Best Long-Term Survival Base

[Simone Else]

14 hours ago, JAFO said:

I'm guessing therefore that there's also a "food getting day".. and the other 3 days of the week are basically "trying to deal with this goddamn PITA weather" days.. 

haha yeah,  I will usually spend a day hunting or fishing,  and then cook it up the following day,  or next.   

 

[Cray]

3 hours ago, Mroz4k said:

(unless you sleep without a fire, of course, which can spawn a wolf or bear out of thin air)

Oh wow, I didn't know this. Scary. Good advice @Mroz4k. I lived in the cave above camp office for three days to get the Deep Forest achievement and it was pretty nice. Shielded from the wind and plenty of nearby wood, even a few rabbits. Included a shot below from my stay there. I haven't visited the PV cave you mentioned or Scruffy's cave, but I'll have to check them out at some point. I have used winding river as a stop off point before, it has some natural light and you can even navigate without a torch at certain times of night. Too bad it doesn't have coal anymore. I quite like the deep caves without their own zone for the same reason people enjoy the Mountaineer's Hut, i.e. you can see the weather outside but you are protected from it, it feels nice and cosy. Probably not a great idea to live in a cave full time but it's definitely a different experience than living indoors.

 

[Mroz4k]

17 minutes ago, Cray said:

Oh wow, I didn't know this. Scary. Good advice @Mroz4k.

Only had it happen to me once, I rarely sleep outside without a fire. But that one time it was when FM was a fresh location and I slept about 5 hours outside without a fire in an outdoor cave, and when I woke up, a wolf was just entering the cave. I scared him off with a flare. But that could have easily been a wolf from outside patrol, there are wolves around that particular cave.

 I remember that someone trustworthy did a test of sleeping on top of a Summit without a fire in that cave in there, and they got mauled by a bear as a result. Considering there are no animals on top there it has to spawn them this way, I suppose.

[Ruruwawa]

6 hours ago, Mroz4k said:

Another bad cave to live in is the Winding river connection cave - because this cave in particular does not spawn any coal. So there is little to no point to live there. 

This cave has a feature that's extremely handy... you can build a snowshelter inside the cold half.  I've done it on Interloper for cabin fever mitigation before I found a bedroll.  Because your snowshelter is inside the cave, your all-night fire is safe from the weather.

6 hours ago, Mroz4k said:

If you want to "live" in the "outdoor" caves, then the best one by far is the "cave" in the "Ravine" area, by the entrance to ML - it is in 100% predator free area (unless you sleep without a fire, of course, which can spawn a wolf or bear out of thin air), so safe deer and rabbit hunting, lots of firewood around, some birch bark, close access to ML, somewhat close to Coastal and PV as well, since the Dam is close, and Coastal is on the other side of the trestle.

I spent 150 days living in this cave (stalker) shortly after skilling up archery became a thing.  It's a peaceful spot, hard to lose arrows, and the nearby dam makes crafting easy. 

[Frosty]

1 hour ago, Ruruwawa said:

This cave has a feature that's extremely handy... you can build a snowshelter inside the cold half.

That is awesome tip thanks for sharing that

Are you referring to the cave you enter from PV to connect to ML through the Dam cus I noticed some snow drifts around the campfire where a backpack and bedroll spawn?

If so I can report that there are multiple areas inside with coal most notably the recess area along the cave wall after crossing the planks @Mroz4k

[Ruruwawa]

2 hours ago, Frosty said:

That is awesome tip thanks for sharing that

Are you referring to the cave you enter from PV to connect to ML through the Dam cus I noticed some snow drifts around the campfire where a backpack and bedroll spawn?

If so I can report that there are multiple areas inside with coal most notably the recess area along the cave wall after crossing the planks @Mroz4k

Nope, I mean the no-loading-screen cave in Winding River.  Some bunnies spawn near it.  I can see I misread Mroz4k description -- he did mean the one you described.

[Mroz4k]

7 hours ago, Frosty said:

If so I can report that there are multiple areas inside with coal most notably the recess area along the cave wall after crossing the planks

There used to be coal there, long time ago. But not anymore, not for a long time, as I have went there a couple of times, going for coal, and came up empty handed - and I did search that cave pretty down-to-bottom. Unless I am really blind (which I doubt, I always search things slowly and thoroughly), I dont think this has been the case for a long time by now. But I may be wrong... still, if there is coal there, I doubt there is too much of it.

