You Never Forget Your Many Deaths

[illanthropist]

Think I'd rather take my chances in Death Valley

 

[Vhalkyrie]

The Match Dilemma

Normally I'm not a fan of games with permadeath, so I find it interesting that it's so gripping in this game.  It pushes the sense of urgency, and do or die.

On one of my "just figuring things out" games, I became concerned about what would happen when I ran out of matches.  Matches are finite; they will eventually run out.  I imagined what it could be like to hold on to that very last match, staring into the cold nights wondering, "Should I use this?".  I set up a test sandbox to try living match free.

Fortunately, when I started a new game I found a magnifying glass under the bed at the Camp Office.  (Very opportune - I didn't know it existed!)  Score!  I set up camp at the Trapper's Homestead.  This is my favorite starting place because it has renewable food (bunnies), abundant firewood, good storage, and a stove and workbench in close proximity (I can find my way in the dark without having to light a torch/lantern).  My familiarity with the Mystery Lake map also increases my survival ability because I'm familiar with the landmarks. Although sometimes it gives me a false sense of security, and I take risks too close to dark.  *Ahem*

My thought was to see how long I could keep a perpetual fire running.  If I was down to my theoretical last match, maybe keeping a running fire was the answer.

I ran my usual starting gauntlet of grabbed supplies around the camp office, trailers, etc, then settled down at the Trapper's Cabin.  I collected a massive pile of Fir, Cedar, and sticks.  On a sunny day, I started a fire outdoors with the magnifying glass, then used a torch to start a fire in the stove that I would keep running as long as possible.  When I left the cabin, I tossed in enough logs to burn for 6 hours while I ran around chopping enough logs to maintain the stockpile, harvest rabbits, scavenge deer, etc.  Because I already collected all available supplies on the map, I could stay within the cabin perimeter.

The permafire was quite luxurious.  Whenever I walked through the door of the cabin, I immediately warmed no matter how cold it was outside.  I cooked food, boiled water, or made torches effortlessly whenever I wanted.  When I left the house, I took a burning torch with me to protect me from wolves.  My stats say I kept my longest running fire going for 122 hours.  It was heavenly.

However, there are no free picnics.  While I conserved match use, the toll all that chopping took on my hatchet supply was now the main concern.  Whetstones are also finite, so the time was coming when I would be down to my last hatchet.  It seemed possible to sustain survival fires with just sticks, but a life with no hatchets caused me to give up my cozy lifestyle for the perils of Desolation Point.  I set out to create a hatchet stockpile.

I made my way to the Dam, dispatched Fluffy, and dined on her flesh.  I left her hide tanning when I exited to the Ravine/Coastal Highway.  I already explored Coastal Highway and Desolation Point on Pilgrim mode, so I knew exactly where I needed to go.  I skipped CH for now, crafting hatchets my singular focus.  Already I missed the warmth of the cabin's permafire as I fought off the chill with heated tomato soup.

While I traveled the transition map between CH and DP, I noticed a deer carcass below the cliffs on the sea level.  Free deer!  It's almost like catnip to me.  More than a few times I risked near-death for free deer hide/meat.  I found a seemingly safe passage down and set to work.  By the time I completed harvesting the meat, skin and hide, a howling wind blew.  I couldn't see well, but I followed the route that I thought I took.

I must have not followed my footsteps the way I thought.  I saw a message that warned, "Thin Ice".   Well that sounded bad.

A moment later, I fell through and saw blackness.  I thought that was The Long Dark.  Game Over.  Time to start again.  *sigh*

To my surprise, I popped up out of the ice.  Hypothermic, but alive!

Adrenaline kicked in - I'm alive!  It was "Do or Die" time.  After all I invested in my experiment, I didn't want to die.  Not now.  I quickly found an alternate way up, and made a run for it to the DP cave transition.

The cold, howling wind certainly didn't help after falling through the ice.  My condition was around 30% when I landed inside the cave.  I brought 1 cedar log as part of my standard travel survival kit, and a handful of sticks.  I made a quick dive down the tunnel to pickup coal, then started a fire.  Using the magnifying glass wasn't an option because of the blowing wind outside, so I used a match.  The first one I used since the day I started my permafire.

[Tbone555]

4 hours ago, Vhalkyrie said:

Normally I'm not a fan of games with permadeath, so I find it interesting that it's so gripping in this game.  It pushes the sense of urgency, and do or die.

On one of my "just figuring things out" games, I became concerned about what would happen when I ran out of matches.  Matches are finite; they will eventually run out.  I imagined what it could be like to hold on to that very last match, staring into the cold nights wondering, "Should I use this?".  I set up a test sandbox to try living match free.

