Why would a wilderness survivor visit Forlorn Muskeg?

[TWM]

If your life depended on it, would you visit Forlorn Muskeg if you could avoid it?

Let's face it, there are hardly any resources you can't find somewhere else. Little to none indoor shelters; all the areas in the vicinity places of shelter (caves, the barn) are regularly patrolled by wolves.

It doesn't seem worth the trip other than the thrill of it, or if you absolutely had to make your own tools, like a knife.

Any thoughts why you'd want to go there in a survival situation, supposing you had access to tools like knives and hatchets?

[mystifeid]

Possibly this map eventually will provide access to a future map - maybe at the barn end of the railway line.

[cekivi]

I think @mystifeid is on to something. Since the muskeg wasn't on the original map Hinterlands released my personal suspicion is that it will form a rather hazardous transition area between mystery lake and the story mode areas. Otherwise the main reason to visit the muskeg is the forge. It's much closer and honestly less dangerous getting to it than the one on the Riken. The trade off of course is that you're much more exposed to the elements and the wildlife at the farmstead.

[thinair]

As been said, its actually easier trip from trappers or camp office to FM forge, than from CH gas station, misanthropes or jackrabbits to DP. Once in FM, all you have to do is keep left by the wall and good to go, because usually only one wolf, max two wolves on a way to forge, not counting wolves around the forge. Also two caves on a way to forge so can easily sleep over. I'm at day ~240 on interloper (old save so f'ed about new clothing system), and only have clothing at ~18c, and never had problems sleeping in FM caves with simple bedroll without fire, and i did spent good 10 days there. But overall it is a demanding map, and to stay there is literally for challenge purposes. Best challenge is to start there and never leave.

[Eilif]

Yes, this isnt a map ideal for setting up a base. And it doesnt have big amount to loot from. So in that way, its not a region worth a visit unless you want a challenge in living here for as long as possible. The map is one of smallest, so crossing it doesnt take much time, but can be tricky until you learn the best route. 

But i am happy for finally have another region to explore. And i like the mood when fog comes in over the marshland. Its beautiful. And its also nice to have a second option to rikens forge. The only reason i can come up with for going here in an original game, would be if i runned out of for example matches and have looted all other regions.

[AZHockeyNut]

I love that I found some useful coal, a place to make arrowheads and a hatchet as I was running out in a save. plus there were saplings and more beard etc and rose hips. so it helped restock a longer save I have in trappers hut without a days long journey to resupply in DP. There is just enough trouble along the way to make it somewhat risky for the reward but it was less risk than the totally far run.

[Scyzara]

I think the muskeg might also become a bit more attractive once moose get added. It would make quite a lot of sense A) for moose to inhabit the muskeg and B) for HL to add some craftable moose skin clothing. Maybe the current deerskin pants get a little buff and become moose pants or so.

For the time being, I personally just enjoy the muskeg for its rough wilderness feeling and the numerous tiny details you can discover across the map. It's also a very decent hunting ground for long-term games in my opinion. Not primarily due to the amount of prey, but rather because it has a pretty high percentage of sunny days (so you can use your magnifying lens quite often and thus save matches).

 

[Ahatch]

I started a game recently on FM but found getting set up pretty difficult as I needed something to hunt with for starters I forged a knife and axe and arrow heads at the forge but soon found myself low on food so I followed along the outside of the map and found my way back to the Camp Office on ML. Now I have a gun and some bullets and looking to build up a bit of better stuff before venturing back into FM. Once I'm a little better set up I think it will be a good hunting area.

[tnbp]

I had cabin fever from doing a ton of crafting at Home Sweet Homestead in ML, so I decided to head into FM to see what I could find.  There really isn't much out there.  I looted the rail car and both hunting blinds as well as the Spence Homestead.  All in all, I had a few precarious days only to bring back some supplies I really probably didn't need.  I did get quite a few saplings, however, which are always valuable.  But, largely, from my limited experience, there just wasn't a ton of reason to go there.  I doubt it will be worth it any time soon to go and see what I missed at the Signal Tower or in the two entrance cave.  There might be stuff there, but I can't imagine it would be so valuable as to warrant a multi-day trip again (although I found no gun and only a single bullet, so maybe there's stuff still around, someplace, that might be worth it.)  But as it stands right now, I likely won't go back unless I really need the forge.

