WOLVES

[KD7BCH]

Continue to be the most boring. Most Cheap. Most annoying. Most Un-Fun. Most Unbalanced. Most screw-you-Hinterland. Most I don't want to plat anymore part of the TLD.

Sometimes there is no avoiding them. Sometimes there is no reason for them to be where they are. Sometimes they are just murderous and lame.

They should remain a challenge but why oh why do they continue to be the preeminent threat on coastal highway.

Fifteen hour survival which was challenging and could very well have killed me if not doing everything in order to counter the dangers that exist aside from wolves yields 30 wolf encounters. Basically wolves at every fucking turn.

Is this really to be how this game is going to be? I'm tired of it. I want to be harshly critical here as well as fair. The fair part is the game continues to grow and add new layers of complexity and benefits and fun things to play. The Critical part is the wolves almost a year later continue to be complete and total BS. If button mashing is to be the design of how we combat these, then maybe make our button mashing mean something.

So criticisms.

--- Wolf combat still sucks.

--- Too many wolf interactions.

--- Too many wolves in areas they should not be in.

--- Too much wildlife overall, to coincide with the excessive calorie requirements? Is it all about gameplay I don't know but I don't like how it is right now and its been this way since at least summertime 2015 probably springtime too. Changes need to be made. Have a look at the video for what early Stalker gameplay is like when you start with wolves all over the fucking place.

I've heard from folks on the forums. Go places where there aren't wovles avoid avoid avoid. Well I wasn't exactly playing like Duke Nukem this last round and still 30 close calls in 1.4 miles walked 2 hours outside. Really? I don't think that is balanced well at all and I want wolf interactions looked at.

[McGuffin]

decoy

torch

flare

sneak

rifle

bow

there are many way to deal with wolves

you can also play in lower difficulty

[Scyzara]

Where on Earth have you been to encounter 30 wolves during a 1.4 mile walk? Running around in circles on the Coastal Highway ice plain heading towards them on purpose? oO"

I usually have less than two close wolf encounters per day in Stalker mode. And I've only played in Timberwolf Mountain since the update, in other words: An completely unfamiliar area that I didn't know before.

You should really reconsider your way of pathfinding and/or the way look out for wolves if you run into them all the time. The shortest way isn't always the best if you can't see what's behind that hilltop or rock. Try to always get a good overview of the area before you move if you can't exclude that wolves might be around.

Apart from that McGuffin named all those numerous possibilities to deal with wolves. What the game calls "close encounter" is merely that a wolf has noticed you - it doesn't mean that you have to hand-fight it. It's sometimes even possible to outrun wolves or climb some rock or tree where they can't reach you. And if this doesn't work, you still have McGuffin's list of options.

[Hesha]

doesn't make wolf behaviour/quantity any less ridiculous, though...

[KD7BCH]

Here you go you guys show me how the hell to deal with this bs.

[bBvideo 560,340:19s4al2g]

[/bBvideo]

I did decoy, I did try evasion. They were one me from the moment I stepped out of the house, coming up the road, they were on me again and again and again, and even when they weren't around me I had to get something to treat the wounds, they were surrounding me. Misanthropes homestead, there were at least 3 different wolves there why? There are no rabbits no deer. Why so many wolves? This whole wolf behavior makes no sense, gameplay wise or logically, or animalistically.

Game sadistically taunts me too by the way. So very next game I played tonight, spawned in same exact location. Made it right into the same house no problem, of course took a slightly different route, but very first thing I find, in the cabinet by the front door, antiseptic. Its like the devs set it up to be stupid-wolf-centric but only sometimes. I don't know I just dont like it.

[KD7BCH]

decoy

torch

flare

sneak

rifle

bow

there are many way to deal with wolves

you can also play in lower difficulty

I didnt have a flare, I didn't have a torch, I didnt have a rifle or bow, I did try evasion and I did decoy them with what raw meat I had when able. It isn't about difficulty level. I've reguarly made it 40+ days on Stalker and on more than a dozen occasions over into the bordeom zone.

