Living Off The Land

[Africanboi7]

I recently started a new run, with the sole purpose of achieving the Living Off The Land achievements, but I was wondering if consuming carrots or potatoes would disqualify my efforts or would I still get the achievement.

[ThePancakeLady]

Good question. It has been years since I got this achievement, and the description for it reads: "Survive 25 consecutive full days only consuming calories harvested from wild plants and animals (single game).". 

I would guess that carrots and potatoes will reset the achievement, since they are not wild plants, and you do not harvest them- you loot them. 

("Harvested" is the key word in the description. Which is why many of us back then did not eat rabbit, venison or fish found in refrigerators or out in the snow, and did not eat fish found washed up on shorelines- we did not harvest them, we looted them. Burdock and Acorns should be okay, but avoid taking any rose-hips and reishis found in trash cans or other containers, or laying on the ground at abandoned campsites and similar- you didn't harvest them, you looted them, and using them to make teas that you then drank did reset the achievement progress, IIRC.)

Edited May 22, 2024 by ThePancakeLady
additional info added

[Leeanda]

No herbal tea,coffee, any found food,not even fish meat found in containers etc..

I also believe that cat tails are bugged at the moment too so you can't eat them either.

Reishi,birch bark,rosehips,ravaged carcasses are all fine... And of course any fish you catch yourself,and any animal you kill yourself..

Good luck

[ThePancakeLady]

3 minutes ago, Leeanda said:

I also believe that cat tails are bugged at the moment too so you can't eat them either.

Huh. First I've heard of that bug. Cattail Stalks were a major source of calories for me when I did this one. But, it was years ago, and we did not have Burdock or Acorns back then either, so there is that to help replace some calories if Cattails are actually bugged.

Coffee and herbal teas are a definite no-no, that's for sure. Since the achievement doesn't have to be started at the beginning of a run, the best advice I can give is to drop and stash anything and everything you have in your inventory- including prepared rose hips and reishis, since you may have picked one or two up from containers along the way, and you won't know it, but the game will. 

We didn't have Birch Bark back then either (I got the achievement in 2017 and Birch Bark was not added until 2019 IIRC, and we don't actually harvest it, we just pick it up like other loot- so I am unsure if Birch Bark Tea resets the progress or not (it has calories). 

[Leeanda]

13 minutes ago, ThePancakeLady said:

Huh. First I've heard of that bug. Cattail Stalks were a major source of calories for me when I did this one. But, it was years ago, and we did not have Burdock or Acorns back then either, so there is that to help replace some calories if Cattails are actually bugged.

Coffee and herbal teas are a definite no-no, that's for sure. Since the achievement doesn't have to be started at the beginning of a run, the best advice I can give is to drop and stash anything and everything you have in your inventory- including prepared rose hips and reishis, since you may have picked one or two up from containers along the way, and you won't know it, but the game will. 

We didn't have Birch Bark back then either (I got the achievement in 2017 and Birch Bark was not added until 2019 IIRC, and we don't actually harvest it, we just pick it up like other loot- so I am unsure if Birch Bark Tea resets the progress or not (it has calories). 

I forgot about burdock and acorns, I never used either...   But birch bark is definitely ok to use..I used some a few years back when I did the achievement..

Good point about the rosehips though..unless you're 100%sure it didn't come from a bin then don't use it.

[ThePancakeLady]

1 minute ago, Leeanda said:

But birch bark is definitely ok to use..I used some a few years back when I did the achievement..

Thanks! That's very good to know! I have some friends I bought the game for years ago, but they have been patiently waiting for Wintermute to be completed before they even start playing (they want to play the entire Story Mode first before jumping into Survival Mode), so I am sure that question will come up when they do start playing Survival and trying to unlock Steam achievements. 

[Leeanda]

7 minutes ago, ThePancakeLady said:

Thanks! That's very good to know! I have some friends I bought the game for years ago, but they have been patiently waiting for Wintermute to be completed before they even start playing (they want to play the entire Story Mode first before jumping into Survival Mode), so I am sure that question will come up when they do start playing Survival and trying to unlock Steam achievements. 

