What we DON'T want

[Wastelander]

See, I'm a negative person, a pessimist and generally unpleasant to be around (at least according to my ex-girlfriend), so I thought I'd make a negative thread. Not negative in a hostile way, but, well, a thread about things we don't want.

Now, zombies and the like are obvious, but since Hinterland have solemnly sworn not to include them, we can gloss over those.

I was going to post this in the Wishlist-forum first, but I thought that it kinda wouldn't fit, so here I am. If any mods think this belongs anywhere else, please move it.

Now, here is a list of things I don't want:

• Any kind of automatic firearm (the revolver is okay because these things generally don't hold more than 6 shots)
• Any kind of military firearm
• Any kind of working electric device more complicated than a flashlight
• Any kind of firearm customization more complicated than slapping a scope on a hunting rifle
• Any kind of multiplayer, maaaaaaybe an exception for localized Coop, but on the other hand that's probably a waste of Hinterland's resources
• Shallow NPCs who fulfill every stereotype of whatever they are

Now, don't get me wrong here, I sincerely believe that these things probably won't make it into the game anyway, and if they do, they'll probably be handed so well that I don't care - Hinterland is one of the few companies on this planet that has yet to disappoint me. But yeah, let's share the things we don't want for a second.

[hauteecolerider]

I'm with you on all those things!

[Scyzara]

Agreed. Machine guns, grenades, mines (or anything else along these lines) would certainly ruin the game for me.

Besides, I'm not a big fan of further status bars (like hygiene, sanity, etc.) that need to be monitored and managed.

And I'm pretty opposed to the introduction of overly many items serving the same basic function.

(Just to name an example, I personally don't long for 2 kinds of matches and a firestriker and a BIC and a lens and flint and x different kinds of primitive firemaking at all.)

I understand it's a matter of personal taste, but I would definitely prefer the devs to work on the introduction of new wildlife or NPCs or new gaming mechanics than on multiple items doing all basically the same (just at a different speed and/or for a different amount of calories).

[TLD Survivalist]

@Scyzara... Agreed 110%... I also think they have perhaps one too many ways of performing the same basic function ie starting fires... Now with the possibility of a bow drill later on down the line id like to see at least one of the currently existing forms of firestarting to be discarded..... That being said though I agree the devs should maybe work on new wildlife implementation or the like

[cekivi]

24 minutes ago, Scyzara said:

And I'm pretty opposed to the introduction of overly many items serving the same basic function.

(Just to name an example, I personally don't long for 2 kinds of matches and a firestriker and a BIC and a lens and flint and x different kinds of primitive firemaking at all.)

Well, the problem with the items in your example is that there's not enough to differentiate between them. Paper matches can get wet and degrade quickly, a flint requires a lot of practice, wooden matches are fairly simple but - again - need to be dry, primitive fire making can take an hour (or more) to get an ember and a BIC works wet and you get an instant flame. However, in the game, they're functionally all the same. I'm all for items being included in the same game with the same function provided that the items are all different enough from one another to warrant it. Plentiful garbage paper matches vs a super rare lighter makes for interesting gameplay. Everything being the same... not so much.

[Jake Dolan]

I don't understand why people think multiplayer would ruin (insert single player game). When people say Multiplayer they generally don't mean MMO level of players. I mainly see this with the sims, when they say you should be able to have neighborhoods with friends but the community stupidly rejects it saying it would "ruin it". This game would be amazing with Co-op, nothing more. I can see very easy changes, and it would attract a lot of revenue (two packs are very profitable i imagine, esp during sales). It could be strictly Co-op and I would see nothing wrong with it

[Tbone555]

i can see someone making a zombie mod of the long dark.

dont.

[Wastelander]

11 minutes ago, Tbone555 said:

i can see someone making a zombie mod of the long dark.

dont.

Oh yes. Modders. Modders are to video games what soldiers are to a country - they can do both good and bad. And unfortunately, when they do bad they do really bad. I expect to see some really truly GREAT mods - but just like with Skyrim, which also had awesome mods, we will also see depravity beyond belief.

Mods. A two-edged sword. One edge tastes sweet, the other tastes of things I cannot discuss here as per the rules of the forum.

[cekivi]

1 hour ago, Wastelander said:

Mods. A two-edged sword. One edge tastes sweet, the other tastes of things I cannot discuss here as per the rules of the forum.

