Getting all of the collectibles.

[Dogelsagod]

So I have an idea. My idea is to find all of the notes, computer documents, and trail markers in stalker mode. Any advice to complete this task?

[piddy3825]

you need to elaborate on what your trying to do.

are you playing the challenges or are you just trying to recreate those scenarios in your own stalker mode playthrough? 
are you counting cairns as well?  not exactly sure what you are referring to as trail markers.

[Dogelsagod]

I want to do in in survival mode and get the cairns.

[Kranium]

I did that, it's fun & takes a very long time. I eventually resorted to a map of the cairns posted somewhere online, in order to find the last few.

 

Be prepared to get a metric ton of sprains, however. A number of those cairns are only accessible by traversing long sprain-prone slopes. (kind of a crappy way to do things IMO)

[piddy3825]

@Dogelsagod, here's a list of how many is on each map.  You'll have to find them  yourself. 
Don't forget to check in caves and transition tunnels.   Be prepared to cover every square inch of each map as some are in some very remote locations and 
not necessarily easy to get to...

Broken Railroad 15
Coastal Highway 18
Crumbling Higway 5
Desolation Point 12
Forlorn Muskeg 17
Mystery Lake 21
Pleasant Valley 28
Raven's Ravine 10
TimberWolf Mountaing 19
Winding River 20
Total 165

If you are really motivated then you might wanna consider going for the cartogropher achievement.  Mapping will get you a badge, counting cairns will only get you
bragging rights!    I've counted cairn myself but have never completed the cartogropher quest/challenge.   If you decided to attempt it, be sure to collect charcoal whenever you can.  It'l' take a metric ton of coal to map all the island at this point!

Good luck and  god speed!

[twyn1]

3 hours ago, piddy3825 said:

@Dogelsagod, here's a list of how many is on each map.  You'll have to find them  yourself. 

...

If you are really motivated then you might wanna consider going for the cartogropher achievement. 

Thanks for those numbers!!

& Yeah -- many of the Cairns are in very difficult places to see/reach. Sprains going both up & down!! (Maybe crampons would help?)

 -- There's one in CH that I've literally gotten totally stuck trying to get to (more than once) and could not back out or turn to take a single step. I don't really like to "cheat" and quit out to the last save, but I did it in that situation (more than once 😳). --

I'm tempted to try Cartographer -- but realistically would do only if there was a Pilgrim option. My nerves couldn't take the constant tension, I had a hard enough time with Archivist.

Whatever you decide  -- Good luck, Dogelsagod!

[piddy3825]

28 minutes ago, twyn1 said:

Thanks for those numbers!!

& Yeah -- many of the Cairns are in very difficult places to see/reach. Sprains going both up & down!! (Maybe crampons would help?)

 -- There's one in CH that I've literally gotten totally stuck trying to get to (more than once) and could not back out or turn to take a single step. I don't really like to "cheat" and quit out to the last save, but I did it in that situation (more than once 😳). --

I'm tempted to try Cartographer -- but realistically would do only if there was a Pilgrim option. My nerves couldn't take the constant tension, I had a hard enough time with Archivist.

Whatever you decide  -- Good luck, Dogelsagod!

I'm sure crampons would help as they do give you that sure footing buff when you wear them. 
And of course you can get the Cartographer achievement in Pilgrim mode.  If the difficulty setting is the only thing keeping you from mapping the entire island,
then your wish has come true!  Considering how much ground a player has to offer in order to completely map the entire island, I could see why you would want to do so without being chased by wolves and bears.  And maybe a pissed off moose or two!   

If you wanna get some great feedback you should check out some of @ManicManiac's posts as he is argueably the resident export on getting that cartography award.
And if you want some lessons in wolf evasion tactics, then he is also your go to guy.  

I've never personally been able to complete that cartographer challenge, I get started but never seem to follow thru.   You would not believe how much charcoal you gotta carry and how often you gotta stop and map in order to just clear one map of all the black overlay. 
walk a few steps and sketch.  repeat over and over and over.   I admit, my AADD kicks in and I just drop all the charcoal and then I run for the nearest transition zone...

[Kranium]

I found the Cartographer challenge to be much easier than finding all the cairns. Mind you I basically did both at the same time, just that I got the cartographer as a side effect of looking for cairns. I'm a charcoal/map junkie. PS you reveal more map the higher up you are. Don't waste time/charcoal by using it at the bottom of a hill. Go to the top & do it there.

[peteloud]

4 hours ago, Kranium said:

I found the Cartographer challenge to be much easier than finding all the cairns. . . . .

