March 2021 Developer Diary

[tomtom]

..."We'll share something more official at the right time!"... OMG really - "at the right time"? this is so awesome precise!

Its like "darkness is to be expected at night"...or "the frog has two legs of equal length, especially the right one."

The right time can be next week, month, year - next life?

[Karl Grylls]

Old Blizzard had a saying "It's done when it's done". I like this attitude and i'm happy to see Hinterland is doing it this way.

[FluffyComeHome]

I'm gonna add my two cents, but to be honest, I think everyone at Hinterland already knows this.

There are a lot of people in this world who have not yet mastered the art of patience. Combine that with the frustration of being cooped up due to covid (which is especially tough on younger folks who are missing out on so many things they grew up expecting to happen) and it just amplifies that impatience.

I read that original post and feel a little sad. I think being rude and disrespectful was uncalled for, but wonder if there is a young person on the other end of that computer who is a little scared about whats happening, and totally tired of being scared and isolated. Six months probably seems like an eternity. So I have a little forgiveness in my heart when I see these posts. And in the end, they may just be venting because they need something they can lash out at.

TLD is a unique and well made game and that just doesn't happen by rushing the creative or production process. Some companies churn games out at a rate that sets an unrealistic expectation regarding what is a reasonable time frame for a company that is focusing on putting out a high-quality product, while treating their employees well and growing the company (also trying to do this during a pandemic). But I imagine that cookie cutter business model is exactly what Hinterland is trying to avoid.

It's also easy to forget that Hinterland brought us all along for the ride as they developed this game. Instead of working for years behind the scenes and releasing a completely finished game; we got to be part of the ground floor development. And that's part of the beauty of playing TLD now. One day it will be a completely finished series. And people will buy the game and enjoy it, but they will never get to be part of the process they way we are right now.

Cheers Hinterland. You are doing it exactly right and we appreciate your game and respect your company.

[Grignard_TN]

On 6/12/2021 at 12:46 PM, FluffyComeHome said:

I'm gonna add my two cents, but to be honest, I think everyone at Hinterland already knows this.

There are a lot of people in this world who have not yet mastered the art of patience. Combine that with the frustration of being cooped up due to covid (which is especially tough on younger folks who are missing out on so many things they grew up expecting to happen) and it just amplifies that impatience.

I read that original post and feel a little sad. I think being rude and disrespectful was uncalled for, but wonder if there is a young person on the other end of that computer who is a little scared about whats happening, and totally tired of being scared and isolated. Six months probably seems like an eternity. So I have a little forgiveness in my heart when I see these posts. And in the end, they may just be venting because they need something they can lash out at......

This is a great point, especially in regards to the developers. Nothing is ever perfect but I think at the very least they've made a good faith effort. Sure, there may be things I'd do differently if I had a magic wand to wave, but I think they've done a good job.

I don't know about anyone else, but living in the US I feel like I'm getting less and less for my labour while food and medicine takes a bigger bite out of our earnings. It's not fair to complain about that if you're expecting people to nearly work themselves to death to *entertain* you. Apparently some of these studios expect an absolutely brutal work schedule from their employees.

 

This is a good thing. Like a lot of people, this last year has been rough on a lot of levels. Today was really bad. I appreciate what they've made that has given me quite a bit of play for my dollar, and I appreciate them not working people to death. It's one of those little things that helps me get through it all.

[Stinky socks]

The time for class is over; the time for duty has begun! You are dismissed.

Wow, so powerful!

[Mistral]

From Raphael:

Also apparently Hinterland is hiring systems designer for "unannounced project"

Edited June 19, 2021 by Mistral

[Valuable Hunting Knife]

1 hour ago, Mistral said:

From Raphael:

Also apparently Hinterland is hiring systems designer for "unannounced project"

are those the powerlines that head off from the dam? could be a clue to where this will be on Great Bear...

 

[Stinky socks]

Well, the wires could be heading to the mainland. I doubt they were able to get all their power from that Carter dam.

[Leeanda]

Looking at the main map I would guess that the prison will be mid top of it! it's the only space left!

[Karl Grylls]

Think so too. The area above ML is the only free spot there, so i think we will get a new region where the prison is located. And when we remember that the truck was heading towards the prison in story mode; that fits the direction. Another sign is that the region is very mountainous and therefore would make it a perfect place for a prison. Maybe Raphaels screenshot shows part of these mountains.

[Mistral]

Yeah I think it will be right above Winding River (but not connected to it or ML) and the entry points will likely be the bus crash tunnel of MT (or the other upper road for continuity convenience) and the "Long Curve" of PV. I would actually prefer if it did not connect to PV as it would make circumventing the Western and Eastern portions of the island too convenient, but seems unavoidable. I suspect the map will also get the "for new players" status for the Survival mode given the amount of expected infrastructure. Well, "intermediate" at the very least but that should mean no Interloper starting location

Edited June 19, 2021 by Mistral

[Karl Grylls]

16 minutes ago, Mistral said:

I suspect the map will also get the "for new players" status for the Survival mode given the amount of expected infrastructure.

