Recreation
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Recreation is a stat: Recreation is the need to have fun. Repeating the same kind of activity makes it less fun, so variety is necessary.
Recreation is one of a colonist's needs. Prisoners, visitors, enemy pawns, animals, and slaves
do not have the recreation need.
Colonists gain recreation in two ways:
- Consuming something pleasurable, such as chocolate or beer.
- Doing an activity, such as playing horseshoes or watching television
Colonists may do recreation activities when their timetable allows. Some activities require nothing more than an allotted time while certain activities require the relevant building or item. Certain items can only be purchased from traders. Some activities have an added benefit of improving skill experience points. Colonists develop an increasing tolerance, or resistance, to a kind of activity the more it is done. Tolerances are shown in the Recreation tooltip (hover the mouse over the recreation meter) and are listed by kind and percentage. A variety of kinds of activities should be made available to avoid tolerance buildup. Currently there are 9 types of recreation - solitary relaxation, social interaction, television watching, cerebral play, dexterity play, music, telescope study, chemical and food consumption.
Injured colonists will only ever engage in recreational activities that can be done in bed, namely watching television. A television is therefore a good investment for every hospital.
Recreation Needs
Recreation thresholds
The recreation meter has thresholds that trigger mood-altering thoughts. No thoughts are triggered from 30% to 69%.
| Threshold | Label | Mood Effect | Thought |
|---|---|---|---|
| 85 - 100 | Recreation fully satisfied | +10 | I've been enjoying myself so much, I love it! |
| 70 - 85 | Recreation satisfied | +5 | I've been having a great time doing various things I like to do. |
| 15 - 30 | Recreation unfulfilled | −5 | I could really use a break for something enjoyable. |
| 0 - 15 | Recreation deprived | −10 | We need more variation in recreation activities, and i need time to enjoy them. This place is really dull. |
| 0 | Recreation-starved | −20 | It's been so long since I did anything for fun on my own time. |
Recreation tolerance
Colonists develop an increasing tolerance, or resistance, to specific types of recreation the more it is performed. Tolerances are shown in the Recreation tooltip (hover the mouse over the recreation meter) and are listed by kind and percentage. A variety of kinds of activities should be made available to avoid tolerance buildup.
Recreation tolerance reduces joy gained proportionally. Recreation tolerance gained is 2/3 of the recreation value increase from the activity. For instance, A colonist consuming 4 units of chocolate at 0% gluttonous tolerance would gain 40% joy and 26.7% gluttonous tolerance. Eating another 4 immediately would only provide 73.3% of 40% or 29.3% joy gain and 2/3 of 29.3% or 19.6% gluttonous tolerance. Recreation tolerance only increases when an action increases joy.
Recreation tolerance decreases while awake at a rate dependent on the wealth of the colony, with higher wealth colonies needing more recreation variety to combat the lower rate of tolerance decrease. It has 6 stages at different wealth values.
Additionally, conceited nobles 
have Noble and Royal Expectations at the ranks of Baron and Count respectively. These expectations replace the effects of regular expectations. Note that despite only being seen in-game with the Royalty DLC activated, these expectations are defined in the Core game.
Finally, Ideoligious Roles can increase the expectations of the pawn by two levels, so a pawn that would normally have Low Expectations would then have High Expectations. To prevent these "going off the scale", at High and Sky-High, Elite and Supreme are used instead. Note that despite only being seen in-game with the Ideology DLC activated, these expectations are defined in the Core game.