Fortunately, when I started a new game I found a magnifying glass under the bed at the Camp Office.  (Very opportune - I didn't know it existed!)  Score!  I set up camp at the Trapper's Homestead.  This is my favorite starting place because it has renewable food (bunnies), abundant firewood, good storage, and a stove and workbench in close proximity (I can find my way in the dark without having to light a torch/lantern).  My familiarity with the Mystery Lake map also increases my survival ability because I'm familiar with the landmarks. Although sometimes it gives me a false sense of security, and I take risks too close to dark.  *Ahem*

My thought was to see how long I could keep a perpetual fire running.  If I was down to my theoretical last match, maybe keeping a running fire was the answer.

I ran my usual starting gauntlet of grabbed supplies around the camp office, trailers, etc, then settled down at the Trapper's Cabin.  I collected a massive pile of Fir, Cedar, and sticks.  On a sunny day, I started a fire outdoors with the magnifying glass, then used a torch to start a fire in the stove that I would keep running as long as possible.  When I left the cabin, I tossed in enough logs to burn for 6 hours while I ran around chopping enough logs to maintain the stockpile, harvest rabbits, scavenge deer, etc.  Because I already collected all available supplies on the map, I could stay within the cabin perimeter.

The permafire was quite luxurious.  Whenever I walked through the door of the cabin, I immediately warmed no matter how cold it was outside.  I cooked food, boiled water, or made torches effortlessly whenever I wanted.  When I left the house, I took a burning torch with me to protect me from wolves.  My stats say I kept my longest running fire going for 122 hours.  It was heavenly.

However, there are no free picnics.  While I conserved match use, the toll all that chopping took on my hatchet supply was now the main concern.  Whetstones are also finite, so the time was coming when I would be down to my last hatchet.  It seemed possible to sustain survival fires with just sticks, but a life with no hatchets caused me to give up my cozy lifestyle for the perils of Desolation Point.  I set out to create a hatchet stockpile.

I made my way to the Dam, dispatched Fluffy, and dined on her flesh.  I left her hide tanning when I exited to the Ravine/Coastal Highway.  I already explored Coastal Highway and Desolation Point on Pilgrim mode, so I knew exactly where I needed to go.  I skipped CH for now, crafting hatchets my singular focus.  Already I missed the warmth of the cabin's permafire as I fought off the chill with heated tomato soup.

While I traveled the transition map between CH and DP, I noticed a deer carcass below the cliffs on the sea level.  Free deer!  It's almost like catnip to me.  More than a few times I risked near-death for free deer hide/meat.  I found a seemingly safe passage down and set to work.  By the time I completed harvesting the meat, skin and hide, a howling wind blew.  I couldn't see well, but I followed the route that I thought I took.

Except I saw a message that warned, "Thin Ice".  Well that sounded bad.

A moment later, I fell through and saw blackness.  I thought that was The Long Dark.  Game Over.  Time to start again.  *sigh*

To my surprise, I popped up out of the ice.  Hypothermic, but alive!

Adrenaline kicked in - I'm alive!  It was "Do or Die" time.  After all I invested in my experiment, I didn't want to die.  Not now.  I quickly found an alternate way up, and made a run for it to the DP cave transition.

The cold, howling wind certainly didn't help after falling through the ice.  My condition was around 30% when I landed inside the cave.  I brought 1 cedar log as part of my standard travel survival kit, and a handful of sticks.  I made a quick dive down the tunnel to pickup coal, then started a fire.  Using the magnifying glass wasn't an option because of the blowing wind outside, so I used a match.  The first one I used since the day I started my permafire.

i, too, love having a permafire. it is just, bliss

having a new stalker game in timber wolf mountain, i found having a permafire necessary to survival, as the mountaineers hut isn't an interior, and stays almost just as cold as the outdoors. without a fire burning all night, your character easily freezes to death there. however, maintaining my fire was a huge challenge for me. i very frequently dropped down to 30% just trying to find the wood to keep my fire burning throughout the night.

[hauteecolerider]

@Vhalkyrie Gripping account! I have often wondered how one can keep a permafire going in this game. Thanks for the description and tips. It would be a challenge once hatchets run out. 

Currently I'm exploring Desolation Point. Apparently this is the place where you can make new arrowheads (my present supply worry - I have so far recovered all but one of my meager arrows, and have been harvesting birch saplings like mad. Have an extra Bow because my first one is down to about 30%), but I haven't yet discovered where or how. I'm about to explore the whaling complex, so I guess I'll find out soon!

One thing to be said for being sick with upper respiratory infection (and now pneumonia - my lung condition makes me especially susceptible) - I've been playing TLD on Pilgrim mode and exploring like mad! Up to nearly 70 days survival.

[Vhalkyrie]

31 minutes ago, hauteecolerider said:

One thing to be said for being sick with upper respiratory infection (and now pneumonia - my lung condition makes me especially susceptible) - I've been playing TLD on Pilgrim mode and exploring like mad! Up to nearly 70 days survival.

Oh gosh - hope you feel better soon!   Drink lots of herbal tea!

[hauteecolerider]

Thanks!

