Finally Trying for Faithful Cartographer...

[ManicManiac]

The "Abandoned Cache" next to the rundown cabin just below the climb to Timberwolf Mountain, yes.  I found the revolver inside there, the tip of barrel was just peaking out from behind a crate.

So far, I've not yet found the actual prepper cache.  I'm hoping it's in one of the spots nearby, though I've seen no sign of it yet.  I think the most ideal if it's near pensive pond... I need to do some fishing for the sake of lamp oil.   

---

I've manage to get nearly half Pleasant Valley mapped now.  I've started pace counting... I've got to learn a good method for being a more efficient with my charcoal.  I did just laid down a campfire next to the stove in the rundown cabin (maybe the proper name is broken cabin... I don't recall off the top of my head).

Anyways with two outdoor fires burning, I doubled the output.  I only hesitated for so long because in general I really don't like putting down campfires.  Mainly because there is no way to remove them...  I usually will only put down a campfire in a cave, a hollowed out tree, or under a well protected bridge (or other fairly windproof spots).  Since I hate the idea of cluttering up the landscape with campfires (given that they are permanent fixtures) I almost never use them - not even when it would be really advantageous for me to do so.  

I had several close calls during my session the other day:
- I was getting a little too comfortable in the area, and I was sprinting to cover some ground when I camp upon a wolf.  It startled me, because all the time in-game I've been roaming around this area there had never been a wolf patrolling that area.  I took a wide birth to keep the two dear by the hunting stand safe... and ran off around the hills near by Skeeter's Ridge until I lost my predatory pursuer.

- Two freak blizzards hit while I was mapping around the (I'm not sure if it's classified as a creek or a river... it looks more like a creek to me, I don't know... they called something this small a river in Mystery Lake so I guess I go with it) "river."  The first time I took refuge under the small bridge until the wind shifted.  By then I was already freezing so I had to make my way though a near whiteout blizzard to try and make it to the Draft Dodger's cabin.  Once my outer layer got frozen I stripped down to save my clothing... I knew my only chance to save myself from frostbite and death was going to be to find that cabin.  Having already mapped through the area pretty well the previous day, I felt along the shore until I recognized the large rock formation I knew was close by the cabin.  Then it was a blind faith sprint... I made it to the cabin and got a hell of a good night's sleep.

The next morning I was mapping the other side of the river (slightly more inland though so I could get good coverage).  It wasn't long before another blizzard hit, fortunately it was just as I was reaching the outskirts of the barn and outbuildings.  I was surprised to find that I had since found enough warm clothing that I could hole up in a tractor and wait out the blizzard...  It's been a long time since I've hand to take cover in a vehicle, and the first time I've ever been warm enough to with stand a blizzard comfortably in one.   

I finally found the first bear on the map so far... it roams around near the Lonely Homestead.  I need to make sure I go and mark it's cave, if I ever have cause tangle with it... I'd like to know where it sleeps.
 

So far so good... I've started to make quicker progress by pace counting, and I think I'll setup a waypoint here in the barn.  I'm still not sure I can complete all the maps before the 22nd, but I'm going to press on and see what I can get accomplished. 

[ManicManiac]

Racing the clock... and Pleasant Valley weather isn't doing me any favors.   
Also of note, I almost have a new "Stupidest Death" involving food poisoning.
 

Edited October 4, 2019 by ManicManiac

[ManicManiac]

I was caught out in 5 blizzards today, but managed to navigate to relative safety each time without getting too turned around...  I also managed to make some progress, though not much I suppose.  I'm about two thirds completed with Pleasant Valley.  Hopefully I will be able to move on soon... I guess we'll see.
 

 

[ManicManiac]

I may have climbed too high around The Long Curve... I've now managed to clear off parts of the map I can't actually traverse, it's created some ugly spots in the corner of my map.  I may just have to accept it and continue to push on.  I wasted about 30 charcoal while trying to get up to on top of a plateau... unfortunately I could find no way up.  I suppose if I can make it to my goal before the 22nd, I can always come back to work on it more.  I guess I will have to just accept it for now.

I will have to spend another game day on a long burn... the good news is I do have things to cook and I suppose adding to the water supply is never a bad idea either.

[ManicManiac]

Well, lesson learned yesterday.  I was really tried after working more overtime than usual, and I've been trying to speed things along to get Pleasant Valley completed.  The combination of those two factors resulted in me running afoul of a couple of wolves in relatively quick succession.  Being tired and not paying as much attention to my surroundings is ultimately the cause.  I tried pelting rocks at the first one, but I kept missing because I was tired and wasn't really focused.  I ran all over hell's half-acre trying to loose it, but I couldn't shake it.

