Editing Caravan hitching spot

{{Rewrite|reason=Format standardization - More information of the exact mechanics}}{{infobox main|misc|
|name = Caravan hitching spot
|image = Caravan hitching spot.png|Caravan hitching spot
|description = Designates a spot for hitching animals and forming caravans. Colonist will hitch animals here while loading a caravan. You can also use these during encounters away from home to keep animals from wandering.
|type = Building
|type2 = Misc
|placeable = true
|passability = standable
|minifiable = false
|size = 1 ˣ 1
|terrain affordance = light
|work to make = 0
}}
A '''caravan hitching spot''' designates a place for [[caravan]]s to gather around when forming. Pack animals will be led and roped to the Caravan hitching spot. Other Animals that have been designated to be brought along with the caravan will be tied to the caravan hitching spot to await the finishing of the packing. They may also be used on Event and Caravan Ambush maps to keep animals from wandering.  

== Acquisition ==
Caravan hitching spots do not require a colonist to construct or [[deconstruct]], nor is there a cost, build time, or [[skill]] requirements for placing them. Instead, they are simply selected from the menu and placed directly by the player.

== Summary ==
When forming a [[caravan]], colonists will first lead animals to a tile and rope them in. A caravan hitching spot isn't required for this, but placing a spot allows you to control where they park. Once roped, animals have an observed radius of 6 tiles that they can wander and will graze if there is food (grass, dandelions, crops, etc) within reach. Extensive caravan packing may cause [[malnutrition]] to animals involved.

Colonists can tie [[pen]] animals to the spot, and if the caravan is then canceled, then the animals will remain there instead of roaming off. As the grazing radius is fairly short, this should only be a short term solution.

Multiple hitching spots may exist, where colonists will choose one at random.

== Analysis ==
When forming a caravan with [[pack animal]]s, you should place the hitching spot as close to the main stockpile as possible, even inside it. This minimizes travel time. However, be aware that this location can quickly accumulate animal [[filth]] if placed indoors without [[straw matting]]. You should only have one hitching spot at a time, to minimize the case where pawns choose the "wrong" spot; it takes no time to deconstruct the old one and place it where you now want it.

When traveling, such as when entering a quest site, you can form a hitching spot convenient to near where you enter, and then move it later once any immediate danger has been resolved. Be aware that any "unknown threat(s)" can enter from the map edge from any direction, and predator wildlife tends to lurk along the edges of any map, so leaving your animals near the edge long-term could be a bad plan.

==Version history==
* [[Version/1.3.3159|1.3.3159]] - Renamed from '''caravan packing spot''' to '''caravan hitching spot''' and functionality significantly expanded. Caravan hitching spot now can be used to keep animals in place on temporary maps. Animals will eat and sleep within their rope area if they're roped to a spot. Added an alert that shows when hungry animals are tied to hitching spot.

<gallery>
 CaravanPackingSpot.png|Texture of the original caravan packing spot
</gallery>
===Trivia===
In the 1.3.3136 unstable build, the caravan packing spot was replaced with a '''caravan hitching post''' that required wood and work to be constructed but functioned similarly to the hitching spot. This construction requirement was abandoned in the 1.3.3144 unstable, and spot implementation that would eventually come to the stable was used instead. This is why several entries in the version history refer to the post.


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[[Category:Miscellaneous]]