Is trading for food the easy way out?

[WajMan]

Title.

Is trading for food cheesy or how you're expected to survive until you get traps etc. established?

Obviously every playstyle is valid, but I want to know whether I'm using a crutch because I suck at hunting and should just improve haha.

[trowftd]

I wouldn't say it is a crutch . Before the fishing update the easiest way was to fish as you didn't need any bait and your hook didn't break. But with 3.70version it changed so I definitely did trade for food in my newest characters as well.

Still, fishing saved one of my newest characters from 40% starvation (with a trident . Although he was a pretty good fisher.) so definitely look into fishing but don't rely on it too much like versions before 3.70.

[WajMan]

Ahh yeah not needing bait sounds like the dream!! I'll have to look into it, I've bought a decent rod and hook and some nets, but have yet to make the move to a rapids tile.

My experience fishing amounted to something I named "The Javelin Trap" in which I slowly starved to death while catching just enough fish to keep active fishing, not ideal haha. That was early days and I've since learnt the benefit of trapping so perhaps that would switch things up.

[JP_Finn]

Ahh yeah not needing bait sounds like the dream!! I'll have to look into it, I've bought a decent rod and hook and some nets, but have yet to make the move to a rapids tile.

My experience fishing amounted to something I named "The Javelin Trap" in which I slowly starved to death while catching just enough fish to keep active fishing, not ideal haha. That was early days and I've since learnt the benefit of trapping so perhaps that would switch things up.

With couple/few nets you should be able to add good amount of fish to your diet. Few hints/suggestions:
If you set a net during “morning”, wait until “late morning” the next day before checking it. BUT not later than “late morning” of the 2nd day.
Sacrificing one of the smaller fish, like a bream, every day when you’re net fishing: you might find yourself looking to smoke or dry some of them, as you can’t eat that much roasted fish! Or maybe trade/donate to nearby villages.

[JP_Finn]

Forgot to answer the main question.

Trading for food in early game is viable option. Crafting or wood cutting are tasks that produce goods (unless rough) for food bartering. Angling for few hours, a day, might yield a pike. Twisting birchbark to a rope, will produce goods to barter for food.

[trowftd]

My experience fishing amounted to something I named "The Javelin Trap" in which I slowly starved to death while catching just enough fish to keep active fishing, not ideal haha.

Yep that is exactly my first moments with fishing as well I mostly try to turn it around by trying to fish not more than twice in a day and try to find some village to ideally trade for some nets or fishing rods. But yeah, spear fishing is definitely not a way you can thrive with hehe.

[WajMan]

Forgot to answer the main question.

Trading for food in early game is viable option. Crafting or wood cutting are tasks that produce goods (unless rough) for food bartering. Angling for few hours, a day, might yield a pike. Twisting birchbark to a rope, will produce goods to barter for food.

Exactly this mate. Gamble with my fishing skill and equipment, or guarantee a full belly with the strategy of - make javelins->buy yarn->make arrows->buy food.

Definately feels like an easy option that will be much harder if they balance yarn prices (which, for the work involved in textilecraft, they probably should), but it's great while learning the systems.

[Plotinus]

I think you should do whatever makes the game more fun for you. If the game starts feeling too easy, you can add restrictions like no trading for food. If struggling to find food isn't fun and you want to get it over with and get on to some other part of the game that you like better (fighting, house building, exploring, etc) then it's fine to start the game with some trading.

Personally, I like to visit a village once a week and I like doing some of the quests. If it's been more than 2 weeks since you've done a quest then you can get a new one. Early on, I might spend the reward on food or i might save up for an axe or a knife or a net or something else i might want.

It's good to start some traps up early. Bait them with berries if you can, and raw meat once you have it. spoiled raw meat is fine too. It can be a while till they pay off but it's worth it when they do