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ciekma

Living on the edge

26 posts in this topic

I would like to share my adventures during trial run of my TerraFirmaProgresivePack. This game is in pure survival mode, no cheats/creative/peaceful helpers (the only cheat is Reis Minimap with radar  enabled, but I need it to control custom spawning of creatures). My creations are rather ugly, because I was focused on their functional purposes (and trying to survive).

I chose to play seed 8324927933154456079, with spawn located in subtropical acacia jungle. It was rather hard to survive, especially because spawn was located at the top of a trees - it hurts! There was very thin layer of soil covering basalt or shale solid rock, therefore I was unable to dig trenches. I cut some trees and run along the beach seeking some drinkable water. I found a pond adjacent to hot springs, not fat from the sea and with some lava fissures nearby and spectacular lava fall. Spot was located near the edge of the acacia jungle, wood-less plains and mountains extend in a north direction. There was also clay, but thin layer was exploited quickly and give no possibility to make cover up - therefore I panicked start to throw some logs here and there, creating small, ugly shelter just before dusk.

Making temporary shelter from logs was not a good idea - i takes some time (and many stone axes) to disassemble it later (using log heaps and thatch blocks is a batter solution, if you have a little more time), but least I had safe place to make stone tools and pottery. The only animals were pigs and chickens. With fireplace I was able not only to prepare food, but also use ashes to make dirt base liquor, which allow me to prepare leather, unfortunately acacia had no tannin for finishing leather. This wood had also too low temperature to melt sand. I decided to make excursion to the north.

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I don't have many pictures from the beginning, because I was trying to survive.

Edited by ciekma
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During my journey to the north, I found some new species of the trees, and replanted saplings near my base. Of course orchard was also planted.  I found also small deposits of limestone close to river, enough to weld something, but not sufficient for making mortar. Therefore I started to build some permanent facilities using mud bricks and chiseled shale stones. It looks very ugly, but overall environment is also ugly, it is active seismic area cracked by ravines. I'm living not only near the edge of jungle and plains and shale/basalt formations edge, but literally an the edge of ravines. Major death toll is from hitting ground to hard, the rest is from skeletons, plus one spider.

Acacia jungle seems to be infinite source of wood, but I quickly discovered, that source began to dry out. Not because of using my axe, but due to excessive fire spreading from many lava fissures. I tried to stop fire by removing trees and leaves, but fire was faster. Finally rain saves rest of the jungle, but large part was now deserted. I decided to make charcoal from chopped trees in situ, instead of transporting it back to home.  But it was not the end of the fight with fire, which later started to spread again and again.

Meanwhile I moved to bronze era, I was literally sitting at the bismuthine vein, but I found only one tiny deposit of sphalerite. Fortunately, during my second trip to the north, I discovered large vein of tin ore. Native copper and tetrahedrite was also nearby and I switched from green brass to yellow brass metallurgy.

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Edited by ciekma
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North from gray shale formation I found reddish chert rocks, with some magnetite and coal deposits. I found also sheep and drag two of them back to my base, their wool would be useful for ships. Hens and pigs were already domesticated. I discovered land route, but without horse boat travel was much faster (and more safe).

During third trip, more to the north, I found gray-white mountains, partially granite or chalk. I spotted cows, and unfortunately also bears. At least I was able to make straw&hide bed in my base. I found many valuable resources: silver and gold, kaolinite, traces of pitchblende and small pieces of sphalerite. Still any traces of graphite though. But large amounts of chalk, after grinding and calcination, gives me fair amount of flux to start making anvils and bloomery. I expanded my house to gain place for forging.

forgestart.jpg

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Waypoints:

mappoints.png

 

 

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There was large deposit of rich limonite located at my island, unfortunately broken by the huge ravine, therefore mining was very dangerous and requires lot of supports. But at least I managed to create iron anvil. Thanks to iron grill and flint fire starter I was able to build furnace useful for calcining. It can be done also by grinding and heating on forge, but furnace is much more convenient. Unfortunately I didn't found any graphite, and because there was no way to progress into steel age, I decided to prepare some iron tools, weapons and armor.

