NPC's

[ShawnWithaT]

It would be nice to have a a NPC to trade with, talk with, or even hunt with. These NPC's would have trust and you get trust with them via quests and other stuff they an have you do. LIke at some point they might even trade a rifle for a quest. NPC's however take damage from wolves, fall damage, bears, moose, etc. It would make the long dark seem less sad as it is now. 

[SpanishMoss]

The entire point of The Long Dark is BEING alone, by adding NPCs you would be taking away from that feeling of having to rely on yourself and only yourself. 

[Sito]

Yeah no NPCs please. Maybe Hinterland could do something with the end of Episode 5 that lets you stay in story mode and talk with Grey Mom or whatever. But please no pets or NPCs in survival mode. Just let me die alone and hopeless.

[Sammida]

Really want the idea of NPCs, pets et cetera to be universally negated. It would ruin TLD's entire atmosphere.

[manolitode]

I like the solitude of survival but wouldn't mind if the community got to try out an NPC interaction setup in a challenge mode. There is plenty of opportunity to create intriguing quest stories in the long dark world outside the storyline. Not as in a whole football team of NPCs but rather aiding one passive NPC in need. There is room for appealing short stories, why not try it?

[ajb1978]

The aspirational road map (back when it existed) did list survival mode NPCs as well as a barter system, among many other things. Frankly I think that could be a good way to acquire otherwise nonrenewable resources. Merge the two, and have it operate like the wounded Forest Talker in Episode 2. You never actually see the guy face to face, but you can barter supplies. Like I'll trade you a small vial of gunpowder (enough for 10 bullets) in exchange for 20000 calories worth of any kind of food. Just leave it in the bin outside, and 24 hours later the meat is gone and your rifle ammo is there instead.  Or I'll trade you a brand new unused firestriker in exchange for 200 hours worth of fuel.

Once you get settled, the game becomes fairly routine anyway, and something like this could provide additional late-game activities, especially on Interloper. Like if this hypothetical barter NPC is willing to trade you a near-ruined Expedition Parka in exchange for 100 hours of fuel, that would certainly motivate me to nab sticks and coal moreso than usual.

[Stinky socks]

I want to track and hunt them!! Hehehe, Molly left a lasting positive impression on stinky!

[manolitode]

3 hours ago, ajb1978 said:

 Like I'll trade you a small vial of gunpowder (enough for 10 bullets) in exchange for 20000 calories worth of any kind of food. Just leave it in the bin outside, and 24 hours later the meat is gone and your rifle ammo is there instead.  Or I'll trade you a brand new unused firestriker in exchange for 200 hours worth of fuel.

I like this idea as it could reward you for hoarding. The 20 spray cans, 10 simple toolboxes etc that just lay around in your storage by the end of the game become useful as trading material. Even better if the NPC is very much into cat tail heads

Edited May 27, 2021 by manolitode

[Pyroxene]

I also suggested NPC's in an earlier post, but the idea was quickly frowned upon. Basically it is because the players will cheat and find bugs in the trade systems. So it could potentially ruin the survival experience.