Finally Trying for Faithful Cartographer...

[ManicManiac]

12 minutes ago, Jolan said:

@ManicManiac Or the lunatic fringe

 

Edited June 27, 2019 by ManicManiac

[ManicManiac]

Alright, I'm about half finished with Desolation Point, and I'm beginning to suspect that the lighthouse is not a safe place to live. 
There is a strange spot over by the Old Mine #3 where the map doesn't like to clear off very well... I have a feeling I am going to have go rock climbing up the face in order to get this pesky spot cleared.  I probably should have brought another sewing kit... I have a feeling I am going to have some more torn clothes soon.

[ManicManiac]

I suppose I'm as done with Desolation Point as I can manage for the time being.  I admit frustration with a couple of stubborn areas and would welcome any advice from anyone who knows how to get those hard to reach places.  Enclosed below is my map of Desolation Point so far, my hard to reach places have been marked (I put the map in spoiler brackets just in case it was more proper to do so). 

Could perhaps @Ice Hole, @ThePancakeLady, @ajb1978, or anyone proficient in this region give me some advice on the last handful of spots?  I'd really like to clear them up before I move on to The Old Island Connector... but for the life of me, I just can't get these smudges to go away. 

[ThePancakeLady]

1 hour ago, ManicManiac said:

I suppose I'm as done with Desolation Point as I can manage for the time being.  I admit frustration with a couple of stubborn areas and would welcome any advice from anyone who knows how to get those hard to reach places.  Enclosed below is my map of Desolation Point so far, my hard to reach places have been marked (I put the map in spoiler brackets just in case it was more proper to do so). 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

Could perhaps @Ice Hole, @ThePancakeLady, @ajb1978, or anyone proficient in this region give me some advice on the last handful of spots?  I'd really like to clear them up before I move on to The Old Island Connector... but for the life of me, I just can't get these smudges to go away. 

I won't be of any help, to be honest. I hate to admit it, but I haven't even thought of trying for the achievement, and don't map very often lately. @ajb1978 is the one who may be able to help you, as he mapped everything, extensively, at one point in time. Some map just seem to have smudges you can't remove. He'd be more likely to know if those ones can be, or not.

[ManicManiac]

@ThePancakeLady, thank you for chiming in anyways... I only thought to tag you because I know this is seemingly your go-to region.   

[ajb1978]

Eeh sorry I'm not sure how much help I'm gonna be here.  I remember it did require a lot of goating around, but I eventually got it filled in.  I couldn't tell you exactly where or how though.  I do know that the spot to the southeast of Katie's Secluded Corner can be cleared though.  Desolation Point has some weird elevation shenanigans going on to where something that looks like you should be able to fill it in, stays completely dark.  Even if you're right in the friggen middle of it.  So I don't bother with it so much anymore.  Same way with the Winding River region, where charcoal doesn't seem to play by anybody's rules anymore.

[Ice Hole]

Had a blast today goating in Desolation Point.  While I was mapping the area the I found some new stomping grounds and played parkour goating games.

Mind the gap.

Katie's Secluded Corner is on the left.

Going to need a running start.

Muttering prayers of the first law of motion.

Made it!

 

Now for the obligatorily screen shots. 

Remember goats are always watching from above.

 

The map is not yet complete and will update later on.

 There is a section on the top left that seems unlickly to uncover. 

[ManicManiac]

Thanks @Ice Hole, my hat's off to you.  Knowing it's possible, I'll keep working on it.  I really appreciate the reference points.

Edited July 20, 2019 by ManicManiac

[BESt]

On 6/19/2019 at 12:05 AM, ManicManiac said:

Phase one, nearly complete  

  Reveal hidden contents

I nearly broke my neck more than a few times, but I think I have Timberwolf Mountain nearly finished.  I noticed today that I still have one little smudge near Echo Ravine (over by the engine)... I'm not thrilled about where it's located.  I'm not sure about some of the edges though, is there anyone out there that can give me some pointers if I am missing anything?  I know I don't really need to clear the whole map to get the achievement... it just feels like the right thing to do  

I'm not sure which region I'm going to relocate to next... maybe Desolation Point, and then work my way west until I have all of Great Bear mapped out.  I'm on day 116, so it's been slow going.  Now that I have some sound footing, I feel like it will start to go quicker.

