Should You Play Nomadic or Make a Base?

[A_King_Doggo]

I've found some houses that have gardens and so far I'm feeling pretty rushed with the very high Satiety decay and constantly looking for my next Lighter for fuel to cook rotten food, and to find fresh food to keep myself from constantly losing health.

Do the Gardens respawn food? Is there a reason I should be using planks and stuff to nail down doors besides just using them as a quick escape?

Or is this more like a straight run to Terminus?

[680x0]

Base building is pretty hard, but will likely be easier with future updates with the way things are going. Personally I just try to make for the terminus, quickly or carefully depending on the character.

[Two Clicks]

I tend to find planks are needed to reinforce doors/windows in a building I want to sleep in. Esp. if its near a danger zone as more and bigger zombies can be found coming at night.

Almost always they sense my char sleeping even through the room has either no windows or they are covered up.

These would be perfect for a base, if you decide to make one.

Personally I try to keep my base mobile if I can find the gas to keep my car moving. It allows you to have a large inventory that doesnt slow char movement.

Lighters can be quite abundant. At least in most of my games. Sounds like you got unlucky. You can also make makeshift ones if memory serves.

Satiety isnt a problem. Rotten food can be cooked and is more enough until you get to locations with relieft supplies or tinned food. Fresh food is only good for a few nodes anyways.

At the moment Im varying my runs. Depnding on if I have transport, if I know where I am going and how soon I need to be there. How much energy suppliments I have and how much food (instant or preparable), and other meds to keep my char. gauges in the black.

MOvement is a logistical thing. Esp when you have silenced weapons, ammo and light sources.

[Red riding hood the third]

I dont like doing bases, there are times when i spend a day reading 1 book but then i'm unsure if i'll risk starving doing so.

The first 3-5 days i'm going slow with scavenging weapons, reading books, hoarding food and then i'll scout the path towards the terminus while throwing off all the trash. On the last half i skip sleeping and rush while intaking drugs to reduce the effects of sleep deprivation and low morality.

Trying to sleep near danger zones is just a bad experience altogether with the zombies surrounding the map exits after a single night.

Its also worth it to scout the area around the spawn zone in case there's a restaurant or a supermarket, having excess food at the start of a run is a better experience then having to scavenge small houses and hoping for canned food.

For the farming periods i took some screenshots. Potatoes take 15 days and a single potato will grow into 4 potatoes. 1 tomato takes 24 days and will grow into 6 tomatoes. Rotten fruits pose no problems for farming. You'd have to make a large investment and still have enough food to survive at least 15 days to efficiently farm.

[Two Clicks]

For me it doesnt look like the farming aspect of the game is a primary survival factor. 15-24 days to grow stuff. No refridgiration. It all points to having to be mobile. Esp. given you have to get to Terminus. The game seems like its more a lottery of choosing locations and making the best of what you have.

Personally Id prefer a slightly measured speed run than basebuilding.

Now if gas generators and fridges were added, it would be a different kettle of fish.