Walter can also earn badges for his camp/scout skills, since Woby is already in that direction!

[_mylilsunshine_]

If his adorable girl can learn some neat tricks, why can't Walter? And if Walter already earned his badges, why are they not implemented in his kit?

Here are the links to the badges of Scouts of the US and Canada (Walter's nationality).

Personal Achievement Badges – Scouts | Scouts Canada

Outdoor Adventure Skills 

All Merit Badges A-Z | Boy Scouts of America

Klei can interpret these badges into useful gameplay perks, you guys can chime in too!

Some notable badges, their requirements, and how they can translate to DST:

Scoutcraft Skills:

• Hang a drying/gear line at camp using a half hitch or other knot.
  => Drying line? How about Portable Drying Rack for jerky snack (it rhymes!)  
• Gather dry, burnable wood for a fire.
  => Uses less material when crafting a Campfire/Fire Pit.
• Learn how to tie various knots.
  => Uses less material when crafting Ropes (god knows i cannot pick up grass anymore)

Camping Skills:

• Demonstrate the ability to dress appropriately for various weather conditions.
  => Benefits more from the insulation/wetness protection value of clothes (justified, since he doesn't benefit from the sanity aura)
• Demonstrate proper sleeping bag use and care.
  => Uses the sleeping bags more efficiently (more durability, more health/sanity gain, less hunger loss, etc. good for when you can't put down crafting station to prototype a tent roll/tent)
• Prepare a camp meal using a camp stove, adhering to safety protocols.
  => Portable Stove might step on Warly's toes too much, and the community hates that. So I propose: whenever Walter cook raw food, it now gets a "Properly Cooked" prefix in the name, giving it a hunger/sanity/HP bonus (better nutritional gain)
• Plan and prepare dehydrated meals suitable for lightweight camping.
  => Again, Portable Drying Rack anyone? Having a way to make jerky on the go might be cool.

Emergency Aid Skills:

• Managing injuries and medical emergencies in outdoor settings.
  => Healing items (Spider Gland, Healing Salve, Honey Poutine, etc.) used by Walter heals for more.
• Assembling and using first aid kits effectively.
  => Walter can craft healing items for cheaper.

Aquatic Skills:

• Demonstrating swimming proficiency.
  => Walter won't suffer penalties from drowning.
• Using personal flotation devices appropriately.
  => Walter can still drown, but he can craft a lifebuoy/buoyancy aid and keep it in his inventory (not equipping) to not suffer from drowning penalites.

Sailing Skills:

• Rigging and de-rigging sailboats.
  => Walter performs nautical tasks faster (like the bonus from the Monkey Pirate Bandana, now they can stack).
• Understanding wind patterns and their effects on sailing.
  => When Walter is on a boat, he can see winds and follow them for a speed boost, like with waves in Shipwrecked.
• Performing capsize recovery techniques.
  => Walter uses Boat Patches faster and/or fixes the boat for more HP. Walter's patches also can't be ripped off by Wavy Jones (or at least need 2-3 attempts to rip)

Paddling Skills:

• Demonstrating proficiency in canoeing and kayaking.
  => Walter can row faster, Wood Oar now has the speed of Driftwood Oar and such.
• Executing various paddling strokes.
  => Walter doesn't suffer from failing to paddle (wetness and oar durability loss).
• Maintaining and caring for paddling equipment.
  => Walter uses oars more efficiently (less durability loss)

Winter Skills:

• Building snow shelters and understanding winter survival techniques.
  => I just want my boy to build an igloo when Winter comes, like a Siesta Lean-to for the Summer. It would be cute.

Trail Skills:

• Following a marked trail during a hike.
  => Walter hunts better. He can't lose footprints now and they are more visible, hunts also take less footprint searches.

Conclusion

Walter is often criticized for his "perk soup" (which I think is silly), the community thinks that his down and upsides are not exactly coherent. These new perks can change that, and solidify Walter's identity as a Boy Scout. A lot of what I mentioned can just be integrated into his base kit, but having 01 badge provides all the perks can also be cool.

Let me know what you think!

 

[Edible Coal]

not on topic, but the idea of a scout granting themselves badges is kinda funny , like a pat on their back

[Memetan]

I think the board with badges is how his skill tree should look, like how now Wendy skill tree resembles a Ouija, because if I have to spend time in game to get skill points, to use them to unlock a stationary skill tree where I use another kind of skill points to train Woby and Walter to still get the full skill... I think I'm gonna explode.

[Ruperstiltskin]

I would love if they decide to go futher on the scout skills! these ideas are so nice

[_mylilsunshine_]

1 hour ago, Edible Coal said:

not on topic, but the idea of a scout granting themselves badges is kinda funny , like a pat on their back

i can see how you'd think that lol, but since walter's stuck in the constant, i guess him following scout's instruction and requirements to earn badges isn't too farfetched.

[kroban]

Ngl that idea is pretty cool, some of the badges from those sites even look like in-game perks lmao.

I think that when it comes to Walter he already has plenty of the badges no? I don't remember all quotes but he does say a couple about having bird study, farming, camping, first-aid, and rowing badges.

So imo all this could easily be implemented but in a different way than how Woby gets hers, like, Walter can now second-click the Scout hat (like Maxwell with his magic hat) but opens a badge system where he can either pick some to focus on, or he has to craft the badges and sew it on the Pioneer Hat.

[Reiko24]

8 minutes ago, kroban said:

he has to craft the badges and sew it on the Pioneer Hat.

that's cool as hell

[Chewabacca]

I especially like the aquatic, sailing, and paddling set of skills because right now all the advantages that Walter has for exploration go out the window when it comes to the sea, and it feels strange for a character who's so good at being a scout on land to flounder as soon as he gets on a boat.

[Mysterious box]

I guess some of these could work if they were bundled perks but I think this would be overloading Walter with grind when he's already got a good progression system already.

[OMEGASCRUFF]

HNNNNGGGG gimme that first aid skill gimme gimme gimme I want it

Also, the way you wrote this is so Walter-coded. Good work. (Not an insult)

[MisterBilly]

 I can tell looking at the scout badges has inspired you hehe