Finally trying to level up my game

[TiffTastic]

So after around 7 years of playing voyageur and custom games slightly more difficult I have finally decided to do stalker runs. My first one has me located in mystery lake, where I have had the good fortune to spawn near the trappers cabin which conveniently held a rifle. My question is what are some of the things yall wish you had known when you made the leap? Any lessons you can give that prevent me from once again becoming a tiffalicious bear snack (or wolf) would be appreciated 🦋

[Serenity]

Stalker isn't really that much harder than Voyager. It's a colder at the beginning, but there is still tons of loot everywhere, so warmth is fine after a while. It's more of a different experience with wolves being everywhere. Which changes the routes you take if you don't want to fight. But individually the wolves are pretty harmless if you are in decent condition. So if you get jumped it's not the end of the world.

The biggest differences are that fires no longer automatically overcome the ambient temperature, you don't wake up when freezing, and intestinal parasites from predator meat. That will require changing some habits.

Edited October 7, 2023 by Serenity

[Bloodskye]

The only thing that sucks to me in Voyager and more difficult runs is weight. The amount you have to carry is tedious. I tend to tackle wolves head on with a revolver and save my rifle for hunting. Might not be the most efficient way to do things and a drain on my ammo but collecting all those flares takes up so much weight in my backpack. 

[TiffTastic]

On 10/7/2023 at 11:07 AM, Bloodskye said:

The only thing that sucks to me in Voyager and more difficult runs is weight. The amount you have to carry is tedious. I tend to tackle wolves head on with a revolver and save my rifle for hunting. Might not be the most efficient way to do things and a drain on my ammo but collecting all those flares takes up so much weight in my backpack. 

I tend to not use flares much, and as a result have a ton of them every play through. I love the revolver and love killing wolves with them. 

[FaT McMarlin]

On 10/6/2023 at 6:34 PM, TiffTastic said:

So after around 7 years of playing voyageur and custom games slightly more difficult I have finally decided to do stalker runs. My first one has me located in mystery lake, where I have had the good fortune to spawn near the trappers cabin which conveniently held a rifle. My question is what are some of the things yall wish you had known when you made the leap? Any lessons you can give that prevent me from once again becoming a tiffalicious bear snack (or wolf) would be appreciated 🦋

I only tried Stalker once before moving on to interloper, around 30 days before I got bored with it. There wasn't much difference between Stalker and Voyager to me. More wolves and a slight need for teas to keep warm during a snow fall.  If you're used to dealing with predators already, you're pretty well set. 

[TiffTastic]

On 10/8/2023 at 8:45 PM, FaT McMarlin said:

I only tried Stalker once before moving on to interloper, around 30 days before I got bored with it. There wasn't much difference between Stalker and Voyager to me. More wolves and a slight need for teas to keep warm during a snow fall.  If you're used to dealing with predators already, you're pretty well set. 

Well in that case i am golden…

[FaT McMarlin]

30 minutes ago, TiffTastic said:

Well in that case i am golden…

Definitely!!! I'm sure someone with more experience in the difficulty can give you a better run down of the differences, but it's not me lol. Now, i was doing a kill challenge for this run and there were several restrictions. But I ran around killing wolves with knives for 3 weeks in game with no torches allowed, no retreat allowed. After the challenge finished is when Stalker got boring to me. I have no idea how difficult it easy later game is. But it can't be much different than Voyager. 

[TiffTastic]

3 hours ago, FaT McMarlin said:

Definitely!!! I'm sure someone with more experience in the difficulty can give you a better run down of the differences, but it's not me lol. Now, i was doing a kill challenge for this run and there were several restrictions. But I ran around killing wolves with knives for 3 weeks in game with no torches allowed, no retreat allowed. After the challenge finished is when Stalker got boring to me. I have no idea how difficult it easy later game is. But it can't be much different than Voyager. 

For me, the fun of the game is how even when you think things are going great, they can go south really fast with just a little bad luck and sub optimal decision making. I want a challenge, but not at every single part of the game, which is why interloper doesnt really appeal to me. Plus I like a basic level of realism, and not having guns or any decent loot violates that for me. So I want to try it where the predators are leveled up, as that is the natural best way to do that IMO. I like that maybe the cold will factor in faster too.

