As The Dead Sleep progress

[Guest jeffpeng]

Hello,

so I had my first go at the new "Deadman Challenge", called As The Dead Sleep. I'm intending this thread as a sort of melting pot where people can offer their experiences with the new mode. As such, please be advised, that the following might contain SPOILERS.

So far I'm at Trappers at 95 ish percent, day three. Getting out of Bleak Inlet was a bit of a though experiment, and it took me actually a second try to successfully do it without losing too much health.

As I really have no specific interest of getting eating by timberwolves I pretty much beelined out of BI. From spawn to the Cannery Worker Residences, making hats and gloves, make water and sleep, then over the bridge, hard right, to the trailer, and then straight outta here. I skipped Spence's for now as I wanted to use the very mild night to get to Trapper's asap. Finding the Abandoned Camp on the way was a bonus, and with a few wolves in tow I made it to Mystery Lake. There at the train tunnel my Survivor spontaneously decided to forget how to make a fire, which led to myself losing quite a bit to the cold, which accounts for almost all the health I lost. After 8 tries (!!) I finally succeeded. Reaching Trappers then wasn't much of a problem.

My plans from here don't differ much from a normal Interloper game. Loot and Scoot, basically, with TWM being the first target, and then from there Desolation Point, the Ravine, Broken Railroad and the best/worst for last: HRV. HL has hinted at a few "special surprises" so let's see how much that holds true.

Information I was or wasn't able to gather so far:

• I am not yet aware if stims do actually exist.
• Birch Bark Tea notably is disabled - so true to deadman heritage.
• Different from "true deadman" I found the calorie expenditure to be some weird intermediate setting between Stalker (60/100) and Interloper (75/125): 68 Rest, 112 Awake. Which is interesting, to say the least. I wonder how much the other settings are tweaked as well.
• I cannot confirm yet if the challenge uses alternating loot tables, and if it does conform to the 4 standard loot tables. Although so far I haven't found anything to suggest otherwise. Since I don't use loot tables anymore I'm not sure on which table I am, but I found a hacksaw and a storm lantern at trappers, which is indicative of one loot table that should also have a bedroll at the camp office and a mag lens at the lookout.
• Very interesting: I found an Energy Bar, which suggests that while loot seems to be at Interloper scarcity, the baseline resource availablity seems to be at least "medium". Edit: Which would make TWM a pretty loot fest with potentially even an Expedition Parka.

I'm thrilled to see what you guys come up with and what you find out about TLD's most interesting Challenge yet.

Edited December 13, 2019 by jeffpeng

[Morrick]

3 hours ago, jeffpeng said:

There at the train tunnel my Survivor spontaneously decided to forget how to make a fire, which led to myself losing quite a bit to the cold, which accounts for almost all the health I lost. After 8 tries (!!) I finally succeeded.

Apologies in advance for the off-topic reply, but this part brought back so many bad memories of past Interloper attempts. My survivor got to 7 failed tries before successfully starting a fire, and I got so mad because I lost precious time and tinder. I also thought it was a record, but you beat me to it. I really felt your frustration here!

[Guest jeffpeng]

5 minutes ago, Morrick said:

Apologies in advance for the off-topic reply, but this part brought back so many bad memories of past Interloper attempts. My survivor got to 7 failed tries before successfully starting a fire, and I got so mad because I lost precious time and tinder. I also thought it was a record, but you beat me to it. I really felt your frustration here!

Oh I think my record is actually a straight 10. Happened to me on a FM only deadman right at the start at Spence's while my butt was slowly turning into a block of ice. I right out discarded the game at this point because I was already freezing, and it just cost me so, so much since I had to actually craft tinder from sticks WHILE my butt was turning into said block of ice. Bad day. Especially for my butt.

Edit: Actually now reading it ... we both got 7 misfires and succeed at the 8th instance. So I was just as unlucky as you back then.

Actually having 7 misfires is 0,16% probable. Having 9 is 0,02%. That's still much more likely than winning the lottery, tho.

Edited December 13, 2019 by jeffpeng

[MueckE]

i went to camp office and had about 90% - 95% health but was then killed by a wolf on the lake through the wall of a fishing hut 💀

At that point, i have to say that i was beginning to starve. That's why i went on the lake for cattails and then loot the houses.

[Guest jeffpeng]

18 minutes ago, micah6vs8 said:

Are you referring to the one you start with or did you find one in the world. If the latter that is new.

Actually that might be possible. If you start with one then I didn't notice, and that would explain it. And it would actually mean resource availability is according to Loper.

18 minutes ago, micah6vs8 said:

SIDE Q: How do you format spoiler tags?

