Releasing rabbits

[The Wanderer]

Is there a game mechanic that I'm unaware of? When I go through the hassle of wacking an animal with a rock, then swiftly grab it, why would I let it go? I don't get it. Is it to show the rabbit that despite your willingness to injury it, you just can't finish the job? If you let enough of them go, do you become their god? Will it befriend you and protect you in times of peril, a-la Monty Python? I just don't understand why the option is there.

[IrenaAstarosa]

"Psssst! Hey, you, McKenzie! Yeah, I'm talking to you! Let me go and I will grant you 3 wishes! Total legit, mate!"

Huh, I must be tripping on those mushrooms.

[CmdrDats]

The brief moment of 'is this how far I'd go to survive'? The thought that it might be something you'd actually do for reals if you were in the situation. It snaps some out of the dreamworld where chickens come pre-cut and sold at a shop. 10/10 would snap another rabbit neck again.

[The Wanderer]

10 hours ago, CmdrDats said:

The brief moment of 'is this how far I'd go to survive'? The thought that it might be something you'd actually do for reals if you were in the situation. It snaps some out of the dreamworld where chickens come pre-cut and sold at a shop. 10/10 would snap another rabbit neck again.

Okay, I get that, it's a good point. But do you really think that's all it is? I'm not questioning your point, I'm trying to clarify it for myself. The way I see it, if you go through the process of hunting the rabbit. You throw a egg sized rock, weighing a quarter kilogram, at the rabbit to 'stun' it. Quickly grab the rabbit so it doesn't escape, why would you choose to let it go? Wouldn't people who think that chickens fall apart into packages from self sacrifice, not throw the rock in the first place? I'm kind of wishing I could just let it go, but I'm a little compulsive. I've been searching FAQ's with no luck. Some have guessed it might be for an achievement/ trophy, nothing confirmed or claimed. I've been trying to allow myself to let the buggers go, but I can't. All I see are potential calories looking back at me. I mean, I wouldn't pick a cattail just to leave it to rot, and I certainly wouldn't pick it to just replant it. There's got to be something more to it!

[IrenaAstarosa]

There IS a Steam achievement to stun a rabbit from 80 feet away. But then again you would not be able to get to the rabbit in time to pick it up, I guess. I have to agree with CmdrDats; it is there so that people see what it is like to kill an animal with you bare hands. To hear its neck snap. I do it to survive in game, but still cringe at that sound.

Also, I think the disclaimer at the start of the game confirms that. I do not know how recent it is, but now you can read that "The studio doesn't condone wanton destruction of wildlife".

[deathbydanish]

Not that I am near fast enough to catch a rabbit nor dextrous enough to stun them with a rock, but I think they should be noisier, as in it would attract predators if you take too long to decide what to do.

[Samsonguy920]

For some reason I am reminded of Bioshock Infinite, and if you don't want spoilers to that I give you fair warning to just ignore this.

Within the second half of the game, the hero and damsel come across a room with a frightened kid in it. These two have been through five layers of hell so far, and here they find a kid cowering in a corner alone. Also in the room is a guitar.  The hero goes to the seat the guitar is next to, sits down and begins to play. The damsel begins to sing, Will the Circle Be Unbroken.  She hands the kid an apple and shortly the two have to go on into the fight.

Anyway, my point is sometimes you need a reminder of peace in a world where it seems everything is out to get you.  And while the method of capturing the rabbit is rather violent, taking a moment to look in a rabbit's eyes, the one thing in the world that is not out to get you(I am suspicious of deer), you can find a bit of peace and reminder of life in the Canadian Wasteland.  If you have the health for it, especially in Survival, it might be good for your gaming sanity to take a moment and smell the roses, metaphorically speaking. If you come across a grove with rabbits, at the least just sit and watch them for a bit.

That's my frame of thought on the whole thing.  I rarely bother with rabbits anyway, since I tend to kill enough wolves to keep myself fed.

[Samsonguy920]

7 hours ago, deathbydanish said:

Not that I am near fast enough to catch a rabbit nor dextrous enough to stun them with a rock, but I think they should be noisier, as in it would attract predators if you take too long to decide what to do.

I've never hesitated, but I could swear there is a countdown to where the rabbit squirms out of your grip if you do nothing for too long.  We have enough things to attract predators.  Living rabbits on their own do a well enough job attracting them, as well.

[Stormwolf1O1]

23 hours ago, IrenaAstarosa said:

There IS a Steam achievement to stun a rabbit from 80 feet away. But then again you would not be able to get to the rabbit in time to pick it up, I guess. I have to agree with CmdrDats; it is there so that people see what it is like to kill an animal with you bare hands. To hear its neck snap. I do it to survive in game, but still cringe at that sound.

Also, I think the disclaimer at the start of the game confirms that. I do not know how recent it is, but now you can read that "The studio doesn't condone wanton destruction of wildlife".

Stone-Age Sniper achievement, I accidentally got that one.  Was actually still able to run right over and snatch him up in time, somehow. 

