Milton Mailbag -- Dispatch #6

[Raphael van Lierop]

Hello community!!

Enjoy Dispatch #6!  Next week, we'll be publishing a full Developer Diary updating you on what we've been working on at Hinterland lately.

Onward!

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Question from @MarrowStone:

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Do you have what it takes to survive the Quiet Apocalypse? What kind of survivor would you be? How far would you go to survive?

Yes. The one who survives. All the way.

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Question from @ThePancakeLady:

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Okay. Your favorite author/writer of all time. No reason why is needed, just interested in who you have taken the most away from over the years.
And fine, since picking just one is tough, you can list 2.  

Very tough. I think the answer would change every year, but I'd say if measured by the author I've read and enjoyed the most consistently, John Le Carre. For 2018, the answer is The Strugatsky Brothers -- I've read Roadside Picnic, The Doomed City, The Dead Mountaineer's Inn, and am working through Hard to be a God right now.

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Question from @nicko:

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Hi, loved the cooking update, do you have plans or always tweaking how the water / thirst  works in game? I think it needs work as its just not real, who wants to create all those 1/.5/  plastic bottles? plastic sucks.

I think I answered something like this in a previous Dispatch. But yes.

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Question from @Smellyfries:

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Do you guys enjoy working on The Long Dark? Are there times where it is frustrating and repetitive at times to work on it?

I can't speak for everyone on the team but I *think* we all enjoy working on it. I mostly enjoy working on it. There are certainly times where it's frustrating and repetitive, but working with talented people is a reward in itself and seeing your ideas realized and experienced by people is really an honour, so I personally feel very fortunate. And it feels really good to be able to provide meaningful employment and what I hope is a good work environment for the people on the team. Any "bad days" are more than outweighed by all the positives. I'm constantly excited by the prospect of how the game and IP can be improved and continue to evolve in the future, into new experiences. I'm also really excited about the idea of working on something new.  I can't imagine doing anything else.

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Question from @Karl Grylls:

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How much has the game changed due to early acces and intervention from the gamers compared to your original vision? Are there examples for things that weren't planned, but made it to the game because the players wanted it?

I think "intervention" is the wrong word. I don't feel like I've ever had to compromise on my vision for The Long Dark due to the desires of the community. What's right for the game is often the same thing as what the community wants for the game, and if there are groups or "factions" of people who want to push the game in a certain direction, we are very mindful of that and look at community feedback as yet another input and not anything we determine direction from. I'm pretty stubborn so if I don't think something is right for the game, I won't put it in no matter how many people yell at me about it.  But, the game is almost like a living organism and we can't see or know everything so it's always important to have an open mind and listen to what people think and, more importantly, what they feel. It doesn't mean we'll agree with all the feedback or implement it, but we do listen and consider pretty much everything that comes our way.

In general, every update we put out has content or features (or tweaks) that are informed by things the community says they would like. The recent overhaul of the Cooking system in VIGILANT FLAME is an example of something the community has been asking for for a long time -- and it's also something we really wanted to do to improve the game, so once we were able to figure out a good way to do that, we made the changes. I think that's a good example of how we "react" to community feedback.

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Question from @Pillock:

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What's the closest real life experience you've had to that which faces the player-character in The Long Dark?

I once encountered a Grizzly in the Northern Wilds of British Columbia. Close enough?

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Question from @FireCraft78:

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Will you ever release a collector version of the game ? (when all Wintermute episodes will be released)

Yup!

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Question(s) from @Gussan:

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Question 1: Do you have in mind to deploy a new patch in 2018/2019? New items, animals, maybe?

Question 2: Will there be a the long dark 2?

 

Question 1: Yes.

Question 2: That depends on many factors. Let's finish the first game first.

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Question from @StrayCat:

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May you share with us some of the pictures, drawings, sketches, that helped you design the esthetics of the game ? I was looking at the "fan creations" forums, and thought that it lacked HL's own input...  

Yes, we're making an Art Book. It'll be given to those who pledged for it during our Kickstarter, and we'll also make it available for sale from our store. We'll have some details to share on that soon, we hope!

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Unfortunately, that's all I have time for today, but I'll do my best to circle back to some of the great questions I missed between Dispatch 5 and 6, so please don't feel left out if I didn't respond to your question. Have a great weekend, and stay tuned for the Dev Diary we'll be publishing next week!

- Raph

 

[Admin]

Please use this thread for discussion of @Raphael van Lierop's answers. However while we will be monitoring the thread, he won't be following up on questions here. If you have more questions please post them in the main question thread and they may be addressed in a future Milton Mailbag.

[Moonraker]

Just want to say that I really enjoy reading these Mail posts and very much appreciate the time you (all) take to answer and communicate/ share experiences with the player base. Thanks.

[ThePancakeLady]

Thank you for answering my "pick your brain" question. 
 John le Carré. I think I have only ever read one book by him - "The Spy Who Came In From The Cold". 

I have some new reading to do. "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" has been on my list for ages. Time to go rent a copy from the local library.

[Pillock]

2 hours ago, Raphael van Lierop said:

Question from @Pillock:

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What's the closest real life experience you've had to that which faces the player-character in The Long Dark?

I once encountered a Grizzly in the Northern Wilds of British Columbia. Close enough?

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Probably a bit too close!

[nicko]

These Q/A's rock keep them coming thanks.

[Guest hoasd1]

thanks for answering this questions and i will stay turned to see the new dev diary.

[Blinkin]

I love these Milton Mailboxes. Put some TLD music by Sascha in the background and enjoy.

[Guenter]

this helps to increase community feeling : )