With use of excessive amounts of bismuthine which were dig out during expanding of my house, I made some bismuth sheets which were used to make spa bath (outer pool of hot springs water was 1 meter higher than house floor).

I started also building cellar storage for food. However crops are growing constantly, they grow very slowly (year have about 360 days) and decay very quickly. They also may die if not harvested. I got also some fruits, but very little amounts, and used it to make vinegar or olive.

 

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Edited by ciekma
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During next trip to the north, I founded shelter few days away from main base. It gives me defense line against raids of dangerous creatures and safe point for exploring these areas. I tamed some cows and sheep, and took some of them back to the jungle edge base.

I found few small pieces of sphalerite, but it takes me three shafts to dig before I discovered main vein. With zinc I was able to make not only bismuth bronze, but also brass, which is useful for making springs, pistons, steam boilers etc.

I started to make some plantation near my new north located shelter but it was bad idea, morning frost devastated most of my plants. On the bright side, there was some ice needed for my cellar, pity that I forgot to bring ice saw...

I returned to the hot south, thanks to the iron, tendons and casein glue I constructed crossbow. It is very useful for removing skeletons from my pond, unfortunately is is 'single shot' device, it take very long time to reload it - but I can wait taking hot springs bath meanwhile. By the way, I covered all but one baths, because they were just annoying traps

greenwarrior.jpg

 

sphalerite.jpg

 

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crossbow.jpg

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Finally, when I returned from next exploration trip, I found graphite - funny that it was located close to my house, probably I didn't spotted this deeply buried deposit earlier because of low level of prospecting experience.

Now, after rebuilding much to narrow forge room, I was able to make small blast furnace for 8 pieces of ore. Because it was not convenient to go up and down to drop charcoal or push the bellows, I mounted dropper with button, now I can load charcoal, flux and ore without going up.

With new metal I forged chain armor and some tools, additionally with use of iron workbench I was able to make coke oven blocks (there are two kinds of coke oven, one require steel, second require refractory bricks, but I had very little amount of olive oil to treat wood planks enough to make brick mold).

I assembled coke oven at the top of the overcrowded forge, using Engineer Hammer. I'm still making charcoal in old fashioned way, but new facility gives me also creosote oil for impregnating planks.

 

graphite.jpg

dropperblastfurnace.jpg

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Edited by ciekma
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After many exhausting trips to the north and back (after tête-à-tête with bear, I lost my steel chain armour), my chests was almost filled with chalk rocks, magnetite and limonite. I found also two deposits of poor garnierite, therefore I was ready to produce black steel. I found also cinnabar - it is not useful, but I milled some to make red dye, now I have red leather armour, it is not a red steel armour, but close enough.

Firs of all, I upgraded my blast furnace: added simply circuit with comparator and repeater, now I can put ore, flux and charcoal in the dropper and it will automatically throw it into blast furnace.

I founded additional forge pit with crucible, to make alloys and catching pig iron independent.

All these ingots looks nice, but they are messy. Sometimes I trip over piles of ingots, and some ingots can be lost or the worst, whey can drop at door press plate and invite some green creatures. Therefore I used some black steel beams to make reinforced chest which can hold ingots. I forged also black steel legs armours.

 

droppercircuit.png

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Cherry trees turn to light violet, when I started hammering. They turned red (at least I can balance my diet) when I was ready to make 16 ingots of blue steel - just for first anniversary of founding first settlement here - it took me 360 days from stone age to blue steel, however I spend many of these days exploring other lands.

I made blue steel anvil and also blue steel hammer - it was not vise idea - one blue steel ingot left, I should rather make blue bucket.

Amounts of bismutine around my house would be enough to make Keifeng Tower from blue steel, If I had another resources - but I run out from iron ore and flux, my magnetite and limonite mines are also almost exhausted, time to shift to another land.