[spioler] Like this, just correctly spell spoiler [/spioler]

Edited December 13, 2019 by jeffpeng

[Guest jeffpeng]

Short update: Day 5, still 95%, currently in the Winding River Transition Cave. I got grounded by blizzard for almost a day at the lake cabins, but wolf spawn luck allowed me to collect most of the cattails at the lake and near the dam. My food situation is almost comfortable with 2 beef jerky, 1 granola and 25 cattails, and I've also got about 10 cooked beverages, so that's another 1000 calories if I need them.

With the hammer in the dam I am now certain that it's standard Interloper loot tables. Didn't find any other non-interloper loot, so, yeah, @micah6vs8is probably right that it was just the one energy bar in my starting inventory. Still not sure if loot tables alternate between games, but why shouldn't they?

Also 

2 hours ago, micah6vs8 said:

I decided to speed run the challenge (with one out of the way stop to Summit). Day 12 and I have HRV/BR to go. Great challenge.

Good to know you can just decide to do such a thing 😜 I'd actually have to try  I'm certainly not gonna match your pace the way things look. If I can keep up will depend a lot on if I get a quick pass through PV. But then again I'm not even trying to speedrun. Maybe an interesting proposition for another try.

Edited December 13, 2019 by jeffpeng

[spreerider]

micah6vs8 it was good watching you play, thanks for streaming that, i am on day 4 now in PV and doing a lot better now

[Guest jeffpeng]

7 hours ago, micah6vs8 said:

Just finished. 17 days, four hours.

Freezing hell. You're fast man  And possibly the first to win this.

11 hours ago, micah6vs8 said:

My route

Doesn't differ too much from the one I've laid out for me :

 

BI -> FM -> ML -> PV -> TWM & summit (1st) -> PV -> CH -> DP & Riken 4 crafting (2nd) -> CH -> Ravine (3rd) -> ML -> FM -> BR (4th) -> FM -> ML -> HRV (5th)

Edited December 14, 2019 by jeffpeng

[Guest jeffpeng]

Six days into the challenge, currently staying at the Farm in PV. My clothing situation has improved to +9, with room for at least +2 more if I put in time for repairs - which I might given the weather condition. Still 95% condition with Well Fed going strong (so I guess technically 100 of 105%), food situation is a little bit better. Two deer carcasses on the way allowed me to actually add to my supply rather than deplete it (save for a 23% can of peaches that I wanted to get rid of before it dropped below the magic 20% of death).

What I actually noticed - or didn't notice - are saplings. Are they even in the challenge? Is crafting a bow even possible? Or did I just get horrendously bad luck? Update: Yes, there are saplings in the game. I'm just unlucky so far.

Also: At this point I am actually reconsidering going to the Summit at all. Here's why:

I've got a Mackinaw, I've got a down vest, and I've got a Maple Leaf Toque. So basically all I have to gain from the summit is an inner worn Ski Jacket, the ear muffs and a second Maple Leaf. That's technically +3, but getting up and down the Summit will cost me 3 days in good weather, more in bad weather, so that's already +3-1 considering temperature progression. I might find a Ski Jacket on the way. I might find another Maple Leaf on the way. That would utterly nullify all gains in terms of clothing.

And yeah, there's a stim up there, but then again will I maybe lose 20% on the way? And yes there's a flare gun, but do I need it? And yes there's food, up there, but it's hardly a net neutral (2400 in crackers, 1200 in beans + 1200 in beans from the wing, 900 in peaches + 900 in peaches from the wing + 1000 calories in coffee + 1000 calories in tea equals 8600, that's three days at best assuming all is there and all is edible, so I will have to rely on at least one deer carcass to come out even),  plus going to the Summit will put me in the path of at least 2 wolves and one bear twice.

The firestriker and matches I shouldn't need. The furs aren't of any use to me either. I will find a flare gun in the Ravine, so that should be enough to deal with the wolves in BR.

Say, @micah6vs8, did you feel the Summit was worth it?

Also if saplings aren't in the game I will probably forfeit my plans of a crafting session at the Riken and instead delay that until I am at the forge at BR anyways.

So far I plan with 3+1 stims: The one from the Barn, the one from the PV-CH mine, the one from the lighthouse, plus the one from the Summit if I go there. I forfeitted the one at the Pond in ML. Maybe I'll get that on my second pass if I need it. If I'm lucky to get the one in the Maintenance Yard - great. But I'm not going to the lodge for one, and certainly not for the one in the "Ravine of Death" in BR. Also I won't make it all the way to the Plane in Milton unless I really need it.

Am I missing any obvious spots here I should pick up a stim?

Edited December 14, 2019 by jeffpeng

[Guest jeffpeng]

Day 8, I'm at the Community Hall in PV. Yes, I'm already back from TWM, and I didn't go to the Summit. I found a Ski Jacket in the Mountaineers Hut, and that tipped the risk/reward consideration to the negative for me. In a normal game where I would expect to live 100 or more days I would never make such a decision, but I can reasonably expect to be done with this by day 30 or earlier - or die trying. As such I also gave up on the plan of crafting a bow, and will settle for only a hatchet which may come in handy in HRV. It would also allow me to drop the hacksaw and technically even the pry bar. The flare gun with its 4 shells from the Ravine will have to be enough to deal with the wolves in BR. Maybe I will regret this decision, maybe not.

