Player built fuel reservoirs, anyone?

[calkhi]

I've did a quick, and in no way thorough, look for any mod of mention of something like this, or anything already existing in the game, and I can't find it. The closest thing I found was a fuel truck which would be close to what I want, but I was thinking more like an actual round tank built above ground to hold fuel. Vulnerable to lightning and everything, unless you've had the skill to properly ground it.
I'd imagine the first type would be a bunch of cobbled together fuel tanks that anyone could build, but have a rather low fuel storage capability. The second would be a basic drum, moderate storage, easy to move as well. The third would be a proper, multi-tile object, holding a massive sum of fuel, enough to run a single generator for, say, half a year to a year, there abouts?
I would even propose the ability to add additional fuel tanks to the generators, increasing the time they can run without interaction.
I'd also say add the option to have fuel limits. Gas stations aren't limitless, and I can't imagine they've been getting shipments while under that heavy a quarantine. Though primarily, the idea for fuel storage like this would pretty much be for the folks that want a base out in the deeper wilderness and have done something like build a wood paved road to it. Which, once again, I suppose the fuel truck mod would do that, but it would still be neat to see such a thing in game, or I'd think so.

[Shurenai]

Just a passing comment, but, Even if you tied a generator to a massive fuel tank that could run for a year, you'd still have to stop by with fair frequency to repair it anyway, as if it passes below 50% condition it becomes a fire/explosion hazard. So since you're already passing by to repair, may as well refuel at that time as well.

Aside from that, I don't object to the idea in general. I'd like having a big tank of fuel instead of 50 gas cans on the floor.

[calkhi]

Originally posted by Shurenai:

Just a passing comment, but, Even if you tied a generator to a massive fuel tank that could run for a year, you'd still have to stop by with fair frequency to repair it anyway, as if it passes below 50% condition it becomes a fire/explosion hazard. So since you're already passing by to repair, may as well refuel at that time as well.

Aside from that, I don't object to the idea in general. I'd like having a big tank of fuel instead of 50 gas cans on the floor.

It was a simple thought as, yes, you're correct. The idea was more to get rid of that unsightly gas can clutter that didn't involve crate clutter or cheesy shelf placement. I can understand wanting limits on what the player can do, but bloody hell, those little red buggers are an eyesore.

[J's]

The idea is interesting, however, how would you fill it?

Also, just a fun fact, according to our provincial building agency, above ground tank for fuel of over 2500 liter or 10 000 liter require a special permit (depends if it’s class 1 or class 2 fuel) which amount to 625 to 2 500 red containers.

Also, assuming a 2m high cylinder on it’s side, the 10 000L would be 3,18m long.

[calkhi]

Originally posted by J's:

The idea is interesting, however, how would you fill it?

Also, just a fun fact, according to our provincial building agency, above ground tank for fuel of over 2500 liter or 10 000 liter require a special permit (depends if it’s class 1 or class 2 fuel) which amount to 625 to 2 500 red containers.

Also, assuming a 2m high cylinder on it’s side, the 10 000L would be 3,18m long.

And who's going to issue those permits in a zombie apocalypse? Who's going to fine you for building one? Arrest you for not paying up? Who's going to take you to court?
As for filling it, good question. I guess we'll just have to ferry 625-2500 red containers back and fourth won't we? Unless you get the fuel truck mod, then you'll have a fuel truck.
I just gave something of a utility reason for having it, the second reason is because it removes gas can clutter without building crates or cheesy shelves for your genny. Glad you did the math though, as I don't know the exact tile size but they do look to be 1x1 meter tiles, don't they?

[J's]

My pleasure, I love math. (edit: I will compare with zombies length to answer your question soon)

As for the permit, I must admit I didn’t fully develop the underlying reasons to bring it up. The reason of this regulation is due to the inherent danger with large quantities. So, and that is only my opinion, it could be a guide for the maximum doable without having some risk of dramatic failure.

Bigger tanks could be done though, and the risk could scale inversely with metalworking skill.

[J's]

I did the math as announced and you're right that they look like they are about 1x1 meter tiles. Here is my analysis :
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2317131828
Edit : So in the case of a 10 000L tank, it would take 2 tiles wide, 3 long and about a full story of height. It could be slimer as I've tried the math with a 1m diameter tank... but it would be 12,73m long!

[J's]

I did more math based on a very very very brief Google search to find one example of consumption for a generator and got 0.97 L/hour. That would mean a 10 000 L tank could hold enough fuel for 429,55 days.... well over a year.