8 hours ago, Ruruwawa said:

This cave has a feature that's extremely handy... you can build a snowshelter inside the cold half.  I've done it on Interloper for cabin fever mitigation before I found a bedroll.  Because your snowshelter is inside the cave, your all-night fire is safe from the weather.

This is actually really cool information, thanks. Even  if its not the cave I thought - what about the new "outdoor" cave in the Winding river, the one by the corpse up on the hill above the lake? I would guess that one is pretty decent too, but there are usually wolves on the winding river lake down below it so its not a peaceful as the ravine cave.

[Ruruwawa]

6 hours ago, Mroz4k said:

Even  if its not the cave I thought - what about the new "outdoor" cave in the Winding river, the one by the corpse up on the hill above the lake? I would guess that one is pretty decent too, but there are usually wolves on the winding river lake down below it so its not a peaceful as the ravine cave.

Except in Stalker, I've never had a wolf bother me in the "open" Winding River cave.  As I mentioned the post above yours, I thought this outdoor cave was the one you rated as second worst in the world -- my mistake.  On second reading I see you were talking about the transition cave to PV.  Hunting and fuel are both better in the Ravine -- I definitely prefer living there.  For the showshelter trick, however, I meant this open cave in Winding River.

By the way, that transition cave to PV has good hunting and fuel on the PV end... not sure I'd call it second worst in the world.  Not best either... no coal and very far from a workbench.    

 

[Mroz4k]

31 minutes ago, Ruruwawa said:

By the way, that transition cave to PV has good hunting and fuel on the PV end... not sure I'd call it second worst in the world.  Not best either... no coal and very far from a workbench. 

Not particularly - I mean, yea, there is some firewood on the PV end, but there is a bear roaming by it most of the time, wolves to both sides if you go a bit away, and in order to even get to the firewood spawns you need to climb a pretty serious hill, which is just asking for a sprain, or at least wasted energy... on the other hand, if you go right some way away, you can get to the PV fishing spot relatively easily, and there is another cave on that way as well. Hunting there is pretty decent but not without considerable risks.

It has its benefits but its cons are, in my opinion, worse in comparison. Also, the winding river end of the cave means you have to navigate through that river before even reaching the plateau with the wolf and rabbits, or those outdoor caves. 

[Frosty]

7 hours ago, Mroz4k said:

There used to be coal there, long time ago. But not anymore, not for a long time, as I have went there a couple of times, going for coal, and came up empty handed - and I did search that cave pretty down-to-bottom. Unless I am really blind (which I doubt, I always search things slowly and thoroughly), I dont think this has been the case for a long time by now. But I may be wrong... still, if there is coal there, I doubt there is too much of it.

This is actually really cool information, thanks. Even  if its not the cave I thought - what about the new "outdoor" cave in the Winding river, the one by the corpse up on the hill above the lake? I would guess that one is pretty decent too, but there are usually wolves on the winding river lake down below it so its not a peaceful as the ravine cave.

There's coal in there I just went through that cave last night. Go and see for yourself if you find it so difficult to take someone else's word over your own

[Mroz4k]

1 minute ago, Frosty said:

There's coal in there I just went through that cave last night. Go and see for yourself if you find it so difficult to take someone's else's word over your own

Totally unnecesary hostility, chill out a bit

Like I said...

7 hours ago, Mroz4k said:

I dont think this has been the case for a long time by now. But I may be wrong... still, if there is coal there, I doubt there is too much of it.

And seems to me others seem to be in agreement that this particular cave is pretty devoit of resources. So maybe there is coal in there, but not a lot of it for sure.

[Frosty]

2 minutes ago, Mroz4k said:

Totally unnecesary hostility, chill out a bit

Like I said...

And seems to me others seem to be in agreement that this particular cave is pretty devoit of resources. So maybe there is coal in there, but not a lot of it for sure.

No hostility here friend just frustration in dealing with people such as yourself who think they know it all and are condescending to people here on the forum

[Mroz4k]

Just now, Frosty said:

No hostility here friend just frustration in dealing with people such as yourself who think they know it all and are condescending to people here on the forum

Okay, then. Well, putting aside the fact that I have been doing my very best to not start arguments or piss people off for a while now, a bit of a comment on this: Probably not the best way of approaching such person, then - being rude in return wont fix anything, in fact it can start a fight where there wasnt one. Frustration or not, comment like that wont add nothing new to the discussion - and if you really feel like making a comment like that, sending it in PM would probably serve better.

