Tuning between maps...

[The_Hawk35]

I recognize that the 2 maps are very different and designed to give a different challenge. However here are my experiences so far.

- Mystery Lake much larger map. The struggle here seems to be to get into a pattern of resource gathering and conservation. Learning to use the wolves to help hunt. The limiting factor seems to be items to repair things and boredom. Pretty realistic, particularly once they increase crafting.

- Coastal highway feels like a much smaller map. As far as I can tell the game here is to avoid the killer wolves. No seriously the map is set up in such a way that no matter what you do you will run into wolves that just suddenly attack from nowhere. I've tried starting on this map, and I rarely get very far. I've come over from Mystery Lake fully equipped with the best gear possible, all the weapons, flares, many rounds for the rifle, and I'm still killed by wolves. I do find plenty of equipment and materials.

I really think that the wolves are MUCH MUCH more aggressive in the Coastal Highway and I rarely hear them before they attack, no growling, no ranging in on me before the attack, they just leap straight for me. That combined with the general layout of the map means no real way to avoid the wolves.

[FoneBoneJay]

I recognize that the 2 maps are very different and designed to give a different challenge. However here are my experiences so far.

- Mystery Lake much larger map. The struggle here seems to be to get into a pattern of resource gathering and conservation. Learning to use the wolves to help hunt. The limiting factor seems to be items to repair things and boredom. Pretty realistic, particularly once they increase crafting.

- Coastal highway feels like a much smaller map. As far as I can tell the game here is to avoid the killer wolves. No seriously the map is set up in such a way that no matter what you do you will run into wolves that just suddenly attack from nowhere. I've tried starting on this map, and I rarely get very far. I've come over from Mystery Lake fully equipped with the best gear possible, all the weapons, flares, many rounds for the rifle, and I'm still killed by wolves. I do find plenty of equipment and materials.

I really think that the wolves are MUCH MUCH more aggressive in the Coastal Highway and I rarely hear them before they attack, no growling, no ranging in on me before the attack, they just leap straight for me. That combined with the general layout of the map means no real way to avoid the wolves.

I think they need to tweak the AI and behavior of the wolves. I think they need to have faster wolves, Wolves that either stay put on the ground waiting for prey and trying to be hidden, or jogging wolves, not walking wolves, and then when they run they should move either at 90% or 125% of the fastest speed you can run, the only place you should have a shot of outrunning a wolf is on the highway with light gear. Otherwise you should have to attack them or defend yourself against them. They should cause less damage, but should be able to take more. There should also be fewer of them. Right now on stalker there are like 25 wolves on the map. The density is higher than people in India, its a bit much guys. I like the game and I like the challenge but I want the challenge to be smarter and more real.

You can't survive a simultaneous 2v1 wolf attack without a macro cheat and wolves are often in the wolf pack. You should be able to at least fend off a 1v1 attack reasonably well if armed with a knife, hatchet or crowbar. The only attack a single wolf should have an advantage over man is with an unarmed man or woman where the wolf should have about a 1:1 chance of taking down the human.

[Traches]

I'm gonna go ahead and say it how it is-- the wolves are fucking terrible game design. My 24-day medium difficulty run just came to an end because of a 3 wolf ambush, the last of which jumped over my lit fire to attack me (lit it before he approached too). It's been a long time since I've yelled "fuck you" repeatedly at my computer, so thanks for that.

I like hard games. I love hard games. I don't like dice-roll "oops, you're dead now nothing you can do" games. The wolves in this game are bullshit (especially on the coastal highway map). If they're going to work the way they do, they should not be anywhere near as common as they are, and they should not hang out in the same area for so long. I like for them to be scary and dangerous, and I like that if you get jumped by one you've already screwed up, but don't dump 3 on me in the middle of town with no warning. Give me a chance to evade.

I guess what I'm saying is that wolves belong on the roads and trails between all the different places I want to go, not on top of them, and they shouldn't be in the same place for days on end.

[The_Hawk35]

Well in reality deer are lazy creatures and will follow simple paths, and utilize easy to find hiding places. That means that the wolves will likely be found in the same areas.