Make the Ammo crafting tools a lootable

[Ham]

Simple as, make it some in-inventory tool thats required along with an active fire. The only real activity that needs the forge is the melting of lead into bullets which could be accomplished at any suitably hot fire with portable bullet molds.

Currently I'm not keen on some mechanics being super restricted to far flung locations, and I imagine alot of people would agree doing the obstacle course to reach the ammo bench every time you want to craft like 10 bullets is a bit overly tedious, i mean a lowerable bridge on the far side alone would make a world of difference.

In the same vein milling devices could be added to relevant locations elsewhere in the world so it wasn't purely locked away here.

[UpUpAway95]

Agreed.

Actually, I'd like it if bow and arrow spawns and also bow and arrow crafting  could be toggled off... and this would trigger a switch in the game that would make ammo crafting and weapons maintenance available at all the forges.  This would give players a distinctive playstyle choice when starting their files - either  to limit one's hunting style to either use the bow or to limit it to using the rifle and/or revolver... or, of course, to leave both toggled on.

[Stoutlander]

IMO, this would be a great idea only if they introduced a muzzleloader. Reloading centerfire cartridges at a campfire, that's not happening in ideal surroundings, let alone in a post event below freezing environment. 

The idea of your in-game character doing something to get into the reloading bench area a little easier would make total sense though.

[Derek0311]

I agree with the idea with a muzzle loader addition.  I also think hides, bows, and arrows should be able to be crafted without the workbench.  I get why it’s in the game but I don’t like the artificial constraint.  I picture First Nation people sitting around say, ”If only I had a workbench with a vice and a single drawer; then I would have clothing to wear and something to hunt with.  Maybe someday I will find some random furniture to break down to build snares.  These sticks simply won’t do the trick.”

Edited January 2, 2021 by Derek0311
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[AnotherColdDay]

I have two points on this topic.

1. Realism: IRL i reload my own ammo and i need a lot of tools for that! Even if I don't cast my own bullets, it is a enormes work just to reload the rounds. You need a scale, funnel, you need a deburrer, you need a press and the list goes on.Furthermore you have to be very very precise when you are load your own ammo. Otherwise the load could blow up in your face. And this is everything by modern standards, with NC-Powder! NC is very very more forgiving then Blackpowder (what you use IG). It is simply impossible to do this at a random place, others then a suited workshop. Not imagine on a single campfire in the woods.

2. Gamedesign: If you could carry everything around, you wouldn't have a reason to explore the world.

Cause of this two points, Realism and Gamedesign. I think this would be not a good idea.

[Ham]

On 1/2/2021 at 8:52 PM, AnotherColdDay said:

I have two points on this topic.

1. Realism: IRL i reload my own ammo and i need a lot of tools for that! Even if I don't cast my own bullets, it is a enormes work just to reload the rounds. You need a scale, funnel, you need a deburrer, you need a press and the list goes on.Furthermore you have to be very very precise when you are load your own ammo. Otherwise the load could blow up in your face. And this is everything by modern standards, with NC-Powder! NC is very very more forgiving then Blackpowder (what you use IG). It is simply impossible to do this at a random place, others then a suited workshop. Not imagine on a single campfire in the woods.

2. Gamedesign: If you could carry everything around, you wouldn't have a reason to explore the world.

Cause of this two points, Realism and Gamedesign. I think this would be not a good idea.

I don't know much about ammo crafting irl, but in terms of tools the idea is at least the bullet melting aspect could be handled at a fire, and filling the used casings with fresh powder and a new bullet seems reasonably plausible at any suitable workbench.

As for game design, you'd still have to explore to find the tools in the first place, I don't mind having to explore but having to go so far out of my way for a static piece of equipment of middling to low value in an average run is a hassle. The very dramatic placement and effort required to acquire certain pieces of equipment or tools for survival directly contradicts the core loop of scavenging. I'd be furious if I had to waddle to some new long windy region to get a pair of mukluks, or expedition parka. Neither of those have a guaranteed spawn, very vary rare, at least the parka has high chance of showing up on Timberwolf mountain but it could be found in several other places in the world. But the ammo crafting is set in one very awkward to reach spot that will be too far a trek for anyone who isn't into hardcore 800 day interloper kind of play, and even then its useless to interloper players because guns don't spawn.

[AnotherColdDay]

Of course it is doable at a home workbench, if they have the proper tools for that.

That is basicly the IRL idea of self loading ammo. Do this at home, don't buy factory (industry standard) crafted Ammo.

On a campfire maybe the bullet casting is possible, but defiantly nothing else in the process. I would not recommend this.

And as I said for the sake of balancing I don't think this is a good idea.

[UTC-10]

The devs have made a decision about ammunition crafting and implemented it.  They are hardly going to significantly change that mechanic in a way that makes the use of the mechanic much more widespread and much easier to do.  

I did think, when it was discussed in the forums, that they would go for two kits needed for the action - one of the needed tools and one of the needed components.  The component kit would restrict the amount of ammunition the character could craft at any one time and those kits would be hard to come by.  That was my base idea. 

With ammunition crafting the way it is, there are strategic considerations involved in the use of firearms.  On one hand, I am pleased that firing a shot is less consequential (when you have a limited amount of ammo, even in Pilgrim where there tends to be a lot of it, every shot counts), and on the other hand, the distance to travel to reload ammunition (and even initially setting up the ammunition work bench as the focal for it by assembling the components there) means that I have to think, a bit, about every round I expend.  There is not much of "I have an expended casing, so I'll drop by the ammo work bench and reload it".  The trip and results had better be worth the effort involved. 

The bow becomes a more functional weapon because the arrows and the bow itself can be crafted anywhere there is a work bench.  I would not be too surprised if the rather plentiful amount of birch and maple in Ash Canyon was in part the devs' thinking about making the bow more usable as well.  It is a long walk to Bleak Inlet.