I didn't get into any struggles... but the sad part is that I feel I wasted the first two rounds I've fired so far in this run.  I say wasted because I don't have time to track those two to see where they dropped.  I mean my shots were good, but I don't think I will end up harvesting them... which to me just feels like a terrible waste. 
 

If feels like such a shame... oh well.  Like I said, lesson learned.  Take it slow and be cautious, and don't game when exhausted.   
On the positive side, I am about four/fifths of the way done with PV.  I think next I will push on to Desolation Point and work my way back across Great Bear...

Edited October 7, 2019 by ManicManiac

[ManicManiac]

I was able to make good on the two shots I fired, so they weren't wasted after all  
While I was cleaning up my mess from the other day's haste, I found and harvested both wolves.  I also finished up the area behind signal hill and moved most of my essentials to the Rural Crossroads.  I will go back to the Farmstead and use both fireboxes to burn 20 hour fires, I just want to bolster my charcoal supply.  Then I just need to hike down the End of the Road fill in the last corner of the map... then it's time to move on.
 

Hmm, 10 more maps to go and about 11 days to do it in... fortunately the transition areas are relatively small.

Edited October 8, 2019 by ManicManiac

[ManicManiac]

I nearly died... it was a fool's errand.

I got way to curious goating around the Upper Falls.  I came up against an invisible barrier that was blocking off a small slope that I very obviously should be able to walk up (I mean this barrier was placed in such a way that I couldn't even approach it).  So, naturally I climbed up over the rocks next to it and tried to hop over.  Interestingly enough, I was able to traverse the top of the barrier for a little ways and then dropped down "behind it" (spraining a wrist and tearing some clothing).  This gave me access the ledges most of the way around to the top of hill just on the other side of the rock face.  I continued to use up charcoal as I wanted to tidy up a really messy looking mark that was just very odd shaped.  Anyways during the course of this I did push my luck a little too much, I did slip some more tearing and spraining more... but also I ended up suck on near the side of the waterfall leading to the lower levels.  I couldn't get back and there was nothing but a long fall below me.  I took a couple of tumbles that I estimated would be less life threatening in order to be able to crawl my way down farther to safety.

When all was said and done I needed 6 cloth to repair (I saved some damage on my clothes by taking them off when I was making the supper risky decent), and I was down to about 25% condition.

The worst part, is that I wasted so much of the day... I probably could have just been done with Pleasant Valley had I not let myself get side tracked.  Now, I'm probably going to need another long burn for more charcoal and I still need to cover that last little bit between the Long Curve and the Abandoned Mine.
 

 
Such an embarrassing setback...

Edited October 9, 2019 by ManicManiac

[ManicManiac]

It felt really good to complete Pleasant Valley.

So now I'm at day 110... (56 days TWM / 51 days PV / 3 days and counting for Costal Highway)

I decided to stick with my primary starting parameter for this personal challenge of mine, "Once I enter a region, I do not leave that region until it's mapped."  I was contemplating passing through to Desolation Point and then work my way back through the line... but I realized that wouldn't really fit with the parameters I already set for myself.  So, in keeping with that... once I finish Costal Highway, I will map my way through to Desolation point and then double back though the regions already mapped.  However I've not decided if I'm going to go by way of the Ravine or Winding River... (but that's a long way off yet)

Costal Highway is already going so much better.  I'm already just about a third of the way completed with the region map.  The first night was a bit dodgy, but then I only take the bare essentials when I leave a region so I suppose going to be "par for the course."  Picking up all that coal in the abandoned mine along the way is going to keep me flush with charcoal.  Though, I can't go back in that mine until I am finished with the map first... so I can only use what I stepped out of the mine with. 

I was nearing the Water Front Cottages (hmm, it just occurred to me that I should have circled around from the other end first...), I got up on some of the rocks for a better vantage.  As I was walking across the top looking for any sign of wolves... was suddenly surprised by the very angry sounds of Bear!    I was so focused in on looking for wolf silhouettes, that I apparently didn't hear the bear crows.  Fortunately I was already up high, because by the time I became aware of him... well I'll put it this way: I could have theoretically just walked off the rock and onto it's back.  Naturally, I 'noped' my way down the far side of that boulder I was on, took a wide route around and decided end my session in largest of the Waterfront Cottages.
 

All-in-all... a good day

Edited October 10, 2019 by ManicManiac
Corrected Typographical Errors

[ManicManiac]

I realized today that I've forgot exactly where I set down my really important stuff...   
I thought I unloaded most of it in the Costal House, but apparently not.  I have to back track to the entrance of the mine to pick up the load of coal I left outside.  I'm planning on doing a massive coal burn in most of the fishing huts... that should keep me stocked with charcoal for a good long time.

