Where does the game take place in?

[Boston123]

So, seriously, I have been trying to determine a rough area in the real world where we could have crashed. The game tells us "Northern Canada".

So far, the only trees we have been seeing (or, maybe, the only ones I have seen. I haven't explored Pleasant Valley all that much) are Fir and Cedar. This suggests (barely) that we are somewhere in the Taiga/Boreal Forest. However, there ARE other types of trees that grow in Taiga, like Birch (Stupid useful for survival), Aspen, Spruces, various Pines, etc etc. The different "types" of Taiga also have many different types of berries (blueberries, etc), flowering plants (wild roses), all useful for food, fire or medicine. Even in the far northern reaches of the Taiga, along the border of Arctic tundra, there are still deciduous trees (birches and dwarf willows) to be found. Many of these plants are still available during winter. Why are they not there?

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boreal_forest_of_Canada)

IF you pay attention in Coastal Highway, you will notice that the sun sets directly over the water. This, coupled with the time of year, suggests that the "coast" of Coastal Highway faces the rough southwest. ALso, in my games, the sun sets between 1600 and 1730. In my home of southern New England, in February, the sun sets at about 1700. It actually was colder outside my house yesterday (5 degrees F, -20 degrees F due to wind chill) than it was in-game. This logically means that the game cannot be that much farther north than New England, or roughly 41 degrees N.

Relatedly to the above point, I propose the fact that "Coastal Highway" is not, in fact, oceanfront, but instead a large lake. This is evidenced by the mountains that one can see in the distance. Also, by the fact that the Coho Salmon we can catch in-game are of the "lake female adult" variety.

AGAIN RELATEDLY to the above point, according to the range charts I have consulted for the fish, Coho Salmon can be found in Canada only along the "small" strip of land along the Pacific Ocean, in between the US states of Washington and Alaska, and inland a ways (due to river spawning). This area of terrain is NOT that cold, and it is most decidedly not "Northern Canada". It instead would be part of the Temperate Rainforest. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_te ... _ecoregion))

(http://www.hookhack.com/html/fom010112CohoSalmon.html)

Maybe....the salmon were introduced to the lake for sport-fishing purposes? That is the only reason I can think of as to why they would be there. However, for a lake of that size, the cost would have likely been IMMENSE, and not commiserate to the size and number of fishing facilities located there.

Finally, look at the cars. All sedans, with nary a truck among them. Now, I know that sedans can be driven even in the far north of Alaska and Canada, but wouldn't the inhabitants of a rugged wilderness spring for a more......"practical" vehicle? Something with 4WD? Also, what about the roads? Tarmac freezes and cracks apart in winter. That looks to be a relatively major road in Coastal Highway.

Maybe I am overthinking all of this, and the Geomagnetic Disaster blew away the magnetic field of the planet entirely, and the whole planet will be covered in ice....If so, why make a game about it? There is no surviving that. We would all be dead from solar radiation in minutes!

[The_Hawk35]

As Hinterland is based in BC I'm thinking Northern BC where is certainly can get that cold, for instance in Whitehorse it is ~-23. The coho are small so I'd think they are in the early freshwater phase which would make sense

[toebar]

Fir is considered a 'hardwood' in the game, which means it is Douglas-fir rather than Balsam fir or Subalpine fir, since Balsam/Subalpine are definitely NOT hard (Balsam and Subalpine fir are closely related, but Douglas-fir is not). Douglas-fir is very dense and heavy and is very like a hardwood in this regard (just like the game says). This narrows down the area to more or less the southern 2/3 of BC, based on the fairly limited range of Douglas-fir. (Here's a range map: http://tidcf.nrcan.gc.ca/images_web/imf ... men_en.gif)

In the interior (away from the coast), it easily get cold enough, especially at higher elevations. (I live near the northern edge of Douglas-fir distribution)

The Coho has me a bit puzzled--maybe its a flaw in their research? Typically they go to saltwater after their first year, when they are quite small--I guess they could be residuals that never migrate to sea for whatever reason. Smallmouth bass are an introduced (and invasive) species with limited range--mostly in southern in BC. Here's a good link for checking out fish distribution: http://maps.gov.bc.ca/ess/sv/imapbc/

(go to Map and Data Sources, then Add DataBC layers, then Fish Wildlife and Plant Species, then scroll down to Provincial Fish Ranges)

OR, http://ibis.geog.ubc.ca/biodiversity/efauna/ is much simpler!

