Newbie Survivor Log


tulkawen

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Hey guys,

I bought this game yesterday. Since I like writing, I figured I'll share my first two attempts at this game.

Experience: This is my first survival game. I've never played this genre before. I've never been good with the first person games either due to my geographical tardiness. Those wolves from 1st person view sound terrifying. 

I have about fifteen years of experience with mmorpg and also moderate experience with Civilization 3 and 4.

 

I picked Survival Mode, Voyageur for both games. I haven't read the forums for tips before playing.

 

Game 1 Day 1 The Real Stupid Noobie Log

 

- Mysteriously crash-landed at some Mystery Lake. If I had crash-landed where is my plane wreckage? Some burning metal would be better than this freezing enclosure.

- There is a corpse in the snow nearby. I wander if that was Lenny the other plane occupant. Can't seem to recognise, but can't guarantee my head is perfect or remembering after going splat against the ground during Armageddon. Once again, why is this Armageddon so freezing?

- Picked up a knife next to the maybe x-friend person. Poked at its body and backpack. Nothing. I start walking.

- The snow crunches loud under my feet. The wind picks up as soon as I enter the forest. It's making these scary noises that most assuredly sound like wolves or bears or sybertooth chipmunks. Picked up a couple of twigs on the way. Wolves fear my twigs! um... Please?

-  Both temperatures are flashing red. Is this forest going to end? Teeth chattering from being popsicle cold and this extremely chicken feeling about running into some wildlife. Why can't I hold the knife impressively in front of me?

- The forest parts. A frozen lake glitters ahead with three houses down the bank. Hurray! Now I'll get warmer!

- The wind is even stronger in the open. I sprint a bit in places to get to the first house. Bah! Is this a flat board with the door drawn atop of it? Skipping along to the next house. Hyposomethingy or other is tickling my toes. I click on the next house door. Nothing. Click again. Nothing. Ooooh! Need to click and hold.

- Kick stupid self as I finally break into first house. I guess I haven't searched Lenny's corpse and backpack at all. Maybe she had a nice hat or jacket. Bummer. The house is cramped, half taken up by bed but no fireplace. The freezing progress halts uncertainly, but risk isn't decreasing either. There are boots in the corner exactly like mine. Wish those were socks instead; can't feel my ankles.

- Skipping along to the next house that also turns out a one roomer. It has food and pop and newspapers. Woot? Not hungry. Very, very cold. Maybe if I build a fire the risk of contracting some nasty snot thingy will go away?

- Fire won't start in the hut. Booo! Go outside around the hut and attempt setting up logs next to the wall also crossing legs instead of unbending fingers so the wind won't blow it out. Fail anyway and spot more houses along the bank.

- Running to those houses, wandering if any wolves are around. Wolves like houses too right? Wolfs know that wolf snacks are walking around the houses yes? The day is clear, but the wind lifts snow and makes sure to stuff it into my nose and eyes.

- Smash into the next couple of houses that gift me with a hat that has even more holes than my pants and a thin cotton shirt most likely chewed on by one of those Armageddon horses. Why do I have a mountain of matches and newspapers but can't build a fire?

- It's too cold to stay even inside the houses that have no stoves. Not sure the risk won't start rising closer to night even if I stay in the cabin. Numbness spreading. There are toilet-like structures in the middle of the lake. The wind is hungrier than all wolves as I slide across. The toilet has a black heater indeed! The clunky thingy wakes up most reluctantly after a couple of kicks and curses. I stuff more sticks into it, but before I blink, the fire is out in like two minutes and hyposcoundrel climbs again, not that it went down while I tried pressing my frozen butt to this heater.

- Pretty sure this spot without a door is no good for the declining day. Run back across the lake with the hyperannoance now taking effect. Think I see a black wolfy dot across the flat landscape though it might be my chicken imagination.

- Can't see a new hut to try the luck in. Plop down by the wall of the previous hut to try another fire. Closer to the door in case the wolfy comes.