Edited December 14, 2019 by jeffpeng

[Goodzilla]

13 hours ago, micah6vs8 said:

Just finished. 17 days, four hours. What a great gaming experience. I'll do a separate AAR later. Thanks Hinterland. Good job.

Congratulation!

I just started the mission yesterday, I first had to explor new region on Pilgim mode.
I am now rested at Trappers after 1,5 days. My biggest problem right now are matches, got only one left.

My plan is to go Milton Town, loot everything before going to visit my first grave in Hushed River Valley.

[lyttol]

No stims , no quits...

Edited December 14, 2019 by lyttol

[lyttol]

night sleeps at:

transition cave to forlorn.

trappers

cabin in milton near HRV entrance

paradise meadows farmstead (after hrv grave)

cave on the plateau region in forlorn after milton basin

mystery lake camp office (after the grave in broken railroad) (super day, very lucky with weather)

misty falls picnic cave

old island connector coal mine (after doing the timberwolf and rieken grave) (also a huge day.)

then ravine on last day

 

 

 

Edited December 14, 2019 by lyttol

[spreerider]

i must just have bad luck for storms because every transition i have done i come out to a storm and have to spend a day in the cave waiting it out then by the time i get to shelter its another storm, i am going to skip TWM peak because of this i think.

[Guest jeffpeng]

1 hour ago, lyttol said:

No stims , no quits...

Yikes

 

[ManicManiac]

2 hours ago, lyttol said:

No stims , no quits...

My hat's off to you!  Well done.

[lyttol]

been afk for the last couple of hours, realised I missed out my first night sleep, which was in the long cabins (seaward side) beyond the cannery. It would have been faster to just skip the cannery altogether, but where's the fun in that   Forlorn connector was the second night... anywhooos, twas fun, and I was very lucky with some near encounters with the yap-yaps...  thanks @ManicManiac @jeffpeng @micah6vs8 

Edited December 14, 2019 by lyttol

[Goodzilla]

 

Very impressive time!

I have no experience in Interloper and so I have one question to the experts.

My health seems not to recover, no matter how I try.
Is this the standard adjustment in this challenge or do I miss out something?

[spreerider]

goodzilla this is specific to this challenge, normally in interloper your health recovers, the only way on this challenge is using emergency stims

[Guest jeffpeng]

1 minute ago, Goodzilla said:

My health seems not to recover, no matter how I try.

That's basically the key premise of "Deadman" which is the custom game mode that played inspiration for this challenge. The only way to improve your health is you profile picture.

[Goodzilla]

Okay! So I need a totally new strategiy here.

Avoiding any freezing will be hard here.

51 minutes ago, spreerider said:

goodzilla this is specific to this challenge, normally in interloper your health recovers, the only way on this challenge is using emergency stims

 

[Guest jeffpeng]

So, I'm on day 12 by now. 98% says the loading screen, but that's with the 5% offset from Well Fed. I lost 2% here and there to brief exposures to the cold. Currently I'm at the Ravine Cave. I made a blunder and forgot to bring a rope, so I had to detour to the Lake Overlook to get one. I'm still to get down there to get my third cross. Still no stims. I got 3 so far, with up to 3 more to get. I also adjusted my route and will first tackle HRV and then finish in BR - instead of having to traverse BR twice.

Maybe I can keep a perfect stim record. In terms of time ... I'm very much out of the competition  I realise I could have pushed myself harder in many instances. I lost four full days to blizzards, one in ML, two in CH on both my visits there, and one on my first pass through PV. I probably could have made more ground traveling earlier in the day and expending more matches to make fire en route. I'm pretty much drowning in them, so no idea why I have been so conservative.

Edited December 15, 2019 by jeffpeng

[Guest jeffpeng]

Day 14, I'm at Grey Mother's. Managed to lose 4% to failing to properly drink water. That's amazing display of skill. Not. The ravine was simple enough, but I've lost more time to two more blizzards, one in ML, now one in Milton. I still think below 20 days is achievable, but I don't rush myself. I wanna finish this, and that's good enough for a bloody casual like me

[Guest jeffpeng]

Day 16, I'm at Marsh Ridge. I f'upped HRV not reading the map correctly, and subsquently gave half the valley a tour. But I found some nice clothing (CPant, Earmuffs) that will help my final journey. I'm at 92% after falling while cutting one too many corners. Nothing serious. 5 stims (I didn't get the TWM one, and also didn't go for the one in Milton), none used. Over 100 cattails and still all 4 flare shells. What can go wrong.... ?!  

[Guest jeffpeng]

There we go...