Suggestion: Crock Pot Tweaks

[McMatthew]

Sorry for another food thread. I know that food spoilage is often talked about, but I have had some ideas that would make decent food harder to acquire. I did have an, admittedly brief, search for a similar idea but couldn't find anything.

1. Crock pots should require an input of charcoal after a certain amount of time (not just to craft it at the beginning). It's just logical that you should continuously need to fuel it, similar to the campfire.

2. If too much charcoal was added, the crock pot would overheat, begin to rattle and then would break. This would make them less reliable and is an alternative to just implementing a duration.

3. Food would have to be cooked for a particular duration in order to give it good quality. It could be taken out of the pot beforehand but would be under cooked, or could be left in too long and become burnt. This would prevent players from putting food in the crock pot, leaving their base for a while, and coming back knowing that they have a definitely have something to eat. Food that had been under or overcooked could still be eaten but would fill up less hunger.

Admittedly, that third one would give the player less intensive to leave their base which is a problem, but I think it would add a bit more balance to the easily produced food that we currently have.

[mycatsonfire]

That's what a crock pot in RL does, you set it to turn off when the food is done

[General]

Maybe different recipes need different amounts of fuel to complete. The Devs could add a fifth slot in the interface for the fuel. That could simulate a cook time. The crock pot does make things a lot easier. I'm glad the prepared food from it doesn't stack.

[Moonphos]

1. Crock pots should require an input of charcoal after a certain amount of time (not just to craft it at the beginning). It's just logical that you should continuously need to fuel it, similar to the campfire.

It would make pretty good sense - You add charcoal to continue cooking, which encourages certain activity while during nightfall.

2. If too much charcoal was added, the crock pot would overheat, begin to rattle and then would break. This would make them less reliable and is an alternative to just implementing a duration.

I think that breaking would be too much - Right now, Rock is a very limited resource. If there's a chance the Crock Pot would break, many players will simply not bother with cooking (unless the results are extremely "profitable", which the current state, is MILES far away from).

Personally, I think food should go bad - too little fire and its undercook, too much heat and its overcook - which would have certain effects added to the food, or inedible to the player.

3. Food would have to be cooked for a particular duration in order to give it good quality. It could be taken out of the pot beforehand but would be under cooked, or could be left in too long and become burnt. This would prevent players from putting food in the crock pot, leaving their base for a while, and coming back knowing that they have a definitely have something to eat. Food that had been under or overcooked could still be eaten but would fill up less hunger.

Admittedly, that third one would give the player less intensive to leave their base which is a problem, but I think it would add a bit more balance to the easily produced food that we currently have.

As you pointed out yourself, this will encourage Turtling, which I think the Devs are actively attempting to discourage. Other than nightfall, there is only one reason to stick around a crock pot, which is putting ingredients in. Having to watch a crock pot cook may, again, turn players away from using it.

Besides, the game is about surviving the harsh wilderness, not being a Master Chef. For now, the duration-based cooking is fine as it is, although it can be improved (made harder) by having to judge the number of charcoals to use.

Maybe different recipes need different amounts of fuel to complete. The Devs could add a fifth slot in the interface for the fuel. That could simulate a cook time. The crock pot does make things a lot easier. I'm glad the prepared food from it doesn't stack.

Instead of a 5th slot for charcoal, I think having to fuel (like you would do Campfire/Firepit) would be a little more interesting, or it will just be similar to the current crock pot.

Using a 5th slot also feels, almost, similar to Minecraft's Furnace. Kindly, no please

[Captain Potato]

Sorry for another food thread. I know that food spoilage is often talked about, but I have had some ideas that would make decent food harder to acquire. I did have an, admittedly brief, search for a similar idea but couldn't find anything.

1. Crock pots should require an input of charcoal after a certain amount of time (not just to craft it at the beginning). It's just logical that you should continuously need to fuel it, similar to the campfire.

2. If too much charcoal was added, the crock pot would overheat, begin to rattle and then would break. This would make them less reliable and is an alternative to just implementing a duration.

3. Food would have to be cooked for a particular duration in order to give it good quality. It could be taken out of the pot beforehand but would be under cooked, or could be left in too long and become burnt. This would prevent players from putting food in the crock pot, leaving their base for a while, and coming back knowing that they have a definitely have something to eat. Food that had been under or overcooked could still be eaten but would fill up less hunger.

Admittedly, that third one would give the player less intensive to leave their base which is a problem, but I think it would add a bit more balance to the easily produced food that we currently have.

Sounds like more hassle and less fun.