| Name | Wealth Limits | Recreation Tolerance Loss/Day |
Num. of Recommended Recreation Types |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extremely low expectations | 0 - 15,000 | 18% | 2 |
| Very low expectations | 15,000 - 31,000 | 13% | 3 |
| Low expectations | 31,000 - 81,000 | 11% | 3 |
| Moderate expectations | 81,000 - 182,000 | 10% | 4 |
| High expectations | 182,000 - 308,000 | 8% | 5 |
| Sky-high expectations | 308,000 - 1,000,000,000 | 7% | 6 |
| Noble expectations |
N/A | 7% | 6 |
| Royal expectations |
N/A | 7% | 6 |
| Elite expectations |
See above | 7% | 6 |
| Supreme expectations |
See above | 7% | 6 |
Activities table
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| Activity | Duration | Gain Rate | Recreation kind | Interaction | Improves Skill | +XP Per Tick |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skygazing | 4,000 ticks (1.11 mins) | 1 | Solitary relaxation | Solitary | - | - |
| Meditating | 4,000 ticks (1.11 mins) | 1 | Solitary relaxation | Solitary | - | - |
| Praying | 3,000 ticks (50 secs) | 1 | Solitary relaxation | Solitary | - | - |
| Going for a walk | 8,000 ticks (2.22 mins) | 1 | Solitary relaxation | Solitary | - | - |
| Building snowman | 8,000 ticks (2.22 mins) | 1 | Solitary relaxation | Solitary | - | - |
| Visiting grave | 4,000 ticks (1.11 mins) | 1 | Solitary relaxation | Building | - | - |
| Viewing art | 4,000 ticks (1.11 mins) | 1 | Solitary relaxation | Building | - | - |
| Relaxing socially | 4,000 ticks (1.11 mins) | 1 | Social interaction | Social | - | - |
| Cheering up patient <NAME> | 1,500 ticks (25 secs) | 1 | Social interaction | Social | - | - |
| Playing horseshoes[1] | 4,000 ticks (1.11 mins) | 1 | Dexterity play | Building | Shooting | 0.003 |
| Playing hoopstone ring[2] | 4,000 ticks (1.11 mins) | 1 | Dexterity play | Building | Shooting | 0.003 |
| Playing chess[1] | 4,000 ticks (1.11 mins) | 1 | Cerebral play | Building | Intellectual | 0.002 |
| Playing the game of Ur[2] | 4,000 ticks (1.11 mins) | 0.8 | Cerebral play | Building | Intellectual | 0.0015 |
| Playing billiards | 4,000 ticks (1.11 mins) | 1.3 | Dexterity play | Building | Shooting | 0.004 |
| Playing poker | 4,000 ticks (1.11 mins) | 1.3 | Cerebral play | Building | Intellectual | 0.004 |
| Using telescope[3][4] | 4,000 ticks (1.11 mins) | 1.2 | Telescope study | Building | Intellectual | 0.004 |
| Watching television[4] | 4,000 ticks (1.11 mins) | 1.2 | Television watching | Building | - | - |
| Watching flatscreen television[4] | 4,000 ticks (1.11 mins) | 1.4 | Television watching | Building | - | - |
| Watching megascreen television[3][4] | 4,000 ticks (1.11 mins) | 1.6 | Television watching | Building | - | - |
| Playing harp |
4,000 ticks (1.11 mins) | 1 | Music | Building | Artistic | 0.0015 |
| Playing harpsichord |
4,000 ticks (1.11 mins) | 1 | Music | Building | Artistic | 0.0015 |
| Playing piano |
4,000 ticks (1.11 mins) | 1 | Music | Building | Artistic | 0.0015 |
| Meditating royally at ?[At What?] |
6,250 ticks (1.74 mins) | 1 | Solitary relaxation | Building | - | - |
Note: the above Recreation gain rates are based on normal quality buildings when applicable.
Consumables table
| Item | +Recreation (%) | Kind |
|---|---|---|
| Chocolate | 10 | Food Consumption |
| Insect jelly | 8 | Food Consumption |
| Ambrosia | 50 | Chemical |
| Beer | 17 | Chemical |
| Smokeleaf joint | 80 | Chemical |
| Psychite tea | 40 | Chemical |
| Go-juice | 40 | Chemical |
| Wake-up | 40 | Chemical |
| Yayo | 80 | Chemical |
| Flake | 70 | Chemical |
Buildings
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The following can be built from the Architect - Recreation menu.
Horseshoes pin
In-game description: A simple ancient game played with a horseshoes and a large pin in the ground. Players toss horseshoes to try to get them to land on the pin. It's relaxing, and trains shooting skills.
Colonists will play Horseshoes by themselves or with other. Horseshoes improves the player's Shooting skill at a meager rate.
It is low cost and low work making it ideal for the early game.
Size: 1 × 1 ~
User Interaction Spots: Total of 12, spaced in 3x1 rows spaced 5 tiles away in the four cardinal directions
Market value: Material dependent
Recreation Power: 100%
Recreation Type: Dexterity play
Hoopstone ring
In-game description: A simple ancient game played with stones and a large ring in the ground. Players try to toss stones through the ring from a distance. It's relaxing, and trains shooting skills.
