Binoculars

[Ignacio Ramirez]

It would be great to have binoculars around in the game! Some times one really needs to check stuff from a distance, spot dangers, loot, etc.

[Stoutlander]

I agree. Probably very hard to find a Canadian country home without a pair. For much of the terrain they might not help much, but occasionally they would, making them a good weight vs reward dilema, which isn't a bad thing.

[flakeinator]

This is a great idea but I wonder if some of the reason things like this aren't in the homes has to do with that everybody is experiencing the same thing and figured that they need this to survive and get to some place warmer.

[Derek0311]

If it were added you would have another way to make fire.

[ManicManiac]

I just don't think this is at all needed (I've stated so in several threads about binoculars/scopes in the past).
...and if it were added, I think it would only serve to make the game easier for the player.
I'm generally not in favor of things that make game easier for the player (I love this game for the struggle).

 

On 5/7/2020 at 11:13 PM, ManicManiac said:

No thank you, I don't think there's a need for scopes in this game at all.

It's very much in the same way I think there is no need for binoculars; I don't think they are necessary and I think they would make things too easy for the player.  I'm very rarely in favor of anything that I think makes the game easier for the player.

On 6/9/2019 at 2:13 AM, ManicManiac said:

So then back to Binoculars... once again that feeling of vulnerability, I think is part of the heart of this game... and getting turned around and lost is a part of that.  I think that some of the best moments in the game for me were getting lost and having to get creative in how to orient myself and get my bearings.  I just don't think we need binoculars for that.  We can see pretty much any land mark from most distances as long as you have a line of sight.  Binoculars won't really help with any of that.  A lot of the fun for me has always been exploring... and being able to scout from a distance would take away from some of the danger of traveling, and I wouldn't be in favor of that.

On 5/19/2019 at 11:10 PM, ManicManiac said:

I tend to think that using scopes and such would really take the challenge out of hunting in this game, and binoculars would take some of the danger from exploring.  From my perspective I would say those elements would take away from gameplay rather than improving it.

 

[Stoutlander]

"The Long Dark is a survival experience, and we strive for realism in many areas, ...  In the end, our goal is to provide an interesting set of choices for you to play safely."            -  Hinterland Games

Binoculars are a very common item in rural areas. They are often used by outdoors people, hunters, hikers, mariners, wildlife photographers, bird watchers, nosey neighbors, etc.  That covers the realism aspect.

 I personally have used optics many times in the field and have also chosen not to bring them just as often, but the real question is how would they translate to a positive or negative aspect to the game. Terrain and weather conditions can minimize and/or negate their effect, which would often apply to the game. I often carried a small pair of binoculars that could fit in my jacket pocket, and rarely carried larger field glasses around my neck. Larger and heavier field glasses could be introduced (pehaps in the lighthouse?) giving the player a choice of the added weight vs possible advantage from their use. I believe this to be a very realistic choice that could be a burden or occasionally worth the added weight. A true choice of the individual player and for many a fun addition to obtain and use.

As far as rifle optics (scopes), good luck trying to hit a wolf that's charging at you. They could make deer hunting super easy, especially in large open areas such as pleasant valley, but scopes would be victims of fogging, icing, snow/water drops on the lens obscuring vision, as the games weather is often harsh. They would also be subject to rough handling where they would no longer be sighted in. Too many variables for this game to be worth the trouble, IMO. I know that when I hunted in Jackman, Maine and Canada, we preferred iron sights, as most of your shots were within 100 yards. Scopes weren't worth the trouble, especially when stalking deer.

Realism and choice. Sounds like a good idea to me.