Looking for Confirmation/Clarification (is it bugs... or intended changes?)

[ManicManiac]

@Admin / Community in general,

There are a few things I'm not sure are just bugged out or if they were actual intended changes to mechanics/behaviors.    If not intentional changes, then I'll go a head and submit bug reports... if they were intended, then so be it (just looking for some form of confirmation).

• Beachcombing (no threat of weak ice?): Has beachcombing been nerfed, or have the boundaries of thin ice relative to the possible spawn points for items shifted?  I've been beachcombing in Coastal Highway and every item that has "washed up," I was able to just leisurely walk up and pick it up.  Never once, in three separate rounds of beachcombing have I even at to set foot on week ice to retrieve items.  (I'm hoping this is just a bug to be fixed, I liked that beachcombing came with some risk - right now, there doesn't seem to be any).  I acknowledge it might be a one off bug I'm experiencing on my save (extant since January 21, 2022 - v1.99).
   
• Timber Wolves (torches/flares/campfires): I've only recently become aware of this... but apparently as of a year ago (based on video demonstrations found on YouTube), have the Timber Wolves been nerfed or are they suffering from bugged behavior?  Last time I had to go toe-to-toe with Timber Wolves, the only thing I was aware of that would fend them off were Marine Flares (which was the entire purpose for them being introduced).  I've tried searching the change logs, and I didn't see any mention of there being a change; but the video I've seen provide pretty compelling evidence that a simple torch is enough to ward them off... and it's apparently been the case for some time.  I've also heard that campfires will ward them off too?  If this isn't intended behavior, I definitely would like to call attention to it (hopefully get it fixed).
   
• Aurora Charged Wolves (wonky behavor?): This one has been with us for a long time (so much so that I don't recall when I first noticed it), aurora charged wolves constantly and incessantly "bark"... and I do mean constantly, whether they are engaged in stalking prey or just milling about.  While milling about they will sometimes move kind of spastically and turn at sharp angles (looking admittedly kind of janky).  **(they used to have a very eerie slight distortion effect to their howls that I miss as well)
   
• Rabbit Snare Catch Rates (dwelling "outside"): This is one that I've described at great length in the lengthy chronicles I've posted on some of my personal challenges, but I don't think I ever did open a ticket for it.  So I thought I would mention it here in hopes of calling more attention to it.  (snippets from previous posts below)

On 1/28/2021 at 11:18 AM, ManicManiac said:

During the day I've been checking my snares, but the catch rates are very low.. maybe only 1 or 2 rabbits every two or three days.  I think I'm going to have to try exiting and reentering the region (I got a pretty good tip that perhaps I it would help of the region was forced to "reload" much like what happens when we enter and exit an interior structure - I don't know if that's a factor, but I'll test it out).  To be clear, I don't really need the catch rate to be better... I'm just taking the opportunity to experiment with the mechanics.

On 2/3/2021 at 2:51 PM, ManicManiac said:

I still wanted to test to see if setting up the snares near a structure with an "indoor" loading transition would impact the catch rate or if my catch rates would remain as low as they have been in places like the Mountaineer's Hut (which of course offers no loading transition to go in and out of).

I decided that I would like to use a more "classic" location for this, and since I hadn't spent much time in Mystery Lake since I was there to map that region... I chose to head to the Old Trapper's Cabin to set up my snares.
...
I set up my snares and by the next day caught a total of 5 rabbits (though at different times through the day), and one snare that broke.  By day two, caught about 4 more (I also took a trip back to the Camp Office to grab some cured gut so I could I could get my sixth snare back in working order).
...
I don't expect that catch rate would be that high while I'm just spending a week or so doing this.

On 2/11/2022 at 1:05 PM, ManicManiac said:

Yes indeed.  It appears that at the transition (when the region is effectively reloading) it forces a check on the snares and determines their state.  Apparently, if we just dwell in the region this check either doesn't happen or doesn't trigger in the same way (perhaps getting far enough away for it to be out of render distance maybe?).  That would explain why my rates were so abysmal from my previous stay at the Mountaineer's Hut... during those tests, I didn't often stray far from where my snares were set.  That certainly may have been a factor. 

At that time, I was also advised by others in the community that perhaps I could work around it by simply using the region transition to leave and re-enter the region.  It made sense, since it would achieve that same effect... but I didn't want to have to bother leaving the region every day to force the snares to roll their check and determine their state.

It's hard to know for sure what's really happening "under the hood," since I don't know definitively what the mechanisms are... let alone if they are working properly. 
I appreciate the feedback, and confirmation of what you are experiencing as well.

On 2/21/2022 at 3:48 PM, ManicManiac said:

Staying in the cave would mean that the snares will be less effective, but the plan will be to hop into the prepper cache as soon as I get up in the morning (which will hopefully trigger the snares and prompting a check).

