An Open Letter To The Staff Of HLG


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I know I am particularly harsh about the game, as is my nature. However, as I have been wear testing Steadfast ranger, I have been noticing a number of little things.

The Subtle change of the backpacks. The slight movement at rest. The way the Menu screen "settles" into place when it first loads. The VAST improvement to the audiology of The Long Dark. I am certain you have adjusted SOMETHING. I cannot tell exactly what, but I detect it from time to time.

You see, I am blessed/cursed with truly insane levels of pattern recognition. It has it's perks, it also is annoying as hell.

I just wanted to say, there are many things you updated in Steadfast Ranger, but I know there are many undocumented improvements that you put in the game as well. I can detect them. Tiny... tiny adjustments. So small most players will miss them. Well...

I notice them.

I do not know who on your staff is making these minute improvements, these tiny adjustments that are... to someone such as me... so welcome. The menu load, to someone such as I seems more like you are waking up to the menu, not that it is crashing into existence.

My job involves working with people who cannot speak and are so physically disabled that blinking may be the only form of communication they have. I am intimately familiar with the secondary characteristics of audible communication. I have spent over a decade perfecting the art of talking with those whose only interaction with others may be nothing more than a facial tic. My world is a world of the subtle.

As someone who deals with this, I wish to assure you, your work is not only noticed, but should be praised. You may fear that, perhaps, your efforts are wasted. That no one will notice the adjustments. Maybe you wonder, "was it worth it?" Let me assure you, as an expert in this field, it is.

Maybe no one else will notice (I seriously doubt that), or maybe, they will notice, but just not bring it up. But I assure you, on some level, it registers. Everyone notices the secondary characteristics of verbal Communication. We all respond to facial expressions and body language. Some understand it, most do not, but we process it none the less.

People may be focused on the new Pistol, or the New tea, or griping about the Sprain system, but none of these features, will have as great an effect as these tiny... tiny details that will, in the long run, have a much greater impact on the playing experience then all the new toys and all the new game mechanics you could cram into the game.

I was not sure if I should post this, but, as I said at the beginning, I am a harsh taskmaster. I expect great things from people, because I know people are capable of great things. It is... heartening... when that faith is rewarded. As such, I feel it is needed to point out when you are doing things right.

You are doing the subtle things right.

 

Thank you for your efforts,

Bob

Edited by TheEldritchGod
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1 hour ago, TheEldritchGod said:

 The VAST improvement to the audiology of The Long Dark. I am certain you have adjusted SOMETHING. I cannot tell exactly what, but I detect it from time to time.

There is. The more obvious may be the new birds, I love the new birds.

(please improve testings for the next update 😋. And don't give up on the perf enhancement, playing on a laptop it made a huge difference, for the short time it was on...).

Edited by LkP
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On 5/10/2019 at 7:38 AM, TheEldritchGod said:

tiny details

screen_abe07599-5859-42ca-b863-cdfafadd7544_hi.thumb.png.e673d71186673f9f4ec04f50c6770f82.png

Did an electrical discharge ignite this tree? 

 

screen_ff29aa62-639f-4af1-a09e-10a05ffb432a_hi.thumb.png.73d09120dabc563e4c3bd6d8d2531d87.png

Burnt Out Tree

Now with 100% more wood charring.  There is a larger diameter burnt out tree in Forlorn and I wonder if that too is updated.

The other detail is while goating 🐐slipping down slope happens more frequently.  Chance of slip can be defined as dropping vertically while skirting the slope face. There is a sound effect that accompanies the event.  Sound is similar to soles of shoes scraping against a boulder.

 

 

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I noticed too. lots of very subtle improvement.

The devs put their heart into this game. Thanks!

Also thanks to Eldrich for giving some positive to the devs. They need it.

of course I don't need to write a whole essay about how great I am to make the devs feel good about themselves.

Devs...Good. Keep it up. Ignore the negative people.

 

Edited by Sito
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Ok, I have played a few regions now since the update. Now I'm standing on my porch in CH looking at a fantastic slow sunset and thinking the sky is different than before. Cant quite say what, but the colors are more vibrant maybe? The clouds are more cloudlike? The upper sky is more skylike?

In Milton, at Grey Mom's porch at dusk, the sounds of the bird calls seemed new. More types of birds, and you could tell if they were left or right or behind or near or overhead or off in the forest.

The aroura is better I think. It seems more refined and fluid.

The breath is better? less angular? Not intrusive  at all for a cold climate Canadian like me.

So many little things that I cant quite place my finger on.

Thanks Hinterland for your devotion to detail and quality. I have over 2100 hour in this game many of which hours are just standing and watching the weather you have created so well.

Edited by Sito
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@TheEldritchGod, not to worry... you definitely aren't the only observant player here :) 
I think those of us who notice these things appreciate them all, and perhaps more of us need to comment on the things in this game we love as opposed to concentrating on decrying those things we don't like or we think are "wrong/bad."

:) 

Edited by ManicManiac
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On 5/10/2019 at 7:17 AM, LkP said:

There is. The more obvious may be the new birds, I love the new birds.

(please improve testings for the next update 😋. And don't give up on the perf enhancement, playing on a laptop it made a huge difference, for the short time it was on...).

Agree.  TLD is one of the few games I like leaving run even on the main loading screen as I take a break (like now, typing this).  The wind, birds and other natural sounds that run are, quite simply, soothing.  No being suddenly blasted by an overloud trailer or superloud music.  Love it.

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