The issue is, there is no counter to the density of the wolves before you have all these tricks in your bag. The thing I'm bitching about here is there is no reason for the density to exist as it does on Coastal in these areas. There is nothing for them to hunt.

This isn't exactly untypical either which is another part of the issue. Look really I get they need to be challenging they always have needed to be. But the game needs to grow up and stop using them to be the cheap way to kill the player. People still die a lot a ridiculous amount to wolves because they are poorly implemented. Hinterland needs to step it up and give us a spear or reduce the numbers so that you don't encounter wolf and wolf after wolf on Coastal Highway.

In 200 hours of play time I've died at least 500 times to wolves. Maybe less than 50 times all other ways.

"How far will you go to survive" is a question asked in the marketing, well far enough to make a fucking spear the first time I spot one of these wolves would be my answer.

[McGuffin]

torches are really easy to get:

get some sticks (you can find some everywhere), make a fire, take a torch ^^

I think people die on wolves because they want to fight and kill them (hard to blame, this is the way to handle enemies in almost every other games)

going to confrontation is really not the good way to handle them on early days of the game.

[KD7BCH]

torches are really easy to get:

get some sticks (you can find some everywhere), make a fire, take a torch ^^

I think people die on wolves because they want to play like in other game (fight and kill)

going to confrontation is really not the good way to handle them on early days of the game.

Dude please read what I posted I'm not brand new to the game. thanks. I wasn't trying to confront them at all and I know that you can't do that without tools. However they are faster, they have camo and they also can get the jump on you because they are a predator. Evidently we on the other hand aren't even respected by the devs enough to let us pick up and defend ourselves with a sharp stick or bash it over the head with a big chunk of wood. Our fist punching ability isn't enough and probably wouldn't be against a wolf and I respect that but the choice between walking around lolly polly in the woods when you can see wolves and not arming yourself isn't there for the player from hour 1 and it should be.

Again the argument that there is no logical or animal purpose to that many wolves in that area is also open for discussion.

[McGuffin]

Dude please read what I posted I'm not brand new to the game. thanks.

ok but you dont know how to get a torch,so...

well.

good luck. (dude)

[KD7BCH]

Dude please read what I posted I'm not brand new to the game. thanks.

ok but you dont know how to get a torch,so...

well.

good luck. (dude)

3 minutes into this game all I have is good luck thanks

I'm asking Hinterland why that is. They want the game to be challenging I want that too. But I also want them to take the "Cheap" out of it. It's been a year and they haven't done it. As a supporting paying customer I'm also suggesting that they fix it. It isn't like this isn't a primary complaint on the steam feedback. But nothing is coming of it. That needs to change.

Perhaps it would also make sense for medical cabinets to actually contain medical supplies. Why should I find antiseptic in the front room by the front door instead of in the bathroom in the medical cabinet? Why should I not find that in there but find candy bars? I get that some people are diabetic and keep some in there but look it makes no sense in a world where these folks lived with this kind of wolf density pre-storm.

I just want the game to have some more fun replay-ability and logic to it. Also want Hinterland to stop with the cheap bad luck bs wolves starts where its our fault for loading the game up instead of playing GTA V.

[Naut]

So criticisms.

--- Wolf combat still sucks.

--- Too many wolf interactions.

--- Too many wolves in areas they should not be in.

--- Too much wildlife overall

Even though the game gives you plenty of options to deal with wolves, i strongly agree with this points.

This game is fun when it puts you in danger, and you barely survive for another day. Putting you in danger with the same gameelement over and over again is not.

Wolf encounters should be way less, but more dangerous or lets say "costly" than now. It would also mean that it isnt that easy to get 2 in 1 anymore, by chasing deer into a wolf and get both.

I like the way bears work now more than the wolf mechanic, even though their mechanic has issues aswell.

[KD7BCH]

It isn't like this has been stated nowhere before...

