I have the exactly same problem, can relate 100% to your frustration.
What people don't seem to get on this thread is that it's not the issue of bugs being in the alpha - it's the combination of thirst/hunger state function and the bug that prevents you from eating/drinking from items in your inventory, which makes it really difficult to conduct any long-term testing sessions (we're not playing, we're testing).
Apparently this combo affects some, others not - what is sad but not surprising regarding this community, is that those not affected are usually eager to toss back the "alpha, deal with it" comment. Shows just how small-minded and self-centred people are.
Anyway, the situation for me is that
- The "tick" of 10% drop in hydration is about 10 minutes in combat. On a bunker mission I typically start at 99% (because the value has dropped already to that point when I arrive to the scene) and end around 65%. This means I need to refresh myself between each stint. The tick is slower with other activities (but not much, I dropped from 100% to 95% while writing this post - standing still on a spaceport). I do NOT sprint or jog - I walk. I am wearing medium armor, with a medium backpack, 2 rifles, a pistol, medgun, full set of ammo magazines, and a knife. This can be somewhat delayed by drinking/eating sustenances that slow metabolism, but not substantially.
- if I purchase an item directly from a vendor, I get it to my hand and can eat/drink it, no problem (presuming I don't wear a helmet, ofc)
- If I purchase an item and store it, I can NOT pull ANY item in my inventory (backpack, armor, local, or vehicle) directly to my hand (equip, eat/drink, or drag-drop to the hand icon next to your body in inventory view - none of these works). So I can not drink or eat from the sustenance items I have with me.
- I CAN place the item from my inventory on the ground (drag-drop to the hand icon next to your feet in inventory view). I can try to put things on tables by standing on the table (as the item is placed next to your feet, you cannot place it on the table if you're standing on a floor)
- Bottles and food rations (bars) placed down using 4. disappear before one can grasp them, no matter the surface
- Fruits do not disappear
Hence for me, the workarounds are
- whenver visiting a port, I go and drink water until 100%, and then one bottle more. And eat food rations that are not dehydrating.
- I carry fruits with me, prefer Pitambu, as it has smaller size, but high in nutrition and good with hydration and it is hypo-metabolic. I drop them on the floor, then use the inner thought action to eat them (need to remove the helmet first!)
Getting the fruits is a bit of an issue at least in MicroTech, because the locations don't have boxes that carry fruits (at least in the bunkers) and the same with couple of delivery mission locations too. But Hurston locations (at least delivery missions) have grey boxes that have them.
