I like the idea as well but the Fun Pimps have made their decision and that should be respected.
They would also have to design new models for the scrap pickaxe and the scrap shovel and that would need additional development resources.
They make new zombie models, but don't have the workpower for new scrap-tool models. I know those kind of excuses.
I don't really care for that, i just described how i'd do it. Stone tools are not that big problem for me, i just imagine those were scrap metal tools. Besids usually you wouldn't find a shovel built out of an road sign in a box of a tool shop...
By the way, to punch a car with your fist to get scrap metal is even more unrealistic than to punch a tree with your fist to get wood. But it is common in survival games to punch trees for wood.
I more likely can rip of the fender of a car with my bare hands than knock down a tree with my bare hands.
And btw, in 7d2d i don't punch trees with my fists at start. I hit those tiny little bushes that give you 1-2 wood.
One problem I see is that people are so obsessed with finding everything instead of investing the time and resources to craft something themselves. Mining and resource gathering is labeled as boring and every minute you don't kill zombies or loot is considered wasted. I think it's a pity that people rush through the game instead of enjoying slow progress.
Oh, i do both and i do not hurry. Since i go looting the early days, mainly also because i need food and dukes, my first priority is not to build iron tools. I usually skill some misc skills first (sex rex, healing factor, lotl, master chef, melee weapon i'd like to go for). For looting i don't need iron tools, basically i need iron tools first, when i go chopping wood or mine. Until i start doing that, i usually found some tools already. So imho the progression is quit good.
But man, stone tools are so fu... slow. I wanted to start my first base in one of those edge-house-ruin and need to pick away those blocks of scrap on the ground floor so that Zs couldn't run up to the 1st floor. That would have been just like 20 blocks to be removed, but it almost took 1-2 minutes with a stone axe and constantly running out of stamina (that would have been even worse with iron tools) for 1 block, so i lost interest and stopped the game as soon as it started. That's why i want to start not just with iron tools as starter equipment, but also with some skillpoints.
I have looked at the XML files and it would be no problem to make a mod that allows this kind of quick start. The inventory of the player is defined in the entityclasses.xml and the number of points you get for the starter quest is defined in the quests.xml. It would be no problem to add XP to the 4 points you get for the Starter Quest that are enough to have a gamestage high enough for the Iron Age and to add some iron tools to your inventory. But I don't know yet how to define the quality of the items.
Yep, the quality is one problem, also when using creative menu. Because i still want to start with lvl1 tools.
