Why all the HRV hate?

[straffin]

I just finished out Faithful Cartographer in Hushed River Valley and, I gotta say, I loved that map. Granted, I was on Stalker and carrying a bearskin bedroll, crampons, and more ammo than most rural police departments, but still. Regular caves, plentiful combustibles (COAL is EVERYWHERE!), and *interesting* terrain (unlike some places..*cough* pleasant valley *cough*). Reading around, though, everyone seems to hate the place. For a change, rather than checking out the maps, I went into HRV blind and found it to be a lot of fun. Stuck to the leftmost side as I entered and looked for caves along the perimeter. Ended up with "bases" established all around the place and easily migrated from base to base for days at a time. The *only* problem I had was getting surprised by a bear, and even then, I got away fast enough but decided to take a few shots at it anyway. Ended up getting mauled by a fatally wounded bear, but I skinned and ate him later, so there. 😛 Other maps get rather tedious, but I found HRV (and Ash Canyon and Timberwolf Mountain) to be a lot of fun. 😄

What say you?

[Stinky socks]

What say I? Everyone thinks HRV is fascinating! What's all hate with pleasant valley?

[manolitode]

HRV is in the top three favorites maps for me, yet it is a difficult map. Most ice caves entrances are well concealed and til you find them your payoff is limited to (mostly) cattails and reishi. Even when you've become familiar with the map's safe spots it may still be hard to navigate for a while, especially around the center of the map where its different areas conjoin. It's hilly so you're very vulnerable to predators, especially the bear patroling the left side mountain range. I guess these are some obstacles that would breed discontent. Still, I see a lot of love for HRV here on the forum. For its beauty, varying landscape, ingenious map design with all its hidden gems and the overall challenge.

[straffin]

14 hours ago, Stinky socks said:

Everyone thinks HRV is fascinating!

Perhaps everyone *here*. 🙂 All of my searching that ended up at Steam or reddit found plenty of vitriol. My searches never ended up here, so missed any Hushed love letters you may have posted. 😄 

[Stinky socks]

That is correct😁hinterlandforum is a little different, I oftentimes don't feel like I fit in with my trigger happy fingers and constant need for gps dot.

[hozz1235]

I also really enjoy HRV for all the reasons mentioned (varied terrain, connecting (worm hole ;)) ice caves that let you safely travel around the map, caches, etc.)

[Gracia_WolfSlayer]

Hushed River Valley is really immersive to me, and one of my favorites because of it. The wacky terrain and lack of man made structures can make you get lost even if you know the area. Good times in HRV.

[hozz1235]

I think the circled area took the longest for me to navigate without getting turned around!

[AdamvR]

I do love HRV, especially for its total nomadic feel, and the great labyrinth with the caves as shortcuts between the various sections.
btw - SPOILER ALERT:
there is someone in one of those tunnels, and in one case I shot it, but not fatally. I was walking back and forth twice the whole section, without luck finding the carcass. Once I exited on the upper end, I found a recently dead one nearby, which I do not think to have injured myself. Is it possible it can climb in and out? There is a part of the cave, that is partially collapsed, I cannot pass through, but size-wise, someone shorter could... Has anyone else experienced it?

Edited August 23, 2021 by AdamvR

[FluffyComeHome]

I don't hate HRV but I do like TWM and DP much more! TWM has all the weather and wildlife challenges, along with plenty of hunting. Cloth is not abundant but close enough. Desolation Point is just pretty. The waves lapping at the shore, the sound of the loons, and that amazing sunset; just makes me want to stay.

The only thing I don't really like about HRV has nothing to do with the map, its me.

I...um...well, I just keep getting lost. LoL!

[AdamvR]

i agree, it can be a "bit intimidating" until you learn your way around in it. Especially the middle plateau with the most wolves and the area east (?) of the riverbed can be challenging with many similar bumps and corners... (and both of the big furry "landlords" as well to keep you on your toes - or surprise your idyllic evening by the fire;-) I really love the monolith lake area, and also the deep canyon with the moose. but my favorite cave is the one near the little rope-climb from the riverbed.
Also I recently found a little peak somewhere above the middle plateau, from where you can see the deep canyon and almost the whole map. I spent some time there one night (with a huge bonfire) just to enjoy the aurora all around. weird a game can create such memories...;-)

Edited August 24, 2021 by AdamvR
typo

[FluffyComeHome]

@AdamvR Okay, now you have inspired me to give that map a little more time. TY!

[Leeanda]

On 8/17/2021 at 4:20 AM, Stinky socks said:

What say I? Everyone thinks HRV is fascinating! What's all hate with pleasant valley?

Not everyone! I haven't been in hrv on my last 4 runs! I do however love pleasant valley it's where I spend the majority of my time!

[Pyroxene]

What about Forlorn Muskeg? My first hard region.

[Leeanda]

9 minutes ago, Pyroxene said:

What about Forlorn Muskeg? My first hard region.

Trouble is with forlorn there is very little to do there! It can be fully explored in one day depending on weather of course!

