Game Over When Iron Runs Out

[Fortigan]

Iron Mines Are Empty

The 3 caves on the map have all run out of iron. I was confused at first because my cave crew stopped working even though they had torches and picks. Eventually I scouted the mines to find that they were all depleted.

This is basically the end of the game

• Can't make nails to build or repair buildings
  
• Can't craft armor for new villagers
  
• Can't craft new tools/weapons
  
• Can't craft more iron arrows

One of the main features of a colony sim or a survival game is endless gameplay. For a game like this to end so quickly almost defeats its purpose.

Suggestions

• Make the cave able to be collapsed and rebuilt, thus respawning the cave contents. Perhaps due to an action the player can take to invoke Loki (blamed for earthquakes in Norse mythology).
  
• Drastically increase the scrap metal drop rates from enemies
  
• Create a container at the workshop for used ax heads, small blades, etc to be deposited (ideally these would be dropped off by the villager who broke the item). They "sometimes" will drop the item at the entrance to the workshop, but not always. If they are taking it over there anyway, why can't they put it in the medium storage there?

[TrialandError]

I think they should just make the last ore walls indestructable but they keep dropping ore when you use the pick axe.

[LuLu^]

Originally posted by TrialandError:

I think they should just make the last ore walls indestructable but they keep dropping ore when you use the pick axe.

^This. Just set a low droprate that no one just goes to one cavern and gets to the end to farm, but at least to keep up with repairing and stuff there needs to be a constant flow of iron.

[Shintai]

The only material I am not sure yet if can run out is hardwood.

Stone, iron and blood can be gotten from Draugrs. Fir regrow as small bushes,

[Random Kiwi Gamer]

Whats left to do at that point? You should have built everything, defeated every boss and hit the frame limit when you get too many settlers.

[Ciri]

I had to install wemod and set the no durability option. Only way to deal with this problem. Tools wont decay and you can keep your defenses or tools without decaying

[↓↓ Val]

How did you go through so much iron? I found there the other two caves are on my map, but I'm still using the first cave, and the people who have iron tools have them, and the heads get refurbished.

[Kryten]

Originally posted by ↓↓ Val:

How did you go through so much iron? I found there the other two caves are on my map, but I'm still using the first cave, and the people who have iron tools have them, and the heads get refurbished.

- Building repair for advanced buildings can cost nails (Haven't seen this myself, but they cost nails to build, so plausible)
- Shields and basically every advanced armor piece need plates and nails to be build. Not sure if the plates drop when they break, but the nails will most likely be gone
- There are tools that also need nails to be build...I forgot which, but I think it was the two handed tools.
- Iron arrows (which I don't use)

[Addamz]

Originally posted by Kryten:

Originally posted by ↓↓ Val:

How did you go through so much iron? I found there the other two caves are on my map, but I'm still using the first cave, and the people who have iron tools have them, and the heads get refurbished.

- Building repair for advanced buildings can cost nails (Haven't seen this myself, but they cost nails to build, so plausible)
- Shields and basically every advanced armor piece need plates and nails to be build. Not sure if the plates drop when they break, but the nails will most likely be gone
- There are tools that also need nails to be build...I forgot which, but I think it was the two handed tools.
- Iron arrows (which I don't use)

I'm currently emptying my third cave, I go through iron fast, with 2 longhouses, 2 fisherman houses, boat builder (and boats,) all the tools, weapons an armour, and the carts for the market.

I have 100 villagers, massive area with defences all round but because of the lack of iron I have hedge fences and flimsy towers with a roof, woodcutter, stonecutter, gatherer and hunter all have huts because I don't have enough iron to upgrade them.

Tools can be re-used if you put the axe-head etc into the metalworkers box, but not sure if the workers do this, I have found iron blades for the skinning knifes dropped outside my hunter huts several times though.

3 caves is not enough for single player, I would hate to so what a multiplayer server had to put up with. There is no time to farm iron off mobs, I get 1 scrap metal maybe 2 per area group. I use bone arrows because the bones drop off meat, fish, wolves, rabbit, deer and skeletons, so they are constant and cheap. Stone is replenishable but you would have to have a draugr camp nearby, wipe them out and then get your stonecutters to come harvest it, that being said stone is plentiful anyway. Wood is also easy to come by, tree's do regrow, slowly, except pine (hardwood) which I haven't seen regrowing at all.

