Dynamic Wolf 'Taming' System

[SierraNevada]

     Alright, I'm going to go into this with two assumptions. Either you really want some sort of wolf taming system because you think that it would be cool, or you think it would be terrible, because wolves are wild animals and can never truly be tame in the same way that dogs are tame. Well, be patient, because I've done my research and I will not fail to address both sides of the spectrum. 

     In the meantime, have a cookie!

     I'm going to begin with a simple proposition. Wolves can be tamed using raw venison/rabbit/fish. They will not eat bear. Furthermore, only around 50% of wolves are docile enough to be tamed. The only way to identify the wolves that can be tamed and the wolves that can't be tamed is by taking a light source and waving it towards the wolf threateningly. If it flees on the first try rather than standing still and growling for a moment, they can be tamed. Once the wolf has been identified, you can start feeding it meat by dropping a decoy and running away from it. After a while, the wolf will start following the player, seeking meat. Once this happens, the player must feed the wolf 10 more times before it becomes more docile. Once 10 more slabs of meat have been fed to the wolf, it will begin to show up near where the player resides. Then, once the wolf has been fed 10 more times, the player can physically interact with the wolf with no aggression. Additionally, the wolf will reside near the player's residence permanently. It will become a companion to the player. Once the player gives the wolf a collar (loot item or craftable from leather), then the wolf will enter buildings and travel with the character. It will help hunt, retrieve items, and sniff out locations for the player (similar to dogmeat in Fallout 4). But, just because the wolf is friendly doesn't mean it's tamed. It's still a wild animal, therefore its animalistic urges are still deep within the wolf's spirit.

     The wolf will have a base 5% chance of going wild once again and attacking the player. If the wolf isn't fed, provided with water, or lives in harsh conditions (long times spent in blizzards), the percentage will increase. The odds of this will also increase by +10% per difficulty level (+10% for Voyageur, +20% for Stalker, +30% for Interloper). Also, every week, the percentage will increase by +1%. But, once the wolf finally attacks the player, the wolf can be fended off with bare hands, or with a knife/axe. If you use your fist, then your odds of death are high, but after the attack, then the wolf has a chance of becoming faithful to you again. If a weapon is used, then the wolf will suffer injuries, flee, and eventually die. The chance of the wolf becoming faithful once more is 90%, -15% per difficulty level (-15% for Voyageur, -30% for Stalker, -45% for Interloper). 

     That's about it! If anyone is wondering about my sources, I consulted 2 encyclopedias (Wikipedia and Encyclopaedia Britannica), an amateur zoologist, and one of my friends, who owns a 60% wolfdog. Thanks for the read, and let me know what you guys think!

     

[romerabr]

We know, "wolves cannot be tamed", etc, but would be fun to have a pet...

[SierraNevada]

6 minutes ago, romerabr said:

We know, "wolves cannot be tamed", etc, but would be fun to have a pet...

That's exactly my situation

 

[alone sniper]

This idea is good but I prefer falconry.

[SierraNevada]

1 minute ago, alone sniper said:

This idea is good but I prefer falconry.

That would also be pretty cool to see

[alone sniper]

2 minutes ago, SierraNevada said:

That would also be pretty cool to see

 

[oh god a wolf]

maybe after a while of having them tamed they can go hunt rabbits and can bring you a couple of them. 

[Dirmagnos]

No, just no. One additional small "no" for mentioning that disgraceful crap called Fallout 4. This whole idea smells of casualism and i will fight it till my very end(wolf attacks you, you beat him off and everything is ok again, pff).

And for companion i want husky.

First time this idea came up i consulted with Kathryn Lord, so my source beats your sources. 8)

[SierraNevada]

1 hour ago, Dirmagnos said:

No, just no. One additional small "no" for mentioning that disgraceful crap called Fallout 4. This whole idea smells of casualism and i will fight it till my very end(wolf attacks you, you beat him off and everything is ok again, pff).

And for companion i want husky.

First time this idea came up i consulted with Kathryn Lord, so my source beats your sources. 8)

I understand that you may dislike my idea, but surely, on this reputable forum you could have voiced your opinion in a more respectful manner. But I digress.

Personally I would prefer a dog companion as well, but in the setting of TLD, it seems that a domesticated dog wouldn't be able to survive. Hence the wolf thing.

