How do you pass the time during summer?

[Tamazacat]

Roughly 20 days of summer just picking tumbleweeds, killing hounds from hound mounds, maybe killing Dragonfly once... what can you do to make it fun? I've mined all of the available rocks. I've got so much silk from spider nests I don't know what to do with it. I've mined all of the marble. I've set up my summer base in its entirety.

 

There's nothing to do!!

 

 

I thought I'd make this thread in order to receive inspiration - but if you want to have a wee grump feel free to do that, too!

 

 

Cheers,

Tamazacat.

[Mobbstar]

Well I play webber this and the only time I got to summer alive, so I set up a grand spider farm in summer, don't mind the occasional fires. And yet it was boring, fortunately I have the jukebox mod installed.

[blaaaat]

It depends on the world spawned and where I've set up base. But the general elements are:

 

• Collect poop to keep the farms and fling-o-matics going.
• Make sure everything is ready for the arrival of the Dragonfly.
• Collect grass and twigs for more fuel.
• Occassionally fight a lureplant.
• Sleep to get it over with.
• Check if my panic room is still hound-safe.

Fun. I don't explore or travel much both because of the odds fire perma-destroys something and overheating, even though I've learned to keep largely safe with a stack of 20 ice cubes + eyebrella. There's still a limit you have to keep within, so travel is not inviting.

 

Pro tip: As long as not every pig and bunnyman has a top hat, you don't have too much silk.

[Tamazacat]

Meh. It just seems so pointless. It doesn't gain me anything. :/

 

I live in the desert during summer to lessen the effects of smoldering. I pick tumbleweeds every day to supply me with grass and twigs (I have two chests full now), Dragonfly: gun powder and sleeping darts - all ready in winter or spring by the latest. I cut down trees daily and have an overflow of logs to fuel the Flingomatic.

 

 

It's sad that the only thing to do is sleep it off.

[blaaaat]

Meh. It just seems so pointless. It doesn't gain me anything. :/

 

I live in the desert during summer to lessen the effects of smoldering. I pick tumbleweeds every day to supply me with grass and twigs (I have two chests full now), Dragonfly: gun powder and sleeping darts - all ready in winter or spring by the latest. I cut down trees daily and have an overflow of logs to fuel the Flingomatic.

 

 

It's sad that the only thing to do is sleep it off.

Unless you live near a swamp, sleeping darts seem expensive to me when you can also burn twenty twigs and feed it the ash.

 

Otherwise, yep, pointless. Firstly because of travel limits, secondly because of destruction risk, and thirdly because there's little special about summer.

[Tamazacat]

I've used ash before and it's just too easy. Sleeping darts is more of a challenge to prepare with - although it's a bit pointless.

Yeah, I live almost right next to a swamp. It's really handy for stocking up on honey poultices.

 

Otherwise, yep, pointless. Firstly because of travel limits, secondly because of destruction risk, and thirdly because there's little special about summer.

 

Exactly!

 

It's gotten to the point where I find it difficult to play through summer because I'm just waiting it out. It's really easy after your first in-game year - or even before then.

 

I hate to complain so much, though. I love this game. This game has been absolutely brilliant value for money, especially with RoG. It's just this one thing that bothers me so.

[hotflungwok]

I go after bees.  Build a fridge nearby, put an extra stone and some food in it, get lots of silk, make lots of nets, harvest lots of bees & butterflies & honey combs.  Also, feeding butterflies watermelons is funny.

 

Also, if you've done everything in the world you're in then maybe it's time to go to a new one.

 

[blaaaat]

I go after bees.  Build a fridge nearby, put an extra stone and some food in it, get lots of silk, make lots of nets, harvest lots of bees & butterflies & honey combs.  Also, feeding butterflies watermelons is funny.

 

Also, if you've done everything in the world you're in then maybe it's time to go to a new one.