[harobed1156]

In addition, you find hares in Northern Canada, but not rabbits. The sedans were abandoned because they're no good in ice and snow. There are no 4WD vehicles because residents used them all to escape. (?)

The magnetic field can be perturbed by a direct hit from a massive CME, but that won't blow it away. I tend to think of this game as a localized event, not a worldwide one, and that the character will eventually get out. About 25 years ago a blackout in Quebec was caused by a CME, wonder if that was an inspiration.

[Boston123]

@ Toebar

Excellent. However, that region is still well within the ranges of numerous other types of trees and other plants, like birch and such. Why were they not included? Artistic license? I dunno. I can see no real reason as to not include them, if they would be in the area....

@Harobed1156

If the sedans were there, then they were in use. I don't know of anyone that owns a vehicle for "summer" and a different one for "winter". I expect that the sedans were used in ice and snow, and were abandoned when they stopped working. The people living in the area just....didn't own any 4wd-capable vehicles? Remember: no electricity, no running vehicles. They couldn't scamper off with all the 4WD vehicles, because they wouldn't work. ( I know you can start a diesel engine without electricity, but I don't think diesel is a common fuel for personal vehicles. Anyone from Canada or Alaska able to weigh in?) And, in all honesty, the roads don't look to bad: I would drive on them with little to no hesitation, and I have a small truck.

[toebar]

Absolutely, there could and should be other tree types. As you mentioned there are others beside the dominant needle-leaved trees- aspen, black cottonwood, paper birch, various willows. There are some trees in game without boughs-- they could be deciduous trees, but they do look pretty similar to the other trees. It could be artistic license, or it could be out of simplicity. The look of the landscape is certainly pretty excellent imo, but that's not to say there isn't room for improvement.

There was another thread that mentioned the lack of AWD and 4WD vehicles, and gave a suggestion to add vehicle models to include these--which I think makes sense.

You might technically be able to run a diesel engine without electricity, but I doubt modern diesel vehicle would run without the electronics (I stand to be corrected on this if someone else knows for sure ). I suspect there's just about as many diesel vehicles here as there is elsewhere, which is to say some, but not the majority (as long as you exclude logging trucks!). As for the roads, the main roads are fine for cars. There's lots of logging roads of variable quality, but you'd be surprised what I see driving where I only expect to see trucks..

I've seen another thread that also mentioned the light period being a bit long for winter in Canada. I guess having too short a day vs night was a big complaint for playtesters, so it was altered. I think this mechanic would be a great one for modifying the level of difficulty-- e.g. make it so in Stalker you only have 8 hours of daylight vs 12+ in Voyageur.

[toebar]

There are some trees in game without boughs-- they could be deciduous trees, but they do look pretty similar to the other trees.

Upon closer inspection I take this back; there are definitely deciduous trees present--they've got a spreading branch pattern and a different bark texture. Can't tell for certain which species they're meant to represent, but could be cottonwood or aspen.

[The_Hawk35]

Interestingly Aspen could be used to make bows, and cottonwood arrows.

Also Cottonwood is a very useful wood for crafting malleable items.

[elloco999]

As to the lack of different types of vegitation, and the cars: the game is in early alpha. Just a few versions ago, there were no cars at all. The cars that you see now are all of the same model, only using different colors. Why? Because they have only made 1 model yet. I'm sure there are more to come, including SUV's and pickup trucks. The same is true for the vegitation I think. Only look at the lichen, mushrooms and berries that have been added with the recent updates. I think it very likely that more vegitation is to come and possibly more different types of trees as well.

The days should be much shorter in the part of Canada the game is set and the time of the year that it is, and the days actually were much shorter in earlier versions. But people complained that they could not do enough during daylight hours so the days were lenghtened. So this is why the sun comes up so early and sets so late despite the game being situated much farther north than New England. If you want an in-game explanation; the event also changed the earths angle in relation to the sun. (hey, it's a game, anything is possible)

Maybe those mountains are islands a few miles out from the coast? Don't know if there is any such place but it seems possible to me. And possibly they were just added so that there wouldn't be just an huge empty expanse if you were to look out over the ocean. (Or even to lure players out onto the thin ice :twisted:)

I don't really have an explanation for the salmon. Unless the event also messed with their behavior and that's why they have swum to where we catch them now.

