Building and lighting a fire

[DiscosDead]

Yes, I just started this game, and yes I'm frustrated by the lack of in-game help.

So, I'm trying to build a simple fire because it seems as though it will be important to be able to do so - progress, but no success. I've searched and searched and learned what fires can be made of and what can light them - but still no success.

Here is what I've done so far:
1. Crafted an axe
2. Chopped wood into blocks
3. Collected branches and leaves for tinder
4. Crafted tinder drills
5. I think I've built a woodpile, but I'm not sure because: 1. It's not like you can click on it and get a message that says "woodpile," AND everything I've read says select tinder drill, move it over an object that can be lit and right click to light. I have tried that, and nothing happens (though occasionally the tinder drill simply disappears forever). I've also tried to equip the tinder drill in my character's hand - but apparently that is not allowed because again, nothing happens.

So, please, please tell me step-by-step how to get from nothing to fire.

[ysbryd]

Hmm, not sure whats going on here.
Try building a fireplace.. 10 stones.. then fill with fuel and place tinder drill on cursor and right click the fireplace. Pixel can be very small so move around a bit to make sure. Try and then come back with results?

[ysbryd]

Oh and make sure your biles are all pretty full or your tinder drill will just break

[lachlaan]

Keep an eye on your grey bar, which is your phlegm. You need phlegm to perform a lot of the actions ingame, and lighting a fire is one of them (at least using a tinder drill). You should have at least 3-4 points of phlegm available when you start trying to light it at the very least, the full 5 being preferable. The thing that comes to mind however is that the piles of wood don't look a whole lot different when lit, and you might not notice it actually being lit. To use a fire you need to right click it and then not move away from it by accident with WSAD or by clicking. Just try roasting some rabbit meat or whatever you can cook using the fire, might already be lit :\

[kruskdamangled]

Or you can wait till you can build your own nice stove, and light that, and keep it full of fuel. Or join a group of people who have lit fires/a stove. I remember having to deal with my own fire in a firepit with tinder drills.

But I guess for the interim, get a torch, and keep THAT lit. I have mid range profs and skills and that would still be the easier way if I didn't have regular access to a stove.

[BubbaMKII]

Build a stove...
Why don't you tell him to make flint and tinder, i'm sure he has a mine and a smelter since he just started.

To answer your question....

When you build a woodpile, a sign will appear.
You click on the sign and a box will appear showing you need 4 branches to build it.
Place the branches in that box (in ender client, scroll down with the mouse pointer in the box and it will add them from your inv.)
Click build.
You have now built a woodpile.
Click your tinderdrill in your inv so it is under your cursor and right click the woodpile.
When it gets to 100%, voila, you now have made a fire.
Good luck.

[DiscosDead]

Dear Players,

Thanks so much for the tips! Sorry for the delay in my gratitude, I was expecting an email to notify me when responses were written.

I will try out your methods as soon as I can. I currently have a new issue that I hope resolves itself. We had a tremendous windstorm that knocked out power (and my wireless internet) for a bit, and now when I try to log in to Salem it informs me that I am already logged in - but does not give me the option to log out and then back in again. I'm hoping that after a bit the server/game will figure out that I've been inactive and automatically boot me so that I can log in again.

I'll post a quick note when I have a fire success story to share, and again, thank you all very much for the help!

[lachlaan]

I assume you're on Jamestown, and if you are then you should know that it's the server that crashed, and when it crashes with people online the login server doesn't get any sort of "going offline message", so you're stuck in "already logged in" limbo, you should keep an eye on the server status page at the top of the forums page.

[DiscosDead]

Lachlaan,

I don't know what they're paying you, but it isn't enough. Thanks once again.