I melted black steel anvil and make few red steel sheets for crafting red crucible, I used also black steel to expand my ingots holder, they were also used to create engineering table.

Red crucible together with mold case can produce ingots, nuggets and plates directly, without tedious blacksmithing, but need heat source underneath other than forge pit. Without blue steel bucket I had no opportunity to use lava pool, but pottery kiln was enough to heat this crucible and make some nuggets and brass plates - I will use them for steam boilers. Time for some industrialization!

 

cherry.jpg

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I discovered giant sinkhole full of dangerous creatures right under my house. I don't feel safe here anymore, time to move away, much to many lava fissures around, lot of ravines, no place to build advanced industry.

I explored some neighbourhood, in south direction I found only some scattered islands with kapok trees, in west direction there is deep ocean, which can be dangerous threat during stormy night. In east direction there is another shale rock island, similar to my habitat, I found outflow of brown crude oil - it can be useful in future, but the most wanted direction is a north - with lot of magnetite, and  chalk and granite  rocks. With rest of iron I constructed musket - I thought it is worth to have modern weapon, but finally I lost both musket, black steel pickaxe and armour, during attempt to collect more spider silk strings for my new bed. Bed luck.

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I dismantled steel and blue steel anvil, bloomery doors and whole blast furnace setup, leaving only iron anvil and one crucible, just in case. Forge room is still crowded even with dismantled facilities.

Started moving to the north in summer, it took me three journeys back and forth to move most of the equipment and resources. Well, living in a south is not so bad (not counting dying from dehydration and a heat stroke), plants are growing fine, however food is constantly decaying when leaved on the table, I need to focus on technical aspects, not cutting rotten parts of food, therefore I moved far north. But I desperately need horse, iron horse or other mean of transport.

I chose strategically located place between ocean and large lake, the north outpost founded last winter is located nearby, in north-east direction.

I decided to build small castle for habitat at the top of the hill, and large factory building at flat clearing nearby. I fenced also place for crops, fruit trees and animal husbandry (bunch of cows was already waiting here).

It took me 2 weeks to transport belongings to the new place, and 2 months to organize and sort items, search for lost items, collecting materials... I lost industrial barrel with 12 buckets of creosote oil (not sure if it was placed somewhere , and spend another month gathering materials for coke oven.

Tree leafs turned brown, and I still doesn't have roof above my factory or floor in my castle (I also lost somewhere in transit my white ceddar logs and can't memorise  where these trees grown).

newnorthsettlement.jpg

 

newfactoryfounding.jpg

 

newsettlementmap.jpg

 

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I returned to the south, to pick crops and fruits. I found also underground cave located very deep, under the beach near south base, and acquired some slime, which is useful to make grease for pistons.

Unfortunately I forgot to take ladders and when I was climbing up by means of cobblestone pillar, something knocked me down. I tried to recover my belongings making parkour at attached planks, but I hit ground hard again, and again, finally I dug gutter to the sea to provide soft landing. I recovered some items but then was attacked by cave spider, and swam with saltwater.

Finally I lost many tools, armour, crops and other precious items. It take me lot of time to make some basic bronze tools, return to the north and restore all needed iron-grade tools.

Meanwhile it started to snowing in the north, I finished walls and windows of my factory, but making sloped saw-tooth roof require loot of creozote-treated wood and glass.

Initially I covered only one quarter of my industry facility with saw-tooth roof with skylights. I located here iron bloomery, forge with blue steel anvil, standard furnace and pottery furnace, blast furnace expanded to 3 levels with automatic dispenser assembled at the top of it, automatic bellows installed at the bottom, and additional forge for heating crucible for recovery solidified pig iron. Now I can produce steel more effectively. Meanwhile, creozote and charcoal is being produced in coke oven.

newforge.jpg

 

 

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what other mods are you actually using? awesome base man by the way

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1 hour ago, landryx said:

what other mods are you actually using? awesome base man by the way

Click on the link in ciekma's signature ;)

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With help of the semi-automatic blast furnace I started to collect steel sheets and other elements required to build metal caster and rolling machine. I used also brass plates casted with red crucible to make small boiler for first steam engine. With use of bronze tub, I dissolved suet in limewater and achieved some soap. Together with graphite and oil it gives source of grease alternative for slime balls.

