Is copper supposed to be this miserable to acquire? (pre copper pickaxe)

[Zedrin]

Assuming there's not an alternative source for an initial influx of copper, your only option to get it is to mine it with the scrappy pickaxe before you can make a copper one.

It takes about 5 swings for 1 unit (which sometimes is inconsistent), and you need 20 units to make a single set of bars which hopefully should be enough to get your next pickaxe upgrade, which is when things should speed up. Getting to that point however is tedious, with how much mining is actually required before then.

Is there seriously no way to gradually transition into the next tier or is it supposed to be this painfully slow? It feels like a lot of deposits don't even have enough copper for a full set of bars.

Little update:

Turns out there IS something you're supposed to be able to find. In the Revelwood Tower, at the top, there is a single copper bar you can loot, which can be an alternative (but longer) route to getting a copper pick (but at the very least it'd tell you how many you need by unlocking the recipe).

Beyond that, my numbers were off slightly. It's more like 6-7 swings of a scrappy pick per unit of copper, and 3-4 after you get the copper pick.

[Mr_Pennywise]

i am not 100% here but i think it depends of your pick axe

[Beorn]

Seriously?
Build Copper Pickaxe and you are fine to go.

[Zedrin]

Originally posted by Mr_Pennywise:

i am not 100% here but i think it depends of your pick axe

Yes, as I mentioned, I'm using the scrappy pickaxe, the best you can get before a copper one.

It feels like you need a copper pick to get copper which is an absurd way to design things.

[Blue Hasia]

Have you ever heard of this little game called minecraft.

[Beorn]

Originally posted by Zedrin:

It feels like you need a copper pick to get copper which is an absurd way to design things.

it would be absurd if copper pick was the only way to get copper.
The design is fine - start getting the resource with basic gear to improve your gear with the resource. Basic progress stuff - at least you have a scrappy pick and not the starter one anymore.

[Zedrin]

The resource count required to make a single set of bars, coupled with how long it takes to get just a single unit before getting the upgrade said bars require is absurd and I have no idea how ya'll are just fine with that.

[melomellow]

Originally posted by Zedrin:

Assuming there's not an alternative source for an initial influx of copper, your only option to get it is to mine it with the scrappy pickaxe.

It takes about 5 swings for 1 unit (which sometimes is inconsistent), and you need 20 units to make a single set of bars which hopefully should be enough to get your next pickaxe upgrade, which I'm assuming is when things will greatly speed up.

Is there seriously no way to gradually transition into the next tier or is it supposed to be this painfully slow?

It is painful at first until you are able to upgrade to next tier - copper pickaxe. That said I still find it on the low side when it comes to the output. I am working on acquiring bronze knowledge and hopefully can get another upgrade really soon. Don't despair though as it's all part of the game's mechanics.

[H3llF!r3]

Originally posted by Zedrin:

Assuming there's not an alternative source for an initial influx of copper, your only option to get it is to mine it with the scrappy pickaxe.

It takes about 5 swings for 1 unit (which sometimes is inconsistent), and you need 20 units to make a single set of bars which hopefully should be enough to get your next pickaxe upgrade, which I'm assuming is when things will greatly speed up.

Is there seriously no way to gradually transition into the next tier or is it supposed to be this painfully slow?

first time playing a survival? they all are grindy...

[Zedrin]

Originally posted by H3llF!r3:

Originally posted by Zedrin:

Assuming there's not an alternative source for an initial influx of copper, your only option to get it is to mine it with the scrappy pickaxe.

It takes about 5 swings for 1 unit (which sometimes is inconsistent), and you need 20 units to make a single set of bars which hopefully should be enough to get your next pickaxe upgrade, which I'm assuming is when things will greatly speed up.

Is there seriously no way to gradually transition into the next tier or is it supposed to be this painfully slow?

first time playing a survival? they all are grindy...

I play a ton of them, this one has some incredibly slow progression and padding.

[SaberToothDeathMouse]

Originally posted by Zedrin:

The resource count required to make a single set of bars, coupled with how long it takes to get just a single unit before getting the upgrade said bars require is absurd and I have no idea how ya'll are just fine with that.

I'm fine with it because it's called "natural progression". It's not supposed to be EASY. I don't know how society has raised so many "entitled" people that don't want to work and EARN things. This is not "absurd"... it's tough because it's supposed to be. You start with crappy stuff so you can get mats to make better stuff so you can get better stuff and so on. It's not supposed to happen on Day One.

[Thal]

Make a copper pickaxe with first bars, then a copper lumber axe ,easy . It doesnt take long at all, even quicker if you place an altar close by to port back. Game is already far too easy i really cant see an issue of mining for a 20 mins or so.

[william_es]

The type of deposit you're mining can have a huge difference too.

Copper shows as little balls covered in microspheres (like beer nuts), mixed in other terrain. But if you dig down enough, you will see pure "seams" of copper. They will be orange/red with green streaks. If the circle of your pickaxe is targeting an entire area made of nothing but copper, you often only get nothing but pure copper.

I found a pre-existing mine, with wood trusses and stairs, and when I go there the copper deposit covers entire walls of the shaft towards the bottom. Everything I get from there is pure copper. Only If I go way out to the edges, where it turns to stone would I even start getting anything but copper. I leave with huggggeeeee stacks of copper and nothing else.

[Zedrin]

Originally posted by william_es:

The type of deposit you're mining can have a huge difference too.

Copper shows as little balls covered in microspheres (like beer nuts), mixed in other terrain. But if you dig down enough, you will see pure "seams" of copper. They will be orange/red with green streaks. If the circle of your pickaxe is targeting an entire area made of nothing but copper, you often only get nothing but pure copper.

I found a pre-existing mine, with wood trusses and stairs, and when I go there the copper deposit covers entire walls of the shaft towards the bottom. Everything I get from there is pure copper. Only If I go way out to the edges, where it turns to stone would I even start getting anything but copper. I leave with huggggeeeee stacks of copper and nothing else.

See this is the kind of advice people should actually give instead of immediately trying to deflect any dreaded criticism or critique.

I had found a few copper veins before but it took an obscene amount of mining before I got even a single unit. Maybe some better veins won't be so slow?

[Beorn]

Oh, what am i looking forward to the ranting which will occur when the thread opener will get to Bronze ingots :.D

Originally posted by Zedrin:

Maybe some better veins won't be so slow?

Get better tools and it will be much faster.

[Zedrin]

Originally posted by Beorn:

Originally posted by Zedrin:

Maybe some better veins won't be so slow?

Get better tools and it will be much faster.

Jesus you need to learn how to read. Literally mentioned better tools in the first post.

I am not talking about trying to do all mining with scrappy tools. Just enough to get a copper pickaxe. The issue is getting there requiring a high amount of copper.

Heck if the crucible made smaller batches at a time (at a proportional speed), that'd also solve the issue without changing the progression.