'Last Chance' Mechanic for Near-Death Situations

[Barretts Privateer]

Thought of this a while back while out hiking and reminiscing on a mishap I had some time back.

Most of us cannot confirm having experienced this feeling, but in all cases as someone is about to die, once their mind has finally realized 'Oh s**t, this is it.', a final, last burst of adrenaline bursts through you, that 'cornered animal' instinct; where from I've no idea. In some cases, it can save your life by buying you those few seconds, giving you that extra strength, etc, that you needed to survive. I was thinking this real-life mechanic (common amongst all living creatures) could be implemented into 'The Long Dark'.

For example:

You are playing in Interloper mode and are in Pleasant Valley, trying to get to the abandoned mine that leads to the relative safety of Coastal Highway. You're freezing, starving, and have barely enough water to last the next day. Another blizzard (they sure do like those in Interloper) is kicking up, but you know that is you try to find shelter now, there won't be another tomorrow. However, you are at 75% condition, and have plenty of time to make the trek before you drop dead.

However, as you're trudging through the near-whiteout, a wolf runs you down and tackles you; you almost give up, but just as your condition drops to 10%, a sudden burst of energy enables you to fight him off. You patch up the wounds and continue on your way, but you are now dangerously close to death.

However, this 'Last Chance' instinct buried in your mind kicks in, and that energy that suddenly appeared stays with you, enabling you to charge up the hillside and into the abandoned mine, where you can finally start a fire and recuperate. You survived.

(Yeah, I spend too much time writing stories.)

But anyway, the mechanic I'm thinking of is simple; when you hit 10%, you gain the same benefits, suddenly, as you do from a stimpak, maybe with some slight variations. However, it is on a limit, and by the time you hit/would have hit 3%, all the fight has left you and you're mind is accepting that you're going to die. But, I think this would be a very realistic instinct that can be applied, not necessarily how I've scribed it here, but can be applied into the game.

The floor is open, folks...thoughts?

[LucidFugue]

This could be where the locket comes into play. There had been a lot of speculation about a willpower system, and as far as I know the locket contains a photo of a loved one that inspires the character to keep going. 

I don't know about others, but I get the feeling that as the design has evolved, there is less of a desire to see the player die. That is, we're not out to kill players off through wolf attacks and blizzards. These are meant to be dangerous scenarios, very emotionally charged... But the design team is doing as much as they can to ensure you can pull through, because those make the best stories. 

I wouldn't be surprised if the locket is designed just for the sort of scenario you're dreaming up. 

[Wastelander]

Different threats kill in different ways. Especially the cold is a silent killer which you will most likely will not even see coming IRL - victims of the cold often paradoxically undress themselves or try to burrow. When it comes to blood loss, well, 'blood loss' isn't an euphemisn, it's literally the loss of blood, and with decreasing blood pressure the body just dies no matter the concentration of adrenaline in the bloodstream.

You're not wrong per se, but death is the singular result of many problems.

[alone sniper]

It could be good.

i like it to be as a feats. for example you survive 100 bear attack. (but once in entire sandbox you can use this feats. )

[Hotzn]

I wouldn't say the idea is bad, butttt... if we get another boost when hitting 10% condition, wouldn't that be just like, well, having 115 or 120% condition from the start? Also, you might get an adrenaline burst if you get attacked by a wild animal, but would your body react likewise if you slowly freeze to death? I doubt it.

[oh god a wolf]

this would actually be a really good mechanic. i gosh darn support this idea and the man/woman who created it.

[LucidFugue]

2 hours ago, Hotzn said:

if we get another boost when hitting 10% condition, wouldn't that be just like, well, having 115 or 120% condition from the start?

I'd say what it's doing is adding a degree of uncertainty to what is a fairly abstract and unnecessarily exacting system. A fudge factor, if you will. The psychological impact is different because it keeps players focused on trying to continue, instead of looking at outcomes as mathematical certainties. 

What if right now your condition read out disappeared when you hit 10% and the only indication you had was the blurry screen and washed out audio? So you actually had no clear idea how close to death you were? The objective is still much the same - get to a safe shelter and rest. But much like navigating without a map, there is that element of doubt that plays on you . 

[cekivi]

Hello all. Just a reminder that this mechanic is already in the game. Emergency stims have exactly the effect that @Barretts Privateer describes. In fact, you mention them in your original post

[Barretts Privateer]

1 hour ago, cekivi said:

Hello all. Just a reminder that this mechanic is already in the game. Emergency stims have exactly the effect that @Barretts Privateer describes. In fact, you mention them in your original post

Well, true...I was thinking about that as a basis...at least in my experience, I've only ever found a couple in the game (playing on either Interloper or Stalker). This was something else I'd thought of.

 

As for aftereffects, I don't know if it's possible, but could your stamina, 'awakedness' (for lack of a better word), and warmth levels be dropped to minimum after the rush wears off? Or would that be a bit too much?

[cekivi]

18 hours ago, Barretts Privateer said:

As for aftereffects, I don't know if it's possible, but could your stamina, 'awakedness' (for lack of a better word), and warmth levels be dropped to minimum after the rush wears off? Or would that be a bit too much?

If I remember right that's what happens after using an emergency stim. I've only used them after bear attacks to sprint to the nearest shelter to sleep so I don't know what it's like to try and go a long time on stims.

[Wastelander]

1 hour ago, cekivi said:

go a long time on stims

Fear and loathing on Great Bear Island I guess?  

[Dirmagnos]

Adrenaline surge does not work even remotely as suggested in original post. And when youre cold, hurt and generally dying, then adrenaline surge will simply kill you.

Adrenaline rapidly draws on organism inner resources, it doesnt just create energy out of nowhere, it pushes organism to the limits. But if youre nearing death, then there is a good chance that it will push you over, depending in what condition you are.

[mystifeid]

On 26/10/2016 at 2:25 PM, Barretts Privateer said:

However, as you're trudging through the near-whiteout, a wolf runs you down and tackles you; you almost give up, but just as your condition drops to 10%, a sudden burst of energy enables you to fight him off. You patch up the wounds and continue on your way, but you are now dangerously close to death.

However, this 'Last Chance' instinct buried in your mind kicks in, and that energy that suddenly appeared stays with you, enabling you to charge up the hillside and into the abandoned mine, where you can finally start a fire and recuperate. You survived.

It is not unreasonable to expect that a release of adrenaline would be associated with a fight or flight situation involving a wolf or bear.

Adrenaline increases heart rate and blood glucose levels in an attempt to boost energy. It is also a vasoconstrictor which would be expected to allow for easier clotting of blood in wounds even if it did not also activate platelet cells.

[mr_jeremy]

+1

This would be a ton of fun!

I had this moment when I was almost passed out, but decided to climb a rope. I fell down 80% of the way up, was wounded, exhausted, and frozen. I walked for a minute and then died. A last chance moment would have added an exciting element to that story. I'm sure I would have still died. I was in the middle of no where.