a vehicle?

More weight = more gas/charge, and I believe technically now, if a vehicle has more weight, it will take more damage from any collision. There’s I think a bug thread where someone is taking massive vehicle damage from hitting shrubs, because their vehicle is ridiculously heavy.

Oh right, benefit: the wheels wear less? You need a minimum of three to drive, so four should be fine unless they’ve changed things.

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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 31, 2014, 7:41pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/5019 "2014-10-31T19:41:46Z")

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So I’m occupying one of those military bunkers with the basement you need cards to get into. All of my crap is set up in the underground chambers. If I put a bulletin board upstairs and recruit survivors and tell them to go to it, will they stay out of my basement full of goodies or will they wander down there and mess with my stuff?

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**Author:** ![BigLie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f14d63/32.png) [@BigLie](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/BigLie)\
**Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 9:30pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/5020 "2014-10-31T21:30:53Z")

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@FunsizeNinja123

Hordes are disabled, skill rust is set to intcap. It doesn’t bpther me very much.

@Coolthulhu  
Thanks. Maybe it’s an idea to reread the wiki.

@Caprice  
Thank you too.

@jokermatt999  
Food and water. The latter is somewhat a problem to me, in a long run. I can loot pretty enough food for the first time, but not so easy with water. And to have fun with books one needs a stockpile of comestibles.

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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 31, 2014, 10:33pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/tips-tricks-and-newb-questions/42/5021 "2014-10-31T22:33:27Z")

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I built a pneumatic bolt driver, thinking it was vastly superior to pneumatic assault rifle; yet the weight penalty of carrying useful ammo (metal bolts) vastly outweigh’s advantages like penetration.

Which do you guys prefer? And what mods do you use on these weapons?

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