Pause for a Journal entry


TROY

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I am doing a playthrough right now that I'm turning into a short story as I play, via my journal. I never noticed this before, as I'd rarely used the notes for anything more than keeping track of where and when I found a prepper cache, or more recently, the cairns, but when writing in the journal, the game does not pause.

It would be really nice if the game would go on pause mode when the journal is active, so we have the ability to use it without starving or dehydrating or freezing to death while we write. I can see how this could potentially be abused, but so long as the game doesnt save, I dont see how anyone could do anything but prolong the inevitble with it., and it would certainly encourage, or facilitate using it. I have already often found several instances where I wished I could stop and make an entry, but the temps were so low that the time taken would put me at serious risk. 

Its a bummer to have a neat feature like this that we can't actually put ot good use because this game is always about the seconds ticking away, the calories counting down, the rush to avoid hypothermia. We really need the journal to pause the game, please. 

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23 minutes ago, TROY said:

I am doing a playthrough right now that I'm turning into a short story as I play, via my journal. I never noticed this before, as I'd rarely used the notes for anything more than keeping track of where and when I found a prepper cache, or more recently, the cairns, but when writing in the journal, the game does not pause.

It would be really nice if the game would go on pause mode when the journal is active, so we have the ability to use it without starving or dehydrating or freezing to death while we write. I can see how this could potentially be abused, but so long as the game doesnt save, I dont see how anyone could do anything but prolong the inevitble with it., and it would certainly encourage, or facilitate using it. I have already often found several instances where I wished I could stop and make an entry, but the temps were so low that the time taken would put me at serious risk. 

Its a bummer to have a neat feature like this that we can't actually put ot good use because this game is always about the seconds ticking away, the calories counting down, the rush to avoid hypothermia. We really need the journal to pause the game, please. 

I always liked that it "Ran out the clock" when I wrote in the journal, mostly because it felt like I wasn't writing for my character, my character was writing to me. The text was in his time, not mine. He had to take the time to write it, and had to make the decisions accordingly. It fits with the game's theme of permanent choices.  

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16 minutes ago, Lrrr Ruler of OP8 said:

I always liked that it "Ran out the clock" when I wrote in the journal, mostly because it felt like I wasn't writing for my character, my character was writing to me. The text was in his time, not mine. He had to take the time to write it, and had to make the decisions accordingly. It fits with the games theme of permanent choices.  

That's actually a really good point, and I agree with you about the character writing it, but in this game the consequences of those few minutes can be brutal. It's already virtually a non option to map on interloper, as the time it takes to survey just once puts you into hypothermia risk on most days.  I'm ok with that, as interloper really isn't about niceties like making maps. But, as a player, I don't think I should have to choose between my character getting frostbite or making an entry in the journal. It's a level of realism that simply makes a nice feature of the game unusable, and the time difference for me vs my character makes it so.  The few minutes of my time it takes to write a few sentences are not just a few minutes in the game world, it can be hours. 

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Just now, TROY said:

That's actually a really good point, and I agree with you about the character writing it, but in this game the consequences of those few minutes can be brutal. It's already virtually a non option to map on interloper, as the time it takes to survey just once puts you into hypothermia risk on most days.  I'm ok with that, as interloper really isn't about niceties like making maps. But, as a player, I don't think I should have to choose between my character getting frostbite or making an entry in the journal. It's a level of realism that simply makes a nice feature of the game unusable. 

That's true, I usually only write if I have extra time by the fire :D

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Agreed. I simply can't even think about doing this in interloper since every second counts, and every "freetime" I have by the fire I'm actually doing something important that will help me in my long term survival, unlike in Stalker or difficulties under.

Also, time passes faster in TLD than it does in real life, so I really don't think my character would take that long to write something (even with shaking hands) - especially not as long as I take in the xbox, so unless someone has a USB keyboard connected to the console, it takes like 5x more time to write notes.

Maybe it would be nice if time slowed down to 1 for 1 real time scale, we wouldn't freeze time - as the character is doing an activity: writing - while it also wouldn't take a imense unrealistic time that can doom your survival playthough.

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5 hours ago, jhonSs said:

 

Do not speak for me please.

I didn't speak for you. "We" is not defined as "Troy and jhonSs". Look it up. 

This forum is titled "wishlist". Not "things that someone AND johnSs want. Nobody here needs to have your prior approval to ask for things as a collective or to use the word we without your prior consent. If you have nothing of value to add to the discussion, please, feel free to add NOTHING to the discussion. 

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9 hours ago, TROY said:

This forum is titled "wishlist". Not "things that someone AND johnSs want. Nobody here needs to have your prior approval to ask for things as a collective or to use the word we without your prior consent. If you have nothing of value to add to the discussion, please, feel free to add NOTHING to the discussion. 

Seconded!

