Roberto Tomba

Yes...we need sleds for their potential comedic impact. I'm on day 335, and I have to tell you, I'm getting bored with all those hikes up and down those mountains. I would seriously love to crash into a wolf. It should stun both of us. Hilarious.

Anyone who's made a stock knows that the recipe is something like this: Animal carcass/bones Vegetables Water Salt Beef stock is made from the remains of a bone-in steak, carrots, celery, onions, water, and salt. Chicken stock is made from what remains from a whole chicken when you harvest the meat, plus some variation of the above. I think you get my point. We should be able to make the rabbit stock, venison stock, fish stock, and a multitude of others. But, the only meat allowed for a stock in the game is ptarmigan. Be honest now: if you were on day 291, and you've had nothing but grilled whitefish, bass, goldeneye, and rabbit for the last 40 days, wouldn't you want to mix it up a bit? I was happy to find flour and oil with the update, but I'm bummed that all those animal carcasses can't be soaked in boiling water to create a stock. I journal a lot, and I've just created this recipe: Rabbit Stock Rabbit carcasses cat tail stalks water salt I like to imagine that I'm making that to create a stew, even if the game doesn't let me.

I'm on an exceptionally long run (for me). My previous longest was 77 days, but I'm now at day 279 in this latest run. I know I'm going to pass 365 days, and I believe I can make it to 500. But, I started to think about how I would pass the time, even with a stable food source. Lately, I've been taking "vacations" to different parts of the map, packing provisions for my trip. But, I stumbled upon something when I decided to look up what day 279 is on the calendar: It's October 6, which is my birthday. The actual birthday was months ago, but I get to experience it again in the game. I decided to spend my day doing absolutely nothing...a perfect day off. Now, I get to look forward to Trick or Treat on Day 304, a Thanksgiving feast on Day 327, and maybe I'll get some presents on Day 359. They say you have to do things to keep yourself engaged in the game. I think I've found another way to do that.

What finally ended your run?

I just passed day 83, and I've got a clear path to 100. I've got a hell of a setup, with high skill levels in fishing, fire starting, etc., an absurd number of fishing tackles (12), deerskin boots, a wolfskin coat, and a great base of operations on Mystery Lake. You'd think by now I'd have the hang of what the hell's going on. And yet, the stupid commentary continues. I head out for a day of fishing so I can put food on the table, and inevitably my character starts complaining that the pack is getting heavy, or that I'm going to have to drop something. Did I forget that I went out today specifically to fish? Also amusing: when I'm thirsty, but I'm still somehow able to complain about how my tongue feels like sandpaper. I realize that I can disable the commentary, but I like it for the entertainment value. Still, it would be nice if it didn't seem to be completely random. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to do some fishing here, just so long as the fish aren't too heavy:

I've just realized why The Long Dark resonates with me, and with so many people. It's meant to be a representation of a "What if...?" scenario where the world is plunged into deadly cold, and you need to find a way to survive. But, there are things I see in the game that I also find are true in my life: In the game, I never change my clothes. This is definitely my reality since COVID hit. Whenever I enter a new house, one of the first things I do is drink all the water out of the toilet. It's not my fault that I'm thirsty. In the game, it's perfectly acceptable, but for some reason, my friends don't invite me over anymore. When I look through the cabinets and refrigerator for food, things have largely been picked clean. I have teenagers. I imagine that's also what killed the people in the game.

That's a phenomenal idea (the lamp). This will amp up the immersion. Thank you. As weird as it will sound to many, I know you understand me when I say I'm disappointed when Winter isn't harsh. I want the cold and the snow. I do enjoy taking my dogs for a walk when the temperatures are in single digit temperatures (Fahrenheit), and one of my dogs also enjoys walks regardless of the weather. Dogs would be a great random game mode. I'd love to have a dog, for companionship and for protection. But, not my dogs. I don't think pugs would do well. And, also, amazing sentiment about the value of creativity.

Yes...this is the other side of that immersion coin. The game is so good that you forget about the world outside. It's refreshing in a weird way to play the game in the summer. That scenario reminds me of the Twilight Zone episode, The Midnight Sun, where a woman dreams that she's in a world that's heading closer to the sun and getting progressively hotter. She awakens to find it was all a dream...and that the world is actually moving away from the sun, and getting colder and colder. Sorry for the spoiler if you haven't seen it, but this is one Twilight Zone episode that everyone needs to see.

I live in Michigan. We're the warm, southern neighbors of our Canadian brothers in Ontario. It gets cold in the winter...usually not as cold as it gets in the game, but it's still pretty cold. I always like to immerse myself in the games I like to play. For whatever reason, I decided to start playing the game with the windows open in the winter. Some days, it's not too bad. Today, it's 11°F (-11°C). With the wind chill, it feels like it's -4°F (-20°C). I wear a hoodie when I play, but it's still pretty damn cold. I like the cold room when I'm playing because it makes my situation feel more real, and more desperate. I play in a room where I can close the door. That way, it doesn't set off the thermostat and overheat the rest of the house. I play after my wife's gone to bed. One time, she walked in the room , and wondered why it was so cold. I explained it to her, and she looked at me like I was insane. Maybe she's right.