ManicManiac

For me, I was a bit late coming to the forums (considering I'd been an active player since the later part of 2014 but joined the forums about 4 years later).
However, I didn't really spend much time lurking, per se.  I honestly hadn't come across the forums until sometime later, and at the time I wasn't a participant on any forums at all.

With the Hinterland Forums (as the first community I ever choose to participate in), what drew me to join was the overall enthusiasm of the community as well as the Milton Mailbag.  For the community side, I loved theorizing about lore and gameplay possibilities.

I've also really enjoyed sharing some of my various adventures and misadventures across Great Bear Island.  I liked the idea that by chronicling some of my runs it gave me away to talk strategy and share the successes and failures born out of the gameplay style and personal challenges I'd work on developing for myself.  Also, if those chronicles entertained others or that perhaps others found them helpful... then all the better.  

@BugReportEnthusiast
And there is no problem whatever with genuine critique... or criticism... or incongruent points of view.
It's when it gets disrespectful, insulting, hostile, etc... that's when it becomes an issue.  

Since you mentioned it... we have had folks who come here angry and make an account just to be toxic.
It happens far more than you think.   

Considering I found the game around the time it was first coming to Steam Early Access... I can emphatically state that I have been given far more value from The Long Dark than any game I've played (especially since I've playing more-or-less consistently for nearly 9 1/2 years now). 

@BugReportEnthusiast

That's a slick move (referring to the deer)... well done. 

Since I'm so close to the next stop on my route... I decided to wake up early (only resting for about 10 hours).  I figured I could better spend those two hours of daylight by quickly prospecting through the Old Red Barn before heading off to Thompson's Crossing.

I'm surprised I hadn't tripped over this poor soul in the dark when I came it.  They had a torch that was in pretty good condition (~63%)... but nothing else on them.

All things considered; I think it was time well spent.

I was already starting to freeze to death by the time I had gotten to the nearby bridge.  The wind was gusting hard and right in my face... every step was a bone chilling struggle.

I had to stop off at the Church first... just to warm up a little.

The sounds in here (from the heavy winds outside) sound like groans and growls... something's wrong with this place; gives me the creeps.  Moving on.

There's a fog rolling in now... but at least the wind had died down.

I didn't find nearly as much for gear and supplies as I was hoping... but still it was nice to be able to unload everything I'd picked up between the Pleasant Valley Farmstead and the Community Hall.

I wanted to take some time to prosect Thompson's Crossing properly (as well as take some time to repair some of the more worthy gear I've managed to find thus far)...

Just a couple of food items... but nothing else of note here in the little picnic area next to the Church.  I decided I would spend a couple of hours on repairs before starting to look through the houses.  I just have to decide what's most worth the cloth (especially considering I'm heading to Timberwolf Mountain and those rumored cargo containers relatively soon).   

I went back inside the Community Hall to inspect and take inventory of my cold weather gear.

I don't have a lot to work with... but I mended up both pairs of climber's socks, the fisherman's sweater, and the wool tuque.  The boots were already in good condition from the repair I'd made the other day.  The rest was good enough for now... I was hoping to have a lot of it replaced when I reach the summit of Timberwolf Mountain.

As I said, my gear isn't great... but it would have to do.

I heard the wind kicking up again outside.

I decided to go out and have a look...

Sure enough... another blizzard.

Rather than rush to get further along the route, I decided I would hunker down here at the Community Hall for the night.  I had more than enough food on hand to waste a couple of days along the way if need be.

With a few hours to while away, I went back through the Community Hall and found that I had neglected all the drawers and cabinets in the kitchen.

It was a good thing I'd gone back for another look around.  I ended up finding a little more food, but more importantly, I found two packs of water purification tablets.  Counting the one's I'd found at the Camp Office in Mystery Lake... I now had the means to prepare 12 liters of drinking water in half the time.  This additional stopover has more than paid for itself. 🤭

The storm finally broke sometime after dark... but as I mentioned, I had more than enough food to afford to just bed down for the night (rather than push onward on a night hike).