Here are some examples of the wolf feedback I agree with...

"Wolf - The Wolf-Long Wolf: Darkwolf" is a game about wolves. It features compelling and challenging wolf-avoiding, wolf-hunting, wolf-fighting and wolf-escaping mechanics. To be fair to the developers, individual wolves are well balanced - formidable initially, but increasingly manageable with practice. As a wolf apocalypse survival game, this game could be quite enjoyable - and no doubt a great many people do enjoy it. Unfortunately, the threat posed by the wolves utterly overshadows the threats of hunger, thirst and exposure that would be the focus of a serious wilderness survival game." 41 hours

"In my last game I thought maybe I would try and just survive rather than explore, so I sat in the cabin office, fishing and eating fish, melting snow, boiling water, drinking water, sleeping and foraging wood until I was practically falling asleep at the computer. After 10 days I went out in search of a rifle and was killed by a wolf inside a building. In one game I had two rifles and no bullets, and in that one.... no rifle. Since it isn't at all necessary for survival, trying to craft some of the higher level stuff seemed pointless, none of it would help you in a wolf attack. A rifle isn't necessary either, but I was getting tired of playing tag with that wolf who sits between the cabin and the fishing holes." 26 hours

-Wolfs-

Your worse nightmare. You can't fight them, you can only try to sneak by or run your a s s off till you blackout and eventually die. The fighting system here againts wolf it's risky buissnes. bears are easy to evade. But why wolfs? Here: I'll give an example; have you seen the movie (The Grey)? recall the alfa male in the movie? If yes to both. Then you have a picture in your head how terrafying they are. In fact in (The Long Dark). All wolfs are alfa males, they all huge, with big wide open red eyes in the dark. Get close and soon will be game over for you. Unless you have the right weapon in hand to defend you. Which you can only equip the rifle and the bow. Hatches and others items can't be equip. 63 hours

EARLY ACCESS REVIEW

Wonderful game, beautifully stylised graphics which plays well on a basic laptop and better on a gaming machine. Simple and easy to get into but with lots of potential for the developer to add depth as it's developed. Unfortunately it's just ruined by the random (perma)death meated out by the wolves which are impossible to defeat. It's more or less an intentional system crash with a deleted savegame added in just to make things extra difficult. Shame. 139 hours

Common theme in the negative reviews for players who have put time into the game. What is that common theme. BOREDOM AND WOLVES! Boredom is pretty much gone. Wolves not so much.

What I assumed was supposed to be a detailed survival game with the added challange of aggresive wildlife, has effectively turned into seeing how long I can avoid the overwhelming number of wolves and survive the impossible struggle sequence of when a wolf attacks you. If I ever gain any real progress in the game, I'll write a different review. 29 hours

Those were the negative reviews how about some positive rated reviews as there are many many more of them...

Should be called when wolfes attack. LOL.

Still fun 7.5/10 "VERY" realisticly hard. 17 hours

While wolves pose a serious threat to you, they are not that difficult to fight off once the struggle occurs, at least if you have a knife or hatchet. It takes some time to figure out, but mashing the LMB and RMB in quick succession will generally save you. - I do wish that there was a way to use a weapon to fight off a wolf BEFORE the struggle occurs, such as a wooden spear or even a club. If i'm going to be fighting a wolf im not going to want to wait until its on top of me to fight back. 22 hours

I think clearly wolves are definitely overpopulated and would like to see some changes made.

[Hesha]

I completely agree with you about the density of wolves and wildlife in general. But after watching the video you uploaded, I get the feeling that the problem isn't the wolves, but rather that you don't seem to play the game very well. You make a couple of crucial mistakes in that recording and it frankly doesn't surprise me, that you end up in so much trouble... I'm not trying to piss you off, but seriously. Running for no reason and then being out of breath when you encounter a wolf is just plain suicidal behaviour.

[Scyzara]

Here you go you guys show me how the hell to deal with this bs.