- Lit the campfire after more profanities. Crouch next to it, search backpack for anything else that might warm me up. Fire kicks the bucket again while I'm distracted.

- Poke fire? Fire no give heat? Crouch lower? No good. Health dropping. Is this fire still burning? Doesn't look it.

- Jump up! Must run blindly anywhere! Everywhere! Staying here is death! One panicked step ahead AND...

- I guess here's my middle finger, Mr effy cold. You have not taken me. I have BURNED to death in a seemingly extinguished fire.  

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1 hour ago, Sgt. Eclair said:

This is great! Please do keep us posted, this is super fun!

Thanks so much!

You do not have many posts as well, are you new to the forum or to The Long Dark too? As newbies we could compare notes. :D

I'm almost done describing my second try.

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I'm following this thread, it's nice to see a gamer discovering the game. You're right not beginning a Wintermute (Story), since all saves will be erased during the December update. Voyager is a good choice, you have to learn to fear the mean wildlife out there :D

Can't wait to read more of your thoughts ! (Also, F9 and F10 make screenshots if you're playing from PC, we all like screenshots)

Edited by BareSkin
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Thanks Bare! I've seen you posting stories too. Those must be pro. :)

I was looking for a completely different game when I accidentally ran into The Long Dark. I clicked on trailer and was taken by music and contemplative atmosphere. Then I used wiki to read description and found out about story mode and survival mode.

I'm also Canadian. I've heard people mention something about Milton. I find that humorous because I live in a town right next to another town named Milton in real life. My Noob Survivor will need to travel to that location once I learn how to live past one day.

I was actually tempted to do wintermute because I'm a very long term rpg player whose brain functions in sets of quest, fetch/defeat/travel point a to point b. To me survival for the sake of survival seemed a very difficult idea to wrap my mind around since I need to have a defined goal within existence. I'm finding this experience fascinating. I made survivors on the same map, but every single start is so extremely different so far and a new experience, which is cool.

But, this game is very, VERY tuff! I tend to play 3rd view precisely because with the eagle eye enemies cannot sneak up on you. In 1st person, I'm sometimes intimidated even to turn around, what if there is a wolf standing behind me. That would be so scary. O_O

Also!! Oh noes! What's going on with the wipe? Does this include wintermute or will our survivor mode progress be wiped too? What if I finally make a character that lives past day 1 and that experience will get cut off before I can find out my max. :(  Is there a date when this wipe will occur?

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1 hour ago, tulkawen said:

I accidentally ran into The Long Dark.

Same here, Steam actually proposed me this thing cause it runs on Linux, and I owned it for months before installing it. Now I feel like I didn't pay enough for it...

1 hour ago, tulkawen said:

Is there a date when this wipe will occur?

It's sometime around second half of December, but the wipe does not involve Survival mode at all. My advice would be to be patient and start Wintermute once this Redux update is out, with better episode 1&2. Don't worry, you can't miss the info since you are on the forums. Also, I would refrain from going to Milton before Wintermute, if you want to keep it fresh. Mystery Lake is a perfect starting map. If you want to play the 'old' version of Wintermute it's totally fine, but you should finish it before the update, you have around 1 month to complete it (totally doable).

1 hour ago, tulkawen said:

Those must be pro. :)

Absolutely not, I'm actually reporting the adventures of Bareskin11, which is... my 11th survivor. But before starting Survival I did the full Story on Hard Mode (it's there that I died a loooot) and one of the challenges (the easiest: Nomad). In the same section you'll find stories of real pros that accomplish the impossible, but that would spoil a bit, maybe, of the techniques you'd like to discover yourself. I still read them wrapping my mind around their runs wondering how it is even possible to survive like they do.

