Unable to find anymore tin, but always plenty of copper around? Even after almost days of gameplay

[FairyAngel]

So far so goes, there's been plenty of copper and even lead deposits around but 0 tin. The only one time I found tin was a small amount at a certain beach but now there's nothing, even after playing for days, almost a week now and searching different biomes there's still nothing? Also already soon to be winter in-game as its currently autumn and almost winter I think.

When I first found a small amount I accidentally used the last bit of bronze to make a bar instead of hammer and now have to keep searching again. So far I only have a tin bronze anvil and pickaxe, the hammer is missing so I can't get iron. Even if I do manage to find it.

Edited August 30, 2022 by FairyAngel

[Maelstrom]

Surface tin is much rarer than surface copper; and intentionally so (unless you change the world setting for surface tin).  To find tin you'll need to use the prospecting pick to find readings of cassiterite or go caving (be sure you're prepared for the subterranean dangers).

[Streetwind]

@FairyAngel I have good news for you: the quality of the hammer does not actually matter for smithing Only the anvil does.

So you should be able to cast a copper hammer and work iron blooms and ingots just fine, since your anvil is made out of bronze.

Other than that, Maelstrom is correct - the bulk of your metal ore should come from prospecting rather than from hoping for surface deposits. There are a number of ores in the game that will never generate helpful fragments on the surface, and even those ores that do so will only do it if there are 10 or fewer blocks of stone above. Deposits that spawn deeper than that will never be indicated by surface fragments.

[Professor Dragon]

Prospecting - Wiki page:  https://wiki.vintagestory.at/index.php?title=Mining&mobileaction=toggle_view_desktop#Prospecting_.28Systematic_Method.29

Prospecting - a good tutorial on the web:

 

> even after playing for days, almost a week now

You'll need a lot more in-game time, especially if you're just starting out.
Prospecting and Mining are mid to late game activities.

It takes a while to get the "pre-requisites for mining":

• Pick/s
• Hammer
• Armour & weapons
• Light sources
• Food
• Ladders and/or rope ladders
• Backpacks and storage

And then the resources to make use of the metals you've found.

For reference, I've been taking things "cautiously" and I'm 250 hours into a game play, and haven't yet mined enough materials to get beyond the Copper Age.

I'm extremely slow and cautious, but the point is - as Maelstrom and Streetwind have said - is that Prospecting and Mining are specific skills that need time to learn, and resources to exploit.

In my view, in Vintage Story you are NOT going to just "learn prospecting and mining by playing the game."
No matter how closely you think you've studied the Survival Handbook.

This is why I've linked the Wiki and video above. They will save you hours or days of frustration.

(I think there should be a "tutorial" built into the game, where you can hire a grizzled old NPC miner who talks you through the process. But that's by the by.)

Professor Dragon.

 

 

Edited August 30, 2022 by Professor Dragon

[FairyAngel]

Thanks for the help.

Yeah, mainly just worried about not having progressed enough since its now early winter. Any landscapes I could maybe set-up in to grow things for the time being until I progress to bronze? Currently it seems like I had to just use the copper I got to make a saw and get myself a wooden door, chests etc because my reed baskets were getting full to the brim.

Also should I aim for wooden or copper lamellar if you have to dig down to find tin?

Edited August 31, 2022 by FairyAngel

[Professor Dragon]

3 hours ago, FairyAngel said:

Thanks for the help.

Yeah, mainly just worried about not having progressed enough since its now early winter. Any landscapes I could maybe set-up in to grow things for the time being until I progress to bronze? Currently it seems like I had to just use the copper I got to make a saw and get myself a wooden door, chests etc because my reed baskets were getting full to the brim.

Also should I aim for wooden or copper lamellar if you have to dig down to find tin?

> Yeah, mainly just worried about not having progressed enough since its now early winter.

Progression is a state of mind and depends what you're after. Providing you've got (a) enough food not to die and (b) something to do to keep you busy over winter, you should be fine.

Having enough food to survive two or three days without going out to forage, and enough warm clothing so that you can go out, should probably be a priority.

A copper saw is definitely a gateway tool. Solid choice.

> Also should I aim for wooden or copper lamellar if you have to dig down to find tin?

Ideally, you shouldn't encounter anything, if you mine cautiously (Temporal Calm period, daytime, well lit, dig your own spot rather than go into a cave). So armour doesn't matter.

The armour is for when things aren't ideal. And that really depends on your play style. But ANY armour in the beginning will probably be "good enough."
The real trick is not to overextend.

If your choice is just between wood and copper lamellar armour, then at the beginning, probably wood is good enough and your copper is best used for other things (lantern, pick, propick, hammer). Even improvised body armour will do in a pinch, and is cheap as.

https://wiki.vintagestory.at/index.php/Lamellar_armor

Once you get a flax farm up, then Gambeson is a solid early choice. You could always make constructing a greenhouse a winter project, to give your flax a head start.

Professor Dragon.

 

 

[Maelstrom]

I argue against wood lamellar due to the high resin cost; unless there a tones of leaking pine/acacia trees in your area.  If there's sufficient linen, gambeson is the best early game armor (due to tier 2 protection AND additional benefits when getting hit by tier 3+ monsters.)
 

I don't think there's a good way to teach prospecting in game.  But I'm no seasoned, grizzled game designer either.  I'm sure professional game designers could do it.  With all due respect to Tyron (whose coding skills eclipse mine by many magnitudes); I don't think he currently has the skill to code such a tutorial in game.

[dakko]

Keep in mind that there are multiple ways of making bronze.

Some bronze-making ingredients can be found from traders, especially commodities trader.

Some bronze-making ingredients can be found when panning... even pieces of bronze armor that can be smelted down. I think those may only be in boney soil, but not sure.

There are also bombs that can be used to harvest iron. You may be rich in bomb ingredients, or be able to get some from a trader.

Edited August 31, 2022 by dakko