Meanwhile I finished first floor of small castle and built shed for chickens.

 

caster_roller_parts.png

 

soap.png

 

castleunderconstruction.jpg

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thoses mods you use seems to add more dept and possibilities to the game late-game, reaching black/blue/red steel TFC1 always never felt like a necessity for me.

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On 16.04.2017 at 5:15 PM, landryx said:

thoses mods you use seems to add more dept and possibilities to the game late-game, reaching black/blue/red steel TFC1 always never felt like a necessity for me.

Indeed, in original TFC coloured steel is necessary only in case of PVP multiplayer, lower grade gear is sufficient for singleplayer against mob only. This modpack have more variety of mobs properties, some are rare but require more advanced weapons and protection. And of course coloured steels are not final product, only a gate necessary for advanced machinery and power generation.

Thanks to the survival game described here, I can tweak whole modpack to ensure, that recipes are well balanced and not flawed.

Back to the report:

I returned again back to my ugly shale south base, to retrieve crops, and dig out remains of rich haematite and graphite, and again take some oil for grease. I discovered, that fence used for keeping chickens is not working properly - now hens are walking inside my base triggering doors floor plates.

Meanwhile I dug out some peridotite rocks and achieved some minerals: olivine, serpentinite, garnets and little amount of chromite. During way back I finished bridge above sea bay, now way between bases is shorter and railway link can be established in future (however I need plenty of steel to do that).

Once back in the north 'Swallow nest" base, I was able to finish my first modern industrial facility: small steam engine with internal boiler and foundry Metal Caster. Primitive alloy furnace is able to pour tin and other alloys with low melting temperature into Refractory Container, therefore I can make now copper rods and tin gear bushing much easier than tedious forging at the anvil. But making iron and steel parts is still tricky: I need to pour molten metal from ingot mould into Refractory Container, some metal is lost, some remains in mould. Anyway, at least I got steel gears needed for Metal Rolling Machine, which can precisely roll one ingot into metal plate, thinner than these sheets forged from double ingot, but with similar functionality, or even better - together with rivets, rolled metal plates can be used for construction of tank or boiler walls.

Because steam engine is heating up very slowly, and wasting energy when heated but no more needed, I went to the north, where galena deposits were spotted, and with use of lead plates and impregnated paper, I constructed energy capacitor. Now steam engine is loading energy bank, which is connected both to the Metal Caster and Metal Rolling Machine, so there is no need to make steam for each rolling or casting process.

 

southkitchen.jpg

 

peridotite.jpg

 

lowvoltage.jpg

 

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Because I again run out of iron, (three nearby magnetite pits are already exhausted), I searched for other iron ore deposits and found mixed vein of poor limonite and normal magnetite. Using poor limonite in bloomery or blast furnace is a waste of charcoal, but I can use as alternative source of nickel, when my garnierite vein will be exhausted.

I found also small amounts of stibnite (source of antimony) and fluorite (can be further processed into cryolite), crystallized around hydrothermal vein.

Saw-tooth roof of my industrial hall is almost finished, there will be no snowy floor next winter.

mixedore.jpg

 

fluorite.jpg

 

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With use of obsolete red crucible, I constructed Foundry Induction Furnace. This device need huge amounts of energy and drain it constantly, therefore I mounted circuit breaker between Induction Furnace and capacitor, additionally I assembled 2x2x2 steam boiler and industrial steam engine. This setup is sufficient to melt copper - at least no need to forge copper wires, now I can use Forge Metal Caster to make copper rods, and Rolling Machine to make wires.

