Slag, and Only Slag [RESOLVED]

[Ghostie]

I'm having an issue with producing iron blooms. The very first time I used the bloomery, I was able to produce an iron bloom with no problem, figuring out the bellows and hammer functionality. However, EVERY single attempt after that turns to slag.

I cannot figure out if I am doing something wrong or if I have some sort of bug. The metal heats fine, I plop it out onto the anvil, I hit it until it's nice and shiny and gives me the prompt to open it (with plenty of time to spare)... and slag! Just slag! Always slag! I have attempted it over 7 times and it is slag every time, no matter how many iron pieces i do at once (1-3), it's all always slag.

The thing I've been doing to get around it is to have an NPC do it. Theirs come out fine.

Am I missing something?

Thank you!

EDIT: I just realized that in this particular save file, I did dabble with the bug wherein you pause the game when you're using the bellows, and the game will level the Blacksmithing skill while it's paused. I did this AFTER doing my first iron bloom. So perhaps it's a bug related to that bug!

EDIT2: Resolved, I'm just having a massive intelligence issue lately. I was just straight-up doing it wrong.

[marhaulte]

Did you keep the temperature in the middle brackets?

[Ghostie]

Originally posted by marhaulte:

Did you keep the temperature in the middle brackets?

I feel like an absolute imbecile. This was exactly the problem.

I genuinely thought the red X's were "this one's done!" I must've stumbled into doing it correctly the first time by accident.

[Mervin]

Just a suggestion but when you are going to make iron at the bloomer, might be worth resting on a bed for thirty seconds or so, so your stamina doesn't run out as quick for a while. You don't need to but might help until you get used to it

[Chaos]

Wait you can pause the game to level while it's paused? I didn't realize you could cheat like that. I won't do it myself because well...I don't use trainers or cheat engines either but good to know in case I get curious. I'm sure it'll get patched.

[Ghostie]

Originally posted by Mervin:

Just a suggestion but when you are going to make iron at the bloomer, might be worth resting on a bed for thirty seconds or so, so your stamina doesn't run out as quick for a while. You don't need to but might help until you get used to it

Nah, I was going all the way up with the bellows, stamina wasn't the problem. I was like, "oh, red line good! Oh, red X good!" Very, very silly. I can now make the iron blooms without issue--BUT, still a good tip, thank you!

Originally posted by Chaos:

Wait you can pause the game to level while it's paused? I didn't realize you could cheat like that. I won't do it myself because well...I don't use trainers or cheat engines either but good to know in case I get curious. I'm sure it'll get patched.

Yeah I saw it in a very old thread here last week or so. It definitely levels you up, which makes the bellowing and the hammering a lot easier/faster.

EDIT: ACTUALLY, the leveling up probably WAS the problem, from a mental perspective. The first time I did it I was obviously just level 1 Blacksmithing, so I had to work hard to keep the bellows going, so I just naturally had the bellows in the middle long enough to get the iron bloom properly heated, without even realizing that's what was happening. Then, when I tried later, I was up to level 30 due to that leveling glitch, so I suddenly easily able to hit the top (red) part of the bellowing bar.

[CyberDown]

set all rows coal but the last row ore/scrap and put a minion on it.

[Luxfere]

Only way to do it higher skill you can do 5 or 6

[GeforceJoe]

Cyber is right, if your just out 4 ore and the rest coal and set 2 npcs 1 for day 1 for night they will always produce a successful product and around the clock. You will have more than you know what to do with.

[GeforceJoe]

Make sure your hammer has a good amount of durability too if you still using the wood one.