Strength Training

[Patriot]

So, I know I'm probably gonna receive hate for this, but gonna propose it anyway.

So in the beginning when you start your adventure you can carry 66 pounds of weight. Alright you're a pretty strong dood carrying that weight around everywhere. No wonder you're getting winded so fast. With being well fed you get another 11 pounds and having a moose satchel another 11 pounds allowing you to carry up to 88 pounds. Wonderful! You're my hero carrying all that weight on you not to mention wearing all those clothes that get wet heavy and frozen. Truly herculean!

However. It doesn't make much sense if this is a normal guy that he's at the peak of human fitness. You're pretty much engaged in around the clock physical training.

So I would like to suggest a minor overhaul, if that's a thing. Cut the weight starting out down to lets say 55 or  44 pounds. With maybe half the stamina you currently start with. We're going to assume this guy is healthy, but not Hercules. There would be two additional skills, who doesn't love leveling skills, One would be strength and the other endurance. You'll gain a little strength and a little endurance XP as you walk around encumbered. You could also do strength training when you're stuck inside during a blizzard. Such as push ups and sit ups. You'd also gain strength and endurance by rope climbing. Perhaps to keep that from being exploited you'd get a "muscle fatigue" debuff after long sessions of working out or rope climbing.

Of course you'd get benefits like everything else for higher levels including being able to carry that magical 88 pounds (which I know never feels like enough to you hoarders)

Alright haters fire away. It'd be nice to receive some support though

[sonics01]

Don't worry or don't care about being criticized when you convey your idea. This is Wish List forum. Everyone can suggest anything if it is related to this game. Ignore trolling comments, I failed to do so and I'm in watch list though I think that is not fair. 

Anyway, I like the idea of leveling up for strength and endurance. Well Fed buff is doing its job nicely, but I think that might be not enough. This issue is the one of the reason why hibernation-starvation meta is totally physically not possible. The development of one's strength, muscle power, and endurance is only possible when a person consumed good enough energy and nutrition. Otherwise, it will hurt more muscle, bring more injuries, and will accelerate the unbalanced nutritional status of the body. 

It might be good to limit such "training activity" only when Well Fed is in action, or give bonus to leveling up of strength and endurance when Well Fed is activated. Or, it would be possible to introduce "malnutrition" and limit the leveling up of "strength" and "endurance" when "malnutrition" is in effect. 

Edited August 17, 2020 by sonics01

[ManicManiac]

I don't think anyone's been hating on you.

I think it's a mistake to assume the worst just because folks may not agree with you, or to construe other points of view as some kind of personal attack...  That's not how the exchange of thoughts and ideas work.

However, the game already has ways to increase carry capacity (even if some folks consider it small, the effect on how much you can carry is generous if a player is careful and strategic about what they drag along with them)...  Also, I think having limits to how much junk we can lug around is an important element.  I think just "leveling it up" would feel kind of cheap (especially considering the investment we currently have to make in order to increase our carry capacity now). 

I'm not really in favor of the idea as it's been suggested.  I think the systems and mechanics in the game work fine as they are.  The well feed buff requires a significant investment in resources to maintain.  Our character can burn though an titanic number of calories depending on how active the player is.  The moose hide satchel either requires us to make a reasonably risky hunt (along with the time investment of curing and crafting), or requires a  reasonably risky trip though Hushed River Valley (and that can be a dangerous proposition if a player goes there without being ready for it).

The point is, I think that a "level up" system for "strength/carry capacity" would feel cheap compared to the mechanisms we already have in place to achieve the same end.  More over, since we do have systems/mechanics already in place, I can't really see a need for re-vamping things that I think already work very well.

[Clarification]
I mean nothing personal towards OP... I just don't agree with the idea that was put forth.  

Edited August 19, 2020 by ManicManiac

[Corso]

In some ways I like the idea but IRL addititon strengh and exertion/activity comes at a cost - calories and the need for rest/recovery, so some sort of penalty is needed

When in early game you've found less stuff having less carry capacity isn't much of a penalty

I'd rather see - stamina improvements mid/long game with running than a carry bonus

[manolitode]

Thanks for an interesting proposal  It had my mind fire off many different scenarios of how this could unfold if implemented. I like the idea of flexible, perishable strength. Which we sort of have, eg if you're tired you can't carry as much as when you're rested. But I would prefer a deeper level of detail, eg if you eat fast carbs you gain a little carrying capacity for an hour, but can carry a little less tomorrow morning (do correct if there's any nerdy nutrionisists in here ).  

I realize I may ignite a discussion about how much weight is 'heavy' or 'herculian' but I find the game realistic with how much weight you can carry as it is. The game indirectly solves the potential issue of "working yourself up" to higher carrying capacity. You're not able to carry the extra "well fed" weight until you've been out there walking and grinding for 3 days. You won't be able to carry the extra "moose satchel" weight til you're 11 days in at the very least. That's plenty of time to get used to carrying a heavy load. Walking around with 88 pounds (40 kilos) on your back is not pleasant but perfectly doable for a somewhat young and fit Will,. However,  I agreethat it would take a herculian Astrid to carry that weight, generally speaking.

About the stamina, while I'd like faster stamina depletion for rope climbing, cutting it in half in early game would make some of our climbs considerably harder and possibly make important areas inaccessible. Thinking about it, that doesn't have to be a bad thing. 

[Patriot]

As for faster Stamina depletion. This is what I'm referring to with the Endurance skill. I don't mind cutting it in the beginning and building up to higher levels over time. Some ropes right now I find I can't climb unless I'm fully rested and take my gloves, boots, and pants off.

[manolitode]

3 hours ago, Patriot said:

 Some ropes right now I find I can't climb unless I'm fully rested and take my gloves, boots, and pants off.

Well rested is the way to do it. Removing gloves, big no-no  What climbing locations are we talking about? 

[Patriot]

7 hours ago, manolitode said:

Well rested is the way to do it. Removing gloves, big no-no  What climbing locations are we talking about? 

For example climbing down the ravine and climbing from the tower to the lower inlet in the area beyond.

[manolitode]

3 hours ago, Patriot said:

For example climbing down the ravine and climbing from the tower to the lower inlet in the area beyond.

Alright, I'll guess you're currently not using the comfortable ledges where you can rest on the way up and wait for your stamina bar to refill. They're a godsend. 

[Patriot]

WHAT! How does one do that? I have seen them, but didn't know you can get to them!

[manolitode]

I know, they're easy to miss til you know they serve a purpose  You climb up til you reach the ledge, face it and simply click when the text says "ledge". Your stamina should be refilled within 5 min (ingame time). The shorter ropes aren't usually accompanied by a ledge, except for eg PV/TMW transition. 

edit: and do keep those gloves (and hat) on at all times to avoid frostbite, I even carry spare gloves in my pack

Edited August 21, 2020 by manolitode