Gaffa Tape Warrior

Like he just described. In a museum, or in a household of a martial arts enthusiast. One house at random could be that guy who buys or makes his own medieval gear

If PZ was set in Alaska, you would have a different story. Our rights to carry are loose to the extreme, and more people I know have swords than baseball bats. I do not own a baseball bat, for one. 
 
Okay, this is unfair, because I hang out with people who fight with swords and not play baseball, so I am sure baseball bats are still more common. However, my fencing school does a demo at the renaissance fair, so by extension I know a lot of people who own battle ready swords, and blacksmiths who work on them. And I must say, there are about 1000 people I know in town who own numerous swords and medieval gear of some form, and of them maybe 50 who own fully legitimate combat ready equipment.
 
My household has 4 swords and a sword-cane, and more daggers than I can count, and a full suit of armor. 
 
If a town has a renaissance fair, the chances of looting swords in household increase. But again, Anchorage has about 500 000 people now. Muldraugh has what like 3000?
 
Yeah, sword is doomed. Burying myself deeper and deeper. 
 
 
Time for the mod: Project Zomboid: Operation Anchorage!

LOL

MacArthur guided Japan's transition to a democratic form of government. In a testimony before Congress MacArthur called Japan a “boy of 12" in need of instructions on the basics of Western democracy and capitalism. Among his first actions was confiscating 5 million swords.
 
Source: http://factsanddetails.com/asian/ca67/sub429/item2513.html
 
And that was just the begining, there were many more collect over a few years. Don't underestimate how many swords the Japanese had.
 
If you take the mean value of 300k divide it by 50 states, you still end up wih 6000 in kentucky alone. That is assuming an even distribution, which wouldn't be the case, so the number would likely be higher.
 
In any case, you are right in saying while there were plenty brought over, they would be rare if spread amongst the population. All I am saying is, it would be nice to maybe have 1 or 2 as a rare find.

And thus, once again, logic and reality force me to cry sadly in the corner for an unrealized fantasy of cuttin' through them undead hordes in true Lichtenhauer style. 
 
Modders, gimme some sugar, baby.

While PZ is a bit hard to label, I believe it to be largely a survival simulator, making realism / a rich world to interact with, the game's key feature. Therefore, the required suspension of disbelief should be minimal (in the case of PZ, limited to the 'instigators' of the survival event), with as much stuff working like it does IRL (having some stuff cut, so as not to terrify (take Fallout 2 and the supersledge / kid / groin scenario) or make the player feel weird ("sanitation" subjects)).
 
Now, in a RL scenario, it would be naught but prudent to expect that among the loot one finds, both valuable items and trash are present. Keep the useful stuff, ditch the rest and move on to the next trash can, no ? Would you consider a machete "too powerful" and use a plastic knife even think about whether the stuff you found was 'just to good' or would you thank fate for the stroke of luck ?
 
What I'm trying to say is, that in such a scenario, both IRL and ingame, the concepts of 'overpowered' and 'underpowered' seem inadequate. One could actually argue that if a hammer is overpowered, then a butter knife is significantly underpowered, making both claims ...moot.
 
While there is not much that can be done to change the rarity / properties of hammers per se, it is possible to set their position on the 'trash-useful stuff' scale by implementing items that are relatively better (at the cost of being rare / extremely rare) or worse (yet abundant). IMHO this method would be the least 'gritty' in terms of realism, and could make people react with "oh, ANOTHER hammer, just throw it on the pile over there" rather than "I has a hammah ? I is ovah 9k !".
 
That and the bonus of having more stuff in PZ.

How common it is has no bearing on its power. A hammer is a solid chunk of metal used to hit things with great force. Of course it's going to be powerful, considering that's it's intended purpose. It's also going to be durable out of necessity, because it needs to withstand great forces over the course of its lifetime. It's also a common thing to own, because almost everyone comes across a situation where a hammer might be useful.
 
Nerfing it doesn't serve any purpose beyond making things harder just for the sake of making things harder.
 
