Firemaking and Campfires in ApeScape
Before a player can cook over an open flame, someone needs to create the fire.
Firemaking is being designed as a separate ApeScape skill that supports Cooking, exploration, wilderness survival, and future heat-based professions.
Firemaking and Cooking Are Separate Skills
Lighting a Campfire will provide Firemaking experience. Preparing food will provide Cooking experience.
The two systems are connected, but they represent different actions and progression paths.
A skilled cook may still need help from an experienced Firemaker when traveling through dangerous or remote areas. A player may also train both skills and become completely self-sufficient.
The Level-1 Campfire
The Campfire will serve as the first heated Cooking station available to new players.
It will support appropriate open-fire methods such as:
- Roasting
- Grilling
- Toasting
- Reheating
- Basic frying with a frying pan
- Basic boiling with a Cooking pot
The Campfire will not replace an oven, drink station, freezer, or advanced steamer. Recipes must be compatible with open-fire Cooking before they can be prepared there.
Lighting a Fire
Creating a Campfire may require resources such as:
- Tinder
- Kindling
- Logs or another fuel source
- An ignition tool
- A valid placement location
The authoritative game system will verify the materials, Firemaking level, placement permissions, interaction range, and current Campfire state.
The client will not be able to spawn or ignite a working Campfire without approval from the game authority.
Fuel and Burn Duration
Campfires will remain active for a limited amount of time.
Players may be able to add fuel to extend that duration. Higher Firemaking levels can eventually improve ignition reliability, lighting speed, fuel efficiency, or maximum burn time.
When a Campfire runs out of fuel, it will become unlit or expire according to the world-object rules.
Campfire Placement
Player-built Campfires will need valid placement locations. They should not be placeable inside blocked geometry, underwater, on protected NPCs, on spawn points, inside other stations, or in areas where world-object placement is forbidden.
A permanent Campfire will be placed in the starter village so new players can learn the system without first building a wilderness camp.
The Starter Tutorial
The Cooking Trainer will guide new players through the first connected Firemaking and Cooking experience:
- Gather or receive fuel.
- Light the starter Campfire.
- Earn Firemaking experience.
- Select a Campfire-compatible recipe.
- Prepare the food.
- Earn Cooking experience.
- Inspect or eat the finished meal.
The Campfire gives ApeScape a visible and social survival object. A fire in the wilderness tells players that someone has passed through, established a camp, or prepared for a journey.