Shacks

[Landorien]

New player here. I got this game on sale a few weeks ago or so and I'm just getting into the game now. What should I do with the shacks you get at the beginning of a new game? Should I destroy them and build houses instead later on? Is it worth it to upgrade those things?

[Worinn]

Some people replace them with with houses later. Tottaly up to you, I upgrade them and leave them.

[Ddoge]

first thing i do is replace them w/ 2 small houses, but you have to be careful as children will die if you destroy their home when there are no other free house slots available.

[cstoneburner]

I do the same as Ddoge. Upgrading is chancy as it leaves people homeless ((subject to starving, freezing and in the case of children, instant death), upgraded shacks require more fuel than houses, especially per person (more worker time wasted stocking, more worker time and scarce resources used for fuel), and they take up prime real estate (right next to storage - you're better off putting the two new houses about a square behind where the shacks are then destroying the houses which gives you room to put a couple of small fields by the entrance to the barn and well and to put all of your basic industry right next to storage while still leaving housing nearby for easy restocking and general communting.).

Also, generally, upgrading isn't a great use of resources. It tends to be espensive per person and not give you a big gain in population density (density is GOOD as distance kills in this game and higher density means less distance). Especially with shacks you do better all the way around to get rid of them as soon as possible. Build a house ASAP and destroy one shack, then build another and unless you are unlucky and someone got pregnant you should be able to destroy the other two immediately. Don't build a third until after the harvest when you have more food, or better yet use people and resources to get things done over the winter before building a house at the end of it, before planting.

[Worinn]

Thanks cstoneburner, I didn't know shacks used more fuel than houses. I'll make some changes.

[cstoneburner]

houses are have a higher warmth rating than small houses than shacks (lathough upgraded versions are better than nonupdated). Pregnancy chances are similarly better (given that, espeacially when you're learning, slow growth is good, this is actually a knock against the more efficient housing).

[Black Jesus]

You eventually get to a point in the game where resources become a trivial concern (market) just don't be incredibly wasteful and take it slow to begin with. Unlike another game which begins with a B (ok, ok I'll stop just put the guns away) you don't have to kill yourself building houses if I need to upgrade a house or build a new one and for whatever reason I think someone will die I simply build an extra house and pause occupancy (only doable with the newest patch) and if I see someone is hungry or about to die I let them move into the other house real quick. Just make sure it's stocked up for future residents and then if you don't want the other house just demolish it.

[Landorien]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I guess I'll just scrap them and build new houses nearby.

According to the wiki I was under the impression that shacks could be upgraded to full house.
https://forestvillage.gamepedia.com/Shack

Thanks

[Black Jesus]

Originally posted by Landorien:

Thanks for the replies everyone. I guess I'll just scrap them and build new houses nearby.

According to the wiki I was under the impression that shacks could be upgraded to full house.
https://forestvillage.gamepedia.com/Shack

Thanks

Unless they changed it with the latest patch if I remember correctly shacks can only upgrade to improved shacks. There's a mod that allow you to upgrade them from improved shacks to whatever the small house is called but I remember not being able to upgrade them a second time without the mod. Otherwise houses progress normally.