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15 hours ago, jhonSs said:

 

Do not speak for me please.

Wow....lol. That's a new one....

Don't read the thread then please....

I don't have an issue with it pausing while trying to add a journal entry.

It's not like you can't ALREADY pause the game. When you hit "esc" to bring up the options menu the game pauses.

Having the game NOT pause when trying to type in a journal entry, especially when using a controller with the stupid pick the letters with the thumb sticks is terrible.

Every second counts in this game, and minutes go by in the game for our seconds in real life.

I don't use the journal entries BECAUSE it doesn't pause the game....

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5 hours ago, JAFO said:

That's not exactly helpful...

Why do you hope this isn't implemented?

That just seems to be his personality thus far. He's new and seems to not like many things people suggest....if you check his other random rude posts....

He seems like a fanboy troll alt.....

You know what list I'm putting him on....;)

 

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On ‎9‎/‎1‎/‎2017 at 10:17 AM, jhonSs said:

 

Do not speak for me please.

You did include "please". I appreciate that. He's not intending to speak for you. As others have stated, this area is devoted to things we personally may wish to have added to the game. It's not intended to imply that it is a unanimous decision by all forum members or players that has been made. It's a type of feedback as well. Hinterland seems to look over and read suggestions by players to continue to improve this game, and I'm sure they appreciate feedback whether they decide to implement the ideas or not. You are a player of The Long Dark. So, we do have that in common. I think that is agreed upon that it is a game worth playing. That said, you also said that you hope they do not approve this. Can you share why? Another also pointed out within this thread about it not being approved. So, it would add some insight into your responses if you'd include the reason for it. Thank you.

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YES! I need the journal to pause the game, if only for console versions. I used to type a few notes in the pc version, mostly reminders to myself about where I found things I'd have to come back to harvest (this was before mapping was implemented), but it was enjoyable and made the entire experience more immersive. Now that I can only play the game on console, though, this is just not a function I can use anymore. It takes forever to type anything on the on-screen keyboard, and it's even more immersion-breaking to have to pause the game, go find a USB keyboard, plug it in, set it comfortably on its short cord somewhere where you can actually use it (since it won't reach the couch), resume and type up your notes, then pause again just to unattach the keyboard and store it somewhere. So yes, please let the journal pause the game!

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3 hours ago, WanderingPalm said:

it's even more immersion-breaking to have to pause the game, go find a USB keyboard, plug it in, set it comfortably on its short cord somewhere where you can actually use it (since it won't reach the couch)

Totally agree with your post.. but on this particular issue, first thing I'd do if I got a console would be to get a wireless keyboard with a USB dongle. ;)

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1 hour ago, JAFO said:

Totally agree with your post.. but on this particular issue, first thing I'd do if I got a console would be to get a wireless keyboard with a USB dongle. ;)

And then you have to deal with lag because you type too fast! Guh, give me a stupid short cord any day. :P Besides, then you get to replace a few steps with finding batteries and troubleshooting your wireless keyboard because it doesn't want to connect properly after long periods of inactivity.

And if you're not exhausted just thinking about all of that, then I'm clearly not explaining my experiences with technology well enough. :D

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7 minutes ago, WanderingPalm said:

And if you're not exhausted just thinking about all of that, then I'm clearly not explaining my experiences with technology well enough.

Hehe.. I get the picture.. can't say that's been my experience with wireless mouse/keyboards, but then I'm not using a console, and I only type at about 50wpm anyway..

 

10 minutes ago, WanderingPalm said:

Besides, then you get to replace a few steps with finding batteries and troubleshooting your wireless keyboard because it doesn't want to connect properly after long periods of inactivity.

Hmm.. mine would be plugged in permanently, I suspect..  but yeah, I get what you mean about the hassles.

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7 hours ago, WanderingPalm said:

YES! I need the journal to pause the game, if only for console versions. I used to type a few notes in the pc version, mostly reminders to myself about where I found things I'd have to come back to harvest (this was before mapping was implemented), but it was enjoyable and made the entire experience more immersive. Now that I can only play the game on console, though, this is just not a function I can use anymore. It takes forever to type anything on the on-screen keyboard, and it's even more immersion-breaking to have to pause the game, go find a USB keyboard, plug it in, set it comfortably on its short cord somewhere where you can actually use it (since it won't reach the couch), resume and type up your notes, then pause again just to unattach the keyboard and store it somewhere. So yes, please let the journal pause the game!

I use a PS4 controller through Steam to play simply because I prefer having all the buttons for a game at my fingertips, instead of all over a giant keyboard I can't reach or remember where all the buttons are....

I have small hands....like Trump....

So you see what I mean about using the journal with thumb-sticks?

It needs to be paused. I am not going to risk dying because it takes me half a game day of standing in the snow....or even in a building, trying to type notes into the journal with two thumb sticks...

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