Drinking lots of black tea - the theophylline in it helps with the coughing . . .

Would be drinking rosehip tea if I had rosehips . . .

[Vhalkyrie]

Day 30: Just One Arrow

I just made 30 days on a new Voyager game, but I had a rough start and I almost gave up.

I started on Mystery Lake as I usually do because it's like "hometown".  I know the map very well, so I have high confidence navigating it. However, I became distressed when I searched the camp office/lake, trapper's cabin, and forest lookout and didn't find a rifle.  I cursed my bad luck - it must be at the dam with Fluffy then.

I went to the hunter's blind to get the bow.

No bow.

1 broken arrow, no bow, and no rifle.  I managed to find a maple sapling, but that meant it would be several days before I had a functioning weapon.

I also didn't find a magnifying glass.

Lastly, insult to injury, a bear spawned at the rabbit run where I depended on food in starting games.  And because I had no rifle...well.  Yeah.

I went about my normal 'chores' collecting what meager resources I could find, and chopped firewood.  But I was pretty miserable.  I pondered if I should just start over with a new game, sacrifice myself to the bear, or jump off the Dam ledge.

No, I wasn't going to suicide.  Things were bad, but just keep living.  I figured something would eventually finish me off without my help, and it wouldn't be too much of a loss because this game was the perfect storm of everything I did *not* want.

Despite the presence of the bear, I managed to sneak and set my rabbit traps every morning.  I watched the bear's roaming pattern up high in the trees.  When the bear moved out of range, I ran in to set the trap, then snuck away.  When time to harvest, I did the same.  Observed the bear, then moved in when he wandered away.

Wolves were problematic.  I had no choice but to burn through flares and run.  Miraculously, I only tangoed once with a wolf, and limped away with a sprained ankle.  No torn clothes - the one lucky break.

Finally, my maple sapling cured and I made a bow.  One single arrow.  My odds of survival increased to 50/50.  Still a coin toss, but better.  I also happened to be down to my last flare.

I made plans to leave Mystery Lake sooner than I normally would - no getting comfortable or cozy this time.  Gathered rabbit pelts and cured guts were excruciatingly slow because of the bear.  Only 1 flare stacked the odds in the wolves' favor - it was just a matter of time.  I had to get that rifle behind Fluffy, and I had to get out of Mystery Lake to greener pastures.  (Err...metaphorically greener anyway! Winter is Coming...)

Still, I knew my chances of surviving the weather was better if I crafted deerskin pants, boots, and rabbit mittens.  So no matter how slow and torturous it was gathering materials, I could not leave until then.

A funny thing happened.  Because I only had one arrow and no rifle, I became very good at using the bow.  The hunted became the hunter.  While wolf encounters are always dangerous, I found myself staying calm, luring them on my terms, then downing them into the Long Dark.

My deadline came.  My pants, boots and mittens were ready.  I also towed along 3 wolf pelts - the 4th I needed was Fluffy's.  I left the Trapper's Cabin behind.  While it had served me well in previous games, it was a death trap waiting in this one.  While I became more confident in my archery abilities, I doubted I could kill the bear with a single arrow and no room for mistakes.

I made my way into the Dam and killed Fluffy with my single arrow.  Not a scratch on me.  And sure enough - there it was.  The rifle.  Luck continued to thumb its nose at me as the condition was very bad - 29%.  I spent the evening cleaning it back into shape.

I raised my eyebrow when something occurred to me.  14 pristine bullets were in my inventory because I survived 14 days with only one arrow and no rifle.  It made me wonder how wasteful I have been in previous games.  Maybe I overused the rifle when I didn't need to.  I always think to myself that I should conserve and only use in an emergency, but it seemed I always fell back to the security of the rifle when facing snarling teeth.

I thought back to early on when I considered deleting this game and starting over.  I never would have learned to survive on just one arrow if I had.  I survived on one arrow because I had no other choice.

10 days later I completed making my wolfskin coat, so it was time to move to Pleasant Valley.  I prepared my supplies for the move.  I decided to rearrange my staging differently.  Instead of leaving everything at the front door to Mystery Lake, I moved everything down near the Lower Dam exit.  It would save me a little walking in the dark, and thus fuel, when I had to return for supplies later.

On the way to the cave, I encountered the resident Dam valley wolf.  Even though I now had a rifle, I still killed him with my bow.  I now had a total of 5 arrows, which gave me a little more breathing room.  Better to save the bullets.

On the 30th day to the dot, I exited to a crisp, clear day in Pleasant Valley.  I moved my supplies to the Radio Tower as a transition spot.  While I was there, I noticed a bear.  I snuck up on higher ground, aimed my rifle and fired.  The first shot in the game.

The bear became enraged and charged me.  I ran with everything I had through the chainlink fence and slammed the door behind me.  I stood with the door closed behind me, my heart thumping through my chest.  I didn't know if I wounded the bear, or if I just made him mad.  I wasn't going to open the door to look.

