Flares

[CeeBod]

The Redux update has me playing again after a really long break, and while I am loving most things, I am confused by signal flares - they used to be very useful and the in game tips still mention the fact that they can scare wildlife, but when I use them now I'm seeing literally zero effect. If I'm holding an active flare a wolf won't even pause or slow down any more than it usually does before charging me, resulting in a wolf struggle to the sound of a spitting flare completely ignored at our feet! If I throw it in front of them they totally ignore it. I've even seen wolves walk directly over a hot spitting flare as if it isn't even there! Meanwhile getting even vaguely close to a campfire spooks them out completely, and I find the inconsistency hugely irritating!

Are signal flares (not the flare gun btw, just the hand-held flares) now useless or is there a trick to using them now that I'm just failing to see?

[s7mar7in]

50 minutes ago, CeeBod said:

they can scare wildlife, but when I use them now I'm seeing literally zero effect.

Welcome to the forum @CeeBod, and welcome back to TLD my friend.

The wolf behaviors have received many tweaks, (if you figure out what the wolf is thinking, please let us know).

The days of brandishing a flare and seeing an over-reaction by a wolf have been replaced by more subtle effects.
So you should think of the flare as only one of many tools available for dealing with wildlife.

• Wolves are far less "acrobatic" as they charge, (several stages of pathing, following, tracking, and charging).
• Wolves are far more curious of sounds and scent, (including rocks and flares).
• A hand held flare may cause a wolf to "hesitate" rather than flee from the light, (stop, stare...walk away).
• A flare thrown as a wolf takes an aggressive stance may have a chance to frighten the wolf.
• Sometimes a flare can be dropped, (similar to a decoy), and cause a wolf to hesitate, (making it an easy target for a bow shot).
• Walking with a flare may allow some safety and may help to start a campfire, (which is totally effective at repelling a wolf).

So to answer your question; no the flare is not useless, but now the effects are likely much more subtle.

The tweaks may have made the wolves less predictable, but in a good way, as wolves are now "less mechanical".

Hope this information is helpful.