Hushed River Valley

[Ahatch]

I've decided to try to start a Voyageur run on Hushed River Valley and stay there 50 days before leaving. Pretty tough so far as I died at 5 days mauled by bear then wolfed right after. Tough region I must say , anyone try starting and staying here before? 

[peteloud]

7 hours ago, Ahatch said:

I've decided to try to start a Voyageur run on Hushed River Valley and stay there 50 days before leaving. Pretty tough so far as I died at 5 days mauled by bear then wolfed right after. Tough region I must say , anyone try starting and staying here before? 

Starting a Voyager run in HRV should not be tough.  I am tempted to say, 'should be easy', but that might be tempting fate.

You were just unlucky. To have a wolf attack immediately after a bear attack 5 days into a game, before you have built up good resources, is just bad luck. That's life.

 

. . . I have just started a new Voyager game in HRV to check how difficult it is at first, and I have to admit that I am having a hard time just keeping warm. (I have not played TLD for months and am struggling to remember the controls, which doesn't help).

Edited October 24, 2020 by peteloud

[Serenity]

You can get attacked by wolves and bears anywhere. That's not the fault of the region.

It's not that hard once you've learned the layout. And there are tons of caves to live in. Including indoor caves that are completely warm. Lots of natural resources. And HRV can be divided into several distinct sub-regions that you can handle one after another.

Starting in an inhospital region is a lot harder of course. Even on Voyager. I did on TWM to learn it. Getting better clothing is the biggest issue. But you can find some stuff in HRV.

 

Edited October 24, 2020 by Serenity

[Glflegolas]

About a year ago, I did a YouTube series where I started in the Hushed River Valley on Voyageur difficulty and survived there for 14 days (I could have easily stayed longer, but I don't want my series to get too repetitive). You can check it out in the video below.

To get back to the OP's point, though, I also found that the hardest part by far was getting sufficient warm clothing, although I did get lucky with an expedition parka fairly early on, and there was *some* warm clothing to be found in hidden caches, on corpses, and in caves. The other major resource shortfall was lamp oil: exploring the ice caves without light is nearly impossible, and needing torches all the time was a bit of a pain.

Food wasn't a problem, neither were matches or tools. I've played this region before off camera, so I knew what I was in for.

 

[ManicManiac]

That's an interesting personal challenge.
Well done.   Keep at it... I can say from my experience, that finally achieving a personal challenge can feel really satisfying.

[Ahatch]

Resource wise it wasn't too bad but I tend to move around too much (interloper habit) I was exploring the region and trying to gather enough resources. I had managed to make it to the signal fire and got the moose sachet etc. Food was ok , I went through the ice cave and popped out near the Hushed River. I should have just stuck in the ice cave and explored them better before venturing out. I don't know the region that well so I sometimes get turned around and I wander around looking for shelter and walk myself into trouble. So if I was familiar with the region like I am with Mystery Lake I would find it much easier. 

[peteloud]

My Voyager game starting in HRV came as a surprise.   (I normally play long games, Stalker and Voyager, over 500 days, by then I have good skills, clothes, and other resources and games are easy.)  Starting a new game was difficult.  I spawned in Moose Overlook and had a big problem keeping warm and finding food and I was starting with my fire-lighting skills at level 3. Just getting to day 5 was a serious challenge.  By day 10 I have found 3 axes, 3 knives, revolver, rifle and the moose backpack, but few clothes. It should now be relatively easy.  I doubt if I can be bothered to stay in HRV for 50 days, without leaving to access a work bench and make some warm clothes.

It has been an interesting and humiliating start.

 

 

 

 

 

[odium]

voyageur HRV is very doable.  plenty of tools/loot/food to get by.  a loper HRV start is very challenging, especially if you dont get the bedroll drop

[TiffTastic]

I really haven’t played this one much. Gonna have to try a start there next game....

[PurpleWolf13]

I tried to start in this region once and didn't survive long 😂 And that has been the only time I have been in that place. I'll have to go back at some point. 

[PrincessAutumn]

Have never been myself but planning on going there next as soon I get my moose-hide satchel :3

[peteloud]

After 25 days in HRV I wanted a change.  By then I had three rifles and built up a stack of venison and could have had an easy but boring time sitting in an ice cave to get my 50 days.  I still had hardly any clothes to keep me warm and the temperatures were always low, usually three notches of cold. It was still difficult.  Even taking half of the meat from deer meant that I would be seriously cold and desperately needed to get back to the ice cave.  It was not comparable with any other HRV experience I have had, it was much colder and much more difficult.

 

After 25 days I went to Milton and have visited the trailer and the farm.  This has been very easy, with only one notch of cold and already, after two days, have been able to improve my clothing.  From now on it is simple easy Voyager.

 

[hozz1235]

On 10/24/2020 at 5:36 PM, Ahatch said:

just stuck in the ice cave and explored them better before venturing out

The ice caves are like wormholes - they are way shorter than trekking overland.

[hozz1235]

On 10/25/2020 at 6:47 AM, odium said:

voyageur HRV is very doable.  plenty of tools/loot/food to get by.  a loper HRV start is very challenging, especially if you dont get the bedroll drop

You're awesome.