Also, I understand you have a problem with the 'wild instinct' mechanic I proposed. I proposed this because my friend who owns a mostly wolf wolfdog has encountered instances where his dog has turned on him, and, after he went alpha and put the dog in its place, things were normal once again. I understand you consulted a professional with a Ph.D, but with all due respect, I find it hard to believe that you could reach such a reputable scientist, as anyone would have trouble doing so. I'm not requesting proof or anything, I'm just making a statement.

[Dirmagnos]

7 hours ago, SierraNevada said:

Personally I would prefer a dog companion as well, but in the setting of TLD, it seems that a domesticated dog wouldn't be able to survive. Hence the wolf thing.

First, why not ? We are fairly far from high density population centers, so dogs in the area will be fairly tough, not that joke of the nature called chihuahua(even its name is ridiculous). Plus, not that much time passed since Event.

And second, i find dog survival to far more realistic that ability to domesticate a wild wolf. First is possible, second is impossible.

Quote

Also, I understand you have a problem with the 'wild instinct' mechanic I proposed. I proposed this because my friend who owns a mostly wolf wolfdog has encountered instances where his dog has turned on him, and, after he went alpha and put the dog in its place, things were normal once again. I understand you consulted a professional with a Ph.D, but with all due respect, I find it hard to believe that you could reach such a reputable scientist, as anyone would have trouble doing so. I'm not requesting proof or anything, I'm just making a statement.

http://imgur.com/ALMU8YW

She may be a reputable scientist, but not all of them are condescending snobs. Requesting//providing proof for the statement is a completely logical step. Otherwise wel become degenerates like SJW.

[Wastelander]

We've had this discussion a couple of times in the past, and, let's just say it never ended good. @Dirmagnos is correct with "no", since wolves, especially adult ones can not be tamed. It just doesn't work. @hauteecolerider explained why a while ago.

That being said, a pet is not a bad idea - there must be an abandoned / lost dog somewhere. 

[EternityTide]

I suppose in areas where people reside, you would be more likely to encounter feral dogs than wolves.

If the game partitioned maps into "civilisation" and "wilderness" areas, with actual wolves  being found in wilderness regions (most of ML, PV, entirely TM and only the less built up areas of DP and CH), while feral dogs hang around the fishing village, coastal Townsite, Hibernia processing etc, it would make more sense. 

Wolves are generally more fearful of human residences, which is why you rarely see a wolf trotting down the street. Dogs, however, have no such fear, and once a dog has gone feral, they can be just as dangerous, if not more so, than a Wolf. 

I would quite like to see Vulpids (fox family) added, as a skittish predator that goes after rabbits and similar. 

[SierraNevada]

     I do understand the dog thing, but the way @Wastelander put it made it easier for me to believe. I just figured that a domesticated dog, that largely relies on people for food and water, wouldn't be able to survive a cataclysmic event where pretty much all of humanity in a 100 mile radius is dead, besides the survivor (at least that'll be the case until NPCs are introduced, if ever).

     Maybe it'll be cool to see some malamutes, pyrenees, huskies and northern inuits around the coastal highway or desolation point?

[cekivi]

Hi all,

Just a reminder to please keep things friendly. Wolf domestication is not practical but wishing for a pet isn't a bad idea on its own. 

[rla1974]

We should also recall that the already unnatural behavior of the wolves is already baked into the geomagnetic event around which the setting is based, so arguments as to how real wolves might be domesticated is moot because apocalypse says so.

[cekivi]

2 minutes ago, rla1974 said:

We should also recall that the already unnatural behavior of the wolves is already baked into the geomagnetic event around which the setting is based, so arguments as to how real wolves might be domesticated is moot because apocalypse says so.

Note that a hyper aggressive animal is even harder to deal with than a normally aggressive animal

[Wastelander]

31 minutes ago, SierraNevada said:

     I do understand the dog thing, but the way @Wastelander put it made it easier for me to believe. I just figured that a domesticated dog, that largely relies on people for food and water, wouldn't be able to survive a cataclysmic event where pretty much all of humanity in a 100 mile radius is dead, besides the survivor (at least that'll be the case until NPCs are introduced, if ever).

     Maybe it'll be cool to see some malamutes, pyrenees, huskies and northern inuits around the coastal highway or desolation point?

The thing about dogs is that they're more or less 'ours' anyways - dogs aren't just man's best friend they're also man's best invention. And they did take root in taming wolves, but that was dozens of millenia ago - I, at least, think it's much, much easier to work with the species we created to be subservient in the first place, though I may be wrong as well. Again, your sentiment isn't wrong, so please don't be discouraged!