This isn't about being done with a world, this is about summer being the one season that doesn't offer anything special to advance or enjoy the current world. It's just heat, fire, cactus flowers, maximum batilisks, and the Dragonfly. Meanwhile, Spring has frog rains, adjusted beefalo and bee behavior, the Goose, rain, also cactus flowers, lightning, and no rabbits. Fall is limited to free extra birchnuts and the Bearger, but it has the benefit of providing a breather. Winter has cold, pengulls, glaciers, blue feathers, significant food restrictions, MacTusk, and Winter Koalefant. No season but summer is designed around permanent destruction of a world either. 

[hotflungwok]

maximum batilisks

Say what now?

 

And yeah, summer can be a bit boring.  You can't go near anything you don't want to end up charcoal, you have even more severe movement restrictions than winter, and there's no seasonal resources to harvest.

 

If the caves didn't get just as hot as it does outside, something that really bugs me, I'd probably use Summer to go spelunking for gems.

[blaaaat]

Say what now?

 

And yeah, summer can be a bit boring.  You can't go near anything you don't want to end up charcoal, you have even more severe movement restrictions than winter, and there's no seasonal resources to harvest.

 

If the caves didn't get just as hot as it does outside, something that really bugs me, I'd probably use Summer to go spelunking for gems.

I never paid attention to it, but I've understood from the wiki more batilisks come out in summer... though I really wouldn't know if that's vanilla-summer or ROG-summer.

 

There's a lot of ways Summer can be improved to be a season that offers something. Material specifically for a cave base would be one of them. 

[bigpak]

Honestly, I haven't done a complete playthrough of the seasons on RoG, or reached summer mostly because I've been fiddling around with modding. if the smoldering is as stupid as it seems, I plan to disable it as it just sounds more like a troll mechanic than anything. It provides no real challenge other than sitting in one spot. I really love this game, and this is one of the things that bugs me, but no matter, as its configurable, moddable and the game is incredibly fun, you can get thousands of hours of enjoyment out of it.

[Tamazacat]

I'm so glad people understand where I'm coming from! Mind you, I didn't make this post with the sole intent to complain. I want something to do! Lol!

I like the cave idea that @hotflungwok and @blaaaat had mentioned. It's... well... something to do in an otherwise stale season. Jeez, I hate to complain so much without much input (if any) as to how to fix it. :/

I like the smoldering mechanic. It's different. It's realistic enough to tranfix you into the game. I wish the damage wasn't so... permanent and world-destroying. It's a shame, really.

I also like the mechanic of overheating, but I really think it'd be better toned down a bit so you're not just turtling (even with a chilled thermal stone, floral shirt and eyebrella). In fact, a way to more easily cool down would be even better. In winter, you can set fire to objects to warm you up. In summer, you're dead. Your only hope is that you prebuilt an endothermic fire or firepit. You can't cool down in the melted remnants of glaciers, you can't cool down at ponds. The shallow depths of caves aren't enough to cool you (I say shallow because towards the core, temperature rises). It's just not logical at all. It feels so broken.

Anyway, I got carried away there. I didn't post just to complain. Sorry about that. Having said that, my point still stands: summer needs something to do.

I've literally been using Abigail to collect butterfly wings day after day to get something to eat in the summer. That's all I've got to do. Butterfly wings, chopping wood, wait by the endothermic fire at night time. Rinse and repeat. We need something to do in summer time. Perhaps the scaled armour should provide the equivalent insulation to heat as the hibearnation vest does to cold? I don't know. We need something that enables us to go exploring and actually do things. Summer is just a punishing season with little gain.

[erdmanski1341]

I agree that summer needs some adjustments to make it more bearable.

 

Smoldering - I don't like this mechanic since things can burn down that can not regrow naturally (grass, twigs, berry bushes, etc).  I would like it if only man-made structures are subject to smoldering (farms, drying racks, chests, etc.).  Withering of crops is fine, but the possibility of entire forests or fields of grass randomly burning down is too extreme.

 

Overheating - I don't mind this since Snow Chester and a pair of thermal stones can combat it.  It impairs exploration somewhat, but with Snow Chester and the thermal stones you don't have to stop by a fire and wait like you do in winter, so it is better than winter.

 

Caves - My biggest complaint about seasons is that they are present in caves.  Caves should maintain a fairly consistent temperature slightly above or below normal depending on the season.  Wetness in the caves is total understandable and freezing while wet in the caves seems legit, but overheating in the caves just doesn't seem right.