On 3/16/2021 at 2:37 PM, ManicManiac said:

As I've tested in the past... sleeping "outdoors" does drastically reduce the catch rate of snares.  I'm not sure if that is intended behavior or not

  

I just didn't want to start making tickets if it turned out these were intended changes (and one that was clearly and old bug, that I was recently reminded of).
 

 

Edited June 7, 2022 by ManicManiac
**Remembered and old feature, edited in order to mention it.

[ManicManiac]

Also... didn't we used to be able to light a torch using a campfire, stove, fire-barrel, etc... ?
That functionality seems to be broken as well.

Now when I hold an unlit torch and try to interact with the firebox it just takes me to the firebox UI rather than letting me light the torch.
Perhaps something else for the bugs list?

I did get around it by simply by pulling a new brand torch from the fire.

All-in-all not a big issue, but something I noticed when I was trying to light a fire outside my fishing hut (tried lighting a torch from the fire in the stove inside).

[Leeanda]

Just now, ManicManiac said:

Also... didn't we used to be able to light a torch using a campfire, stove, fire-barrel, etc... ?
That functionality seems to be broken as well.

Now when I hold an unlit torch and try to interact with the firebox it just takes me to the firebox UI rather than letting me light the torch.
Perhaps something else for the bugs list?

I did get around it by simply by pulling a new brand torch from the fire.

All-in-all not a big issue, but something I noticed when I was trying to light a fire outside my fishing hut (tried lighting a torch from the fire in the stove inside).

That's a new bug, since the last fix I think. 

[ajb1978]

If you are carrying an unlit torch, clicking the "Add Fuel" button on an active campfire will cause you to light the torch. If the torch is already lit, or you are not carrying a torch at all, the button opens the UI to add fuel as you would expect.

I just checked beachcombing in Coastal/Crumbling Highway and DP, and it does in fact seem to be a lot more forgiving now. Most of the time I could walk right up to an item and grab it, and on the rare occasion weak ice was a factor I was only on weak ice for a couple seconds tops. There's even one spot in DP slightly to the northeast of Little Island where I hit weak ice while approaching an item, but when I actually got to it, the ice was stable.

I could be wrong, but my observations suggest that snares roll the dice for whether or not a rabbit has been captured, but the trap won't actually be sprung until the snare disappears and reappears. Such as if you go through an area transition, or if you simply walk far enough away for it to disappear, then walk back towards it and the "snared" rabbit will appear. So if your snares are set up too close to your base camp, they might be continue to show empty even though the game has decided a rabbit has been caught. That is, until you get far enough away for them to disappear, thus giving the game the chance to spawn in the sprung trap in place of the set one. Saving and reloading might work too, but I didn't think of that until just now.

(As an aside it's interesting to note that sprung traps, set traps, and unset traps are three different objects. If you pick up a sprung trap and drop it, it drops in its still-sprung state. If you instead set it via the radial, it becomes a set trap. If you pick that set trap up, it becomes an unset trap, and will remain that way until you set it via the radial.)

Also in my testing of this, it now does appear that you CAN depopulate a rabbit spawn with snares. I set up 20 traps on Little Island in DP and caught 5 rabbits that first day. And zero the following 3 days. Similar deal near the Stone Church, 20 snares caught 4 rabbits on day one, and just one over the next couple of days. I recall when grinding out that trapper feat I set up a ton of snares by Molly's barn, and it was just a neverending stream of rabbits. It was all I could do to keep up with the harvesting. Not the case anymore! Also I believe each snare rolls the dice every 24 hours. I checked those snares in roughly 12 hour increments and I only ever found rabbits after a full 24-hour (or 48, 72, etc.) cycle had passed.

[ManicManiac]

@ajb1978

I really appreciate the feedback and testing, thank you.

There is no way I would have thought to try using "add fuel" to initiate lighting a torch...  I think unintuitive to say the least.

[ajb1978]

1 hour ago, ManicManiac said:

There is no way I would have thought to try using "add fuel" to initiate lighting a torch... 

Only reason I found out is I was going to toss an old torch in just to get rid of it, and poof. Lit the torch instead.

[ManicManiac]

I have tickets open for all five issues I mentioned... but no replies as of yet (other than automated ones, that is).
@ajb1978 I referenced what you found relating to torch lighting in my ticket as well.  Thank you for the info.
@Leeanda I really appreciate reading about what you've been seeing as far as bugs relative to the XBox port, and helping to test and verify the one's I brought up.

Edited June 15, 2022 by ManicManiac

[Leeanda]

2 minutes ago, ManicManiac said:

I have tickets open for all five issues I mentioned... but no replies as of yet (other than automated ones, that is).
@ajb1978 I referenced what you found relating to torch lighting in my ticket as well.  Thank you for the info.
@Leeanda I really appreciate what you've been seeing as far as bugs relative to the XBox port, and helping to test and verify the one's I brought up.

