Salt and its' uses

[Encephalon]

First and formost, salt was not only used in the times this game is based in, for flavoring, ingredients, garnishing, or as a means of preserving. It was also used as currency.

The reason I bring currency into this is the fact that it is erroneous to assume people wish only to trade using coin or metals.

Now onto the big aspect. Salt, Honey, Sap, Vinegar - should all have very important, very serious uses in Haven and Hearth. Primarily keeping food from spoiling after being processed or harvested. I believe that food ought to spoil. Except for foods that are preserved, fruits or vegetables dried pickled coated in honey and otherwise kept free from rot. They would take a minor hit in EP gain. but remain untouched by the ravages of time.

This would create value in salt, vinegar, and honey especially. Allowing for salt to be used as currency.

What this means for everyone? Salt mines. potentially containing some metal. more prevailent. And allow a larger number of people to produce cheese effectively.

[sabinati]

it's a good idea, so of course it's planned (someday)

but i'm not sure what you mean about the cheese, you don't really need metal or a mine to produce any cheese, caves can also be used (they are considered a mine for the purposes of aging cheese).

[Encephalon]

it's a good idea, so of course it's planned (someday)

but i'm not sure what you mean about the cheese, you don't really need metal or a mine to produce any cheese, caves can also be used (they are considered a mine for the purposes of aging cheese).

Thank you, I did not know that.

[Wirt]

Eurgh, trading for salt brings back some memories. But I agree about the whole food preservation angle. How about smoking/drying meat as a middle-road way of cooking it, better than just roasting it on a fire, but not quite sausage?

[sabinati]

smoking and drying has been discussed as another method of preservation, but frankly i must say i'm not altogether convinced that food decay is a good mechanic (although loftar does have some interesting ideas about it). i'd love to see salting, pickling, lacto-fermentation, smoking, drying, etc simply as methods of preparing different foods. so for meat you could salt it (corned beef, salt pork, etc), dry it (jerky), or smoke it (smoked meat), or roast it (and really, you should be able to do this with a pan or an oven as well, not just at a campfire), or grind it up into various sausages, each just having an impact on the FEP output, and of course, another item for the FEP variance bonus.

[Vengeance959]

I smell a new use for my drying rack [The one that I don't have btw :3 traveling atm]

[Wirt]

I don't mind food decay as such - after all, construction decays, why shouldn't everything else? And if there's something "interesting" planned, all the more fun, even if it doesn't work out in the end. But even without it, I'd really like to see various preservation methods in play, as well. I want there to be more items you make by moving stuff around, and waiting, and trying different combinations of things rather than just gathering ingredients and pushing a big, shiny "craft all" button. Cheese-making sounds like a lot of fun, if I ever get there.

[BWithey]

The idea of food decay just makes me all sorts of happy. I eagerly look forward to that being implemented, as well as new preservation techniques that produce lower FEP food with a long shelf life.

[Deflare]

Another potential, though unfriendly thing that one could do with salt is get Roman on people--rendering their land infertile/low quality by salting the earth. It would likely fall under a form of vandalism, but it'd add another dimension to warfare and conflict between groups.

[kaka]

Popcorn.