According to your initial specifications, you were pretty close with a somewhat smaller tank for 0.5 to 1 year.

[calkhi]

Originally posted by J's:

I did more math based on a very very very brief Google search to find one example of consumption for a generator and got 0.97 L/hour. That would mean a 10 000 L tank could hold enough fuel for 429,55 days.... well over a year.

According to your initial specifications, you were pretty close with a somewhat smaller tank for 0.5 to 1 year.

Wow, thanks for all the math. I'm no mod creator, and I'm worse at trying to make models and sprites, but hot diggity, all the information pretty much makes it easy for anyone else that might come along. I can only hope that the devs or a modder sees this and thinks it's good idea too, as the whole thing was just speculation, but this kind of stuff really puts a huge amount of immersion in the game. Plus, with the numbers side for the larger tank managed, that's a good portion of that section of the work done. Just need a sprite, skill assignments on building it(I'd think metal working 8-10 for a large tank and maybe 1-2 for a cobbled together one from other containers.), that sort of stuff.
You're awesome for the work you've done, J, great stuff! Sorry if my permits rant was accusatory.

[J's]

Originally posted by calkhi:

Originally posted by J's:

I did more math based on a very very very brief Google search to find one example of consumption for a generator and got 0.97 L/hour. That would mean a 10 000 L tank could hold enough fuel for 429,55 days.... well over a year.

According to your initial specifications, you were pretty close with a somewhat smaller tank for 0.5 to 1 year.

Wow, thanks for all the math. I'm no mod creator, and I'm worse at trying to make models and sprites, but hot diggity, all the information pretty much makes it easy for anyone else that might come along. I can only hope that the devs or a modder sees this and thinks it's good idea too, as the whole thing was just speculation, but this kind of stuff really puts a huge amount of immersion in the game. Plus, with the numbers side for the larger tank managed, that's a good portion of that section of the work done. Just need a sprite, skill assignments on building it(I'd think metal working 8-10 for a large tank and maybe 1-2 for a cobbled together one from other containers.), that sort of stuff.
You're awesome for the work you've done, J, great stuff! Sorry if my permits rant was accusatory.

No worries, I did not see your post as accusatory in any way. I know that I was unclear with the first part, I saw your reaction as an invitation to clarify my though on an idea that happens to align with yours.

Cheers,
J.

[J's]

edit : also, I agree that some stages should be locked beyond the skill to remain consequent with the system in place

edit2 : although I hope this was implicit, I agree that a better bulk management of such a "mad-max/water-world" rare-ish utility should have it's own storage (in due time)

[ICP8]

Late to the discussion and not really capable of offering solutions, but I really like the idea and also hope that it gets implemented, either as vanilla or mod. One suggestion though would for it to be considered as also plan for seeds/grain and maybe water as well. Although water may already have something similar. I know of the rain barrels, but I never got far enough to be able to build them, and so I have no idea how they actually work. Maybe buildable wells and/or ponds? Obviously with relative high skill demands. Just adding my own thoughts...

[calkhi]

Originally posted by ICP8:

Late to the discussion and not really capable of offering solutions, but I really like the idea and also hope that it gets implemented, either as vanilla or mod. One suggestion though would for it to be considered as also plan for seeds/grain and maybe water as well. Although water may already have something similar. I know of the rain barrels, but I never got far enough to be able to build them, and so I have no idea how they actually work. Maybe buildable wells and/or ponds? Obviously with relative high skill demands. Just adding my own thoughts...

The water dispensers which can be found in office areas hold 250 units of water. In fact, it was looking at those which made me go "We should have fuel reservoirs too." Though for seeds, I'd imagine we'd want something like wheat first so that there could be seed-grain silos instead. Buildable wells is a good idea though. I can't imagine reaching the water table is too insanely hard in knox county. After all, for seeds there are seed bags, and you can just toss them into sacks and store that way too. I can't imagine you need massive seed storage options, really.

[ROFLpl0x]

Well, being as the game setting is Kentucky you can rest assured the suburbs, especially the ones with the little white houses will have many above ground oil tanks in the back yards. Most of these are no longer in use, but they're there and perfectly functional as gasoline storage.

Aside from these there would be various tanks at farm and industrial locations, most perfectly legitimate for storing gasoline.

