Cooking levels by time cooked, not per item

[Rexdawn]

Title says it all.  I hate that the best way to level cooking is to harvest tiny bits of meat off animals, cook it and then subsequently having to eat it all one piece at a time.  It would be nice if it leveled like carcass harvesting instead so we could just harvest, cook and eat all the meat in one go per action.

[Serenity]

1 hour ago, Rexdawn said:

so we could just harvest, cook and eat all the meat in one go per action.

You can do that. Nothing forces you to cheese the system. I agree though that it's too easy to abuse.

[ManicManiac]

@Rexdawn

I'm good with the system as is.
The great news is that this game is all about player choice.  If there is something in the game we can do, but we don't like it... we can just opt to not do that. 

However, it is does make a certain amount of sense to be able to do this... the harvesting system allows for carving off smaller chunks of meat, so it stands to reason we would be able too cook that meat.  It would also stand to reason that the more we do a certain task the more proficient we would get at performing that task regardless of how big the piece of meat is.

Consider it kind of like using sticks and a magnifying glass... you can start a fire with one stick, let it burn out, and then light more little fires for as long as the sun is shinning (and you have enough tinder - until it's not required that is).  Just like cooking, it doesn't mater how big the fire is... what gets you better at it is lighting the fire to begin with.   

If it was viewed as an issue by the Hinterland team... I'm sure they'd have addressed it.  Otherwise, I'd just call it creative gameplay...  It's up to each player to choose who they live within the framework of the world that's been provided for us.  Me personally, I chose not to do this... but I wouldn't want to take that option away from another player that does.

Edited September 11, 2019 by ManicManiac

[UpUpAway95]

2 hours ago, Rexdawn said:

Title says it all.  I hate that the best way to level cooking is to harvest tiny bits of meat off animals, cook it and then subsequently having to eat it all one piece at a time.  It would be nice if it leveled like carcass harvesting instead so we could just harvest, cook and eat all the meat in one go per action.

I'm all for this.

[Rexdawn]

On 9/11/2019 at 5:58 PM, ManicManiac said:

@Rexdawn

I'm good with the system as is.
The great news is that this game is all about player choice.  If there is something in the game we can do, but we don't like it... we can just opt to not do that. 

However, it is does make a certain amount of sense to be able to do this... the harvesting system allows for carving off smaller chunks of meat, so it stands to reason we would be able too cook that meat.  It would also stand to reason that the more we do a certain task the more proficient we would get at performing that task regardless of how big the piece of meat is.

Consider it kind of like using sticks and a magnifying glass... you can start a fire with one stick, let it burn out, and then light more little fires for as long as the sun is shinning (and you have enough tinder - until it's not required that is).  Just like cooking, it doesn't mater how big the fire is... what gets you better at it is lighting the fire to begin with.   

If it was viewed as an issue by the Hinterland team... I'm sure they'd have addressed it.  Otherwise, I'd just call it creative gameplay...  It's up to each player to choose who they live within the framework of the world that's been provided for us.  Me personally, I chose not to do this... but I wouldn't want to take that option away from another player that does.

The problem is cooking takes painfully long to level, even when cooking smaller portions.

If they are worried about breaking the level progression, making cooking level by time or calories would fix this.  You could normalize level progression by making the new system be as efficient as doing the cheese method of harvesting and cooking smaller portions so no one has to go through the tedium and it would still take quite a while to reach level 5.

I agree that player choice exists, but for those who don't want to have to worry about either cheating the system or cheating themselves, this would be a nice change.  Also, as far as comparing it to exploiting fire starting, it would be harder to come up with an alternative method of progression for that as opposed to changing cooking to be based on time spent doing the activity like with carcass harvesting.  It's also way more beneficial to be able to eat spoiled/infested food than it is to get your fire to last a little longer so I don't bother cheesing fire starting.

Edited September 18, 2019 by Rexdawn

[ManicManiac]

2 hours ago, Rexdawn said:

If they are worried about breaking the level progression

Which they are you referring too, Hinterland?  I don't think they are worried about level progression...  I think Hinterland set it up how they wanted it. 

To relate it again to fire... it takes a very long time to level up fire starting if you only make a fire when you truly need it.  It wouldn't make sense for us to only "level up" if it were based on how long the fire burned would it?  I would argue, no... just like it doesn't matter how much time you spend cooking, it only matters that you cooked a thing.  Just like it only matters if you start a fire (not how long you keep it burning).  Also bear in mind that after food prep... cooking is pretty passive.  You wouldn't really get experience in a thing by just by waiting and staring at it would you? 

We can either accept the progression based solely on need, or we can get creative if we want to work it up faster.  That's where the choice comes in.  That's why I would rather not change it, because it all hinges on player choice and we should all be free to play as we want to.  (a point on the other side, we can also speed up progression thanks to the skill books - so that's an option as well)

Anyways, I don't think your solution is the right answer, considering all the things I've spoken about.  I think that the system as is works perfectly well, but I am inclined to accept the game as the Hinterland team has made it.

 

2 hours ago, Rexdawn said:

but for those who don't want to have to worry about either cheating the system or cheating themselves

Here is where I don't understand your thought process.  If the systems are working as intended (which they are, or Hinterland would have changed them by now), and we use them to their various potentials... I can't see how that's cheating the game or oneself.  Your perspective on this point doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me.  It's kind of odd for you to make such a declarative statement when it's really just a personal opinion.   

 

Edited September 18, 2019 by ManicManiac
Edited for clarity