You're welcome 🙂. Always happy to help if I can.  

[ManicManiac]

Well, I can confirm that when I enter the Moutaineer's Hut... all the surrounding sticks, branches, and limbs all still disappear.  It's been a known issue, but I don't remember if I'd ever made a ticket for it... so I will add this one to the stack.  

[Leeanda]

There's nothing like needing and not finding firewood  when you really need it!   It's definitely the most noticeable place  ,and most important given there's nowhere to break down furniture etc.. excluding hrv anyway.

[Serenity]

The wood reappears if you go away some distance. It's not even too far. This also happens in caves.

[ManicManiac]

Yes, I know that the stick, branches, and limbs will return once we get a certain distance away and return.
I was not aware about the caves though, thank you for that.

[ManicManiac]

Opened up a fresh Voyager to do some science.
Wanted to test out a situation involving the enclosed porch at the pleasant valley farmstead, a bear, and a rifle/revolver.
I want to confirm whether or not we can shoot through the broken windows... through the open doorway... if not, then how far out of the door way would one need to be.  
It was a discussion what came up recently, and I wanted to see what I could see on my copy.

While waiting for a bear... I've also been teasing some wolves.

Turned out... wolves are stopped by outdoor fireboxes nowadays.  It used to be the only things the wolf would stop for were campfires, flares, lit torches.  They used to ignore other fireboxes (like fire barrels - since they weren't really "open flames" I figured that made sense), but now... it appears fire barrels will now stop them from stalking and have them standing a distance away snarling just as any of the other methods will.  Very odd...  Might make a ticket for this.

[ManicManiac]

UDATE...

Wow... super inconsistent! 
I just tried it again... this time the wolf (the same wolf as before), just nonchalantly strolled right passed and brushed up against the fire barrel.   

Definitely submitting a ticket for this one.

Edited June 19, 2022 by ManicManiac

[Leeanda]

It seems that no one is guaranteed safety then,at least at the moment.  I hope you didn't get a mauling?

[ManicManiac]

@Leeanda

No maulings... I just ducked inside.  Then stepped out another door to tease him some more... the third time.  Stopped because of the fire barrel again.  

This second pass... he just walked right passed the fire barrel like it wasn't even there.  


Then the third time... he was stopped by the fire barrel.  (that's him crouched low snarling menacingly).


Leading him around for a fourth time...

Edited June 19, 2022 by ManicManiac
Somehow one of my scentences show up as a link... it was not intended... fixed it

[Leeanda]

The things you do for science!!   Glad you didn't get mauled 🙂

[ManicManiac]

Still want to test out the porch... but the bear hasn't been around yet.  I really want to tease a bear now.

After a little more science... I do still have to get back to Silent Fury, and finish out that day too.  

[Leeanda]

That sounds about right for bears.. always around when you don't want one.   The same problem should occur with wolves I would've thought.  I just don't get much reason to shoot them,plus they seem more skittish than bears.  

Thank you for your help with this .  I know you're busy enough already.

[ManicManiac]

Still another update...

The wolf can detect us on the porch (stopped outside to snarl at me)... the fourth time around, the wolf was stopped by the fire barrel again.
So... it does seem wildly inconsistent, but it does work (sometimes).
Ticket will be forth coming.

 

Edited June 19, 2022 by ManicManiac

[ManicManiac]

Also... I notice that when we go to add fuel to the fire... the camera pans up much slower than it used to... feels weird.  
maybe it it's that it's panning a longer track than it used to?  I don't know. Can anyone else confirm what I'm seeing?

Unrelated information...

Just sitting outside, warming up peaches... boiling water.
Done teasing the wolf for now.  

Edited June 19, 2022 by ManicManiac

[Leeanda]

I'll test it out as soon as I start playing again.. hopefully tomorrow.

[Leeanda]

I've only just tried the fire pit at pv farm and it definitely took a while to pan out!    The fire barrel at miners folly and the mine  though were  normal so I'm thinking it might just be that particular fire pit,but as I haven't tested others yet I can't be sure.  

[ManicManiac]

@Leeanda

Interesting/odd that it's only happening at some/one specific fireboxes and not others... 🤔

Thank you.

Edited June 22, 2022 by ManicManiac

[Leeanda]

15 minutes ago, ManicManiac said:

@Leeanda

Interesting/odd that it's only happening at some/one specific fireboxes and not others... 🤔

Thank you.

I will keep checking, I've got the pit at Thompson's crossing to check and other barrels too!   It might have something to do with the PV farm one being changed from a barrel to a pit though.  As far as I know it's the only one that was changed.  

It did remind me of the extra rotation thing going on when harvesting ,also new since the update.

Edited June 22, 2022 by Leeanda