Few notes from my experience (and a small aha moment)

[PecaPig]

I have enjoyed very much lurking the forums for a long time and felt like contributing a little bit myself. Great sense of community here.

I am not a super experienced player but I've watched many hours of content from Atheenon, Hadrian and the Gucci Birchman Safari by Loonsloon on YT and I've played a decent ammount, mostly Stalker/Interloper. 

Currently have two Survival runs going, one where I play with my wife by my side and we make the decisions together and one for when I play alone, both Interloper vanilla.

Getting to the initial point, my alone-interloper run has been very difficult, I'm on day 16 or so, I've found very little clothing, still no jackets, been just to DP and CH, I play rather cautious, instead of trying to max out the possibility of a really long run I try to survive a few days at a time, the really long term is an afterthought. I know I make suboptimal choices but I play a bit scared and enjoy the thrill of it all. I've realiced one thing that's been a bit of an "aha" moment for me in this run, I had only found 12 matches in DP and none at all in CH with only the watch tower left to visit, and since I had a cabin fever risk and a few other hiccups I had ran down to my last match. I had made like 7L. of water with my second to last match and I hadn't yet made it to the tower because of a blizzard that made me miss it in the crazyness of the storm and make my sorry, panic-induced rush back to the Quonset and didn't have a chance to go back up as the Bear was patrolling my way back the next day (and I play pretty scared-y).

So anyway, I made it to the tower yesterday and there was a beautiful box of 12 matches waiting for me (and a metal-saw and a rope) and I was very happy, this meant I could take it easy and transition to Pleasant V or Mistery L. with much more ease. I went outside the guard tower and looked at the lake and the trees below in relief and wonder, remembering the many times I had (suboptimally) gone back and forth between Jack Rabbit and Misanthropes, the night I spent shaking off the Cabin fever risk, fishing and making water until I could barely keep my eyes open and dawn was almost upon me... Then I went back inside the tower and left the game and (aha moment coming) I realiced today that I am much less excited to carry on with the run than I was before I had found the matches. 

The urgency of having to move into maps I know less well, having to take risks, having just 1 match to my name and 7, then 5, then 4 liters of drinkable water, the expectation of not knowing what I'd find inside the tower... the constraints I was subjected to made it all that much enthralling.

Today I know I have 13 matches and the sense of urgency is gone, I know I'll be comfortable for a few days worth of gameplay and only my own ambition will drive me, but my own fears will be holding me back, and I will have to fight those fears to advance out of sheer willpower, because I am not driven by necessity to take that risk. I think it reflects on my real life character, I tend to accomodate myself when things are not demanding and my best work comes when I am under pressure, when necessity strikes and I must seize the moment, make the best of what I've got. 

It's quite amazing that this game can help you get to know yourself a little bit better. Wanted to share that, thought some of you might relate or have another "aha" moments of their own or whatever, thanks for reading.

Edited January 5, 2020 by PecaPig

[manolitode]

I think you hit the nail on the head about urgency here. There's a certain thrill in not finding that one item you really need, or finally reaching that cave entrance with a 98% frostbite risk. But a few days ingame when it's all under control you start to lose your zeal a little. I usually don't play til endgame but around 100 days in on loper I start a new run and often choose the same migrating round just to return to the excitement of leveling skills and hunting with low level archery etc. If you feel unchallenged, you can always take a path you haven't gone before, track down a bunch of wolves or put up a snow shelter on a mountain with a great view and stay there for a couple of days.

I enjoy some calm looting/gathering days after a shitstorm, til next challenge. Both playing cautious and taking more calculated risks with a solid backup are playstyles that make you progress. Thanks for sharing your game experience, always exciting to read.

[MarrowStone]

Sounds like an essay you wrote last minute explaining to your teacher why you procrastinate. Haha.

In all seriousness, I agree with your point. TLD can have more meaning than just a survival game. For me, it can be a period of self reflection and meditation where my character is put to the test. Something about the frozen environment, hauntingly lonely songs and the sole goal of grasping for another day can resonate strongly with certain individuals and be closer to their own lives than they may think. Im not saying TLD has an entirely depressive atmosphere, but once you learn to be proactive in game and accommodate for (not master) the elements it makes our own world problems seem that much more doable. We may not have full control over our lives, much like we don't have control over nature in-game, but it is still entirely in our ability to make the most of it and see that sun rise one more day. Or maybe your story where on your own initiative you struggled to get to the abandoned lookout and prevailing with a gift of trusty matches and a smile.