A few suggestions

[lightbearer]

I'm new here. I'm on my seventh day and I've loved the game so far. My compliments to the developers!

Here is some feedback:

Probably all of these topics have already been discussed, but I'm going to discuss them again because I want to. In general I've tried to pick things I haven't seen the developers address in the forums. Then again, I've waded through maybe a 64th of the threads here, so I probably just missed it.

Anyways, here are my two cents on four random issues:

Foraging for wood should be dependent on location - The indoor-outdoor thing is good. What I'm talking about is when you forage cords of hardwood during a blizzard at midnight from the comfort of an ice fishing shelter in the middle of a frozen lake.

Craftable pants: I wasn't sure if I had just missed these until I saw the "Blue legs" thread. Just wanted to lend my voice to the cause in case the urgency of the situation had not been driven home for the devs. Please, for the sake of decency, give us some way to replace our broken jeans.

Meese - Moose if you stand by idiotic English conventions. Either way I really, really want them added. Kind of seems like a no-brainer.

Wolves - I realize that this is probably the most hotly debated topic on the forums, and I'm not trying to start another debate here or presuming to have anything new to add. Mostly I just want to add my voice to those calling for wolf packs. I think that would really add a lot to the game. I understand that wolves' current behavior is supposedly explained by the electromagnetic inconsistencies or whatever, but as it is their behavior seems less eerie and disturbing to me (as I assume it is meant to be) than simply distracting.

So here's my idea:

- 0-2 wolf packs of 4-9 wolves each per map. A few lone wolves would be fine as well.

- give them free range of the whole map. Wolves IRL have huge territorial ranges (50-1000 mi I understand) and I think the unpredictability would make wolves a more interesting part of the game.

- give them a hunger variable that determines when they hunt and what prey they are willing to take on.

- I think lone wolves should avoid all contact with the player during the day unless they are starving or rabid. And by that I mean stay out of sight, so the player only ever gets fleeting glimpses of wolves during the day. If the wolf is hungry it could follow the player all day mostly out of sight, and then attack at night. I think that would really add to the experience. It breaks my immersion to see wolves wandering aimlessly around in plain sight in the middle of the day. Wolf packs would be much bolder, but I still think they should be much more willing to attack at night than during the day.

- make them quieter. I understand that at some point before I purchased the game they were silent. That seems a bit harsh, but I think that in stalking mode they should be nearly silent, so that you have to be really listening to hear them; the players footsteps or any kind of wind should drown them out. Once they were actually going in for the kill they could give some kind of warning bark or howl.

- I have nothing to say on the struggle mechanic; it seems fine to me. It might have to be adapted a little if the developers actually implement wolf packs, but being attacked by the whole pack should mean certain death anyways, so I'm not sure it would matter.

I love wolves.

Thanks again to Hinterland for the great game!

[Denyo]

I'm new here. I'm on my seventh day and I've loved the game so far. My compliments to the developers!

Here is some feedback:

Probably all of these topics have already been discussed, but I'm going to discuss them again because I want to. In general I've tried to pick things I haven't seen the developers address in the forums. Then again, I've waded through maybe a 64th of the threads here, so I probably just missed it.

Anyways, here are my two cents on four random issues:

Foraging for wood should be dependent on location - The indoor-outdoor thing is good. What I'm talking about is when you forage cords of hardwood during a blizzard at midnight from the comfort of an ice fishing shelter in the middle of a frozen lake.

Craftable pants: I wasn't sure if I had just missed these until I saw the "Blue legs" thread. Just wanted to lend my voice to the cause in case the urgency of the situation had not been driven home for the devs. Please, for the sake of decency, give us some way to replace our broken jeans.

Meese - Moose if you stand by idiotic English conventions. Either way I really, really want them added. Kind of seems like a no-brainer.

Wolves - I realize that this is probably the most hotly debated topic on the forums, and I'm not trying to start another debate here or presuming to have anything new to add. Mostly I just want to add my voice to those calling for wolf packs. I think that would really add a lot to the game. I understand that wolves' current behavior is supposedly explained by the electromagnetic inconsistencies or whatever, but as it is their behavior seems less eerie and disturbing to me (as I assume it is meant to be) than simply distracting.

So here's my idea:

- 0-2 wolf packs of 4-9 wolves each per map. A few lone wolves would be fine as well.

- give them free range of the whole map. Wolves IRL have huge territorial ranges (50-1000 mi I understand) and I think the unpredictability would make wolves a more interesting part of the game.

- give them a hunger variable that determines when they hunt and what prey they are willing to take on.

- I think lone wolves should avoid all contact with the player during the day unless they are starving or rabid. And by that I mean stay out of sight, so the player only ever gets fleeting glimpses of wolves during the day. If the wolf is hungry it could follow the player all day mostly out of sight, and then attack at night. I think that would really add to the experience. It breaks my immersion to see wolves wandering aimlessly around in plain sight in the middle of the day. Wolf packs would be much bolder, but I still think they should be much more willing to attack at night than during the day.

- make them quieter. I understand that at some point before I purchased the game they were silent. That seems a bit harsh, but I think that in stalking mode they should be nearly silent, so that you have to be really listening to hear them; the players footsteps or any kind of wind should drown them out. Once they were actually going in for the kill they could give some kind of warning bark or howl.

