Rafts!

[Acolyte]

So, it takes 3 500lbs logs to make an 80lbs raft?

Perhaps slender logs should be used instead? In real life I wouldn't  fell 3 full sized trees for a simple raft - I'd fell smaller trees anyways.

Thanks
   - Shane

[koteko]

Yeah, I agree - either that, or the final raft should be WAY heavier (thus forcing us to buy a punt for mobility).

[d2shr6o8av]

Mine used to weigh 80 lbs and now they weigh 1200 lbs.

[koteko]

Haven't tried the beta, so maybe they fixed it? Or do you use mods?

[Brygun]

IIRC the normal weight for a raft is 1200 lbs so not sure how he saw 80 lbs without a  mod or glitch.

The current watercraft system uses a flotation as ## x weight of craft so the raft 1200 lbs can carry much more than the punt. (Im hoping later updates may separate flotation load from the weight so different modded craft make more sense)

That 80lbs might have been the punt

[Acolyte]

Nope, no mods. When I make a raft it's put into my inventory weighing in at 80lbs. I can pick it up and carry it overland if I need.

   - Shane

[koteko]

Yeah, in the base game (not the new beta) rafts weigh 80 lbs. I believe a mod fixed them by making them heavier.

[Acolyte]

But I am running the BETA. 

   - Shane

[Sami]

Raft weight shall be fixed. It's indeed way too low,  80 pounds currently.
Numerous raft related additions are also being planned, for example small raft from slender trunks.
Also, rowing the raft should be way slower than going with a punt. Moving a heavy raft with paddle should be both slow and quite a bit exhausting as well.

[PALU]

Going upstream with a raft may well be impossible, while going downstream would be fairly easy (although rapids may be a danger to both punts and rafts). Propelling a water craft against the wind is also harder than going with the wind.
Of course, these things would require elaboration of the environment, but this IS a suggestion thread...

[koteko]

Raft weight shall be fixed. It's indeed way too low,  80 pounds currently.
Numerous raft related additions are also being planned, for example small raft from slender trunks.
Also, rowing the raft should be way slower than going with a punt. Moving a heavy raft with paddle should be both slow and quite a bit exhausting as well.

May I suggest that a sesta should give a noticeable improvement in moving the raft, compared to a paddle?

This would give it a good advantage, to balance out its disadvantage with water depth.

[Sami]

Going upstream with a raft may well be impossible, while going downstream would be fairly easy (although rapids may be a danger to both punts and rafts). Propelling a water craft against the wind is also harder than going with the wind.
Of course, these things would require elaboration of the environment, but this IS a suggestion thread...

Yep. In a perfect unreal world all this - and more - should be featured.
Development goals list already mentions:

Challenge to moving in rapids and rivers:
 *   boating upriver to be more fatiguing and difficult
 *   rapids being risky and dangerous to boat in and swim
 *   capsizing watercrafts

[Sami]

May I suggest that a sesta should give a noticeable improvement in moving the raft, compared to a paddle?
This would give it a good advantage, to balance out its disadvantage with water depth.

Yes indeed, this should also be featured in perfect unreal world.

(I guess we could easily spend months and months on working with watercraft perfections alone... )

[Brygun]

A primary concern I've had when coding multiple boats into the BAC mod was that the floatation is done as a multiplier on weight. It really needs to be a seperate data figure.

For example a person could sit on a log. That log can support them. If you hollow out the log into a dug out canoe the weight of the log goes down. The amount of goods it can carry though has gone up by the amount that was removed.

You can steam the sides of a dug out to be wider to displace more water. An increase in floatation with no change in weight.


Other ideas some went into BAC welcome to borrow are:

Floating on a log, no improvements (more of a swimming aid)

A dug out canoe, from a single log

Expanded dugout, where the sides are unfolded

the "clinker" built where boards are added to further expand the displacement.


I've attached the current BAC file water craft. There is further discussion and recommendations on floatation. Welcome to use.

[Ara D.]

Two squirrel hides worth. I don't find punts hard to find. So as a balance, rafts carry significantly higher amounts of weight or item numbers, traded against slow and labour intensive work. Roleplay situation, I spend the winter hunting in the north, come spring thaw I build a raft and head down stream to sell my hides abandoning or disassembling my raft once there.