Tips, Tricks, and Newb Questions!

[Rezalex]

Playing in the newest version of experimental and there was some error about an NPC not doing something in a turn, and then my log started doing this:
http://imgur.com/SCmMnEK

It’s very much annoying and I’d like to remove it if at all possible.

[Litppunk]

Cataclysm tip #1836
When running from stumble-capable zombies always run diagonally, as it helps negate the speed boost they get from stumbling. (when they stumble adjacently)

If playing circular distances, do the opposite and run in adjacent, especially once they get in closer, as they will try to correct the diagonal stumbles with diagonal walks.

[Taraq]

[quote=“Rezalex, post:11581, topic:42”]Playing in the newest version of experimental and there was some error about an NPC not doing something in a turn, and then my log started doing this:
http://imgur.com/SCmMnEK

It’s very much annoying and I’d like to remove it if at all possible.[/quote]

Some errors activate debug mode. It should be toggleable with ‘~’ or maybe another key if you have it rebound.

[Rezalex]

[quote=“Taraq, post:11583, topic:42”][quote=“Rezalex, post:11581, topic:42”]Playing in the newest version of experimental and there was some error about an NPC not doing something in a turn, and then my log started doing this:
http://imgur.com/SCmMnEK

It’s very much annoying and I’d like to remove it if at all possible.[/quote]

Some errors activate debug mode. It should be toggleable with ‘~’ or maybe another key if you have it rebound.[/quote]

Thanks, fixed it. I’ve never used debug mode so I didn’t know

[Azrad]

[quote=“Azrad, post:11579, topic:42”]Also, can car wheels still atomize items? I seem to get corpses vaporized sometimes, but mostly not.

That seems to have a taken a major nerf recently. Together with the lack of acid damage to items, it makes getting stuff much easier, but getting rid of zombie corpses much more tedious.[/quote]

Yeah, I gotta say zombie acid destroying items is the one I prefer. I kill a corrosive zombie now, I gotta wait for the acid pool to go away before I can butcher them. I don’t mind losing out on items due to them melting by acid. Like that’s RNG for ya, but waiting for acid to go away to finish the job, and having a harder time disposing items via car crushing, is one thing that’s real tedious for me after playing the game again.

[Random_dragon]

I’ve always found it to be a pro/con thing, yeah. I disliked the risk of loot vanishing, but I also liked having the corpses melt.

On the other hand, it makes sense that if a spitter zombie can wade through acid without being harmed, its corpse would retain that immunity. :V

[Azrad]

Yeah, but what about the other Zs who can die from the acid?

[scorpion451]

I kill a corrosive zombie now, I gotta wait for the acid pool to go away before I can butcher them

When that happens, I pull up the advanced inventory window, set one side to "area" and the other to a clear tile, and pile all the zombies into one stack.

Then its just a matter of either burning, smashing, or butchering everything on the tile depending on how fast I need to deal with them and where I am. I usually butcher zombies for the tainted stuff, since there are so many great uses for it. (You can always come back for the pile later with a cargo-cart. It’s not going anywhere now, and tainted stuff can still be used after it rots, so no hurry.)

I do the same thing for items I don’t want- throw everything into a pile, hit shift-b, and “cut up all you can”. From stack of junk to pile of raw materials in three easy steps. Even for stuff you have to dismantle one by one it makes it a lot faster- you can use the shift-b menu to do that too. No bulk option there, but just tapping shift-b and return a bunch of times is a lot faster and easier than scrolling through menus.

[Azrad]

[quote=“scorpion451, post:11588, topic:42”]

I kill a corrosive zombie now, I gotta wait for the acid pool to go away before I can butcher them

When that happens, I pull up the advanced inventory window, set one side to “area” and the other to a clear tile, and pile all the zombies into one stack.

Then its just a matter of either burning, smashing, or butchering everything on the tile depending on how fast I need to deal with them and where I am. I usually butcher zombies for the tainted stuff, since there are so many great uses for it. (You can always come back for the pile later with a cargo-cart. It’s not going anywhere now, and tainted stuff can still be used after it rots, so no hurry.)