I agree with the OP though, Iron needs either to replenish, or there be more sources with better yields. On that note I have noticed several very large tree's and when targeted say need better tools, and gives darkwood. I'm choosing to believe that means steel will be introduced at some point. Iron would need to be replenished or something if that is the case, because making iron stuff is costly enough as it is.

[grab these bandages]

Originally posted by Adahmz:

Originally posted by Kryten:

- Building repair for advanced buildings can cost nails (Haven't seen this myself, but they cost nails to build, so plausible)
- Shields and basically every advanced armor piece need plates and nails to be build. Not sure if the plates drop when they break, but the nails will most likely be gone
- There are tools that also need nails to be build...I forgot which, but I think it was the two handed tools.
- Iron arrows (which I don't use)

I'm currently emptying my third cave, I go through iron fast, with 2 longhouses, 2 fisherman houses, boat builder (and boats,) all the tools, weapons an armour, and the carts for the market.

I have 100 villagers, massive area with defences all round but because of the lack of iron I have hedge fences and flimsy towers with a roof, woodcutter, stonecutter, gatherer and hunter all have huts because I don't have enough iron to upgrade them.

Tools can be re-used if you put the axe-head etc into the metalworkers box, but not sure if the workers do this, I have found iron blades for the skinning knifes dropped outside my hunter huts several times though.

3 caves is not enough for single player, I would hate to so what a multiplayer server had to put up with. There is no time to farm iron off mobs, I get 1 scrap metal maybe 2 per area group. I use bone arrows because the bones drop off meat, fish, wolves, rabbit, deer and skeletons, so they are constant and cheap. Stone is replenishable but you would have to have a draugr camp nearby, wipe them out and then get your stonecutters to come harvest it, that being said stone is plentiful anyway. Wood is also easy to come by, tree's do regrow, slowly, except pine (hardwood) which I haven't seen regrowing at all.

I agree with the OP though, Iron needs either to replenish, or there be more sources with better yields. On that note I have noticed several very large tree's and when targeted say need better tools, and gives darkwood. I'm choosing to believe that means steel will be introduced at some point. Iron would need to be replenished or something if that is the case, because making iron stuff is costly enough as it is.

I doubt it would be steel, copper more likely because steel smelting was found in mid 17th and bronze age was before iron age

[Kryten]

I am pretty sure I saw something steel-related somewhere, so I guess it will be steel too. Copper would make no sense as next tier, since it is softer and less durable than iron.

[Addamz]

Originally posted by grab these bandages:

I doubt it would be steel, copper more likely because steel smelting was found in mid 17th and bronze age was before iron age

One of the most significant innovations was the use of crucible steel, known as 'Ulfberht' swords, which were far superior in quality to other swords of the time. The 'Ulfberht' swords are an example of the advanced metallurgical techniques of the Vikings.

Sorry, but Vikings had steel weaponry.

And copper mixed with tin is bronze.

Originally posted by Kryten:

I am pretty sure I saw something steel-related somewhere, so I guess it will be steel too. Copper would make no sense as next tier, since it is softer and less durable than iron.

You sir are correct. Copper is a bronze age material. Softer and easier to mould at lower temperatures.

[DWI_Suriil]

Originally posted by Adahmz:

Originally posted by grab these bandages:

I doubt it would be steel, copper more likely because steel smelting was found in mid 17th and bronze age was before iron age

One of the most significant innovations was the use of crucible steel, known as 'Ulfberht' swords, which were far superior in quality to other swords of the time. The 'Ulfberht' swords are an example of the advanced metallurgical techniques of the Vikings.

Sorry, but Vikings had steel weaponry.

And copper mixed with tin is bronze.

Originally posted by Kryten:

I am pretty sure I saw something steel-related somewhere, so I guess it will be steel too. Copper would make no sense as next tier, since it is softer and less durable than iron.

You sir are correct. Copper is a bronze age material. Softer and easier to mould at lower temperatures.

