How Needs Work
Your needs are what you'll be watching the closest. Don't panic if they get close to empty. Empty needs meters cause your condition to start decreasing, but otherwise have no affect. See this page for more on how condition and dying works.
There are 4 needs your survivor has:
Warmth
A depleted warmth meter has a bigger effect on your condition than any other need. The warmth meter decreases when your "Feels Like" temperature is below zero and increases when it's above zero. There are several things you can do to help increase the "Feels Like" temperature.
- Get inside a shelter
- Wear warmer clothes
- Get out of the wind
- Stand next to a fire
- Sleep indoors or next to a fire (beds are better than bedrolls)
- Heat certain food/drink items over a fire before consuming them
Fatigue
Fatigue decreases simply by being awake. But it decreases faster when moving and especially while sprinting or climing ropes. The only way to increase your fatigue meter is to sleep (it takes 12 hours of sleep to fully replenish your meter from zero). Drinking coffee brewed over a fire helps to lower the rate at which you're fatigued for a short time.
Thirst
Thirst is constantly decreasing but can also be decreased by eating certain foods that make you thirsty. To increase the thirst meter, drink some water or eat certain foods that have water in them.
Hunger
Like thirst, hunger is constantly decreasing, even when you're asleep. It can only be increased by eating.