The Future of the Milton Mailbag

[Comrade_Centrex]

I think texted Milton Mailbag was good solution, but if you do not have time to do it by that way of course it will be good using video format.

[Grignard_TN]

I'm one hundred percent on board with pretty much any sort of communication from the team.

The greatest feature of the Long Dark isn't in the software, rather it's the developers and the community. There is a lot of toxicity out there and this community is the best I've found in gaming.

I've been playing a lot of 4x but I always come back to this game.

 

[thekillergreece]

I don't mind provided the videos will have either closed captions or Youtube subtitles atleast for deaf / hard hearing players.

[Sköllnir]

I would be a regular viewer if this comes full circle. Looking foward to whatever becomes the norm.

[Southerner in Snow]

Yes! Another great thing would be the signal hill podcasts if anyone remembers those, but really i like the idea of the videos!

 

[Jayy]

Whatever you choose I'm sure the community will be just fine with! Prioritize your own personal time over the future of the mailbag is all I can say for sure.

[M151jeep]

Sounds good to me. I would periodically check and watch the videos. Really like the storyline. My daughter loves wolves and when I tell her about shooting one in the game she says “Daddy!”. I apologize, but for that reason wolves fear me and tell their pups if they aren’t good I’ll find them.

[AbbaMaximus]

please sir, may I have some more?

[hozz1235]

Whatever format is best for you so that we can continue to get regular updates would be good!

[Luke Finn]

As a fan I can truly say that continuing to upload videos strengthens the community and your team to develop a true to life survival simulation game while not running the risk of altering the entire scope of your vision and not investing an absurd amount of time into each weekly update. Your business reminds me much of how Robert Kirkman handled his comic series TWD. Unlike a child he knew his endgame and what it needed without letting his insecurities set him flip flopping to his audience. Now he did change the ending after his realization on how cheap and bland his first ending was going to be which essentially killed everyone off at the point where the gang settled in Alexandria. But, it was his choice to make and not that of the fanbase. His vision was set and from there all he needed was to fill in the rest to tie the loose ends. That is what Hinterland has done so well. Tweaking the fillers like have you not being able to disassemble furniture in the dark. When fans know that their voice can be heard directly from Hinterland studios and can see other be taken in consideration no matter if once of month or week for however many questions can mean a lot the community. Peace.

[mayimbe]

On 6/6/2020 at 16:57, thekillergreece said:

No me importa siempre que los videos tengan subtítulos cerrados o subtítulos de Youtube al menos para jugadores sordos / con problemas de audición.

and for those of us who do not speak English, the subtitles are useful, for example I am from Spain and it helps me with the google translator

[PotatoKnight]

 

22 hours ago, mayimbe said:

and for those of us who do not speak English, the subtitles are useful, for example I am from Spain and it helps me with the google translator

If the videos don't have restrictions for subtitles , and does not are quite long. I compromise to put a translate for spanish and a copy at the wiki once the subtitles for english are completed :).

[oplli]

Ive just took 8 hours of my time to read all the milton mailbags to be shure that my question wasnt already asked and answered  . well i see that the last mailbag way a year ago... where can we ask our questions now beacause the thread is closed?

[Admin]

2 hours ago, Dum_Gen said:

Well, apparently Milton Mailbag had no future...

It remains something that we would like to return to one day. The issue is finding a way of doing them that doesn't take quite so much focus of Creative Director @Raphael van Lieropaway from game development. As you can understand his time and attention is quite important to the creation of The Long Dark and while it was valuable to do a weekly Q&A it took quite a bit of time out of his week.

[Obsidian Productions]

On 1/22/2021 at 1:10 PM, Admin said:

It remains something that we would like to return to one day. The issue is finding a way of doing them that doesn't take quite so much focus of Creative Director @Raphael van Lieropaway from game development. As you can understand his time and attention is quite important to the creation of The Long Dark and while it was valuable to do a weekly Q&A it took quite a bit of time out of his week.

It's probably already been considered, but would it ease the burden if it was reduced to a monthly session? Maybe just have one day or even half a day set aside out of every month for this more direct method of interaction with the community?

[Admin]

18 hours ago, Obsidian Productions said:

It's probably already been considered, but would it ease the burden if it was reduced to a monthly session? Maybe just have one day or even half a day set aside out of every month for this more direct method of interaction with the community?

It has. We've also discussed a video Q&A, or taking the questions on a podcast. Nothing has been decided as of yet but it's something that we're working on.

[Longdark]

Yes! You should definitely do it, Raphael! 

[RegentRelic]

I wonder if hinterland Is still working on this. I mean I'm sure they "are working on it", but does this sort of thing really take that long to do. By all means episode four should be their first priority, but them taking so long to even make up their mind on something as superfluous as this is making me think their having some trouble with episode four.

 

    If I was hinterland I would more or less wing one one hour community panel two or three days after the launch of episode four (or If that is a long ways off than a week or two before it's launch.)  In part as a reminder to pop on people's social media feed that the long dark exists and to show that hinterland is confident in the episode. I would rather see a quenu to ask live questions convention style, but taking pre written questions is easier and safer. If they were to do it live then they'd want to make sure to have someone from a few different teams, three or four people total,  so that a question won't be ask that one don't have answer to and to help when one can't think of a satisfying answer of thee top of one's head. They could also take pre written and approved questions live(which the standard way of doing things these days.), but that might be to much work. In the end what do I know though. Well lots of things, but I have never work In public relations of any kind. I can only hope that hinterland knows what they are talking about better than me.

[Sammida]

8 hours ago, Dum_Gen said:

If the devs feel too busy to post extended responses OldMiltonMailbag-style, they could at least post short answers to the most important current questions.

E.g. episode 4 - dev diary promised some news in January 2021. Its March already, no news at all.

I concur. Making one of these should only take an hour or two; three is generous. Though, three hours every few months is not a large sacrifice for interacting with the community.

[ajb1978]

Frankly I'm content with whatever I get, even if that's nothing more. I still remember what it was like to go to the store, buy a game...and that's it. You have the game, bugs and all, no new content. No discussion with the developer. Certainly no answers directly from the creative director. If I wanted to know why Solid Snake was named Solid Snake and not Liquid Giraffe, I had exactly a 0% chance that Hideo Kojima would answer. As it sits, I've had several questions directly answered by Raph, and I paid for the game once and received every single subsequent update and addition at no additional charge. It's like if I bought Metal Gear back in 88, Kojima answered my questions personally, and gave me a copy of Snake's Revenge for free 3 years later.

[RegentRelic]

16 hours ago, ajb1978 said:

buy a game...and that's it.

A similar system from a more civilized age. 

[Stinky socks]

I think they are doing great! Didn't we just receive ash canyon not too long ago? Pretty sure they are full on cracking on wintermute at the 

[Stinky socks]

Perhaps microtransactions? buy plastic bottles or canisters from vending machines in stores, to fill water or lantern oil. Need a pair of cardboard matches, it'll cost ya!

Want to learn natural remedy medications? Methuselah has knowledge and wisdom for hire!

Want to earn gunsmitting skills? Hire Hobbs for a few tutorials that, once complete, will unlock skill level.

Need bear traps? Talk to Jeremiah, he'll hook you up. Or perhaps just need more ammo or rent a place to stay in Pleasant Valley? Talk to Molly!

[Admin]

This has been addressed in another thread, please visit it. 

Closing this out now until we have more news.