I do the same thing for items I don’t want- throw everything into a pile, hit shift-b, and “cut up all you can”. From stack of junk to pile of raw materials in three easy steps. Even for stuff you have to dismantle one by one it makes it a lot faster- you can use the shift-b menu to do that too. No bulk option there, but just tapping shift-b and return a bunch of times is a lot faster and easier than scrolling through menus.[/quote]

Yeah, but just having the corpse melt doesn’t require me to do anything else but walk away. I’m just being lazy on that note. For bulk disposal. I cart all the unwanted items on one spot and then have my car run through them a few times. If I see a small town, my main urge is to level the entire place. Destroy all things that can be grabbed.

[Azrad]

Anyways, what’s the best gun to train marksmanship again? Pneumatic assault rifle still seems to be pretty effective at training rifles skill, but rifles is at 12 while I’m having a hard time getting marksmanship from level 5 to 6, and I need 8 to be able to attach the sniper conversion on my .223 survivor carbine.

Also, what exactly does precise and careful aim do?

[_Rogue]

Is the MBR vest with Kevlar a good choice for armor? Or should I pick something else?

[_Rogue]

Also, how do you do the quest in the refugee center where you find the informant? Where is he/she, and what do you do?

[Azrad]

Depends on what you want to go with. Not counting empty MBR vests, kevlar has the lowest encumbrance among the other MBR vests with a different material inserted on it. It’s got decent coverage and good protection, but it is slightly encumbering, so you might want to check out your total torso encumbrance first. Not as important if you mainly use guns and other ranged weapons.

It’s one of the guards in the center. He or she can be talked to, and is the only one in the base where you can ask a question related to the mission. You have to pass a speech check for it, and if you fail you can try again - but failing will lower your standing with the merchants. Not sure if getting it too low will make all the merchants hostile.

If you do succeed, that lone guard will be hostile, and you can kill him then.

[noble]

What can you use napalm for? All the flamethrowers use gasoline for ammo.

[Azrad]

What can you use napalm for? All the flamethrowers use gasoline for ammo.

You can use napalm on flamethrowers. Not sure if the flame is stronger, but you get 200 napalm for 125 gasoline or diesel which gives you more ammo to burn - though that’s not taking into account the other components required to make napalm. Other crafting items where you can choose either gasoline or napalm often requires a smaller amount of napalm than gasoline - though do take note that you can’t use napalm to fuel vehicles.

[Thwap]

So say I make a vehicle with no squares that block movement, that is to say no boards or quarterpanels or doors, just a platform. And say I put a turret on it, and some lights and something that makes sound.

Do I now have something which will attract and kill zombies without being able to be attacked by them? Can I just wheel it into a strategic position and consider that place locked down as long as the vehicle has power?

[Random_dragon]

[quote=“Thwap, post:11596, topic:42”]So say I make a vehicle with no squares that block movement, that is to say no boards or quarterpanels or doors, just a platform. And say I put a turret on it, and some lights and something that makes sound.

Do I now have something which will attract and kill zombies without being able to be attacked by them? Can I just wheel it into a strategic position and consider that place locked down as long as the vehicle has power?[/quote]

I’ve seen them occasionally bash vehicle spaces they should be able to walk into, though.

[BearytheBird]

How would you get rid of walls? All I can think of that wont damage me is Hydraulic Muscles and a sledge hammer.

[Catfoodbob]

[quote=“Random_dragon, post:11597, topic:42”][quote=“Thwap, post:11596, topic:42”]So say I make a vehicle with no squares that block movement, that is to say no boards or quarterpanels or doors, just a platform. And say I put a turret on it, and some lights and something that makes sound.

Do I now have something which will attract and kill zombies without being able to be attacked by them? Can I just wheel it into a strategic position and consider that place locked down as long as the vehicle has power?[/quote]

I’ve seen them occasionally bash vehicle spaces they should be able to walk into, though.[/quote]

Once a zombie went way out of its way to smash a window, and then run into my spear.

[Rezalex]

What is a good way to mass gather pipes? I think I’d have to find a lot of lockers or something, but there might be a better way.