I've only watched the first 4 minutes of your video, but I think I already have an idea what causes part of your problems. Please take this as constructive criticism. I'm only analyzing (and criticising) your actions in order to help you, not in order to be offensive or anything.

Most importantly: Panic less.

Second most importantly: Strafe WAY more (= point your camera into a different direction than your walking direction).

E.g. walk along the road while at the same time looking at a 180° angle left and right alongside the road as well. Don't only look around while standing, but ALSO while moving. Strafing really is of utmost importance to be aware of your surrounding all the time.

Also don't run into areas that you can't completely overview. You could have avoided the first wolf attack easily if you hadn't been running in the middle of the road (2:40min+) but sneaked along its left side instead. The wolf would never have noticed you that way.

I also don't understand why you're starting to run towards the wolf-infested huts after the first wolf attack (somewhen around 3:20min). The wolf has lost interest in you at that time and walks away from you. It would have been a good thing to bandage your wounds and sneak away into the other direction at that point.

There's absolutely no reason to panic and run in the oposite direction (while still bleeding! You're a beacon for wolves that way!) without knowing what is there like you did instead. It's exactly such rash actions caused by panic that are the root of almost every wolf problem in TLD.

And to continue the list of unfortunate reactions: At min 3:50, you're standing nice and safe on top of a rock. It's good that you have escaped there as it's a safe spot that can't be reached by woves. A wolf has seen you, but it can't get up there. All is fine in principle, the situation isn't great but under control.

Now instead of crouching down on your nice safe spot, bandaging your wounds and waiting a few minutes for the wolf to leave you run down the rock - literally towards the beast - for reasons that are completely beyond me. Good job at outrunning the wolf and reaching the house later on, though.^^

Please don't take my words as an offense, but as a well-intentioned advice how you could probably considerably reduce the number of dangerous situations you get into by changing your playstyle.

[KD7BCH]

Here you go you guys show me how the hell to deal with this bs.

I've only watched the first 4 minutes, but I think I already have an idea what causes part of your problems. Please take this as constructive criticism. I'm only analyzing (and criticising) your actions in order to help you, not in order to be offensive or anything.

Most importantly: Panic less.

Second most importantly: Strafe WAY more (= point your camera into a different direction than your walking direction).

E.g. walk along the road while at the same time looking at a 180° angle left and right alongside the road as well. Don't only look around while standing, but ALSO while moving. Strafing really is of utmost importance to be aware of your surrounding all the time.

Also don't run into areas that you can't completely overview. You could have avoided the first wolf attack easily if you hadn't been running in the middle of the road (2:40min+) but sneaked along its left side instead. The wolf would never have noticed you that way.

I also don't understand why you're starting to run towards the wolf-infested huts after the first wolf attack (somewhen around 3:20min). The wolf has lost interest in you at that time and walks away from you. It would have been a good thing to bandage your wounds and sneak away into the other direction at that point.

There's absolutely no reason to panic and run in the oposite direction (while still bleeding! You're a beacon for wolves that way!) without knowing what is there like you did instead. It's exactly such rash actions caused by panic that are the root of almost every wolf problem in TLD.

And to continue the list of unfortunate reactions: At min 3:50, you're standing nice and safe on top of a rock. It's good that you have escaped there as it's a safe spot that can't be reached by woves. A wolf has seen you, but it can't get up there. Now instead of crouching down on your nice safe spot, bandaging your wounds and waiting a few minutes for the wolf to leave you run down the rock - literally towards the beast - for reasons that are completely beyond me. Good job at outrunning the wolf and reaching the house later on, though.^^

Please don't take my words as an offense, but as a well-intentioned advice how you could probably considerably reduce the number of dangerous situations you get into by changing your playstyle.

