suggestion A scout drone.

[Pablo_Loko]

I'm sorry for my English, it's not my native language.

It would be great if a mechanic appeared in the game that allows the player to fully open the location map using a quadcopter!!! Animation of lifting up to inspect the entire location from a height is an ideal option! You can do with the mechanics of using coal from a campfire with a soundtrack.

In the story mode, Jeremy the beastman can tell the main character about his location. Let's say the forest brothers monitored the movements of the employees of the hydroelectric power station and organized their actions in their absence. Hints about his whereabouts can be left in the notes of the hiding places of the forest brothers. Or the prison guards used them to search for escaped prisoners. In the third episode, Father Thomas will tell the main character about this. A group of geologists was working in the valley, exploring the area from a radio tower.

You can make a challenge out of this mechanics. The player is given the task to find parts of the drone around the world and assemble it -  the body, the propellers, the engine, the motherboard, the battery, the control panel and the battery to it. In the second part of the test, you need to reach a certain point in each location and launch the drone. After opening the map of the whole world, the task will be completed. The player will receive the "cartographer" feat icon - coal from the fire will draw a radius greater by 100%.

In survival mode, a lost and broken drone can be located in any location. We find and repair it on the workbench with the help of tools. Limit the number of drone launches and its capabilities, depending on the level of difficulty with the help of batteries. Alternatively, use existing car batteries. At the most difficult level, the player can only find 3 batteries, and the drone can only draw terrain. At a simple level of difficulty, the number of batteries found is unlimited, and the drone can draw key points on the map, transitions to other locations and small objects (carcasses, firewood, plants). Using the car's batteries will give the player a choice - open the map or make more bullets.

A question for everyone, developers and players. What do you think about it?

Edited March 30, 2022 by Pablo_Loko

[Dogelsagod]

U realize that no tech not even lights work in the long dark. Are you new to the game?

[Pablo_Loko]

I discovered this game four or five years ago. I understand perfectly well that cars don't drive, and computers and a flashlight only work during the glow. But these things work! Why not give the player the opportunity to recharge the battery from bare wires or sockets?

[manolitode]

It's always refreshing to see unusual and creative suggestions here You've clearly thought through how a mapping drone could work in a game, but I don't think The Long Dark is the right game for this implementation. Mapping becomes easy and as suggested above it goes against the very premise of the game to use electrical machines or tools. Sure, you could fly during aurora but I doubt that our drone would have nightvision.

Edited March 30, 2022 by manolitode

[SpanishMoss]

The entire point of the game is the lack of technology to help you, unfortunately, your idea goes against the entire idea of the game. In addition, you mention a "mechanic" who would provide you with the drone, but there aren't any npcs in survival mode, so that wouldn't work either

[Kranium]

Just make a kite that holds a mirror then look at the mirror through binoculars.

 

Easy.

 

😏

[Pablo_Loko]

And who said he wouldn't have night vision?😉 Such exist in the real world! Drawing a map will be simple only on simple difficulties. For beginners of the game, this will be a good way to explore the world. A lot of beginners do not immerse themselves in the game with the help of internal mechanics, but search for maps on the Internet. The mechanics I have proposed will allow you to immerse yourself more fully in the game, without hints. And at more difficult levels, launches will be limited and only the terrain will open. You'll still have to use charcoal from the campfire to draw the map more accurately.

[Pablo_Loko]

Easy - unlimited launches, the drone draws terrain, transitions to other locations, key points, climbing stones, small objects (carcasses, plants, firewood)
Normal - 7 launches, the drone draws terrain, transitions to other locations, key points, climbing stones.
Hard - 5 launches, the drone draws terrain and key points (only large buildings)
Very Hard - 3 launches, the drone draws only the terrain.

[Dogelsagod]

I guess this would work but I still don’t think that the devs will add it. It’s also not called the glow it’s called the Aurora.

[SpanishMoss]

(Be nice, english is not his/her first language, and he/she might be using a translator 

[Pablo_Loko]

Thank you for understanding! And thank you for pointing out my speech mistakes. I will correct it if possible.

[Dogelsagod]

Oh sorry I didn’t know I didn’t mean to be mean. I’m not trying to. Im not the best with words. Please forgive me.

[Pablo_Loko]

Everything is OK! Constructive criticism is an incentive to self-development.

[Razum]

I pretty much like the idea, but I agree with everything said against it. The way, electronics work in the game don't really allow to launch a drone. During aurora electricity comes back, but kinda uncontrolled. Lamps flicker, cables have high voltage. Computers kinda work but I guess, they only read something from memory statically and don't really function. Or in other context: Hinterland made them work this far to tell something interesting. So having a drone would not really make sense, as it would stretch these rules in a way that's not comparable with anything else. Technically, the drone would just randomly spin it's wings and blink with its lights, but not be able to fly controlled in any way. Due to aurora, wireless communication would be heavily distorted, so it would have to fly autonomously. In addition as mentioned, it would need to be able to see during night. Finding such a drone would and being able to do something useful would be so damn much luck - not really your survival scenario.

During the day, it's pretty difficult to say, how it should be handled. Handheld lights don't work, but in story mode, radio stations do. So it could maybe be possible. Since radio is only something for story mode, I wouldn't dislike a drone in story mode, like you explained. But rather for another purpose (like transporting something anywhere).

For survival mode in the end, it's only use would be to bypass mapping by oneself. I understand the argument, that users just google the maps, but implementing such a feature would legitimize such play style. It would then be part of the game and convey, that Hinterland wants the game to be played that way. It also means obviously, that the cartographer achievement would'nt be a challenge anymore.

