Catch and Release

[Ice Hole]

Catch and Release

What purpose does this currently have in game play? Not much as far as I can tell.

The idea of releasing fish to alter population density was discussed awhile ago and I think now that bunnies can also be released broadens the scope of the idea.

Never tested if releasing fish will alter population.  But maybe the developers could help or I am going to have to go on a fishing trip.

Cook the fish that are larger.  Release the smaller so they grow larger.  The idea to release only the Small Mouth Bass or the Coho to increase their stocks while cooking all the Lake Whitefish and Rainbow Trout to reduce those stocks.  Logically this should allow the fish being released to flourish.

Now bunnies could also work this way.  If the weight of them is displayed then am informed decision would be made.  Release the skinny ones and hope they are fattened up later.  Killing the larger ones so that harvesting can be optimized.  

Interjection - On the subject of harvesting rabbits why is it taking so long especially when the player has level five skill with 50% reduction to harvest time for hides.  The time base is forty minutes so twenty minutes at maximum level seems wrong.  GOT references are totally legit  Good At Skinning Rabbits  Or is this time inclusive for prepping to cure the hide?

Gauging other animals size could also be something to go along with this theme.  Antler rack size for the ungulates.  Mane/scruff or tail size for the predators.

This opens the immersion because it allows players to make a decision before they kill.

 

[StrayCat]

2 hours ago, Ice Hole said:

The idea to release only the Small Mouth Bass or the Coho to increase their stocks while cooking all the Lake Whitefish and Rainbow Trout to reduce those stocks

Managing an ecosystem IRL is a subtle work, eliminating specific species can make to whole thing crash. In the game, this idea seems (to me) going the wrong way. In TLD, humans' technology has collapsed : people tried to control everything, manage every single detail, and severly altered nature around them. Then nature itself claimed its rights. My reading of TLD's philosophy is that people need to become less greedy and try not to always mess with our environnment, or we become extremely vulnerable when something crashes. So going back to managing an ecosystem by selecting species annoys me a bit, as if humans never learned anything.

Nonetheless, your idea of "catch & release" could be interesting. For instance, we could catch/trap living rabbits, and release them somewhere else. If enough rabbits are released somewhere, it could create a new spawn point. Or it could reinforce a existing spawn point.

[Khan_Drichthyes]

Concerning the fish, having once served in Fisheries Management for 9 years, I have some insights.

I agree with the previous statement that trying to remove a species can have unexpected consequences.   Having said that, I wouldn't try to implement what would essentially be a population model in a game.  -It's just too complex to be worthwhile. 

Your effect on the population:  In Survivor, I got the impression that you are the only survivor on Bear Island.  If so, your fishing effort is not likely to effect the overall population in the coastal regions.  The lakes, however, depend on whether or not they are self sustaining natural populations or require frequent restocking from a fish hatchery.  Of course, if it's a non-native stocked species... <Emperor Voice> "Wipe them out.  All of them."

Catch and release, in my opinion, wouldn't be implemented for the purpose of allowing juvenile fish to reach spawning age.  To me, it would really just fall under, "Do I really want to waste my time cleaning and cooking this pitiful little thing?"

[MarrowStone]

In a matter of genetics however, if a genetic factor is making those rabbits scrawny then releasing them and killing the fat ones would eventually make them all skinny. 

However that'd be a much longer time than our player could live. And since competition for food seems to be the driving factor in an endless winter, and not genetics, releasing the scrawny ones isnt a bad idea. By scrawny I do not mean young rabbits, but starving ones, who has ever seen a starving rabbit though? Lol 

I'm pretty indiscriminate towards what I eat, never know where my next meal will be. (Cue sad pet commercial music) Please donate Just a mere 2 cattail stalks per day to a survivor in need. Its the least you can do to help.

[Khan_Drichthyes]

26 minutes ago, MarrowStone said:

In a matter of genetics however, if a genetic factor is making those rabbits scrawny then releasing them and killing the fat ones would eventually make them all skinny. 

That's assuming genetics is the factor.  There's also parasites and chronic illnesses. 

Of course, to model all of these possible factors, track them in every single critter, and incorporate that into a real-time population assessment model, would require more computing power than what any of us has.

Then, of course, we'd all have to conduct periodic stock assessments to verify that the model is still accurate (They usually aren't over time). 

Oh, wait, it's just a game.

[Khan_Drichthyes]

37 minutes ago, MarrowStone said:

who has ever seen a starving rabbit though?

The one I saw in our backyard, yesterday, certainly wasn't. 

And yes, I thought of this game when I saw it.

[MarrowStone]

@Khan_Drichthyes, yup. Haha, just a game.  So many factors are involved with populations, genetic diversity And change. I don't believe hinterland's vision includes such complex and debated systems. I am all for slowly reducing fish populations in smaller bodies of water such as pensive pond, however.

Maybe you get unlucky (cursed) rabbit's feet from starving rabbits. But wouldn't their rarity make them more lucky? The rabbit's foot paradox!

[Khan_Drichthyes]

Start with the Smallmouth Bass.  I'm pretty sure they're non-native to Bear Island.

Actually, that raises a neat idea for something in a future map.  How about a fish hatchery?  The raceways would be frozen over, of course.  Perhaps you can chop out some fish frozen in the ice?

[TerribleSurvivor]

To be able to alter a population significantly within a biotope you obviously need to be able to have a significant impact on the population numbers.

I do not think that you are able to catch or consume enough animals over time to have a significant impact on the biotope´s populations thus the game doesnt really need to care about you killing fat bunnies but releasing skinny ones because it just doesnt impact the population enough.