[Stormwolf1O1]

I was playing Story Mode the first time I came across the kill/release option. Of course, with the rabbit's big wiggly nose and innocent eyes, and the "mmrh?" noise it makes, I couldn't kill the first one. Makenzie patted the rabbit's ears back and put him back on the ground. That was the first and last time I ever released one! 

[JAFO]

On 8/15/2017 at 4:27 PM, The Wanderer said:

When I go through the hassle of wacking an animal with a rock, then swiftly grab it, why would I let it go? I don't get it. Is it to show the rabbit that despite your willingness to injury it, you just can't finish the job?

I think it's just because so many people are squeamish about wringing the neck of a cute little bunny rabbit.. if you watch some youtube videos, you'll see quite a few players who have a real problem with it.. well, until they get hungry enough, anyway. 

[Stormwolf1O1]

4 hours ago, JAFO said:

I think it's just because so many people are squeamish about wringing the neck of a cute little bunny rabbit.. if you watch some youtube videos, you'll see quite a few players who have a real problem with it.. well, until they get hungry enough, anyway. 

I used to literally turn my head and close my eyes before the snapping sound. Stopped doing that soon enough lol.

[deathbydanish]

1 hour ago, Stormwolf1O1 said:

I used to literally turn my head and close my eyes before the snapping sound. Stopped doing that soon enough lol.

Savage!

j/k I still do feel remorse in the back of my mind when I do this, but its not a real rabbit and Will's gotta eat.

[Hackfleisch]

I thought it was a nice little touch to make you look into its cute little face before snapping its neck. I don't know if I could do it in real life but in the game it's kinda funny >_>

But I also wondered if the release option was there for a reason beyond 'aww I just can't'. Maybe feed it a carrot and it will follow you around and distract wolves.

[JAFO]

1 hour ago, Hackfleisch said:

Maybe feed it a carrot and it will follow you around and distract wolves.

I wonder how it feels about cattail stalks instead..

[Mroz4k]

There are soooo many people out there who have a real problem to kill that bunny when they manage to stun it, just because of how brutal that animation may look. And if you dont snap it quickly enough, it will just break free on its own - that is the penalty of hesitation. 

I often found myself so immersed into the game that I actually start feeling chilly if my character is freezing, and hungry if he is hungry (I am weird I know  ), so I tend not to have much of a problem with it, also I am a heartless bastard, to me, the rabbits are just a fuzzy balls of calories hopping around. 

Finally, the reason why you would let a rabbit go on your own, is actually rather obvious - practise. How will you practise your stone hunting techniques if you snap all the rabbits and there are none left? Doesnt it make more sense to let him go, and then hit him again and again to get better at catching them later when you really need those calories? As cruel as it may sound, dead rabbit doesnt pose much of a hunting challenge.

[Stormwolf1O1]

18 minutes ago, Mroz4k said:

I often found myself so immersed into the game that I actually start feeling chilly if my character is freezing, and hungry if he is hungry (I am weird I know  )

I actually start feeling hungry when I hear my survivor's stomach growl!

[JAFO]

1 hour ago, Mroz4k said:

And if you dont snap it quickly enough, it will just break free on its own - that is the penalty of hesitation. 

Now that, I wasn't aware of.. good to know.. thanks!

[The Wanderer]

12 hours ago, Hackfleisch said:

But I also wondered if the release option was there for a reason beyond 'aww I just can't'. Maybe feed it a carrot and it will follow you around and distract wolves.

You get it! I've convinced myself it means something more than what's being presented. But, I still can't convince myself to let them go! They only have about half the intake calories by weight versus venison. Stalking them costs calories, MY calories THEY wasted eluding me in the first place. I'm all for the right to live as long as my day counter keeps going up. Which is challenged by letting Fuzzy-Bunn, go. It's the curiosity that's getting to me. I've even thought to just load a save and experiment to see what would happen. The only thing the experiment proved was my ability to snap necks cannot, currently, be curtailed.

[The Wanderer]

12 hours ago, Mroz4k said:

Finally, the reason why you would let a rabbit go on your own, is actually rather obvious - practise. How will you practise your stone hunting techniques if you snap all the rabbits and there are none left? Doesnt it make more sense to let him go, and then hit him again and again to get better at catching them later when you really need those calories? As cruel as it may sound, dead rabbit doesnt pose much of a hunting challenge.

Here's the thing, the rabbits respawn. I've NEVER let a rabbit go. Not once. I've cleared an area out, several times, of every rabbit I could find. Within a couple of game-days they were back, as plentiful as ever. Even though rocks are reusable I can see no purpose in practicing your technique to capture rabbits, only to let go of the star menu item. The only thing that continuously stunning, running, and releasing prey is going to do is waste calories. I've been in real situations where staying alive has been challenging. I didn't practice killing food. I really, really, tried to kill it, mostly unsuccessfully. In the real world, out in a northern winter, most people would be dead within 5 hours. Experienced winter campers, with full kitt have left for a weekend, only to be found at spring thaw. This game's whole thing is that there isn't gonna be a spring thaw, ever. You don't know if the rabbits you were torturing with rocks yesterday are going to be there tomorrow. Sometimes they respawn quite a far distance away making it a non economical venture.  