[Pyroxene]

5 minutes ago, Leeanda said:

Trouble is with forlorn there is very little to do there! It can be fully explored in one day depending on weather of course!

Yes but with the Bleak Inlet update it is a nice place to craft moose satchels!

[Serenity]

9 minutes ago, Leeanda said:

Trouble is with forlorn there is very little to do there! It can be fully explored in one day depending on weather of course!

I'm watching a YouTube series where someone spent a month at Spence's Farmstead and literally kept a fire going for the entire time. It was really interesting and with that goal in mind time passed pretty fast. Another goal you can set yourself is to actually harvest natural resources like cat tails, mushrooms, saplings and rose hips instead of just walking by most areas one time.

And some other regions like Mystery Lake don't really have more to do either. But somehow certain people seem to be fine with sitting at Trapper's Homestead and snaring rabbits for 500 days, but maps like HRV and AC are supposedly bad because "there is nothing there". Now BR on the other hand - that is truly a tiny map

Edited September 8, 2021 by Serenity

[Leeanda]

16 minutes ago, Serenity said:

I'm watching a YouTube series where someone spent a month at Spence's Farmstead and literally kept a fire going for the entire time. It was really interesting and with that goal in mind time passed pretty fast. Another goal you can set yourself is to actually harvest natural resources like cat tails, mushrooms, saplings and rose hips instead of just walking by most areas one time.

And some other regions like Mystery Lake don't really have more to do either. But somehow certain people seem to be fine with sitting at Trapper's Homestead and snaring rabbits for 500 days, but maps like HRV and AC are supposedly bad because "there is nothing there". Now BR on the other hand - that is truly a tiny map

Yes I know which video you mean! LMG cos I watch his vids too! And normally find them entertaining! To be honest I found it started to get boring after a while. It was literally just looking for wood for most of it! 

I don't really spend any time in ml either but did early on! And I do like ash canyon and timberwolf  both for terrain and the exploration side!  I just can't bring myself to spend any time in hrv though!  I actually quite like broken railroad too but only for a certain amount of time!

But it would be a boring world if everyone liked everything the same!

[hozz1235]

On 9/8/2021 at 7:07 AM, Leeanda said:

Trouble is with forlorn there is very little to do there! It can be fully explored in one day depending on weather of course!

Including all the "swamp land"?  That was probably the last area I FULLY explored on my longest run.  Cut down every single scrub-brush

[hozz1235]

On 9/8/2021 at 7:42 AM, Leeanda said:

I just can't bring myself to spend any time in hrv though!

May I ask why?

[Leeanda]

1 hour ago, hozz1235 said:

May I ask why?

To be honest not 100% sure! 🙂 I just thing 'bleurgh can't be bothered'! Even after going everywhere else and trying to find something to do. I normally just go hunt moose or bear instead! 

Strangely enough I did go in there this morning but only long enough to get to a high cliff so I could throw Astrid off  the top! And I only chose there cos it was near to me at the time! Beautiful view to see before going Splat though😀

Edited September 9, 2021 by Leeanda

[Leeanda]

30 minutes ago, hozz1235 said:

Including all the "swamp land"?  That was probably the last area I FULLY explored on my longest run.  Cut down every single scrub-brush

Well what I mean by fully explored is ground cover not picking up and harvesting everything!  Doing that would obviously take quite a while!

Edited September 9, 2021 by Leeanda

[Pencil]

If you know what you are doing, HRV is actually incredibly easy. Maybe a bit too easy. Everywhere you look there are resources you can use. Tons of sticks, mushrooms and rose hips everywhere, tons of cattails... and just about every container has something inside (but there aren't very many containers). As long as you can get some matches, you can live in HRV for a really long time. 

Forlorn Muskeg was the one map when I first started playing (before HRV was added) where I would spawn and be like "Ok no, I'm not doing this." I'd usually just start another run and hope for a different spawn. Now, my only problem with that place is the weather. Getting stuck in a blizzard in that place is terrible (unless you are on the train tracks). You can avoid the wolves there pretty easily as well, since you can see them long before you get to them most of the time. Lots of cattails there. 

Favorite region is probably good old Mystery Lake. It's warm, not too many buildings, but still really easy. It's where I take my Interloper runs usually. I used to like CH until my best Interloper ended there to a wolf... I sat there shocked for so long. 

[Stinky socks]

Yeah, I love mystery lake!! Trapper cabin is maximum bomb! You have everything you need, you got stove(2x), work bench and a bed, all in uber close proximity! And deer and rabbits outside! So uber awesome! 

I think I want to go to mystery lake. Don't even remember where I left off.

Well, there's also that lodge, but I feel that it's just too big and it's a bit messy inside. Although, it's even better than trappers in some way because you have fishing! So much food and lamp pil!

But then again, coastal highway is also super awesome I guess. So much open space!

[Leeanda]

15 hours ago, hozz1235 said:

May I ask why?

Must also add that I've mentioned before that it feels very claustrophobic to me. Odd considering in RL I have agoraphobia!🤔