The Yeti/Bigfoot

[phobos282]

TLD needs a Yeti! Or Bigfoot, however you prefer.

Hear me out.

It's lore. It's canon. We already have the bigfoot miniquest. Let's add to it.

The Yeti/Bigfoot is a super rare creature. Any time you enter a zone, there is a very small chance that the yeti/bigfoot is located in the zone. Visiting caves is the trick to the yeti/bigfoot. Whenever you approach a cave, there is a tiny chance that the yeti is in the cave. If you enter the cave, there is a small chance that the yeti/bigfoot will spawn not far outside the cave, and approach you. And finally, as you leave a cave, there is an additional small chance that the yeti/bigfoot will track and follow you.
I list these three different chances as separate checks, and each are small chances. I'm imagining single digit chances here. It's Bigfoot. You'd have to check caves all day.
I envision a small musical note, similar to the one we hear when investigating bigfoot, when the game rolls that bigfoot/yeti is in your zone, and when he spawns near you by passing one of these checks. An addditional, fourth/fifth check could be when cooking/sleeping in a cave.

The types of interactions that can occur with the yeti/bigfoot are multitudinous:
I would say that at least half of interactions have the yeti/bigfoot come within a certain distance of the player, stop and observe them. As long as the player remains a certain distance from the yeti/bigfoot, they remain. If the player comes closer than that, they run away, at blistering speeds.
Secondly, the yeti/bigfoot could track the player in a manner that alerts the player to it, but the player cannot see them. Twigs snap, heavy grunts from a far distance can sometimes be heard. If the player looks back, nothing is ever seen, but if they backtrack, large prints may be found. It is not wise to backtrack, as there is a small chance that you could encounter what is tracking you, and it's not always friendly. (Small chance to actually encounter the yeti/bigfoot, otherwise it's invisible while tracking). If encountered, 50/50 odds that it runs, or attacks.
Finally, and the worst type of interaction, the yeti/bigfoot runs near to the player, say thirty feet away, and stops and stares at the player. Once the game renders the yeti/bigfoot onscreen for a certain number of seconds, just enough for a reaction from behind the keyboard and maybe some anxiety to boot, the yeti/bigfoot rushes the player.

Yeti/Bigfoot attacks: I have an idea for this, but I'm also thrilled at the idea of what Hinterland would come up with on their own, but here's my shot. Wolf attacks, bear attacks, and moose attacks are all different. I don't see why the Yeti/Bigfoot would be any different in this regard. The yeti/bigfoot rushes and knocks you to the ground, where it ape-style pummels you with both hands. In the final shots of the attack scene, we are looking up through Will's eyes, slowly fading out of consciousness. When the screen fades black, it switches directly to the same screen we see when we are sleeping. See, the Yeti does damage to us bear-style, in that it beats us til we stop moving in the game, and that translates to just unconscious. It's not bloodthirsty, just angry. It finally has the world to itself. It can finally come and go as it pleases and we are not supposed to be here. It's the yeti's world now. Regardless, the amount of time you are unconscious is some random element. I imagine it is affected by the protection value of your clothing. The more protected you are, the less time you will be knocked out. The damage is dangerous enough, but luckily it's blunt damage. No bleeding problems while you sleep. The sleep is the problem. Being knocked unconscious suddenly is a problem out in the cold. You could freeze to death. Or you could wake up. Who knows? That's what you get for tempting the yeti/bigfoot!

Apologies for the inconsistent capitalization of yeti/bigfoot.

[Leeanda]

Feeling like I am  being followed is something I've felt in this game already and it's very unnerving .  To know there's actually something there would be ten times worse..  

A good idea for a Halloween event but I don't think I'd like it all the time. 

[phobos282]

I definitely understand that.

I would have no problem in the world, and would even support it being a toggleable option in the settings for the game. Or, just leaving it to a specific mode like the Darkwalker. However, I'd want there to be an option in Custom mode to include/toggle yeti/bigfoot on or off. Play with or without him, etc.

[Leeanda]

A good idea to make it optional.  

How could we  fight it if given the chance.    I would've thought a creature like that would be similar to a moose only does bleed out but very slowly.

[UpUpAway95]

47 minutes ago, Leeanda said:

A good idea to make it optional.  

How could we  fight it if given the chance.    I would've thought a creature like that would be similar to a moose only does bleed out but very slowly.

I think I'd rather they just add an eerie sound file and maybe some occasional tracks, but that the creature itself would never actually be seen and would certainly never be caught or killed.  He's a legend... I'd rather leave him that way.

[Leeanda]

5 minutes ago, UpUpAway95 said:

I think I'd rather they just add an eerie sound file and maybe some occasional tracks, but that the creature itself would never actually be seen and would certainly never be caught or killed.  He's a legend... I'd rather leave him that way.

I was more just curious what the op thought regarding killing it.   I'd personally find it a bit too creepy to want it in my game.  The bears heavy breathing is bad enough😊

[phobos282]

I had, by default, assumed you could kill it, but I never gave it proper thought until you posed the question.

I'd say killable, but tougher than the moose or the bear. I'd imagine it could bleed, but giving it the "no-bleeding" treatment like the moose is something I could get behind, as well.

I think, if I put half a dozen rounds into it, thinking I could kill it, then found I couldn't, would be more disappointing than satisfying.

Perhaps making a trophy from its corpse, putting that trophy in the accessory slot, would add to damage. Legendary Hunter trophy. 25% boost to damage done against creatures or something.

[conanjaguar]

I personally would enjoy a yeti, should it ever be added… although I question whether it would actually be a useful addition to the game. We currently only have one predator that we can fight off, that being the wolf. With the cougar coming at some point in the future, do we really need four different animals that can murder you without you being able to fight back?

[phobos282]

Not being able to fight back is a good point. This would add another. It wouldn't be hard to program the yeti to be "easy to scare off" like a wolf. A loud sound like that of a firearm would scare him off, or a wound would. Perhaps throwing rocks could function like that with a wolf. Hit him with a rock, chance to send him away. Or aggro him.

I'd be fine with this being a halloween update, and a special mode. But please Hinterland, if you do this, please make it a toggleable option for us to play with on any run (including custom mode). I'd die a happy gamer!

[FlamingFuball]

On 4/9/2023 at 1:58 PM, UpUpAway95 said:

I think I'd rather they just add an eerie sound file and maybe some occasional tracks, but that the creature itself would never actually be seen and would certainly never be caught or killed.  He's a legend... I'd rather leave him that way.

I think what would be even cooler is to stick with the cannon explanation for the bigfoot from story mode: the bigfoot is just a man in a animal-skin coat. I already love the seed planted by the Mysterious Signal Fire in HRV that you're not the only one left on the island, and I think it would be really cool if there were occassional hints of another, more experienced, survivor stalking you. 

That or just add the Old Bear to survival mode. In the special missions he does stalk you from one region to another and those missions were a TON of fun.