Project Zomboid

Project Zomboid

Spiffo's Workshop
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Build 42 mod request
Hopefully I am placing this request in the right place, but I am looking for a mod which expands Build 42's primitive survival mechanics. In my opinion there is far too much emphasis on using a tent and skipping directly to building wooden shelters with logs and planks. But this is too direct of a jump. I'm wanting the ability to create those intermediate levels of structures. I have some examples below.

Thatch houses:
Walls are made of vertical supports made from tree branches, large branches, Saplings. With tree branches and twigs interwoven between the vertical supports. Thatch roofs made from sapplings and branches in the same way, finished with grass cuttings to stop the rain and snow from getting in. These huts can stop the wind, sun, rain and snow, but should not offer much, if any, defense from the heat or cold. Low wall fences made from this method will stop domestic animals, and slow zomboids, and rabbits, but rodents can pass through the cracks and other wild animals can either jump over them or break through them. Players and zomboids jumping over these low walls have a chance to break these fences. The grass cuttings used in the roof will wash out of the weave over time, causing leaks in the roof.

Mud houses:
Starting with a thatch house, buckets of mud (sack of dirt and a bucket of water) can be added to the walls, and over time dry. This adds insulation to the building, but over time the mud is washed away by the rain, and will eventually need replaced. The fences made from this are slightly stronger, but can still be broken when vaulted. Rodents that cannot climb walls can no longer pass through these.

Daub houses:
An upgrade from mud houses, using clay cement instead of simple mud to cover the wattled walls. This daub can be made not to wash off by building a fire nearby, using a propane torch, or a primitive torch to heat the daub and harden it.

Metal sheet roofing:
By angling and affixing metal sheets over the top of the thatch roof, grass cuttings are no longer required to stop roof leaks. These sheets last much longer, and do eventually rust through, once again leaking, but they last so much longer that it won't be a concern in most playthroughs.

Plastered daub or hide daub:
In order to increase insulation further to the walls, wall plaster or animal hides can be attached to the walls. Plaster also would allow the walls to be painted.

Stone-shingled roofs or sod roofs:
To finally curb the leaky roofs, players can place stone shingles over the metal sheets, which can be made using stone blocks, a mason's chisel (or stone chisel) and a hammer or stone. Alrernatively they can use a pitchfork, metal rake, or spade on a grass square on the ground to make a roll of grass sod. They then can lay out tarps (2x2 squares), garbage bags (1x2 squares), plastic bags (1x1 square), waxed sheets(2x2 squares) or waxed rags (4 rags to a square) on their roof, and put the sod on top of it. This will maximize insulation when combined with hardened daub walls with hide lining. The sheets and rags can be waxed using a cooking pot and soap, candles, tallow, lard, or beeswax (if they are each in the game respectively). The grass sod stops the rain and wind from removing the waterproof coverings, and can alternatively have stone shingles placed over them to weigh them down. They are needed for the grass sod roofing as the sod would not stop water from passing through.

These thatch and mud/daub constructions can also be used to make some furniture items, but those with inventory would hold half as much weight as a proper wooden version. Bookshelves, crates, cabinets (without doors), tables, chairs, and raised beds. Also these beds as well as standard cots that already exist in game should have an inventory like a tent does to add sleeping bags, mattresses, and pillows to improve sleeping quality.

Also, if it does not already exist in the game, woven thatch flooring made of twigs and grass cuttings, and animal hide flooring. And also Tipis as an alternative to tents, which can have firepits, cots or sleeping bags, and other items inside to improve sleeping and living quality. Though these would need to be crafted from wooden rods and animal hides for a small one, which can only fit bedding materials. Or logs and animal hides to make larger ones which can fit a firepit and other items inside. During winter, snow blocks and thus igloos should be available as a temporary shelter solution, which needs a cot to sleep and can fit sleeping improvements and a firepit as well.

I have many other ideas to expand the primitive survival stuff at the beginning as well, but unfortunately do not have the knowledge or patience to make these mods for myself. If anyone does or has make/made a mod for these ideas, please link them in the discussion replies.