Famous Last Words

[NardoLoopa]

"Wasn't there a bear around here?"

Playing Voyager, working on the Cart achievement, finding places I've never been before.  All is good.  I'm looking for the Plane on MT when I get to Spruce Falls Bridge . . . 

Huh, isn't this the bridge from Episode One?  I remember there being all these cars.  Cool, let me take out my charcoal and jot this down.  I should probably hop in a car.  Nah.  Just take a sec.

*scribble - scribble* Wasn't there a bear around here? *scribble*

At which point I see a bear truck down the bridge at me like The Flash, since I was in the middle of mapping.  He pounced on me just as I had my fingers on the handle.

Later I came back a bit more prepared -- but he was on to me.

[Khan_Drichthyes]

I had a less painful, but similar, experience.  I was making a camp fire in Hushed River Valley when I heard a grunting noise.  Once the fire caught, I spun around to see a bear walking towards me.  I quickly drew my rifle and fired.  The bear reared up as I was chambering a round and began to charge.   I got in a fatal 2nd shot just before it could reach me.

But my newly lit stick-fed fire went out...

[Kilkegard]

2 hours ago, NardoLoopa said:

"Wasn't there a bear around here?"

Playing Voyager, working on the Cart achievement, finding places I've never been before.  All is good.  I'm looking for the Plane on MT when I get to Spruce Falls Bridge . . . 

Huh, isn't this the bridge from Episode One?  I remember there being all these cars.  Cool, let me take out my charcoal and jot this down.  I should probably hop in a car.  Nah.  Just take a sec.

*scribble - scribble* Wasn't there a bear around here? *scribble*

At which point I see a bear truck down the bridge at me like The Flash, since I was in the middle of mapping.  He pounced on me just as I had my fingers on the handle.

Later I came back a bit more prepared -- but he was on to me.

I literally had the same exact thing happen to me at that very spot.  I was taken down to 10% and barely got away alive.  Came back a few days later after i healed up to shoot the SOB.  That just made him mad.  Oh well, it was a good run while it lasted.

[NardoLoopa]

"Surely this sidewall is firm against the weak ice."

187 days in Voyager.  First time in FM.  Tried to map the Overlook.  Died to Weak Ice (x5) getting there.

[Goodzilla]

I don’t like FM at all!

Bad experience, to many wolves and bears and thin ice....

[diosmio123]

Funny - as a reader - experience. You made my day. Thank you!

 

I had a similar experience in FM after entering it from BR. It already was very late in the evening with some slight fog. I just wanted to reach the poacher's camp to get some sleep in a save place. I was totally fixated to not get into a struggle with the bear usually passing the railroads that i was not able to see the wolf pack heading towards me. 4 wolf struggles later he finally got and killed me. What a frightening and traumatic event. Even getting mauled two times by the same bear in one night on TWM was not that frightening. FM can be a good or a bad place. It all depends on what and how you are doing it.

[Morrick]

"Cool, I'll just hop down this ravine in Broken Railroad, I want to see what's down there under the Broken Bridge. I can climb down, find loot, and climb back up. How hard can it be?"

I'm not exactly a novice with game mechanics, but I still tend to underestimate the climbing part. Result: drained as hell, forced to rest and spend the night in the ravine, not enough wood to keep me warm, risk of hypothermia… I had to let go of a lot of baggage, finally managed to climb back up, reach the Maintenance Shed, sleep decently, return, climb down, bring a few things up, rinse, repeat. This setback made me mad, because ultimately I wasted time and resources to accomplish very little.

[Hotzn]

„Take this!“

In a much earlier game version, when throwing a flare at a wolf. At the time, a flare - if thrown correctly - would send a wolf running 100%. However, only if the flare had been LIT beforehand. Which I in my excitement had forgotten to do, unfortunately.

Another? - „Boil, boil, boiiiiiiil!“

After a bear mauling far from any shelter I was taking freezing damage (torn clothing). Down to the last couple % of condition, I realized I was only missing 2-3 degrees to stop the freezing. Quickly make a fire (success), start boiling tea... 1%... arrergh...

[Guest jeffpeng]

On 27.10.2018 at 4:57 AM, Morrick said:

"Cool, I'll just hop down this ravine in Broken Railroad, I want to see what's down there under the Broken Bridge. I can climb down, find loot, and climb back up. How hard can it be?"

I'm not exactly a novice with game mechanics, but I still tend to underestimate the climbing part. Result: drained as hell, forced to rest and spend the night in the ravine, not enough wood to keep me warm, risk of hypothermia… I had to let go of a lot of baggage, finally managed to climb back up, reach the Maintenance Shed, sleep decently, return, climb down, bring a few things up, rinse, repeat. This setback made me mad, because ultimately I wasted time and resources to accomplish very little.