They've got way more patience than I have, I couldn't wait to start playing 😁

[Africanboi7]

On 5/22/2024 at 6:13 AM, Leeanda said:

No herbal tea,coffee, any found food,not even fish meat found in containers etc..

I also believe that cat tails are bugged at the moment too so you can't eat them either.

Reishi,birch bark,rosehips,ravaged carcasses are all fine... And of course any fish you catch yourself,and any animal you kill yourself..

Good luck

Thanks for the info!  Cat tails are my main source of calories in the current run, but if it is indeed bugged, I'll just avoid them for the next 25 days.

[Leeanda]

8 minutes ago, Africanboi7 said:

Thanks for the info!  Cat tails are my main source of calories in the current run, but if it is indeed bugged, I'll just avoid them for the next 25 days.

I'm not 100% sure but I suppose it's better to not risk it than have to restart..  

Good luck😊

[hozz1235]

Yeah, if you started your run on the "uber-easy" settings, you can easily accomplish this with a little preparation.  If you need help, there are many guides available.  If I recall, I actually did this on my long, established run when I was stocked up and well-prepared.  To be on the safe side, if you doubt a food meets the criteria, just don't eat it.  Fish, Deer, Rabbit, Bear (only that you have harvested yourself - NOT FOUND).

[Leeanda]

Bulk fishing might be a good way to help fight scurvy off too while you're doing the achievement.. it's probably the best thing available for avoiding it

[Leeanda]

I looked at my achievements this morning only to find I apparently haven't done it,though I know I have.. haven't checked the boxes either in Milton , except maybe 50-60 times😁

[Africanboi7]

I am finding this achievement a bit more challenge than it probably should be! First I ate potatoes & carrots before day 10,(just before I asked the question about it). So I thought I should bed able to get the achievement at around day 35. To my disappointment,I realized at day 36 that butch bark tea reset the achievement. So here I am at day 53 hoping to get it at day 60. If not I'll restart when the update drops!

[Pencil]

Huh, that's odd that birch bark would reset it. Now I'm wondering, does anyone know if acorns or acorn coffee reset the counter too? I'm trying this achievement as well but I drank acorn coffee and now I don't know if I reset or not lol. 

[Prometeu]

Just don't eat anything. Easy achievement.

[ElSuperGecko]

I drank a coffee I found in a microwave around 40 days into trying to get this achievement... a real facepalm moment.  Right up there with forgetting to put my boots on again after taking them off to dry...

[Leeanda]

I got the achievement (again) a few weeks back.. 

I lived on reishi,rosehips,carcasses and fish I caught myself...  No acorns,cat tails ,burdock or birch bark..

[Africanboi7]

15 hours ago, Leeanda said:

I got the achievement (again) a few weeks back.. 

I lived on reishi,rosehips,carcasses and fish I caught myself...  No acorns,cat tails ,burdock or birch bark..

That's awesome!

I'm still trying & I'm sure I'll eventually get it...

[Leeanda]

3 hours ago, Africanboi7 said:

That's awesome!

I'm still trying & I'm sure I'll eventually get it...

Thank you...   If you know where the carcasses are you can plan ahead to some extent ..  follow the food so to speak,and grab what you can plant wise on the way..    if you can steal kills even better lol.. I find winding river is great for free bunnies.   

[Africanboi7]

16 hours ago, Leeanda said:

Thank you...   If you know where the carcasses are you can plan ahead to some extent ..  follow the food so to speak,and grab what you can plant wise on the way..    if you can steal kills even better lol.. I find winding river is great for free bunnies.   

Thanks for the suggestions... I don't normally think of winding river as a source for food.

[Leeanda]

Just now, Africanboi7 said:

Thanks for the suggestions... I don't normally think of winding river as a source for food.

All those bunnies and one hungry wolf...  I just chased him off ..  I hate killing them but the hides come in handy for repairing the hat and gloves..