Anton and Trap for Small Animals (v2.2.1 with both DLCs)

[MarQan]

Since I was curious and have no life, I kept track of my traps' catch rate.

Name; Average catch rate in days; # of catches; day of 1st - last catch; Scenario

Marin ; 2,1; 20; 3 - 25; Marin, Arica, Katia, Misha
Bruno ; 2,2; 26; 8 - 44; Bruno, Roman, Arica
Anton ; 2,6; 15; 10 - 32; Anton, Cveta
Arica ; 2,9; 13; 1 - 24; Arica, Marin, Katia
Henrik; 3,0; 12; 3 - 23; Arica, Ivano, Henrik

I used 1 survivor per playthrough and both traps were managed by the same person.
Not both traps were built on the same day, so the average is for the playthrough, not the all-time average.
I assumed the scenarios don't affect catch rate, but even if they do, it would probably help Anton, since that is one of the most difficult scenarios, and you get the most help in it from neighbours.

So it seems that contrary to the gamepedia page, Anton is not better at catching rats.

If anything catch rate depends on the amount of facial hair your survivor has!
Sorry, Arica.. should've waxed!

[Daemonjax]

Scenario can affect rat catch rate because there is a radio event that reduces or even removes the chance to catch any.

[MarQan]

Originally posted by Daemonjax:

Scenario can affect rat catch rate because there is a radio event that reduces or even removes the chance to catch any.

Never did it take longer than 4 days for a trap to catch in any of my games. Which is the default max as far as I know.

What event do you mean, and what are the effects exactly?

I've heard the Radio announcement that talks about suspicious meat because of animals disappearing, but it had no noticable effect, if that's the one.

[Sir_Blaze]

i've found placement to trafic also has an impact on trap catching not necessarily whom sets it. so i tend to put traps near the entry way so that it triggers due to proxemity of a person.

so are you having anton go near the traps often enough to have his special ability kick in or are you just setting the traps in a far corner with anton and just waiting for them to trigger by themselves ?

[Daemonjax]

"Most animals have disappeared from the streets. Keep in mind when buying meat from dubious sources."

That event is supposed to affect rat trap catch rates, according to the wiki... but I think you're right that is has no effect because it's in the "trivia->strings" group in storyteller along with other radio messages that have no direct gameplay effect. If it were in the "trivia->events" group I would argue differently because that's where the cigarette/meds/coffee/vegatable shortages are.

And trap placement doesn't matter... the simulation isn't that detailed. I put them wherever and they always work the same -- able to keep up with the upgraded garden, which is all that matters.

[Sir_Blaze]

daemon it was just something i noticed the more my people go near the traps the more often i catch hence i put the traps near my entrance not because the location has a better catch rate but because my people walk past there more often through regular routine and so the trap seems to check more often. i found this out accidently when i didn't have room somewhere and just built it and people walking past would trigger the trap setting off more. so it's to do with characters checking it or gonig past it more than actual location

[Sir_Blaze]

and with antons ability that makes more sense if he walks past a trap his ability triggerts and the trap is more likely to have caught sommat

[Daemonjax]

How did the rumor that Anton's Good Mathematician ability makes him better with rat traps start? I'm curious.

[MarQan]

Originally posted by Daemonjax:

How did the rumor that Anton's Good Mathematician ability makes him better with rat traps start? I'm curious.

lol, that's a good question.
I'm not sure either, but he has experience catching vermin (according to his story), and I guess people really wanted him to be useful.
Thanks for the info about the radio btw, I have no idea how to look at the code or mod the game or.. whatever you did to find that out.

@Sir_Blaze
Actually the opposite would make sense to me: if people are walking around a trap, then no small animal would dare to get close.
In any case I build the Traps on the highest traffic corridor in both shelters (for convenience, not for faster trapping), and my average is around 2,5, exactly what is expected.

[Sir_Blaze]

The rumour comes from the Wikia.

@MarQan for a trappers point of view i agree more trafic scares away the prey but for Antons Ability of probabilty you would have to assume that he has to be near to increase probable cause. which is what i ment by making sense and i'm usually catching on average at under 2 days once i get them built

[MarQan]

lol, Sir_Blaze, I honestly can't believe you at this point.