Need more uses for bones

[ʇʇɐɯ matt]

The title is quite self explanatory, but let me clarify:

After just a few in-game days I find my inventory flooding with bones I collect from animals I hunt down. Bones are nice to have, they can be used to make better stone tools and can be used for a fertilizer, but that's about it, no more uses for that. Bones have a huge potential for base building and housekeeping, or even accessories for the player's character (including armor) 

Would be perfect if you could build chairs, tables, any furniture in general, just to get rid of bones and make your base look nicer in the process. Games like The Forest (or Sons of The Forest) are what inspired me to write this suggestion

[Moon_Dew]

The bones could be used to make broth.  Bone ash is used to make bone china.  Gelatin is made using bones and hooves.  Glue is made using the same stuff as well.  If fortune-telling becomes a thing in-game (even if only for roleplaying), then bones could be used as well.

[Zero_]

Bone broth is very nutritious as well.

[Thorfinn]

Expanded Foods.

[Deaderpan]

bones should be able to be turned into a basic form of flute, xylophone and armour. yeah that's sounds a little grim but it is what our ancestors did and you do basically start the game a caveman

[Thorfinn]

Welcome, @Deaderpan. 

And what do you do with it? Does it change your voice when held? Is it just decoration? Maybe playing it in otherwise comfortable surroundings (i.e., at the very least, not underground) restores stability at a faster rate?

[Brandybuck]

On 8/4/2024 at 9:49 AM, Zero_ said:

Bone broth is very nutritious as well.

But extremely low saturation, unless you toss a bunch of veggies in it.

[LadyWYT]

8 hours ago, Thorfinn said:

And what do you do with it? Does it change your voice when held? Is it just decoration? Maybe playing it in otherwise comfortable surroundings (i.e., at the very least, not underground) restores stability at a faster rate?

My guess is that it would be more of nifty toy to play with in a multiplayer setting, serving no purpose other than to entertain or annoy your friends. Although I could see musical instruments being used in some ruin/story puzzles, potentially, or perhaps as a way to calm down cranky farm animals. Since we're getting proper mounts next update, I could also see a whistle or something being used to call your mount to you, provided the animal is within a certain range.

[ifoz]

Honestly bone tools could be super cool and give bones some more uses.
Historically, bone tools were very widespread. Knives, needles, combs, etc.
I'd love to see some tools with bone blades!

[Deaderpan]

On 8/8/2024 at 12:19 AM, LadyWYT said:

My guess is that it would be more of nifty toy to play with in a multiplayer setting, serving no purpose other than to entertain or annoy your friends. Although I could see musical instruments being used in some ruin/story puzzles, potentially, or perhaps as a way to calm down cranky farm animals. Since we're getting proper mounts next update, I could also see a whistle or something being used to call your mount to you, provided the animal is within a certain range.

thats what i was thinking in regards to not really having a use outside of multiplayer antics. but the issue i see is that bones arent that strong or useful unless its a big bone from a large animal. i can only really see bones being a useful cheap disposable stop gap item.

1. put some bones in a meat stew to stretch it out but the bones dont give as much nutrition or fill the player up as much.
2. use 3 bones instead of a stick in a tool recipe but it causes the tool to have less durability. (useful in tree spars biomes but again, bone tools are only useful if its a big bone from a large strong animal and the bones currently in game are pretty small).
3. primitive cave man musical instrument. maybe a bone whistle it can be used to call birds if they ever get added
4. armour, a cheap not very durable armour set 
5. when wolf taming is added and thus dogs, giving dogs a bone can feed them or make them happy. (but i dont see the devs wanting to use bones for this since that is literally the Minecraft wolf taming mechanic)

[idiomcritter]

bone inlay.

[LadyWYT]

13 hours ago, Deaderpan said:

2. use 3 bones instead of a stick in a tool recipe but it causes the tool to have less durability. (useful in tree spars biomes but again, bone tools are only useful if its a big bone from a large strong animal and the bones currently in game are pretty small).

This one actually exists in the game already, though it only works for the stone knife and the stone axe. Using a bone for the handle instead of a stick adds about 20 extra points of durability. Useful in the early game, but not so much later on when you have access to good metal.

[Cosmic Hermit]

On 8/9/2024 at 4:40 PM, idiomcritter said:

bone inlay.

I think there's a lot of possibility in this idea. Unlocking bone as a carving/chiseling material either by itself or available to add to other blocks could add a really cool use for bones.  This could be magnified if we had access to other animal materials like ivory, antlers, tortoise shell (yes I understand that last one is still bone). Animal materials for structures and small carved crafts has real promise methinks.

[Dra6o0n]

Using bone to craft arrowheads or shafts maybe? If you have lots of bones then they can be used in high quantity to make better quality arrows.

Making spikes out of bones and turning them into natural environmental hazards to protect yourself from enemies and even to trick mobs into pitfall traps?

Durability is the name of the game here, wooden spikes breaks after a few uses, but bone spikes lasts somewhat longer.

Edited August 12, 2024 by Dra6o0n

[Thornment]

On 8/7/2024 at 10:45 AM, Deaderpan said:

bones should be able to be turned into a basic form of flute, xylophone and armour. yeah that's sounds a little grim but it is what our ancestors did and you do basically start the game a caveman

bone armor sounds cool, it could be one of the starting options