[hozz1235]

1 hour ago, TiffTastic said:

For me, the fun of the game is how even when you think things are going great, they can go south really fast with just a little bad luck and sub optimal decision making. I want a challenge, but not at every single part of the game, which is why interloper doesnt really appeal to me. Plus I like a basic level of realism, and not having guns or any decent loot violates that for me. So I want to try it where the predators are leveled up, as that is the natural best way to do that IMO. I like that maybe the cold will factor in faster too.

This is why Custom games has been so great for me.  I tweak everything for maximum enjoyment.

[FaT McMarlin]

1 hour ago, TiffTastic said:

For me, the fun of the game is how even when you think things are going great, they can go south really fast with just a little bad luck and sub optimal decision making. I want a challenge, but not at every single part of the game, which is why interloper doesnt really appeal to me. Plus I like a basic level of realism, and not having guns or any decent loot violates that for me. So I want to try it where the predators are leveled up, as that is the natural best way to do that IMO. I like that maybe the cold will factor in faster too.

Fair enough. I don't like the guns handling and even on Pilgrim I preferred the bow. I'll use the guns till I'm set with a bow if they are available. If you're used to using condition as a resource the cold might factor in if you really push far into the wilderness. But it didn't feel colder or appear to really be an issue in the time I tried Stalker. How's the run going for you though? What's standing out to you as different? 

[TiffTastic]

7 hours ago, FaT McMarlin said:

Fair enough. I don't like the guns handling and even on Pilgrim I preferred the bow. I'll use the guns till I'm set with a bow if they are available. If you're used to using condition as a resource the cold might factor in if you really push far into the wilderness. But it didn't feel colder or appear to really be an issue in the time I tried Stalker. How's the run going for you though? What's standing out to you as different? 

Im currently on vacation but on leaving I was 17 days in and off to a good start. Spawned in the middle of the night in mystery lake but fortunately I recognized the area of woods by the hills and valleys as being near the trappers cabin. The trappers cabin held a simple parka, toque, work pants, and a rifle along with 4 rounds. That was a nice surprise. So now i got moderately good clothes and am weighing a relocation. Havent decided where to yet. Maybe CH and DP, cause its been a while. 

[TiffTastic]

7 hours ago, FaT McMarlin said:

Fair enough. I don't like the guns handling and even on Pilgrim I preferred the bow. I'll use the guns till I'm set with a bow if they are available. If you're used to using condition as a resource the cold might factor in if you really push far into the wilderness. But it didn't feel colder or appear to really be an issue in the time I tried Stalker. How's the run going for you though? What's standing out to you as different? 

Offhand the differences are that there are more wolves, which was expected, they do more damage per attack (I do play with condition as a resource), and although there is still plenty of loot, it is significantly less than voyageur. There are specifically many more empty containers. Weather seems the same. 

[FaT McMarlin]

11 hours ago, TiffTastic said:

Offhand the differences are that there are more wolves, which was expected, they do more damage per attack (I do play with condition as a resource), and although there is still plenty of loot, it is significantly less than voyageur. There are specifically many more empty containers. Weather seems the same. 

I'm always moving towards DP in the start. I don't really like surviving on the left side of the map. Bleak, Muskeg, Milton, Broken, HRV I generally avoid. I much prefer to stay in the PV, BRP, TWM and AC region. I really go to the coast for the forge.

Sounds like a great start though. Armed even though you've got low ammo is still armed.

I don't think I was in my stalker run long enough to take notice the loot. Then again, I found so much good loot at the start that my views on loot is a little off.

At least in my experience with wolves, if you're going to get into a struggle, it's best to counter charge the wolf. I take almost no damage from struggles. Heres two examples of some science I did. Normal struggle where you don't counter charge.

https://www.xbox.com/play/media/Q8SD8V5RJE

Counter charge. Might need to skip ahead to the end. It's over a minute long 

https://www.xbox.com/play/media/Q8W5F2WTRY

Both on Stalker. Hopefully it helps.

Either way, sounds like a great start to the run. 

[xanna]

1 hour ago, FaT McMarlin said:

I'm always moving towards DP in the start. I don't really like surviving on the left side of the map. Bleak, Muskeg, Milton, Broken, HRV I generally avoid. I much prefer to stay in the PV, BRP, TWM and AC region. I really go to the coast for the forge.

Sounds like a great start though. Armed even though you've got low ammo is still armed.

I don't think I was in my stalker run long enough to take notice the loot. Then again, I found so much good loot at the start that my views on loot is a little off.

