An Idea for the Cougar

Willy Pete

By Willy Pete
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Willy Pete Pathfinder

Willy Pete

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I've seen big cats mentioned before as a possible new enemy and I'd be down for some sort of enemy that tracks you down, perhaps pathing to break line of sight behind objects and only striking from behind...but this makes it a little OP, so perhaps it would need something like the crows calling warnings around bears, but more subtle. An idea I had would be once the cat is in tracking mode and within rendering distance ambient sounds start to get muted while character sounds (namely footsteps, moving, and breathing) get slowly louder.

Not to a point where you'll instantly recognize it, mind you. It would be a slow change where if you're not paying attention you'll miss it entirely and it will be too late...

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ThePancakeLady Pathfinder

ThePancakeLady

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Eh, I kind of want them, lol. A new predator, who may make my Stalker stealth game a whole lot different, since they seem to be stealth hunters as well, and may use the same elevated trails and goatpaths I tend to use to avoid wolves and bears (and Moosen).

I think rather than ground based predators, they should take the high grounds, more likely to attack from above, from ledges, fallen trees and rock formations. Stealthy ambush predator attacks. The sounds of their big tails swishing through snow, paws crunching on the snow and ice pack, claws scraping on ice and stone. And the unique sounds (including cougar purrs!) that they make...

 

 

 

Not a terribly common animal, numbers similar to the Moose. People have asked for  more interaction between animals... a cougar being run off by a bear, a face off between a moose and a cougar, a pack of wolves circling a cougar and its kill. Lots of interesting possibilities. And the pelt... lots of requests for a craftable blanket over the years. A soft, heavy cougar pelt or two would make a mighty fine blanket.

 

Will I be broken-hearted if they never add the cougar? Nope. Would I be thrilled (and a bit scared) if they did? Yep. But, then again, we still have to wait and see how we feel once we meet Timber Wolves. I am half excited for it, half terrified. They may or may not be enough to satisfy my need for more craziness in Stalker Mode, lol.

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ManicManiac Pathfinder

ManicManiac

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@ThePancakeLady
Oh, don't get me wrong... I think it could be really cool to have them!  I think a many of the ideas about them that have been discussed in other wish list threads have merit (here as well).  I only mean to say that I'm still happy with the game as is... and I wouldn't mind if they never made an appearance (that is to say if it doesn't happen, I'm okay with that too)...  However, I would be ecstatic if they did!  

I felt the same way about the bears... and now the timber wolves!  I think all of the additions to game (particularly the wildlife) have always been wonderful improvements, and I love that it gives us a richer world to live in.  In terms of speculations and wish lists, I try not to get too excited about any possibility unless Hinterland gives some confirmation that they are coming to Great Bear...

I suppose it didn't convey myself very well in my last post... :D 
 

:coffee::fire::coffee:

Edited by ManicManiac
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ThePancakeLady Pathfinder

ThePancakeLady

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Nah, you did fine. Just throwing my 3¢ in, because I have always wanted cougars in the game, since they were first mentioned. The idea of walking between the rock formations at the Southern River Access, unsuspecting, not looking up, because I am looking ahead for wolves on the ground, and having Grumpy Cat jump down and land on my head... lol. Terrifying, yet appealing to me. I often feel like I don't have much reason to look up in the game, unless I hear crows, making their "circling a carcass/corpse" sounds. Or to look at a beautiful Aurora, which won't happen during the day, like a hungry cougar might.

But, yeah, I would not be heartbroken if cougars were never added. Timber wolves seems like it is going to change my playstyle, if they have good pack behavior, and don't line up in a nice, polite queue, the way the wolves do right now, it should make Voyageur on up much more interesting. Not sure what to expect from them in Pilgrim, if/when they are added to Survival mode. I mean, the Moose will still stomp the heck out of you in Pilgrim, which caught me off guard the first time it happened. Wondering if Timbers will be easily provoked like Bullwinkle is.

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MarrowStone Pathfinder

MarrowStone

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On 10/7/2019 at 10:05 PM, Willy Pete said:

 An idea I had would be once the cat is in tracking mode and within rendering distance ambient sounds start to get muted while character sounds (namely footsteps, moving, and breathing) get slowly louder.

Not to a point where you'll instantly recognize it, mind you. It would be a slow change where if you're not paying attention you'll miss it entirely and it will be too late...

That perfectly emulates that gut feeling you're being watched in the woods... Also it's a really cool effect, you could add a heartbeat once it's in view. 

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Yavind Prepper

Yavind

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3 minutes ago, ManicManiac said:

@Yavind
Yeah... I replied to that one already too, where I address what you are referring to as silliness.
So, apart from your opinion about how the wolves should behave in this game... I still don't see anything that needs to be fixed.