I had no bandage before I made it in the house, I had no flare, I had no decoy, I had nothing. I wanted to get inside the house to see if I could bandage up and anti up because I was 2 open wounds and no bandages. I was also freezing. Again spawned in attacked in 2 minutes. I'm not saying I made all the right moves I made many of the right moves without equipment in order to survive, I missed the bandage on the floor in the bathroom because who the hell puts a bandage on the floor instead of in the medical cabinet. No anti in either of those houses but loads of wolves in that area. Next game no wolves, but anti. Its too much luck not enough logic.

Complete overview of a wolf

As far as tactics against wolves, Avoidance is king until you have weapons.

Why can't we fashion a spear though? I mean or a sharp stick I mean this is supposed to be a survival game, its beyond a year or two of development, I want that option. WHERE IS IT?

I also made the mistake of setting out again before I was full health to try to find some anti even though I had antibiotics, I could have fought off the infection.

Three wolves around 2 cabins, with no anti biotics. Next game, no wolves in that area, antibiotics in the front cabinet.

[Pillock]

I think you are trying to game the wolves too much. Stop treating them like dumb AI monsters, and think about what you would actually do if you knew there were wolves prowling around an area you wanted to explore. Would you go there anyway, and try to sneak past the dangerous predatory wild animals while they're 20 yards away with their backs turned? Or, given that you have no equipment, medical supplies or weapons, wouldn't you probably just avoid the area altogether?

I agree with you that wolf behaviour and encounters in TLD can get pretty annoying after a while, and I agree with you that the devs should try to make changes to the mechanics in order to make it feel more believable.

But, frankly, the way you were playing the game in that video you posted made it look like you were actively trying to get killed by wolves.

[KD7BCH]

I think you are trying to game the wolves too much. Stop treating them like dumb AI monsters, and think about what you would actually do if you knew there were wolves prowling around an area you wanted to explore. Would you go there anyway, and try to sneak past the dangerous predatory wild animals while they're 20 yards away with their backs turned? Or, given that you have no equipment, medical supplies or weapons, wouldn't you probably just avoid the area altogether?

I agree with you that wolf behaviour and encounters in TLD can get pretty annoying after a while, and I agree with you that the devs should try to make changes to the mechanics in order to make it feel more believable.

But, frankly, the way you were playing the game in that video you posted made it look like you were actively trying to get killed by wolves.

No gaming the wolves at all. There was no time for that. I had no tools, I was day 1, 3 minutes into the game and attacked. I get that it is possible. What I dont get is so I run away after the first encounter to find immediate shelter. Again I'm cornered by the same wolf, blocked by a 2nd wolf from an avenue of escape. Later on I'm in cabins which are surrounded by at least those 2 wolves. So then upon leaving that scene due to what is really necessary gameplay, 2 untreated wounds at 90% chance of infection of which one had become infected before I died and both were likely to, I moved on to another area, it was difficult to do that but again hugging the weak ice I made it through only to the next area be hunted by not 1 or 2 but 3 different wolves on patrol routes. Maybe they were onto me because I was weaker than usual or because I had untreated wounds but that doesnt explain the first attack which the wolf got the jump.

The bottom line is it doesnt matter at all. What matters is the density of the wolves and wildlife. There is too much. If the situation would have seen 50% or even 30% less wolves it would probably have been survivable. Certainly there is no food source in those areas for wolves anyway so the question begs why are they there?

Im not a new player I expect wolves in TLD, The long Wolf dark But its a year down the line in development and they are still the biggest pain in the ass in the game and for no good reason. So I'd like it reviewed. Not only am I annoyed and bugged by it but I presented several other reviews on Steam with players with more than 20 hours who mention the same thing. There are not that many negative reviews. Indeed the game is really good but this is an area that can be improved.

[Pillock]

Your game would have been survivable if your movement when approaching the cabins was slower and more careful - then perhaps you might have seen the wolves before they saw you and avoided the whole situation.

But, having sprinted head-long into the wolf-infested area, been attacked (natch), and survived, you could have taken the opportunity to leave at that point. Bandaged using harvested clothes, and then just gone somewhere else.