Slightly off-topic: I didn't bash up the crates at the Bunkhouses due to wolves every time I was passing through.  That can't be worth a trip back, can it?

[ArmagedDan]

Well, it's another landmass, and one that has a pretty high concentration of irreplaceables that also won't deteriorate before you get there (mushrooms, rose hips, cattails, lichen).  If you've survived long enough to have cleaned out most of the other maps, this is a shot in the arm.  Also, as touched on above, a second forge really opens the game up, making it less of a pilgrimage to DP.

 

It's also Canada's #1 exporter of Weak Ice, which is why it's often called the "icebasket" of North America.  If you're in Georgia and you want swampy water with a dangerously thin layer of ice atop it, that has to be shipped by rail down from FM.  If you go there in person you save on shipping costs, and can even try the product for free!

[AZHockeyNut]

2 hours ago, tnbp said:

I had cabin fever from doing a ton of crafting at Home Sweet Homestead in ML, so I decided to head into FM to see what I could find.  There really isn't much out there.  I looted the rail car and both hunting blinds as well as the Spence Homestead.  All in all, I had a few precarious days only to bring back some supplies I really probably didn't need.  I did get quite a few saplings, however, which are always valuable.  But, largely, from my limited experience, there just wasn't a ton of reason to go there.  I doubt it will be worth it any time soon to go and see what I missed at the Signal Tower or in the two entrance cave.  There might be stuff there, but I can't imagine it would be so valuable as to warrant a multi-day trip again (although I found no gun and only a single bullet, so maybe there's stuff still around, someplace, that might be worth it.)  But as it stands right now, I likely won't go back unless I really need the forge.

Slightly off-topic: I didn't bash up the crates at the Bunkhouses due to wolves every time I was passing through.  That can't be worth a trip back, can it?

Depends on what you define as worth it lol....I have found some goodies in the crates

[cekivi]

3 hours ago, ArmagedDan said:

Well, it's another landmass, and one that has a pretty high concentration of irreplaceables that also won't deteriorate before you get there (mushrooms, rose hips, cattails, lichen).  If you've survived long enough to have cleaned out most of the other maps, this is a shot in the arm.  Also, as touched on above, a second forge really opens the game up, making it less of a pilgrimage to DP.

 

It's also Canada's #1 exporter of Weak Ice, which is why it's often called the "icebasket" of North America.  If you're in Georgia and you want swampy water with a dangerously thin layer of ice atop it, that has to be shipped by rail down from FM.  If you go there in person you save on shipping costs, and can even try the product for free!

[selfless]

IRL the answer is "to get to the other side".  Because those tracks lead somewhere, and maybe the way is passable.

Is there any reason to seek out the cave hidden through the forest in the out of the way corner? Probably not.  'Cuz RL does not have corners...

[Ahatch]

I could see FM as a very inhospital corridor to a new region in the future , really need to explore the region more as I'm sure there will be some cool surprises

[tnbp]

After having looked at the map of Great Bear Island, I can for sure say that one might go to Forlorn Muskeg because you apparently need to in Episode One.

[ChillPlayer]

Don't know how literal this map is to read but if it is an actual representation then the region you are referring to is not Forlorn Muskeg, because the entrance in ML to FM is on the south west part (train collapse) of ML and not in the north as it is shown on the map.

Or... in story mode there will be a teleportation portal inside the tunnel, made by the aliens who are responsible for the geomagentic disaster

 

[mystifeid]

The entrance to the Ravine is also supposedly on the north-east side of ML in Whiteberry's map not the the south-east as seen above.

You can see the railway line going through ML in the Great Bear Island map and it exits to FM on the western side so it appears that FM is not actually on the map above.

[Ruruwawa]

On 12/26/2016 at 1:55 PM, Scyzara said:

For the time being, I personally just enjoy the muskeg for its rough wilderness feeling and the numerous tiny details you can discover across the map. It's also a very decent hunting ground for long-term games in my opinion. Not primarily due to the amount of prey, but rather because it has a pretty high percentage of sunny days (so you can use your magnifying lens quite often and thus save matches).