 
A quality hammer can withstand a truly phenomenal amount of abuse. If anything my main complaint would be that it's not durable enough, realistically speaking.
 
I might be willing to suggest making hammer use a little bit more skill reliant so that lower skill levels aren't quite as effective, but nerfing the hammer itself for doing the job it was intended for (hitting things really hard and looking good doing it) just seems like you're going way overboard.

I don't see any reason for this. I could see the need for it if it killed a zed in just one swing, but that's almost never the case unless it's a lucky hit to the skull. And I don't think it needs to break more easily, either. Hammers are designed to be strong and durable. They wouldn't be good work tools if they broke too easy.
 
They work fine as is. Strong and durable tools with good damage but short reach.

You'd still need some way to bind the logs together. In addition to using logs you should be able to craft wooden pegs. I think log cabins were constructed by digging out holes at the ends off a log into which a peg was stuck. Half of the peg sticks into the first log, the other half would sticking into the log above it. I like the log idea; it's a simple, realistic concept.

So I was thinking about other means of construction without nails, rope, etc, and I remembered something I learned in school that pioneers did in the frontier days in the US and Canada; Sod Houses. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sod_house
So with the shovel, one should be able to construct walls out of sod from cutting out individual grass tiles into 4 sod squares for construction using a shovel, trowel, knife, etc.  
Just an idea that came to me, thoughts?

I believe that for the guns, you should have your hearing range debuffed. this is to represent the ringing in you ears from shooting a loud gun.
 
If not for the pistol, at least for the shot gun.

Hi
 
I thought about putting this into the bug section, but decided otherwise as it could also seen as a lack of feature.
 
With the new 27 Build it got, at least for me harder to find a proper weapon. (I LIKE IT!!!! )
 
Result: I kill a lot of zombies with pens, pencils, forks spoons or with my hands etc.
 
However: These kills are not honoured in the blunt or blade combat section!!!
 
In Fact there are not honoured at all.
 
Last time i killed 46 zombies with my hands or spoons or the like and i did not get a single xp from it. (I don't even know if the butter knife gets blade xp but i think not otherwise i would have a few.....)
 
This is a serious bummer for me as i kinda like killing this way. Also actions/surviving in the game should be rewarded.
 
My proposal would be: Make a hand to hand combat skill. This skill improves when you kill with improvised weapons or with your hands.
 
With progression it would need less hits on the zeds to kill them.
 
Other idea is to put spoons, forks, etc into the blunt category for xp gaining
 
Would like to hear the opinion of a dev on this.
 
Thanks a lot!

Hey! I know you guys are in heavy work and I'm sure you are planning this already.
I still want to point out some easy changes that could be made right now without to much effort.
 
1. Trowel, really? This is the only thing you could plant your seeds with? What about the spoons, forks, knifes in the kitchen..? They would be just as good, especially the spoons..
 
2. I know the farming are under dev, but maybe you could add the thing people talk about alot, potatoe for potatoes.. Maybe you could make it so one potatoe has 1/4 shot of growing to new potatoes, that way it isn't OP. Also I want the plants more realistic, the tomatoe plants e.g, Plant a new one each time? Nah, not realistic.
 
3. Maybe you could make the knife and screwdriver alot more realistic? Maybe add some durability, both as standard durability and replenishable like knifesharpeners? Would be cool. Also add in some regular knifes(dinner knifes..) It's weird this doesn't exist already.
The screwdriver needs some more durability and alot more damage.
 
I know you already thinking of adding such things, but a close-combat skill would be nice, which would add dmg to knifes/screwdrivers and all other short melee weapons.
 
Another thing I really miss in this game is to make a stick with knife/screwdriver on.. I mean, that's the first weapon you would do really.. You don't want to get to close to the zombies, and knifes is a common weapon.. So a stick would be great to attach a knife on. With scotch-tape, wire, or any shoelaces perhaps?
 
 
 
Also, the wood.. When I destroy furniture, it should give me wood.. Really...
 