I have a suggestion. I've got the achievement several months ago. I've only mapped the locations, because I wanted to map it entirely only after I've got the achievement, in order to pass the days and get the 500 days achievo. This decision was due to frustration caused by dying multiple times when I had only two or three maps more to get it. If you want to, you could do the same... Hope it helps.

[Ice Hole]

15 hours ago, ManicManiac said:

Thanks @Ice Hole, my hat's off to you.  Knowing it's possible, I'll keep working on it.

I appreciated that.  Thanks for suggesting, I really enjoyed mapping this out using goating technique.

Here is the stitched map.

Funny how the stitching is apparent.

[ManicManiac]

@BESt, what I'm doing is more of a personal challenge.  I'm already fairly proficient in my survival tasks, and most of my previous deaths really boiled down to bad decisions (as opposed to not having what I needed to survive).  I appreciate the advice though, and for that... Thank you

The personal challenge that I'm undertaking is mostly due to a stubborn refusal to let myself advance to higher difficulties until I felt like I've "earned it."  Trying for Faithful Cartographer is really just incidental in me wanting to fully map all of great bear while I work toward my survival goal...and I figure while I'm at it I will also try to earn those last few achievements that I've never really put any priority on getting  

Edited July 21, 2019 by ManicManiac

[ManicManiac]

@Ice Hole, I do envy your skill and technique... very well done.

 Unfortunately it also highlights my frustration, as I've been trying very hard to find those ways to work my way up the terrain as well...  I'm hoping to try and use the reference points you kindly provided.  Hopefully I can find a way to get a nice clean map like the one you've attached, seeing that it's possible is definitely an encouragement to keep trying.  Then I can finally move west and keep after my task of mapping Great Bear. 

Edited July 21, 2019 by ManicManiac

[Guest jeffpeng]

On 6/19/2019 at 8:36 PM, peteloud said:

I suspect that in Pilgrim there is a chair-lift to the summit, where you find Starbucks, Walmart and Holiday Inn.

They also have an Apré Ski up there, and the plane didn't actually crash, but flies in every day to bring more supplies.

[BESt]

2 hours ago, ManicManiac said:

@BESt, what I'm doing is more of a personal challenge.  I'm already fairly proficient in my survival tasks, and most of my previous deaths really boiled down to bad decisions (as opposed to not having what I needed to survive).  I appreciate the advice though, and for that... Thank you

The personal challenge that I'm undertaking is mostly due to a stubborn refusal to let myself advance to higher difficulties until I felt like I've "earned it."  Trying for Faithful Cartographer is really just incidental in me wanting to fully map all of great bear while I work toward my survival goal...and I figure while I'm at it I will also try to earn those last few achievements that I've never really put any priority on getting  

You are welcome. Usually, I've died the same way... Dumb mistakes will kill you in TLD. My suggestion was more about getting the achievement first, than go for the 500 personal challenge, in order not to lose all your progress. I've got Faithful Cartographer in almost 80 days, and now I am going for 500 days achievement. Anyway, that was my approach. Each player should have his own. I thought my advice will help you. Good luck and don't get frosty!😁

[ManicManiac]

@BESt, it is very good advice.  I do really appreciate it.  I fully acknowledge that mine is a self inflicted torment  
I had originally considered just mapping location markers to knock out the achievement... and I started with Timberwolf Mountain.  However, I very quickly came to realize that I had a compulsion to want to get rid of all the smudges (clear the "fog of war" so to speak) from the map - and so my ridiculous quest began  

[ManicManiac]

Well, thanks to @Ice Hole's reference points, I was finally able to clear a couple of my stubborn areas.

