Hutches/Nooks/Wind Effects On Animals

[Grymm]

If there is one absurdity in the game at present that takes one out of the experience, it's watching a deer stroll by in the tooth of a full-on gale of blizzard, head held high and proud, then bowed as she casually grazes as if nothing is happening. Since we already seem to need more places that shelter us from wind - even tiny nooks or crevices - it might be nice to designate a few places that animals hide or shelter in. Deer should at least bow their heads and struggle as they walk, perhaps even curling up behind a tree against the wind (maybe making hunting in the wind - which should generally be a bad idea anyway - more tempting). Wolves should have something like "dens" that we could build fires in with the benefit of being proceed from wind by, say, a single downgrade of wind category. But if we choose the wrong den, we might find the frightened animals at home, themselves sheltering from the wind! In any case, wolves should try to find such hold-outs if they are close to them when a storm starts.

Just a thought.

[SteveP]

Good point. I thought the wild life tends to disappear during storms. YMMV

[n0xiety]

I agree, its quite annoying having to deal with wolfs while a cloth ripping -30C blizzard is going on. I mean if the blizzard is so strong that man made synthetic material is ripping to pieces i don't think a wolf would stay out hunting in that blizzard.

[LucidFugue]

I agree. I'd like to see wildlife react to blizzards and storms. Though caves might get a bit crowded if everyone made a dash for them!

[SteveP]

I agree. I'd like to see wildlife react to blizzards and storms. Though caves might get a bit crowded if everyone made a dash for them!

Wolves have a den that they return to if you wound them and so do the bears. I have found bear dens on Mystery Lake, Coastal Highway, Pleasant Valley and Desolation Point. I know of a wolf den on DP and another on ML; there could be many more that we haven't discovered. I don't really know if all animals have a home den; I wouldn't think rabbits would or else we might have uncovered rabbit burrows.

[Grymm]

Wolves have a den that they return to if you wound them and so do the bears.

Generally differentiated from other locations by the scraps of bones near their entrances. However, I think these are more spawn points (especially for bears) than rally points in storms. I've slept in these caves from time to time and not once seen an animal return…though that would be epic!

I want to clarify what I said. First, there are some such places currently in the game. Certainly a host of caves on PV, for example. But there are places where very few such shelters exist, or where the ones that do are all grandiose, rather than barely survivable. I'd like to see more just little cut-ins in large rocks where all that happens is the wind breaks. Just enough to build a fire. That would be awesome!

I do like such things as the hollow trees you see in Ravine, I think. It would be nice if they were a touch bigger - just big enough to hole up in in a storm - and if they provided both shelter and a place to build a safe fire.

They might also prove to be rally points for animals in storms, creating a new tension.

Just a thought.

[Muk_Pile]

+1 for animals struggling to move during blizzards (or at least look like they are struggling)

+1 for wolves and bears to seek shelter in caves during blizzards