I will be the first to admit I can be condescending and an ass as well, but I dont claim to know it all. I know quite a bit and stand behind my opinions and experience strongly, but I can be swayed, especially if evidence suggests so. 

Also, cant check myself atm, cant fire up a game, my laptop died on me some time ago, the borrowed one I have is prehistorical. No TLD for me : /

[cekivi]

Hey guys, no need to get riled up. 

[Frosty]

1 minute ago, Mroz4k said:

Also, cant check myself atm, cant fire up a game, my laptop died on me some time ago, the borrowed one I have is prehistorical. No TLD for me : /

Sorry to hear that but I wasn't having a go at you just informing you of my experience in that cave....which has coal in it

[Mroz4k]

12 minutes ago, Frosty said:

Sorry to hear that but I wasn't having a go at you just informing you of my experience in that cave....which has coal in it

Didnt mean to question you, should have probably made that more clear in the beggining

[Timber Wolf]

If I should ever try to live as long as I can, I will definitely use the PV Farmhouse as my base of operations.  From there, I would stock outposts near every exit of the map and then create satellite bases on each map in my favorite locations.

I may never know, however, because I get bored after I become too comfortable and then just start up a new game.  Plus, whenever I get to TWM, it's very difficult for me to ever leave!

[Wish]

On 9/20/2017 at 9:01 PM, Ruruwawa said:

Good list (although in ML I prefer the dam, for hunting in the Ravine, and the maint yard in BR).  I have a pretty specific checklist of what makes a good long term base and these pass the test (except FM ).  Note, I play mostly Interloper.

1. Outdoor fire that's a) as windproof as possible and b) very close to an indoor shelter.  I do all my cooking and water boiling outdoors for the 22% of hours needed to fend off cabin fever risk, but I prefer not to heat the great outdoors the rest of the time.  
2. Plentiful fuel for the fire.  As I play mostly interloper, I prefer sticks and coal (or reclaimed wood while it lasts) since an hour or two straight chopping limbs can be pretty risky on Interloper.
3. Nearby workbench
4. Good hunting or fishing.  I don't care which.

Nice list.

#1 especially resonates, and is something I didn't mention but should have: a sheltered outdoor area for a fire near an indoor location. The small structure behind the Hunting Lodge in BR is great for that, along with the outdoor area of the Maintenance Shed, also in BR. The fire barrel at Signal Hill could also be added to that list, perhaps, if you use it naked to avoid clothing decay. I'm sure there is somewhere in Hibernia that functions the same.

I'm going to consolidate and update my best long term base considerations list based on the responses (thank you to those who responded!):

1. Is or is near a sheltered, outdoor area (for cooking, repairing, constructing, and other activities) - cabin fever, I deny you!
2. Beachcombing - by the coast to procure normally non-limitless items
3. Nearby food - Trapping, or wolves and deer in close proximity for weapon-free hunting (chase deer to wolf; throw stone at growling wolf; harvest deer)
   1. Fishing uses scrap metal...while that would last a long time, it is a limited resource
   2. Trapping uses reclaimed wood...but it can be reused, and guts are unlimited, so trapping is a viable limitless food source
4. Nearby Fuel - near sticks and coal - nearby mitigates clothing decay
5. Nearby Workbench - for making or repairing - nearby mitigates clothing decay

Bonus perks:

• Bed could be on the list to avoid using cloth to repair your bedroll...but you could use a bear skin bedroll, as repairing it uses unlimited resources
• Nearby Forge - you're going to use it, it might as well be close

Thought experiment:

Imagine that you've gathered and then used up every non-limitless resource from every area. Using the list above, if personal preference was excluded (I love a good view!), we'd be looking for the following: A shoreline location (beachcombing) near wolves and deer (object-free hunting)/or trapping, near fuel (that's most places, really), with a workbench, and a sheltered outdoor area. Locations in DP and CH both seem fit with this thought experiment, but where?