1 hour ago, tulkawen said:

I need to have a defined goal

Surviving is already an accomplishment. You can set yourself a goal: live for 30 days on Voyager mode for example. You'll have to beat the cold, then the hunger, then the lack of fuel resource, then of course the wolves, then maybe try your hand at hunting etc... the hardest part is learning when it's a good time for... doing nothing. Patience is a skill. Don't worry, there'll always be a harder mode to kill you ;). Yes, this game is not for kids, you have to make hard choices, and the first person view is actually perfect for it, I'm still afraid to take sticks on the floor, because while you look at it, you don't look around, and I'm wolf-paranoïd!

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I enjoyed reading this. I’m new to this forum but not the game. Though I have no where near the experience of many of the regulars here.

Your tale reminds me of my very first attempt. Like you I went straight into a Voyager sandbox without looking up any hints. I really enjoyed discovering things and learning how to play the game myself. There were a few frustrations where I had to look things up. My first go I managed to die of thirst because I couldn’t work out how to get water, so I did look that up afterwards. 

It looks like you are happy to learn by trial and error. The only advice I will give you is about a the user interface, some of which is not explained or intuitive. The HUD has various status indicators and will remain hidden most of the time, but you can get it to show by pressing Tab or either Select or Start on a controller (I forget which but it is labled Quick Stats in the bindings). The HUD is mostly pretty easy to understand, but there are two indicators that appear at the top of the screen which I needed to look up to understand what they meant: One icon looks like a shield with a curl on it and indicates that you are sheltered from the wind. The shield icon will display continuously while sheltered whether the rest of the HUD is showing or not. The other icon looks like three flames and is your scent meter that shows how smelly you are. The scent meter will not show continuously but acts like the rest of the HUD so you can check it with the Quick Stats key.  I’ll leave it to you to work out the ramifications of either of these icons being displayed.

Enjoy your discovery of this amazing game. I look forward to reading your next adventures!

Edited by Czhilli
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Bare

Thank you for answering my questions. I also saw you post what looked like a guide or a chart.

Oh that's  a nifty idea numbering your survivors. Given how fast I kick the bucket I'll soon be down into double digits too! So far I'm naming all my survivors Newbie because my skills as laughable. I'm also glad this game allows you to rename yourself.

In terms of accomplishments, when I was checking the game out and trying to figure its purpose, it said that it offers an achievement for surviving 500 days. I guess this will be my long term plan in all the games. I suppose longer survival over 500 would make the game tedious like following the same pattern all the time. If I ever reach 500 days I won't continue playing that one to death. I know we cannot save, but I believe I can start a new game and keep this one in load the screen as proof of my endurance.

While I was playing, I found there is a great need to adapt to circumstances, which keeps the game interesting. For example, I was good with food and water after a hunt and wanted to venture far out next day, but there was a blizzard and then I was low on supplies, so I had to re-schedule to a different time. I'm also very much an intuitive player, not a numbers person. Since all supplies are finite, then it's unlikely I will last long term in any games because I can't bother calculating all in advance, 500 seems like a distant goal to keep me entertained for a long time. I can do my best to preserve supplies though.

Also, in all games I like traveling and crafting, so I guess my goal is to see all maps and also craft every item in the game.

 Hi Cz,

It's nice to meet you!

Thanks you for the tips. What does HUD mean? I understood all other info though.

haha ....  I think... I know when those stinky lines have appeared above me. This sounds like I've been made into appetizer. :D

It's funny you've mentioned boiling water because my second story deals with that one!

In terms of interface, I like the crafting menu and how the inventory works. It has enough complexity but none of that over-complicated nonsense. I understand the bare basics due to my rpg experience like you have durability equipment, you need to fix it. Almost all games have i for inventory and wasd for walking. Thanks for explaining the windbreaker, I actually thought it shows wind direction, not that I'm hiding. I am perplexed by determining wind  direction though, I just try to see which way the snow if being swept. I believe a person who never played any games would be completely lost though because there was literally zero tutorial info.