At least in my experience with wolves, if you're going to get into a struggle, it's best to counter charge the wolf. I take almost no damage from struggles. Heres two examples of some science I did. Normal struggle where you don't counter charge.

https://www.xbox.com/play/media/Q8SD8V5RJE

Counter charge. Might need to skip ahead to the end. It's over a minute long 

https://www.xbox.com/play/media/Q8W5F2WTRY

Both on Stalker. Hopefully it helps.

Either way, sounds like a great start to the run. 

I just watched those videos and wow! I didn't know that was a thing. Countercharging means running towards them as they start their charge, right? Thanks a lot for sharing.

I was sure I read or heard on a stream that wolf struggles go worse if your meters are low, including stamina, and so I have usually avoided running before wolf encounters if I could.

I might try this tactic, but I wonder if it's only posible when you are far enough from the wolf struggle to get a run up. These days the only wolf struggles I have are from missed shots, and the wolf is always pretty close by then.

[FaT McMarlin]

5 minutes ago, xanna said:

I just watched those videos and wow! I didn't know that was a thing. Countercharging means running towards them as they start their charge, right? Thanks a lot for sharing.

I was sure I read or heard on a stream that wolf struggles go worse if your meters are low, including stamina, and so I have usually avoided running before wolf encounters if I could.

I might try this tactic, but I wonder if it's only posible when you are far enough from the wolf struggle to get a run up. These days the only wolf struggles I have are from missed shots, and the wolf is always pretty close by then.

Both clips we're from a no torch or fire kill challenge. Counter charge is exactly that. Run towards the wolf. I do suggest using fire and stones as they are effective in running off the wolf, but if you're out of flares and it's to windy and you're going to get attacked, might as well be aggressive. You've got to recognize before the wolf is too close that you're going to end up hand to hand with the wolf, so you can start the charge.

I think it comes down to momentum and weight. I think wolves have a stamina bar like we do and it can be exhausted. So in my theory, the more the wolf runs, the less damage is does cause it's tired and doesn't possess the strength to overcome your weight and speed. Even on looper my struggles don't do much damage to me. I've never lost a struggle with this technique in the 30 to 40 I've been in with it. Even with half health when the struggle starts, I rarely lose more than 20 percent condition,I rarely need to bandage after either.

 

It's still better to use fire to ward then off. It will always be safer. But when in the situation: Aggression and violence win the day for me. It is a last resort only. 

[TiffTastic]

13 hours ago, FaT McMarlin said:

I'm always moving towards DP in the start. I don't really like surviving on the left side of the map. Bleak, Muskeg, Milton, Broken, HRV I generally avoid. I much prefer to stay in the PV, BRP, TWM and AC region. I really go to the coast for the forge.

Sounds like a great start though. Armed even though you've got low ammo is still armed.

I don't think I was in my stalker run long enough to take notice the loot. Then again, I found so much good loot at the start that my views on loot is a little off.

At least in my experience with wolves, if you're going to get into a struggle, it's best to counter charge the wolf. I take almost no damage from struggles. Heres two examples of some science I did. Normal struggle where you don't counter charge.

https://www.xbox.com/play/media/Q8SD8V5RJE

Counter charge. Might need to skip ahead to the end. It's over a minute long 

https://www.xbox.com/play/media/Q8W5F2WTRY

Both on Stalker. Hopefully it helps.

Either way, sounds like a great start to the run. 

Definitely gonna have to try the counter charge! I get in enough struggles an edge is worth it. Yeah the run has started great, the next chapter will get written tomorrow night when i get home….

[TiffTastic]

11 hours ago, FaT McMarlin said:

Both clips we're from a no torch or fire kill challenge. Counter charge is exactly that. Run towards the wolf. I do suggest using fire and stones as they are effective in running off the wolf, but if you're out of flares and it's to windy and you're going to get attacked, might as well be aggressive. You've got to recognize before the wolf is too close that you're going to end up hand to hand with the wolf, so you can start the charge.

I think it comes down to momentum and weight. I think wolves have a stamina bar like we do and it can be exhausted. So in my theory, the more the wolf runs, the less damage is does cause it's tired and doesn't possess the strength to overcome your weight and speed. Even on looper my struggles don't do much damage to me. I've never lost a struggle with this technique in the 30 to 40 I've been in with it. Even with half health when the struggle starts, I rarely lose more than 20 percent condition,I rarely need to bandage after either.

 

It's still better to use fire to ward then off. It will always be safer. But when in the situation: Aggression and violence win the day for me. It is a last resort only. 

