More/ More Realistic Ores

[aliarcy 6]

A thing with ore generation that I find annoying is that some ores are unrealistic. An example is that Tertahedrite is too common, in real life it is not very common and Sulfosalts like Tetrahedrite are found in small amounts near the Surface. Hematite and Magnetite are both mixed up, Magnetite is found in nearly every Igneous Rock, however Hematite is literaly rust, which is found in massive ore deposits in Sedimentry stones. I am almost certain that Native Silver is found in the same rocks as other Native Metals like Copper or Gold and rarly with Galena. Olivine is a very common rock found in nearly every Igneous rock, Minerals like serpentine are found in Sedimentary rocks. The Iron ores I think are too rare, also the most common Copper Ore is Chalcopyrite which is found in Igneous Intrusive. Garnieterite is Nickels version of Bauxite which I suggest should add more Nickel ores but in low amounts. Kimbertite is a Igneous rock found around Magma tubes. Until recent times Sphalerite was not much of an ore, until recently Smithsonite was the major Zinc Ore.

[Terex 108]

Being a geologist myself, I was going to post the same a while ago. All good standpoints. I didn't think the devs would bother about it tho. They just revamped the whole copper system.

[Walmart Germaphobe 15]

Realism is not the key, it is believability. We could make the game realistic by carrying only one unstacked item at a time but that wouldn't be fun, would it?

[aliarcy 6]

Realism is not the key, it is believability. We could make the game realistic by carrying only one unstacked item at a time but that wouldn't be fun, would it?

 

If realism was not key then why not make a magic mod, I am merely suggesting stuff that bugs me that I feel if changed would be more balanced and Realistic.

[aeroc 51]

Realism is not the key, it is believability. We could make the game realistic by carrying only one unstacked item at a time but that wouldn't be fun, would it?

 

Only one unstacked item seems like a strawman, humans have two hands. Also there are backpacks, pockets, belts, pack animals, wheelbarrows, carts, boats, wagons, windlasses, cranes....

 

Also, why not pick an argument against realistic ore generation rather than realistic carrying capacity?

[aliarcy 6]

Only one unstacked item seems like a strawman, humans have two hands. Also there are backpacks, pockets, belts, pack animals, wheelbarrows, carts, boats, wagons, windlasses, cranes....

 

Also, why not pick an argument against realistic ore generation rather than realistic carrying capacity?

 

Because that seems much harder to implement.

And changing ore changes the amount of metals you can get, making Iron ores more common would make Iron cheaper and Copper more expensive.

While changing carrying capacity could make tedium.

[Xechon 58]

Bronze and iron are actually pretty similar in material strength, and iron is quite a lot more common than tin. IRL, bronze is more expensive, but iron was used later because it is very difficult to work. It wasn't until steel that using iron ores became "better" than using bronze, which we all know is a large hassle to get in TFC due to material and work requirements. It wouldn't harm gameplay whatsoever to make iron more common, and to make ores spawn more realistically.

[Terex 108]

...and to make ores spawn more realistically.

 

I think so too as stated in another thread. But clearly the devs want some progression so you have to start with copper to end up with iron/steel. So I dont think making iron more common (and it is quite common to be honest) is the solution. But what I would like to see is the black/blue/red steel varieties get removed. There are other stronger and more realistic materials than "coloured" steel to continue the progression to better gear. Examples are titanium alloys, carbon fiber, tungsten carbide, corundum... diamond.

[aliarcy 6]

I think so too as stated in another thread. But clearly the devs want some progression so you have to start with copper to end up with iron/steel. So I dont think making iron more common (and it is quite common to be honest) is not the solution. But what I would like to see is the black/blue/red steel varieties get removed. There are other stronger and more realistic materials than "coloured" steel to continue the progression to better gear. Examples are titanium alloys, carbon fiber, tungsten carbide, corundum... diamond.

 

You can not make Corundum, Diamond, Carbon Fiber, Tungsten Carbide into tools like Pickaxes or Swords. Also the time line ends around the 1300s. And you do realize that the Primary reason you start with stone then copper to Steels is because that is how history worked.