In terms of error and trial, I may occasionally check wiki for something specific. Like I found a bunch of cans, got excited. Then found a pot and thought I could use cans to repair pot. After biting, sniffing and jumping on those cans, I couldn't figure out what to do with them. So I went to wiki. Turns out, they're garbage you can do nothing with and I was so bummed. I thought they were metal I could use for better items.
 

Edited by tulkawen
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HUD stands for Heads-Up Display. It just means all the icons, meters etc. that get displayed in a game over the top of the image. The term comes from the system they use in aircraft so that pilots can read certain instruments while still looking through the cockpit canopy.

The recycled cans that you pick up do have a use! Look more closely. But it’s easy to acquire lots of them, at which point they do become junk.

Hunting already? Good stuff!

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On 11/15/2018 at 3:48 PM, tulkawen said:

But, this game is very, VERY tuff! I tend to play 3rd view precisely because with the eagle eye enemies cannot sneak up on you. In 1st person, I'm sometimes intimidated even to turn around, what if there is a wolf standing behind me. That would be so scary. O_O

Wait. What?! There's 3rd person in TLD?! Since when?!?! EVERYTHING HAS CHANGED

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1 hour ago, Sgt. Eclair said:

Wait. What?! There's 3rd person in TLD?! Since when?!?! EVERYTHING HAS CHANGED

Relax. He meant he usually plays 3rd person videogames, not games of TLD. 3rd person allows a safer view of the surroundings. Don't ask me anyway, I always played strategic games, preferably turn based...

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Cz

Thanks, I can never figure out all the internet abbreviations. 

haha It's more like failing at hunting. I try my best to find a sustainable resource than eating found chips since those end quickly, but still end up swallowing junk food. No wander I kick the bucket so fast! 

Eclair 

Feral has explained. (Thank you Feral!) If the game offers me 3rd person, I take it, but The Long Dark does not. In this case, I approve since it would be too easy seeing wolves and bears from afar. 

Bare

In terms of reading experienced players logs, I think in some cases rather than receiving tips I get confused since they may use various terminology and may talk about places or situations I haven't encountered yet. However, I found the youtube series called the Long Dark Year. Normally, I don't watch how other people play, but I found this one fascinating! When I'm tired in the evening I believe I'm going to watch that.  

 

 

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Welcome to the forums! I too enjoy reading your stories - keep em coming! :D Looking forward to more.

Ah, the "crash landing" - I think I can explain that. When the crash was imminent, you jumped out with a parachute. There may be a "crashed plane" location somewhere at the map that you will eventually discover... :) There is no sign of the parachute, either. Which I think is a bit of a shame, really... Hinterland could have added like a parachute prop that would forever mark the spot where you "crash" landed in the sandbox :) would feel more immersive. Maybe they will add it one day...

For the time being, you will have to be content with an explanation that once you landed, you took of the backpack with the chute when a strong gust of wind caught onto the chute and blew it away before you could realize what was happening. :D 

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On 16. 11. 2018 at 12:48 AM, tulkawen said:

To me survival for the sake of survival seemed a very difficult idea to wrap my mind around since I need to have a defined goal within existence.

Oh, dont you worry about that at all :D At some point, the game will turn from "survival is the game of life" to "in order to keep on living, I will need to do this, this and this, over there, in here, in that other region. The only difference between fetch and gathering quest kind of game I can see is that you will have to correctly determine what thing to do first, and how to adapt when the circumstances change - on your own, without a quest kind of a prompt. But no worries, it is not that difficult :) 

The biggest danger in this game is usually routine, which gets boring and prompts most players to take silly risks. To that there is a simple solution - rather then trying to mechanically hoard which is the usual instinct of most players, remember to "live" within the game, too - take your time, think on things, admire the beautiful surroundings and just enjoy yourself :) and you will be fine.

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Mroz

Thank you! It's fun to be here, sharing the experience.

I would love a parachute! I'd use it to jump right out of the wolf mouths. When one is pegging you for a frying pan, you jump off the cliff and go, 'so long sucker!' :D

... ahhh... I'd kick the bucket anyway.

