Item Condition (Schrödinger's Rifle)

[Mathu83]

Just past 30 days in on stalker and loving it. This is my first survival game so of course I have no benchmark or comparison but so far it seems pretty darn good for an early access alpha and naturally I only play late at night with the lights off and sound up really adds to the immersion

Anyway since this is my first survival game i'm pretty much playing it like I would actually do if the apocalypse hit(or in this case a mysterious Geomagnetic anomaly). Meaning Looting the crap out of everything and bringing to my base camp. Now this is where I started thinking maybe that isn't the best option because of item condition (not all items degrade I know)

I did a search here and a few different answers pop up but it seems currently all containers decrease condition at the same rate, doesn't matter if its a fridge medical cabinet or cupboard correct? Well what about stuff that I haven't looted yet is it losing condition right now? Or is it not assigned a condition value until I go to pick it up?

See the reason I ask is I just found a second rifle and wondered if I don't pick it up will it stay at the 80% condition for ever till I pick it up?

And if it doest decay till I pick it up is it then better to not hoard things like I am and just leave critical items like additional sewing kits and quality tools where they are and just simply take note where I have left them?

cheers

Matt

[grimreefer24601]

Rifles don't decay with time, only use. Mostly only food decays with time. One exception is matches another is clothing. Of food items, beef jerky, granola bars, soda, salty crackers, tea and coffee do not decay.

Containers reduce daily decay by 50%. Objects that have not been picked up do not decay.

A second rifle is about useless. Your original rifle can be repaired, but honestly, you'll probably die or run out of bullets long before you need to repair it. Sometimes I horde another rifle, but usually I don't bother.

[Mathu83]

Thanks mate, so ive screwed myself on this run by picking up all the sewing kits and tools etc when i should of left them.

So containers reduce decay by 50% compared to items dropped on house floor or kept in my backpack?

So being conservative and repairing my rifle im more likely to run out of bullets than need a second rifle sweet got it.

[grimreefer24601]

Sewing kits and Tools also only decay when used, Not Daily, so you can pick up as many as you like. I do. Really, I pick up everything except matches. I eat any food that has decayed to less than 20% except the ones I mentioned above. Any animal meat I have I usually use up first because it's decay rate is higher (3 HP per day) than other foods (1 HP per day).

[Hyssch]

Don't forget those Cat Tails that have 200cal per piece and they don't decay even if picked up. They're nice to have if You want to keep a stash of 2000cal (10 Cat Tail pieces) on some cabin, just in case of some sudden snow blizzards that are quite common. I usually leave some 3L of water, firwood and those Cat Tails in some easily accessible cabins, that are along my hunting routes. That way I can camp there for a day or two if needed and do quick hunting trips nearby. Like grimreefer24601 mentioned, there are some dry-foods that are great for that purpose as well. Salty Crackers are one of my favourites of those.