Seemingly imbalance in Loot distribution

[piddy3825]

Is it just me or does there seem to be a little wonkiness as it relates to the way loot is distributed around the various maps?

For example, I random spawned in Mystery Lake on a recent sandbox game and as I looted the map I could not find a single hacksaw anywhere as I scoured the area.  Checked every outbuilding, every interior requiring a loading screen change and nothing.   Did find 7 axes and 8 hunting knives.   Had to divert to FM in order to get a hacksaw and there I found 3 hacksaws.  By the same token, only was able to find two cooking pots.  Decided to head over to Milton town.  Found no less than 11 cooking pots, so now I have 6 pots at the farm house and 5 pots at the old lady's house.   Whetstones... just not enough, ever.  That always means a trip to Timberwolf to check the contents of the plane wreckage and that doesn't mean you will be finding what you need or want either.

so, in your opinion, is loot density or item availability skewed?  Maybe requiring a little re-balance?  Or is it just fine?

[peteloud]

I have experienced similar uneven distributions. I think that this is reasonable. It forces you to travel around to find the desired resources.

[Jolan]

Its been a while since I've run into that weird of a loot pattern.  (ran a game where all of the whet stones were in DP for some reason).  Perhaps you need to make a sacrifice to the loot gods?

 

[Spakerman]

I like having reason to move around.  Has to be a reason to explore certain less visited places... *cough* Broken Railroad *cough*

[piddy3825]

7 hours ago, peteloud said:

I have experienced similar uneven distributions. I think that this is reasonable. It forces you to travel around to find the desired resources.

I certainly have as well, but never where a single item seems to be completely missing.  I do usually migrate from map to map as clear each map area of loot while creating my player base camp.  But even then, the migration is by choice and not by sheer necessity in most cases.  That and wanderlust, lol.

3 hours ago, Jolan said:

Its been a while since I've run into that weird of a loot pattern.  (ran a game where all of the whet stones were in DP for some reason).  Perhaps you need to make a sacrifice to the loot gods?

 

Will a quartered back of bear meat be sufficient?  Perhaps leave it  by the pulpit in the old church in Milton Town, or perhaps the old stone church out in Desolation Point?  Or does this Loot God you speak of have greater demands?  

1 hour ago, Spakerman said:

I like having reason to move around.  Has to be a reason to explore certain less visited places... *cough* Broken Railroad *cough*

I lived in the Maint. Shed for two months out there while trying to bag a moose.  Trying conditions given the layout and  the fact you can get electrocuted during the Aurora but since you can build a fire "indoors" it made a great base camp. 

[hozz1235]

Loot distribution is heavily RNG (in my experience).  It seems there are some "fixed" items that I always find at the same place (like the bow at the PV picnic area cave).

[piddy3825]

3 hours ago, hozz1235 said:

Loot distribution is heavily RNG (in my experience).  It seems there are some "fixed" items that I always find at the same place (like the bow at the PV picnic area cave).

I assume RNG means random number generator as you are using it, so that brings up the following question.  Given that each map area has it's fixed items as you mention wouldn't than indicate some other mechanism for loot distribution because if all loot were to be randomly generated you would practically never find the same items in the same location in every game.  Also I would image that statistically it would be practically impossible  for a map area not to spawn a particular item anywhere on the map.  I suppose it is possible that 0 could come up as a random generated number for any given items spawn count but I dont find it possible considering the number of items affected and their respective map locations.

[ThePancakeLady]

They can, and probably do, set maps with different loot tables for each map, based on experience mode or custom settings being used. It can be done that way. Some loot may be very likely on some maps, but very unlikely or even missing on others. Not every map is supposed to be the same, difficulty, loot tables, terrain... each map is handcrafted, with its own settings for weather patterns, natural resources, shelters (man made or natural), etc.. It makes sense that some maps may not have a hacksaw or hammer, or have only minimal rare chances of one spawning there. And some things are always there, based on experience mode.  It just feels more "real" that way, to me, anyway. If we could find every item, on every map, every time... why ever leave ML, and go to FM or CH, or DP, or TWM? It would be hella stale and boring if it were that easy, IMHO.

[Jolan]

On 9/3/2018 at 8:02 PM, piddy3825 said:

Will a quartered back of bear meat be sufficient?  Perhaps leave it  by the pulpit in the old church in Milton Town, or perhaps the old stone church out in Desolation Point?  Or does this Loot God you speak of have greater demands?

 I think this should be sufficient, though I would place it in one of the locations with an inexplicable collection of loot - such as the "cave" on Timberwolf Mountain where you frequently find a sleeping bag and other gear just lying around. 

[MarrowStone]

On 9/3/2018 at 7:02 PM, piddy3825 said:

Will a quartered back of bear meat be sufficient?  Perhaps leave it  by the pulpit in the old church in Milton Town, or perhaps the old stone church out in Desolation Point?  Or does this Loot God you speak of have greater demands?

From my experience, the gods are unhappy with scraps. Those are for the Crow gods. Your two most shiny bullets, one for each forge to please the manmade loot gods, and an arrow for both the top of TWM and the bottom of the Ravine favor the natural loot gods.

[piddy3825]

@MarrowStone, yes, I see the wisdom in your words.  The Crow gods mock me daily so I gladly sacrifice two of my precious shiny bullets upon the altars of Man and Fabrication.  There I will forge the arrowheads that will adorn the arrows of appeasement so that I may gain favor with the natural loot gods! 

 

[hozz1235]

On 9/7/2018 at 8:10 PM, piddy3825 said:

I assume RNG means random number generator as you are using it, so that brings up the following question.  Given that each map area has it's fixed items as you mention wouldn't than indicate some other mechanism for loot distribution because if all loot were to be randomly generated you would practically never find the same items in the same location in every game.  Also I would image that statistically it would be practically impossible  for a map area not to spawn a particular item anywhere on the map.  I suppose it is possible that 0 could come up as a random generated number for any given items spawn count but I dont find it possible considering the number of items affected and their respective map locations.

Correct.  When I said RNG, I didn't mean it in the purest sense, so perhaps that was misleading.  I meant to say, as others have said, that there are loot tables (which have criteria built in) and the RNG is built upon that.  Fixed items are just that, fixed and not affected by the RNG.

[piddy3825]

@hozz1235, yeah, i get what your saying.  it's just funny that one map I can't find a single whet stone but when i move to the next region I find 7 hatchets instead.  seems kinda contrived if you ask me.

[JAFO]

On 9/12/2018 at 1:59 PM, piddy3825 said:

seems kinda contrived if you ask me

The RNG gods are fickle. They also have an evil sense of humour, and love trolling you..

(Anyone who doubts that they are not above trolling the player, has never seen how many copies of "Guns, guns, guns" it's possible to find on a single Deadman run.)