Reviresco wrote:Basically: You want convenient access to water, ESPECIALLY if you plan on mining. Other stuff is a bonus. Again, though, I'm not a long-time veteran player or anything.
I would say that water is the most inconvenient if you're not near it. By near it, I mean right next to it. It has to do with sifting specifically because you can always use a well water for gardening and tubs and etc. Not being able to sift conveniently will leave you without an easy way to get glass panes, goldflakes, and gems. Mainly glass panes as they are basically necessary for most middle-game or end-game(whatever u want to say it is) products like Potions, Brick Townhouse, Cupboards, Fine Leather. Looking through the Tradewinds forum, you will find that most traders are looking to buy glass panes and the ones who are selling them are regularly out of stock.
Water or not water also has to do with your other question. You can have as many claims as you want. Only one can be your homestead at any time and, no, you can't move them once they are placed. You can only declaim them or extend their borders. So if you want easy, self-reliable access to glass, you can build on a water source now or choose to do so at a later date when you find you need glass. Most likely anything you built on your claim can be easily rebuilt on another claim when this time comes.
As far as biomes go, I have seen about 15% of the map, and my experience is that Confiferous and Swamp are the only two that I find few and far between. The others are abundantly everywhere. Every Swamp Ive come across is a fraction of the minimap in size, so I'm confident this is the same in all of Salem. I can't be sure if rare Coniferous is Salem-wide. Basically, biomes, come out come out whereever you are, was a main concern of mine when I was started as well, but I have found that it mattered none in the long run.
Flat land and water-side are the two things that I would consider to be most important location-wise. Digging is a pain in the ass. If you stick around for a long time, the possibilities with alt characters and multiple claimed lands in different locations will render any considerations you have now null and void.