Decaying Hides

[random calliope]

I can't wrap my mind around any reason hides and guts now decay.  I've been carrying around a bear hide, in case I run into another bear.  At this rate, by the time I get a second bear, and cure its hide, the first hide will be unusable.  To stop hides from decaying you have to craft them into something and store them away.

Does anyone know the purpose or realistic value in decaying hides (and guts)?  Is leaving hides to cure in buildings and caves during your travels not considered a realistic and wise strategy, but rather an exploit?

[Scyzara]

What I personally mind most about decaying hides is the fact that they don't start to decay at 100%.

I've watched several 99% fresh deer skins directly turn into 76% condition cured deer skins now and I have no idea why this is happening or if I can somehow prevent it.

For the time being, I'm just storing all my 76% condition hides and guts inside containers to prevent further decay. Seems to work pretty well so far.

But I have to agree that I don't understand the purpose of the change either. Maybe to give container space a greater value, I don't know.

[WinterWhite]

Personally, until we have a developer answer, i'll consider this as a bug

[FromAfar2016]

For what it's worth, I have a stock pile of hides and guts in an old save that are not decaying at all, even when left in a pile outside.  It could be on purpose to keep players from doing what I did, or to encourage more frequent hunting to keep clothing repaired, but it seems quick for deliberate decay.   Luckily, it is not affecting hides retroactively right now.

[lupineways]

I had been storing hides and guts in containers as well but recently I've been leaving them on the ground. They don't seem to continue decaying after the initial curing is complete aside from the initial drop from 100%. My tests have been pretty short term so it could be they continue to decay slowly when left on the ground.

[WinterWhite]

the main problem with that is with bearskins... getting 2 is , depending of the situation, quite difficult. so if they decays...

[FromAfar2016]

Quote

I had been storing hides and guts in containers as well but recently I've been leaving them on the ground. They don't seem to continue decaying after the initial curing is complete aside from the initial drop from 100%. My tests have been pretty short term so it could be they continue to decay slowly when left on the ground.

I just tested this myself in a voyager game, and I got the same result.  Left a bit of cured guts that was at 80% condition outside next to the rest of my stockpile and it did not decay at all after four in game days.  It seems like only fresh hide and guts decay while you have them in your inventory and while they are curing.  Cured hides don't seem to decay after all!  That's a relief!

So it seems like the ideal is to drop fresh hides to cure asap.  The longer you carry them around with you the lower their condition will be once they do cure.  For example, in voyager, guts seem to go through about 20% condition while curing, so as long as they're above 20% when you drop them, they should be fine.

 

[lupineways]

1 hour ago, FromAfar2016 said:

I just tested this myself in a voyager game, and I got the same result.  Left a bit of cured guts that was at 80% condition outside next to the rest of my stockpile and it did not decay at all after four in game days.  It seems like only fresh hide and guts decay while you have them in your inventory and while they are curing.  Cured hides don't seem to decay after all!  That's a relief!

So it seems like the ideal is to drop fresh hides to cure asap.  The longer you carry them around with you the lower their condition will be once they do cure.  For example, in voyager, guts seem to go through about 20% condition while curing, so as long as they're above 20% when you drop them, they should be fine.

 

Yes it seems the longer it takes to cure, the more the condition drain. I noted the wolf hides ended up at lower condition than the guts and deer hide after curing. I have a bear hide curing, so i will note the results of that as well. So, it seems to be a minor annoyance but nothing game changing. 

[Boston123]

It is because "green" hides (from straight off the animal and while they are drying) are still wet. They contain water. Water prompts decay.

Turn them into rawhide ASAP.

Although, I do find it weird we can't force-dry hides in front of a fire, or smoke them.

[ehevutov]

I'm not sure they're decaying. I think the decay number remains static once the hide/gut cures. I'm not sure though, but it's something to keep in mind.