[strigon]

23 hours ago, Mroz4k said:

Finally, the reason why you would let a rabbit go on your own, is actually rather obvious - practise. How will you practise your stone hunting techniques if you snap all the rabbits and there are none left? Doesnt it make more sense to let him go, and then hit him again and again to get better at catching them later when you really need those calories? As cruel as it may sound, dead rabbit doesnt pose much of a hunting challenge.

7

I don't know about that; rabbits aren't exactly rare. If you're at the point where you've snapped the necks of all available rabbits, you probably don't need more practice.

I'm pretty sure it's just an immersion thing; it isn't so easy to snap the neck of something you're holding in your hands like that.
Heck, every time I nail one and go up to it, I feel bad and promise to let the next one go. Then, of course, the next time rolls around and I need food, or guts, or new mittens...

[StrayCat]

Well, it could become a lovely choice with a little twist. The interloper mode has a description : You are not part of Mother Nature's plan, and you will bear the full force of her wrath. Just imagine 1 second that, by snapping this random little rabbit's neck, you add a little to Mother Nature's wrath... One rabbit after another, predators could become juste a little bit more present, more hostile and agressive... Then you know that, when you snap this little neck for immediate and easy food and resources, Nature will become slightly more hateful of you. This becomes a real choice to make : immediate resources vs harsher conditions later ?

On the contrary, preserving life around you and "becoming one with the wildlife" could preserve the player from this little "additional wrath". After all, the golden age of humans is now past, and exploiting resources like before could be "punished". And it conforms perfectly with the "Hinterland Studio Inc. does not condone the wanton destruction of wildlife".

[Stormwolf1O1]

1 hour ago, StrayCat said:

it could become a lovely choice with a little twist.

Was that a play on words?  Poor bunnies..

[Mroz4k]

If anything, it would make sense that if a player keeps continuously rehunting one spot, the animals should take longer and longer to respawn each time they are hunted out entirely. This way, to keep a specific spot bountiful, you would need to keep a few of the animals living in that location. It could also be used to help clear certain areas of the land safe, meaning that if you keep wiping out wolves in a specific spot, they take longer and longer to return back.

Maybe, at some point, you could even wipe them out entirely, and instead, a different area of the map which previously did not have the presence of animal will become inhabitated by them. Imagine coastal town for example - the wolves have moved in. A strong survivor came and drove them out. After several attempts to retake their lair again, they learn that the survivor is too much for them to handle, and they move on - to the coastal fishing village where there previously were no wolves.

The player should have a bit more of an impact on the map in a long term. Because in the long term, his/her presence has an effect on the ecosystem. It would also promote more gentler way of hunting - by keeping couple of animals alive each time if one wishes to make use of them again, as well as ensuring people dont just stay in one place and fall into routine, but are required to make trips, further and further from their base.

1 hour ago, strigon said:

I don't know about that; rabbits aren't exactly rare. If you're at the point where you've snapped the necks of all available rabbits, you probably don't need more practice.

I'm pretty sure it's just an immersion thing; it isn't so easy to snap the neck of something you're holding in your hands like that.
Heck, every time I nail one and go up to it, I feel bad and promise to let the next one go. Then, of course, the next time rolls around and I need food, or guts, or new mittens...

First of all, rarity of animals and how quickly they respawn and how much food you need are all things based on your difficulty level. On Interloper, the rabbits are important but not that bountiful. 

But that is not the point I was making and you missed it entirely. It is better for someone who is completedly new to the game to learn how to stone hunt rabbits, easiest way to do that is to keep as many of them alive as possible in a single spot. By throwing stones and catching, then releasing them you can soon learn to hunt the rabbits to a point where you always only need one throw to get them. It is how I initially learned to stone-hunt, by practising stone hunting techniques without killing the rabbits, because frankly, I didnt need them. 

And that is the point - often people in the endgame can sit on a heapload of meat in their home base, as well as stockpile of animal materials, and in that situation they dont need to hunt and kill. But by going out to stone-hunt rabbits them letting them go you can keep yourself in-shape and you have something to do, as cruel as that may sound. It is, for example, a good activity to do when cabin risk is at stake.

Another reason is that it is an option for the squeamish sentimental people to let the rabbits go. I am simply stating that the option can have some practical uses as well.

[StrayCat]

3 hours ago, Mroz4k said:

The player should have a bit more of an impact on the map in a long term. Because in the long term, his/her presence has an effect on the ecosystem. It would also promote more gentler way of hunting - by keeping couple of animals alive each time if one wishes to make use of them again, as well as ensuring people dont just stay in one place and fall into routine, but are required to make trips, further and further from their base.

That is a really excellent point, and a really great idea. I hope hinterland will think seriously about it, it's totally worth it.