[toebar]

Boston123 said:

So far, the only trees we have been seeing (or, maybe, the only ones I have seen. I haven't explored Pleasant Valley all that much) are Fir and Cedar. This suggests (barely) that we are somewhere in the Taiga/Boreal Forest.

I should have also mentioned above, with my comment on Douglas-fir vs the other true firs, that western redcedar must be the cedar they are referring to. This species is essentially a temperate rainforest species (at least in Canada), being found on west sides of the Coast and Rocky mountain ranges in about the southern 2/3 of BC. Here's a link to a map of its distribution: http://tidcf.nrcan.gc.ca/images_web/imf ... licata.gif

If we overlay maps of Doug-fir and cedar, we can narrow down the location a bit further.

edit: here's a quick overlay of the maps, showing where we have both tree species.

 

[toebar]

And why not?

The OP had a curiosity, made some in-game observations and tried to discern from those clues where in Canada it was.. The devs specify northern Canada in the introduction, so 'In Canada' might be fine for you, but it's hardly a small place. (wait, where are the igloos?)

EDIT: this was in response to a poster that has since been removed from the forum

[TLDFAN]

I don't know but there is a giant moon, giant sky, the sky glows strange colors most hours of the day, water bottles spawn from nothing every time I magically make water with my magically foraged wood, so I'd say it is in definitely Canada.

[bikingviking]

The game almost definitely takes place in northwestern B.C. around the B.C./Yukon/Alaska border. I don't know if the flora are exactly the same, but there's nowhere else in the country that has the same mix of mountains, trees and water.

I think Coastal Highway is modelled after Atlin, B.C. If you look it up in Google Maps the town layout is strikingly similar to the map in the game (minus the highway running along the waterfront). Here's a picture I found online:

Very close to Atlin, the White Pass and Yukon Route railroad runs through the Coast Mountains. Maybe the following scene looks familiar to some of you?

[toebar]

The game almost definitely takes place in northwestern B.C. around the B.C./Yukon/Alaska border. I don't know if the flora are exactly the same, but there's nowhere else in the country that has the same mix of mountains, trees and water.

I think Coastal Highway is modelled after Atlin, B.C. If you look it up in Google Maps the town layout is strikingly similar to the map in the game (minus the highway running along the waterfront). Here's a picture I found online:

Great pics

I really think that area (or at least, an area that far north) is what the devs have in mind-- I just wonder if they realize that there aren't bass, douglas-fir or cedar there

As for the mix of mountains, tress and water, I think a lot of BC that is within the Coast or Rocky mountain ranges would fit the general depiction, but I can't deny that your pics are spot on.

[Pharose]

Fir is considered a 'hardwood' in the game, which means it is Douglas-fir rather than Balsam fir or Subalpine fir, since Balsam/Subalpine are definitely NOT hard (Balsam and Subalpine fir are closely related, but Douglas-fir is not). Douglas-fir is very dense and heavy and is very like a hardwood in this regard (just like the game says). This narrows down the area to more or less the southern 2/3 of BC, based on the fairly limited range of Douglas-fir. (Here's a range map: http://tidcf.nrcan.gc.ca/images_web/imf ... men_en.gif)

In the interior (away from the coast), it easily get cold enough, especially at higher elevations. (I live near the northern edge of Douglas-fir distribution)

OR, http://ibis.geog.ubc.ca/biodiversity/efauna/ is much simpler!

Douglas Fir is a hard wood, but that doesn't mean that it's "hardwood". It is more dense than a lot of hardwood species but it has an incredibly high ratio of hardness to density which is why it's the number one source of softwood lumber across the continent.

[toebar]

Absolutely, this is what I said-- in the game its called a 'hardwood', even though Douglas-fir technically is not (and they do acknowledge this point in game).

I was also trying to clear up that the Fir in the game could not be either of the true firs (in Genus Abies) of the area - Balsam and Subalpine fir. Both of which, I suspect you will agree, are not dense or hard.

[ChillPlayer]

I think you get some clues on where the devs drew their inspiration from when you watch the first developer diary video posted in this thread:

http://hinterlandforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=51&t=4073

The woods they show reminded me of the Dead Fall area

[toebar]

I think you get some clues on where the devs drew their inspiration from when you watch the first developer diary video posted in this thread:

http://hinterlandforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=51&t=4073

The woods they show reminded me of the Dead Fall area

Thanks for that, had not seen.