[Terex 108]

Then why make up some artificially "stronger" coloured steel varieties? Like that makes sense historically...

[aliarcy 6]

Then why make up some artificially "stronger" coloured steel varieties? Like that makes sense historically...

 

I didn't come up with the Colored alloys and I am not suggesting more alloys this thread is about More Realistic ore generation and Correction of ores.

If you want to remove the alloys then make your own suggestion thread.

[Roadie 8]

I haven't gotten to the last tier steels to experience the tool advantages but it seems blue and red steel are really only good for moving lava and placing water.

 

Also stuff like titanium and even stainless steel more than likely require electricity and acid compounds to get the alloys to separate and line up on a atomic level.

 

I personally think some of the useless ores need some love before introducing more other ores.

 

Back on topic though, more realistic ores would be a nice thing as far as passively learning geology/chemistry while having fun doing it.

[aliarcy 6]

I haven't gotten to the last tier steels to experience the tool advantages but it seems blue and red steel are really only good for moving lava and placing water.

 

Also stuff like titanium and even stainless steel more than likely require electricity and acid compounds to get the alloys to separate and line up on a atomic level.

 

I personally think some of the useless ores need some love before introducing more other ores.

 

Back on topic though, more realistic ores would be a nice thing as far as passively learning geology/chemistry while having fun doing it.

 

It has been stated recently that Lead with likely have a use soon, Platinum at the time that TFC takes place was useless and is very rare.

[Jivix 21]

I know this is crazy... but what if Hematite could be found in ALL the rocks in zones it is already present in, but in tiny quantities. You'd have to smelt down huge amounts of ore to get iron, but it'd be readily available. Perhaps it'd have a % chance to drop a small nugget of Hematite with each sedimentary rock mined with a pickaxe. Perhaps certain zones could have trace visuals on the sides of blocks and there'd be a higher % chance for nuggets there.

 

The reason I suggest this is that when you select for your home in an Igneous Extrusive area, you can get up to tier 4 without leaving your zone. There's Copper, Tin for Bronze, and Iron all available on the surface. If it was harder to get the iron in these zones, there'd be a reason to keep exploring to find a better source of iron.

 

Not just that, but Igneous Extrusive also makes the most durable stone tools too.

 

Now I remember why I always look for Basalt on the surface before I make my home

[aliarcy 6]

That is not usually true, rocks on the surface only show the first layer where (except for granite) Tin and Iron cannot spawn, and you rarely get many ore veins in one rock deposit. I also did a little bit more research and found that Hematite is although not often found in Igneous rocks, and Magnetite can be found in sedimentary rocks from riverbeds and gravel. And that Native Silver can be found with Tetrahedrite.

 

Also Iron is not rare in real life, it is the 3rd most common metal (I am counting Silicon) in the crust however Hematite is found in large beds in sedimentary rocks and not often in Igneous (My source wasn't specific but likely extrusive)

Other forms of Iron are also found like Geothite and Siderite. Hematite is just the most mined.

[dunkleosteus 2,425]

In general, we try to be accurate with our distribution and use of ores. I've read the wikipedia pages on most of the ores pretty thoroughly, but now that you mention it, most of our stuff IS incorrect. To adress the points, tetrahedrite was made more common to help with the copper age, although if it were up to me, I'd manipulate terrain generation to favour igneous rocks in mountains and have those be the main sources of native copper nuggets in the early game. Calamine (smithsonite) is a better ore than sphalerite for sure, and banded iron formations are probably a good argument in favour of adjusting iron ore spawns.

[PaoloEmilio 53]

Include bog iron (Surface iron ore formations) too, and I would like silver generate more frequently (Oh dear please, is silver really more rare than gold?) You could, for example, make native silver by rule generate with galena veins too. And also make platinum by rule generate with magnetite er so to fix the dual ores thing.

[aliarcy 6]

Isn't Limonite what bog Iron is. Platinum is the rarest metal in TFC and is more rare than gold IRL, but I haven't seen any ores reliant upon others but I have found traces of platinum once. With silver ore it spawns also with (like you said) galena and tetrahedrite but it isn't always found with them.