Suggestion: Tone down the harvested acorns appearance

[Sherri]

Greetings!

I love having a new harvestable in the game, it's a really nice addition.

I humbly however, suggest a change to the design of the harvested acorns location. It currently looks like an unsightly mud splatter in our otherwise pristine, beautiful snowy landscape.

My thoughts are... to take the design of the unharvested acorns (slightly grey spots with subtle yellow spots within) and just take out the yellow spots & maybe shade it a very little bit.

This accomplishes:

- Less obvious when the base of an oak tree is harvested, encourages more hunting around rather than it being obvious from 100+m away that a tree is surrounded by only harvested acorn spots.

- More pleasant design for the landscape instead of muddy splotches around the beautiful oak trees.

Other than that, it's really cool to keep an eye out for oak trees & have a new, yet trickey (hammer required) natural food source. I particularly love the model for the acorns in my inventory. We have spear oaks in our yard & the acorns are plentiful!  (Caution: don't eat raw acorns in real life, they are toxic!) 😁

Edited April 20, 2023 by Sherri

[UpUpAway95]

I have also noticed that there seems to be a bug related to this in Forsaken Airfield in that some unharvested acorns are appearing with the dark muddy patches already there rather than just the light brown "dots" that appear in other areas.

[xanna]

I agree the design is a little unsightly and I'm sure HTL could come up with something a bit more subtle that still works with the gameplay.

2 hours ago, Sherri said:

Other than that, it's really cool to keep an eye out for oak trees & have a new, yet trickey (hammer required) natural food source.

Just a note that you don't need a hammer to eat them, only to grind them up to make coffee. You can totally eat them whole once cooked. Still tricky enough though, with the peeling and boiling they require.

Edited April 20, 2023 by xanna

[Serenity]

15 minutes ago, xanna said:

Still tricky enough though, with the peeling and boiling they require.

I don't mind the multi-step preparation, but 10 minutes per acorn is a bit much. That can take hours for a large harvest. 5 minutes would be fine.

[PilgrimReaper]

I personally can't be bothered with acorns, as it stands... curious to see what else can be made with them though.

[hozz1235]

I agree with OP.  The dark stain reminds me of an oil spill.

[UpUpAway95]

Perhaps they can replace the muddy sludge mark with just a little bit of piled up snow to denote that the acorns have been harvested.  I don't mind the way they've marked unharvested acorns in most areas, but the ones in Forsaken Airfield look already harvested until you get up close to see the hit box for harvesting them (actually they look worse because the smudge is blacker in color before harvesting them than after).

[hozz1235]

I'm sure the point of the dark stain is so you can see from a distance if you have harvested or not.

On the topic of acorns, has anyone seen an oak tree drop more ("regrow") after time has passed since harvesting?

Edited April 21, 2023 by hozz1235

[UpUpAway95]

1 hour ago, hozz1235 said:

I'm sure the point of the dark stain is so you can see from a distance if you have harvested or not.

On the topic of acorns, has anyone seen an oak tree drop more ("regrow") after time has passed since harvesting?

I agree... that's why the bug in Forsaken Airfield was so notable to me... I knew I had not been there before and had so chance of having harvested anything, yet all the trees seemed to have no acorn spots under them that did not already look harvested (that is, until I got right over the spots and found a hit box on some of them).

On the topic of regrowth... no, I have not noticed any that have regrown yet... but I'm not doing runs that are exceptionally lengthy either.  I can say for certainty... if they do ever respawn, it is on a much longer respawn timer than birch bark.

Edited April 21, 2023 by UpUpAway95

[AdamvR]

I do not expect them to regrow - that would be in contradiction to the main logic of the game, which has been pretty consistent.
Namely, that anything (plant based), that requires a spring/summer/fall will never regrow: since the eternal winter arrived, no renewal.
The only things that reappear are the ones which need the wind only to do so: i.e.: branches/twigs/and the bark of birch.

I also agree with the OP on a more subtle "harvested already" sign might be better matching the beauty of GB, especially in FA.

Edited April 21, 2023 by AdamvR

[xanna]

36 minutes ago, AdamvR said:

I do not expect them to regrow - that would be in contradiction to the main logic of the game, which has been pretty consistent.
Namely, that anything (plant based), that requires a spring/summer/fall will never regrow: since the eternal winter arrived, no renewal.
The only things that reappear are the ones which need the wind only to do so: i.e.: branches/twigs/and the bark of birch.

I think of it more as them falling to the ground same as the way sticks do, like you say, in the wind. That doesn't seem like too much of a stretch (except for very long runs).

[UpUpAway95]

Finally got my One Drive working.  Here's a picture of how the unharvested acorns have been looking in my Forsaken Airfield start.  Clearly a bug since the unharvested acorns in my Broken Railroad starts have shown just a few brown dots in the otherwise white snow and and brown (not black like this) smudge has only appeared after I harvested them:

 

[mfuegemann]

5 hours ago, UpUpAway95 said:

Finally got my One Drive working.  Here's a picture of how the unharvested acorns have been looking in my Forsaken Airfield start.  Clearly a bug since the unharvested acorns in my Broken Railroad starts have shown just a few brown dots in the otherwise white snow and and brown (not black like this) smudge has only appeared after I harvested them:

 

Same here, I just started wondering after returning to FA on my Tales run . . . 

[ajb1978]

It seems pretty spot on to me. If you're searching for acorns, you'd be digging up the snow and possibly tearing into the regolith to recover any that are below the surface.