My mapping progress slowed down a lot from yesterday.  Mainly because I had come into the region with a decent pile carried over the PV.  I figure if I have a the opportunity to have several protected fires going I may as well.  Then I should be able to just hike around and map that much quicker.

I do still need to find where I left most of my kit.  I can't believe I didn't use the journal to mark it... for that matter I can't believe I don't remember.  I guess I got a little more fluster by juking bears and wolves than I thought.  
 

Another embarrassing setback...  I suppose not of it isn't really nessisarry, but I would rather not leave behind a bow (/w 7 arrows), a rifle, and all my extra ammunition if I can help it.

[ManicManiac]

 I found my stuff... it was in the Costal House, I just forgot that I put it all in the refrigerator.  

I did grab all the coal I dropped outside the Mine and brought it down to the fishing huts (the three closest to the fishing village).  I like how it worked out.  In one long burn I now have more than 60 charcoal, so that should get me through the rest of the map.  I think I will be able to get the rest of the map finished tomorrow... maybe even Crumbling Highway as well if I manage to have enough left over.  The opportunity to run a fire in each of the three nearby fishing huts also set me up to circle around to Rockfall and map my way back across the ice and lower trails back to Commuter's Lament for a graceful departure to the Crumbling Highway and Desolation Point.
 

It's looking less and less likely that I will get done with this before the 22nd... but I'm going to keep charging forward anyway.

Edited October 12, 2019 by ManicManiac

[peteloud]

I am surprised that you need to have a 'long burn' to produce 60 charcoal.  I have found that normal play creates far more charcoal than I need. 

[ManicManiac]

@peteloud
I don't need to per se, it's just that the accumulation of the resource would take longer...  I'm not familiar enough with all the maps to be perfectly efficient in mapping the terrain.  So, I wanted to gather up more charcoal relatively quickly.  So... since a 20 hour fire produces 20 charcoal (which I just referred to as a long burn... as it's a relatively long burning fire), I would than just use three fires to produce three times the amount in the same span of time.  That's all I was talking about.

[Addendum]
Further Context: Earlier in the thread I describe that I'm not just looking to mark the required icons and location markers... The task I've chosen to undertake is much more laborious.  I'm looking to fully map each region (getting that achievement in the process).  However that's only a secondary goal as something to do while I survive a minimum of 500 days.  To make this more difficult, I've decided that if I enter a new region... I'm not going to leave that region for any reason until it's 100% mapped (or as thoroughly close to that as I'm able to achieve).  On top of that, I will only take the most barebones kit with me from one region to another, though when walking through transition caves I do permit myself to grab such things as I can carry... though once I set foot in that new unmapped region I won't step out again until the map is done (meaning I only have what's in my inventory when I arrive and what I find within said new region).

On top of all that, I'm concerned about the new update possibly changing the conditions and whether the maps will be able to be updated to reflect the new changes... so in addition to everything else, I've also sort of got a time constraint.  I'm trying to get it all the mapping done before the 22nd.   

Edited October 13, 2019 by ManicManiac

[ManicManiac]

My last session was fairly productive, though admittedly it took a lot longer than I would have liked.  Weather, wildlife, and some troublesome vantage points did slow me down and cause me to consume more charcoal than I was hoping to.  In spite of that, I did compete Costal Highway.  Weather again made mapping the Crumbling Highway take nearly two games days, which was disappointing but I got it done.  I just set up in the Stone Church in Desolation Point...
 

I think this time I will take a day or three to just collect as much firewood/coal as I can, and focus on building up the charcoal first (as apposed to on an as needed basis as I did earlier on).  Desolation Point is where I got stuck in the terrain last time... so I doubt I'll be as reckless whilst "climbing" all over the place.   

Edited October 13, 2019 by ManicManiac

[ManicManiac]

Not much happening today... I've found a couple of deer carcasses, harvested tree rabbits, and one wolf (one of the rabbits was picked off by the wolf so I capitalized on the opportunity... definitely worth a cartridge).  Mostly I've just been collecting sticks in the span between the Stone Church and Katie's Secluded Spot.  I have enough firewood for about 48 hours.

I think I will use the hollowed out tree over by the southern entrance of Abandoned Mine #5 so I can have two fires going while I continue to gather more firewood.  I should be able to start mapping in earnest, though I've already mapped about a fair bit just with what I've pulled out of found campfires and burn barrels.  The trouble with this region is that I know the map will look like absolute rubbish unless I do a substantial amount of goating around.
 

Edited October 14, 2019 by ManicManiac

[mayimbe]

Well, thanks to the community of mods, mapping the map is not so difficult anymore, just raise the range to 300 and ready the mapping range is somewhat larger than the basic

[ManicManiac]

@mayimbe,
No thanks... I'm not really interested in mods for this game.  Frankly I like that this task is fairly laborious, and I enjoy the difficulties I face in this game.  I do like the idea of mods breathing new life into games, but honestly I don't really see a need to mod The Long Dark.  I accept this game for what it is.