But, having persisted in trying to loot the cabins despite wolves being all over the area and despite having been attacked twice already, you could have perhaps survived if you had NOT decided to go out into the freezing dark night with 35% condition, damaged clothes and no torches.

You continued throughout to go TOWARDS where you knew there would be wolves, and you took virtually no precautions or care about avoiding encounters.

There are an awful lot of wolves in Coastal Highway, especially around the high-value buildings. To be honest, they're really the only thing that enables that map to present any sort of challenge. But that's a different issue.

[KD7BCH]

Your game would have been survivable if your movement when approaching the cabins was slower and more careful - then perhaps you might have seen the wolves before they saw you and avoided the whole situation.

But, having sprinted head-long into the wolf-infested area, been attacked (natch), and survived, you could have taken the opportunity to leave at that point. Bandaged using harvested clothes, and then just gone somewhere else.

But, having persisted in trying to loot the cabins despite wolves being all over the area and despite having been attacked twice already, you could have perhaps survived if you had NOT decided to go out into the freezing dark night with 35% condition, damaged clothes and no torches.

You continued throughout to go TOWARDS where you knew there would be wolves, and you took virtually no precautions or care about avoiding encounters.

There are an awful lot of wolves in Coastal Highway, especially around the high-value buildings. To be honest, they're really the only thing that enables that map to present any sort of challenge. But that's a different issue.

The first wolf I missed because of the geography. The compounded threat of multiple wolves is the design of Hinterland.

Why are there so many wolves? Yes fucking with wolves without tools is dangerous because the devs have neglected or intentionally chosen to not let you make a spear which would be an hour 1 weapon you could make with a rock and a stick if you were in country with this many wolves and didn't have a gun, see THE EDGE see THE GREY, see LORD OF THE FLIES see QUEST FOR FIRE, see CASTAWAY for reference.

So there are lots of wolves, why are there no spears?

The point here is that this wolf infested no antiseptic map run was loaded with wolves but there is no logical reason why. The next run, I made the exact same loot and found antiseptic on the first search in the first house, but no wolves. That doesn't make any logical sense at all.

[TWM]

Here you go you guys show me how the hell to deal with this bs.

1. First of all, if you like to run across the map like you do in the video, maybe Stalker Mode isn't for you.

I seldom play Stalker, because it's just too much of a hassle to me to deal with so many wolves in places I want to be. Yes, I suppose I could be supercautious and crouch all the time - crouching really is a wonderful way of getting past wolves unseen - but it takes forever and I just don't have the patience for it. And I'm bad at alternating between crouching and running for cover, so...

2. If you insist on running across the map like you're some cross country sprinter or something, play Pilgrim Mode. Wolves and bears will flee on sight. Which makes hunting them a lot harder as well.

3. However if you need a certain amount of predatory danger to keep this game exciting, but you find the amount of wolves in Stalker Mode to be excessive, then choose Voyageur. It has a nice balance, so you don't have to hug the slopes almost everywhere you go, yet you have to keep your guard up in certain areas.

A lot of tips have already been given:

1. STOP RUNNING! Running is bad, m'kay? Only run if you have to. Don't waste your energy, you'll get exhausted all the time, which leaves less time to get things done. And whatever you do, don't run into an area you know as an experienced player is going to have wolves. If you've played these maps a couple of times you know where to expect them. So then don't run blindly into such places. Approach with caution. Scope the area out.

2. USE CROUCH TO BYPASS WOLVES! Wolves can spot you from a fair distance when you're standing up straight or walking, but when you crouch, they really have to get pretty close before they see you.

I noticed that even near the end of the video, while trying Misanthropes Homestead, at one point (26:45) you're on a ledge, you manage to crouch down to a position where the wolf can't see you, so it turns away and starts walking off. At which point you stand up and put two steps forward. Which attracts the wolf again. If you had just stayed crouched down until it had wandered off to the right, you could have easily snuck behind it and arrived safely at Misanthropes Homestead.