 
Nice work so far on the game! I love it, just want some more realism like this things pointed out!
 
Keep up the good work!

Prelude:
Once upon a time, I visited the zombie apocalypse. Things were good and pieceful. I went to the forest, but I was afraid of the wolf hiding behind the trees, so I cut all the trees until no more forest was left. Now considering myself a Wood Sheikh, I was afraid of running out of nails. So i was looking for a way to improve my carpentry skills without using nails. Good science taught me to convert logs into sticks and I was grateful. Now I am afraid of drowning in sticks and I have no idea what to do.
Help me Indie-Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope!
 
I practiced quite a lot of carpentry my recent games and i noticed 3 things:
short usability of sticks no real choice of walls high dependency on nails  
I am not sure if these things are wanted to be this way or I don't know all possibilities of sticks)tents and camp and kindling?), but here my suggestions/ideas what could be done with sticks that I really would appreciate to see:
sticks necessary for planting high growing plants(tomatoes) sticks used as a club/mace/cudgel (I don't know the difference) sticks tied together by ropes diagonally, low durability, transparent, a fence you get it? sticks braided with sticks as fence posts for a real wall sticks rammed into the ground and sharpened end to  build a zombies torching defense sticks with a knife or a fork used as arrows chopsticks!!

What about something simple, spear? sturdy stick + duct tape/rope/twine + knife?

I was doing some gardening today in my yard and to be short I ended up climbing a tree to trim the branches. This got me thinking that we do not have a way to climb trees at the moment. Adding this to the game  would make a great vantage point and safe place from zombies, As well you could even sleep in the tree. Although I do not know if this can be implemented with the way the trees ingame are currently. Any thoughts?

I think to make it better, u might need a hammer, a screwdiver
a saw? (If you need to turn unhinged door into planks.)
and lv.2 or 3 or 4 of capentry? (Decontrcut without damage is hard :/)

Your idea is very good to be honest.

Why not just take doors as a whole instead of taking knob, hinges and PLANKS, like its easier than TOTALLY deconstructing them.
 
Seriously, why would you chop doors into planks instead of taking doors as a whole?

State of the art: We can bash and we can smash and make noise and get eaten, all for a plank or two, some hinges and possibly a knob.
 
 
The idea: Let unlocked doors be deconstructed, provided the required tools are in the PCs possession. Use components gained in this way for crafting of lockables.
 
Benefits: Improved gains in respect to bashing. Possibly: planks, nails, knob, lock assembly, key.
Drawbacks: Required tools and a bit more time than in case of bashing.
 
The checklist:
 
Realistic ?
No problem, a screwdriver and a claw hammer are usually more than enough to disassemble a door. Well, personally I don't think I could lift a door off of its hinges, but I also wouldn't be able to go on killing zombies all day.
 
Does it fit ? / Would it make the game too easy ?
Taking a door apart instead of smashing produces less noise and maybe can yield more components (either qualitatively or quantitatively), as swinging an axe / sledgehammer isn't a very precise action.
 
Rewriting the entire game ?
IMHO, this would be similar to the 'add curtains', but with items produced rather than used up, so might be a "quick fix".
 
Adding to the gameplay ?
Deconstructing in itself is a cosmetic change, allowing for a time for loot tradeoff. Using the lock assembly/key for making lockable stuff, however, sounds like a nice addition, particularly in terms of multiplayer (as mentioned here: http://theindiestone.com/forums/index.php/topic/8377-securing-your-safehouse-from-players/ and here: http://theindiestone.com/forums/index.php/topic/8172-the-upcoming-trapping-system/?hl=traps)
 
This could actually be elaborated a bit to feature different types (simple, two-, four-sided, paracentric, dimple, abloy, etc.) grades (flimsy, average, secure) of key-lock systems, accommodating a potential lock picking addition to the game.
 
Would it be found in Kentucky ?
Only the McCoys din' have locks and see what good it's done for them...

