Dew Collector Upgrade Suggestion

[Slaps]

Dew collectors should fill up faster when it is raining. The fact that it doesn't is largely unrealistic and equally as disappointing.

 

[SylenThunder]

A dew collector isn't catching rain though. And the rain water likely isn't safe, just like the river water isn't safe. 

 

[zztong]

A dew collector shaped like that would certainly collect rain. My understanding is a real life dew collector is intended for places where it doesn't rain very often, which is why in those locations they don't call it a rain water collector. Yes, I realize harvesting dew depends upon dew forming on the plastic and that's different than rain falling onto the plastic. It's still a large funnel. It will also collect bird poop if given the chance.

We don't see rain water collectors shaped like that because usually we've engineered some more convenient and permanent collection method. For instance, my grandparents farm collected rainwater from the roof of the house and channeled it into a cistern. My own house here in the city has a small cistern the previous owner used to water the garden.

I agree that rainwater isn't potable water. I'd also argue, despite the filter, the dew collector shouldn't turn out potable water either, but I'd certainly rather drink either before I'd want to drink pond water.

 

[Syphon583]

Dew collectors should fill up faster when it is raining. The fact that it doesn't is largely unrealistic and equally as disappointing.

While it is a little unfortunate, there's a very specific reason why they called it a dew collector and not a rain collector (and no, it's not for game balancing/lore reasons):

It simply comes down to a technical inability to make it happen easily. Faatal (one of the lead devs) has stated that while possible, it would take a lot of work to do based on how weather is tracked in-game. I suppose it's possible they make the change one day, but I see it as unlikely. They way it is implemented is reliable from a technical and game-play standpoint.

 

[meilodasreh]

The fact that it doesn't is largely unrealistic

pfft. Realism again.

The really unrealistic thing about it is not how it does or does not catch whatever type of water,

but that it automatically materializes a jar/bottle around the collected fluid.

Well at least that explains that the filter cannot be just crafted from plant fiber, sand and coal, but is a "find only" thing.

The filter must include some 9th-dimensional molecule converter, that sucks the jar over from a parallel universe, just as long as there's some fluid left in it, and then dematerializes it back to where it came.

Maybe that's the yet-to-be-revealed background story to where the zombies originated?

Some scientist tried to invent an infinite source of glass jars by messing around with opening gates to different realms of space and time?

...yeah well, I'd buy it. Sounds realistic enough for me, playing a game set in a zombie apocalypse.