But then the wolf would have buddies waiting right under the mountain with their mouths wide open. That's called team work, something our lonely survivor cannot afford. :P

And it is oddball isn't it that if we landed with a parachute that's nowhere around. The question remains how did I get here. I like mysteries, however, wielding good imagination.

The parachute being blown away is a plausible explanation. When my survivor crash landed, I imagined one of those situations where people in the state of shock keep walking without realizing where they're going. At some point the awareness returns once they're far from the catastrophe site and then you start coming around and seeking the means to survive.

Great forum guide. :)

 

Edited by tulkawen
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16 minutes ago, tulkawen said:

And it is oddball isn't it that if we landed with a parachute that's nowhere around. The question remains how did I get here. I like mysteries, however, wielding good imagination.

Many years ago I read about Nicholas Alkemade a British WW2 airman who fell 18,000 ft and survived with only a sprained ankle when his fall was cushioned by pine trees and snow. So I imagine that something similar happened to my survivor. 

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Game 2 Day 1 Newbie Survivor Log

 

 

- The rail tracks are everywhere, running back and forth next to a mountainside as I come to awareness. I look both ways. Contrary to what I've been facing, I head in the opposite direction after picking up a few feathers.

- To my right I spot what looks like a charred corpse that turns up empty. I keep walking towards the wagons that tower in massive and useless bulk. What were these wagons transporting? They hold no salvageable threads.

- Following their broken line, I reach a tunnel and two shrubs I harvest. There is a sense of adventure in this tunnel, the pull of travelling to a different area. I have no clue how long this journey will be only that it may end up too long and deadly.

- There are cold shivers running up and down my spine and I feel like pulling my unclothed head inside my shoulders as I start walking downhill, mountain range to my left. There is another frozen corpse propped up against the mountain. It holds cloth and a knife.

- I don't want to end up like this person and keep moving, imagining wolves behind every tree that so densely surround me. I pick up a few sticks along the way and wish I could hide my hands in my pockets.

- There are trees and trees and trees. Fresh snow gently falls from the sky. There is no end to this downward slope as the second frostbite develops along with hypothermia. It is there, grasping my throat. I think I may no longer pull my feet out of the reluctantly releasing snow when the trees part. From the top of a mountain I see a log cabin set up proud and lonely on an elevation above the lake.

- This gives me the power to hurry towards it. I cannot understand the subtle rustling sounds around me. Perhaps there is someone stalking me or perhaps it's the wind. I sprint just in case and soon find the twisted way into the cabin right before hypoth and frostbites consume me.

- It is warm inside and a wonderful two slot stove seems to wink in welcome. The newspaper grabbed from the shelf rustles as I make fire before exploring the cabin.

- There is a rifle right on the wall like it's been waiting for me. A snare is hidden atop a shelf. Tomato soup and a can of soda go into my possession, along with a cook book. Plus what looks like a great pot for boiling water. And gloves, better this than the bare hands kind.

- The afflictions cure while I dedicate some time to reading. Both thirst and hunger nag at me slightly. There is still a good portion of the day left. Perhaps I can scavenge the surrounding area before the night comes. The optimism falters when dimming light and heavy snow greet me. I will not be able to travel far.

- I trail around the hut regardless and venture uphill. There are a few rabbits hopping around, happy and careless. No luck in finding any fallen adventurers that may have spare food. The need to travel away from the hut is growing stronger.

- There is a subtle sound. I can't see anything regardless of turning this way and that. A sense of being followed is not leaving. The rifle feels uncomfortable in hand. With my skill I can't shoot myself in the foot, never mind a wolf. The snow is getting heavier and heavier. I go back, once more threatened by frost.

- I love this hut and search for anything missed. I could keep it as my temporary home while I explore various points around it. It doesn't have much food supplies at present. They have to be found soon and a long trip is in order. I have a feeling this location is far from the others and isolated. Speaking of food, how do I use a snare?