Then tragedy struck, as I was looking for higher vantage points between the two main mine entrances... I slipped and ended up wedged between a tree and boulder, and of course I sprained something so it saved while I was wedged in there. 

So now, my survivor is presently reenacting "127 Hours."

I submitted a quick report to the Hinterland support portal, just to see if there is any hope at all...  if not, well I guess I get to start again from scratch  

To @Ice Hole, Thanks again... your screenshots were great and I really appreciate the help and guidance. 

[BESt]

2 hours ago, ManicManiac said:

Well, thanks to @Ice Hole's reference points, I was finally able to clear a couple of my stubborn areas.

 

  Hide contents

 

Then tragedy struck, as I was looking for higher vantage points between the two main mine entrances... I slipped and ended up wedged between a tree and boulder, and of course I sprained something so it saved while I was wedged in there. 

So now, my survivor is presently reenacting "127 Hours."

I submitted a quick report to the Hinterland support portal, just to see if there is any hope at all...  if not, well I guess I get to start again from scratch  

 

  Hide contents

 

To @Ice Hole, Thanks again... your screenshots were great and I really appreciate the help and guidance. 

Well... That sucks... Hope you will pull through!

[ManicManiac]

@BESt, it does sting a bit... but that's what I get for not being careful enough while I'm being reckless.   

I'm always happy to start a new run.  You get to apply what you've learned in a fresh world with a clean slate.  I'm still going to hold on to his save until I hear back from the support team... if there's no hope of salvaging the run, then I'll at least let my survivor surrender to the cold and have a proper end.

Edited July 24, 2019 by ManicManiac

[ManicManiac]

Well, I've finally started again in earnest.  Almost done with Timberwolf Mountain again.
This time I've imposed even more personal restrictions on my run (this time when I enter a region, I'm not leaving until it's fully mapped).  Which honestly considering how I tragically failed last time, it's probably the last thing I need to be doing... but I think it's fun.  

Hopefully I'll make it to the summit tomorrow and finish off a couple of trouble spots before moving on to Pleasant Valley.

[ManicManiac]

It's taken a little longer than I thought (I've not been able to get on much lately), but I should be able to finally finish mapping Timberwolf Mountain today.  I've got one corner to go (and two trouble spots).  I guess I'll just roam from region to region.  My last attempt I would only take some bare essentials with me to a new region and just rely on the region to sustain me...  it was really fun until I got stuck  

Next stop Pleasant Valley... I kind of want to try and get this personal challenge done before the next update.  The start was slow for me this time... it's near day 60 on this run and I'm still not done with TWM yet.  My biggest slow down was admittedly caching sticks and tin cans at each of my more likely way points around the map (which still came in handy when I didn't have much for clothing).  Hopefully my next post will be soon (after I've gotten a foot hold in Pleasant Valley)  - or die from one of the three bears running around here on Timberwolf  
 

Edited September 28, 2019 by ManicManiac

[ManicManiac]

It seems I was mistaken on my last post...  it was day 50, not 60.

Well I'm officially finished re-mapping Timberwolf.  I forgot just how big Pleasant Valley is.  Mapping this place already feels daunting.  I've got a good territory established between the Abandoned Cache and Skeeter's Ridge.  I guess we'll see how far I can get over the next few days.
 

[piddy3825]

2 hours ago, ManicManiac said:

It seems I was mistaken on my last post...  it was day 50, not 60.

Well I'm officially finished re-mapping Timberwolf.  I forgot just how big Pleasant Valley is.  Mapping this place already feels daunting.  I've got a good territory established between the Abandoned Cache and Skeeter's Ridge.  I guess we'll see how far I can get over the next few days.
 

...and your scraping every bit of cover off the map right?  yeah daunting is a good word to describe this task.  Plus your dodging wildlife too?  exactly why I have never completed this accomplishment, requires real dedication and effort.  I look forward to reading more of your adventures!

[ManicManiac]

2 hours ago, piddy3825 said:

...and your scraping every bit of cover off the map right?