Besides, moding the mapping system would just feel "cheaty" to me (I'm not saying it is... I'm just saying that's how it would feel to me).

 

[mayimbe]

it is not that I modify it too simply just widen the mapping range a bit for those who like not to leave black holes in the map

[ManicManiac]

@mayimbe
Fair enough, I didn't mean to imply anything.
Personally I like the challenge of having to "goat" around to try and find the ways to get higher up to clear off those black smudges.  For me it's a fun way to experiment and get much more proficient at navigating over the terrain. 

[ManicManiac]

Desolation Point is nearly completed.  All I have left is the area around the Broken Bridge.  I started up at the highest points I could reach first and in around at the lower points until I was walking the edge of the ice.  Considering the few game days I had to spend to get setup... the mapping definitely when along faster (granted it is also a smaller region  ).

I've had to put down 3 wolves so far in this region... two of them were double harvest opportunities, the third was one I couldn't evade due to the amount deer/wolf meat I had had to lug over to where I could start cooking.  Eventually that third one just got too close so I offered a decoy and took it down clean.  ...so I ended up with even more meat (as well as gut/pelt of course).
 

Now I just need to decide which transition zone to map first (Ravine or Winding River), or maybe both and then move on to Mystery Lake.

[ManicManiac]

Desolation Point is done.  That last little bit went pretty quickly.  I'm currently visiting with Scruffy... but I get things harvested up and head out in short order.  I think what I'm going to do is map the Ravine, then Mystery Lake... then I'll backtrack to the Winding River.  After that, I think I'll head out to Forlorn Muskeg.

I should be able to just map as I walk this time... shouldn't be a need to spend more than a day there.  I was able to secure a good stockpile of charcoal while I was getting set up on Desolation Point.  I should also be able to get about half of Mystery Lake done before needing to burn more sticks...
 

Just racing the clock now  

Edited October 17, 2019 by ManicManiac

[piddy3825]

2 hours ago, ManicManiac said:

Desolation Point is done. 

Outstanding!  mind sharing a screen shot of that map?  would love to see what it looks like without an smudge!

[ManicManiac]

@piddy3825 sure I'll put up what I've got.  There are still some spots on the very edges that I'm not completely happy with, but I got up as high as I could...  However, the rest of the map areas are clear.

Edited October 17, 2019 by ManicManiac

[ManicManiac]

Well, I spent an extra day in Desolation Point, getting things organized a little bit.  I did also have to go back to Hibernia, since I wanted to make sure I have at least entered and took a look around in all structures.  On my way back out I had a wolf on my tale, and when I ducked under the pier I found myself uncomfortably close to a bear that was wondering by...  I must have been within inches of triggering a charge.  I had the revolver ready but just kept walking.  Thankfully it lost interest quickly and kept moseying along around the Hibernia Processing station.  It was a tense couple of minutes  

I did head back though towards The Ravine, but I had to hunker down and spend a night in Costal Highway.  I'm hoping to walk through the Ravine and map it in the span of a game day, but we'll see.  I will have to descend down into the ravine and if weather takes a turn for the worse, maybe spend a night in one of the caves.  Either way I'm aiming to make it a quick journey.
 

The stat's page says I've explored 48% of Great Bear... seems about right.  I've completed 5 maps, and there are 7 to go (a couple of them relatively small).

Edited October 17, 2019 by ManicManiac

[ManicManiac]

I didn't have much time today... but I did get The Ravine mapped.  I think I wasted about 10 more charcoal than I needed to... but I was trying really hard to find ways to get higher and clear off absolutely as much as possible.  It still looks pretty nice, and now I've started working on Mystery Lake.  I may have to do spend a couple of days gathering and burning wood again.  If I'm lucky I can get half the map done with what I have in my pockets, but  I would like to have a nice surplus to do Winding River and get a good start on Forlorn Muskeg after that.
 

[ManicManiac]

For those interested, I was going to save this for the end... but I'll put up my maps I've done so far.  I still think I'm going to come back to work on some of the edges in a few places, but since I'm still racing the clock... I figure I can do some "edge dressing" later. 

Of note: I've displayed the maps in the order I've been moving though the regions (since I'm resolved to never leave a region until it's map is completed)... the order of the maps here is the road of my travels so far.

Also, I obscured the maps for any who don't wish to see them.

 

Timberwolf Mountain (Starting Location)

 

Pleasant Valley

 

Coastal Highway

 

Crumbling Highway

 

Desolation Point

 

The Ravine

 

 

Coming soon... Mystery Lake  

Edited October 18, 2019 by ManicManiac