I think after inspecting 10 workbenches one of them should have worked

[ElCabong]

Now this could be bad luck. But the game is forcing me to put points in intelligence. I am putting points into bow and I can't make bows and putting points into leather armor and I can't make the armor. I should have been able to find a working workbench by now.

[Roland]

Super Duper bad luck if after inspecting 10 workbenches not only were all of them destroyed but none of them had a workbench schematic. The probability is supposed to be pretty good. Not sure what you did to offend RNGesus but either repent of your 7 Days sinfulness or go find a trader and hope they can sell you what you need.

[meganoth]

I actually think they improved the probabilities compared to A18. In A18 it was faaaar to good, half the workstations at a trader were working. Now it seems it will be a nice surprise if even one is working

 

And IMO that is as it should be. We have a perk for that and the perk should be good for something, right?

 

[Kirtonos]

I had this same experience. In fact, it was fairly global to all work stations. Of the first 20ish I came across, only a single workbench was operational. That is certainly a much lower observed probability. Only one had a schematic (cement mixer). Granted, it could have been the work of RNG. I'll have more data when I start a few more new runs.

[Kyonshi]

The game is "forcing" you to... no, its not. That's just a random bad luck. Why dont you go along with the sudden challenge? Shift your initial plan, it could be more fun than you think. Or... would you be forcing the game to give you what you want?

[ADaks]

The first workbench I found worked. Sorry about your crummy luck! Sometimes it's just that. 
I generally am the "homemaker" of my group and put all my points into engineering and such anyway, though, so I can't really speak for what the odds were in 18 since my group would do most of the exploring and I'd end up making the bench and whatnot from scratch. 

None of the machines at our nearest trader worked but that happened in 18 a lot, too.

[ElCabong]

4 hours ago, Kyonshi said:

The game is "forcing" you to... no, its not. That's just a random bad luck. Why dont you go along with the sudden challenge? Shift your initial plan, it could be more fun than you think. Or... would you be forcing the game to give you what you want?

Nope. This is like finding calipers used to be. You could get the ability to make ammo but you couldn't make ammo until you found the calibers. it doesn't make sense to me to put points into things that are require a workbench until I find a workbench and that might require a level 30 or 40 just like finding calipers.

 

So I started a new game and adjusting my game play. I've inspected 3 workstation so far and none of them have worked. 10 workstations of all types and just one of them, a forge, has worked. if this is like alpha 18 then I will probably be able to find the workstation recipe from a traitor or just loot it sometime level 20s.

[Boidster]

5 hours ago, meganoth said:

I actually think they improved the probabilities compared to A18. In A18 it was faaaar to good, half the workstations at a trader were working. Now it seems it will be a nice surprise if even one is working

My first trader:

• Trader Jen hubba hubba I think she likes me
• Working workbench
• Working forge

[JCrook1028]

21 hours ago, Boidster said:

My first trader:

• Trader Jen hubba hubba I think she likes me
• Working workbench
• Working forge

Ditto. Tho I still had a forge at my base by D3.

[ElCabong]

The count is now up to 20. But I looted the schematic at 15. Still check just to see how long it's going to take.

[myrkana]

my trader has nothing working xD it made me super sad but I like the area so I guess I'll just have to buy the recipes or stations I need.

 

Searching 10 benches and not finding one working is super bad luck, I usually find one out of 4 or 5 that is working.

[cammel]

Started my first game, opened the trash bag that was at my spawn point. Got sewing kit and 2 duct tape. Walked about 250m found second trash bag, I opened it and it had workbench schematic. Then got the forge schematic in the first forge I opened. All dumb luck.

[Kosmic Kerman]

I'm having a similar experience. I've found no working workstations yet, no schematics have dropped, and neither of my traders have offered any workstation schematics. For the first time since A17 I've put a point in intellect to craft a forge.  I'm still holding out for the workbench schematic though. Before spending a skill point on the forge, I bought the crucible schematic from the trader and looted a crucible, an anvil, and two bellows. Go figure! 

[Auger]

Just bad luck.  1st workbench I found was working , or maybe i was just super lucky?