[Michi01]

also cactus flowers

Nope, cacti only bloom during summer.

[blaaaat]

Nope, cacti only bloom during summer.

Wiki says: "it can also be harvested in the rain with a 15% chance." Haven't ever tried it - I have little use for the flower and I have yet to spawn a world in which the desert is a place I have to go through rather than go to - and maybe I am reading it wrong.

[Michi01]

it can also be harvested in the rain with a 15% chance

I'm confused now.

I'm gonna check that.

EDIT:Started new world. Set rain to lots. Set season to spring.

        Spawned 40 cacti. Got 40 cactus flesh but not a single flower.

      

[Mobbstar]

Wiki says: "it can also be harvested in the rain with a 15% chance." Haven't ever tried it - I have little use for the flower and I have yet to spawn a world in which the desert is a place I have to go through rather than go to - and maybe I am reading it wrong.

 

I'm confused now.

I'm gonna check that.

 

Code doesn't mention spring nor rain at all, the only flower condition is summer.

[blaaaat]

Honestly, I haven't done a complete playthrough of the seasons on RoG, or reached summer mostly because I've been fiddling around with modding. if the smoldering is as stupid as it seems, I plan to disable it as it just sounds more like a troll mechanic than anything. It provides no real challenge other than sitting in one spot. I really love this game, and this is one of the things that bugs me, but no matter, as its configurable, moddable and the game is incredibly fun, you can get thousands of hours of enjoyment out of it.

I have yet to try a world with smoldering set on default (I usually opt for less) so I don't know how bad it technically is, but I actually like smoldering. It's one of the things that truly set summer apart from anti-winter. It's really more how smoldering is implemented than that it exists.

 

I recall the first time I had one of my structures, a chest, burn down (fyi, there's a few structures that you don't have to worry about because they can't burn, like bird cages and fridges). Normally I pay attention to the sizzling that warns of fire, but I'd missed it here. It also was outside the range of the nearest active ice fling-o-matic,  so I came back to find the contents spilled (it's nice of the game the contents don't burn along). That was fun. I should've payed attention or been prepared. But I've also had that happen to grass and twigs and reed and rundown houses and other structures, whether useful or not but nonetheless irreplaceable, at times and that's decidedly less fun because I can't fix that mistake. It makes that the risk of going out during summer is high while at the same there is nothing out there that offers a reward for going out specifically during summer, so that a little math has people simply sitting summer out at the camp because that's the smart thing to do in a game that harshly punishes even the slightest mistake.

 

It's not that Summer's traits are bad or need to be toned down (give or take the smoldering frequency?), it's that there's little to accommodate and little to compensate. Ice you can only get in winter and spring and it is pretty much vital to survive a first summer. Ergo, you can only acquire an essential element to get through summer until summer actually starts. I don't think it's possible to survive summer if picked as starting season, while all other three are possible (winter is tough and slightly luck-dependent and character-dependent, but do-able). The other important one is nitre, which is the rarest aboveground regular mineral (assuming a pig king). A normal campfire mainly requires wood, which is everywhere and replenishes fast, but endo-campfire requires nitre, which is rare and only renewable through two difficult methods, which greatly discourages making them at all.

 

There's a lot that can be done to make summer attractive as it is. I'd easily trade in the regular walking cane for one with only, say, a 10% boost but a build-in radar like the divining rod to alert me of smoldering and help me get there in time. Equipment to set up camp in the caves as a retreat for the harsh season also sounds appealing. Summer as the only time you could somehow acquire material to replenish the world's collection of grass and twigs and the like, which would create and interesting risk-reward situation to going out. Interaction with the ponds to get water to cool down if you don't have other means. Some way to replenish nitre more effectively (another King or Queen or so?). I've spoken before of how I want an irrigation system as expansion to the ice fling-o-matics for crop farming. Oh, and of course what pretty much everyone wants - a shelter as immobile but more lasting alternative to an umbrella/parasol.

 

Just, you know, summer's risk-reward system should offer a more complex choice.

