The wanderer - nostalgic TLD version story


Mroz4k

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This is going to be my first story. Not sure how it will turn out, but I have a clear idea of what I would like it to be like - imagine this from a roleplayer's point of view - this story is written in the first person, as seen by my survivor and written into a journal later on. This was a gameplay from an alpha version .183, back when Mystery Lake and Coastal Highway were the only two explorable regions and rifle the only weapon in the game.

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Entry 1

To anyone who would find this journal... my name is... I don't actually know. A memory of my past life is... gone. Hence, I will call myself Wanderer. This is my story.

I woke up lying in a snow face down, next to train tracks. I see a collapsed tunnel in the distance, and when I turn around, I can see what looks like a train wagon in a distance. There is a male deer, magnificent in his posture, standing on the train tracks dozen meters from me. I feel a vague De ja Vu, I have been here before, and I loved this place. Perhaps that is why I found myself here again.

I must have hitched a ride on a train, and hit my head while jumping off. That was the only logical explanation I could find. And now I have amnesia thanks to it. I know how to speak. I know how to write. I know how things are named. But I cannot recall anything about myself in great detail. One thing I know for sure - I know how to paint. Even found some paints in my backpack. And it seems I have a great visual memory too, as I am able to replicate this picture out of my head, many hours after seeing it.
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I stood up and started walking towards trees. All of a sudden, I hear growls and a bark. A wolf! I sprinted out, running, I could hear its growls behind me, gaining on me. It was no doubt hunting me. All of a sudden, a cabin showed up, with a great Canadian flag, and a back door. Somehow I knew it would not be locked - and I quickly jumped in, slamming the door behind me.
 

The interior was gloomy and dark. I tried to turn on the light switch but it wouldn't work - power must have gone out, probably a blown fuse. Nobody has been here for a while. Somehow, I feel like this is going to be true about this whole region - a quiet, deadly but beautiful place of solitude. I took a charge of looking around for anything I could salvage. Tucked away, I found a couple of cans, some smashed furniture, two bottles of lighter fluid, a can opener, and a storm lantern. By an armchair, I found a soda can. That was all, not enough for me to survive on for too long. I had to get moving again.I decided to leave the cabin, slowly checking its surroundings - could not spot the wolf, but I was sure he was out there somewhere.

There was a lake, below the cabin. Walking towards it, I spotted a gruesome scene - a wolf, feasting on a deer. They were some distance away, but that raw scene hit me like a hammer. This could be me if I am not careful. Somehow, the wolves seem to be really on edge. The wolf was a long distance away from me, and I decided not to bother it. But, now I was cut off from two sides by wolves - only place to go was a little passage into hills, tucked away behind the cabin. That will be my direction.

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I walked, for a half of an hour. The land seems familiar, and I knew I could use this trail to get to the lake from a different angle... somehow. However, I took a wrong turn - and soon enough, I found myself in a cave. Suddenly, I could hear a murder of crows, creaking around. Crows... they found something to eat. Perhaps it is something I could eat myself... 

I was wrong.

It was a man. It. It was not a man anymore, just a corpse now. Some poor hiker froze to death. Immediately I realized how cold I am myself - my clothes were not adequate at all for this weather. In his stiff hand, he held a knife. Somehow, the knife in pristine condition - signs of a good quality. I need that, and it won't help him anymore. As a vulture, I checked the corpse for some additional booty. But nothing. I tried to pull down his jacket, but it was frozen stiff to his body. Probably would not help me anyway, it was clearly too small for me to begin with.

I left the cave, shivering. I need to find some shelter soon, and I need more gear if I am to survive. I spotted cabins in the distance - signs of civilization, but no smoke, rising from the chimneys... I decided to explore them anyway.

Noticed a couple of fishing huts too, but sadly, a duo of wolves prevented me from checking them out. So I continued onwards for the cabins. Coming closer, I realized two of the cabins were ruined - a roof caved in on them. Must have been a long while since people were here. Freezing, I entered the last cabin. I was hoping to find some gear, but besides a single can of peaches, there was nothing here. Decided to stay for an hour to warm up a bit. In the meantime, I smashed two boxes I found for a reclaimed wood I will need in the future. I warmed up, if only a little bit, and my hopes were high again.

I continued along the shore and soon came across a couple of more huts, and another dead man. I scored a second knife, some firewood and newspapers, as well as a couple of more cans. My supplies are starting to look better now. But so far, no clothes, and I was shivering again. Took a risk and went for one of the fishing cabins - a score! Found an old, ragged scarf, but a scarf nonetheless, and an old woollen toque. Already had one of those, though. Took it anyway, you never know...

All of a sudden, all my blood froze in my body - a howl of a wolf, right outside of the hut! Slowly I sneaked around to see it, but could not. Decided not to take any chances, I quickly retreated. In a distance, there was a lonesome cabin I have not pillaged yet.  Even here, the pickings were slim, and besides an old bunch of tinder, there was nothing here. It was getting somewhat late, but I decided to challenge my cold and press on. Walking by another hut I looted, I spotted a river, feeding into the lake. I decided to explore it, hoping it would lead me to another structure. Rabbits were hopping around, and I felt really hungry, just looking at them. Opened a can of pork with a low expiration date, and downed my soda. Feeling better, I continued on. 

