Ability to Empty Cans

[Baron Von Soule]

If a can has low quality food, we should be able to dump out the contents so we can use the can without poisoning ourselves.

[Themadlad94]

30 minutes ago, Baron Von Soule said:

If a can has low quality food, we should be able to dump out the contents so we can use the can without poisoning ourselves.

I mean it’s already pretty easy to get cans. I usually have to empty my inventory of cans every once in a while because of how many I accumulate over time.

[Baron Von Soule]

And in the cases where I forgot my can at the last cave I was shaking up in and I find a pork and beans at 5% I should be able to dump it out and use the can to make water.  

[ManicManiac]

I mean, there are empty cans all over the place that can be found.

Another good option is to just save those canned food items for when we get the "iron stomach" perk that comes with Level 5 Cooking.  Then we can eat the food, not worry about food poisoning, and get the empty can.

If memory serves, even in Interloper we start with an empty can in our inventory.  So there's really no excuse if a player leaves their empty cans behind someplace.  I don't think player behavior (or in this case player mistakes) need to be fixed  by a developer.  I'd say this is a player issue, and perhaps the player ought to be paying more attention.
 

It just doesn't seem like a necessary change.
I think that if a player forgets to bring their very important empty can with them... then that player should have to live with the consequences of their mistake.

Edited August 31, 2020 by ManicManiac

[UTC-10]

I forget where but someone pointed out that if the canned food was opened, place on a fire to "cook" and the content was allowed to burn, that the can could then be recovered/recycled.  Assuming that remains true there would be no need to be able to empty cans of their contents as a separate action. 

[Booch]

Interesting UTC-10...hadn't thought of that.  Gonna try it.

[UTC-10]

I never actually tried that since I have cans, more cans, plenty of cans, but aside from a reduction in the can's condition, which would happen if one allowed all the water (or presumably the food contents) to boil off/burn, it should be workable.   If it does not work, let us know. 

[Booch]

OK.  Tried it.  Built a fire and put on a Can of Pinnacle Peaches (at 4%).  Let it go to "burn". Picked it up and the "words "inedible burnt >>>" flashed across the screen in red letters.  No can in inventory. Guess you can't do that.

[Dr. S.]

I think you can cook canned goods in cook pots so a different potential workaround would be to cook the low-condition food in a cook pot and recover the can that way. 

[Booch]

I'll try that next.

[odizzido]

I think the times when you really need that can are times when you don't have a cook pot.

If your survivor would sometimes benefit from dumping cans to use for water I don't see why it shouldn't be added. It's mostly an early game thing probably and most commonly encountered with new players. There are a lot of things in TLD which could easily frustrate new players that more knowledgeable players like us have ways of mitigating. I don't think that means it shouldn't be looked at when it makes sense to be able to do something.

[ManicManiac]

15 minutes ago, odizzido said:

I think the times when you really need that can are times when you don't have a cook pot.

But again, our survivor starts each run with a empty can in their inventory (even in interloper), plus there are empty cans to be found in the world.  To me, the only reason to "need that" is really just because a player wasn't paying attention and foolishly left their empty can behind somewhere...  so to me there is just no excuse to "need" to dump out a can of food just for an empty can.

I think the better solution is for players to pay attention to what they are doing.

I still don't think player behavior (or in this case player mistakes) should have to be fixed  by a developer.  I'd say this is a player issue, and perhaps the player ought to be paying more attention.  Again, I think that if a player forgets to bring their very important empty can (or cooking pot) with them... then that player should have to live with the consequences of their mistake.

Edited September 4, 2020 by ManicManiac

[UTC-10]

19 hours ago, Booch said:

OK.  Tried it.  Built a fire and put on a Can of Pinnacle Peaches (at 4%).  Let it go to "burn". Picked it up and the "words "inedible burnt >>>" flashed across the screen in red letters.  No can in inventory. Guess you can't do that.

Okay thanks, a TLD survival idea that did not work.  I'll have to keep that in mind.  😞