Regarding co-op I don't think it would work well in the Long Dark as it currently is. The Long Dark is, after all a solo survival game. Adding another person would make the game significantly easier. Perhaps in the future once NPCs are implemented and the game re-balanced for having more humans in it than co-op may become more viable. As it is, having a second player would make the game way too easy.

[Scyzara]

On 8.6.2016 at 9:23 PM, cekivi said:

I'm all for items being included in the same game with the same function provided that the items are all different enough from one another to warrant it. Plentiful garbage paper matches vs a super rare lighter makes for interesting gameplay. Everything being the same... not so much.

I don't know... as said, it's probably just a matter of personal taste, but I personally wouldn't even desire more than maybe 3 or 4 different fire making tools if they all were reasonably distinct. I certainly agree that the magnifying lens is somehow fun gameplay-wise (as you can't  just use it whenever you want but need to adapt and plan your actions according to the weather), but all other means to make a fire feel rather redundant.

And I find it hard to imagine how it could be otherwise (for me, that is). It just doesn't feel particularly relevant to me if firemaking tool X takes 5 minutes and 20kcal and tool Y an hour and 300kcal to start a fire. It's not like time or food are scarce resources (or that the lack of any of them could ever prevent me from starting a fire). Neither does it feel very important to me whether an item increases (or decreases) my success chances by 10 or 20 percent. If it fails, I'll just try again. 

What might possibly be fun (to me) is to make some fire-making techniques more susceptible to wind than others, thus causing e.g. matches  to be unsuitable to light fires outdoors unless it's completely calm. Or, if the drying of wood was to be implemented, not to allow all tools to light green wood. Basically some limitations that make sure not every tool can be used for every job under every condition.

[starfighter441]

Except we do have a military rifle, one that was until very recently in service with the Canadian Rangers, and is still in service with some Indian Army units.

[hauteecolerider]

9 hours ago, starfighter441 said:

Except we do have a military rifle, one that was until very recently in service with the Canadian Rangers, and is still in service with some Indian Army units.

True, and such widely used military equipment migrate into widespread civilian use thanks to military overstock/supply stores. I can't speak for Canada, but there's plenty of those here in the US. I used to see a lot of teenagers sauntering around in Viet Nam era military togs that they picked up from the local military supply store. 

[cekivi]

13 hours ago, starfighter441 said:

Except we do have a military rifle, one that was until very recently in service with the Canadian Rangers, and is still in service with some Indian Army units.

Yeah... but the Rangers are not the regular army. Bolt action rifles haven't been in service for decades. The army these days uses modified M16s.

I think what the OP meant by "military" was they didn't want to see the Long Dark turn into Call of Duty or Battlefield with assault rifles and grenades.

[Felli]

I am so in agreement about stereotypical characters. Hinterland seems to understand the concept of good storytelling and how to use a trope properly without turning into an awful case of 'cliche-itis' so I doubt it will be a problem, however it's always a fear gnawing in the back of my mind that one may get slipped into the game.

Please, pleasepleaseplease, make the characters believable. No Mary Sues and Gary Stu's, please! I'll beg if I have to.

[Wastelander]

31 minutes ago, Felli said:

I am so in agreement about stereotypical characters. Hinterland seems to understand the concept of good storytelling and how to use a trope properly without turning into an awful case of 'cliche-itis' so I doubt it will be a problem, however it's always a fear gnawing in the back of my mind that one may get slipped into the game.

Please, pleasepleaseplease, make the characters believable. No Mary Sues and Gary Stu's, please! I'll beg if I have to.

I LOVE Will's fluff text! Such as well thought-out character, with a pretty unique set of strengths and flaws, perfectly fitting for the setting while still seeming like a person you and I could meet in our lives and not a character handcrafted for a game. Marvelous writing! I should learn from Hinterlands example when GMing...

[starfighter441]

9 hours ago, cekivi said:

Yeah... but the Rangers are not the regular army. Bolt action rifles haven't been in service for decades. The army these days uses modified M16s.

I think what the OP meant by "military" was they didn't want to see the Long Dark turn into Call of Duty or Battlefield with assault rifles and grenades.

Actually both sniper rifles used by the Canadian Army are bolt action, but I digress.

I do agree that we don't need an arms race in the Long Dark

[nicko]

Any community mods, multiplay or zombies prior to full/final version of this game I say. after that it's left to live or die for the game.

