Pottery: A fresh look

[Jilliana]

Hi!

I was attempting to learn how to do the pottery thing and it seems that the help wiki isn't quite up to date.

It doesn't mention a thing about tempering the clay. The only mention of this is in the pottery items wiki.

If I'm missing something, let me know!

[Maina]

It has been a while since I have done Pottery, but I recall Tempered Clay being just a recipe. The same as a clay jar or mold is. It is just an intermediary recipe, like knapping flakes before knapping arrowheads.

It should show up in your recipe list. It is not listed in the wiki because it is a recipe like any other. No special precedure required.

[Jilliana]

Well well.

That's what I was missing. Perhaps the pottery wiki can mention a recipe because I wouldn't have known otherwise.

Thanks so much!

[Squeak]

Since it was brought up, perhaps a change like this would be satisfactory? (Additions are in Bold)

From the wiki:

Pottery is the shaping of TEMPERED clay into useful objects. Tempered clay (Recipe Info Tempered Clay) can be crafted through the following process:

See Pottery Items for a list of items that can be crafted via the Pottery skill.
See Metalcast Items for a list of items that potters can make a clay mold of for use in metalcasting.

==Gathering Clay and Sand==

What you'll need:
A digging implement, preferably a shovel
Knowledge of areas in which to dig for sand and clay

Steps:
# go to a place to dig for sand or clay.
# dig for sand or clay.

==Shaping==

What you'll need:
Some sand
Some clay
A nearby filled water vessel (bucket, barrel, jar, etc.)
A table or similar surface to put wet projects on to let them dry.
Two hands to shape the clay.

Steps:
# Use SHAPE MAKE <PROJECT> to shape the tempered clay into the desired form.
# put the finished piece ON a surface like a table and allow it to dry for an hour or so.
# Wonder why this isn't more complicated.

==Notes==
Pottery is still in its early stage. Glazing and firing in kilns will come later in development.

[Jilliana]

Indeed. That's the very wiki I've been looking at. Maybe to some folks the steps might be obvious, but quite frankly, I found it to be missing some things...thus the reason for this thread.

I appreciate the efforts in assisting me.

[Dennis]

SHAPE CLAY and SHAPE doesn't spit back out what you can do with things, which can really throw off a novice potterer. I believe it's just SHAPE CLAY MAKE TEMPERED CLAY to get the first step tempered clay, and I had more help with HELP POTTERY ITEMS and RECIPE INFO/RECIPE KNOWN for the syntaxes for the other pottery items.

Once done, put wet item on table and wait a few minutes (not hours, thank god.) to retrieve delicious pottery items.

Molds are done with SHAPE CLAY MAKE MOLD TARGET <THING>.

It's also easier than ever to turn clay into tempered clay thanks to clay and sand now bundling on the ground instead of going into buckets as single items. Just gather what you need and carry the tempered clay back home.