I proceeded to put my supplies in the footlocker, then rested in the bed.  When I woke in the morning, I checked my game stats journal.  Bears Killed: 1

I killed it!  Now, would I be able to find it?  I did not dare track its blood when it was alive, so I did not even have a hint where it might be.

I walked out to clear sky, but blistering winds.  I was well protected with my Fluffy-skin coat, deer pants/boots and bunny mittens, so it was no problem.  I wandered around and spotted a big black mound.  As I moved closer, I confirmed it: Bear Kill.

I cleaned its skin and guts, but left half of the meat behind.  I already had so much meat from wolf kills, it wouldn't do me any good.  There is a balance to be struck in every action.  If I harvest all the bear meat, then that causes wear and tear on my knife.  The meat must be cooked, which incurs a firewood fuel cost.  Since I have not yet found a magnifying glass, I am very concerned about my match usage.  Every log chopped increases wear on the hatchet.  So I am left with the dilemma of how much animal food do I need, and how much is too much?  It's a balance that I haven't quite settled on.

I am now over 30 days survived on a game that I nearly gave up on.  Can I make it another 30?  There are no certainties.  Soon, I will be making my way to move into the Pleasant Valley farmhouse below.

[hauteecolerider]

Your start sounds almost like my second start! Yup, I started a second one this morning. Voyager level. Started above the Frozen Creek in Mystery Lake. Went first to Trapper's Homestead. Food, wood, hatchet, but no knife or rifle. Okay. Headed up to the Murder Cabin. Found a hunting knife there, but still no rifle. Fine. Next stop was going to be the Forestry Lookout. Barely made it up the stairs, I was shivering so bad in gale force winds. Still no rifle. By then I already had two close calls with wolves, and didn't want to venture out onto Clear Cut, where I could see at least two more. So I backtracked and worked my way around the south end of the railway. No rifle by Max's Last Stand. No rifle at the Camp Office. No rifle at Lonely Lake Cabin. Had a couple more close encounters with wolves, managed to kill one on the lake but the other attacked me shortly after that. I was already badly injured and suffering from hypothermia, so I died trying to make it back to the Camp Office. 

Took a breather, then started a third one, again at Voyager, again at Mystery Lake. This time I spawned inside the Trapper's Cabin. Again, no rifle there. But I did find a magnifying glass right away. Yay! Made my way up past the Hunter's Blind, stopped in at Murder Cabin, then Forestry Lookout. No rifle anywhere. A couple of flares. Made my way to the Logging Camp. Managed to avoid wolves until I reached the railroad tracks at the Loading area. By then I was ready to take on the Dam and Fluffy, rifle or no rifle. All I had on me was a hatchet and a pry bar. 

Fluffy nearly killed me. Fortunately I had a bedroll dropped before the dam canine attacked, so after treating my injuries, eating and drinking, I rolled into the bed roll and slept for fourteen hours. By then I was ready to explore the dam, take care of Fluffy's remains, and start on establishing a base there. 

Six or seven days in now. Trying not to use the rifle. Just need one more wolf pelt for that coat . . . 

Time to start working on that bow and arrows.

[Vhalkyrie]

@hauteecoleriderTwo starts with rifle spawn guarded by Fluffy - Yikes!  Running around to each location, then the revelation of where it must be...  

I made my way down to the farmhouse and I found a magnifying glass!  This is the last tool I need for my long term survival.  I have 5 hatchets, but only 3 hunting knives - one of which I have already worn down to the red.  Ugh.  I have 4 whetstones, so I can stretch them out for a while before I need to make a supply grab in CH.  I haven't fully explored the PV map yet, so hoping for more knives...

I also found hunting rifles at the Radio Tower and Farmhouse, so I have a total of 3 rifles after struggling so long without one!  Not sure I need so many, but nice to have a spares.  They are also in great condition at 80% and 96%!  I have 31 bullets.   I'm so glad I didn't give up on my game earlier.

I'm dreading the trip to CH.  The wolf pack at the gas station give me as much heartburn as Fluffy.  

[Vhalkyrie]

Bonehead move #1: Despite my seeming change in fortune, I still made a boneheaded facepalm while at the Radio Tower.  I stepped outside to cook meat and boil water.  There was heavy wind raging, but the area outside the door was sheltered.  I started a fire, then went inside to get meat out of the locker.  When I went back outside, I stepped into the fire and got burned!  Apparently I started the fire too close to the door.  DOH!  

Later, I found the fire barrel on the side of the building, which doesn't seem to blow out in the wind.  