Just one more thing, because it just keeps coming up in a lot of people's post about the time it would take in real life to do some of these things.
You guys don't seem to have a problem with being able to build a house in a few days to a week with the way carpentry works, or how you can build a house with just nails and a hammer. Or being able to cut down 20 trees and turn them into wood planks with no back ground skill in woodworking is just a few hours. Nor do you seem to have any worries about crops going from seeds, to seed bearing fully mature plants with fruit in a matter of days and it taking no time at all to harvest seeds or being able to grow strawberries in December. Because let's face it it would not be fun to wait two growing Seasons to get your carrots to grow seeds like in real life, it would not be fun for it to take 6 months to build single room house by your self. It's a game it's fun to be able to build all kinds of things even if you can fine something just as good maybe you just want to see your guy in chain mail vs a leather jacket.
1) could a person in real life in KY make/find, make shift armor or body armour/ equipment that would havefer protection from damage ? Yes for sure
2) is it something that could be done with out rewriting a the game ? Yes you could add armor with out rewriting the game
3) does it fit with feel of Zomboid ? A huge part of the game is looting and crafting so yes here too
4) would it make the game to easy ? No it would not if their was a trade off and it was balanced, make body armor super rare to find, make certain armor better for different things ( flack jacket dosent help vs zombies much but help vs bullets, riot gear is great vs bullets and zombies but is hard to find, hard to repair, takes up most of your personal body space, is hot as he'll in the summer, hinders mobility )
5) Would it add to the game play enough to make it wroth adding ? I would say yes, it would be super fun to make armor from spare bits, it would be cool as hell to find and collect bits of a riot suite and have it save your life when your safe house comes under attck from armed bandits ect ect.
Thx for the read sorry I write a lot in my posts.

I think one thing a lot if people are missing about the idea of armoring your self is important to note, in most cases we are talking about equipment to stop bites, and fingernails, not blades and bullets. I mean if I gave you my soccer shin guards or my fieldshear riding jacket I would enjoy seeing how long it takes you to claw/chew your way though it, or bite your way through foot ball pads. I don't care if you even have the idea the zombies are super strong ( and Proper Zeds are not any stronger than you or I, they in fact would start getting weaker as they decay, the just don't tire like us warm bloods do ) the human teeth just don't have the right shape to cut through a lot of human made stuff, at least the stuff you would protect your self with. Give this a try on your own or a buddies arm, wrap a magazine around it then tape it in place with duct tape, then they to bite through it, in the end I think you will find that you end up with a bruise not a bite.
point two, with about a days time I could take a street sign down, bend and shape it with pliers and metal shears file down the sides, then drill a few holes around the edges so you can attach padding and have some holes to tie the back and front togetherr on your body and in the matter of 8-10 hours of work you have a Breast plate. You follow a pretty similar plan to make arm and leg guards. Now would this be loud when you move around ? Yeah prolly. Would it take time to put on and take off ? Yeah prolly, would fighting take more out of you and reduce you skills until you got used to it, yeah prolly, but ... Would you be more protected from bites and scratches gonna go with with yes
.
Another really important thing to note, like in my example you would not be trying to make things starting from scratch. It ate a lot of work and skill to turn a iron bar into metal links, it takes no skills to bend heavy gauge wire into links, nor would it take a lot of skill to cut apart soda cans layer them, sinch them down and then insert them into the arms or sew onto a heavy jacket, besides places like miltary surplus stores carry stuff like balastic helmets, flak jackets, ect ect. You really think the gun store in WP has not a single piece of protective equipment in it ? Or that the cops had no riot gear ? Bullet proof vests ? Where is the dirt bike gear and motorcycle gear you really think that here In he south in a rural spot like this you won't find a fair share of riders ? I ride and Own 4 jackets and my wife owns 2 I don't see us taking more than 1 each of we were packing to get out of town before zombies.
In short protection from bites is a need, people would very quickly address the need people would not just settle for a sweater and call it good.

