Wolf outside door -- supposed to happen?

[Best_Leopard]

Hey, everyone, just hoping that someone can clear this up for me, since I don't know if it's supposed to happen or it's some kind of bug.  In 250+ hours of play, it's never happened to me before, so I don't know what to make of it.

I was playing an Interloper game at Coastal Townsite and triggered a wolf, who chased me back to one of the houses.  I made it inside just in the nick of time to avoid being attacked and walked around for a few minutes, looking at the containers in the house to see if I missed any loot.  I don't remember whether I also used the "Pass Time" feature to warm up or not as well, but it's a strong possibility.  Either way, I was in there for a little while as I walked around the house.  When I was ready to leave, I walked to the door and clicked on it.  There was a brief loading screen to take me to the exterior of the house, and then IMMEDIATELY the wolf struggle screen came up and I was fighting for my life!  

Thankfully, I survived that time, but that was one hell of a shock.  I could understand it if I'd gone inside and then turned around and tried to go out at once, but I deliberately waited a while, walking around inside the building, to let some time go by.  Is this supposed to happen?  Bug or feature?  Has this happened to anyone else?

[diffeq]

It's happened to me a couple times. Enough to make me pass time in those situations. Also, I just hate it when I make it inside without a wolf fight, but after the loading the inside, I get hit with torn clothing. I suppose it makes sense that she might have gotten a chunk of my coat as I was going in.

[Best_Leopard]

Hmm.  Yes, I've had that second thing happen recently too.  The strange thing about what happened this time is that I really thought I'd spent enough time walking around inside the house that the wolf would not be there anymore.  Usually when I go outside again, the animals have changed positions.  Does anyone know how this actually works?

[Timber Wolf]

55 minutes ago, diffeq said:

I just hate it when I make it inside without a wolf fight, but after the loading the inside, I get hit with torn clothing.

I actually love that they have this in the game.  I've had it happen a few times with wolves and a whole bunch of times with my buddy the Old Bear.  I always find it exhilarating to just barely make it inside without an attack, but have my clothes get dinged up a bit.

 

54 minutes ago, Best_Leopard said:

Does anyone know how this actually works?

I think it probably comes down to a combination of how long the wolves are programmed to stay interested in you, the path they settle into when returning to their patrol and the geography of the area.  And likely even more factors than that.

I generally only base out of buildings that offer some sort of protection against this happening, like a house with a deck.  And if the building I enter when escaping the attack has another door, I will always leave out that one instead. 

Let's see what @mystifeid has to say - could probably write a whole book on wolf behavior!

 

1 hour ago, diffeq said:

Enough to make me pass time in those situations

From what I have observed, passing time may or may not actually have the animal move.  I have seen some wolves not move at all while passing time, some move a little but not as much as I would expect, and some move as much as I expected.

I'm fairly certain Bears are never effected by passing time.  They will always be in the exact same spot no matter how much time you pass. 

However, the one sure fire way to get an animal to move is to sleep.

[AZHockeyNut]

@Timber Wolf "From what I have observed, passing time may or may not actually have the animal move.  I have seen some wolves not move at all while passing time, some move a little but not as much as I would expect, and some move as much as I expected.

I'm fairly certain Bears are never effected by passing time.  They will always be in the exact same spot no matter how much time you pass. 

However, the one sure fire way to get an animal to move is to sleep."

Agreed, bears do not seem to move for me. Wolves, it depends, they seem to stick in the area for an hour or so. I like to run into fishing huts then hit them with a bow. sucks when I miss though....arrows and Ice do not mix well for me.

 

[cekivi]

The torn clothing occurs when the wolf catches up to you after triggering the screen fade to enter a building. As a result you get torn clothing and sometimes condition loss as well. It's happened to me a few times.

[mystifeid]

7 hours ago, Best_Leopard said:

 Is this supposed to happen?  Bug or feature?  Has this happened to anyone else?

Yes it happens. Good fun eh?

For all you know, the wolf has walked away from the door on your entry to the house, turned around and come back at the same time as you exited the house. However I think it's safer to assume that the wolf waits at the door. In Coastal Townsite one of the houses has only one door and if you were in that one you should have passed time, repaired an item or done something else to accelerate time. While the other house has a second exit it would be prudent to do the same thing.

Always exit buildings in Coastal Townsite crouched.

Sometimes it is possible to take a shot at a bear from a doorway and if you hit or miss it and duck into the house you may end up in exactly the same predicament.

Torn clothing and injury on entry to a building is also possible with both bears and wolves.

Generally if a wolf chases me in Coastal Townsite, I run out onto the ice and attempt to kill the wolf by:

- continually walking backwards
- drawing the bow
- not aiming at the charging wolf but instead pointing the arrow downward at the angle I imagine the wolf will have had to straighten up in it's charge (very close)
- swiveling to follow the line of the charge
- leading the head slightly then releasing and killing the sucker at my feet.

It helps a lot if you can get some practice in Stalker. Only try this when energy levels are high in case of a miss/wound and struggle. The less weight you are carrying the faster your backward walking speed - this helps too.

While you should have bandages ready, you must always be supremely confident in your ability to kill the wolf. No matter what has happened in the past.

[Best_Leopard]

Good advice, @mystifeid, thank you, but what shocked me about this time is that the game seemed to go straight into the struggle screen.  Not even a moment of time passed between opening the door and being mauled, so I was quite surprised!  I believe I was crouched as I came out the door, as I do generally do that in CH.  As for the rest of your advice regarding the killing of wolves, I wish I could've done ANY of that, but I didn't have the bow in that save just yet.  Next time, wolfe, next time!   

[mystifeid]

It kind of sucks when you get pounced without warning but when it only happens now and then, it probably adds some spice to the game.

[cekivi]

52 minutes ago, mystifeid said:

It kind of sucks when you get pounced without warning but when it only happens now and then, it probably adds some spice to the game.

You have a weird definition of "spice". Why yes, I am tired of functioning limbs. Have at thee fluffy!

[mystifeid]

Quote

Real magic can never be made by offering someone else's liver. You must tear out your own, and not expect to get it back.

 

[togg]

Yes it happens. You had a wolf at your door!