Bonehead move #2: I read that taking your clothes off while indoors helps make them last longer, so I tried it.  I could only take off the coat and boots before it became too cold and my condition dropped, but I stashed them in the closet before going to bed.  Before going out, I remember to pick up the coat and boots, but I forgot to wear them.  The sun was shining, so I didn't notice this for a long time.  I walked all the way from the Farmhouse to the Radio Tower with no coat or shoes on.  On the way back, a snow blowing wind started and the "freezing" icon appeared, which I thought was really odd.  I should have been protected enough for the trip.  Then it dawned on me - I wasn't wearing the coat or boots!!  I put them on in a hurry, then ran for the Farmhouse.  I was at 86% condition when I got inside, so it wasn't life threatening.  Just a WTF!  I'm pretty sure I would notice if I went outside with no shoes or coat...!  

[illanthropist]

12 minutes ago, Vhalkyrie said:

Then it dawned on me - I wasn't wearing the coat or boots!!

Lol, running out into the world naked is a regular occurrence for me!  Not that I want hand holding but would be funny for one of the voice actors to come up with some quip for when it happens.

[Vhalkyrie]

6 hours ago, illanthropist said:

Lol, running out into the world naked is a regular occurrence for me!  Not that I want hand holding but would be funny for one of the voice actors to come up with some quip for when it happens.

I was thinking the same!  I don't think it would be game breaking - I'm certain I would know if I walked 10 miles in the snow with only socks!

[Vhalkyrie]

Safer Than Granola

Day 40 Survived:Day 10 in Pleasant Valley

I completed moving all my supplies from the Radio Tower to the Farmhouse.  I still have so much wolf and bear meat, I haven't needed to set my rabbit traps.  I was relieved to find a magnifying lens on one of the bedstands, so I no longer worried about the eventuality of one day freezing to death or drinking yellow snow with no way to make fire.

On clear, sunny mornings, I start a fire with the lens and spend the day boiling water.  On overcast days, I collect some firewood, but mostly sticks.  I'm attempting to be measured with my hatchet use.  1 cedar log gives 60 minutes burn time, and 1 stick is 7 minutes.  So 8-10 sticks are roughly equal to 1 cedar.  

I do not plan to keep a permafire going while at the Farmhouse.  While it was very easy to maintain a permafire at the Trapper's Cabin because of the close proximity and abundance of logs, my previous games showed me this was considerably harder and more wasteful at the PV farmhouse.  The available firewood is not close, requiring longer travel time.  Because of the decent amount of sunny days in PV, with a magnifying lens, a permafire is a waste of fuel.  It's more efficient to start a fresh fire with a lens and sticks, then carry a torch inside to the stove.  Sticks are the main renewable fuel for me in PV.

With the lens, I also switched to using mainly torchlight instead of lanterns.  My daily activities revolve around the sun, and whether I can make use of free fire for the day.  Matches are reserved for emergencies.  With an emergency match and torch, I conserved flares.  With the wide open spaces in PV, it's fairly easy to avoid wolf patrols, which is even better.  I'm not going for heroics, I just want to survive!

I scavenged loot from about half of the PV map.  The area around the Farmhouse is very quiet compared to my other games.  I haven't seen the bear who normally roams near there, which is good and bad.  It's good because I can come and go from the house without being hassled.  However, I also lose the opportunity for a free bear kill.  The only bear I've seen other than the one I killed at the Radio Tower is in an inconvenient place for hunting.  I'm not sure how I'm going to kill it.  I've heard about one shot bear kills, but I don't have any illusion that I will be able to pull it off.

Long term thinking, I would like to climb Timberwolf Mountain and retrieve supplies sooner rather than later.  

Edit: After thinking about it, I've decided to put off a summit run til later, so this will indeed be a longer term goal.  I started playing the game much later than many of you, and I feel like I would be rushing to the end the book.  Plus, once I open those containers, the degrade timer starts ticking.  Thus, I plan to scavenge all other maps and make the Summit my last stop. If I survive that long.  

I formulated a few prerequisites:

(1) Complete a bearskin bedroll.  I have 1 hide, but the 2nd is problematic.
(2) Collect as many cat tails as possible.  I was surprised to discover cat tails are an extremely efficient travel food.  At first they looked useless, but...
150 calories per 0.05 kg  
1kg/0.05kg=20 cat tails
20x150 = 3000 calories per kg!

3000 calories per kilogram!  Plus cat tails won't give you food poisoning.  Safer than granola.  

[Vhalkyrie]

The Blizzard and the Bear

• Day 45: I'm alive, but only by a razor's edge.  My journey nearly ended on Day 43.

