Tips, Tricks, and Newb Questions!

[ApatheticExcuse]

Finally building myself a car, and found a nice electric car. I’m thinking of going hybrid with it because some of the solar panels are wrecked, and tinkering seems like a good way to level my skills until I can fix them. Three questions for someone more knowledgeable:

1. Can I selectively run electric or gas engines, or do both always have to be on?

2. Is installing the engine as simple as just sticking it on the car somewhere, or does it have to be hooked up to anything specific?

3. Is there any way to actually detach a trunk from another car without it turning into base components? Most cargo storage seems expensive to build, and I don’t seem to able to build just a trunk.

[KA101]

[quote=“ApatheticExcuse, post:7101, topic:42”]Finally building myself a car, and found a nice electric car. I’m thinking of going hybrid with it because some of the solar panels are wrecked, and tinkering seems like a good way to level my skills until I can fix them. Three questions for someone more knowledgeable:

1. Can I selectively run electric or gas engines, or do both always have to be on?

2. Is installing the engine as simple as just sticking it on the car somewhere, or does it have to be hooked up to anything specific?

3. Is there any way to actually detach a trunk from another car without it turning into base components? Most cargo storage seems expensive to build, and I don’t seem to able to build just a trunk.[/quote]

1. You can selectively run either or both. Coolthulhu with the fix there.

2. No formal drivetrain mechanics, though I’d advise sticking it somewhere safer so it doesn’t get banged up. Problem is that you need 12 Mechanics to add an additional engine. Never can find the time to fix that.

3. Removing a trunk should give you back the all-purpose steel frame, which is all you need to make another trunk.

[ApatheticExcuse]

[quote=“ApatheticExcuse, post:7101, topic:42”]Questions

Answers[/quote]

Thanks KA, I guess I just need to grind my skillz a little more before doing any of the serious work.

[Kryxx]

If you can, get a welder or rig, Slap a solar panel on it with a storage battery. Keep it outside, once it has some charge (of it you dropped in a good charged battery), repair stuff before taking it apart. Then run around with a hacksaw, jack, and wrench (or pulling the welder if it has charge) and take cars apart for pieces you want. You’ll level things up in now time.

Since your solar is busted, and it takes a bunch of charge, just pull the electric motor for now. Now when your running around for parts. Keep a lookout for trucks, flatbeds and semi’s. They have the ‘cargo storager’. 1000 volume spaces. You won’t have the skill to make them you, but you’ll want to drop them in as upgrades ASAP.

Also if your not as worried about the sides of the car or plan on using armor/plating, replace the boards with stow boards for 250 more space on each side. They are Opaque so light cannot go through them.

[Coolthulhu]

1) You can selectively run either or both. Coolthulhu with the fix there.

I can’t take the credit here.
It was malhawee, who also did the new muscle engines (bike nerf and muscle alternators), then quickly disappeared without a trace (existed for just 2 months).

[The_Lone_Badger]

[quote=“Thwap, post:7071, topic:42”]If I put multiple alternators on a vehicle, will I get more power?

Yes, but also more fuel usage.
For best fuel/power ratio, use only truck alternators.[/quote]

While we’re discussing alternators…
Should a survivor with some Electronics nous be able to build a ‘bunker alternator’ or something out of several truck alternators and a shitload of copper wire? Puts a huge load on the engine (anything below 4 cylinder will stall out) but provides a commensurate amount of electrical juice.

[Azrad]

Can you collapse an underground tunnel? Like, say, you build a tunnel to go from one point to another, and due to circumstance you find yourself being chased by a ton of zombies and whatnot. Will using strong explosives turn one point in the tunnel completely inaccessible, or will it just cause a mess?

[Iosyn]

Shopping Cart + Gas tank. Makes siphoning fuel from those abandonned vehicles a breeze. When you’re ready stick a trunk on, or a battery and a welding rig.