- A vicious blizzard slams into my frame as soon as I set a foot outside. Clutching the rifle, I realise I've been strutting around with a gun yet to be loaded. I can't see two steps ahead. The fear keeps me from venturing too far from the front door. I set up the snare and go back inside.

- My pants don't have much durability left. I patch them up with a single piece of cloth. There is thirst nagging me when I curl up to finish reading the book, ironically about cooking while the supplies are low. It is severe when I finish. I drink my only soda and a can of tomato soup before falling asleep.

Hurray! Experience? I have found shelter before I could die of cold, which really threatened me first game! :D

btw... ima she not he ^_^

Edited by tulkawen
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Night 1 Newbie Survivor Log

 

- It is pitch dark when I wake up. The thirst is intense. Forever, I stagger around in complete darkness bumping into things, getting stuck at every piece of the invisible  furniture, eventually feeling my way up to the stove. Perhaps that pot I have can be used to make water? There is a tiny circle of the red light as the fire hisses and fails. I try again only to realise there is no paper for another attempt.

- This darkness is daunting. The frustration is growing. My staggering around is extremely slow and useless. There is a metal safe that cannot be pried open. I bump into crates and break them apart, finding no useful materials. I can't get much done in this siphoning dark. The night stretches long, so very long.

- Desperately searching the inventory, I come upon a stick, harvest and triumph. The bark turns into the resource I need. More shuffling in this pitch darkness and two more attempts to light the stove.

- They fail. I'm kicking myself for using a few other branches earlier as another type of resource for fire. I should have used crates. The night is endless. It's impossible to do anything in this sapping dark. Bumping into the bed, I fall asleep for another hour.

- The thirst is vicious when I wake up. At least the tip of the sun rays emerge, making faint furniture silhouettes visible. The blizzard no longer howls. Perhaps, I can find a stick nearby, boil water and then make a far trip at first light to search for resources before hunger comes. It's right there at the border of nagging as well, but not as urgent as thirst.

- My morale drops upon sticking my nose outside. There is no fair morning I had hoped for. A green, viscous fog is everywhere. The visibility may have been better in the blizzard.

- It is scary, extremely scary stumbling across an unknown terrain brimming with dangerous wildlife that I'll never see coming. I hope I don't lose the front door after taking two steps away from it.

- I risk venturing out regardless because this thirst will soon kill me. Check the empty snare and proceed uphill where the trees are.

- Where are all the blasted sticks? Wouldn't the storm have torn them off? The rifle feels more like encumbrance than protection and the creepy feeling is right up my spine. If anything jumps out of the fog, I'd see it from less than a step away and won't be able to fire. It's a crude club at best.

- I come upon a backpack and hold breath in anticipation. It could have a can of pop or a snack or maybe a newspaper! It's empty and I keep climbing knee deep in the snow.

- There is a fallen tree all the way at the top of the hill where the mountain begins. I pick up two of the four sticks when a piercing howl nearby frightens the heck out of me. I cannot tell the exact direction, only that it comes a breath close.

- Forgetting two other sticks, I practically roll downhill, only closer to the bottom determining that I've lost direction. It feels like there is a wolf snapping at my heels with every taken step. I expect to get eaten any second.

- The hut is surrounded by boulders with one narrow entrance. Even up close, it's invisible in this dreary fog. I keep poking into this wall of stones, sensing a hut on the other side, but unable to find a way into it.

- Mercifully, I soon run into my own footprints to backtrack to the cabin, wandering if it's possible to die of fright too.

- The stove is cooperative when I light it in one go. The water melts while I drop another piece of the crate into the fire. It's possible to take a torch. I do so, wandering if I could carry it as protection from wolves, but it's impossible to put it out and it burns away wastefully.

- Hovering near the stove suddenly sets in realisation that the precious water is now boiling out while the stove still has a few minutes to go. How do I get it to stop?! Finally grabbed the boiling pot and dropped it atop of the workbench.