The real problem would be A. moving the tank, assuming you wanted to and B. the logic for using them. To get rid of all the gas cans sounds like a good reason, but wouldn't you still need all the gas cans to get the gas to the tank in quantities high enough to need a tank in the first place?

I think you'd need a fuel truck to make large tanks practical, which you can get with a mod so maybe the thing to do is ask that modder to add storage tanks to his mod.

It's definitely a good idea, whatever form they'd take, just seems like without a fuel truck tanks don't accomplish the goal of getting rid of all the gas cans.

[calkhi]

Originally posted by ROFLpl0x:

Well, being as the game setting is Kentucky you can rest assured the suburbs, especially the ones with the little white houses will have many above ground oil tanks in the back yards. Most of these are no longer in use, but they're there and perfectly functional as gasoline storage.

Aside from these there would be various tanks at farm and industrial locations, most perfectly legitimate for storing gasoline.

The real problem would be A. moving the tank, assuming you wanted to and B. the logic for using them. To get rid of all the gas cans sounds like a good reason, but wouldn't you still need all the gas cans to get the gas to the tank in quantities high enough to need a tank in the first place?

I think you'd need a fuel truck to make large tanks practical, which you can get with a mod so maybe the thing to do is ask that modder to add storage tanks to his mod.

It's definitely a good idea, whatever form they'd take, just seems like without a fuel truck tanks don't accomplish the goal of getting rid of all the gas cans.

They've already added in trailers to the game, so I can't imagine finding a fuel trailer like what would be used by farmers would be too difficult, in the vanilla game sense, anyways. Likewise, taking a blank trailer and building extra fuel storage tanks on it wouldn't be "too hard" either. Further, there ties in a final, penultimate issue. Fuel isn't infinite. While I doubt a single person would go through so much fuel as is in all of Knox before it spoiled, yes fuel spoils, it would be interesting to see a final end game challenge of needing to source fuel to be used, even if it's through distilling grain alcohol, or cutting the fat off of the zeds and rendering it into biofuel.

Or just mulching the zeds, slow "cooking" the flesh until every drop of fat is rendered out, then cremating the rest. Take then the fat, mix with hydrogen under high pressure with heat, (Preferably by using the heat of the cremation fires for extra utility out of them.) and then bang, biodiesel. Honestly, the mulching route is what I'd go for since you could set it up in such a way that you just cart the dead zeds to the mulching machine, put them in, close a door, push a button, and start the process.
Do I sound like a psychopath yet? I think I do.
Yet in the strictest sense of an apocalypse, everything is a resource, and your survival may hinge on how creative you are with what you have. If what you have is iron and coal, make a steel mill. If what you have is lemons, sugar, and water, make lemonade. If what you have is millions of shambling corpses, discontinue their shambling and make them into fuel. Removing their resistance and making them into fuel does not need to be an inherently separate process, but culling first and then rendering the fat would be considered more humane. It might also make it easier to do the second if the first is done separately.
My reasoning done, I think hydrocraft added some ideas along these lines, alongside solar panels. Though there's loads of other things you can run things off of, like wood gas, even natural gas. Though the first of the two is easier to get, for obvious reasons. Likewise, you can actually use more than just wood to power your home. Crop chaf that would be otherwise useless to you can be used in in a wood gasifier which has been properly modified while having the potential of producing an ash which can be used as a fertilizer for some crops.

Yet, all of this is a tangent. The reality is that people will likely never get to the point where this idea of long term survival becomes anything more than an idea, besides on an MP server, of course. So while the game might be designed of telling the story of "And then you died." I really think there is the potential for more. People have already proven their ability to survive for extremely long times on game modes like the A Really CD CA challenge modes, and with a bit of modification, I imagine it wouldn't be too hard to put a counter of how how many people(approx.) were in the Americas population wise during the time of the game and then once you hit that number the zeds stop spawning. You'd have to reach billions of kills, but technically, it can be done.
Technically.

[Kaldari]

The cistern trailer in this mod might be a bit closer to what you want, rather than having a dedicated (and large) fuel truck
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2282429356

(On a side note, the addition of that trailer means that the best things really do come to those who wait I suggested fuel bowsers back in August 2016 :D )

I think I vaguely remember seeing a mod for using 45 gallon drums as liquid storage, or I could be imagining it

US population in 1993 was 260.3 million
South America's population was 418.76 million in 2017

That's a lot of fuel, and best of all, it will make it's own way to your refinery... ;)