killing time


Tbone555

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so i started a new run a couple days ago on stalker, and im up to 40(ish) days

and im sooooo booooored. when you have an entire freezer stocked full of meat, have gallons of water to spare and firewood stocked up, there is virtually nothing to do. i'd go out exploring, but im on mystery lake and theres nothing really interesting to see. its just a bunch of cabins stocked full of food that i dont need. this is a new thing to me, i've never been bored with this game. its always been constantly worrying about if and when im gonna end up dying, struggling to survive. but now i have everything i need and all i have to do is repair and boil water to kill time.

so what do you guys all do for fun when playing on your longer runs? i really need ideas :P

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try exploring all maps it takes a lot longer - you need to plan your movements and resources, what to take what to leave behind. How much food will I have if i go to a new area? etc. etc. etc.

yeah. i started in pleasant valley, then moved to coastal after about 30 days

last night i decided to move to mystery lake. i have fully explored all maps already, i've been playing this for a while. i was gonna just head straight to the camp office and set up shop there. i had all the craftable clothing, so i didnt have to worry about the cold much. a da** wolf jumped me, so i fought it off no problem. then another one ran up from behind after his buddy was finished. that ended my 48 day run pretty quickly. my longest stalker run so far. just like that. at the time i was just trying to gather some firewood to make my character's world famous tomato soup with venison chunks :P

i swear, if something can go wrong, it will. even when you think you have it made you can still die just like that. thats what i love about this game.

im currently mourning. i have no motivation to start again and do alllll that over again o_o

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Have you tried spelling out "SOS" on the ground in campfires? Or spare clothing?

haha why not, its better than sitting around boiling water for fun xD

this game is incredible overall. and when i play it, i never want to put it down even if im just sitting in one spot bored out of my mind. because even if im sitting in one spot, it still feels like progression. its very satisfying. but i just wish there were some more activities to partake in :P

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We do know that late-game needs a bit of work, and definitely have a few ideas we think you guys will like. In the meantime, there are some players out there that set challenges for themselves that can be quite interesting and rewarding. If you haven't given any of those a try, I'd be happy to link a few here.

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We do know that late-game needs a bit of work, and definitely have a few ideas we think you guys will like. In the meantime, there are some players out there that set challenges for themselves that can be quite interesting and rewarding. If you haven't given any of those a try, I'd be happy to link a few here.

Any chance we could umm, how to say this, coax a bit more about what "a few ideas we think you guys will like" might mean? :)

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  • 2 weeks later...
only a freezer full of meat? i usually end up filling at least 3 lockers at the dam. blasted wolves kill so many deer, and a single bear will fill a locker by itself. so if you only have just a freezer full, you are missing something.

well in my experiences, having multiple containers full of meat, the meat will spoil before i get a chance to cook n eat it. i try to keep at least one container at a time so that i know that i have plenty to eat without worrying about it going bad, and if need be, i can still just go out and shoot a bear if i need to refill. :)

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We do know that late-game needs a bit of work, and definitely have a few ideas we think you guys will like. In the meantime, there are some players out there that set challenges for themselves that can be quite interesting and rewarding. If you haven't given any of those a try, I'd be happy to link a few here.

i would love that, please do :D

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i'd like to see more building and crafted added into endgame, say after you got the survival down, build your own cabin , the ability to furnish it would be great, build storage lockers, etc.

loving this idea! lets see some fallout 4 type building going on, gather up materials, build your shelter with said materials, that would be amazing!

although, unlike fallout 4 where you just scrap and plonk an entire wall down in 3 seconds, building would require quite a lot of time, calories and effort.

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  • 2 weeks later...
only a freezer full of meat? i usually end up filling at least 3 lockers at the dam. blasted wolves kill so many deer, and a single bear will fill a locker by itself. so if you only have just a freezer full, you are missing something.

How long will the meat keep in the locker before spoiling?

Also, if the meat condition is low (20%) and cooked, will it be 100%?

In your experience what is lowest percentage a cooked meat is safe enough to eat to avoid food poisoning?

Finally, can a file cabinet or other containers be used for storing meat, and are they as efficient?

I apologize for the plethora of questions but seek the knowledge of the experienced survivors to guide me through The Long Dark.

I want to live forever! ;)

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only a freezer full of meat? i usually end up filling at least 3 lockers at the dam. blasted wolves kill so many deer, and a single bear will fill a locker by itself. so if you only have just a freezer full, you are missing something.

How long will the meat keep in the locker before spoiling?

Also, if the meat condition is low (20%) and cooked, will it be 100%?

In your experience what is lowest percentage a cooked meat is safe enough to eat to avoid food poisoning?

Finally, can a file cabinet or other containers be used for storing meat, and are they as efficient?

I apologize for the plethora of questions but seek the knowledge of the experienced survivors to guide me through The Long Dark.

I want to live forever! ;)

I usually cook my meat when it hits about 40% at the lowest. I think cooking meat that’s degraded adds 50% to its condition. Meaning raw meat at 40% becomes 90% when cooked but there are other more experienced players here that might have more accurate knowledge.

Regarding the original OP's question -- Here's what I do, I'm at day 430 or so on a voyager run.

