What is the point of concrete when we have steel blocks now?

[myrkana]

Im on day 22, building our first real horde base. We see the steel blocks are a thing. Why make a base out of concrete when steel is so much better and just easier to make?

[theFlu]

You can use both

 

Steel "for bases" is mostly limited by crucible and the willingness to harvest the iron, Concrete Mix comes pretty cheap from POIs and the trader sells some.

The steel you get "for free" is quite rare and often goes towards other things like vehicles and weapons.

 

I don't think the balance between them is bad atm. But if you have heaps of steel, then sure, there's no need to use concrete for anything.

 

Just don't misplace things

[Andy Red]

Some of it has to do with RNG, some with how you perk, some of it has to do with your playstyle, and some of has to do with if you're playing solo or as a group. Everyone's experience will differ.

I'm on day 115, solo playing and still on Concrete. I don't see it as limiting or me being behind, as concrete durability wise is standing up perfectly fine for the current BM's and my game stage. I only just unlocked the Crucible a day or two ago.

[Old Crow]

Steel blocks have been a thing for a while now. Great for a quick build, but I'd rather upgrade from concrete to steel for the experience points.

[pApA^LeGBa]

Well good for you. We don´t have a crucible yet on day 24. I started building that big hordebase to use after our initial one on day 12 already even though we won´t need it before day 28. No steel that early and upgrading gives you XP. A lot of them. Also you get a lot of stone anyways when mining and afaik steel blocks do take ages to craft, so i rather upgrade instead.

 

And in SP you can go with concrete for a long time. You actually only really need steel once the demolishers show up wich is usually on day 49 or 56 and even then you can go without steel if you aim carefully and have more than one path to your position.

Edited July 10, 2023 by pApA^LeGBa (see edit history)

[Old Crow]

7 hours ago, pApA^LeGBa said:

Well good for you. We don´t have a crucible yet on day 24. I started building that big hordebase to use after our initial one on day 12 already even though we won´t need it before day 28. No steel that early and upgrading gives you XP. A lot of them. Also you get a lot of stone anyways when mining and afaik steel blocks do take ages to craft, so i rather upgrade instead.

 

 

We didn't either. But if you have at least a wrench, you can get steel from street lights. broken vending machines. gas pumps. You don't need a crucible for steel - just for mass-producing it. One Day 24 though yes concrete is plenty.

[pApA^LeGBa]

@Old Crow Heh. Yeah. I know. But wrenching steel for a 5 player hordebase that needs to deal with 64 zombies is not really possible. We usually get demos on day 28 in MP Coop.

 

But i should get to the crucible before day 28, i have 4 forges full with iron and clay so i just need to craft the steel and upgrade the base. We should be fine even with concrete for that night though. That is if no elite demolisher shows up (modded in elite zombies to spice things up a bit) then we are f´d if one of those blows.

Edited July 10, 2023 by pApA^LeGBa (see edit history)

[PoppaSmirk]

12 hours ago, pApA^LeGBa said:

@Old Crow Heh. Yeah. I know. But wrenching steel for a 5 player hordebase that needs to deal with 64 zombies is not really possible. We usually get demos on day 28 in MP Coop.

 

But i should get to the crucible before day 28, i have 4 forges full with iron and clay so i just need to craft the steel and upgrade the base. We should be fine even with concrete for that night though. That is if no elite demolisher shows up (modded in elite zombies to spice things up a bit) then we are f´d if one of those blows.

Day 28:  2 Demolishers.  Day 31: Crucible.  Day 35:  7 Demolishers.  Me:  Running and leaping off the back Platform of My Watchtower as a Demolisher countdown ticks.  Comments after Horde Night was done and we examined the Horde Base for Damage:   "You're gonna need a bigger boat!!"  

 

Side Note:  Traders are giving Forged Steel now as rewards with some quests,  I had 127 pieces of Forged Steel stockpiled on Day 31 when I found the Crucible schema.  Just didn't have enough "magazine readin"  to build a motorcycle.

 

 

[Riamus]

The biggest reason is that for most players, concrete is far easier to make early game than forged steel.  Sure, you can scrap certain things and the quest rewards include enough for a whole 2.5 blocks but unless you have a very small base, you'll need to craft forged steel and that requires a crucible that you usually won't unlock for a while.  Once unlocked and if you want to mine a lot of iron, you can easily do steel for your base.  Until then, concrete is a great option.

 

And, as mentioned, steel blocks aren't new.

Edited July 11, 2023 by Riamus (see edit history)

[Gazz]

You get quite a bit of XP upgrading concrete to steel and placement mistakes are 1/2 as hard to fix.

[myrkana]

We unlocked the crucible before day 21. The books make it really easy to get those types of things quick, 75 workstation books came super quick.

[Ray Garraty]

On 7/10/2023 at 3:21 PM, myrkana said:

Why make a base out of concrete when steel is so much better and just easier to make?

If you do underground mining, you'll soon be drowning in stone stacks. It would be a shame not to use them, and the only use that comes to mind is to turn them into concrete.