Caged Animals

[Luna Lovecraft]

This list would only extend so far as to rabbits and birds and possibly frogs. Anything larger wouldn't fit into this item, the cage.

The cage would need to be researched and go under the survival category, probably for only 100 research points.

Why would someone want to cage an animal?

Two reasons:

1.) Caged animals could provide manure once every day, making it relatively safe to say that you can get manure even if you can't find any beeffalo or pig men.

2.) Loneliness! They're like little pets!

Of course, in a game about solitude, there has to be a downside to this... companionship...

Downsides include:

1.) These animals would screech. Constantly. A sad look on their face. A sad reminder that they're only here because they are forced to be here.

2.) The animals would need to be fed each day. Do you REALLY want to give that bird some of your seeds? That rabbit doesn't REALLY need that carrot... but so lonely.... If you don't feed it it'll die.

3.) After a week, there would be a 10% chance each day that the cell would have deteriorated enough that the pet can escape. Just as a reminder, that that little buddy of yours hated you, and would do whatever it could to escape.

All together I think it's a good way of letting players starting off has a guaranteed safe way of getting manure. You'd have to place these cages like traps and bait them, so it's not like it's a cheap way of getting manure, but it is a way if you do want to start farming (or need it for a berry bush or w.e.). I know I've read people complain about not being able to find pig men or beeffalo, and this would be a pretty safe way to resolve that worry.

Also, I especially like the concept of the animals crying. I feel like sound is one of the best ways to get to a players hearts, or annoy them.

[Jetexx]

I like the idea, but maybe a lead instead? :S Don't want to imprison the poor animal.

[BlindManJoe]

The only reason I could see this personally not being accepted would be the manure part. They recently nerfed the verry bush due to how well you could sustain off of it. By making it where they need to be fertilized. If there is a fairly cheap/reliable method of obtaining that without a pighouse/village or beefalo I think they would be against it. Even then that is the ONLY reason I could see this being a bad idea.

Perhaps have it where caged animals upset pigmen? Or attract spiders from a little further as they look like easy food

[Luna Lovecraft]

I could see the attract spiders bit quite well, as well as the noise upsetting pigmen.

The manure could only be gotten once per cage per day though... perhaps the cost could be like 4 lumber and one rope. That would probably make it expensive enough that it'd take a day to get a cage, and since the cage only gives one manure per day (and requires a berry per day) it'd still be quite expensive to start it up. Those who have the ability to use this to create massive berry farms likely already have a stable food source from somewhere else.

[BlindManJoe]

I also wanted to add to this suggestion with the idea of a Giant spider that only comes out on full moons. Caged animals would attract it. That with dealing with werepigs would make for some real fun

[Luna Lovecraft]

Indeed. Though if they attracted boss-like monsters they may be more of a nuisance... but that could be a benefit-- a trap that attracts the spider/werepig. Maybe the animals could go for the cage first (after all they are noisy_, unaware of the bee-mines that surround it...