Other Jonas parts pile up while the single one I need remains unseen

[Jacsmac]

About 150 hours of gameplay ago, I finally gathered all of the components for a Terminus teleporter, except for the temporal alignment node. No problem, I thought, I'll just grab that one by exploring caves just like the other parts. 

Given enough time, I then had enough parts for a rift ward, a resonator, even the night vision mask. Except the temporal alignment nodes. I've been so close to having this cool tech that adds something unique to my exploration experience; if I could just get this one part, I would have this in my hands soon enough.

The temporal alignment node is a (presumably) very rare drop from locust nests, specifically the cages and large stalactites (aptly misnamed stalagmites by the game). Tell me why, after breaking more of these than I could ever expect even happening upon in the first place, I somehow get every other part more than 2 times?

This feels ridiculous, and there has to be something I'm missing that's keeping me from getting the drop. Dozens of these locust nests are not dropping ONE of this specific part and I haven't found it myself in any ruins or story structures so far.

 

TL;DR Temporal alignment node is chasing me, but I run faster

[ifoz]

Honestly I'd love some lategame way to exchange Jonas parts for other Jonas parts with a cost. Maybe at a specific NPC, or maybe through another device you could find/craft.
That way you could pay something like a temporal gear and a double-up Jonas part, and get the specific one you need.

[Jacsmac]

2 hours ago, ifoz said:

Honestly I'd love some lategame way to exchange Jonas parts for other Jonas parts with a cost. Maybe at a specific NPC, or maybe through another device you could find/craft.
That way you could pay something like a temporal gear and a double-up Jonas part, and get the specific one you need.

I've been thinking about a solution similar to this, too.
Maybe there should be a chain of crafting recipes that cycles between each part, frame, etc. by using cupronickel bits, giving a use to any spare cupronickel lying around and increasing the demand for nickel.

[jerjerje]

On 12/24/2025 at 3:13 AM, Jacsmac said:

Maybe there should be a chain of crafting recipes that cycles between each part, frame, etc. by using cupronickel bits

I liked this suggestion, so I made a mod that does pretty much this. I just released it: https://mods.vintagestory.at/exchangablejonasparts

In an attempt at balancing it, I divided the Jonas parts into four groups. And each part can only be crafted into other parts from the same group.

All crafting recipes requires Cupronickel. Additionally, each group needs different items like Electrum, Gears, Solder, or Gems.