Defensive Fortifications

[A Rogue Spartan]

As someone who deeply enjoys building castles and forts, I wish that players had the ability to craft and place the palisades, log spike walls, and spike traps found outside of various NPC structures that were functional for defense. I understand that issues of making hunting trivial could arise, but using a similar "crushing" mechanic for animals killed by spikes could heavily reduce that. Also making them somewhat expensive to craft/have a durability system could also be a deterrent to mass slaughter of wildlife. At the end of the day though, I would even be happy if they could be crafted at all in survival, even if kept unfunctional. I feel like the addition of defensive combat structures could also be a good incentive for players to invest more resources into their home and its security, beyond just putting lots of lights everywhere with a basic wall/perimeter defense. Having to "man the walls" against an incoming force of monsters alone or with other players could really be taken to the next level with this system.

[LadyWYT]

Welcome to the forums! I'd like this too. I don't really care if they're functional though, as I just want them for aesthetics.

1 hour ago, A Rogue Spartan said:

I understand that issues of making hunting trivial could arise, but using a similar "crushing" mechanic for animals killed by spikes could heavily reduce that. Also making them somewhat expensive to craft/have a durability system could also be a deterrent to mass slaughter of wildlife.

I think drastically lowering the drops from creatures killed in this fashion would probably be deterrent enough. I dunno that I'd want them to be expensive to craft though, given that one of the main advantages to palisade is that it's fairly cheap and quick to construct. 

As for a durability value...I can see why that might be necessary if it's the type of fortified stake meant to impale creatures that run into it, but otherwise I'm not really a fan of durability as I tend to want to use stuff like this for decoration rather than actual function. Valheim used that mechanic and I always found it rather annoying to deal with.

[DeanF]

Well, for once I agree with everything that LadyWYT said.   

I will add that most mundane creatures shouldn't generally throw themselves upon defensive works unless goaded, so Ideally that wouldn't be a problem.  A trap would be different, of course, so I'm not as sure of that.  (Have you tried pit traps?  They work already.)

But the traders have abatis, so why can't I?  Drifters presumably would try to breach defenses, and would take damage.  I suspect that Shivers would just climb over something like an abatis without injury, though.  

Edited 5 hours ago by DeanF