- I have nothing to say on the struggle mechanic; it seems fine to me. It might have to be adapted a little if the developers actually implement wolf packs, but being attacked by the whole pack should mean certain death anyways, so I'm not sure it would matter.

I love wolves.

Thanks again to Hinterland for the great game!

There are already packs of two-three wolves in game.I medium difficulty more packs of 2 wolves,in stalker there are many packs of 3 wolves,sometimes even more packs can be in closer area( frozen sea in Coastal Highway map).And,if you get attacked by two wolves at same time,it is already instant death,even in medium mode.And now you are calling for pack of 9 wolves. In that case designers should realy improve wolves AI and make alpha wolf,who would lead the pack.And,as devs try to implement as much realistic AI into game,then you can be sure,that pack would behave like in real world.When any of wolves in a pack would sense you,he would alarm wholle pack and alpha wolf would lead pack into hunt after you.They would encircle you,so,no matter,how good player you are,there is no way to avoid certain death.

So,I don`t think that this will ever happen. Pack of 4 wolves most is acceptable,anything else would only make gamming more complicated and would realy turn it into"How long can you survive wolf attacks" game. Just imagine a pack of 9 wolves arround Train Loading Area in ML map, lol.You could end there only as dead meat every time you would come near to that area.

And,for your info...those lonely wolves,who you see,they don`t wander arround pointless,as it may seem to you.Wolves have their own teritory and they use to patrol within its range,searching for food and guarding it against possible intruders( in game only intruder are we )

[lightbearer]

There are already packs of two-three wolves in game.I medium difficulty more packs of 2 wolves,in stalker there are many packs of 3 wolves,sometimes even more packs can be in closer area( frozen sea in Coastal Highway map).And,if you get attacked by two wolves at same time,it is already instant death,even in medium mode.And now you are calling for pack of 9 wolves.

I know. You'll notice I'm asking for far fewer total wolves/wolf packs, I just think the game would be funner with bigger packs; it would be so much more scary to see seven pairs of gleaming eyes following you in the dark, or circled around your campfire. Also with my proposition you would be relatively safe during the day, so if you realized a wolf pack was after you you would simply have to find shelter before nightfall. The exceptions would be if the wolves were starving or rabid or if you were exhausted or injured, then they would be willing to attack you in daylight. Even at night you could keep them away by staying up to stoke your fire, but if you slept or your fatigue reached a certain point they would kill you. Granted it may take some balancing (e.g. the ability to run faster, throw embers, climb trees).

In that case designers should realy improve wolves AI and make alpha wolf,who would lead the pack.

I have absolutely no experience with game development, but I'm not sure it needs to be this complex. I was thinking the pack could function as a unit or at least have the same sphere of awareness and target the same prey. As for certain death see above on daylight encounters.

So,I don`t think that this will ever happen.

I can dream! But seriously, I hope the developers do consider this option. I really think it would add a lot.

And,for your info...those lonely wolves,who you see,they don`t wander arround pointless,as it may seem to you.

I know. The problem is it appears to me that they do and I find that really distracting from an otherwise beautiful, immersive experience. They frequent predictable locations, so I know where I can find wolves and where I will be safe and they hunt mindlessly; I've seen a single wolf take down three deer in a day. I think opening up the whole map (like I said IRL wolves have much larger territories) and giving them more purposeful looking movement and hunting patterns would help.

Also, can the player leave a blood-trail when injured that wolves will follow? Please?

[lightbearer]

One more note before I shut up.

I guess the main thing I want isn't bigger packs, but smarter hunting, in particular, more interesting interaction with the player.

Right now wolves play a pacing sentry type role. They force the player to time sprints across guarded territory, evaluate the risks of investigating certain areas, take long detours, and in general they make navigation more difficult and time consuming. In this way they are essentially a geographical feature: a dynamic feature albeit, but still predictable.

I would like to see the paradigm shift. I'd like wolves to be a more active challenge, so they have a role a little bit more like a blizzard: unpredictable and in some ways unavoidable, but survivable. They would provide a challenge to the player while adding depth and excitement to the game rather than increasing the difficulty of the game by simply slowing you down (foresighted detours, running away, thwarted exploration, unforeseen dying etc.).

I think that the system of hunting I suggested in my first post (wolves will follow you, but not attack until its dark w/no fire, or you are exhausted) combined with the implementation of human blood trails would make for a more emotionally immersive experience, at least with respect to wolves.

I want that feeling of sinking dread as I see the scarlet drops blooming in the snow behind me, and then again when I notice a dark shape in my peripherals an hour later... matching my pace.

I want the rush of adrenaline as I sprint for home, wind in my face, followed by five loping shadows under a cold, lonely moon.

I want to feel the triumph of surviving the night surrounded by wolves with just a few dying embers for defense, having exhausted the last stores of my fuel, only to die of burns, hypothermia and exhaustion at dawn.

Wolves are beautiful creatures and have potential to be a beautiful part of this beautiful game. As it stands, they just aren't very wolfish. That is the only way this game has disappointed me.

Please excuse me for waxing (not so) eloquent. I love wolves.