Clockwork

[MrsHoneypot]

Would old fashioned wind-up watches and clocks function in the scenario described in TLD?

The reason I ask is that there is such a thing as a wind up (clockwork) torch, and a radio. 

And if that works, would a small dynamo, as you would find on a bicycle, work too?

[ManicManiac]

I would say most likely not... I'd say it's likely that the mainspring and most of the other small components would have melted (or otherwise broken) due to the arcing caused by the First Flare (being it was ostensibly the strongest) and perhaps additional arcing from subsequent flares (a.k.a. the "aurora").

The same can be said for the alternators in cars... as well as the cars in general... most likely the copper coils would have melted and the mechanisms fused.  We see lights flicker and some old cathode ray tube radios survived... but most electric components would likely be shot.

Edited September 13, 2019 by ManicManiac

[UTC-10]

I see no reason why not other than it was not implemented as part of the game.  With limited resources, the devs have to pick and choose what should be a part of or adds enough to the game to justify implementation. 

I think the devs have a reason for not providing any timepieces in the game. Part of emphasizing how the world has changed due to the aurora's effects.  I don't think the aurora's effects were quite as serious generally as MM's stated, but for now that's about as good an explanation as any. 

[MrsHoneypot]

hmm. I hadn´t thought about the components inside a watch melting.

I thought the subject worth exploring because we see normal, battery driven, torches from time to time. So, for me, it was logical to think about an alternatively powered torch.

You´re right though, it wouldn´t add anything to the game-play.

Thanks for replying guys. 🙂

[ManicManiac]

On ‎9‎/‎14‎/‎2019 at 6:13 PM, MrsHoneypot said:

I thought the subject worth exploring because we see normal, battery driven, torches from time to time. So, for me, it was logical to think about an alternatively powered torch.

 

It's always worth exploring these kind of ideas.  Yes indeed, we have flashlights/torches that survived well enough to be functional during an aurora, and it would certainly be possible for a purely mechanical pocket/wrist watch to survive.  I was just also thinking about the possible damage to the relatively fragile mainspring and small metal gears inside a mechanical clock. 

Always happy for the conversation, thank you.

Edited September 17, 2019 by ManicManiac

[RegentRelic]

Have you  ever tried to bike in the deep snow and there is a watch on will, so with the knowledge that sandbox is testing ground for winter mute and that as we learned from hinterland when they first started advertising the game on youtube they are the same character. We could say that we do have watch in survival it just doesn't appear in on the clothing model.

[ManicManiac]

1 hour ago, RegentRelic said:

We could say that we do have watch in survival it just doesn't appear in on the clothing model.

I think of that more as Will/Astrid's estimation of the time of day based on their approximation of the passage of time (and also when they look up at the sky).  I'm glad the team moved away from the earlier UI were it told the precise time.

I also appreciate they stopped expressing condition as an absolute percentage, this way the player has to make an estimation based on the visual representation of how the character "feels." 

I like this approach much better.

Edited September 17, 2019 by ManicManiac
oops, we got off topic a little bit

[RegentRelic]

I agree it was weird having the time and health exact especially your health. but looking at the sun and moon does´t work in  mines, tunnels and the dame.

If you can tell the time of day in this picture, then will you reputation on all your posts.

 

 

 

Edited September 18, 2019 by RegentRelic

[Timmytwothumbs]

A simple craftable sundial would be neat, weather permitting. But you could also just look at the position of the sun in the sky to tell time. Which honestly adds to the survival experience. And it's simple enough to open the menu and see the sun's position to tell time. It's apparently the equinox every day in the long dark and is equal parts day and night 12 hours for both . Kinda wish they would shorten the days and lower the sun on the horizon and make it really feel like we are up north in the winter but that's a topic for another day. And the way things are currently make time telling very simple and approachable. 

Edited September 19, 2019 by Timmytwothumbs