[[41.60] Low spawn of cigarettes]

We had trouble with this at first too but we're all good now - found more than enough in DESKS in offices, around homes etc. Bars have also had a okayish amount.

 

That said, gas stations, grocery stores, hardware stores should carry more. It's essentially free trait points, though, so I don't mind them being a bit more scarce in the beginning.

[Educational CD's and VCR cassettes (or DVD) in addition to reading]

The idea is expand on the reading/learning/multiplier system currently only provided by reading profession skill books. Note this is NOT the same idea as the current Life and Living TV station giving raw skill XP; this is for the multiplier towards skills, although raw XP points could be done as well with the right balancing.

 

EXISTING CD's + CD Player (battery) + Ear Buds:

 

• Educational CD's for jobs (carpentry, cooking, etc) need to be found
• When equipped, your character "hears" the lesson the same way they currently do through the TV "Life and Learning" channel:
  • Text of the "audio" appears above your head (may be 'annoying' over your head but that is part of the balance)
  • Hearing/perception greatly reduced (similar to Hard of Hearing trait) because you have ear buds in and are trying to learn

 

Balance considerations:

 

• Main benefit should be that you are MOBILE while learning
  • Craft, manage base inventory while listening
  • Extra combat debuff from the 'distraction' - a flat learning rate needs to be established for CD's, so an appropriate combat debuff may be needed for balance reasons
• Learning speed vs reading a book
• Battery consumption of CD Player
• CD's could possibly be an entire SERIES of books (Cooking CD = Beginners through Master)
  • Spawn rate and location (profession house and place of work almost exclusively?) if an entire series is on a single CD?
• CD Players in cars for those long drives (no CD player + battery req)? Or just wear the ear buds while driving

 

 

NEW VCR Cassettes that work with current TV's - Possibly needing a VCR Player as well (more work to implement but ideal)

could go with DVD/DVD players instead of VCR... this takes place in the 90's right?

 

• Educational cassettes for jobs (carpentry, cooking, etc) need to be found
• Works with TV's even after stations go dark as long as generator is running
• Same learning/educational process as "Life and Learning" TV station:
  • Area of effect learning buff depending on volume

 

Balance considerations:

 

• Main benefit is that you can do other things in the area while receiving the multiplier for what is playing
• Learning speed vs reading a book
• Requires generator and gasoline
• Produces noise that could attract zombies - Future NPC/bandit considerations as well?
• Amount of content per cassettes - should not be as much as CD (Beginner + Intermediate = 1 Cassette to find?)
• In multiplayer, everyone in the area of effect receives the buff
• Should the TV/VCR only provide the buff to line of sight + audio?
  • Seems the TV/VCR should require visual to be a big part of learning, not only "hearing it"

 

I think this would add some variety to skill multiplier system while giving the player some risk/reward options while performing the more 'mundane' tasks. Thoughts?

 

Cheers,