Thanks to the new setup, I constructed Dynamo, which was attached to the water wheel. Low but constant output of this renewable energy load my capacitor, there is no need to run steam engine if I want to use Rolling Machine or Metal Caster. Unfortunately, even with hot industrial engine (80 RF/t) and loaded capacitor, it is not possible to melt iron or steel (which need much more above 100 RF/t). I need more energy.

 

industrialengine.jpg

 

waterwheel.jpg

 

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Back with report transmission.

Similar to first engine, but much more amplified problems arose with industrial steam engine - it took plenty of time an fuel to heat up, but give much to low energy to melt iron or steel. I installed second energy bank and appropriate switches, now Foundry Induction Furnace can be powered from one or both capacitors, and heated up engine can spare its energy in capacitor, once melting is done.

Because winter is coming, I went again to the south to gather some crops and during this trip discovered some salmiac and malachite. Sadly no bauxite yet.

doublecapacitors.jpg

 

salmiac.jpg

 

 

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Next brick in my technology wall is the Metal Infuser - it is primarily used to infuse coal dust into liquid iron or weak steel, with liquid pig iron or high carbon black steel as an result. This method is less ore resources hungry than traditional TFC way, however it is power hungry. Therefore I placed next power generator - windmill, and connected second wire to the capacitors farm. Now I have two ready-to-use capacitors which are constantly loaded by water wheel or windmill, if I need more power, I can heat up steam engines.

infuser.jpg

 

windmill.jpg

 

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impressive base again! What is the point of having an alternate source of energy (windwill)? no more charcoal needed in the iron smelting process?

Edited by landryx
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On 13.08.2017 at 7:02 PM, landryx said:

impressive base again! What is the point of having an alternate source of energy (windwill)? no more charcoal needed in the iron smelting process?

No, modern facilities also need charcoal (alternatively they run on coke), they are just more efficient and need less attention. Energy is needed for melting metals such iron or steel to press them into moulds. Windmill and waterwheel provide constant flow of energy, which can be stored in power bank and used when needed. 

PS. next report after my return from trip to USA.

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Back to the log.

I crafted additional industrial steam engine, because Foundry Furnace is power hungry and 2x2 boiler produce enough steam for two engines. Second engine is connected to boiler using pipes and produce energy directly to Furnace.

dualsteam.jpg

Now, with heated up boilers and energy stored in both capacitors I can handle substances demanding high melting temperatures and/or specific heat, such platinum or quartzite sand, or melt continuously large amounts of iron, steel etc. Easy meltable metals demand only renewable energy stored in capacitors.

Because modern part of my metalworking plant (Foundry Melting Furnace, Foundry Cast Press, Foundry Infuser and Rolling Machine) is located at the other end of the building, whereas I still need forge and anvil, I placed cheap wooden rails and mounted chest cart on them. Now I can put hot ingots inside and push cart to the other end of the building - it is some kind of foundry transfer car :-)

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With help of Foundry Metal Infuser loaded with charcoal dust, I can now convert molten Iron into Pig Iron or Black Weak Steel into Carbon Black Steel, but without Bessemer Blast Furnace I still need old good anvil to get high quality ingots. Metal Infuser work autonomously, but very slowly and need constant energy feed.

 

Edited by ciekma
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I run out from nickel, which is important for making black and coloured steel, and for permalloy. Additionally I lost some precious metals due to crucible fail, now I have brown heap of shame in the corner of my factory.

brownie.jpg

Two poor Garnierite mines are almost exhausted, but I have plenty of poor Limonite, so I decided to extract some nickel using anodising vessel. Unfortunately there is small yield of nickel, however such small 1u clumps are convenient to combine with 15 units Garnierite.

anodisingvessel.png

I went to the west to explore new lands, but I found only salt rock formations, with some Bischofite deposits, but magnesium is not useful by now.

magnesium.jpg

 

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