Forestry

[CB elite]

So one of you explain to me: What is making tree-planting harder supposed to do?

So far, we have really two functions of tree planting:
1.) Acquire wood.
2.) Aesthetics.

Increasing the cost of tree planting doesn't affect 1 at all, because A10 already makes it grossly inefficient. So it's consequence isn't felt on me, who needs wood to build. It's felt on people like Dive, who just want to pimp out their colony.

Is that what really needs to be throttled here? Dive isn't allowed to pimp out his design unless he bleeds a little more for it?

We're really just kinda trying to think of solutions between two different extremes. One extreme being what we have in Alpha 9, and the other being the complete loss of tree planting.

I don't necessarily think people should have to "bleed" for wanting pretty colonies. It's more about fighting for the option to "bleed" for it, over not having the option at all. You know?

[b0rsuk]

There is one exception - Bamboo. Certain species of bamboo can grom 35 inches (88.9cm) in 24 hours. That would be totally suitable for planting. Naturally, bamboo isn't good for everything. It's always in form of pipes empty inside, so it would require a special kind of wood which is not suitable for sculptures and some constructions.

However, the growth rate is dependent on local soil and climatic conditions, as well as species, and a more typical growth rate for many commonly cultivated bamboos in temperate climates is in the range of 3-10 centimetres (1.2-3.9 in) per day during the growing period.

If Bamboo was added to rainforest biome only, it would make the biome special. No harm would be done, because rainforests already have lots of wood.

[Bradicus Prime]

If you're using wood for building anything after the first couple months, you're doing it way, way, waaaaaaaaaaaay wrong anyways. It's not sturdy at all and easily catches fire. About the only thing I ever use it for is basic doors and much, much later on for practicing art, when my colony is already well established and I can actually spare a colonist to work on aesthetics.

I really don't get why people cry about other people building mountain cave bases. It's just the smart thing to do. It takes time and effort, it's not like poof we get a cave and you're out living in a stick hut. If the idea is to survive, it's the obvious way to go. I would like to see an earthquake event that can cause cave-ins in larger cave areas though, and knock down your silly wood house.

Having seeds would be awesome. Maybe just start with potatoes(or not, you're just screwed and have to scavenge berries and hunt). Allow researching cultivation of berries from the wild. Same with trees. Purchase all others from traders. Have a "rats ate your seed!" event and take away 75-90% of your seed stockpile.

[CB elite]

I really don't get why people cry about other people building mountain cave bases. It's just the smart thing to do. It takes time and effort, it's not like poof we get a cave and you're out living in a stick hut. If the idea is to survive, it's the obvious way to go. I would like to see an earthquake event that can cause cave-ins in larger cave areas though, and knock down your silly wood house.

I'll admit that I don't particularly promote that kind of gameplay (I did refer to it as "lame" earlier lol). But, you have a point about it being the smart thing to do. I mean: Sieges aren't much of an issue for your inner workings, you don't have to worry about drop raids, fires aren't much of a problem, enemies typically assault you from a singular angle, etc.

I don't think this playstyle should be taken away from people (don't know how that would be accomplished without breaking the game entirely, anyways). However, I think it should come with more challenges. An earthquake causing cave-ins would be a great way to add an interesting feature that challenges cave-dwellers while allowing them to choose to play that way. People might think twice before building cave bases, as they don't want their colonists crushed, but they can still choose to take the risk, if they so desire

But, that's a totally different issue that can probably be covered in a different forum

P.S. My wood houses are far from silly lol

[Mathenaut]

We're really just kinda trying to think of solutions between two different extremes. One extreme being what we have in Alpha 9, and the other being the complete loss of tree planting.

Perhaps this is what I'm missing. What is the extreme with preserving the status quo of planting in A10? What is the catastrophic consequence that this is supposed to avert that it needs throttling?

[hector212121]

My issue is that I find my steel important, and if I do art, I always use wood...

[CB elite]

Perhaps this is what I'm missing. What is the extreme with preserving the status quo of planting in A10? What is the catastrophic consequence that this is supposed to avert that it needs throttling?

The extreme is having a seemingly limitless supply of wood in any given biome. While wood may not be as useful in Alpha 10, the developer of the game deems the possibility of mass producing wood to be a problem.

My issue is that I find my steel important, and if I do art, I always use wood...

I'm in the same boat as you. I typically reserve the steel ore deposits in my area for critical things like defenses, power generators, power lines, etc...

[Mathenaut]

This is what doesn't make sense. Mass stockpiling of wood is easier to do without the effort of tree planting and is even less useful to do. So what is the problem? Wood weapons and art aren't particularly more profitable than stone, and stone is nigh limitless.

So the problem is..?

[hector212121]

You're totally off base with the value thing. Each material is worth 50 cents more with stone, yes, BUT wood takes under 1/6th the time to craft with.

[Vaperius]

Forestry should be a research option my thoughts

[CB elite]

Forestry should be a research option my thoughts

Interesting, but I highly doubt that is the right way to go.

1. Doesn't make sense that we can make improvised auto-targeting turrets out of a few hunks of steal without research, but we need to research how to plant a tree in the ground :/

2. The problem that Tynan sees in plantable trees wouldn't be solved by this.