Starting Checklist

Just a checklist to use for when you start a new colony.

Introduction

Hey all, just figured I'd share the checklist that I use to start a new colony with.

First Day

1. Pause the game!
   
2. Scan the map for a desirable location
   
3. Un-forbid starting resources
   
4. Assign weapons
   
5. Manage work priorities manually for all colonists (Set hauling as top priority for now!)
   
6. Using the restrict tab, assign work hours to all colonists
   
7. Set up a large Stockpile and dump zone near your desired base
   
8. Build one 5x5 farm zone for each colonist, one 5x5 zone for cotton, and one 5x5 zone for Healroot.
   
9. Now design a small barracks (Enough room for colonists bed/sleeping spots, animal spot and campfire)
   
10. Unpause the game!
    
11. Wait until your resources have been moved to the new stockpile, then reset hauling to a more realistic priority
    
12. Assign all near by berries to harvest.
    
13. If your animal can haul, assign obedience and hauling training to occur. If not, ice the sucker while you still have the new colony mood buff.

At this point your pawns should be asleep and you have survived your first day. Make sure that you have a pawn with cleaning set higher then anything else so that they are constantly cleaning up!

First week

1. Build bedrooms and move beds
   
2. Build a freezer for your food
   
3. Build a power source. I prefer wind and solar together, with batteries in banks of 3
   
4. Butchering table so you can butcher that sweet game your hunter is gonna kill
   
5. Research bench for Stone cutting
   
6. Build a common room with tables, chairs, horseshoes, chess, nice floors, and plants to look at

From there the priorities differ based on what you are trying to accomplish. I usually focus on setting up a temporary defense, followed by a small prison and a medical room.

Best of luck!

[lawura]

@Toad o/ If you got everything set correct no set schedule is much more efficient.

[Wolf]

-Jixxor They don't need one, but it let you control where they sleep (or you use it to save a downed animal.)
When you build a "real" one, it also make them gain rest faster.

But the basic sleeping spot is mostly useful so you cat don't fall asleep next to that hungry wolf.

[Jixxor]

Cool, I just bought the game yesterday and didnt manage to play yet, tho I watched some on youtube. I didnt even know that animals can haul or need a sleeping spot :o
Thanks

[Wolf]

It took me two days before understanding that "ice the sucker" was about killing it. x)

[Kinjry]

Joy time has the added benefit of giving pawns time to socialize. This can be pretty important if two pawns with drastically different jobs become lovers. With out any time set aside to spend together, it's a lot more likely they'll have a breakup.
2 hours of joy time a day gathers the pawns into your rec room, where they'll socialize and play together.

[adast]

First week mistake
"5. Research bench for Stone cutting"

[Dez The Dapper Skaven]

@cameronpaulus i do that i find it to be quite effective

[Toad]

Am I the only one who sets all hours to the "do whatever you want" setting?

[MadTraXx]

also when you out of food and your settler is doing something else instead of harvesting you grow area thats when i had to change my shedule,cause people where die'ing.

[MadTraXx]

the only things you should do diffrent or at least i do diffrent are:
when you have found a desired location you put a stockpile there,and while there hauling setup the jobs.
build a 9x9 grow area instead,its more compatible with the vanilla sun lamp for later on.
or use the garden tools and skylight mods so it wont matter.
dont go for the barracks they get a -15 mood for not haveing a seperate bedroom.