Short and simple: you're not a newbie, so stop playing like one. You keep dying not because there are too many damn wolves, but because you persist in making what comes down to beginner's mistakes.

[KD7BCH]

Balance on Voyageur is complete crap. There is a huge excess of materials as well as vastly reduced difficulty. The difficulty on Stalker is all too easy once you gun up anyway. My beef is not with the difficulty but with the cheapness of WOLVES and density. Issues which have persisted for months and nothing recently has been done to change this.

[KD7BCH]

Here you go you guys show me how the hell to deal with this bs.

1. First of all, if you like to run across the map like you do in the video, maybe Stalker Mode isn't for you.

I seldom play Stalker, because it's just too much of a hassle to me to deal with so many wolves in places I want to be. Yes, I suppose I could be supercautious and crouch all the time - crouching really is a wonderful way of getting past wolves unseen - but it takes forever and I just don't have the patience for it. And I'm bad at alternating between crouching and running for cover, so...

2. If you insist on running across the map like you're some cross country sprinter or something, play Pilgrim Mode. Wolves and bears will flee on sight. Which makes hunting them a lot harder as well.

3. However if you need a certain amount of predatory danger to keep this game exciting, but you find the amount of wolves in Stalker Mode to be excessive, then choose Voyageur. It has a nice balance, so you don't have to hug the slopes almost everywhere you go, yet you have to keep your guard up in certain areas.

A lot of tips have already been given:

1. STOP RUNNING! Running is bad, m'kay? Only run if you have to. Don't waste your energy, you'll get exhausted all the time, which leaves less time to get things done. And whatever you do, don't run into an area you know as an experienced player is going to have wolves. If you've played these maps a couple of times you know where to expect them. So then don't run blindly into such places. Approach with caution. Scope the area out.

2. USE CROUCH TO BYPASS WOLVES! Wolves can spot you from a fair distance when you're standing up straight or walking, but when you crouch, they really have to get pretty close before they see you.

I noticed that even near the end of the video, while trying Misanthropes Homestead, at one point (26:45) you're on a ledge, you manage to crouch down to a position where the wolf can't see you, so it turns away and starts walking off. At which point you stand up and put two steps forward. Which attracts the wolf again. If you had just stayed crouched down until it had wandered off to the right, you could have easily snuck behind it and arrived safely at Misanthropes Homestead.

Short and simple: you're not a newbie, so stop playing like one. You keep dying not because there are too many damn wolves, but because you persist in making what comes down to beginner's mistakes.

So your solutions are don't play the game mode STALKER because its broken.

Don't Run because running is bad. LOL.

Use crouch to bypass wolves. Which wouldn't have worked anyway because of the geography. Standing up wasn't what got me caught by the wolf the 2nd time it was the the open wounds which they can 'detect' for much lager distances. Furthermore It isn't what blocked me from escape, that was the 2nd wolf.

You say I keep dying not because there are too many damn wolves, though the people who quit the game with 20+ hours of experience commonly agree there are too many wolves and that they are a pain in the ass as implemented. People who are playing right now agree that there is way too much wildlife and calories floating around out there for good game-play for a 1-player game with no co-op and no multiplayer. Having no tools or ability to negate the consequence of the unrealistic wolf action on day 1 is a consequence not of skill but of luck.

I further submit to had I gone the other way on the road and not encountered wolves I would have increased my chances and to live to day 2 because of a lower wolf density. Furthermore, had I encountered antiseptic like I did the on the very next item search in the very next playthrough, with the very same spawn and very same approach albeit a different time of day, the same situation would have turned out different. So it is not skill it is luck that determined a substantial portion of the outcome. Additionally, without advanced craftable tools such as a bow, and arrows which are obtainable at least 5 days into the game by design, and without the gun which is furthermore based on your luck finding it and that based on largely random number of opportunities where it is populated, also based on luck and some knowledge as to where it spawns the day 1 game isn't much about skill at all.