[toebar]

I noticed this when I first started playing, but just remembered to post it.. This thread seemed to be the best spot for it-- it's more corroboratory evidence rather than refuting anything... (Apologies if this has been pointed out already--I searched and came up with nothing.)

Many of you will recognize this sign below. Compare it to the logo below..

 

 

[Willbonney]

I knew I recognized that logo. I just couldn't place it.

The issue I've been having with making out the potential location has been the Coastal Highway map. It's obviously a cape or inlet, with I suppose the highway going around in a horse shoe pattern. The only area of B.C. I've ever traveled that has a "coastal highway" similar to that would be on Vancouver Island. Highway 19 and 19a. It sort of resembles the Mud Bay area, which also has a section of the E and N Railway that goes near.

The coast of B.C. in every other location is too broken up for a roadway to be built, so personally I don't know another highway in the area that it could be. Maybe up by Prince Rupert? Not sure.

[Willbonney]

So did a bit of research, looking up small hydro dams that were a part of B.C. Hydro's network on Vancouver Island. My best guess for the dam would be Ladore Generating Station, a small hydro dam as a possibility: http://www.bchydro.com/content/dam/hydr ... m_on0.jpeg

Aerial view: http://globalenergyobservatory.org/geoid/3950

If you look at this aerial, to the right of the damn near McIvor Lake road you can clearly see an area where the trees are all cut down.

It lies between John Hart Lake where it flows into Mcivor Lake which then flows into Campbell Lake, which is a much larger body of water.

If it's a lake coast highway rather than a sea side bay/inlet coast, very well could be Lower Campbell Lake, lot of logging in the area, the Dam is nearby, and the Gold River Highway could be the Coastal Highway, sort of resembles the area around Quinsam. My money is still on it being a portion of 19 or 19A however, with the railroad paralleling a good portion of it. Bear watching is a popular tourist thing to do on the island, plenty of deer around, and plenty of wolves. Mostly grey wolves, however the very rare and almost mythical wolf of the area, the "Vancouver Island Wolf" is actually all white.

As for a valley with quite a bit of farming, look no further than Cowichan Valley down where Duncan, B.C. is located. A little far possibly, but not unlikely.

It makes sense as well, since their main website describes themselves as: "We're an independent game studio headquartered in the heart of the picturesque Northern Vancouver Island wilderness. We work to create thought-provoking entertainment that pushes the boundaries of games as an immersive, interactive art form"

[Willbonney]

One thing I am not certain of is whether the Strait of Georgia ever freezes? My guess would be some of the bays do, but not the main body? Of this I'm really not certain.

[toebar]

Excellent link. That dam picture is great

A lot of things fit really well (tree species, fish species, animal species, general landscape). To me the biggest barrier to TLD being on Vancouver Island is the climate-- it's just not cold enough.

As an example, have a look at the climate data for Campbell River.. January is the coldest month, but the average daily low is just -0.8 C (30.6 F). I'm not personally that familiar with Vancouver Island, so there could be colder areas, but I don't imagine that much colder--just due to the coastal influence.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campbell_River,_British_Columbia

I guess there could be an explanation for a colder climate in the story mode.. then again, there's fishing huts on the ice, so freezing temperatures must be pretty routine.

[bikingviking]

I knew I recognized that logo. I just couldn't place it.

The issue I've been having with making out the potential location has been the Coastal Highway map. It's obviously a cape or inlet, with I suppose the highway going around in a horse shoe pattern. The only area of B.C. I've ever traveled that has a "coastal highway" similar to that would be on Vancouver Island. Highway 19 and 19a. It sort of resembles the Mud Bay area, which also has a section of the E and N Railway that goes near.

The coast of B.C. in every other location is too broken up for a roadway to be built, so personally I don't know another highway in the area that it could be. Maybe up by Prince Rupert? Not sure.

I thought about the Prince Rupert area, that's definitely a likely location.

The only reason I think it's closer to the Yukon/Alaska border is because those train tracks, especially the Ravine area, looks way too much like the Yukon White Pass Railroad.

Also "northern Canada" is generally considered to be the Yukon/NWT/Nunavut territories, although there are some exceptions (Churchill, Labrador, Nunavik, small chunk of BC north of the Alaskan Panhandle, etc.)

[toebar]

Maybe so, but Prince Rupert is still too warm to have conditions like we see in game, unless there's a story reason for it.

I don't think there's a general consensus on what constitutes 'northern' Canada. It's a pretty loose term--- the meaning varies greatly with the reference point of whoever is using it.