Colonists will play Hoopstone by themselves or with other. Hoopstone improves the player's Shooting skill at a meager rate.
The hoopstone ring is the tribal-start equivalent of a Horseshoes pin. It is low cost and low work making it ideal for the early game.
Size: 1 × 1 ~
User Interaction Spots: Total of 12, spaced in 3x1 rows spaced 5 tiles away in the four cardinal directions (identical to horseshoes)
Market value: Material dependent
Recreation Power: 100%
Recreation Type: Dexterity play
Chess table
In-game description: The ancient game of kings. Fun for a few hours here and there, even playing alone. It trains intellectual skills.
Colonists will play chess with another colonist, or alone to 'practice'. Chess improves the player's Intellectual skill at a meager rate.
For a colonist to use a chess table, there must be at least one seat facing it.
Size: 1 × 1 ~
User Interaction Spots: 2
Market value: Material dependent
Recreation Power: 100%
Recreation Type: Cerebral play
Game-of-Ur board
In-game description: Dating from 2500BC, this exciting yet infuriating board game can be played by one or two people. It trains intellectual skills.
A Game-of-Ur board is the tribal-start equivalent of a chess table. For other players, it may be purchased from a tribal merchant.
Size: 1 × 1 ~
User Interaction Spots: 2
Market value: Material dependent
Recreation Power: 80%
Recreation Type: Cerebral play
Billiards table
In-game description: A soft-topped bounded table for playing a variety of billiards-type games. It trains shooting ability.
Playing billiards increases the player's shooting skill at a meager rate.
Size: 2 × 3 ~ Needs a space of 4 x 5 to accommodate the playing area.
User Interaction Spots: 2
Market value: Material dependent
Recreation Power: 130%
Recreation Type: Dexterity play
Poker table
In-game description: A table designed for playing gambling card games like poker. A great way to test your strategic skills and a bit of luck.
A poker table is used for recreation by up to four colonists at once. It needs to have chairs surrounding it so colonists can use it.
Size: 2 × 2
User Interaction Spots: 8 (up to 4 simultaneous)
Market value: Material dependent
Recreation Power: 130%
Recreation Type: Cerebral play
Telescope
In-game description: A telescope for doing amateur astronomy. It's a relaxing hobby for a certain kind of person. Can only be used outdoors.
The telescope must be bought from traders and only have a decent recreation power, however they have an entirely unique recreation type which in some circumstances more than make up for the lesser power.
Size: 1 × 1
User Interaction Spots: 1
Market value: 
silver
Recreation Power: 120%
Recreation Type: Telescope study
Tube television
In-game description: A cathode ray tube display for showing moving pictures with sound. Even on the rimworlds, there is often an old transmitter running something at least marginally interesting.
A tube television (TV) must be either bought from an exotic trader or researched and built. They are placed like sculptures, and require a place to sit. Unlike a chessboard, the seats must be placed between with a 1-tile gap from the TV, however seat orientation does not matter.
Televisions can also be viewed for enjoyment by people residing in medical-designated beds of all types.
Size: 1 × 1
Viewing area: 3 x 5
Offset: 1 tile away
Market value: silver
Recreation Power: 120%
Recreation Type: Television watching
Flatscreen television
In-game description: A high-tech flat-screen television with crystal-clear image and rich color. More entertaining than a grainy tube TV.
Before version 0.19 Flatscreen Television could only be bought from traders, but they are now able to be crafted by colonists with construction 8 or higher. They are placed like sculptures, and require a place to sit. Seating must be placed with a 1-tile gap from the TV, however seat orientation does not matter..
Size: 2 × 1
Viewing area: 6 x 5
Offset: 1 tile away
Market value: silver
Recreation Power: 140%
Recreation Type: Television watching
Megascreen television
In-game description: A huge, high-tech television. Gigantic, hyper-vibrant images almost leap out of the screen. Very entertaining. Picks up transmissions from ancient satellites and ubiquitous data cards.
The Megascreen Television was added in Alpha 13 and must be bought from an exotic trader. They are placed like sculptures, and require a place to sit. Seating must be placed with a 1-tile gap from the TV, however seat orientation does not matter..
