Woodcutting

[Food_Hoarder#1641]

This is just a compilation from the official Discord server's #suggestion channel, to credit goes to those who contributed to the conversation.

The ability to cut down trees would add customization, to an extent, to the landscape of The Long Dark as well as adding new ways to get firewood, but of course since trees vary in size, so would the haul and effort needed would increase and decrease with size. The trees would regrow after being cut down, but very slowly. Maybe 1-2 firewood per in-game month. Different types of axeheads would be needed, such as chopping axes with thinner and lighter handles and heads, and splitting axes with much, much heavier handles and heads. All of these components should be found in Logging Camps for realism, or made with Reclaimed Wood and Scrap Metal at a Forge. When a tree is cut down, it should make a Fallen Tree entity that is separate from the tree bridges present in the environment, and able to be cut into sections much like quartering an animal for easier transport and later harvesting. Of course this would require some creativity on Hinterland's part, and this may well not even be added into The Long Dark, but consideration would be nice.

These changes could also fit well with an overhaul to Firemaking, making it possible to make Cat Tail Stalks into tinder or tools to make a friction fire when at Level 5 Fire Starting. Further details in this link.

Feedback of any kind is appreciated

[Sherlock Holmes 18]

Actually, it makes perfect sense. But while the story of the game is over, it's going to take a lot more work to do it, so they'll think about doing it after they finish the game. 

But of course, everyone can be happy to make a figurine out of a piece of wood. 

Turning a tree into a log alone can be a tiring job. And so it would be nice to do it in the game not alone, but maybe co-op maybe NPCs (if added) and play the game. 

 

[Lexilogo]

Being able to outright cut trees down wouldn't totally conflict with the purpose of the game, but I have yet to be convinced it really fits. (I certainly feel like different kinds of axes for splitting and chopping is total overkill. just a proper axe would be fine. and maybe a little long overdue)

The main issue with the feature is just... Who needs THAT much firewood? I usually have an excess of Fuel in my bases at all times and Sticks being easily renewable just keeps adding to that. A single felled large tree would be worth at minimum 8 logs or so.

I'm much more sure that I don't support the idea of trees growing back. TLD has enough nonrenewable (or effectively nonrenewable) resources, and there are SO MANY trees, I really don't see a reason why they should grow back.

Is it an impossible feature? Definitely not. I think the easiest way to implement it would be as a Radial Menu function and essentially work like placing a structure- You stand next to the tree and a model indicator shows where the resulting toppled tree is going to land (with it being red if the slope is problematic or something along those lines). Then, it's just a matter of editing the tree assets the game has to have this functionality, and adding fallen tree assets for each of them.

 

The question however remains as to why we should have this. It's not like the current system of gathering firewood is terrible. Sure, maybe a little too reliant on random drop spawns and not too conducive to player agency, but you can generally get what you need from it. If some major additions were made to Survival mode that in some way created a need for way more logs, I could see felling and chopping up trees being a decent mid/endgame goal, but right now that need doesn't exist.

[Old Hermit]

I think that the calories cost/benefit would not be worth. How many man/hour are needed to cut down a large tree IRL with an axe, not chainsaw?

AND there is no need for that amount of firewood in game.

 

Alternatively, there could be some harvestable logs randomly spawned around wood deposits and logging houses. It could be a lot more time-consuming than harvesting tree limbs, and require a proper 2-handed axe to break them into current cedar or fir wood, which then can be moved.

The idea of someone carrying a 1/4 ton log to a base camp is simply no way.

(using google translator sometimes)

[UpUpAway95]

Not interested in this in the least.  Some people see a tree and just want to cut it down... not me.

[Kranium]

For one thing, cutting down a living tree isn't instant firewood - it needs to cure/dry out. I mean, sure, it's burnable, but not like you'd think. Plus the amount of time it takes to chop down a large green tree with an axe is huge. Takes quite some time to buck it up that way, as well.

 

However I'm definitely in favour of being able to utilize any & all deadfall in the game. Those logs laying all over the place are like gold.

[Satouthedeusmusco]

I'd like to see tree felling but it's not really a feature I miss per se.

I feel like it would be very underpowered though. Like previously said the calorie and time cost would be huge and whenever I play I rarely feel like I lack firewood.