Gas Pumps

[IronCoffins]

I work at a gas station, and while I was spaced out today(*happens often) I thought about this game today. Are fuel pumps are controlled by a few devices, and failsafe's, mostly so nothing crazy happens like 20,000+ gallons don't blow up, whoo that be a bad day their.

 

Ok anyways I was thinking of having that fill container option, like it is for water but fuel. Just roll up to a gas pump, and right click and fill container, and that's it! With cars being introduced at some point fuel is going to be a vary rare and important asset to our adventures and survival. Now I know what some are going to say, there wouldn't be any fuel since, like everyone would do during the crisis, is fuel up and take off to their future unknown.

 

But for sake of argument, there COULD BE a little, maybe the fuel option could be a vary, vary rare spawn loot item, possibly in the pumps? At least until the power goes out, then you'de need a generator(if you cant find one as a back up in the store) or something to operate the pump for even the chance of getting any fuel, if any at all. But I don't know thought about it, for a sec, anyone else?

 

Then again... if you had the right tools, could always take the cover off a holding tank and siffer something out maybe?

[Christophonical]

Another option might be the creation of your own biofuel.  We have corn in the game already, and fast food restaurants (from which oils used in the creation of biofuels can be obtained).  Also, vehicles can be modified to run on propane, and we already have propane tanks in-game.

 

I imagine if we do get working vehicles at some point the devs will most likely provide sustainable (biofuels) and non-sustainable (raiding gas pumps and other vehicles) options for us.  It will definitely be interesting to see how both the devs and the modders handle fueling vehicles in the future.

[Suomiboi]

If something can be done it doesn't mean that most people know how to do it... Biofuel is something most people definitely don't know how to do or wouldn't even think about doing without google.

 

On gas pumps I agree.They should work until the power goes out. Maybe have a button inside the buildings to open some up? I'm not 100% aboard the suggestion that your average joe would know how to connect a generator to a buiding, but I wouldn't be against it, if it were implemented.

 

I'm a truck driver so I can say that most truck's gas tanks are very easy to get into, so I'd go there for gas after the power goes out. They hold about 100- over 200 liters of diesel per tank so that'd be worth about 3 full tanks for regular small cars. And that's presuming, the devs won't separate diesel and petrol which isn't necessary imo in favor of gameplay.

[Christophonical]

I agree that most people wouldn't know how to create biofuel, or properly connect generators.  You may or may not be surprised at how many people can't change a tire or jumpstart a car.  However, the same can be said for a great deal of what is already in game, like loading/using a firearm, farming, combatting crop diseases, building functional animal traps, performing basic firearm maintenance and repairs, properly attaching weapon mods, carpentry, etc.

 

Like you said, gameplay will often trump realism, though skillbooks can be a justification for any in-game knowledge.  Also, depending on what jobs are added in the future, you could argue that they absolutely would have the knowledge in question.  Whatever the devs go with will be an interesting addition, and I have faith that the modding community will fill in any gaps they think need addressing.

[Packbat]

During the summer (or if you heat it up in advance), diesel engines can run moderately well on straight vegetable oil. Making vegetable oil would probably be hard, tiring, high-Farming-skill work without specialized equipment, but if you can find a diesel vehicle (hopefully a car, more likely a pickup truck or van), you should be able to run it that way.

[Suomiboi]

I agree that most people wouldn't know how to create biofuel, or properly connect generators.  You may or may not be surprised at how many people can't change a tire or jumpstart a car.  However, the same can be said for a great deal of what is already in game, like loading/using a firearm, farming, combatting crop diseases, building functional animal traps, performing basic firearm maintenance and repairs, properly attaching weapon mods, carpentry, etc.

 

Like you said, gameplay will often trump realism, though skillbooks can be a justification for any in-game knowledge.  Also, depending on what jobs are added in the future, you could argue that they absolutely would have the knowledge in question.  Whatever the devs go with will be an interesting addition, and I have faith that the modding community will fill in any gaps they think need addressing.

Yes of course there needs to be a compromise for gameplay, but there also needs to be some sort of lines drawn in what is mostly common knowledge and something that can be learnt by trial and error versus, career/hobby specific knowledge that only a few percent have due to their previous research. Also I can't think of any that common professions that would cover something like bio fuel. I might be wrong on this since I don't know the percentages, but at least where I'm from, it's not a hobby or a profession that's commonly practiced. However, something like gun skills, basic homegrowing of food or building simple objects are something that are and can be learnt quite simply and quickly by simply just trying. How far the game actually takes them is a stretch I agree, but I don't think that it justifies as an argument that other as implausable systems should be added.

 

I could agree on something like vegetable oil to be used, but preferably not processed from the beginning... Otherwise it seems a bit of a strech, again in my opinion.

[GerbilSchooler]

I thought I heard something of a mechanical/engineering skill coming at some point (I could be wrong) but, if this is the case, perhaps the higher levels of it allow you to make biofuel? Like level 4 or 5 even? Just a thought. Or perhaps there can be a whole different kind of book out there. One that teaches a specific skill (like making biofuel) but you have to have a certain level in the skilltree it's related to in order to understand the book.

[Christophonical]

I thought I heard something of a mechanical/engineering skill coming at some point (I could be wrong) but, if this is the case, perhaps the higher levels of it allow you to make biofuel? Like level 4 or 5 even? Just a thought. Or perhaps there can be a whole different kind of book out there. One that teaches a specific skill (like making biofuel) but you have to have a certain level in the skilltree it's related to in order to understand the book.

Well, this topic did get me thinking about possible jobs in future builds and related skills.  Mechanic certainly seems like one you'd expect to have, but on the subject of making biofuels...

 

Kentucky is famous for its moonshine.  The process of distilling spirits, like moonshine for example, is not that much different from making ethanol, but to be fair, most people who make moonshine had absolutely no background at all in chemistry.  Still, we have to assume that there are educational facilities, which means people with backgrounds in things like science, or chemistry specifically.  I think a chemistry skill would allow for interesting new stuff in-game, some of which the devs have already alluded to.  Biofuel creation could probably be one of the higher tier abilities in a chemistry skill tree or maybe even the level 5 ability of a brewing/distilling skill tree.

 

I agree with Suomiboi that you'd have to be careful how this is done so as not to make it overpowered though.  The moment you can start making large quantities of fuel is the moment the difficulty takes a nose dive.

 

This topic now has me wanting a brewing/distilling skill to make my own moonshine in-game. 

[Mikhail Reign]

just on the topic of renewable fuels.

 

http://theindiestone.com/forums/index.php/topic/10249-wood-gasifier/?hl=%2Bgasifier#entry132391

[King jjwpenguin]

I dislike the idea of bio fuel but i like the gas pump idea. Also i think in sheds you should be able to find a hose and siphon other vehicles fuel to get your fuel. Then there could be gasoline and diesel. Diesel would be used in trucks and vans while the Gasoline would be used in almost everything else. It adds some variety and some interesting things to come. Just my opinions so good day.

[Suomiboi]

I don't think they should be separated into diesel and gasoline in vanilla. Just for gameplay reasons. It seems a tad too tedious. I'd rather have that as a mod which I can toggle at will.

[King jjwpenguin]

Ok i see where you are getting at but its just an idea that way you don't have certain cars that use diesel wasting the same fuel you use for a sports car.