So, I didn't see this suggested anywhere and I searched pretty thoroughly, so... It might be part of the incoming alternate energy stuff, but since I can't seem to find that info I'm going to post this anyways.
 
* * *
 
The idea is that when the power goes out, there's presently very little ways to create light. Candles and fire run out and risk burning down your base--batteries also die.
 
So, for lighting your base, solar garden lamps would work fantastically for providing a light source once the power goes out without using up your batteries. They could be attached to posts with rope like flashlights, planted in the ground to create lighted paths, or carried as a lame light. The point is that they're not as bright as other lights, but they're still better than complete blackness.
 
Positives:
-supply-free light source
-can be carried
-can be hung on posts
-can be placed into the ground
 
Negatives:
-Not nearly as bright as other light sources (important!)
-only work outdoors
-must charge during the day
-get dimmer as night progresses
-cannot be turned off and may attract zombies at night
-don't work well if it rains during charging hours
 
 
Is it somewhat realistic?
Totally. You can buy these almost anywhere.
 
Does it fit with the spirit of PZ?
I would like to think so. The list of positives and negatives balance out pretty well. Won't make the game too easy or hard. It's not unrealistic or OP. Just a fun little thing to add alternatives and deepen the realism of the world.
 
Would it make the game too easy?
Depending on how it's implemented, attracting zombies after the power goes out might make it more difficult.
 
Would it require rewriting the entire game (like changing the camera view, for instance)
It might take a little more coding than average to implement, with zombie attraction or removing the option to turn the lights off/making them only work outdoors.
 
Would it add enough to the gameplay that it would be worth taking the time to add?
I would say that it's of relatively low priority, but it could make for a good alternative to fire that's acceptable in a world that has decent technology. Also, since sleeping isn't a thing in mutliplayer, and being a mac user with the annoyingly bright bar across the top of my screen, it makes the game unseeable during the game's night hours. Having something that's not going to turn my base into a bonfire but still let me play would be fantastic.
 
Would it be found in Muldraugh, Kentucky common enough to be added?
As I said, can be bought almost anywhere. Dollar stores, hardware stores, gardening stores, spring decoration sections at grocery stores, home decor shops... the list is long. Not to mention, you can probably find lots of them in people's yards. They're decently ubiquitous.

When zombies see you, they will hug you and love and the world will be sorrounded by love and rainbows with flying unicorns you instead of you trying to survive the apocalyptic world. This idea will make project zomboid a happy and peaceful game :D :D :D

So... Worm breeding. Simple and easy enough to do. Get a big plastic bin or build a trough of some kind. Fill it with dirt and leaves. Lots and lots of leaves. Maybe rotted food as well. Then acquire worms and put them in the bin. If you've got a garden of some kind you probably already have a bunch.
 
After that just wait. The worms will breed periodically and you'll be able to use them as needed. Use them for fishing bait or give them to chickens to eat as a dietary supplement along with whatever else you're feeding them. Help keep your chickens healthier so they grow up big and strong and give you higher quality eggs and meats in larger amounts. If you've got enough materials on your hands, maybe you could even expand the worm breeding containers to large, long troughs dedicated to a moderately large scale breeding program. That way you can constantly churn out enough worms to keep your chickens happy and well fed year round.
 
Also serves as an excellent composting device. The worms will convert all the leaves you feed to them into fine, high quality soil that you can add to your garden. All you gotta do is remove some of the dirt whenever you go to throw in more leaves and food scraps for the worms. Maybe even go so far as to add some of your worms to the soil with the compost. That way they'll churn the soil and keep it aerated for good root health. Keep the soil at a higher quality for a longer time.

You can make effective chain mail from metal coat hangers and a pair of needle noise, it takes about a week to do to make a chest piece it will stop finger nails and bites, I know because I did it in high school. You can also greatly reduce the time by wrapping the wire around something round then cutting it and bending the links.

Boats please,
they could go in water, and on things like yachts, you could basically live on them they are that big. Just something interesting. Also, water animation!