Each morning check weather, if it's good out I'll either hunt, trap, fish or gather wood. If there's something pressing I need to do inside (cooking meat that's close to spoiling for instance) I'll do that but otherwise I'll try and do something outside.

During bad weather it's a tossup; repair clothes, tools or weapons. Take inventory and not items that might need to be gathered (pain meds in this current run -- critically low). Or melt and boil water. Yes, I have far more water and firewood than I will ever need but hey it passes the time.

If I'm particularly bored with no legitimate reason to leave the immediate area I'll eat my meat stores down to zero and go from Camp Office to Trappers for a few days. It's a change of pace and change of scenery ... kind of fun. I pretend I'm hunting but the truth of the matter is I could just as easily hunt outside CO.

I've also made a point of creating "bases" at various points around the various maps. They're stocked with some non-degrading food, a fresh set of crafted clothes, firewood, water and the like.

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yes, file cabinets work as well if not a little better. file cabinets hold a total of 88# (40 kilos?) with each drawer holding 22# (10kilos). that is enough space to store an entire bear. lockers hold 66# (30 kilos). i dont remember how much other containers hold, guess i will do some research on that.

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If I'm particularly bored with no legitimate reason to leave the immediate area I'll eat my meat stores down to zero and go from Camp Office to Trappers for a few days. It's a change of pace and change of scenery ... kind of fun. I pretend I'm hunting but the truth of the matter is I could just as easily hunt outside CO.

I've also made a point of creating "bases" at various points around the various maps. They're stocked with some non-degrading food, a fresh set of crafted clothes, firewood, water and the like.

file cabinets work better

Doc Gonzo and Thelek,

Thanks for the great advice!

What is the recommended amount of water and wood to have on-hand all times in storage "at home?"

Since I don't know for sure I just keep a minimum of 10 L of water at home and no less than 1L on me at all times.

I kind of have a similar "plan of the day" that depends on the weather: sunny days I can either fish or explore for supplies.

Currently only ax & knife on-hand, one bandage only, and 5 antibiotics. Is it wise to fight a wolf with that amount of meds?

Is it wise to go out near home in the mornings to look for sticks until getting cold on overcast days then run back inside and sleep until I'm warm and repeat, or is that a waste of calories?

I tend to only make water if the weather is good in the afternoon: make a campfire outside with magnif. glass just large enough to generate a torch and bring it inside to make the fire for melting snow & boiling water inside which I do until there are "8 hours darkness remaining" (tend to be "exhausted" by that point) then sleep until completely rested in 4 hour increments, drinking water until "slacked."

If I have a series of 'bad weather afternoons' that last more than 4 days I'll use one of my few remaining matches to light a fire inside and burn all the wood I have melting snow/boiling water until "8 hours darkness remaining" or until I run out of wood, whichever comes first.

Every time I light a fire (especially if I have to use a match) I try to maximize the amount of potable water I'll get.

I really wish we could both melt snow and boil water simultaneously (if you already have water) on the two-stove-top wood stove on 2nd floor of Camp Office, or melt snow and cook food at the same time.

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What is the recommended amount of water and wood to have on-hand all times in storage "at home?"

This is rather personal. I prefer to keep at least 15L at my main base and keep 1-2L on my person, but others let their water supply drop to 0 before boiling more. Whatever works for you is good.

Currently only ax & knife on-hand, one bandage only, and 5 antibiotics. Is it wise to fight a wolf with that amount of meds?

I would want at least 3 bandages and a bottle of antiseptic (or 2 old mans beard bandages + 2 regular bandages) before fighting a wolf. And even then I try to avoid them as they can do a good amount of damage to both yourself and your clothes.

Is it wise to go out near home in the mornings to look for sticks until getting cold on overcast days then run back inside and sleep until I'm warm and repeat, or is that a waste of calories?

This is how I build my 1000 stick supply. If you only pick up loose sticks and don't break any branches it doesn't cost all that much calories.

I tend to only make water if the weather is good in the afternoon: make a campfire outside with magnif. glass just large enough to generate a torch and bring it inside to make the fire for melting snow & boiling water inside which I do until there are "8 hours darkness remaining" (tend to be "exhausted" by that point) then sleep until completely rested in 4 hour increments, drinking water until "slacked."

If I have a series of 'bad weather afternoons' that last more than 4 days I'll use one of my few remaining matches to light a fire inside and burn all the wood I have melting snow/boiling water until "8 hours darkness remaining" or until I run out of wood, whichever comes first.

Every time I light a fire (especially if I have to use a match) I try to maximize the amount of potable water I'll get.

I generally try to maximize my fires by cooking boiling as much as possible whenever I light a fire with a match. Once I have a magnifying glass I still do this, but to a lesser extend.

If you are slacked, you can sleep for 11 hours and still not be dehydrated when you wake up. No need to sleep for 4 hours if you are in a safe location. You rest better if you sleep 8 hours than when you sleep 2x 4 hours. Personally, I try to be at my bed before it is dark, eat and drink my fill and sleep for 10 hours. Then I drink again and sleep until 12 hours of daylight remaining. This way, I hardly ever get exhausted during the day.