• Sheltered outdoor area
  • on DP, the Riken, Hibernia, and Lighthouse all work
  • on CH, Jackrabbit Island and the Fishing Camp are the closest to fishing huts (closer than Quonset, I think)
• Beachcombing - could be anywhere along the shore, so base locations by the shore on both maps work
• Near Food/wolves in close proximity to deer (for object-free food source)/
  • on DP, both are near the Abandoned Mine No. 5 (West), by the church. That makes the lighthouse the closest base that fits the most of the criteria (though it lacks a workbench), followed by the Riken (+forge but also lacks a workbench), and then Hibernia (which has a workbench but is on the other side of the map). So then the question is which is better for long-term survival: to be closer to animals for object-free hunting, or closer to a workbench? On DP, I'm giving it a toss up between Riken and Hibernia because a workbench is used more frequently than a forge, and the Riken is closer to the wolf/deer area
  • on CH, most base locations are near the frozen water where wolves and deer populate, so that's a wash
    • Or trapping
      • DP, Hibernia is closest
      • CH, JR Island is closest
• Near Fuel - as noted, that's most places, so that's a wash as well
• Nearby Workbench
  • DP: Hibernia, Riken
  • CH: Fishing Village, Quonset, other locations nearby, such as JRisland

Given this thought experiment, and attempting to remove personal preference, it seems like the Fishing Village or Jackrabbit Island slightly edge out other bases for best long-term survival:

1. Fishing Camp - fits the criteria, though no adjacent trapping areas
2. Jackrabbit Island - fits the criteria, has adjacent trapping, though fishing huts are further away than they are from the Fishing Village along with the workbench

• (Quonset could be on the list as well, though I believe the fishing huts are further away, and it is, in general, a more dangerous locale due to the immediate proximity of wolves)

Whew! I can see why the Coastal Highway and those three locations are so popular.

As noted at the beginning of the post, a good game is, in part, a series of interesting choices, which is why this topic in particular gets traction, because there are so many interesting considerations and variables to consider. I, for one, definitely do not play to min/max the long-term survival experience (the poetic appeal to gazing out at sunset over vast vistas sucks me in), but it is interesting to think about.

Please let me know what you think, or if anything I noted is incorrect.

Thanks!

 

[Ruruwawa]

1 hour ago, Wish said:

Fishing uses scrap metal...while that would last a long time, it is a limited resource

Beachcombing washes up scrap metal too, even on Interloper.

1 hour ago, Wish said:

Riken (+forge but also lacks a workbench)

Honestly, all of DP is close... it's a tiny zone.   The walk from the Riken to the workbench at Hybernia is short and, assuming you don't carry around a lot of smelly meat, wolf-free.  On Stalker there's a wolf paths the shoreline -- I just watch for him to go around the corner then walk in without him noticing.  Other difficulties, no wolves on the souht side of Hibernia at all.

Riken is my #1 base, followed by the Mountaineer's Hut (on non-Interloper).  I like fish camp and Jackrabbit's too, but only if I feel like fishing.  (I often don't, because it's boring. )  Btw I rarely hunt rabbits until I need the hides; usually I eat bear if I can get it, or deer, or wolf.

[Mroz4k]

21 hours ago, Timber Wolf said:

Plus, whenever I get to TWM, it's very difficult for me to ever leave!

I have that same problem!

I will make a game - okay, time to go loot the plane... get to the Mountaineers. Go up to the plane, bring loot down. Okay, good... I will stay one more day...

200 days later... okay, maybe it really IS time to leave... 
 

2 hours ago, Wish said:

he fire barrel at Signal Hill could also be added to that list, perhaps, if you use it naked to avoid clothing decay.

Should probably warn you this is no longer the case. There is no point in taking off clothes at all, unless you are going to leave them by fire to thaw and plan to do other things... because as of right now, it appears that clothes that have been taken off actually degrade faster. Unless you are using them actively in bad weather conditions, it is best to just leave clothes on. So, might want to take them off if using the fire barrel in blizzard, but thats a tricky idea, because not only will the fire have to be warm enough, it is also a considerable risk that you happen to be standing far away from the fire for it to not register, and can even cause yourself a frostbite by accident. I wouldnt reccomend taking clothes off at all. Or at least, always keep the crafted ones on, since those are easily repaired.

2 hours ago, Wish said:

Nearby food - Trapping, or wolves and deer in close proximity for weapon-free hunting (chase deer to wolf; throw stone at growling wolf; harvest deer)

I assume you want weapon-free hunting for the sake of limited weapons... so you will be happy to hear that beachcombing spawns both types of saplings, and scrap metal - this combined with guts and crow feathers means that thanks to beachcombing, bows and arrows are unlimited resource. 
So is cloth and metal - therefore improvised knife is unlimited as well, so you will be always able to make bows unless you trash all your hammers and tools in the whole game.