- The pot is empty! Nooooo! Has it all boiled out? The thirst is downright evil when I open the inventory wandering if I have enough resources for another try and see a white can filled with the crisp liquid. I gulp it down. Saved!

- I have survived my first Long Dark night and leaned how to boil water nearly dodging thirst death. :)

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The first night of many!

Thirst is dangerous. It killed my first survivor. Always stay hydrated.

I don’t want to give away too much, because it’s fun reading about a newbie making the same mistakes that I did. But I will offer this advice: Pay close attention to all the options you get when highlighting items in the world or in your inventory. Also take some time to look at the different pages in the survival menu (status, clothing, inventory, journal and map), although don’t worry much about journal or map for now. Highlight stuff, check the options, read descriptions and experiment. Take your time and don’t panic!

Edited by Czhilli
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Day 2 Newbie Survivor Log

 - Just when I congratulate myself on not being dead, the stomach growls unhappily, not satisfied with one can of tomato soup long ago. This prompts me to venture out again.

-The fog grows thinner. Yesterday, when I was descending from the mountain I saw a dilapidated barn across the ice not far off.

- I climb down a narrow path and walk across the ice, twitchy and pointing the rifle this way and that.

- Intuition leads me until the faint outline appears ahead. This structure hardly has any walls left. A sad chunk of wood is inside it. I crouch and crawl into adjacent room that stands empty. There are no other barns around. After walking around it, I go back across the ice.

- The snare is sad and empty when I check. Prompted by another bout of frostbite and hypoth I dive back inside.

- To let the frostbite cure, I begin melting more water and discover a rusty can, which I also place on the oven next to the pot. The stomach is grumbling not pleased at all. While I check the type of kindling I have left and question what else to add to the flame, the fire goes out, leaving half boiled water inside the pot and half melted one in the can.

- Grumbling at the waste, I go back outside where a stream of sunlight greets me. This raises my spirits a lot and lifts fear. It's noon. With it comes a sense of achievement. Too bad the honour badge is not made of chocolate.

- I venture behind the cabin, spotting three happy rabbits skipping around unaware of my plans to eat them. There are also three stones on the ground that I pick up and begin the biggest loser stone tossing marathon in history.

- Toss, toss, toss. Miss, miss, miss. Collect stones. Start again. One stone finally informed me that I've tortured it to death as it gave me the option to drop it or throw away, but not aim to throw. Most stones are falling short of the target. At least these are fearless rabbits. They sprint away after each shot, but then resume lazy hopping without running away from the area.

- What am I doing wrong? Should I sneak up closer? There is one large rabbit running across my path, I crouch and stealth few more steps ahead. It's right there, right in the crescent of my free hand when I hurl the stone.

 - The realisation that it's a hit doesn't immediately set it. I clumsily stumble uphill towards the killed animal in disbelief. When I reach for the furry friend it leaps up and sprints away, leaving but an echo of fur at my fingertips. Was it stunned rather than killed? With a sigh, I pick up the rock instead of dinner and give it a couple of more tries with the new technique. The air is colder than the day before and my hands anew begin growing numb. I go back to the cabin to wait out the over-familiar frostbite.

- When I venture out again, the light snow is blanketing earth anew. The fear of wolves is dulled by hunger. I stomp around openly what seems like my backyard clinging to my only stone.

- Throw the stone, run after the stone, pick up the stone. Start anew. I'm moving slower. The hands are shaking. The stomach is a bottomless pit sucking under the ribs. The sun is climbing lower and lower. Where is that wolf that horrified me pre-dawn? I have five bullets after all. Perhaps I could eat him too. I suddenly wouldn't mind if he showed up at all. I miss and miss and miss.

- Dusk is descending and the hypoth is up to my ears again. I cannot leave to wait it out. It will get dark. The rabbits will hole up in their homes. I won't survive another long, very long night without the food even in the warm cabin.

