Proposed Wolf Behavior -- Following the Character

[jackattack]

Basically what it says on the can.

Is it possible and/or desirable to give wolves an option to follow a character at a set (or possibly diminishing) distance? This might make a better bridge between wolf behavior in Pilgrim (where I think they just run away) and Voyageur (where they attack on detection).

Hopefully, this would actually increase anxiety in Pilgrim -- the time spent following should be longer, and the character might end up with a few wolves following before they default back to running away.

It might give players in Voyageur a chance to figure out some way to out-think the wolf, like getting to a cabin for shelter, or maybe leading it to another wolf's territory. (Do TLD wolves fight each other if they get too close? That might be another behavior option.) Conversely, two wolves might end up ganging up on the character.

In Stalker, nothing would change.

[Majales]

Conversely, two wolves might end up ganging up on the character.

You don't want two wolves gang up on you. This is game over, because you can't fight more wolves at the same time.

[Scyzara]

I agree with Majales - be careful what you wish for, jackattack.^^

As it is now, you can at least predict whether (and when) an attack is going to happen. You can crouch down (maybe drop a decoy), aim and shoot the beast when it gets too close.

If wolves started to follow you for some random amount of time before attacking, things wouldn't get easier for sure. You would never know when to expect the attack and could only move backwards while aiming at the stalking wolf all the time. Many people would run into additional wolves this way, I guess.

I'm quite sure your idea would actually make Voyageur much more difficult than Stalker.^^

It might be a nice idea for a possible nightmare mode, though.

[jackattack]

Why does everyone assume that a character has the rifle (or ammo) every time they face a wolf? And many of the wolf attacks that end my games are completely unannounced, being attacked in fog, from around corners, or leaving buildings.

I don't want wolves ganging up on the character in Voyageur mode either (much better for Traitor mode), but I like to present options on both sides of the equation (when they occur). I would much rather they fight each other, or maybe both would be distracted posturing at each other (which ends with the wolves heading away in opposite directions) and give the character a chance to slip away. If wolves postured when they met "patrolling", that might also be something the character could take advantage of.