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--- fuss:this_war_of_mine [2020/06/23 21:02]
office [Ceasefire]
+++ fuss:this_war_of_mine [2020/06/23 21:38] (current)
office [Early Building Plan]
@@ Line 110: / Line 110: @@
 **TL;DR**: the secret to self-sufficiency is building the rat cages early on in the game.
+===== Mid to Late Building Plan =====
+There is no mid to late building plan - most of the other structures that a player can build are either too costly to outweigh the gains.
+Perhaps the most advanced structure with the maximal benefits would be an upgraded ''Herb Garden'' that can produce vegetables. However, even the vegetable plant is very costly in terms of gains:
+  * it takes 72 hours (3 days!) in order to harvest just 4 vegetables,
+  * the vegetable plant relies on water and food (or fertilizer):
+    * water relies on filters (during winter, water relies on scooping snow, a filter and additionally fuel!),
+    * food is a commodity that is usually rare and with a high trade value (perhaps coupled with rat traps),
+    * fertilizer is also hard to come by and there are not many opportunities
+All the other structures can be used to produce medicine, booze or tobacco - unfortunately, the requirements are sky high with a mediocre sell price; except medicine, but in order to create proper medicine, ''Pure Alcohol'' is needed which involves the rainwater collector for water, ''Moonshine'', the ''Distiller'' and a bunch of other resources that does not make the effort worthwhile.
+It seems that the player can survive blissfully with just the following structures (even if the player will miss out on a large chunk of the game mechanics):
+  * two ''Rat Cage''s,
+  * as many ''Beds'' as there are survivors,
+  * ''Workshop'' - upgraded only once, because trading at the ''Garage'' will obtain tools much cheaper (ie: to create a ''Hatchet'', the workshop needs ''Components'' and one ''Part'' (gears) and ''Parts'' are fairly rare such that just buying a ''Hatchet'' is perhaps the better option),
+  * one fully upgraded ''Stove'' (uses less fuel),
+  * one fully upgraded ''Heater'' (uses less fuel, allegedly) - perhaps two, in case it gets too cold in winter,
+  * a ''Radio'',
+  * a ''Rainwater Collector''
+  * fully boarded up shelter and a ''Reinforced Door''
+and, at most:
+  * an upgraded ''Herb Garden'' to ''Vegetable Garden''
+All the rest seems superfluous and is contrary to the claims made by the game:
+  * cigarettes and alcohol do not trade that well by contrast with medicine,
+  * medicine can be looted in many ways from a trader's chest that replenishes every few days,
+    * additionally, survivors can be healed at the hospital for no charge and for double the effect compared to any ''Bandage'' or ''Medicine''!
+    * the herbal medicine seems to be worthless - by definition, herbal medicine is meant to be used only in the early stages of illness and is otherwise useless
+The time spent perpetually accumulating resources for alcohol and tobacco, combined with the long waiting times for various structures to complete production makes this venture by and large unprofitable.
+====== Weapons ======
+The power of a ''Knife'' carved after the first upgrade of the ''Workshop'' should not be underestimated. Apparently, having as many knives as there are survivors on guard or sleeping at home is sufficient to complete the game.
+The problem with weapons is that, just like alcohol and tobacco, weapons are just too costly to be profitable and are counter-intuitively in conflict with the mechanics of the game that rely on the player to be of a "good" alignment. Killing people, in general, deals massive morale blows to everyone short of making them ''Broken'', as per the game term, and having them skip turns. It is strange that there exists such an elaborate gun crafting mechanic when the players cannot really have fun with them.
+To create a simple gun, the following abbreviated procedure has to take effect:
+  * find a "broken" gun (this is quite rare, either by stealing, or in dangerous areas),
+  * upgrade the ''Workshop'' fully (oh my ''components'', ''wood'' and ''parts''),
+  * find ''gunpowder'',
+  * find ''shells''
+  * use the ''gunpowder'' and ''shells'' to make bullets (yes, one at a time) or buy them (also, very rare),
+  * finally craft your gun
+  * ... get owned by snipers?
+Also make sure to repeat all the above for a ''Shotgun'' - except the gunpowder that is common to all weapons.
+Given the above and in principle, the best idea is to completely skip the gun crafting system (too bad, another large chunk of the game gone), and craft a single ''Knife'' instead. Take the ''Knife'' to the ''Construction Site'' and obtain the ''Large Scoped Sniper'' which is the most lethal arm in the game (aims like a sniper, deals as much damage as a shotgun at close range).
+In fact, do not even bother with the best weapon in the game: craft a single ''Knife'', make a survivor equip the ''Knife'' that can insta-kill a target and go to the ''Supermarket''. Once there, rescue the girl by backstabbing the solider (at no morale cost!) and obtain an assault rifle plus sufficient bullets to defend your shelter till the end of the game.
+Naturally, a player may wish to explore the game by getting involved in various sorts of activities, however that is not a requirement for survival and completing the game.
 ====== Helping Neighbors======