Ultimately, TLD is a singleplayer game and everybody should be able to play like he wants to. Maybe this idea is something for a mod, so everyone can decide to use it.

[Pablo_Loko]

It is precisely because of these cataclysms that the drone has its limited capabilities. He can only fly up for a short period of time and take just one picture. Due to the battery damaged by Aurora, it quickly loses charge and makes an emergency landing. Everyone understands that a 100% working drone can perform many more different actions! In survival mode, he will be the only ONE on the world map. The drone can be in 100-200 different places or more. Finding him will be a huge success! The player will use up a lot of kilograms of coal before it gets into his hands!

[Pablo_Loko]

Oh, yes, computers! I have been doing this business for more than 15 years, assembling new ones and repairing them. Accordingly, I am well versed in this. During the Aurora, we see some texts on the monitor screen. Let's assume that this is an open mail in the browser. It follows that the operating system has booted up, which means that the hard disk, motherboard, processor, RAM and power supply of the computer are in order. The fans are also working, otherwise the processor would overheat and the computer would not turn on. Laptop batteries are fine too, otherwise they wouldn't have turned on. It looks very likely that this is a problem with the video card or with the power supply or the LED backlight of the monitor. That is, practically the system unit is in working condition by 80-90%. The device of the drone is slightly different from the system unit, but the basic principle of operation is the same. The main thing is that the operating system, the main electronic components (camera, processor) and mechanical parts (propellers, engine) also worked for him in time for Aurora. If we draw analogs of drone breakdowns with a computer, then the display on the control panel and some LED backlight on the case would work intermittently. All the nodes responsible for the flight and video capture would have been in perfect order. In fact, the drone would be 90% operational! How's that for you, Elon?🤪

[SpanishMoss]

It's not that the drone wouldn't work, it's that it wouldn't fit the atmosphere of the game. The game's entire premise is the lack of technology, and while computers still work during the aruora, the game is set in a fictional world. The computers could only be displaying images that were the last thing present on the screen, by some fictional logic. It would go against the core values of the game to have a drone. 

[Pablo_Loko]

Isn't a rifle and a revolver a technology? I very much doubt that they grow out of the ground!

[Razum]

18 hours ago, Pablo_Loko said:

Oh, yes, computers! I have been doing this business for more than 15 years, assembling new ones and repairing them. Accordingly, I am well versed in this. During the Aurora, we see some texts on the monitor screen. Let's assume that this is an open mail in the browser. It follows that the operating system has booted up, which means that the hard disk, motherboard, processor, RAM and power supply of the computer are in order. The fans are also working, otherwise the processor would overheat and the computer would not turn on. Laptop batteries are fine too, otherwise they wouldn't have turned on. It looks very likely that this is a problem with the video card or with the power supply or the LED backlight of the monitor. That is, practically the system unit is in working condition by 80-90%. The device of the drone is slightly different from the system unit, but the basic principle of operation is the same. The main thing is that the operating system, the main electronic components (camera, processor) and mechanical parts (propellers, engine) also worked for him in time for Aurora. If we draw analogs of drone breakdowns with a computer, then the display on the control panel and some LED backlight on the case would work intermittently. All the nodes responsible for the flight and video capture would have been in perfect order. In fact, the drone would be 90% operational! How's that for you, Elon?🤪

Touché, you got me there. I didn't recognize, that obviously the stuff showed must lie anywhere on the RAM or video card and while the laptop is off for long time, it shows this e-mail during aurora, so it must have been loaded in and so the computer must have been booted in some way.
But still, laptops don't change much in terms of gameplay. They stretch the rules by showing something, but not more than that. With the premise of the game logic, they would only show some artefacts. Then it wouldn't be worth including them in the game. So stretching the rules there isn't a big deal.

With the drone on the other hand, it would be. And all the other points still stand. Luckily a drone with night vision? Getting a whole map with one image? With which resolution?

[Pablo_Loko]

I won't say exactly with what resolution, but it will depend on the level of complexity. See above. Let me remind you that the drone is LOST. For example, the military could have lost it during the exercises. And they certainly have drones capable of taking photos at any time of the day with a resolution that is enough to consider all the details.

[JackTrysGames]

On 3/31/2022 at 1:46 PM, SpanishMoss said:

(Be nice, english is not his/her first language, and he/she might be using a translator 

Not that you have any choice, as the devs mute you for 6 hours if you so much as swear.

Learned that one the hard way...

On 4/1/2022 at 12:58 PM, Pablo_Loko said:

Isn't a rifle and a revolver a technology? I very much doubt that they grow out of the ground!

You're splitting hairs here. This game takes place in the early 2000s, when drones were in the early stages of development. I doubt they would have any on Great Bear Island of all places due to its remote nature.

On 3/30/2022 at 1:39 PM, Pablo_Loko said:

I discovered this game four or five years ago. I understand perfectly well that cars don't drive, and computers and a flashlight only work during the glow. But these things work! Why not give the player the opportunity to recharge the battery from bare wires or sockets?

Recharging a battery... from bare, live wires.. while the battery would realistically self-charge due to the Aurora's effect on flashlights... How much do you know about quadcopters, exactly?

On 3/31/2022 at 4:27 AM, Pablo_Loko said:

Easy - unlimited launches, the drone draws terrain, transitions to other locations, key points, climbing stones, small objects (carcasses, plants, firewood)
Normal - 7 launches, the drone draws terrain, transitions to other locations, key points, climbing stones.
Hard - 5 launches, the drone draws terrain and key points (only large buildings)
Very Hard - 3 launches, the drone draws only the terrain.

You'd have to revamp the entire map for this to work. Not exactly feasible.