Yes, the goal is not just the achievement... the goal is to clear all the smudges and have a pristine map of the entire region.  I managed an even cleaner map for Timberwolf Mountain this time.  I think now that I'm making fresh progress I'm over the initial slog of having to start again from scratch.

So far, I've only had one wolf struggle/kill (and that one was because I wasn't paying close attention when I was leaving Echo Ravine).  I've managed to successfully dodge, chase off, or otherwise evade the hostile wild life - apart from that one ambush.

Just yesterday I had rather fun little close call.  I was sneaking around the bear as it was ambling across the stream... I was headed to the Mountaineers Hut just to pick up the essentials before striking out to Pleasant Valley.  The bear decided to switch back... so I detoured around heading toward the bluff.  A wolf had re-routed due to the bears pathing and I didn't see it until it started stalking me.  I was suddenly regretful I only had one stone on me.  I was nearly backed up against a large rock, when I meant to pitch the stone to run off the approaching wolf.  Much to my dismay, I had hit the right mouse button my mistake... which of course caused the wolf to charge.  I managed to run around the edge of the rock and made my way up.  The wolf, still in pursuit, I saw take the longer way around.  This told me it had a way up too... I waited until it was near the top with me then stepped back and took the short hop off the rock.  Fortunately for me, at that point the wolf got to the edge and decided to flee since I was suddenly out of reach...

It was both a close call and a luckly break... I'm just glad I kept my wits about me after making my foolish mistake in provoking my four legged friend.
 

So far today the going has been fairly quiet.  Once I finish cleaning out Skeeter's Ridge, Point of Disagreement, and the Abandoned Cache... I think I will take just food and necessities down to the Draft Dodger's Cabin as soon as I finish clearing the "upper shelf."

Edited September 30, 2019 by ManicManiac

[ManicManiac]

I'm maybe one third of the way done with Pleasant Valley... with 10 more maps to go I don't think I'll make it before Oct 22nd's update.  If I don't make it in time I figure I'll have to swing back through PV and update the map (assuming that whatever new additions to the region will be reflected in the requirements for Faithful Cartographer).

So far I have to say, forcing myself to stick to only one region has really caused me to reevaluate how I feel about each one the longer I live there.  Much was the same for me in the Archivist Challenge, being bound to a location (for better or worse) until the objective is met really causes me to move beyond my more comfortable strategies.  I have to say I really enjoy being in a less than optimal place and finding ways to make it work regardless.

I guess the only thing slowing me up now is charcoal.  I'm not very efficient in estimating the radius or line of sight limitations, so admittedly I end up wasting more charcoal than I should be.  As a result I do have to spend a lot of my time gathering sticks/branches as well as tending 20 hour fires to try and keep up with the charcoal demand.  The good news is that the frequent blizzards in PV make for good times to be huddled in he rundown cabin next to the stove...  I've no shortage of water, so that's one less problem I guess  

So far I'm managed to avoid all the furry woodland friends.  I've had a couple of moments where I would faintly hear the pitter patter of paws just over the crest of a hill or around a blind curve... and I noped right out without detection.  Of the four caves I've found, none are hosting a den... so that's helpful.  I suppose I should start carrying the revolver I found in the abandoned cache... maybe I will (just in case).  Though so far I've been careful enough to spot them far enough out that it's not been a problem.  I had a couple bears on Timberwolf Mountain that were patrolling on some paths I've not noticed before...

Even though 2 stones have gotten me this far, I may start carrying my new found side arm.  The freak blizzard that hit yesterday has reminded me that I may sometimes be traveling blind despite how carefully I try to time my expeditions.  It would probably be prudent to carry the extra weight.  --I'll have to think on it some more.

I think I'll be relocating tomorrow... though I've not decided whether I should head to the Rural Cross Roads, or the Three Strikes Farmstead.

 

Edited October 1, 2019 by ManicManiac

[piddy3825]

6 hours ago, ManicManiac said:

revolver I found in the abandoned cache...

the transition hatch between TWM and PV or one of the random spawing prepper caches?