Aggressive behavior of wounded wolves

[turtle777]

I'm on a long Stalker run and recently went past 500 days.

I started noticing that wolves that I shot and wounded would come back and attack me again. I have never seen that happen before.
Further, I have seen wolves ignore dropped bait, which I don't recall ever happened before.

Is this something new ?
Is it tied to me crossing the 500 day threshold ?

Thanks,

-t

 

[ManicManiac]

@turtle777
Most likely you were just in their detection range when they quit fleeing.  Dropping bait for a stalking wolf seems to have an additional factor (a percentage change if you will) as to whether they will take the bait or continue to pursue you.  Also of note... if the wolf is already in a charge dropping a decoy will have no effect.

(This is just from my experience.  If anyone has better information or clearer explanation for the Hinterland team, please let me know...  I have no desire to spread bad information).

[UpUpAway95]

I think something has changed.  I recently had a wounded wolf come back and attack me on Pilgrim mode.  It was the first time I have ever been attacked by a wolf on that difficulty setting... and I have followed numerous ones that I've wounded until they've dropped dead.   Perhaps this is something in relation to the timberwolves that are about to be introduced.  Previously, if I got too close after they slowed to a limp, they would just get scared again and start fleeing again.

Edited August 15, 2019 by UpUpAway95

[ManicManiac]

@UpUpAway95

Could be... maybe it would be a good question for the mailbag.   

[ajb1978]

I've been attacked by wolves on Pilgrim in the past.  Once was when I tried to get cheeky and see if I could pull the arrow out of a limping wolf before it died.  Didn't go so well.  The other time was when I tried sneaking up on a wolf that was munching a deer, and at point blank range, it turned and tried to eat me.

Being attacked by a wolf on Pilgrim is one of the more surprising things that's ever happened to me on this game, TBH.

[UpUpAway95]

2 hours ago, ajb1978 said:

I've been attacked by wolves on Pilgrim in the past.  Once was when I tried to get cheeky and see if I could pull the arrow out of a limping wolf before it died.  Didn't go so well.  The other time was when I tried sneaking up on a wolf that was munching a deer, and at point blank range, it turned and tried to eat me.

Being attacked by a wolf on Pilgrim is one of the more surprising things that's ever happened to me on this game, TBH.

Ever had a wolf turn on you and attack while just following behind it... and not too closely, though?  In fact, in this instance, I had even lost the blood trail and turned around to walk back towards the deer it had been munching when I shot it.  He came at me from behind a rock, but there was some distance he had to cover before he was on top of me.  I was very startled and, as a result, was probably slow in reacting.  However, I have followed numerous injured wolves at that sort of distance and even if I got a little too close, they started fleeing again every single time..  I certainly was not doing anything so bold as trying to remove an arrow from it.

I have had wolves turn from their meals ang growl at me rather than flee; and I've presumed that if I persisted in approaching them, they would definitely attack.  I back off at that point and, usually, if I re=approach them from a different angle, they just run off whimpering.

I am not saying that it's impossible for wolf to attack the player on Pilgrim, but this attack did see more aggressive than previous wolf behavior.  The wolf also glitched out (I posted pictures on another thread), so that may have had something to do with it.  For now though, at just this one incidence, I'm not going to commit to it being an actual change or a bug.  It's just an observation on my part that causes me to believe something may have changed in the last update.

 

[Ice Hole]

14 hours ago, ajb1978 said:

Being attacked by a wolf on Pilgrim is one of the more surprising things that's ever happened to me on this game, TBH.

Same here.  In pilgrim mode I feel like a referee and can prevent acts of aggression.

George the rabbit was scared and he ran towards Mr. Fang.  In desperation I tried to prevent George from being eaten.

I was astonished when the wolf turned on me.

The camera was rolling during my experience so I posted it to utube.  I have to agree being attacked by a wolf whilst playing Pilgrim mode is on the short list of Long Dark surprises.

 

Whilst has the same meaning as while.  Whilst is pronounced while-ist, not pronounced will-ist.  Only a spinning ball monkey would get this wrong.

Edited August 16, 2019 by Ice Hole

[peteloud]

On 8/15/2019 at 6:55 PM, turtle777 said:

I'm on a long Stalker run and recently went past 500 days.

. . . . . . . . .

Is it tied to me crossing the 500 day threshold ?

I am having exactly the same experience and puzzlement.  I can hardly get out of Mountaineers Hut because of wolves on the ice.

[MarrowStone]

Wolves dont seem to be running away far enough when startled, probably a pathfinding issue. 

On 8/17/2019 at 2:22 AM, peteloud said:

I can hardly get out of Mountaineers Hut because of wolves on the ice.

I used to love that reigon until up to 3 wolves started "puppy-guarding" my exit daily. They used to just mind their business out on the ice. I think they could smell me from there or something and were always stuck investigating just outside the door. 

Edited August 24, 2019 by MarrowStone

[loriaw]

On 8/15/2019 at 9:56 PM, UpUpAway95 said:

Ever had a wolf turn on you and attack while just following behind it... and not too closely, though?  In fact, in this instance, I had even lost the blood trail and turned around to walk back towards the deer it had been munching when I shot it.  He came at me from behind a rock, but there was some distance he had to cover before he was on top of me.  I was very startled and, as a result, was probably slow in reacting.  However, I have followed numerous injured wolves at that sort of distance and even if I got a little too close, they started fleeing again every single time..  I certainly was not doing anything so bold as trying to remove an arrow from it.

I have had wolves turn from their meals ang growl at me rather than flee; and I've presumed that if I persisted in approaching them, they would definitely attack.  I back off at that point and, usually, if I re=approach them from a different angle, they just run off whimpering.