^this.  So much to find when exploring.   Going forward, I'm thinking about basing myself in ML, and going to the muskeg on hunting + gathering trips.  

[tnbp]

7 hours ago, mystifeid said:

The entrance to the Ravine is also supposedly on the north-east side of ML in Whiteberry's map not the the south-east as seen above.

You can see the railway line going through ML in the Great Bear Island map and it exits to FM on the western side so it appears that FM is not actually on the map above.

If you follow the rail line, you can see that there is a green blob beyond the rails in ML.  So though the region, itself, isn't represented, there is a green blob that indicates story mode right where FM actually is.  They obviously have plans for another ML offshoot near the pond/clear cut (according to the map), but the blob where FM is seems pretty clear to me, as well.

[Mpat120]

I have found it to be a good hunting ground. The nice long views when no fog is there is nice for tracking, and seeing what is around you before you take a shot. I would like to find a pair if binoculars some day to help with spotting and stalking at range.

[tnbp]

On 12/29/2016 at 4:40 PM, Mpat120 said:

I have found it to be a good hunting ground. The nice long views when no fog is there is nice for tracking, and seeing what is around you before you take a shot. I would like to find a pair if binoculars some day to help with spotting and stalking at range.

I'm interested in this idea.  My home base is at Trapper's Homestead, so I often have deer and rabbit right outside the house.  I only go on "hunting trips" to hunt bear (which I will likely do in FM, actually.)  When someone mentions another place being a good hunting ground, I'm often curious what is meant by that.  Do you go set up for a few days, staying in whatever shelter is available, and just haul back whatever meat and/or hides you can?  Or what is the goal of going all the way to FM in order to hunt?

[Mpat120]

I like the fact that with the long views you dont have to worry about the blood trail dissapearing so much, you can see if there is anything to worry about attacking you as you harvest ect. I base out of ML cabin and have the poachers camp set up as a multi-day shelter with its own food/water/set of clothes and bedroll. I leave one of everything needed, knife, axe rifle/ammo/bow there so I can haul out the max load food and skins, and only pack in replacement equipment as needed. There are several good spots to take a bear with a decent chance of not being mauled. You can save ammo and bow shots because as mentioned above the long views make tracking on a good day simpler so even if you wing something you have a good chance of finding the carcass without rushing a follow up shot.

[tnbp]

On 1/1/2017 at 0:43 AM, Mpat120 said:

I like the fact that with the long views you dont have to worry about the blood trail dissapearing so much, you can see if there is anything to worry about attacking you as you harvest ect. I base out of ML cabin and have the poachers camp set up as a multi-day shelter with its own food/water/set of clothes and bedroll. I leave one of everything needed, knife, axe rifle/ammo/bow there so I can haul out the max load food and skins, and only pack in replacement equipment as needed. There are several good spots to take a bear with a decent chance of not being mauled. You can save ammo and bow shots because as mentioned above the long views make tracking on a good day simpler so even if you wing something you have a good chance of finding the carcass without rushing a follow up shot.

That's an interesting idea I hadn't thought of: to leave a knife and axe at your hunting location.  I always carry that with me.  But it makes sense that you could save a few pounds here and there by not having to drag that stuff all the way back to your home base.  I'll have to set up my hunting locations that way.

Currently, the only hunting spot I have set up in any way is the lone cabin beyond the Unnamed Pond in ML.  I go there to hunt the bear in Clear Cut.  But the only thing that's "set up" is some extra firewood, really, and some water.  Tools is probably something I should have thought of on my own.  Thanks for that good tip.

[Pillock]

Before the Resolute Outfitter update, I managed to give myself parasites twice within my first 30 days, plus a bout of food poisoning for good measure. I would definitely have taken a few trips into the Muskeg to gather mushrooms, having used up every last one of Mystery Lake's.

But I agree with the general premise of this thread: I wouldn't go there unless I had a very pressing need. And the forge alone certainly doesn't qualify it for that.

[Barretts Privateer]

I made mention of this not too long ago (which is why I'm glad to see it in-game). I plan on going to this map when I reach an extended amount of days survived and it is simply too easy to live on the other maps. As one player said in that thread, 'walk into death and see if you can live'.