Rafts suck and they should not suck

[Khornet]

Rafts suck.

When I saw we're getting rafts and large bodies of water/oceans, I finally thought - "Oh, great! We have a way of crossing large distances on the map more efficiently".

Unfortunately, rafts suck solely because of the fact how SLOW they are. You need two dedicated inventory slots for them - 1 for the raft and 1 for the oar and from what I've seen, they're essentially as fast as swimming casually (maybe "slightly" faster). It's just not worth it.

Solution: de-suck the rafts by making them faster. So crossing oceans with them is actually a viable strategy.

[Ogi Teh yeti]

To be fair, the CRUDE raft and CRUDE oar were implemented to sort out the physics and operation of the initial form of boats, and that as things go on we will likely see both an improvement to the crude rafts (it's possible) but also that there will be new and better forms of raft and boat made. While I largely agree that the raft could be faster, it is at least better for late seasonal travel as you don't get wet when it's cold out. 

Edited May 7 by Ogi Teh yeti

[AdrianNumbers]

Also in future there will probably be some dangers/predators in water so even if slower than swimming, rafts will still be usefull. So be patient i dont think Tyron makes things randomly looking at the game as a whole, just give it some time  .

 

[Rhyagelle]

I wouldn't say they suck. A ricketily made raft shouldn't go the speed of light anyway, but I do agree that they are a little on the slow side. It's barely faster than walking/swimming, and it should be a lot faster than walking/swimming.

[Thorfinn]

1 hour ago, Rhyagelle said:

It's barely faster than walking/swimming, and it should be a lot faster than walking/swimming.

Depends on the rationale. If the idea is that a new tech should result in an improvement for the seraph (or he wouldn't bother developing it) sure. Keeping out of the water in late fall is not such a big deal in Survival, but Wilderness is another story, because your tolerance to cold is so much less.

If your rationale is realism, not so much. A long range swimmer has roughly the same average speed as a long range raft propelled by paddle. However, this is with a modern lightweight inflatable raft, not one build of logs.

Edited May 14 by Thorfinn

[Rhyagelle]

15 hours ago, Thorfinn said:

Depends on the rationale. If the idea is that a new tech should result in an improvement for the seraph (or he wouldn't bother developing it) sure. Keeping out of the water in late fall is not such a big deal in Survival, but Wilderness is another story, because your tolerance to cold is so much less.

If your rationale is realism, not so much. A long range swimmer has roughly the same average speed as a long range raft propelled by paddle. However, this is with a modern lightweight inflatable raft, not one build of logs.

I'd say it's a mix of realism and what should be fun. And at the moment, the raft isn't really justified outside of large ocean usage or skipping large lakes in the winter. 

[Sir Key]

seems like you havent found the real use for rafts yet!

[Rhyagelle]

4 hours ago, Sir Key said:

seems like you havent found the real use for rafts yet!

What's the real use? I was pretty sure it was to cross oceans and large bodies of water, especially in winter. 

[Thorfinn]

I'd be hesitant to give some attribute to rafts that will have to be "taken back" later when whatever other features are implemented, like something closer to real (science-based) heat loss in cold water, or water predators, or faster watercraft, or whatever. The first complaint will be to bring back [whatever it is]. When the canoe needs to have the speed of a motorboat to be an upgrade from earlier craft, that's going to be a problem.

It does need some reason to exist, though, or it won't get the playtesting that is (probably) hoped for. Speed, maybe, but as I said above. Keeping dry is nice, but hardly necessary, if you spent the time prior to winter making warm clothing. Even on Wilderness, a well-clothed seraph can swim for way too long in ~0C water, much longer than one would expect to make it in a survival suit IRL, let alone in furs or even tattered rags. Maybe butch that? Though that just makes things harder for n00bs in early game, when the water is likely still quite cold. Swimming also burns a prodigious amount of energy. Maybe increasing the hunger would do the trick? Though, again, harder for n00bs, and a big nothing-burger for someone with a couple crocks of meals along.

Make a raft in deep water a safe haven for storms? You can't sleep through a storm, but you can fish through one. But maybe only if you have a cooler of beer.

Or how about something simple like it functions as a mobile storage container, like a reed basket? Yes, that's cheaper than a basket, but it's not a game-destroying exploit if you have  a half-dozen of them tied up on your dock.

 

Edited May 15 by Thorfinn

[Sir Key]

17 hours ago, Rhyagelle said:

What's the real use? I was pretty sure it was to cross oceans and large bodies of water, especially in winter. 

its to place it in middle one block high gaps and glitch thru walls

So if you go to bottom of caves and dont feel like walking back you can just put a raft down in one block high gap and sit on it it will take you all the way up like an elevator!

[Rhyagelle]

9 hours ago, Sir Key said:

its to place it in middle one block high gaps and glitch thru walls

So if you go to bottom of caves and dont feel like walking back you can just put a raft down in one block high gap and sit on it it will take you all the way up like an elevator!

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat. lmao I gotta try it. 

[Cooper Lange]

They don't drain your hunger like running or walking would, so they're very useful for traveling long distances in that regard at least

[ChubbyDemon]

On 5/7/2023 at 3:39 AM, Khornet said:

Rafts suck.

When I saw we're getting rafts and large bodies of water/oceans, I finally thought - "Oh, great! We have a way of crossing large distances on the map more efficiently".

Unfortunately, rafts suck solely because of the fact how SLOW they are. You need two dedicated inventory slots for them - 1 for the raft and 1 for the oar and from what I've seen, they're essentially as fast as swimming casually (maybe "slightly" faster). It's just not worth it.

Solution: de-suck the rafts by making them faster. So crossing oceans with them is actually a viable strategy.

Congrats, rafts have been made to not suck.