I made the exact same mistake, and had pretty much the same experience, only that I got surprised by a hefty storm upon reaching the end of the ravine, and there is literally no way to make a fire down there if the wind blows the wrong way. In the end I spend 4 or 5 flares in the desperate attempt not to freeze and got up only by using the only stim I had - and then only narrowly survived a wolf attack upon reaching the top. I never, in any game, got down there again. It's a death trap.

As for (in)famous last words I probably have to say "Forward, dammit, forward".

The story behind this is getting surprised by a blizzard in TWM hauling admittedly much too much loot around. Happened to me down the ramp from the western engine crash, where there is a teeny tiny crack in the wall, which I ducked down in, made a fire, and planned to wait out the blizzard. As the blizzard raged on I realized that I would probably run out of firewood before it ended, so I desperately headed out in search for some, which is where a wolf got me totally by surprise. Until then I was adamant that wolves didn't attack you in the middle of a blizzard (and it actually happened to me only two times, ever) . Tired to the brink of complete fatigue I managed to fight him off with like 15% left, which dropped below 10% until I had both wounds bandaged. At that point I could see my fire burning, but my survivor wouldn't stumble in the right direction fast enough anymore, leaving me to freeze maybe 20 feet away from the saving fire, maybe even less.

I know that it was a true comedy of errors that led to this outcome. I probably could have made it up to the cave at the engine when the blizzard started, I maybe even would have survived the blizzard using flares and my lantern or cannibalizing my hatchet if push came to shove, and in a last ditch effort I might even have had a better chance just trying to make a run for the hut. Probably returning to the fire and then treating my wounds also would have worked better than the way I did it. Not even starting with the fact that I was badly equipped to begin with to make space for loot, and that I was in a bad shape in that I was much too tired to undertake such a hike. But even though I was my own undoing, it was heartbreaking to see the saving fire (even though it probably just would have staved off my execution by mere minutes at that point) but having no way to reach it. I was day 110-ish on my second ever Stalker run. I didn't play TLD for 2 or 3 weeks afterwards.

 

[deathbydanish]

During 4DON I felt like the cock of the walk when I found a rifle shortly after entering Mystery Lake. I even took down a wolf and after I quartered him and dropped off the contents to a trailer I continued down the tracks and ran into a pack of wolves. I got a DRT shot at the first one that lunged at me, but as I worked the bolt, wolf number 2 lunged at me and I got into a struggle. I got him off, but when I got back up I wanted revenge and tried to get at him when the rest of his pack came back to finish the job.

[Doc Feral]

"Good, a blizzard, I can make a dash for the Orca and drop the first load of supplies safely" I stated as I started the big task of carrying the 120+ kgs of loot from Mountain town to Mystery Lake. I had my stockpile at the bank director's house, it seemed not too hard.

I soon enough discovered it was not a blizzard but just a snowy morning with a strong wind. I was proudly (albeit not particularly fast) marching in the middle of the road and a wolf came at me from around a corner. I axe-cepted the challenge and sent it whimpering. Took a moment to patch up myself, and its larger brother came for vengeance. I hacked at it and won, earning TWO bleeding wounds for my troubles. Big bad wolf, really. As I bandaged those new wounds the sneakiest one in the pack showed up, intent on scoring the big win and set itself as the new alpha (a rather useless title since the rest of its pack was bleeding to death somewhere) and attacked. Down but not out, I clobbered it too and survived the morning. In the end it went well, but I'll be more careful in the future not to call "blizzard" a simple windy snowfall.

Side note: a moment before the first wolf showed up my girl was complaining about hunger. I guess fresh steaks have arrived.

[NardoLoopa]

"The Bear is probably not home".

From TWM to CH, I decide to take the route from Point of Disagreement to Derelict Cabins by passing by the Bear cave.  It was night.  I don't usually go this way, but Hopeless Rescue inspired me to look for short-cuts.  Got a bit lost, but ended up in view of the Bear cave just when Yogi decides to go out for a stroll in the direction of the choke.

Looking at my options, I decide to see what the hill on my right has to offer.  Oh, this will work nicely.  I can hear him back there, but I'm in front of him now.  Area looks good.  Let me just hop off this ledge and hope I don't get a sprain.

(ankle and wrist sprain)

Crap, where did those THREE wolves come from?  Down some meds -- no time to be injured.  One wolf takes an interest.  My back is to the wall.  I find a little concave area and put down a fire.  It's slow, and I can hear him walking my way.  Finally, a yelp.  I only have the one stick, so this isn't a long-term solution.  Make my way to higher ground, but I can hear the bear to my left.  Getting boxed in, even though I have high ground.  The fire is out so (a/the) wolf returns.  I take a shot at him but miss.

Wrapping wounds, I hear the bear closing.  I get off a nice shot, but he still mauls me.  13%.  Wrap wounds.