I am not saying that it's impossible for wolf to attack the player on Pilgrim, but this attack did see more aggressive than previous wolf behavior.  The wolf also glitched out (I posted pictures on another thread), so that may have had something to do with it.  For now though, at just this one incidence, I'm not going to commit to it being an actual change or a bug.  It's just an observation on my part that causes me to believe something may have changed in the last update.

 

Eons ago when there was only ML, CH, and PV I was playing on Pilgrim mode and had a wolf attack me the same way one on Voyager or Stalker would. I had not shot at him and was not hunting (I was building a fire at the Three Strikes Homestead). My initial reaction was pitiful since I was in no way prepared or paying attention to start with ~ and I died. After tossing some change in the swear jar I hopped on the forums and asked about it, and dutifully reported it as a bug. Then I proceeded to do my best to recreate that, and have to admit that when I had another wolf attack me in ML I continued that game and it was … glorious. Seemed that once the bug appeared, it randomly struck regardless of region throughout that entire play through. I even asked about a way to recreate it in the Mailbag, but either Raph misunderstood me, or I am hopeless at fine tuning the custom settings. In any case, I could not (and that makes sense because the AI is set … being able to change it via custom settings would effectively break the game). 

As for wolves turning and growling while eating one of their kills; I run straight at them. They will turn and face me and growl, and then run. Every time. 

I have had several attack after being wounded, but there again, that bit or realism is something I appreciate in an otherwise so artificial as far as animal behavior. Most wounded animals will turn and fight, particularly predators. Prey animals will continue flight even after they have dropped from exhaustion; I watched one of the men in our hunting group go for a rather wild ride on a Whitetail that he assumed was dead and simply straddled it to cut the throat. Bambi proceeded to leap up and bolt at a dead run through the trees.  Poor Tom hung on for all he was worth. It was one of the funniest and scariest things I've ever seen. 

Personally, I'd prefer a mixed AI that was closer to realistic and just as unpredictable regardless of the difficulty mode, and I know it can be done because it has … it just doesn't seem to have been a priority in this particular game. 

I don't think the bug that caused wolves to attack on Pilgrim will be back, outside of an occasional attack after you've wounded one. They will growl and momentarily defend their kill, but absolutely run off when you get close enough. Attacks after wounding one while you are still in their radius make sense, and at least now you know to be watchful and prepared.

[UpUpAway95]

2 hours ago, loriaw said:

Eons ago when there was only ML, CH, and PV I was playing on Pilgrim mode and had a wolf attack me the same way one on Voyager or Stalker would. I had not shot at him and was not hunting (I was building a fire at the Three Strikes Homestead). My initial reaction was pitiful since I was in no way prepared or paying attention to start with ~ and I died. After tossing some change in the swear jar I hopped on the forums and asked about it, and dutifully reported it as a bug. Then I proceeded to do my best to recreate that, and have to admit that when I had another wolf attack me in ML I continued that game and it was … glorious. Seemed that once the bug appeared, it randomly struck regardless of region throughout that entire play through. I even asked about a way to recreate it in the Mailbag, but either Raph misunderstood me, or I am hopeless at fine tuning the custom settings. In any case, I could not (and that makes sense because the AI is set … being able to change it via custom settings would effectively break the game). 

As for wolves turning and growling while eating one of their kills; I run straight at them. They will turn and face me and growl, and then run. Every time. 

I have had several attack after being wounded, but there again, that bit or realism is something I appreciate in an otherwise so artificial as far as animal behavior. Most wounded animals will turn and fight, particularly predators. Prey animals will continue flight even after they have dropped from exhaustion; I watched one of the men in our hunting group go for a rather wild ride on a Whitetail that he assumed was dead and simply straddled it to cut the throat. Bambi proceeded to leap up and bolt at a dead run through the trees.  Poor Tom hung on for all he was worth. It was one of the funniest and scariest things I've ever seen. 

Personally, I'd prefer a mixed AI that was closer to realistic and just as unpredictable regardless of the difficulty mode, and I know it can be done because it has … it just doesn't seem to have been a priority in this particular game. 

I don't think the bug that caused wolves to attack on Pilgrim will be back, outside of an occasional attack after you've wounded one. They will growl and momentarily defend their kill, but absolutely run off when you get close enough. Attacks after wounding one while you are still in their radius make sense, and at least now you know to be watchful and prepared.

Yes, even bambi can put up a pretty good fight... and even a little one.  Once got beat up pretty bad trying to do a fawn a favor that had become entailed in a broken part of our fence.  Surprisingly and thankfully, mom just stood at a distance and watched or I might have been in real trouble.

[ThePancakeLady]

7 hours ago, loriaw said:

 

As for wolves turning and growling while eating one of their kills; I run straight at them. They will turn and face me and growl, and then run. Every time. 

 

And I have had them decide not to run, and instead guard their kill and get provoked by me not stopping when they turned and growled. In Pilgrim.  Shocked me the first time, made me kick myself for not stopping before proceeding the second time and the time after that. Heck, 3 years ao when I first started playing, and was playing only Pilgrim, while I got to know the maps better, I went to Old Grumpy's cave at the back of Mystery Lake. OG was on the ice near the fishing hut. I paid him no mind. "Pilgrim", I thought, "I am perfectly safe.". As I turned to go into the cave, he charged me. I backed up against the back of the cave. He stopped the attack at the mouth of the cave and turned and ran away. Not sure if I had stepped towards him instead of backwards, away from him, if I would actually have been mauled by a bear in Pilgrim Mode. It's a chance I decided to never take again. One close call was enough, lol. If you provoke predators in pilgrim, they can, and may attack you. May not. No idea what defines "provoking", but I don't charge up on wolves guarding kills, or stroll blithely into bear caves while the bear is nearby anymore, when i am doing a Pilgrim "Can I Climb That???" run any more.