- Forget preserving the bullets for self defence. I lift the rifle and aim it at one of the rabbits that seem so calm in my presence it's almost taunting. They are ignoring a huge, clumsy hooligan who stomps around their ranks causing minor mischief and public disturbance.

- The aim is wavering terribly, but the rabbits are slow, unrushed targets. The trigger is pulled. There is no shot. Just a dull, empty click. Going away with no bang but a whimper. The rifle cannot be empty. I distinctly recall loading it! Just in case, I try loading again, but there are no bullets in my inventory. I stare at the rifle dumbly then lift it again, aim at another rabbit and try to fire, encountering another empty click.

- A wave of dizziness forces me to drop my failed hunting spree. Everything blurs. Hypoth burns my lungs. The stomach a wasteland. I stagger and trip back to the cabin. With the last shred of desperation, I check this ever empty snare, nearly laughing at the absurdity of having a million rabbits around but none caught.

- Tea! I have white tea in my inventory. It might cure the affliction. What if it has a bit of calories too to trick hunger? At least one to stump death.

- The cabin is half dark in the faltering dusk. It's a messy blur when I reach the stove. The iron contraption is unforgiving. It lights up reluctantly to inform me that I must have boiled water to make tea. Wasn't the water in one of the pots half boiled? If only I could finish that action.

- Life is ticking away. I flounder with the tea package trying to understand what to do with it while everything spins. I push it aside in frustration, realising the fire is about to go out. I keep slapping my palm and scraping my nails against the stove door to shove another log into it, but it won't let me. Open! Open up!

- The fire goes out. There is no more paper nor bark again. The outlines of the stove become faint, close to pitch darkness as I throw away precious time to tear up another twig. The red circle spins upon fainting heartbeat. It hisses and fails.

- I strike one more match. It's the last chance to light the fire. I am watching it, hopeful to the last second. There are no other sounds in the world, not even the wind moans outside, only that of the shuffling embers.

- I passed on quietly in the cabin, kneeling next to the warm stove and clutching a half empty box of matches.

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Bare

Still don't know how to make tea since the stove died out on me before I could do it. :D

I really didn't want to die during this game early because I felt like I found a good location with a rifle and a stove. Last game I found a bunch of houses but none had additional means of heat. I felt a hut that has a stove can be your house and then you can go exploring around it and return to it before night. But, this game really did tease me. Two near brinks with water and then with a bunny. I wish I had known rocks stun not kill them and moved faster to pick up. Had I grabbed the only lucky hit I had, I would have made it through another day.

The first night really was terrifying. It literally was dark and impossible to navigate around the cabin and I had a feeling the character might die of thirst if I go back to sleep until it gets brighter. So I had to search it and then going out in that fog with wolf howling. I had no idea which direction he was coming from. Scary.

Faux

Hello! :)

In terms of loper, while I do not mind the smaller amount of resources or colder weather, the bear factor sounds terrifying. I think there are too many howlers even on voyageur. However, I'm rather curious about the Timberwolf Mountain in terms of exploration. All my games so far are Mystery Lake. I want to try TM for diversity. Doesn't matter where you kick the bucket anyway after one day. -_-

Edited by tulkawen
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The spawn points probability are linked to the difficulty you choose, I think you have much more chances to spawn in Mystery Lake or Coastal Highway on Voyager, on Interloper it's much more often Timberwolf Mountain, and imo it's good you don't start there for now. Dying from cold on first night every run will not help you discover the game!

I think for beginners, the hardest point moving to the Interloper difficulty from Stalker, is that on Loper you won't find anything to defend yourself (no rifle, no  knife, no bow, no arrows...). I would recommend not to move to Stalker before you manage to survive 50 days on Voyager. But take this advice with a grain of salt, as I didn't even follow it myself.

I have to refrain giving you gameplay tips, that would ruin the pleasure we all have reading your adventures!

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