Books

Fun for that survivor just trying to get by! Essential for those that want to make it past tomorrow. The illiterate think these are excellent as a fire starter for that next gas station.

Books can raise skills, contain essential crafting recipes. They have a required intelligence skill, a morale modifier, and a read time.

Skill gain

The percentage of a skill level that you will gain from reading is randomly chosen in a range from a minimum of "time / 10 + current intelligence / 4", to a maximum of "time / 5 + current intelligence / 2 - current skill level". Minimal number cannot be lower than 1, maximal number cannot be lower than 2 or higher than 10. So you will need to read a book at least ten times to level up the skill. Skill gained via reading ate not penalized by your focus pool but non-fun books will drain your focus periodically until your character’s focus became too low to read anything. Focus gain/loss while reading is dependent on a book’s fun factor and therefore it is recommended for the player to read some Recreational Literature in between study/learning sessions

Recipes

Before 0.D (Danny), you could learn recipes by reading books. Nowadays you can only learn recipes by successfully doing the recipe. Just keep crafting, and eventually you no longer need the cookbook. The book can then be disassembled for paper, or used in a fire.

When you examine a book, any recipes in it will be listed, these will be color coded:

• A "white" recipe name means you have memorized the recipe.
• A "Dark Gray" means you have not memorized it yet.
• A "Brown" means that some skill levels are not high enough for you to perform the recipe.

Reading requirement

Your character will refuse to read anything if his or her morale is lower than -40 or if it is too dark. Note that the Night Vision mutations do not help in darkness. To read at night you should use a flashlight, a candle or some other kind of fire, or seek out the glow of a terminal. In shadowy conditions reading time is increased.

The Intelligence requirement is a guideline: if yours is lower, it'll take you longer to read the book. No big deal.

The best places to find books are libraries, labs, and mansions.

Book colors

Book color coding:

Red: Book has never been read by this character (R)ead once to skim book and learn more about it

Blue: You can currently read this book for skill levels, might have memorable recipes as well.

Yellow: books that have recipes you don't know, but that you can't gain any more skill from because your skill is too high. It is usually a waste of time to read Yellow books that are below your level. Normally you are better off just keeping them near your crafting area so you can craft the non-memorized recipes until you learn them at your convenience. If you are below the needed min skill level, keep it nearby for when you aren't. Depending on your plans you may be better off crafting your way though the book instead of reading it. (such as if you are going to craft enough appropriate level things to skill though it anyways)

Magenta: Book may have recipes or not, but is too high skill level for you. It is a good idea to keep these books if you don't have intentions to mass craft through these levels.

Grey: You have learned everything this book has to offer. - Even when books are grey its a good idea to leave them laying in the corner in case you die and a new character finds your loot. Also if you play with skill rust on, you can re-read it if your skill level drops to low. If you play with skill rust off and auto deleting worlds you might as well use it for firewood. they tend to burn fairly well and can be used one last time to make you some delicious stomach filling food (or other fire crafting recipes)

Item Browser

The Item Browser has an index of books grouped by similar skills: Just for fun, Ranged combat, Close Quarters Combat, Engineering, Crafts, Social and Survival.

	Name	R	Pr	Vo	We	Dam	Hit	Type	RQ	IR	LV	Fun	T
?	Playboy	0	30	1	60	-3	1	none	0	0	0	1	10
?	tactical baton defense manual	0	200	1	454	-5	0	bashing	0	3	3	0	18