[StaypuftMMM]

Summer and the difficulties that go with it (overheating & wild fires) are not things that I enjoy about the game.  In an effort to minimize my necessity to feed a flingomatic, I typically stay away from camp almost the entire time.

 

Instead, I spend my time exploring the rest of the over world map, venture into caves, or do busy work I won't want to do during more interesting seasons (such as gather rocks, gold, grass, logs, etc).

 

Food really isn't that difficult to come by for me now that I have played for awhile.  So the only real concern is overheating.  To eliminate that as well, I typically collect blue gems as quickly as possible to make snow chester before Summer hits.  With him and two thermal stones I can pretty much run around anywhere throughout the day, switching them once the stone I am carrying warms up.  If I have the Eyebrella as well I will wear that throughout the day too (it is the best wearable for overheating).

 

 

 

[applebottom]

Food really isn't that difficult to come by for me now that I have played for awhile. So the only real concern is overheating. To eliminate that as well, I typically collect blue gems as quickly as possible to make snow chester before Summer hits. With him and two thermal stones I can pretty much run around anywhere throughout the day, switching them once the stone I am carrying warms up. If I have the Eyebrella as well I will wear that throughout the day too (it is the best wearable for overheating).

 

Don't you have problems with the environment smoldering then burning up while exploring? Even though my character itself has no problems with heat, every time I try to move away from base, the forests, grass, flowers, saplings start to burn. I'm forced to turtle or only venture out at night so as not to permanently damage the world. (Or visit non-burnable areas like rock biomes)

[StaypuftMMM]

Don't you have problems with the environment smoldering then burning up while exploring? Even though my character itself has no problems with heat, every time I try to move away from base, the forests, grass, flowers, saplings start to burn. I'm forced to turtle or only venture out at night so as not to permanently damage the world. (Or visit non-burnable areas like rock biomes)

 

I am in agreement with you there.  I really dislike smoldering (as well as giants) for the reason that the world may be damaged from their presence.  The starting world generations are nice (in my opinion), so I don't like to overly tame/alter the land.  Having said that, I will still change things to suit my needs but try not to completely destroy the landscape.

 

Anyway, back to your question about items igniting while I explore.  Smoldering can happen anywhere above ground, so I try not to stay very long in an area with lots of flammables.  Areas with dense forests, grass, reeds or whatever are places I try to run through during this season.  I investigate a majority of the map before making camp so when Summer hits I pretty much know where flammable things are.  Keeping that in mind, I steer clear of them when possible.  

 

My two biggest activities are rock busting in the deserts (as you mentioned) and venturing into the caves during Summer.  Each of these areas limit smoldering (desert because there are less things to burn and caves/ruins because overheating is lessened a bit).  

 

If wanting to venture into areas that have more flammable wildlife.  Ideally, I try and go during the night when it gets cooler (although, there isn't much time) and secondly, I carry a stack of rot with me.  Rot should be able to put out smoldering objects if you are quick enough.  

 

These methods aren't ideal but I find them to work best for me and seem to minimize the hassle as much as possible.  In my opinion, your best bet is to hang out in the caves exploring/collecting until the weather cools.

[applebottom]

I carry a stack of rot with me. Rot should be able to put out smoldering objects if you are quick enough.

 

I didn't know this! I have 20 MM who just spoiled on me. I'm gonna keep them for next Summer. Thanks~

[Lampofulmine]

Hey there ! I think i have the solution for summer; I've seen many people complaining that summer is simply too boring or even difficult. Me and my team are creating an Underwater mod called "Creeps in the Deeps"; this it won't only add and underwater world but it will also add the entity of WATER ! Water will become an item which can be used to stop fires without getting any damage, drink and lower the overheating effect, this will play an enormous role in summer ! Player could use water in summer if they want to stay in the surface or go down and explore the underwater mod, avoiding the overheating effect at all !

[Ridd]

I've slept through two summers. Too scared to do anything else.

[StaypuftMMM]

I have slept through a Summer a time or two when I wanted to go into the Ruins and didn't want to wait around.  If you have the materials (usually later in the game) it is fairly easy to blow through it with multiple Tents and Siestas.