@kandrinchae : Thanks, this is a good idea for item balancing. I'll do this on the next mod update

Adding algae to the medkit would also make some sense - organics to make beneficial bacteria/microbes and silver since silver has antimicrobial properties. I wouldnt think a lot need be added - just a touch.

@crimson @chase.nx7 : Thank you very much for your ideas and comments, I have just modified the recipe.

so the radiation kit should need maybe 4 algea packs?
im ok with that xD

Granted, that was just an example — it doesn’t have to be 15 kg of iodine. It could just as easily be 3 or 5 kg. That would still slow things down enough so you can’t instantly craft a kit on the spot, while keeping the requirement manageable. Plus, it adds a practical reason to maintain a few algae farms even after progressing to more advanced food sources.

I really like this idea, though I think it would be neat if the recipe for the radiation kit were tweaked a little.

Irl, radiation protection kits use iodine (technically potassium iodide, but it’s still iodine). If we could synthesize iodine from algae — say, 0.01 kg per unit processed — it would keep players from shrugging off rads whenever they want. With 15 kg of iodine required to craft a kit, that means processing 1500 algae.

That number becomes the time-balancing factor: it takes effort to stockpile enough, unless you invest in a massive algae farm to shorten the cycle. It adds pacing to the gameplay, making rad storms matter, while still giving players a way to speed things up if they put in the work.

For context, medicinal iodine is a chalky white mineral; it works by flooding your thyroid with stable iodine, preventing radioactive iodine from being absorbed.