•  
• The day began uneventful.  Clear blue skies and bright, warm sun.  I decided to make a trip to the southern edge of the map and see if there were any survivor bunkers.  There weren't any, but I carried on until I came across a burned down farmstead.  Nothing of particular interest.  I encountered a wolf, but I killed it and took its skin and meat.  I left its guts for later as my pack was getting heavy, and I already had a surplus back home.
•  
• It was early afternoon, and I thought I should head back to the Farmhouse.  The wind picked up, and a fairly heavy snowfall started.  The weather change was abrupt.  I became nervous and found shelter inside a dilapidated shed of some kind.  There was a dead man, and a plastic container with beef jerky and candy bar.  There were also 2 fir firelogs inside.  I briefly wondered how the man came to his end.
•  
• I sought shelter just in time.  A full blizzard raged as night fell.  I became worried.  This looked bad.  I only had the 2 firs, 1 cedar log, and 10 sticks on me.  It was too late to leave.  With the blizzard and the darkness, my chances were better in the shelter, but I knew that it would be a struggle.  I prayed that this blizzard would not last all night.  I got the answer to my prayers, but it wasn't what I wanted: it was "No".
•  
• I attempted to stretch out the meager firewood (not enough to last all night) by waiting until I was completely cold, then I started the fire.  I cooked the wolf meat and ate it all - this was no time for a diet.  I needed every calorie.  I boiled extra water and a cup of coffee.
•  
• I thought I had the fire sheltered adequately, but the wind shifted and managed to blow it out, so my burn time was shortened by 1 hour.  It seemed the RNG gods were determined to kill me.  Fortunately, I had enough sticks to restart the fire, but I was burning through everything I had.  The blizzard showed no sign of retreating.
•  
• I pondered the plight of my friend in the darkness.  I understood what happened.  I felt I could read his mind and his last thoughts.
• 
• "I hope this blizzard ends soon."
  "I'm down to my last few minutes of fire."
  "I have to get out of here."
  "Why won't this blizzard end?"
  "I should have collected more firewood."
•  
• With the last few minutes ticking on my fire, I made a decision to run out into the woods and pickup sticks.  I couldn't go far or else I'd lose my way back to the shelter, but I managed to fight against the wind and find a few scraps of sticks.  I threw them into the fire, warmed up, then repeated this several more times.  This went on for hours.  The blizzard was determined to kill me.
•  
• But I was defiant.  I refused to lay down and die.
•  
• When I became too tired to go on, I heated coffee.  I didn't bring much, but it was enough to keep me going for a couple more hours.  I continued to run outside, scavenge sticks, then throw them into the struggling fire.  If I managed to find enough sticks to last an hour, I took a 1 hour nap in the bedroll.  I had to keep going.
•  
• But finally, the blizzard was winning the war.  I had no more coffee, and could not find any more sticks within the safety zone where I could make it back.  With 30 minutes remaining on the fire, I gave in and decided to lay down in the bedroll.  The bedroll provided a little warmth.  I would sleep for 2 hours, and put my faith that after a little rest, I could find more sticks.
•  
• Or I would die there with my friend.  At that point, I did everything I was able to do.  I wondered if my friend did the same.  There were unused fir logs when I found him.  Why were they unused?  Did he give up, or was he just too cold to start a fire?  Did he leave his matches at home?  Those two logs wouldn't have been enough to keep him alive, but because he didn't use them, it was enough to buy me time.  He may have saved my life.
•  
• I woke up 2 hours until dawn, and unsurprisingly, I was completely frozen.  I expected this.  However, the blizzard subsided, which is what I counted on.  It didn't matter if I was freezing, I just needed the blizzard gone so I could search in the darkness for sticks.  It had to be sticks and branches.  I would freeze to death chopping logs.
•  
• However, I could not proceed with searching for sticks right away because I woke to the terrifying sounds of a bear outside the walls.  It sounded angry.  It knew I was inside, but couldn't reach me.  I could see it through the gaps.  I crouched down and readied my rifle.  I hoped that it would pass by one of the openings.
•  
• The bear took its time meandering while I shivered.  I was desperate to find something to burn, and I couldn't because there was a damn bear in the way.
•  
• Finally, the bear walked past the shattered door frame, and I fired a shot.  It ran off.  I didn't know if I hit it or scared it, but I only wanted it gone.  I immediately ran out and collected branches and sticks.  There wasn't much out there.  I already burned the easiest finds.  I heard the snarling of a wolf.  I was in no condition to deal with it, so I abandoned my search with what meager finds I had and ran to the shelter.  I had roughly 10 sticks, enough for a 1 hour burn.
•  
• 1 hour was enough to warm me.  The calm after the storm was brief, and wind picked back up.  I had to get out of the shelter.  I could not survive a second storm.
•  
• As I walked out of the shelter up on the hill, I ran straight into the bear.  Apparently it was wounded as it hobbled when I saw it, but that didn't stop it from charging me.  I was helpless.  I didn't bring up the rifle in time, and I was too exhausted to run.
•  
• When it finished with me, I was down to 5% health.  By the time I finished applying the old beard's dressing, I was down to 4%.  But I could see the Farmhouse.  Delirious and dizzy, I dragged myself that way.  My clothes were tattered from the bear attack, and provided barely any protection anymore.  A second blizzard started.   As I approached the door, my freezing warning appeared.  My condition dropped to 3% just as I grabbed the door handle.
•  
• I came through the southern door, so the stairs were in front of me.  The house was too cold with my tattered clothes; even inside, I was still dying.  I had to get into the warm bed.  That was the only way I was going to warm up.  By the time I reached the bed, my condition was 2%.  I climbed in, coats, shoes and all.  I set the timer for 2 hours.  It would either be enough and I would live, or at the very least I would die peacefully in a bed.
•  
• I woke 2 hours later, still very badly beat up at 17%, but I lived - and I was safe.  I went downstairs, ate enough food to fill my stomach completely, then went back to bed.  I should have made a herbal tea also, but I wasn't thinking clearly after surviving with such thin margins.  I just wanted to get back to the bed and heal.
•  
• Two Days later, I'm back to full health.  I repaired my shredded clothes.  My game stats journal says I killed the bear, so I will go find it when the weather clears.  If I could, I would mount its head on my wall.

