Why firebrands suck

[VDZ]

So earlier today I was leveling some ground and getting a lot of soil from it. So I decided to turn it into Prisms. Simple enough, right? So I took an inventory full of soil (minus two slots for the firebrand and two slots for my keyring and flask) and loaded a coal into my crucible. Then I performed the following steps:

1. Move to my branches stockpile, take two branches, and move back to my crucible.
2. Drink from my flask to have enough stamina.
3. Craft a firebrand (takes some time), then light the crucible. The firebrand burns out during the lighting process.
4. Move to my branches stockpile, take two branches, and move back to my crucible.
5. Drink from my flask to have enough stamina.
6. Craft a firebrand (takes some time), then light the crucible. The firebrand burns out during the lighting process.
7. Move to my branches stockpile. Notice there's only one branch left.
8. Take a block from my block stockpile to split it into branches. Drop three Soil onto the ground to have enough space for the branches. Click 'split' only to get the message that I need an axe for that.
9. Head to my equipment cupboard to switch my shovel with my stone axe.
10. Split the block and store the three other branches in my branches stockpile.
11. Quickly grab the three dropped soil before it messes up the elevation.
12. Move back to my crucible.
13. Craft a firebrand (takes some time). Right when it's about to complete, 'you are too tired to craft'.
14. Drink from my flask to have enough stamina.
15. Craft a firebrand (takes some time), then light the crucible. Finally, the crucible is lit and I can start producing glass.

During glass production, I had to refill my flask because it was all empty after the herculean task that is lighting a crucible.

[Sever]

"50% of the stamina bar to rub some sticks together is a bit much."

-Regional Champion, Understatement of the Year 2015

[bolognaman]

Sounds like poor planning to me

[Audiosmurf]

Make a torch.

[Sevenless]

Yeah weird huh? Almost like they're intended to be annoying because more convenient options exist in game to be unlocked and make you feel like you're gaining progress.

[VDZ]

Yeah weird huh? Almost like they're intended to be annoying because more convenient options exist in game to be unlocked and make you feel like you're gaining progress.

And which options are those? The fireplace still requires a firebrand to light, and the torch requires a fireplace to do anything. As far as I've seen, there is nothing in the game that can just ignite a flame without requiring a firebrand at the start of the process.

[Altich]

The only unnecessary problem about the firebrand is that it may burn out before it lights the fire. It doesn't offer anything, it isn't fun, and it feels like some kind of trolling from the devs. Each time it happens to me, I can imagine the devs laughing at my misfortune.

[Sevenless]

Yeah weird huh? Almost like they're intended to be annoying because more convenient options exist in game to be unlocked and make you feel like you're gaining progress.

And which options are those? The fireplace still requires a firebrand to light, and the torch requires a fireplace to do anything. As far as I've seen, there is nothing in the game that can just ignite a flame without requiring a firebrand at the start of the process.

One firebrand used per day is that much of a problem? Once your fire is lit it's trivial to keep lit, and then torches suffice after. That one light makes up maybe 5% of my total lighting actions.

[wolf1000wolf]

It's like we're cavemen... carefully keeping our fire alive.

I'd keep a fireplace burning 24/7.. but that just adds more lag for my toaster.

[VDZ]

Yeah weird huh? Almost like they're intended to be annoying because more convenient options exist in game to be unlocked and make you feel like you're gaining progress.

And which options are those? The fireplace still requires a firebrand to light, and the torch requires a fireplace to do anything. As far as I've seen, there is nothing in the game that can just ignite a flame without requiring a firebrand at the start of the process.

One firebrand used per day is that much of a problem? Once your fire is lit it's trivial to keep lit, and then torches suffice after. That one light makes up maybe 5% of my total lighting actions.

One firebrand* per session, not per day. Without knowing if you'll even need fire that session. Yes, when I'm playing for 30 minutes during lunch break at work, it is that much of a problem to spend two minutes ensuring I am capable of doing anything fire-related. Even when I'm not short on time, it simply isn't fun. It wastes my time without enhancing my game experience in any way.

If, like you say, it's just to force you to use better options later on, why can't we get a more expensive kind of torch that can light itself or something like that? I'd be willing to spend resources on something that would prevent this unfun, frustrating waste of time.

* That is, one successful firebrand. In practice, that can be as many as four or five actual firebrands if you're unlucky.