I think the only building will be the prison. Seems very large, but overall smaller than the dam.

I would love to find some camps from escaped convicts there btw

[Stinky socks]

I think it'll be epic scale type stuff, given how long it takes to finish these last two episodes. Really looking forward to stealth.

[Karl Grylls]

stealth? Oh please not, i hate that.

What do you mean by "scale type"?

[Stinky socks]

Well you can't escape prison by shooting your way out. They most likely have more and better weapons on hand, not to mention, more ammo! It makes sense, since prison is like the centre of the next episodes. Don't you like Sam Fisher? It's pure awesomeness to sneak around past the bad guys!

Epic-scale type stuff, I meant since all roads lead to perseverance, it will most likely be some big central city of the island. Big city means lots of people, a lot of survivors! Perhaps that place will have a lot of NPCs on screen and lots of structures! 

[Karl Grylls]

well, i forgot about perseverance mill. It's a larger city on the island, but i can't imagine that the prison is close to it. And like mountain town it can be relatively poor on ressources (in the houses)

[Stinky socks]

I think one episode will be about prison and the other about perseverance. Both likely have lots of people. We know that people were heading for the bigger city after sit hit the fan with the aurora, so perseverance is the likely destination for the hoard.

Prison is well...prison. likely lots of people because prisons are always stuffed up.

[Mistral]

1 hour ago, Karl Grylls said:

stealth? Oh please not, i hate that.

What do you mean by "scale type"?

Isn't there already loads of stealth in TLD thanks to wolf dodging o'plenty?

Anyway, RE: the big town, it really wouldn't make sense if it was next to the prison, as then it would also have to be almost next to Milton, which is what we are expecting here right. Now, I don't really know much about the lore as I've only played Episode 1 of the Story mode, and even that very half heartedly, but I think they still refer to Milton as the isolated little village in the middle of nowhere

Edited June 19, 2021 by Mistral

[Karl Grylls]

2 hours ago, Mistral said:

Isn't there already loads of stealth in TLD thanks to wolf dodging o'plenty?

I just take a big circles around any wolfs, mooses and bears. The places i really have to be stealthy are my least favourites in the game. Ash Canyon is not my favourite

Anyway, RE: the big town, it really wouldn't make sense if it was next to the prison, as then it would also have to be almost next to Milton, which is what we are expecting here right. Now, I don't really know much about the lore as I've only played Episode 1 of the Story mode, and even that very half heartedly, but I think they still refer to Milton as the isolated little village in the middle of nowhere

Think you are right with splitting the prison and perseverance mill into different maps/regions. Would the "big town" perseverance then be far in the north? Weird, because i expect big cities on an island/peninsula on the coastal side with a harbour

Edited June 19, 2021 by Karl Grylls

[Stinky socks]

This will be a great opportunity for 'hardcore survival-only' crowd to experience story mode😁👍

[Mistral]

55 minutes ago, Stinky socks said:

This will be a great opportunity for 'hardcore survival-only' crowd to experience story mode😁👍

Yes, I will play it. I probably won't understand or care what's going on plot wise since I didn't do EP2 & EP3, and don't plan to, but that's alright. I just want to get the feel for the place and be prepped for when it comes to Survival. The desire to play the thing would come too high anyway during the interval, with all the discussion here and also most of Lets Players jumping to it.

I'd imagine, if EP4 launches say September or October, they'd push the new region for the "traditional" December survival update before their holidays kick in. Or if there are delays with more COVID or there are launch / major bug issues or something else then to early spring '22. At the very latest April/May...

I know Raphael says "likely add" but what are really the chances of it not ever happening...

Edited June 19, 2021 by Mistral

[Mistral]

More from R:

This is only the second time we've been able to design a region specifically for Episode/Story gameplay -- the first was Milton in Episode One. We can adapt it for Survival but it'll take some work and we're focused on shipping the Episode for the time being.

I think the reasoning here will make more sense once you've been able to play the Episode. 

Also, LMG saying here below that the new project could be a separate co-op TLD, and that the engine would be Unreal but I have no idea where he is basing this theory on...

 

Edited June 20, 2021 by Mistral

[Stinky socks]

Video most likely for clicks..

[Leeanda]

I watch d that last night!  His streams are funny!

 

If you want to see shimmying watch episode 138 Spiderman! Nerve racking he can be!

[Stinky socks]

Oh I don't know,  is it on the other side of winding river next to the dam?