Edit: After searching around, I am unable to find the bear.  Due to the 2 days it took me to recover, I don't know if it despawned or is just in an inaccessible area.  Bummed that I don't have the hide for the trouble.  But I'm still alive, so I don't have to start over, so that's a small price to pay.

[Vhalkyrie]

Hard to believe it's Day 50.

Since the "Day of The Blizzard and Bear", I spent the last 10 days in routine at the Farmhouse.  If weather is good in the morning, I travel to places I haven't been yet, but I always make plans to head towards enclosed shelter by midday.  Exposed shelter is not sufficient to survive the night (unless you have an extraordinary amount of firewood).

I looked high and low, but was unable to find the bear.  Disappointing - I would have taken particular joy in skinning its hide.  But I lived, so that's the greater prize in the scheme of things.  There will be another opportunity - hopefully on better terms.

I'm eating around 1600-1800 calories per day.  Breakfast in the morning, and dinner directly before bed (it's a wonder that I haven't got heartburn!)  Despite what mom said, soda pop makes an excellent breakfast.  I have plenty of food, and haven't needed to catch rabbits.  The number of wolves I kill keeps the freezer full.  I killed a deer today, but only because I need the skin.  The condition of my bow is fair, but I've only found 1 replacement maple to date, which causes me concern.

On days where the weather isn't so bad, but not quite clear, I travel into the woods and collect sticks.  I find more than a sufficient number of sticks to maintain my cooking and boiling, so my hatchets are only used for quartering animals.  I'm still using the hatchet I arrived with 20 days ago, and have 5 spares.

I'm thinking about where I'm going to live in the future.  The Farmhouse has its charm; I love standing in the porch area while waiting to pass time.  The frequent blizzards on the plains are getting tiresome, though.  I spend more hours than I like indoors being unproductive.

In the near future, I will make a trip to the Coast Highway.  I would like the hacksaw and the hammer, if I can get them.  For now, I have a full supply of food and too much time.

[Vhalkyrie]

1 minute ago, illanthropist said:

@Vhalkyriedid you not find a hacksaw in the dam?

No, I did not.    The RNG in this game has not been kind to me - lol!  It's amazing that I've made it to Day 50 with the meager supplies I have!

Open drawers - empty empty empty.

[illanthropist]

Just now, Vhalkyrie said:

No, I did not.    The RNG in this game has not been kind to me - lol!  It's amazing that I've made it to Day 50 with the meager supplies I have.

My bad it's the gas station, where I find them not the dam, don't think they spawn on mystery lake.

[Vhalkyrie]

Just now, illanthropist said:

My bad it's the gas station, where I find them not the dam, don't think they spawn on mystery lake.

Ahh ok - I know about the one in the Gas Station (which is what I'm heading for).  I'm also pondering a quick dive into Timberwolf to see if it's at the cabin.  I'd like the hammer too, though, so Gas Station might be my better bet to combine trips.

With my luck, they probably both won't be there.  >.<

[illanthropist]

6 minutes ago, Vhalkyrie said:

With my luck, they probably both won't be there.

I'd probably just leave the hammer at the furnace given you can only really smash crates and ice fishing holes with it.

Spawns for hacksaw:

http://thelongdark.wikia.com/wiki/Hacksaw

[Vhalkyrie]

10 minutes ago, illanthropist said:

I'd probably just leave the hammer at the furnace given you can only really smash crates and ice fishing holes with it.

Spawns for hacksaw:

http://thelongdark.wikia.com/wiki/Hacksaw

I was hoping to get a spare hammer for smashing fishing holes.  Since they only need fir wood to repair, it's a renewable tool for fish!

[illanthropist]

Worth leaving near a fishing hut then, wouldn't want to carry one round too often though.

[Vhalkyrie]

1 minute ago, illanthropist said:

Worth leaving near a fishing hut then, wouldn't want to carry one round too often though.

Agreed!  I'm getting tired just thinking about it - oof.  It's taken a lot of work to shed my previous pack-rat bad habits from previous games.  I've done a fairly good job at keeping my pack light!