Crouching, I try to slip the needle between the wall of rock and the wolves.  The bear is following me.  I've got no choice, but he's acting as a nice buffer against the wolves, who are yelping away.  Didn't know bears would track you -- maybe he isn't, but he's following right in my footprints.  Eventually, I make it around the corner and beat a retreat.

Headed to Draft Dodger's.  I'm now shivering off condition.  Wind has picked up.  No wolves so I make it.  8% condition when I get to safety.

Going through my inventory, I see there is a 0.08 hunk of meat on me from when I topped up just before setting off from the Mountaineer's Cabin.  Another Stalker lesson, I guess.  Not enough food to fully heal, so I plan to use the night blizzard as cover for an escape to the Farmhouse.

[BareSkin]

"It's my chance at shooting this bear, now that I have a fire"

and

"The terrace around Grey Mother's house is holy ground"

[theHellraiser]

desolation point,leaving riken to loot whale factory thinking to myself "I dont see that pesky bear around, maybe I should climb to the road for a better and safer view".

bear was on the road on the spot I reached, mauled me, run towards the gate of the factory to get some distance,applied first aid, wolf jumps me from the gate the second I close my invetory ,managed to get a leg panic shot,fight the wolf of,gun noise attracted the bear back, met my maker.

you will be missed 93 days  heaven

[NardoLoopa]

Wait!  He can now?!

[NardoLoopa]

"I bet if I use this blizzard as cover, I can sneak through Hibernia safely"

From the Riken, I headed into a Blizzard to Hibernia to look for the hammer.  Almost got lost, but at least the wind was with me.  Looted the place.  Found my hammer.  Decided to hit the guard shack for meds before I returned to the Riken.  Just as I entered the Pickup truck, I sensed the storm dying.  Before I could reach the shack, this was my view of life:  DON'T MAKE ME ROLL DOWN THIS WINDOW!

Fortunately(?), Mr. Bear stopped by for a chat soon after.

[hozz1235]

Didn't you know you could break the window with your hammer and safely shoot the wolves through the window? 

[Wintersteel]

"I wonder if these wires are like, dangerous."

 

Story Mode. First Aurora. And that's how I died for the very first time.

[Carbon]

"Yeah, I can make it."

 Said many times, in many places, shortly before not making it.

[Senauer]

On 8/12/2018 at 2:41 PM, Carbon said:

"Yeah, I can make it."

Usually with 3/4 fatigue bar before a very looong climb, which of course will not end up good (literally ).

[Morrick]

"I'm a rather experienced explorer now, I can handle Forlorn Muskeg better than last time."

This sandbox's Mackenzie was the longest surviving of my Mackenzies, going for his 47th day. Super-well equipped and dressed. Well, Forlon Muskeg didn't care. 

I was exploring one part of the region I considered rather safe (in the South-East, if you look at the maps you find online). I left the Old Spence Family Homestead and went past the Bunkhouses in the direction of the Muskeg Overlook. I was avoiding the ice and just following the coastline. After missing the entrance path to Muskeg Overlook, a blizzard came up out of nowhere (really, I'd never seen the weather change so fast, so badly). I said, "Well, I'm dressed warm enough to sustain this until I get back to the Spence Homestead, I just have to turn and go back where I came from." Easier said than done, as I could barely see where I was going. Then I fell through the ice in a spot that was so close to the shore I still can't believe there was weak ice. This accident escalated everything rapidly. 

The irony? At a certain point the blizzard receded and I could see exactly where I was, and I wasn't that far from the Spence Homestead (maybe 300 meters as the crow flies), but I was now in the middle of the marsh, freezing, exhausted, and at 23% condition. Mackenzie was moving so slowly it was a painful show to watch. It was a race against time (vision was already getting blurred), and a second fall into ice put him out of his misery.

Brief post-mortem

It's really all a matter of decisions. The bad decision I made, with hindsight, was to want to return to the Spence Homestead when the blizzard hit me. Looking again at the map, I was probably closer to the section of the railway that leads back into Mystery Lake. I probably should have marched on and tried to leave the region. Once in Mystery Lake, I could have walked straight to the dilapidated cabin in Deadfall Area and warmed up there. But you know what they say about hindsight...

I still have two Mackenzies in two other Survival sandboxes, and neither of them is willing to go back to Forlorn Muskeg.

Really, the lesson here is: Never underestimate Forlorn Muskeg. No matter how experienced you feel or well-equipped you are. No matter how great the weather looks. A sudden change in the weather is all it may take to put you in a tight (and frozen) spot. And another lesson: if you're caught in a blizzard, try not to panic. Ever since I started playing The Long Dark, my worse, stupidest choices were made during blizzards.

–Rick

[NardoLoopa]

4 hours ago, Morrick said:

Then I fell through the ice in a spot that was so close to the shore I still can't believe there was weak ice. This accident escalated everything rapidly. 

Pretty sure this is exactly the same ice that claimed my 187 day survivor.  But I can't say my situation was even as precarious as your -- I just got cavalier about danger.