Pack mule, Cart upgrades, and Animal leads

[GlassRose]

I feel like moving large amounts of stone, wood, and metal would be less tedious if we had a tiered system that evolved alongside progression for carts. This process could start with a tameable mule, which would require carrots. It could have a craftable saddle that gives it an inventory for items and allows a player to ride. Once you get bronze, you could build the small cart that is already in the game but attach it to the mule, which does not have as much issue pulling a full cart uphill as players do. Once further along, you could craft iron nails to build a slightly larger cart, requiring a team of mules to pull it. The carts could be slow but carry a lot, where as single pack mules are more agile but carry less. Upgrades are also locked behind progression goals like obtaining certain metals. This gives players a reason to make roads and also allows for a mount before end game. Also animal leads, would be amazing for leading livestock and the pack mules themselves.

[Archdeacon Monseigneur]

some people say horses, mules etc. in viking-style games are a big no no because apparently the vikings in real life didn't really use horses at all.

i beg to differ though. that's all speculation and there's no reason to believe vikings wouldn't learn to tame and ride horses really fast, after discovering how the nations they invaded used them.

anyway, in regards to the cart; this thing is a pain in the ass to use. put too much weight on it (the one thing its designed for) and you can't walk up a slight slope, and movement is incredibly slow, add to that the fact it gets stuck on everything from rocks, to branches to bushes and the fact it tips over really easily, and it just becomes such a chore to use unless you literally pave roads all over the map which takes hours.

[jjones_50]

Why would anyone argue against horse when we have "loxes". Much rather have horses than riding loxes.

[GlassRose]

Originally posted by Jaggsauce:

some people say horses, mules etc. in viking-style games are a big no no because apparently the vikings in real life didn't really use horses at all.

i beg to differ though. that's all speculation and there's no reason to believe vikings wouldn't learn to tame and ride horses really fast, after discovering how the nations they invaded used them.

anyway, in regards to the cart; this thing is a pain in the ass to use. put too much weight on it (the one thing its designed for) and you can't walk up a slight slope, and movement is incredibly slow, add to that the fact it gets stuck on everything from rocks, to branches to bushes and the fact it tips over really easily, and it just becomes such a chore to use unless you literally pave roads all over the map which takes hours.

I've certainly heard that argument and I agree with you. It's absurd to think they wouldn't have adopted the use of horses as mounts and transport. Vikings took everything from people they conquered and while they might have eaten some of the horses, others would definitely have been used to pull wagons of goods and pillaged treasures to their ships from further inland. A simple google search proves that fairly regularly horse remains were found in villages and even burial grounds towards the end of the viking age. Carts are portrayed in the game are incredibly accurate as far as not being able to haul massive quantities of raw metal ore or wood uphill (even small ones) under a single person's power... but in real life they would have used horses for this. Its one of the areas in the game I feel is lacking the most, particularly since I am my group's primary harvester and often collect a lot of raw materials in one go.