Buffer Issues

[jhickie]

I like to play long runs on Interloper, and one of the challenges I set up for myself is to collect everything in the game on the collectibles screen. So, notes, polaroids, cairns, buffers, etc. It's a worthy challenge that takes a while to complete. I've only done it once before.

Buffers have always been the toughest part to complete. At least cairns are static with known locations. Buffers are really frustrating. Always my last part to finish. The way the used to function was that you just had to wait over and over for auroras to spawn new buffers, and it was only one per night. It was maddening to try to collect them all, and sometimes I'd be camped out at a location for weeks or even months to get all of the buffers from that location. 

Somewhere along the line, perhaps recently, an update changed all that. Now, theoretically, you are able to spawn multiple buffers during each aurora by simply going outside and coming back in. Yay! This works at most locations, and I was able to clear all buffers from a location many times. Got all 5 buffers at the Credit Union in one night, same for Hibernia, same for the Rural Store.

However, some locations still don't play nice. One such location is the buffer at the FM Radio Tower. I've been here for nearly a month, seen 12 auroras, and EVERY SINGLE TIME it's the same buffer. It's infuriating. I have it memorized at this point. "He wasn't kidding. This old marsh goes on forever. Swallow me right up." Every time I see this buffer I want to bash my head into my keyboard. Since there's no door to go out and come back in with to spawn new buffers, I tried the nearby cave. But when I enter, come back out, and go to the laptop, the buffer is completely blank. No text.

Does anyone have any idea wtf is going on with these buffers? It seems like a wonky game mechanic that isn't functioning properly. It's inconsistent and really frustrating. I've looked everywhere for info that may help, but found nothing. If there's a trick that anyone out there knows, I'm all ears!

[hozz1235]

I do remember when I was collecting all buffers (which was years ago) that you could only get 1 per aurora and that they would frequently get stuck (as you're describing) on one.  Some possible solutions I found were:

• Try exiting/entering the building, or transition somewhere if you're outside (which sounds like you've done, but may try more times)
• Saving the game and reloading
• Exiting the game and reloading

Hope that helps.

Edited February 14 by hozz1235

[jhickie]

Unfortunately, I'm familiar with these workarounds and have tried them all. I saw someone say leaving the region and coming back can reset weather patterns, but I tried that too as I'm close to the transition to the MT Basin. That same stupid buffer persists no matter what I do.

Frustrating... I'm only 4 away from getting them all. I need 2 here and 2 at Carter. And the buffers are the last thing I need to complete my 100% collection run.

[SpanishMoss]

Try spending a day in another region

[Enigmaecho]

On 2/14/2024 at 10:29 AM, jhickie said:

I like to play long runs on Interloper, and one of the challenges I set up for myself is to collect everything in the game on the collectibles screen. So, notes, polaroids, cairns, buffers, etc. It's a worthy challenge that takes a while to complete. I've only done it once before.

Buffers have always been the toughest part to complete. At least cairns are static with known locations. Buffers are really frustrating. Always my last part to finish. The way the used to function was that you just had to wait over and over for auroras to spawn new buffers, and it was only one per night. It was maddening to try to collect them all, and sometimes I'd be camped out at a location for weeks or even months to get all of the buffers from that location. 

Somewhere along the line, perhaps recently, an update changed all that. Now, theoretically, you are able to spawn multiple buffers during each aurora by simply going outside and coming back in. Yay! This works at most locations, and I was able to clear all buffers from a location many times. Got all 5 buffers at the Credit Union in one night, same for Hibernia, same for the Rural Store.

However, some locations still don't play nice. One such location is the buffer at the FM Radio Tower. I've been here for nearly a month, seen 12 auroras, and EVERY SINGLE TIME it's the same buffer. It's infuriating. I have it memorized at this point. "He wasn't kidding. This old marsh goes on forever. Swallow me right up." Every time I see this buffer I want to bash my head into my keyboard. Since there's no door to go out and come back in with to spawn new buffers, I tried the nearby cave. But when I enter, come back out, and go to the laptop, the buffer is completely blank. No text.

Does anyone have any idea wtf is going on with these buffers? It seems like a wonky game mechanic that isn't functioning properly. It's inconsistent and really frustrating. I've looked everywhere for info that may help, but found nothing. If there's a trick that anyone out there knows, I'm all ears!

Buffers unfortunately are set per computer ones that have 5 memories have a 20% chance to be any ones with 4 have a 25% sometimes they just get banged on the same one in my complete run it was the PV store and signal hill that looped on one left for weeks then it happened at broken rail but the one that takes me the longest is always lower dam because you can’t cheese it you get one shot per aurora unless you crash cheese which I’m not a fan of, i was able to go into the waterfall cave at FM to get that one to change so you might have a bug in your save