v0.301 TimberWolf feedback (some spoilers)

[McGuffin]

I've just reached the Timberwolf summit, after a fresh start in the new zone in Stalker mode, (100% blind playthrough).

And seriously, this is the best experience I had in The Long Dark and even maybe in all survival games I have ever played.

The map is huge, and the layout is incredible, and very immersive. The sound of the mountain is also great.

When the wind is howling, it's even possible to hear the plane cracks from the summit. Beautiful and terrifying at the same time.

The verticality is used here in a very smart way.

Being able to add shortcuts (with ropes) is a very nice touch too.

Travelling in this region is very dangerous, and a backup plan is always needed, just in case a blizzard pops up.

You just can't let go, or you are dead.

The first days were really challenging.

With no real shelter, the very low temperatures and clothes that are not warm enough, it's not possible to sleep or harvest anything without a fire just next to us. Everything that can be used must be used to survive.

Coffee, (to stay warm a bit longer), torches (to handle wolves), Natural medicine etc...

Wood sticks are our best friends on early days, and wolves too, since they can kill rabbits and deers for you.

The travel from the hut to the summit, took me 3 days (gametime).

Being exausted after using a rope is a game changer.

Since I didnt know what to expect, I made few basecamps on the way with a bunch of wood and water just in case I had to came back in a bad shape.

The loot at the end is quite good. It's may be to even too much. I was a bit overwhelmed, but after such hard days, it's a nice reward.

Few things:

-I lost my shoes during the travel (they dropped to 0% durability). That sounded a bit weird to be able to continue to walk in the snow and climb without shoes.

-The temperature in the last cave just before the summit seems a bit high (-20°c outdoor, +7 indoor without clothes bonus)

-The temperature in all caves seems to be constant, same temp° when you are deep inside or just next to the entrance/exit.

-I still find wierd to be able to produce water bottles out of nowhere. This is maybe the last legacy gameplay status I find messed up. (the right mecanism exist for Jerrican/Fuel)

-The branches are still not balanced. I never bother to loot them (i mean *NEVER*). It's far more efficient the to pick up 2 sticks directly.

-This is the first time I really felt the need to use coffe or tisane all the time. However we should be able to drink simple hot water too. (when boiled), for the warm bonus.

Of course, when you know the map better, it's becoming easy to anticipate what you have to do but even then, it's just awesome.

Great great job on this one Hinterland!

(i hope my english is good enough) ^^

[bethany]

Thanks very much for sharing your thoughts and feedback! Great to hear you're having a fun experience in the new region. You mentioned the lack of shelter - Do you feel that was the biggest risk to your survival, or were there other things that you found yourself facing that challenged you in surprising ways?

[McGuffin]

Well, the lack of real shelter is for sure the biggest risk, because of the constant low temperature.

Not being able to sleep on early days without a long duration fire is a real challenge, because, harvesting wood takes times and energy too, so there is a very exciting micro-management to handle.

Mistakes don't forgive much there. (the scarcity of the loot is also a huge issue to handle, and fortunately we can eat cat tails ^^ )

After sometimes, (thanks to the cargo container), it's possible to find better clothes (or at least repare the ones we already have) so we can get close to a better warm bonus, but it take few days to get there. (depending of what type of cargo you can find)

My very first run was even harder because I didnt found any hatchet quickly enough, so I had to rely only on small sticks.

[wolf359]

I went into timberwolf mountain for the first time today, with the usual mind set/strategy that I always do, but found that I had to rework the way I think about the game. And the way I play it. I did 5 or 6 dry runs, and I died relatively quickly, considering I have crossed the 200 day mark many times. (lightweight). But if you let your health deteriorate, like you can in other areas, you never really get it back. You can't find a nice cozy house with supplies and tools, and hibernate, while you recover. Just not possible. Even when you find the mountaineers hut, (which took me forever), there is relatively no supplies, or tools, and with the windows open, and a hole in the roof, you need a fire going constantly, cause it's ALWAYS freezing at timber wolf.

I have only found an axe once, and in this level, you need to stop and build a fire constantly. Surviving basically on sticks for fire and heat, and scarce 'free' food, you need weapons to kill the wildlife. There is a ton of rabbits and deer on the scene, but making snares requires a work bench, only available at the mountaineers hut.

Plus, the elevation changes, with the climbing ropes, are really confusing. I am sure a pattern will emerge, but when you think your in one portion of the map, and your actually not, it's disorienting, and a bit of a piss off, specially when your freezing. Cold is the biggest enemy at timber wolf.

Top notch update. Takes everything we know on how to survive, and throws it out the window. Surviving here for any length of time, will take some work, and an almost rejuvenated original excitement I had for the game when I played it for the first time.

[cowboymrh]

And seriously, this is the best experience I had in The Long Dark and even maybe in all survival games I have ever played.

The map is huge, and the layout is incredible, and very immersive. The sound of the mountain is also great.

When the wind is howling, it's even possible to hear the plane cracks from the summit. Beautiful and terrifying at the same time.

The verticality is used here in a very smart way.

Being able to add shortcuts (with ropes) is a very nice touch too.

Travelling in this region is very dangerous, and a backup plan is always needed, just in case a blizzard pops up.

You just can't let go, or you are dead.

Great great job on this one Hinterland!

(

I couldn't agree more!! I just made the summit yesterday after a week (real time) of searching!

Very challenging map with lots of twists, turns, and disorientation!!

Excellent, Excellent Job Hinterlands!!!

What made it even more scary and challenging was risking my 480 day voyager player rather than starting with a fresh player to scout everything out.

Now I'm in the process of bringing the 100 extra pounds of loot back down to the Mountaineers Hut. I'm at the Deer Clearing now and working my way down several trips at a time with as much as I can safely carry.

Please do more of these type of maps Hinterlands!! Absolutely Awesome!!