Yes I saw it now, thanks for the answer.

I see that you don't want that much change in the game when people come up with suggestions. I respect that, but I wonder one thing. Are there any changes / improvements you would have had in the game? If you like everything as of right now, good for you - the more power to you :)

Thank you :)

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ManicManiac Pathfinder

ManicManiac

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@Yavind,
It's not that I am against change...  I just feel that folks should keep in mind that this is Hinterland's game, it's the experience they want to craft, and the story they want to tell.

Personally, I think it's better to accept and embrace the game for what it is... and to look forward to seeing what the Hinterland team has in store for us in the future.

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Yavind Prepper

Yavind

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1 minute ago, ManicManiac said:

@Yavind,
It's not that I am against change...  I just feel that folks should keep in mind that this is Hinterland's game, it's the experience they want to craft, and the story they want to tell.

Personally, I think it's better to accept and embrace the game for what it is... and to look forward to seeing what the Hinterland team has in store for us in the future.

Yes. I'm for that too :) 

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K63 Prepper

K63

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Posted (edited)
On 10/15/2019 at 4:27 PM, ManicManiac said:

@Yavind
It's not that I am against change...  I just feel that folks should keep in mind that this is Hinterland's game, it's the experience they want to craft, and the story they want to tell.

Personally, I think it's better to accept and embrace the game for what it is... and to look forward to seeing what the Hinterland team has in store for us in the future.

The sentiment you champion is well taken. This is their game and they direct its course, but this forum is a resource for them as well. They can see what people would like to have incorporated into the world they have created. They may even find ideas they like, and may not of thought of that would not be too difficult to incorporate into their framework. We all profit from this sharing of ideas.

Edited by K63
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ManicManiac Pathfinder

ManicManiac

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3 hours ago, K63 said:

We all profit from this sharing of ideas.

Yes, I absolutely agree.  I wasn't suggesting that we shouldn't discuss our ideas about the game... what I am saying is that while we toss around our ideas, we not get so invested in them that to the point folks get angry or combative when people dare not to agree with them (they seem to take some personal offence when others don't agree with them, which I think is kind of infantile).

[Addendum]
*What I'm talking about here is not referencing any particular post in this thread... this is more of an overall explanation of why and when I take the stances that I do.*

In my opinion too many people get hung up on convincing themselves that their opinions are objective truths and that they are right in whatever statement they are making (which of course objectively is not the case - opinions are subjective in their very nature).  The general idea of my comment was meant to convey that if we accept the game for what its... then our discussion about what we think the game 'could' be would be much less infused with people's personal emotional baggage :D 

The moment people start tossing around their opinion like they know better than Hinterland what's going to be best for Hinterland's game... that's when I tend to perk up.  Again I think it's great to talk about ideas folks have for this game... but I don't think people should make declarative statements when they are expressing very subjective points of view.  I think people also need to remember that when they post on a forum they are inviting discussion.  They shouldn't be surprised when people comment on their ideas.  Nor should they expect everyone to rally around their idea and praise it as "...the way, and the light..." but some folks here act like that.  They get genuinely upset if folks dare to not "take their side." 

 

The short version is:  I'm all for the sharing of ideas, but I think people need to stop getting bent around the axel over their opinions.  I think people would be happier if they accepted the game as is... and then talk about things whey would like to see change (instead of clamoring for change just because they are personally frustrated or don't like a certain aspect).  That difference in attitude changes the perspective and tone.  Instead of coming from an over inflated sense of entitlement, it becomes actual constructive feedback/criticism.
 

:coffee::fire::coffee:

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ThePancakeLady Pathfinder

ThePancakeLady

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On 10/23/2019 at 7:58 AM, peepercreeper said:

i would love this and i defenitely think the ambient sounds thing is a GREAT idea

i would just love the tense moments when you realise you are being tracked

although due to the highly advanced AI this could take up to a year in development

Imagine hearing a new sound in the game, like a feline growl or purring. Do you remember the first time you heard a woodpecker in the game? Or remember the first time you saw someone ask where the machine gun fire was coming from? Or the first time you heard what sounded like an angry-as-heck cow, before realizing it was the moose, when they were first added?

And yeah, I agree, developing the complex AI a Cougar would need would take some time, and great attention to pathing, and behavior details. I still would love to see it happen, but am more than willing to wait for Hinterland do it right, if they decide to do it.

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Guest kristaok

Guest kristaok

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I have mentioned a list of critters I would love to see in TLD, Cougars was one of them! :D So I agree! I would love to see more things to hunt!

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