December Developer Diary

[Levelgrinder]

With Blackrock Region now added to Survival Mode, and it connects to Pleasant Valley via a Transition zone.

So, where is the entrance to this Transition Zone in PL?

[odizzido]

30 minutes ago, Serenity said:

I'd really be interested in higher resolution textures. This doesn't have to be some super high-res 4K texture pack that updates literally everything. But even by current standards some of the textures are pretty poor. Like wall or furniture textures when you stand directly next to them. I think some things can be improved without sacrificing the watercolor graphics style there.

Another really bad texture I noticed is the shadows. It's especially noticeable with power line shadows. I played around with ReShade and forced Anti-Aliasing. It's a great improvement, but I eventually concluded that the low resolution shadow texture is probably the main problem.

The other thing is draw distance. This will always be an issue in large open maps, but even at pretty close distances there is tons of object pop-in with things like grass, carcasses, camp fires and items on the ground.

Lighting would be my number one thing. Having a fire going and lighting up the little area in front of the stove but having everything else out of that little spot be pitch black is not something I like and it's extremely noticeable in a not great way.

[Admin]

1 hour ago, Serenity said:

I'd really be interested in higher resolution textures. This doesn't have to be some super high-res 4K texture pack that updates literally everything. But even by current standards some of the textures are pretty poor. Like wall or furniture textures when you stand directly next to them. I think some things can be improved without sacrificing the watercolor graphics style there.

Another really bad texture I noticed is the shadows. It's especially noticeable with power line shadows. I played around with ReShade and forced Anti-Aliasing. It's a great improvement, but I eventually concluded that the low resolution shadow texture is probably the main problem.

The other thing is draw distance. This will always be an issue in large open maps, but even at pretty close distances there is tons of object pop-in with things like grass, carcasses, camp fires and items on the ground.

Thanks for posting. Can you confirm your settings and what you're playing on? It could be that there are ways to improve this now, and we'd be happy to look into it further. We appreciate any additional info you can provide. 

[Admin]

Thank you for the comments and kind words. We'll share more information about these important updates in the new year and look forward to continuing the conversation then.

In the meantime, thank you for your feedback and interest -- and Happy Holidays!

[Serenity]

1 hour ago, Admin said:

Thanks for posting. Can you confirm your settings and what you're playing on? 

PC, maximum settings. I figured that's just how the game is. It's aesthetically very pretty (especially the use of color), but on a purely technical level some of the graphics are just not that good. Usually that's fine, but it sticks out when you focus on certain details.

I tried to take a screenshot, but it's really only noticeable in video. There is this weird flickering / movement along the edges of all shadows. I originally thought this was related to the game not having AA settings, but while forcing AA improves this, it's still always there.

[fauxjargon]

I bought this game for 17  Canadian dollars in 2014.  It kind of sucked back then, but the art direction was neat.  I almost returned it, but accidentally played a bit over the two hour Steam return window.  Blame the nice art direction.   The update that made The Long Dark work for me was the one where cooking was changed from a menu action to an in-game action.  Since then, I have put an incredible number of hours into Survival mode.  I'll re-iterate what someone else said: SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY.

Yes, I am in the tiny minority of TLD players who uses this forum and has over 1000 hours into the game.  Listening to people like me is generally a bad idea, because even if everyone like me paid AAA game prices for TLD, there aren't enough like me to keep the lights on at Hinterland.  But if you go on the subreddit for The Long Dark, the general theme is "SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY".

We know from the low Steam Achievement rates associated with new content that most people who have bought The Long Dark no longer play.  For instance, I think only 3% or so of Steam owners finished Episode 3.   However, I think there are a lot of us out there in the SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY camp.  I'd love to see the playable parts of Great Bear Island grow to 100 km^2 and beyond, and I'd love to see more "story" in Survival mode - more notes and stuff to find, and maybe even a few NPCs, especially in places like Perseverance Mills when we get there.  We know now, with one Episode left, that Story mode won't take us everywhere in Great Bear island - but that doesn't mean there can't be DLCs that take us through Ash Canyon or Bleak Inlet.