[Pasquinel]

11 hours ago, cekivi said:

Yeah... but the Rangers are not the regular army. Bolt action rifles haven't been in service for decades. The army these days uses modified M16s.

I think what the OP meant by "military" was they didn't want to see the Long Dark turn into Call of Duty or Battlefield with assault rifles and grenades.

Unless the grenades can be used for fishing....

[cekivi]

5 hours ago, Pasquinel said:

Unless the grenades can be used for fishing....

Not too practical for ice fishing though unless you want to go for a swim yourself

[Pasquinel]

3 hours ago, cekivi said:

Not too practical for ice fishing though unless you want to go for a swim yourself

Fire in the hole! Ooops...

This reminds me of a story we used to tell around the fishing shanty on Lake Memphremagog on the VT Canada/Border after a few nips of Canadian Club. I don't believe that it's true but it's a funny yarn none the less.

 

These two guys went duck hunting late season and they knew the lake down the road would be frozen but they figured if they could make a hole in the ice the puddle ducks would come into the open water. The smarter one decided that a stick of dynamite would do the trick so he was able to get one somehow and the two guys and their labrador loaded up the truck and headed out for hunting. 

They get to the lake and park along the bank and they all climb out of the truck ready to go, dog included. One guy starts unloading the decoys and gear while the other proceeds to walk a little way out on the ice with his stick of dynamite. He figures he's smart and playing it safe by adding some more fuse to the dynamite cause he's not dumb enough to have it go off in his hand... He lights the fuse and and gives it a good toss out onto the ice.

Well the Labrador is at his side and wouldn't you know it being the good retriever the is and that a stick of dynamite looks kinda like a retriever dummy, the dog goes after it...The guy goes crazy tries to call back the dog but the dog has only one thing on his mind and that's do his job and retrieve! Sure enough the dog gets to the dynamite grabs it in his mouth and runs back towards his master all the while the stick is fizzing away in his mouth.

The owner panics and runs back towards the truck. Meanwhile the one not as smart as the first guy back at the truck sees what is happening and and sees the dog with the dynamite running right towards them so he he panics and figures he better shoot the dog before he gets to them and kills them all...

He grabs his shotgun pumps a shell into the chamber and shoots...BANG! But he was rushing and his shot was wild and only managed to just graze the dog with a few pellets. This scares the bejezzus out of the dog so he runs for cover under the truck and out the other side, but along the way he drops the dynamite under the truck. The two geniuses jump in a ditch for cover the dog runs all the way back home and the the truck explodes in a thunderous roar... KABOOM! raining parts all over the ice.

 

[cekivi]

2 hours ago, Pasquinel said:

Fire in the hole! Ooops...

This reminds me of a story we used to tell around the fishing shanty on Lake Memphremagog on the VT Canada/Border after a few nips of Canadian Club. I don't believe that it's true but it's a funny yarn none the less.

 

These two guys went duck hunting late season and they knew the lake down the road would be frozen but they figured if they could make a hole in the ice the puddle ducks would come into the open water. The smarter one decided that a stick of dynamite would do the trick so he was able to get one somehow and the two guys and their labrador loaded up the truck and headed out for hunting. 

They get to the lake and park along the bank and they all climb out of the truck ready to go, dog included. One guy starts unloading the decoys and gear while the other proceeds to walk a little way out on the ice with his stick of dynamite. He figures he's smart and playing it safe by adding some more fuse to the dynamite cause he's not dumb enough to have it go off in his hand... He lights the fuse and and gives it a good toss out onto the ice.

Well the Labrador is at his side and wouldn't you know it being the good retriever the is and that a stick of dynamite looks kinda like a retriever dummy, the dog goes after it...The guy goes crazy tries to call back the dog but the dog has only one thing on his mind and that's do his job and retrieve! Sure enough the dog gets to the dynamite grabs it in his mouth and runs back towards his master all the while the stick is fizzing away in his mouth.

The owner panics and runs back towards the truck. Meanwhile the one not as smart as the first guy back at the truck sees what is happening and and sees the dog with the dynamite running right towards them so he he panics and figures he better shoot the dog before he gets to them and kills them all...

He grabs his shotgun pumps a shell into the chamber and shoots...BANG! But he was rushing and his shot was wild and only managed to just graze the dog with a few pellets. This scares the bejezzus out of the dog so he runs for cover under the truck and out the other side, but along the way he drops the dynamite under the truck. The two geniuses jump in a ditch for cover the dog runs all the way back home and the the truck explodes in a thunderous roar... KABOOM! raining parts all over the ice.