I believe Fishing town and Jackrabbits should be both considered equal - there are neighbouring locations, so all resources of one are the resources of the another one. I suppose (If there are no wolves in that area) fishing town is a bit better - since it has more cabins (more containers and possibilities of design, you could alternate the individual cabins whenever you feel like one is getting too boring). also fishing hut is very close to it, and a big forest where plenty of firewood spawns,
But yea, both of these locations technically have: 

Nearby fishing, nearby rabbits, nearby beach combing, nearby big game (and predators), workbench (and an amazing one, a workbench placed outside so no cabin fever risk through crafting), weatherproof cooking place (potbelly stove in the nearby fishing hut), firewood spawns close by, and finally, great strategic placement - it is not far from DP where forge is, and on the way there it has more beach combing spawns. 

[Cray]

You've sold it to me, I'll be heading there on my Interloper run first chance I get!

[Mroz4k]

The only downside to fishing town I see is that there are occasionally wolves around there. Shouldnt be on Interloper, but I remember I have seen them there long ass time ago on Stalker... and the whiteberry´s map puts them there as well. In that case, a bit better place would be the Jackrabbits. And with a bit of occasional wolf-removal, the fishing camp will be fully accessible as well. If they dont spawn there, great - perfect long-term location. 

[Wish]

3 hours ago, Ruruwawa said:

Beachcombing washes up scrap metal too, even on Interloper.

 

2 hours ago, Mroz4k said:

Should probably warn you this is no longer the case. There is no point in taking off clothes at all, unless you are going to leave them by fire to thaw and plan to do other things... because as of right now, it appears that clothes that have been taken off actually degrade faster. Unless you are using them actively in bad weather conditions, it is best to just leave clothes on. So, might want to take them off if using the fire barrel in blizzard, but thats a tricky idea, because not only will the fire have to be warm enough, it is also a considerable risk that you happen to be standing far away from the fire for it to not register, and can even cause yourself a frostbite by accident. I wouldnt reccomend taking clothes off at all. Or at least, always keep the crafted ones on, since those are easily repaired.

 

2 hours ago, Mroz4k said:

I assume you want weapon-free hunting for the sake of limited weapons... so you will be happy to hear that beachcombing spawns both types of saplings, and scrap metal - this combined with guts and crow feathers means that thanks to beachcombing, bows and arrows are unlimited resource. 
So is cloth and metal - therefore improvised knife is unlimited as well, so you will be always able to make bows unless you trash all your hammers and tools in the whole game.

I believe Fishing town and Jackrabbits should be both considered equal - there are neighbouring locations, so all resources of one are the resources of the another one. I suppose (If there are no wolves in that area) fishing town is a bit better - since it has more cabins (more containers and possibilities of design, you could alternate the individual cabins whenever you feel like one is getting too boring). also fishing hut is very close to it, and a big forest where plenty of firewood spawns,
But yea, both of these locations technically have: 

Nearby fishing, nearby rabbits, nearby beach combing, nearby big game (and predators), workbench (and an amazing one, a workbench placed outside so no cabin fever risk through crafting), weatherproof cooking place (potbelly stove in the nearby fishing hut), firewood spawns close by, and finally, great strategic placement - it is not far from DP where forge is, and on the way there it has more beach combing spawns. 

You're both totally right..I neglected the fact that scrap metal and saplings also wash up on the shore. Thanks @Mroz4k and @Ruruwawa!

So in this best long-term base thought experiment, the Fishing Camp and Jackrabbit Island are the champs!

 

 

[Hesha]

4 hours ago, Ruruwawa said:

Riken is my #1 base, followed by the Mountaineer's Hut (on non-Interloper).  I like fish camp and Jackrabbit's too, but only if I feel like fishing.  (I often don't, because it's boring. )  Btw I rarely hunt rabbits until I need the hides; usually I eat bear if I can get it, or deer, or wolf.

My only problem with Riken is that it is quite dark in there, or has that changed recently?

[Ruruwawa]

2 hours ago, Hesha said:

My only problem with Riken is that it is quite dark in there, or has that changed recently?

Still dark, except during the aurora.  I just have it very well memorized now.