Grrrr... so frustrated, but loving the ride

[the_watdabney]

As much as I love playing this game, there are times when I just want to shoot my computer and never play it again.  Last night was another one of those occasions.

After a wolf had torn my throat out in my last sandbox, which was my personal record of 61 days on Stalker, I was angry but figured I'd get back on the horse and try again.  I'm trying to complete the last few Steam achievements, one being the Pacifist (don't kill anything for first 25 days).  So I started another round, Stalker CH zone. 

I was on day 6 and just finished looting the last of the houses and fishing shacks on the coast and was heading back to my base at the gas station.  It was getting dark and I was walking up towards the dock.  I saw a wolf ahead of me and darted for the house beside the dock to take cover.  I waited a while and debated on just staying there for the night, but for some reason I decided that since it was so close, I could make it to my base if I was just quick about it.  I opened the door and saw a wolf just going around the corner of the house...  he didn't see me...  so I backed up, keeping the house between us so he wouldn't see me.  I had gotten out of range and on the road and didn't see any wolves, but it was really dark and stood there for a minute to make sure nothing was creeping around the corner.  I thought it was clear and started running towards the gas station when out of the corner of my eye, I saw the wolf.  I lit the flare I was holding and stood my ground...  the wolf stood his ground.  It took a couple of tries but I finally got that wolf to back off after brandishing the flare.  Whew....  the front door to the gas station was right in front of me as I walked around the car, and then I heard another growl.  A wolf was walking around the corner of the building, blocking the door, and didn't even flinch when I waved the flare.  It attacked.  I fought it off, and in the process, dropped the flare.  As I stood up from the attack, I turned around to grab the flare.  Guess what was standing there...  wrong, it was the first wolf.  It attacked before I could react.  I fought again, this time killing the wolf dead, but I was at 6% and bleeding out.  I stood up, and went for the bandages and my flare still burning  on the ground, but when I turned around, I saw them...  not one, not 2, but 3 more wolves.  I just stood there frozen in time as they crept closer, and closer, growling and snarling...  but then, the darkness came....

 

Freakin wolves attacking in packs now????  Wowsers...

[Patrick Carlson]

What a story, and so close to your base! The spawn system overhaul has led to a variety of encounters with wildlife that wouldn't have occurred before. On the other hand, groups of wolves historically hang out near the gas station on Coastal Highway. Your frustration aside, thanks for sharing the story with us. 

[the_watdabney]

Yea, I know the wolves like to hang out in the town a lot, which is one reason I like that location because it really adds to the desperate situation if you run out of food, wood, etc... with so many resources in the area but no way of getting to them if there is no way through the predators.  That being said, I've never experienced this kind of wolf attack before, with such ferocity, it just really took me by surprise.  I kinda like it in a way because wolves are pack hunters by nature, and although lone wolves are still dangerous, a pack of wolves is a force to be reckoned with, for sure.  I use the town as a "hide and seek" platform when the town is overrun and it's kinda fun to run between the houses and see if you can make it before the wolf grabs you by the hamstring...  or throat...