[Vhalkyrie]

Researching home locations, I found this very nice world map:

http://toarda.com/img/LongDark/OverviewTLD.jpg

[Edit: fixed to only show the link - sorry about that]

Very cool to see how the maps are connected!  It looks like the PV Farmhouse is going to be my permanent long term storage location.  I can live in other places, but if I need to restock essentials, they will be maintained in PV.

I have a long way to go to hit the 200 mark, but I don't think hibernation is for me.  If I make it past that point, I imagine that I will still keep moving to different locations.

[Vhalkyrie]

Day 60: Anniversary Hunt

For my 60th Day Anniversary, I celebrated with a bear hunt.

I figured it would be a good way to celebrate.  After nearly dying to a bear on day 43 and being denied a bear hide prize, I was eager for vengeance.  Day 60 seemed to be a fitting milestone to attempt this.  Either I succeeded and had a trophy, or I died on a bear hunt.  I didn't see that as a bad way to mark the end of 60 days.

The idea occurred to me several days earlier.  I spotted the bear very early on when I first came to the PV map.  While walking from the Radio Tower to the Farmhouse, I noticed a bear patrolling around the waterfall.  I didn't see an immediate way that I could kill it, but I left it in the back of my mind.

I nearly completed exploring/looting the PV map, and while passing the Heartbreak Bridge, I noted a derelict car.  A plan formulated on how I could kill that bear.

I looked at a PV map and noted that I had three potential shelter spots in order to hunt the bear: the car, the abandoned shed, and the fishing hut.  I knew from the nearly deadly blizzard experience that the exposed shed was too dangerous if a blizzard and freezing winds kicked up.  The fishing hut had a similar issue.  The car seemed the safest shelter.

I've heard one shot instant bear kills is possible, but I've never been able to pull it off.  So I had to attempt the best shot I could make, and run for the car.  The distance between the bear cave and the car wasn't insubstantial, so this was still going to be incredibly risky.

On Day 59, an auspicious sunny sky greeted me, and signaled it was time for the bear hunt.  I grabbed a sleeping bag, couple days supply of jerky, rifle, hatchet and knife and made my way to the bear cave.  I set up a small perch on a ledge near the bear's cave and waited for it.  

I didn't wait long.  It meandered out into the open, but I held my fire.  When it turned away from me, I raised my rifle, took aim, and fired.  I hit it around its midriff - pretty much no chance for an instant kill, but that wasn't what I attempted.  I wanted it turned away from me to buy me time to run.  Since it was turned away from me, it wouldn't see me immediately to charge me.  It had to turn around.  I hoped that by the time it turned, I would be gone.

And it worked.  The bear yelped and ran forward, while I ran away around the side of the hill rise where it couldn't see me.  I sprinted towards the car.  I could hear the bear behind me, though.  I was not sure if it pursued me, but I did not turn around to look.  Every second counted.  Milliseconds even.

The bear screamed and galloped behind me.  It sounded like it was pursuing me.  Couldn't be sure.  My heart thundered like a race horse.

I grabbed the first door I could reach on the car and slammed it.  I breathed hard and fast.  Didn't know where the bear was, but I knew I hit it.  Now all I had to do was wait.

(I kept an eye on my game stats journal to tell me when the bear died.  As soon as it ticked Bears Killed: 3, I was done.)

It took 4 hours for the bear to die.  I got out of the car and hoped I could find it.  In another auspicious sign, the bear happened to die right in front of its cave!  

It neared dusk, so I knew I could not harvest it and make it to the Farmhouse.  I placed firewood and my sleeping bag to spend the night in the bear's cave.

I took its hide first: the trophy I coveted.

A blizzard started right as I gathered its meat.  I lit a fire, cooked the meat, and filled my stomach completely.  I crawled into the warmth and safety of the sleeping bag.  My stomach was not rumbling with hunger in the morning.

On my 60th Day Anniversary, I finished harvesting most of its meat.  I collected all but 10 kilos.  I could see why I might have lost the other bear kill: the meat degraded fast.  Too fast.  Since it took me two days to recover from near death the other time, the bear most definitely despawned.  Good thing to note for the future - always collect the hide in the first 24 hours.

It was already late afternoon, and I wanted to make it back to the Farmhouse with my prizes.

Hauling a full pack of bear meat, hide, guts and some firewood, I stopped briefly to marvel at the beautiful pastel sky.  This also marked my 30th Day in Pleasant Valley.

I wondered where I would be in the next 30 days.  With the PV map nearly conquered to my satisfaction, it seemed time to move on soon.

[June]

Wonderfully written! I felt the tension of your anniversary hunt.  Glad you made it.  Allthough the "waiting for game statistics to update" somehow broke the roleplay aspect^^ 

Did you ever encounter a sleeping bear, btw? It freaked me out so much the first time. I didn´t know if it was dead, but since I had not agressed any bear, it must have been sleeping. The next day, it was roaming the perimeter again. Anyone can confirm this?