I arrived at a clearing. There was a dead carcass of a deer which looked fresh enough, and an old deer stand. Took a look there, hoping for some major find. And I did! A bandage, no doubt useful if I get attacked by a wolf, and a box of ammunition! Looks like rifle ammo, hopefully, I will find a matching rifle soon. I feel hopelessly defenceless with the wolves around. All of a sudden, wind picked up. I noticed a giant cave facing the clearing, and took a shelter there. Painted a picture of the clearing as the sun started to set down and I was waiting for the weather to die down a bit.
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Luckily, the wind died down again. So I decided to take a risk and take the deer apart - it will hold a great importance for me later on, I am sure. Built a fire next to it. While warming up, I also boiled a litre of water, just in case. Then, I pulled a deer apart. It was easy enough with the knife, even though the deer was frozen stiff and the fire did not help at all. I was able to salvage meagre 1,2 kg of stale meat, and about 4 pieces of leather - when the weather took a turn for the worst. 

The strong wind blew out the fire, and I knew it was time to go. I was feeling the cold creeping up on me again, and the dusk was setting in. I wished to take the guts of the animal as well, but the weather was turning brutal, fast. As the wind was picking up, I ran for the lonesome cabin. Almost stepped on a rabbit, lucky little guy. Took a shortcut over a hill to save some time - but as I reached the peak, I spotted a wolf, and he spotted me. Barking it advanced towards me - but luckily, it is a lot easier to run downhill then uphill, even though he has twice as many legs as I do. However, I slipped in my rush, and fell down a cliff, right on my bum. It's still sore but at least I did not sprain anything. I calmed down a bit, but the wind and sunset did not let me rest for too long. I started running towards the cabin I saw initially, the big one with a Canadian flag. Neverminding potential wolves, I soon reached the cabin, as the sun was setting in. There was a corpse of a man to the right of it which I did not notice before. I quickly checked his pockets - nothing. I left the deer outside and went inside. 

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But now is time to sleep. Hope I don't freeze to death tonight, but after eating some granola bars and a litre of water, my hopes for tomorrow are high. And so I arrived at this Mystery Lake, as I call it. The name seems oddly appropriate.
 

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17 minutes ago, JAFO said:

Thanks guys.. yeah, it kinda blows my mind too.. O.o

Doesn't surprise me none - you are super friendly and always very helpful with your advice. :D Congratz, me thinks you deserve much more, honestly. ^_^

And thanks, guys! I will do my best to make a second story soon, hopefuly I wont die... because from my experience, this early version of the game is just BRUTAL. I dont remember TLD being this hard in the Cartographer/Wintermute. Must be cause of those scary looking wolves, and that old struggle mode where you have to build up your strenght before smacking the wolf... 

I did a test run before this one and I died to a first wolf struggle, on a Voyager difficulty, some 3 hours into the game...

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11 hours ago, Mroz4k said:

Doesn't surprise me none - you are super friendly and always very helpful with your advice. :D Congratz, me thinks you deserve much more, honestly. ^_^

Thank you, good sir. B|

11 hours ago, Mroz4k said:

I will do my best to make a second story soon, hopefuly I wont die... because from my experience, this early version of the game is just BRUTAL. I dont remember TLD being this hard in the Cartographer/Wintermute. Must be cause of those scary looking wolves, and that old struggle mode where you have to build up your strenght before smacking the wolf... 

I did a test run before this one and I died to a first wolf struggle, on a Voyager difficulty, some 3 hours into the game...

So you've gotten v.183 running on the ancient 'puter you're currently using? That's good!

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3 hours ago, JAFO said:

So you've gotten v.183 running on the ancient 'puter you're currently using? That's good!

 

Surprisingly, yes. The lowest graphics also boosted with programs like game booster, but yea, somehow I managed to run this on my Win XP 2002 PC, and its running rather smoothly, too. Am very happy, though I admit it is very difficult to get accustomed to this old version of the game, luckily the general rules still apply! :D

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Well, this is a shame. 

So, I decided to play the game instead of the story to get a bit into this version of the game, mostly learning to deal with wolves better because there is a LOT of them. So I fired up a new game and played for two hours or so.

Okay, now I am ready, time to continue on with the story!

Load the game...

Spawn in a Dam. 

Turns out this version of the game does not have 5 save slots yet. So, I mistakenly overwrote my saved story game.

RIP Wanderer, a victim to the worst enemy of all - the game save override.

 

Will probably continue on with a different story once I die a couple of times, getting accustomed to the game. It's not easy to play, wolves are everywhere & are deadly, the HUD is obnoxious and this old piece of crap PC is not making things any easier with FPS issues.

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Holy smokes, the wolves are vicious in the earlier versions. I am having serious trouble handling them despite I am simply playing Voyageur most of the time. This version must have been before the amazing sneaking was possible because I am not having a lot of luck with sneaking around. And the weather is so much more brutal it seems to me - in Cartographer I am used to getting clothes warm enough to stay outside indefinitely on Voyageur... not in this alpha version. Better clothes make a difference of a few more minutes outside at most, and then hours of warming up.

I am loving it.

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