[Ahatch]

Heh had a short run yesterday started out good near the west side of the map by the lake full of deer. But I wanted to get more loot so I ventured straight into a wolf. Getting through those first couple days is the toughest so far. 

[peteloud]

I had another try at a Voyager run starting HRV.  It also was difficult.  I realised how to avoid the very cold nights.  In spite of covering all of the region, mapping 95% of it. I found few resources.  When I did find a revolver I had very little ammo. After 25 days I found a rifle with little ammo. 

By day 31 I had revolver Skill Level 2 which made a big difference. With level 1 I could not kill wolves or deer, with level 2 I sometimes could.  By then my warmth Bonus was around 10° which made a big difference. I managed to build up a stock of around 25 Kg of venison so by then the normal difficulties had gone. 

At the point I didn't want to safely sit around to complete 50 days in HRV so left for Mountain Town.  It was a completely different game in MT.  It was so easy after those early days in HRV.

 

[Ahatch]

I have a pretty decent run going about 5 days in have a rifle with a couple bullets and have found enough food for now cattails etc. I started near Stairsteps Lake and worked my way to the Hushed River then to the ice caves. I managed to get to the signal fire and have the moose satchel. I have the magnifying glass so can conserve a bit on the matches I have. Just want to find the tools and some reclaimed wood so I can settle down some where to snare some rabbits. 

[Ahatch]

I'm at 15 days and have covered most of the map. Have plenty of matches now and a few more bullets for the rifle. I have shot a couple deer and staying in the Ice Cave north of the Hushed River. It is a good spot because I can rope climb down to the river then hit the other ice cave system.  I think it will be ok for now but may need to bring down a bear if I want to get enough meat to make the full 50 days. 

[peteloud]

10 hours ago, Ahatch said:

. . .  I have shot a couple deer and staying in the Ice Cave north of the Hushed River. It is a good spot because I can rope climb down to the river then hit the other ice cave system. . . .

Yeah, that's cave I used as my base. It is convenient in many respects.  The basic problem is that there are very few resources around HRV.  I couldn't find enough clothes to keep me warm and finding revolver, rifle and enough ammunition was a matter of luck.  By day 15 the hardest bit is over but there still are many problems.   It has been a good challenge.

After those hard early days in HRV, Mountain Town seems like a different game.

[Ahatch]

I found an extra bed roll at Monolith Lake (Watchfall Falls Cave) so I got extra cloth there. I have not bad cloths it's going to be the food issue I'm sure as I found only one snare and with no reclaimed wood or tools on the map it's going to be tough to snare rabbits. 

[Ahatch]

Well I'm halfway through this challenge and it's looking much easier from here on out. I found a 100% bow with 2 100% arrows on Moose Lookout. So my hunting options for the next number of days look real good. I'm hanging out at Valley Cave just hunting deer as there seems to be lots here with minimal wolf interference. 

[Ahatch]

I'm now at 40 days as I went up to Monolith Lake and killed a moose which gave me enough meat. I've pretty much looted the entire region so now to curb boredom I'm just forwarding my resources to the ice cave system before leaving for Mountain Town once I hit 50 days. Likely never finish this Voyageur run though as I normally play Interloper. Thinking of bringing my very bored 500 day Interloper survivor here just to see if I can make it more interesting for her. 

[Ahatch]

Well today I finished up 50 days from the start on Hushed River Valley. After staying on the one map and surviving and spending all that time forwarding all my loot from the top of the map through the ice caves and the main items to Mountain Town. I find the map much easier to navigate and it's not so bad really. I did stay out of the wolf / bear infested area east of Stairsteps Lake however. Might be a good place to bring an interloper character with good cloths and level 5 archery.  

[piddy3825]

On 11/15/2020 at 5:19 PM, Ahatch said:

Well today I finished up 50 days from the start on Hushed River Valley. After staying on the one map and surviving and spending all that time forwarding all my loot from the top of the map through the ice caves and the main items to Mountain Town. I find the map much easier to navigate and it's not so bad really. I did stay out of the wolf / bear infested area east of Stairsteps Lake however. Might be a good place to bring an interloper character with good cloths and level 5 archery.  

I've been following your progress since you started this endeavor, so the other day after having completed a replay of Story mode,
I decided to send Astrid out to test her mettle on your 50 day challenge!

Although I have literally thousands of hours in the sandbox, Hushed River Valley, since it's inception has been the single least visited map in any of my previous explorations to date.  I just don't see the allure that the region has for players considering all the things that you cannot do especially given the absolute abundance of natural resources and the relative supply of gear that is lootable given the voyager difficulty parameters.  Let's just say not my most favorite map.  Been there a few times, always was difficult and my happiest memories are when I finally find/make my way back to Mountain Town.  

 

So my adventure begins...

I launch the game and immediately ask myself,
"where the f*** am I ?"

 

 

 

[peteloud]

4 hours ago, piddy3825 said:

I launch the game and immediately ask myself,

"where the f*** am I ?"

That is how the game should be, about surviving in unknown territory.  For people who have played literally thousands of hours and know all of the maps it is a relatively easy memory game.

But it is still a very difficult challenge for the first 25-30 days.