You got many things wrong.
First - Ulfberht - are not Viking swords, they are Frankish swords , made in europe. Its was a ''brand'' and , as all brands at some point, there were a lot of replicas.
I dont remember , but as today , we found total of around 160 swords, with only 1/3 in Viking areas. So you presume , there were only 50 Vikings?....

Second - most of vikings were using 2 weapons = SPEAR AND AXE. Sword was more a prestige item. But Spear and Axe - battle weapons.And most of spears and axes were made of iron, but a good quality iron.

Some Vikings were using bows....but only a few of them , as water , especially salty water , and bows = bad combination. And yeah , they got a high quality wood for building ships...but not for bows. And Europeans were more crossbow nation, England were using longbows , which are easy to make, but hard to master. So at the end, they were not in reach of lands where they could get bows as trophees.
A good exemple of Bow nation at the time - would be South of Slavic lands , especially near Khazar Khaganate, who were state of art bowmen and were using very sophisticated composite bows.

Third - steel was VERY VERY VERY VERY rare. Europe and Danemark were blessed with good quality of Iron , with already high % of carbon in it. Creating a steel , or more precisely crucible steel - its very hard process , that requires high quality ore, coke and lot of time and skill from blacksmith. So such tools were made only for Yarls and Konnungs mostly. Most of regular Vikings were using Iron tools , very sensetive to water and thats why on Drakkars you got weapon rooms, to isolate those from water.

And last - most of high quality weapons and armors were from Europe and North Africa , from Franks and Arabs. Vikings were indeed good blacksmiths , but top of the top, such as Ulfberht you mentioned , or Damascus weapons were war trophees from Vikings raids.

[Addamz]

Originally posted by DWI_Suriil:

You got many things wrong.
First - Ulfberht - are not Viking swords, they are Frankish swords , made in europe. Its was a ''brand'' and , as all brands at some point, there were a lot of replicas.
I dont remember , but as today , we found total of around 160 swords, with only 1/3 in Viking areas. So you presume , there were only 50 Vikings?....

Second - most of vikings were using 2 weapons = SPEAR AND AXE. Sword was more a prestige item. But Spear and Axe - battle weapons. Some Vikings were using bows....but only a few of them , as water , especially salty water , and bows = bad combination.
And most of spears and axes were made of iron, but a good quality iron.

Third - steel was VERY VERY VERY VERY rare. Europe and Danemark were blessed with good quality of Iron , with already high % of carbon in it. Creating a steel , or more precisely crucible steel - its very hard process , that requires high quality ore, coke and lot of time and skill from blacksmith. So such tools were made only for Yarls and Konnungs mostly. Most of regular Vikings were using Iron tools , very sensetive to water and thats why on Drakkars you got weapon rooms, to isolate those from water.

And last - most of high quality weapons and armors were from Europe and North Africa , from Franks and Arabs. Vikings were indeed good blacksmiths , but top of the top, such as Ulfberht you mentioned , or Damascus weapons were war trophees from Vikings raids.

https://www.studysmarter.co.uk/explanations/history/viking-history/viking-weaponry-fabrication/#:~:text=One%20of%20the%20most%20significant,metallurgical%20techniques%20of%20the%20Vikings.

Maybe study smarter?

Because you are wrong.

The 'Ulfberht' swords are an example of the advanced metallurgical techniques of the Vikings. With steel that held fewer impurities and a higher carbon content, these weapons were capable of being both stronger and more flexible than alternatives. The technique to create such high-quality steel was so advanced that it was not replicated in Europe until the Industrial Revolution.

[DWI_Suriil]

You should study smarter. If you link something, at least try to google what Ulfberht is.

[Addamz]

Originally posted by DWI_Suriil:

You should study smarter. If you link something, at least try to google what Ulfberht is.

Ulfberht was a brand name, but it's still a mystery, some say frankia, some say romania. Suffice to say the Ulfbert sword steel creation technique was created by vikings.

And you can stop trying to turn it into an argument. I said Vikings had steel swords. The part I put; "One of the most significant innovations was the use of crucible steel, known as 'Ulfberht' swords, which were far superior in quality to other swords of the time. The 'Ulfberht' swords are an example of the advanced metallurgical techniques of the Vikings," was just proof of vikings having steel weaponry. Who cares what the inscription actually means? That wasn't even the discussion.