[alone sniper]

How about wolfdog ??? (like the one that was on "White Fang")

It will survive among the wolf And it is easy to tame !!!

[tha_vampyr]

+1 ive rencently been thinking about this idea myself. having a pet companion. so yeah i like this idea

[Dirmagnos]

15 hours ago, rla1974 said:

We should also recall that the already unnatural behavior of the wolves is already baked into the geomagnetic event around which the setting is based, so arguments as to how real wolves might be domesticated is moot because apocalypse says so.

Mute ? I will not call this statement retarded mainly because ive been asked to keep it civil... again.

Its one thing when were dealing with slight deviation from normal behavior(and that can occur naturally under certain conditions), it completely another when were dealing with something that is both completely unnatural and generally impossible. Animals can change their behavioral patterns for the purpose of adaptation, but they cant change what they are. Its like saying that flying with help of mechanical means, like plains, is the same thing as defying gravity thru force of will.

15 hours ago, alone sniper said:

How about wolfdog ??? (like the one that was on "White Fang")

It will survive among the wolf And it is easy to tame !!!

Name itself implies that its half-breed. Meaning that its rather hard to control to begin with(as its behavior is far less predictable from either wolves nor dogs), plus youre not its original owner, so befriending it would be exponentially harder for someone who its not familiar with.

[cekivi]

10 hours ago, Dirmagnos said:

Mute ? I will not call this statement retarded mainly because ive been asked to keep it civil... again.

Saying you won't say something while saying it anyways is just as bad @Dirmagnos. Disagreement is good but you don't need to call other people's opinions retarded. It just makes the forums toxic for those who have different opinions.

[Vulp]

Well ignoring that this system is over complicated and has a risk factor *5 percent risk is very high for long term survival*, I don't really see how it would add much to the game. You have to feed it, you can't really grow that emotionally attached to it which is the whole point. It is a wild animal, and what might happen if another wolf decides that the human over there looks like a good snack? What would our "pet" do in that situation? Also, I don't understand how we are even suppose to identify which wolf we have been feeding. I could easily go up to what I think is a friendly wolf at this point and get growled at, and mauled. Even bringing as much realism into this idea we can, it still goes against the themes of the game. It also unbalances the hunting system, both in bagging a animal, and the amount of harvest-able meat from a carcass. 

The idea of being lonely is built into the game. BUT, a story mode, where you might even play as multiple characters is coming, so taking away some of the isolation aspect is a viable option. 

What about a dog? Just your normal dog, native to the area. It could be more responsive to the player then a wolf, make a lone wolf have second thoughts about trying to hunt you, and over time (if it was the right breed) it could help you hunt small game, such as rabbits or whatever else Hinterland adds to the game. 

[SierraNevada]

52 minutes ago, Vulp said:

What about a dog? Just your normal dog, native to the area. It could be more responsive to the player then a wolf, make a lone wolf have second thoughts about trying to hunt you, and over time (if it was the right breed) it could help you hunt small game, such as rabbits or whatever else Hinterland adds to the game. 

      I spoke with other people on this forum about it, and I agree. Some breeds like Malamutes, Pyrenees, Huskies, Chinooks, German Shepherds, and Northern Inuits would be cool to see.

[alone sniper]

16 hours ago, SierraNevada said:

Some breeds like Malamutes, Pyrenees, Huskies, Chinooks, German Shepherds, and Northern Inuits would be cool to see.

Well, there was a topic about it. 
you can check it if you want !

[Ape88]

It kind of raises my hackles when someone says that a domesticated dog couldn't survive such harsh conditions, when there are literally packs of wild dogs in some place that will attack humans. These are dogs that probably had a long line of domestication in their bloodlines, but were raised wild for whatever reason. And then there are tales of dogs and cats traveling hundreds if not thousands of miles to find their way to their human companions after being left behind. What did these animals subsist on? A hungry animal will resort to many methods to find food if it wants to survive and believe me, most dogs still have a very strong drive to survive.

Try starving a dog, (don't actually do that, you'll get bit) and see what happens.

There are a number of breeds of domesticated dog that would be well suited to the wilderness we live in within the game not to mention, there is always the chance that a wolf could become reliant on a human and vice versa. Where do you think domesticated dogs come from?

In the wild, an animal mother will often push the runt of the littler out of the nest or den or whatever. If we found the runt, nursed it to good health and raised it, it could easily be a loyal companion in the game.