Alternatives, Shopping cart + FOODCO buddy. Seriously, that thing is so damn useful and fairly easy to craft too-- the only problem is getting your hands on a water purifier or a hand press/die kit. A single storage battery will provide you enough quickly purified water and dehydrated meat to last you forever and a day.

Other Alternatives: Raid an RV. RVs are secret treasure troves. Forget the gas tanks, steal the water tanks. They’re bigger. Plus they’ll usually have some clean water.
Take the Kitchen unit while you’re at it. Boiling water eats up a lot of time, but if you can’t make fire or a hotplate it’s pretty good. Actually if you can find semi-filled water, even only 7% full or something that tank should be enough to last you for quite a while unless you’re doing a lot of cooking or crafting that requires water.
Ah, those 30 Gallon drums. Nothing like quaffing water direct from the source. Taps are so out this season.

Other Other alternatives. Military APCs. External Gas/Diesel tanks are huge. 55 Gallon drums. One day I shall forge myself a shack out in the woods, a moonshine still, wooden barrels and begin brewing while I fish the local river or swamp.

Once you have a car, scrap them all and fit them in.

[Coolthulhu]

[quote=“The Lone Badger, post:7106, topic:42”]While we’re discussing alternators…
Should a survivor with some Electronics nous be able to build a ‘bunker alternator’ or something out of several truck alternators and a shitload of copper wire? Puts a huge load on the engine (anything below 4 cylinder will stall out) but provides a commensurate amount of electrical juice.[/quote]

It would be a hacky way of going around the simple alternator system.
A more proper solution would be allowing the alternator to run at higher load. It wouldn’t be hard to write, I think, it’s just that I don’t really see a reason for it - current alternators produce plenty of powers as is and there is no good power sink.

IRL alternators can quickly change their load on the engine by altering the amperage of current going through the electromagnet. I’m not an expert, but I think it should be pretty easy for a semi-competent electrician/car mechanic to force the alternator into “overdrive”.

Can you collapse an underground tunnel? Like, say, you build a tunnel to go from one point to another, and due to circumstance you find yourself being chased by a ton of zombies and whatnot. Will using strong explosives turn one point in the tunnel completely inaccessible, or will it just cause a mess?

No. Explosives are currently too weak to destroy solid rock and rock floor neither supports roof (this is needed for rubble to spawn), nor is destructible.

[Azrad]

Which wall that can be constructed above ground is the strongest in terms of durability? Like hardest to smash by zombie hulks.

[Kryxx]

Probably the stone walls.

[Malaxxor]

I’d say its the reinforced concrete wall.

[Coolthulhu]

If you want to know for sure, read data/json/terrain.json.
The resistance is “str_min”.

[Agoelia]

How do i make gold/bismuth/lead/similars? I see they are required to reload ammunition, but can’t find any recipe to make them. I also tried mining with a jackhammer and stuff, i only got stones and limestone, both seem pretty useless in the endgame. Do I have to learn more skills or find another book? Or dissassemble some items?
I already searched 7-8 gun stores (with alarms, reinforced windows and all that annoying stuff) but couldn’t find any. Most of all, didn’t find the ‘‘workshop room’’ with the shells and tools and primers and the goddamn gunsmith repairing kit

And what about sulphur? Is it mineable too?

[Zero]

I don’t think mining is a thing yet. You can find gold and silver at jewelry stores and pawn shops. Bismuth, tin and lead might only be pawn shops.

[Valpo]

you can craft scrap into lead with a forge.

[Arek_PL]

lab armories like to have ammo parts too (cassings, primmers, lead)

[Azrad]

Is using the flamethrower bionic on the fireplace safe? No chance of the fire spreading out?

[Coolthulhu]

Is using the flamethrower bionic on the fireplace safe? No chance of the fire spreading out?

Pretty sure it shouldn’t be able to spread, even if you boost it above small fire.

[acehawk]

How do i make gold/bismuth/lead/similars…

You can also disassemble bullets you don’t want using a kinetic bullet puller top get components for bullets you do want.

Sulfur is find in labs.