Hi All

[HunterKiller]

Just got the game and wanted to say hi to everyone. Seems like a good game and sort of enjoy the game play a bit. Still getting used to the idea and what all I have to do but, I do play several types of survival games.

[Bill Tarling]

Welcome to the forum

You'll find The Long Dark is a bit different from most Survival type games (I mean apart from the 'No Zombies' aspect). Rather than having extensive menus of building options [e.g. chop 3 trees, carry to location, find 3 vine bishes, find a rock for hammering - log cabin is ready in 15 minutes... or substitute 3 trees with 6 large rocks to build a castle], the game focuses more on basic crated items needed for more basic survival (and there's energy and time costs used). Your character will get tired gathering what's needed rather than having everything in ready supply right next to you.

The game operates quite differently than most games for how it's played as well. In most games, you're guided in to specific directions or how you're meant to handle each situation or challenge. You're often given a predetermined approach to solving the game challenge.

In The Long Dark, you're dropped in, no hand holding, no preset "you must begin by doing 'x' first"... You're thrown in just as if you were dropped into an unknown situation in real life, with mostly basic skills. Rather than guiding you where to go or what to do, the game let's you experiment and learn through your own successes and failures - and deaths)... you can develop the gameplay and techniques that you feel are most suited to your way of task management and problem solving.

So much of the game is each individual player's approach to weighing Risk vs. Reward...

Some players will see a wolf eating, and look for safe paths quietly away from it... Others will decide whether it's worth using some supplies to hopefully scare off the wolf to steal the meat... others will shoot the wolf for a double meat kill, or even charge in for hand to beast combat to get the spoils... and still others will practice dodging in close enough to get the wolf interested in them, and then lead the wolf away (and the returning to the vacated deer corpse).

Note: That last one is now possible to a lesser degree [you have to get almost within attack distance to draw the wolf now], but I'm hoping they add back in at least a chance of the wolf switching from eating to eyeing the player as a potential easy kill like previous versions. Not every time, but should be more risk sneaking up close [right now the wolves are easy kill sitting ducks while eating, which takes away a lot of the challenge].

Many of us spent days and weeks practicing dodging in and out to lead wolves away from their kills so we could steal the prize - no weapons, no flares or other supplies... just a game of Cat and Mouse... errr, a game of Wolf and Meal

[bethany]

Glad you joined us! I think you'll find this to be a fairly unique experience as far as "survival games" go. The most satisfying experiences I've had with The Long Dark have come from learning things the hard way, so to speak, so I'll let you discover what the game has to offer. That being said, if you have any questions, feel free to ask -- Our community is very supportive and helpful! Looking forward to hearing what you think.

Welcome to the forums!