I do think acorns ought to be renewable though, like birch bark. The coffee only adds 5% back to your fatigue meter (which makes them slightly more valuable than a half hour of sleep), compared to the borderline regenerative properties of birch bark, it just seems odd that acorns are a one-off harvestable. And eating them for food, not really worth it considering how much effort is involved. I'd rather just starve while I go rabbit hunting. I will recoup my losses in minutes, probably before I even lose a single point of condition. Edit: I'm not a fan of that "regrowing plants" mod since plants simply do not grow in winter, but if acorns are added, I will definitely be making an exception there.

IMO they should respawn after blizzards, to indicate some stubborn acorns being knocked off branches.

Edited April 23, 2023 by ajb1978

[Kranium]

I'm posting this as a tangent, seeing as how oak trees are way more rare here than spruce trees:

 

SPRUCE TIPS!

 

https://practicalselfreliance.com/spruce-tips/

Quote

Nutritional Value

Spruce tips are a source of vitamin A to maintain healthy organ functioning, potassium to balance fluid levels within the body, and vitamin C to strengthen the immune system while reducing inflammation. The tips also provide antimicrobial and antibacterial properties and contain other amounts of magnesium, phosphorus, and antioxidants. In natural medicines, Spruce tips have been steeped into tea and infused into tinctures to soothe sore throats and coughs. Spruce tips can also be incorporated into topical creams and balms for skin irritations such as rashes, burns, and bites.

 

 

Applications

Spruce tips have a piney, herbal, and citrusy flavor suited for fresh and cooked preparations. Some foragers choose to consume the tips straight off the tree, while others incorporate the tips into salads, dips, or side dishes. Spruce tips can also be simmered and infused into syrups, vinegar, honey, pesto, and other sauces. These condiments impart a subtle spruce-like flavoring while also enhancing the complexity of the tastes found within a dish. Spruce honey and syrups are popularly mixed into teas, used over pancakes, or incorporated into baked goods. The tip’s citrusy flavor complements crumbles, ice cream, galettes, and shortbread cookies, and can be candied, infused into dark chocolate, simmered into jelly, or used as a glaze for roasted meats. In addition to sweet preparations, Spruce tips can be mixed into savory dishes, imparting an herbal, earthy quality. The tips can be finely chopped, similarly to rosemary, and sprinkled over bread, mixed into a stuffing, stirred into pasta, added to stir-fries, or served in grain or legume-based dishes. Spruce tips can also be ground with salt or sugar, dehydrated, and used as a flavoring and spice. Spruce tip infused sugar favors dessert recipes and can be scattered across any preparation calling for a citrusy sweetness. The tips are also infused into liquors, water, smoothies, and beer. Beyond beverages and fresh preparations, Spruce tips can be blanched and frozen, pickled, or dehydrated for extended use. Spruce tips pair well with meats such as poultry, pork, bison, and turkey, seafood, nuts such as cashew, pistachios, and macadamia, springtime vegetables such as fava beans, asparagus, and peas, and fruits such as cherries, blueberries, and citrus. Spruce tips should be immediately consumed for the best quality and flavor but can last for several months when stored in professional storage conditions. In home kitchens, Spruce tips can be kept wrapped in a damp paper towel and placed in a plastic bag with a few air holes. The tips can also be frozen for extended use and will keep 1 to 2 years in the freezer.

 

Edited April 23, 2023 by Kranium

[ajb1978]

11 hours ago, Kranium said:

I'm posting this as a tangent, seeing as how oak trees are way more rare here than spruce trees:

Pine Needle tea has been brought up maaaaany times, and I think that might've been the impetus for allowing birch bark to make tea in the first place. It used to only be usable as tinder, and honestly who's gonna bother with that when you're swimming in tinder plugs whether you like it or not.

[Kranium]

Spruce tips are different than pine needles... but yes, for sure.

 

I can't say I'm bothered by the marks the acorns leave on the ground. You should see how messy the snow actually can get in the forest, by the end of winter. A lot of tree debris accumulates on the snow. Mind you, it's the fresh snowfalls that keep it looking pristine, and mostly melting that uncovers all the tree litter (not to mention animal dung - rabbit & deer pellets everywhere!)

[hozz1235]

On 4/21/2023 at 5:50 PM, xanna said:

I think of it more as them falling to the ground same as the way sticks do, like you say, in the wind. That doesn't seem like too much of a stretch (except for very long runs).

My thoughts exactly.  Most drop in Autumn, but seems there are always some stragglers and considering an oak tree would have hundreds, if not thousands, of acorns...

On 4/22/2023 at 7:59 PM, ajb1978 said:

It seems pretty spot on to me. If you're searching for acorns, you'd be digging up the snow and possibly tearing into the regolith to recover any that are below the surface.

I suppose it depends on when the acorns drop.  I was thinking they would drop after the snow falls, hence you wouldn't have to dig to soil to retrieve them.  A quick search says that most acorns drop in Sep or Oct so this would support @ajb1978's theory, but even then, the acorns would be sitting on top of the soil and the ground would likely be frozen.  I still think the main reason is for gameplay - marking the spot harvested.

[Admin]

On 4/22/2023 at 7:03 AM, UpUpAway95 said:

Finally got my One Drive working.  Here's a picture of how the unharvested acorns have been looking in my Forsaken Airfield start.  Clearly a bug since the unharvested acorns in my Broken Railroad starts have shown just a few brown dots in the otherwise white snow and and brown (not black like this) smudge has only appeared after I harvested them:

 

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