Did you find them using a table of their locations or find them by exploring?

[twyn1]

10 hours ago, piddy3825 said:

And of course you can get the Cartographer achievement in Pilgrim mode.  If the difficulty setting is the only thing keeping you from mapping the entire island,
@ManicManiacthen your wish has come true!  Considering how much ground a player has to offer in order to completely map the entire island, I could see why you would want to do so without being chased by wolves and bears. 

Wow! I totally misunderstood this Achievement and for some reason thought it had to be done at Voyager level or above!! So I never really paid further attention to it, alltho' it sounded like something I would like to try.

Thanks for the info!! ☺️

[Dogelsagod]

Thank you everyone. Especially Piddy.

[Dogelsagod]

I will get back when I complete my mission. Wish me luck.

[Dogelsagod]

Also remember I’m going for the notes left behind and the computer documents. (I don’t remember what there called lol)

[Leeanda]

19 minutes ago, Dogelsagod said:

Also remember I’m going for the notes left behind and the computer documents. (I don’t remember what there called lol)

The notes are probably the easiest to get!  And the buffers aren't too bad as you can try the same computer several times in one night, the ones in the dam are obviously more awkward! 

[piddy3825]

3 hours ago, Dogelsagod said:

Also remember I’m going for the notes left behind and the computer documents. (I don’t remember what there called lol)

That's the archivist challenge, and although you can collect them all in a standard game, I do not believe there will be an award or acheievement unlocked unless you
play the acutal challenge game separately.  Good luck either way!

[hozz1235]

It makes sense to do all those tasks at once, but be prepared for a long playthrough!  I agree the cairns were the most challenging of those tasks.  I kept a spreadsheet of which ones I had found to help me track them.

Best of luck to you @Dogelsagod!

[Dogelsagod]

Thanks I will keep a spreadsheet like you said.

[Kranium]

On 2/27/2022 at 3:00 AM, peteloud said:

Did you find them using a table of their locations or find them by exploring?

The cairns? Most by exploring; eventually I found a map (it was on this site, IIRC) and I used that for the last handful. Those ones were mostly in areas where it took multiple sprains to get there.

 

I didn't need a map for the Cartographer one. IIRC the last one or two places I didn't get until later, due to glitches at the time. The rest was done without aiming for it, just while playing the game normally then going after the cairns. I always mapped very often, trying my best to open every map 100%. I'm kinda OCD with that.

[Leeanda]

It would be nice if they showed up on the map after you've  marked  them. 

[peteloud]

I have always wished that the red tag on a cairn turned blue after it had been discovered so that I knew that I had already found it if I came across it again.

[hozz1235]

1 hour ago, Leeanda said:

It would be nice if they showed up on the map after you've  marked  them. 

I don't know - if they did add this, I would like a filter to turn them on/off - they could really clutter it in some places.  There are also quite a few located in indoor caves.

Edited February 28, 2022 by hozz1235

[hozz1235]

1 hour ago, peteloud said:

I have always wished that the red tag on a cairn turned blue after it had been discovered so that I knew that I had already found it if I came across it again.

That would be nice.  Could always drop an item next to it to identify it (crossed sticks or something).

[Leeanda]

19 minutes ago, hozz1235 said:

I don't know - if they did add this, I would like a filter to turn them on/off - they could really clutter it in some places.  There are also quite a few located in indoor caves.

Just a small red dot or some such thing shouldn't cause too much of a problem really but yes it'd be better if optional.

[twyn1]

I decided to see how far I can get on Faithful Cartographer. Had finished all of TWM already, so I went back over to Ash Canyon & finished up the dozen or so I needed today.  Took a bit of back and forth, but I managed it!

I do not like those high, swaying bridges tho, not at all!! 🤢

Back at Mountaineer's Hut -- will rest a bit and gear up, then head down to PV tomorrow.

 

[RandomPlayer]

On 2/28/2022 at 12:04 PM, Dogelsagod said:

Thanks I will keep a spreadsheet like you said.

Spreadsheet does sound like a good idea, but then I just made tick marks on a sheet of paper 
as it was way easier to do while I was playing.  I think placing something by each cairn you find like @hozz1235 suggests
makes a lot of sense especially if you are truly exploring the area and not using a location guided map that reveals the resting place of each object.  
I kept re-discovering the same old cairns over and over.   My single biggest complaint about trying to count cairn, is the fact that the greater majority 
don't have any messages.  It really gets boring and laborious to find cairns only to get the old "The Story has been Written yet" message.  So lame...