 

I've seen that Mythbusters Episode!

I just can't remember if they found a documented case of it happening but they definitely had dynamite, ice and a truck. The expected occurred.

[Mikeyd0577]

On 6/8/2016 at 5:57 AM, Wastelander said:

See, I'm a negative person, a pessimist and generally unpleasant to be around (at least according to my ex-girlfriend), so I thought I'd make a negative thread. Not negative in a hostile way, but, well, a thread about things we don't want.

Now, zombies and the like are obvious, but since Hinterland have solemnly sworn not to include them, we can gloss over those.

I was going to post this in the Wishlist-forum first, but I thought that it kinda wouldn't fit, so here I am. If any mods think this belongs anywhere else, please move it.

Now, here is a list of things I don't want:

• Any kind of automatic firearm (the revolver is okay because these things generally don't hold more than 6 shots)
• Any kind of military firearm
• Any kind of working electric device more complicated than a flashlight
• Any kind of firearm customization more complicated than slapping a scope on a hunting rifle
• Any kind of multiplayer, maaaaaaybe an exception for localized Coop, but on the other hand that's probably a waste of Hinterland's resources
• Shallow NPCs who fulfill every stereotype of whatever they are

Now, don't get me wrong here, I sincerely believe that these things probably won't make it into the game anyway, and if they do, they'll probably be handed so well that I don't care - Hinterland is one of the few companies on this planet that has yet to disappoint me. But yeah, let's share the things we don't want for a second.

agreed !!! 

 

Also, NO ZOMBIES !!!!!!!!!

 

 

[Wastelander]

2 hours ago, Mikeyd0577 said:

agreed !!! 

 

Also, NO ZOMBIES !!!!!!!!!

 

 

Thanks, man! Haven't seen you around, so just in case I haven't said so yet: Welcome to the forums!

Now, I just thought of another few things:

• Arbitrary powerups - the emergency stim actually almost counts as one for me, but since it does have drawbacks and is semi-rare I'm okay-ish with it.
• Heavy-handed social commentary, which is pretty common nowadays. The world as we know it just ended, there's no need for social commentary.
• Money, although I guess it wouldn't show up in the first place.
• Expensive DLC that add nothing of value - please, Hinterland, stay as awesome as you guys and gals are and don't become Indie-EA. Please. I beg you. I'll even chop firewood for you. I'll even eat a granola bar.
• Weird mods. Now, Hinterland has no control over this, so I'm not blaming them when (not if!) it happens - but you just know that at some point there will be nude mods, drug mods, toilet humor mods and cheat mods. While the main strategy of avoiding them is not to install them, I still will feel dirty if I see them anywhere. At least put a trigger warning or something.
• When seasons and planting are implemented: Plants that grow unrealistically fast.

[Mikeyd0577]

4 hours ago, Wastelander said:

I"m Thanks, man! Haven't seen you around, so just in case I haven't said so yet: Welcome to the forums!

Now, I just thought of another few things:

• Arbitrary powerups - the emergency stim actually almost counts as one for me, but since it does have drawbacks and is semi-rare I'm okay-ish with it.
• Heavy-handed social commentary, which is pretty common nowadays. The world as we know it just ended, there's no need for social commentary.
• Money, although I guess it wouldn't show up in the first place.
• Expensive DLC that add nothing of value - please, Hinterland, stay as awesome as you guys and gals are and don't become Indie-EA. Please. I beg you. I'll even chop firewood for you. I'll even eat a granola bar.
• Weird mods. Now, Hinterland has no control over this, so I'm not blaming them when (not if!) it happens - but you just know that at some point there will be nude mods, drug mods, toilet humor mods and cheat mods. While the main strategy of avoiding them is not to install them, I still will feel dirty if I see them anywhere. At least put a trigger warning or something.
• When seasons and planting are implemented: Plants that grow unrealistically fast.

I'm not new to the game; but am new to the forums.  So, thanks and glad to be here.  I hope to contribute when and where I can.

 

As for the money: you have frozen people around along with stranded cars and houses.  Money would be a realistic find but mainly useless to the world we know now.  But, consider using paper money that was found in those places to be used as a fire starter much like cat tails or tinder plugs.

[Silentfoot]

Thing about zombies that I never could understand for a frigid environment... wouldn't they all just freeze in place? Not like the living dead are endothermic.