I tend to be on the “wake up and choose violence” side of things in games, this is the least violent game I play, so its always nice to add to my violence repertoire lol

[FaT McMarlin]

10 hours ago, TiffTastic said:

I tend to be on the “wake up and choose violence” side of things in games, this is the least violent game I play, so its always nice to add to my violence repertoire lol

It's why I love the Wolfenstein series. So many stealth sections that your don't have to do stealth. Way easier with stealth, but pew pew pew is so much fun. Plus throwing weapons are so satisfying to hear.

10 hours ago, TiffTastic said:

Definitely gonna have to try the counter charge! I get in enough struggles an edge is worth it. Yeah the run has started great, the next chapter will get written tomorrow night when i get home….

Nice!!!! It's easier to avoid the struggle and way safer. But if you've got to kill: make the wolf run, don't let them rest, force the charge, counter charge. Wear them down. I have no real proof they get tired other than my own experience. It appears to work though. I wish you could use a lit torch or flare in a struggle and burn the crap out of the wolf.

[TiffTastic]

4 minutes ago, FaT McMarlin said:

It's why I love the Wolfenstein series. So many stealth sections that your don't have to do stealth. Way easier with stealth, but pew pew pew is so much fun. Plus throwing weapons are so satisfying to hear.

Nice!!!! It's easier to avoid the struggle and way safer. But if you've got to kill: make the wolf run, don't let them rest, force the charge, counter charge. Wear them down. I have no real proof they get tired other than my own experience. It appears to work though. I wish you could use a lit torch or flare in a struggle and burn the crap out of the wolf.

Love wolfenstein! And yeah I dont understand why you cannot jam the lit flare into the dace of the wolf…

[FaT McMarlin]

4 minutes ago, TiffTastic said:

Love wolfenstein! And yeah I dont understand why you cannot jam the lit flare into the dace of the wolf…

I'd make the wolf eat it. Sure, you're getting bit and you're going to bleed and get messed up, but it's definitely going to die in a few days cause it can't eat or breathe well enough. 

[TiffTastic]

28 minutes ago, FaT McMarlin said:

I'd make the wolf eat it. Sure, you're getting bit and you're going to bleed and get messed up, but it's definitely going to die in a few days cause it can't eat or breathe well enough. 

A good airway burn will kill within an hour. It would be realistic for that to happen…and that would go for any predator one did that to. The swelling is massive with those injuries and an airway is only an inch in diameter….

[FaT McMarlin]

57 minutes ago, TiffTastic said:

A good airway burn will kill within an hour. It would be realistic for that to happen…and that would go for any predator one did that to. The swelling is massive with those injuries and an airway is only an inch in diameter….

I didn't think I'd get that far in with the flare before it pulled away. But I agree, if you've got that far in, maybe minutes. I just assumed the wolf would try to prevent damage and try to get away and maybe you'd get a simi good burn in the mouth. 

[TiffTastic]

8 minutes ago, FaT McMarlin said:

I didn't think I'd get that far in with the flare before it pulled away. But I agree, if you've got that far in, maybe minutes. I just assumed the wolf would try to prevent damage and try to get away and maybe you'd get a simi good burn in the mouth. 

It only needs to inhale while the flare is near OR in any part of the mouth. Any superheated air will do it fast. Ive seen airway burns happen a lot. It would also instantly end the fight. No animal on earth would persist even a second longer.

[FaT McMarlin]

1 hour ago, TiffTastic said:

It only needs to inhale while the flare is near OR in any part of the mouth. Any superheated air will do it fast. Ive seen airway burns happen a lot. It would also instantly end the fight. No animal on earth would persist even a second longer.

It's kinda why I think it would be effective in a struggle. The second it starts to feel the heat from a few feet away it's gone.  I think it's natural desire to keep living would cause an instant retreat. But there's also movement so you may just end up pressing the heat to skin. I just don't think in real life you'd get close enough with it to do damage to the mouth. I think instincts would prevent them from getting that close. I guess that's why fire does keep them away in game. 

[TiffTastic]

1 hour ago, FaT McMarlin said:

It's kinda why I think it would be effective in a struggle. The second it starts to feel the heat from a few feet away it's gone.  I think it's natural desire to keep living would cause an instant retreat. But there's also movement so you may just end up pressing the heat to skin. I just don't think in real life you'd get close enough with it to do damage to the mouth. I think instincts would prevent them from getting that close. I guess that's why fire does keep them away in game. 

I agree. I think it should be workable. To keep it from being overpowered maybe lose the flare instantly.