Size: 3 × 1
Viewing area: 7 x 6
Offset: 1 tile away
Market value: silver
Recreation Power: 160%
Recreation Type: Television watching
Activities
Building snowman
In cold biomes after some snow has accumulated a colonist may build a snowman.
Going for a walk
When a colonist goes for a walk, this means that they aimlessly path around the area they started from. This takes twice as long as most other activities to finish and yet still has the same tolerance gain rate.
Meditating
Meditating is the act of your colonists going into their private room and sitting in a corner for a while while in solitary. Like most other activities, this has a length of 4000 ticks and an average tolerance gain rate.
Playing billiards
One or more colonists will wander around the billiards table, taking shots. Raises the Shooting skill in a similar way as horseshoes.
Playing chess
A chess table requires adjacent chairs to be used. Up to two colonists can use a chess table at once. Slowly raises the Intellectual skill.
Playing hoopstone
One to three colonists take turns throwing stones through the ring from approximately 5 blocks away. Playing hoopstone raises the Shooting skill.
Playing horseshoes
One to three colonists take turns throwing horseshoes at the post from approximately 5 blocks away. Playing horseshoes raises the Shooting skill.
Playing poker
One to four colonists will sit at chairs adjacent to the table and play poker. Playing poker raises the Intellectual skill.
Playing the game of Ur
A Game-of-Ur board requires adjacent chairs to be used. Up to two colonists can use a Game-of-Ur board at once. Slowly raises the Intellectual skill.
Praying
Similar to Meditating, but lasts shorter and is only done by certain colonists.
In the game files, each colonist has a value determining whether or not they will pray.
Relaxing socially
A gather spot or gathering spot works like a loosely defined social "zone", allowing your pawns who are idle or seeking Social recreation to gather together in a specifically centered area. This also can keep them from getting lost when they're not doing anything productive.
If you have a "gather spot" enabled, colonists will gather here to socialize for recreation, especially when idle. Colonists will stand in the vicinity of the campfire, or sit at a chair or stool beside a table. If beer is available, a colonist may carry a bottle while relaxing, without actually consuming the item. This action has been shown to occur among colonists with the Chemical Interest trait, the Teetotaler trait, and no trait in regards to alcohol.
Tables and campfires (only) can be designated as gather spots, and are so designated by default when constructed. You can have more than one gather spot, in which case an idle/social pawn appears(?) to choose the closest one when the mood to gather hits them. This should be toggled off on all tables/campfires except for one in your preferred rec/dining room. Not toggling can cause people to gather and have parties at any table (or campfire), perhaps in the middle of an ugly, dirty, dangerous abandoned mining site, making everybody unhappy. Gather spots can be turned off by toggling a command while that object is selected (bottom of the screen).
Contradictory to its name, colonists can carry out this activity when alone, while still gaining Recreation at the same rate.
Skygazing
Skygazing is the act of your colonists simply laying on the ground in an outdoor (area without a roof) area and facing upwards. The game has a few flavor text names such as "Cloudwatching". This activity is the same length of time that most others are and the same tolerance gain rate.
Using telescope
A colonist will stand behind the telescope's viewfinder for some time. The telescope must be placed outside and will not degrade from weather.
Oddly, colonists may use it during daytime.
Visiting grave
Colonists will visit a filled grave or sarcophagus.
Version history
- 0.10.785 - Added as Joy with Skygazing, Meditating/praying, Social relaxation, Horseshoes game, Chess, Billiards, Television, and Telescope as the initial sources.
- 0.11.877 - Added new joy activity: build snowman.
- 0.12.906 - Added grave and sarcophagus visiting as joy activity.
- 1.1.0 - Pawns no longer engage in recreational activities when injured, unless the activity can be done in bed.
- Needs
- Beauty • Chemical • Comfort • Drug addiction • Food • Indoors • Outdoors • Recreation • Rest • Deathrest
• Energy • Kill satiety • Learning • Play - Related
- Hemogen
- Other
- Mood (Mental break • Mental inspiration)
- Recreation
- Horseshoes pin (Colony) • Hoopstone ring (Tribal) • Game-of-Ur board (Tribal)
- Complex Furniture
- Billiards table • Chess table (Colony) • Poker table
- (research)
- Tube television • Flatscreen television • Harp • Harpsichord • Piano
- (trade)
- Megascreen television • Telescope
- Related
- Snowman