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I think I have between 75 and 100 liters of water stocked up in Camp Office ... not that I have any need for that much water but whenever I cook I just make more than I need and stack it. I also have close to 400 pieces of cedar, 150 fur and I don't know how many sticks stockpiled. Again this is FAR more than I will ever need but when I see the logs have spawned near my base I harvest them -- out of the need to do "something" everyday if nothing else. I know I said fish earlier but I honestly do that far less often than anything else. It's a kin to my 'hunting trips' in that it breaks up the monotony of the game.

I, like Elloco999, carry about 2 liters on me at all times.

I'd hold off attacking wolves until you have the rifle and/or bow with arrows. If I don't want to kill a wolf I typically just bait (drop meat) them and run in the opposite direction. Sounds like you're just starting a new run? Work of gathering resources, would be my advice and keep an eye open for the ever useful wolf/dead deer combos. Please keep us posted on your play through, I love hearing how newer players are enjoying the game!

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Yeah, I generally have much more than 15L of water as well, but 15 is my limit. If it drops below that I will boil more asap. But usually I never get close to that. Whenever I light a fire to cook something I will also boil water for as long as fuel, time and exhaustion allow.

Somehow I always forget about using decoys, that's a good tip!

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Doc, Elloco, thanks for all the tips. I appreciate it and it gives me confidence to know from experienced survivors that some of the things I'm trying are the right things while learning new (better) strategies at the same time like carrying a torch outdoors instead of going out until numb, running home & napping til warm, repeat until dark).

My 20+ day playthru went going so-so. I had accumulated a few wolf hides which were curing but had used up all my meds fighting wolves hand-to-paw. I always had around 5~10 L water on the floor and always carried around 2 L.

This playthru was before I "discovered" that it's better to walk outdoors with a torch so it was as I said above where'd I'd go out for "chores" until numb then run home as fast as I could and nap until warm then repeat. Pretty wasteful actually.

I was fishing often and got food poisoning from freshly caught fish twice. Because I live in Japan and eat raw fish all the time I thought it'd be safe. Then I remembered we never eat raw freshwater fish here. Oops.

I'd always freeze from fishing but never got hypothermia from it.

Anyhow I was low on food and starving but thought I'd better sleep hungry & save the two fish for breakfast. Mistake. My health was 15% when I slept and I never woke up.

This time around is going better even though I started with less supplies and the Lake Cabins had almost no food in them. I got lucky and found a hunting knife in one of the fishing huts.

After raiding the cabins for all food I managed to get to the Camp Office the same day even though I was freezing and exhausted by the time I got inside.

The next day I went out and there was a wolf nearby. I waited for him(her?) to attack and went spastic on the attack button when I saw him going for my throat. Fight lasted 5 seconds and I got ruined pants out of it and a sprain.

I saw him wander off towards the tracks but I was already freezing (no torch today) so I went inside to warm up. I went out periodically and saw him off in the distance kind of pacing but with no pants and the snow falling I got cold quick and decided to warm up in the bed for an hour or so. When I came outside that nice wolf was kind enough to have passed out under a tree a mere 50 feet from the Office. I built a fire next to the carcass, harvested everything possible, cooked all the meat, and slept well that night.

Now I strip before fighting.

Since 15L is the bare minimum potable water to have stored, if you've got an extra match and there's a blizzard outside, how many hours will you be making potable water?

Also, I've noticed the weather can be very temperamental: some days there's a blizzard in the morning but it dies down after a few hours and may even be sunny later.

Other days it'll start sunny (so I go out exploring) then it'll go overcast by mid morning, there'll be snowfall in the afternoon, and then by evening it may be clear again.

It's kind of hard to plan, in a way. I try to have enough torches to last 6 hours and after I light the first one I try to chain them, use them to light fires (and extinguish the torch for more use later), and then use the campfire to relight the torch.

Especially since I'm just starting out I haven't found a way to make a 'permanent' fire but I imagine it'll be possible after I've gathered enough wood. Of course than means I'll have "moved in" to the place, which will only work until the resources (specifically metal) run out.

God I love this game. I wish the graphics were all "high tech" but regardless, I really, really am hooked on this game

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......

there is a lot of REALLY good advice here, yall

but, uhm.

its all completely off topic to the original post. i was looking for some fun things to do in my spare time, not a complete survival guide on food and water storage :P

(really not to be rude, though. thank you for all your replies :) )

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  • 2 weeks later...

The best advice I can give to stave off boredom is to travel. I just make a point to not stay in one place for too long and once I start to get cabin fever I just pack up and go.

Make a base or two on each map and just travel between them, something exciting usually happens and trips rarely go as planned. One of the latest trips I took was to the forge where I made 5 each of improvised hatches and knives and then dropped them off at various supply caches in other maps. Making those tools is now even more important with the inevitable demise of the regular knife and hatchet with the implementation of the new sharpening skill and limited use whetstones.

 

edit: Maybe it's not irony, but it is funny how you actually can get "cabin fever" as a debuff in the game now. (wasn't implemented at the time of my original post. My ego tells me that it was my fault, but I know better)

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