In every survival movie made, in every survival situation where you don't sit at the apex of the food chain anymore you craft a spear, or you find a big scary sharp stick that would at a minimum make a wolf think twice coming after you. WHERE IS OUR SPEAR?

I further submit that equipping myself with a basic weapon with some increased ability to fight more effectively than the pathetic neutered interaction you get now with no tools against a wolf would have also increased my likelyhood to make it to day 2. Yes I'd still have 2 open wounds, yes they would have gotten infected, yes I'd have to leave the zone anyway to get food and make water all conditions I'd have to manage and Id have to make another decision to fight or flee and if fight to manage the consequences of that.

As it is now can crouch you can zigzag you can swivel your face about constantly, and if you miss the wolf, and it gets the jump on you 3 minutes into the game, you can click as fast as your mouse will allow even engineered macro rates and it doesn't matter, because the "not simulation" of the event is going to take over.

I hate cheap.

I dislike poor implementation.

I don't favor luck over skill.

I feel strongly the wolf interactions in TLD are too numerous, that they are a weakpoint for the game not a strength and the whole idea that you can't do better once engaged or that "luck found tools" or that advanced crafting walking basic crafting, aka "A SPEAR" is the way to react to the situation is just wrong.

If Joe Tedi was here, and he didn't have a bow, a gun, or bandages because he'd just dropped in, the first thing he would do after assessing his initial condition is make a spear about 15 seconds into the game.

You pick up wood EVERY DAY in this game. It is a staple resource. You gather it, sticks, break down branches, use your hatchet to recover chunks of it, you can even use your bare hands to break down reclaimed wood. You will handle more pieces of wood than any single other resource in the game and not one of those right now have the developers seen fit to let you craft into a SPEAR. That's crap.

You can make a bow but not a spear? So we can fly supersonic jets, but horse and buggy not available in this build. LOL. How many more years before modding?

[McGuffin]

A lot of people here gave you useful advices but you seem decided to not listen.

You seem to focus on spears...

Why not after all, but, I already said to you: you can get a torch in 2 mn in this game, which has basically the same effect than a spear.

Btw, if stalker is broken in this game, it's because Stalker is too easy... (except if you start in timberwolf mountain, where it's really challenging, and pretty awesome, IMHO)

[Hotzn]

Judging from the video, OP is a mediocre player and therefore shouldn't insist on playing stalker. There are different difficulty settings for a reason.

Still, the video is fun to watch. Quite dramatic.

[KD7BCH]

A lot of people here gave you useful advices but you seem decided to not listen.

You seem to focus on spears...

Why not after all, but, I already said to you: you can get a torch in 2 mn in this game, which has basically the same effect than a spear.

Btw, if stalker is broken in this game, it's because Stalker is too easy... (except if you start in timberwolf mountain, where it's really challenging, and pretty awesome, IMHO)

A lot of players who accept the game as it is without question, without having reached the boredom, without denying that wolves can be a better component than where they are, and without the understanding that they ruin the game for a substantial number of people who quit TLD yeah. I disregard the advice because it is irrelevant. Your only move before you have tools is AVOID AVOID AVOID it isn't defend defend defend.

Real wolves in the real world are unavoidable. If they want you they can detect you much farther than you can. In TLD their supposition is use your sight range advantage to avoid them but that is crap because in high wolf density areas, you are likely to miss one over the number of opportunities and the impact of missing just one wolf encounter turned unavoidable attack on day 1 in TLD is catastrophic and often unrecoverable.

Meanwhile if the game is honest and wants us to assess explore think and survive with our wits, well my wits tell me make a spear so yes after I avoid and evade which I would already do, even if and when I miss the one wolf hiding or in a position of camo or cover I can defend myself if it comes down to it even on day one with an item I can make because I'm not in a poor computer simulation but because 100,000 years ago that is the first thing I would have done if I woke up and found myself walking around without my spear.