Lighting torch using matches

[yoli]

For the first time in my current survival play (Stalker mode), I had to use matches to light torches. It never happened before, why? Has something changed?

[SpanishMoss]

There are 5 ways to light a torch, Matches, cardboard matches, firestriker, lighting it from a campfire, or lighting if from another lit torch. When you try and light it without another torch/campfire, you with get a selection wheel between the other 3 options. If you only have one of these items (say you only have matches in your inventory) then no choice will be presented, (but it will still consume a match). It has always been like this and this is not a recent change.  Every time you've lit a torch without a fire/another torch, it's consumed one of your matches/durability on your firestriker.

[yoli]

@SpanishMoss ok thanks, I didn't notice that. So basically provisioning for torches in the inventory to light fires is simply useless? I thought it would prevent to use matches, but apparently no.

[SpanishMoss]

Yeah basically, you use a match to light a torch, then use that to start a fire, is the same as just starting a fire with a match. (Btw how did you think you lit a torch without a match)

[yoli]

15 minutes ago, SpanishMoss said:

Yeah basically, you use a match to light a torch, then use that to start a fire, is the same as just starting a fire with a match. (Btw how did you think you lit a torch without a match)

Yes I didn't find that very logical that we could lit a torch without fire source, but since we cannot jump and we can die from dehydratation while being overwhelmed with snow, I thought this was simply a "gameplay" feature

Edited April 14, 2022 by yoli

[I_eat_only_wolf_meat]

59 minutes ago, SpanishMoss said:

is the same as just starting a fire with a match.

Using a torch is the same as starting a fire with a match, if your fire starting chance with the match is 100%.  If there's a chance you'll fail with the match, there's a chance you could use two or more matches rather than the one you used to light the torch.

[yoli]

28 minutes ago, I_eat_only_wolf_meat said:

Using a torch is the same as starting a fire with a match, if your fire starting chance with the match is 100%.  If there's a chance you'll fail with the match, there's a chance you could use two or more matches rather than the one you used to light the torch.

Right, so using a torch still has a benefit over matches, thanks for pointing this out!

[I_eat_only_wolf_meat]

Yes, but only if you don't have 100% to start it with the match, and practically speaking only in interloper difficulty.  I know stalker has huge amounts of matches, and I'm assuming the other settings are equally generous.

[UTC-10]

There is now a bug, with the 2.00 update, in lighting torches from stoves and fire barrels (and rim grills).  You can't.   What you get is the Add Fuel, Take Torch, etc., menu.  So you can add fuel to the fire and take a torch but cannot light the torch from the it.  I think that was unintended by the devs.  

Lighting a torch from a campfire works as usual.  

I bugged this to support.  

 

[yoli]

If lighting a torch consumes a match, knowing how hard matches are to find in higher difficulty levels, what is the right strategy? To always walk with a lit torch and make a new fire when it is about to burn out, then get a new torch out of it?

[The Ravages of Time]

Many Interloper players will chain torches to make the make the most use of a fire. When the torch is about to go out, you can throw it, grab another torch and light it. If the torches are used up, a fire can be made and new torches pulled from the fire.

Traveling with a lit torch of course has other benefits too. It provides a few degrees of warmth and can provide a measure of protection from wolves as well. Again very useful on any difficulty, but especially on Interloper.

[yoli]

On 4/25/2022 at 4:25 AM, The Ravages of Time said:

Many Interloper players will chain torches to make the make the most use of a fire.

Thanks, yes in Interloper I guess that is the only way to survive more than one day, provided we find an initial light source!

[Serenity]

12 hours ago, yoli said:

in Interloper I guess that is the only way to survive more than one day, provided we find an initial light source!

It's not. Chaining torches is not necessary to succeed. Long term you can rely on the magnifying lens. Just make a fire every few days to cook water and time your activities around the weather.

Also matches aren't that rare on Interloper if you check all places. You still get plenty to survive hundreds of days even when being somewhat wasteful with them. There are also several firestrikers.

[Stone]

The +3 degrees temp from a lit torch is useful to keep in mind. And of course their anti wolf capabilities are vital. I'm a bit obsessed with torches, especially when travelling. 

[UTC-10]

On 4/15/2022 at 10:27 AM, UTC-10 said:

There is now a bug, with the 2.00 update, in lighting torches from stoves and fire barrels (and rim grills).  You can't.   What you get is the Add Fuel, Take Torch, etc., menu.  So you can add fuel to the fire and take a torch but cannot light the torch from the it.  I think that was unintended by the devs.  

Lighting a torch from a campfire works as usual.  

I bugged this to support.  

 

Recently I found that while you end up at the Add Fuel, Take Torch, Cook, Water menu when  you want to light a torch from a stove, fire barrel or furnace, until it gets fixed, if you have an unlit torch equipped, clicking on Add Fuel will initiate the motion of lighting the torch from the fire. 

I didn't know that before because I didn't bother to try that with an equipped unlit torch as I didn't think it would work. I decided to try and see what would happen.  Also, if you click on take torch, you will take a torch and what you were equipped (the unlit torch) will go into inventory.  

[Guest jeffpeng]

On 4/14/2022 at 9:30 PM, yoli said:

but since we cannot jump and we can die from dehydratation while being overwhelmed with snow

Most people can't jump more than half a meter even if they really try, and for that they usually need a few steps of momentum. So what video games depict as jumping is unrealistic even for athletes (the average NBA player jumps 71 centimeters vertically). Now try doing that with 40 kilograms of excess weight on you back. At this stage many people will start panting from just climbing a staircase. And while in reasonable good shape, neither Will nor Astrid strike me as world class athletes specialized in jumping vertically.

Also eating snow will end up costing you more water than it gains you as you will have to expend exceedingly high amounts of energy to bring snow to a liquid state (phase changes in water are very expensive) and heat the water to body temperature.

So, that you cannot jump and that you can die from dehydration despite being overwhelmed with snow is actually very much realistic. That doesn't mean that Will should not be able to traverse small obstacles like logs or rocks - but that's a different problem. But there are a few other things in the game that feel wrong and unintuitive at first, but really make a lot of sense once you actually think or read about. For example that you can eat 5 rabbits a day and still starve is very much true. (That you can live on 700 calories a day indefinitely, however, is not 🤣)