Mechanics information and Fishnets

[CaddoPuma]

As the title implies, I have 2 critiques.

1. First of all, it's really difficult to know for sure when a mechanic is over or underpowered when there is almost zero information released on how things are supposed to work. More information on how fishing in general and fishnets specifically work is desperately needed.
   
   
2. Furthermore, even with the scarcity of information; It seems obvious to me that there is something broken whenever you can catch more fish in 10 minutes with a cane pole than in 24 hours with a net. There is a reason commercial fishermen have been using nets as the tool of choice for literally millennia: Nets are supposed to be much more efficient than other methods. Even taking into account the whole "it's a game, not real life" argument, nets should be at least 3:1 fish/hour over fishing poles/casting rods. Such is simply not the case. Which indicates to me that nets are horribly underpowered.

[kris_hole]

As the title implies, I have 2 critiques.

1. First of all, it's really difficult to know for sure when a mechanic is over or underpowered when there is almost zero information released on how things are supposed to work. More information on how fishing in general and fishnets specifically work is desperately needed.
   
   
2. Furthermore, even with the scarcity of information; It seems obvious to me that there is something broken whenever you can catch more fish in 10 minutes with a cane pole than in 24 hours with a net. There is a reason commercial fishermen have been using nets as the tool of choice for literally millennia: Nets are supposed to be much more efficient than other methods. Even taking into account the whole "it's a game, not real life" argument, nets should be at least 3:1 fish/hour over fishing poles/casting rods. Such is simply not the case. Which indicates to me that nets are horribly underpowered.

And making nets overpowered relative to poles means nobody would ever see a reason to use poles again. Nets don't need bait/lures, hooks or string. Relative to the cost of fishing with a pole, the slow speed of nets IMO is justified and pretty balanced. Once you get to mid game too and fish become useless there's even less reason to care about it.

[Mario_Demorez]

Nets need to be buffed. But with a buff they need to have more material cost. Nets are obviously superior to poles, keep the nets more random of what they catch but they should definitely catch way more than poles. Throw some metal and bone glue in the recipe, done.

[CaddoPuma]

...Once you get to mid game too and fish become useless there's even less reason to care about it.

I'm not sure what you're calling midgame but I am certainly way past sprucehat level. Fishing is already useless to me except that I need the fishing credo in order to have my target credos come available. I understand that credos arent supposed to be a walk in the park and the devs want us to figure things out on our own, but i dont want to spend 3 years figuring out the best spots, times of day, and moon phases for each random fish the credo may ask for when I am never going to use that information again when the credo is done.

[CaddoPuma]

Nets need to be buffed. But with a buff they need to have more material cost. Nets are obviously superior to poles, keep the nets more random of what they catch but they should definitely catch way more than poles. Throw some metal and bone glue in the recipe, done.

I am not at all opposed to adding material costs, but common sense says nets should catch more fish than even the most skilled angler. Maybe they can make nets deteriorate with use. Maybe they can make a random "torn net" casualty. Maybe they can increase the material cost to make nets. Maybe all of the above and then some. I'm not saying nets should be better than poles in every way. They can be made to catch a much wider variety of species. They can be made to have a much wider "q range" of fish caught. There are many ways to keep poles relevant while still making the nets catch more fish/hour. And I think they should do all of that.

[CaddoPuma]

By the way, I welcome rebuttals as long as you keep it civil. Do you think buffing the nets is a bad idea? Why? Is there a workable compromise to make nets better but keep rods relevant? Let's keep this discussion going, eh?

[Karokan]

Honestly, my friends and I really wanted to use them but we can't figure out how they work in order to give you an opinion. The net itself is a 4x4, and without being a verified subscriber with a merchant cloak and traveller's sacks, picking them up basically nets out (no pun intended) to dumping all the fish in the water. That puts them at way later 'game' than we're currently capable of, and it does seem like they'd kind of be useless by then compared to someone with a casting pole and some entrails.. Plus, unless you're built on the coast, you'd have to make a spare char to claim them or risk someone else jacking them.

[CaddoPuma]

I'm not a subscriber, but I was was fortunate to have joined a village where at that time there was a very active tailor who gave all active members a merch coat. I made my own TravSack. so yeah, I am not dismissing your point but I want you to know those things arent necessarily as far off as you may think. some shrewd trading at CF or joining/building a village and getting a generous tailor or 2 to join could really push you in that direction rather quickly.

But back to the topic at hand. You make some very interesting and thought provoking points. I dont know if nets can be taken by someone other than its owner. I know no one has messed with mine but then our village doesnt really have any hostiles nearby. *knock on wood*. I dont know if the net was intended to be inaccessable to "Sprucecaps" or if that is the result of an oversight, but I can see how it would be a problem.