I would love to be able to pay $15 or $20 every six months for a new region, with an occasional trickle of new items, maybe a new predator animal or something like a black powder rifle as an endgame item in Interloper.  Even if there's nothing "new" added, even more clothing items would add some flavor to the game.  I'm clearly in the minority here, but if there was an update that, for instance, added Mountain Lions (and craftable Mountain Lion Fur Thermal Underwear) to the game, I'd pay $60 for it in a heartbeat.  SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY.

I'm a software developer with a well-justified suspicion of the game industry - I have close friends who work at major game companies - and they make me very glad I work on "boring" industrial stuff - but I would love to work on The Long Dark.  Of course, I barely know how to use Unity and have no relevant experience, but if Hinterland SHUTTING UP AND TAKING MY MONEY helps others live the dream, I'll be happy.


The only thing about TLD that I hate is that your ignition source when starting a fire doesn't auto-choose a lit torch or flare if you have one, or the mag lens if you have it and it's sunny.  Fix that please.  I'd buy a $10 DLC that just fixes that.  FIX IT AND TAKE MY MONEY.

 

[Levelgrinder]

3 hours ago, Levelgrinder said:

With Blackrock Region now added to Survival Mode, and it connects to Pleasant Valley via a Transition zone.

So, where is the entrance to this Transition Zone in PL?

NVM, found it. Its at the end of "The Long Curve" in PL

[Nervous Pete]

Improving the graphics will be a delicate affair. The Long Dark has an almost perfect art-style, one where despite the water-colour nature of it I feel really there. New lighting effects will be interesting to see, but I really appreciate TLD's 'less is more' slightly abstracted texturing and item shapes. Sometimes the closer you try to get to something the further away you end up. But I trust you to get it right, after all I really disliked it when you redid all the rock textures from the original flat grey, and now I can't imagine it being anything else!

Regarding unlocking the noise-maker by discovering it, it sort of makes sense to me. It would never occur to me to make such a thing out there in the wilderness unless I found an example of it myself laying around. Even then I'd probably need Jeeves the Butler to patiently explain the meaning and construction of it, with the aid of diagrams. So for my head-cannon stumbling across one and going, "Oh, I get what this is!" makes sense from a crafting and character viewpoint.  

[Mike23]

It appears the ballistic vest in my world didn't spawn, using a new world. Checked the top of the ammo workbench after unlocking the door and pretty much every other major location and didn't see it anywhere. I'm pretty sure it was supposed to spawn on the top of the ammo workbench like it was shown in the trailer, and since the other new items of the past were also shown in their respective locations in the video trailer I'm guessing it's a bug that it didn't show up.

[PiterZ]

18 hours ago, Sherri said:

This is absolutely fantastic. Lots of great info and things to look forward to.

Really curious how modding goes for the game in the future, and also hoping that paid Survival updates include more regions. I wonder if splitting the game will also make things much easier for Story Mode to be 'complete' after Episode 5, and then basically left as-is, and then resources can be poured into the Survival game and paid updates. Sounds like a flexible approach.

You guys do a great job, and TLD just keeps getting better. Thank you for all the work put into the game this year - Episode 4 was awesome - and thank you for sticking to your commitments even through a tough pandemic, and for continuing to give players more fresh content and great plans in the future.

Happy Holidays to the team - enjoy your time off!

PS- in the interest of supporting the game - if you ever reopen the Swag store, I'll be making some purchases!

I don't know what else to add to all these statements. All I can do is join the words 👏🌡🤗❤

[Bimbobjoejr.]

I'm going to be honest, I thought a ballistic vest would be one of the last things they would add. But considering the new update and the region specifically, it kind of makes sense. Personally I would've liked to yoink one of those lanterns off the steam tunnel walls. Can't wait to explore the new region though!

[Leeanda]

6 hours ago, Mike23 said:

It appears the ballistic vest in my world didn't spawn, using a new world. Checked the top of the ammo workbench after unlocking the door and pretty much every other major location and didn't see it anywhere. I'm pretty sure it was supposed to spawn on the top of the ammo workbench like it was shown in the trailer, and since the other new items of the past were also shown in their respective locations in the video trailer I'm guessing it's a bug that it didn't show up.

I found the vest in the prison cell area next to a corpse

[Karl Grylls]

16 hours ago, Admin said:

Thanks for posting. Can you confirm your settings and what you're playing on? It could be that there are ways to improve this now, and we'd be happy to look into it further. We appreciate any additional info you can provide. 

I find the textures in the ice caves, and the backside of the dam and from the ice pretty poor. Some trees also. But i'll have to check again because last time i checked was some patches ago

[Gun Tech.]

It's a bit late to invent magic "blueprints". I would be OK with it if it was required for all craftable items, but not for a single one. I would be even more OK with it if we didn't have to go to a corner of a big world before we could craft item X. It takes 150 IRL hours to go all over the world on the higher difficulties. It's asking way too much.

[bad94]

I WILL PAY ANYTHING FOR SURVIVAL MODE UPDATES!!!! TAKE MY $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[Levelgrinder]

Does anyone know where exactly the ammo workbench is in Blackrock? I can't seem to find it anywhere.

[Guest jeffpeng]

On 12/7/2021 at 10:52 PM, RegentRelic said:

I'm a bit confused as to why noise makers aren't craft able from the start

I've thought about that, and then kinda found wisdom in this decision. There are somewhat efficient countermeasures against timberwolves (marine flares) but they are neither sustainable nor replenishable. So you have some ways to deal with them, but only for a limited amount of time. If you invest these resources so you can get access to the noisemakers (which can be done with minimal exposure to timberwolves if you know how), then you have managed to get a hold of a more sustainable way to effectively deter them. All in all - good design choice: Present a problem, offer a solution, encourage to work towards achieving it.

As to the general article: I wholeheartedly welcome this soft-announcements of DLCs. I very much have a deepened interest that Hinterland continues to flourish, and I guess most of the established player base will be more than willing to contribute to this. I see how this is not an easy feat to accomplish, but a few concerns regarding this have alleviated themselves over time, like that more regions will make more resources accessible, hence giving DLC owners inherent advantages. At this point I feel the game world is so big that this hardly makes any impact, if any. You will really have to stretch into the 1000+ days to find yourself running out of (most) resources, even on Interloper. So, please: DLC away. I'll submit my bank details via mail, just bill me 😅

About modding: if there is an official mod API with somewhat decent documentation I will gladly chime in. I haven't been doing mods for Minecraft since 2018, and I would like me some good old customization, maybe finally implementing some of the changes I would think would improve TLD and see how they actually play out in the wild. If, however, there is any way you could NOT use Lua for mods I would highly appreciate that. I'm fine with literally anything else. (I know everyone else in the modding community would disagree with me on that ^^).

Anyways .... good reading things are moving forward.

[hozz1235]

Some great information there and very exciting to read!  Thanks for taking the time to explain this and your transparency, @Raphael van Lierop.

[Sherri]

On 12/7/2021 at 11:07 PM, fauxjargon said:

We know from the low Steam Achievement rates associated with new content that most people who have bought The Long Dark no longer play.  For instance, I think only 3% or so of Steam owners finished Episode 3.

I'd be curious how much of this is affected by the high number of Wintermute players who have vowed not to continue it until all chapters are released so they can do it all in one go?

I also have many many hours in TLD & I bought it on sale .... I've received an embarrassingly high value for money from this game & I'd be happy to buy some DLC.

[DrWho42]

i saw atheenon stream the new content!

[friedmandesigns]

Awesome to see and read, Hinterland.  Thank you for the magic and art of this creation...please keep on. ☻♥

[stratvox]

22 hours ago, jeffpeng said:

If, however, there is any way you could NOT use Lua for mods I would highly appreciate that.

sh or gtfo

/me flees....

[Guest jeffpeng]

Just now, stratvox said:

sh or gtfo

/me flees....

I'd personally be fine with even that HOWEVER I don't see who you could retool Unix command line tools to work with an API - but I'm up for that challenge! Just no freaking Lua.

[stratvox]

3 hours ago, jeffpeng said:

I'd personally be fine with even that HOWEVER I don't see who you could retool Unix command line tools to work with an API - but I'm up for that challenge! Just no freaking Lua.

Well, if you can convert the structures into text and back again into C# objects you could... something like JSON would probably do it.

[Guest jeffpeng]

5 hours ago, stratvox said:

Well, if you can convert the structures into text and back again into C# objects you could... something like JSON would probably do it.

C# has a JSON serializer. True. You can pretty much implement for any class how an instance of it should be represented in JSON or how JSON should be interpreted to create an instance from it. Sigh. I guess it's on, then.