@BugReportEnthusiast

I don't disagree with that... it is a good option.  I only mean to say that I didn't think it was always the best option, depending on the circumstance. 

There is some good sound advice in this thread already, but I thought I might add my thoughts as well. 

I'm not so sure that a snow shelter is always objectively the best option.  I'm sure it's favored by some... but I personally don't really think it's necessarily the best solution.

The snow shelter is definitely a convenient one (especially if set up in front of a hollow tree or a windproof firebox).  However, I find that it's usually the better option to simply seek any nearby shelter/cover to hole-up in and wait out the storm.  This way (assuming you have at least mid-tier clothing... we can generally keep warm in any "indoor"/interior of a shelter (including the back of nearly all shallow caves, interior caves, and inside buildings *where we have an inside/outside loading transition) even without a fire.  Most times even if we need a couple more degrees to start warming up... we can also then hop in a bed or use a bedroll in most cases to make up the difference.

I think folks will find that "shelter" can even be as simple as a spot where we can be shielded from the wind.  Tucking up under a low bridge (for example - the one between the town of Milton and the Paradise Meadows Farm), this can give you a place to both get cover from the wind, but also a shielded spot for a fire.

Hollowed out trees are also a good spot to get a campfire set up... it's mostly protected (except for if the wind is blasting straight at the opening).

For those who really enjoy exploring and seeking out all the little nooks and crannies... there are also many many small niches in ridgelines, crevices, tiny little cave-like nooks where we can get good shielding from the wind with enough room that we can sometimes get a campfire setup with us (assuming it's deep enough that we can squeeze in with it). 🤭

If you have enough sticks on hand... you can even nurse a campfire and just tank the storm by a tree.
But again... I'd posit that usually the most ideal answer to a blizzard is to just find a nearby structure with an interior transition (or the back of a common/shallow cave).

All this having been said... which is the "best" option I think really just comes down to each particular situation, what you have to hand, and what your personal playstyle is.

As long as you find a way to survive the storm... then it's not a bad answer.  

@conanjaguar
Well, it was my first fade-out in literal years, that's true. 😋
It just goes to show, that mistakes and bad luck can quickly prove fatal for a run.
I may have pulled off some wildly risky stuff in the past... but this time, I just pushed my luck too far.  

But when mistakes and tragedy strike... it's as much a chance to learn and grow as it is when we pull off what seemed like an impossible stunt.  In both cases, I think it's great to share that with folks.

@Looper
Last time it wasn't a lack of shelter...
It was me choosing to needlessly push my luck, not bring any coal to save on weight, the bad luck of a blizzard less than a day after the previous one... that blizzard hitting while I was resting on a ledge... and the gear inside of the cargo containers of being unusually low quality.   

If any one of those things had not been a factor... I would have tanked the blizzard just fine, even comfortably.  In perfect honesty was my choices and some rotten luck that ultimately cost me that run. 🤭

However, I see the merit of a survive and thrive on the summit run... one of these days.  Thank you.

@Looper

Thank you, I'm glad folks enjoy reading along with my adventure/misadventures.  

This one is a Stalker [no feats] run.
Also, no additional personal rules or restrictions this time.
Just a survivor gearing up to eventually launch my first expedition into the Far Territory.

I'd managed to make it further than I'd aimed for yesterday... so of course Pleasant Valley was keen to make up for that today.  

I went up to check the hayloft... then I sat up there for about an hour and a half while I repaired the Insulated Boots that I'd picked up at Signal Hill.

Of course, no sooner had I finished the repair, I became aware of the rather loud gusting winds outside.

On the way out... I'd nearly missed something when I came in last night.  I did a quick sort and stow, leaving behind most of what I'd picked up along the way between Signal Hill and the work shed at the Pleasant Valley Farmstead.

I knew what to expect when I poked my head out... but I was still hoping that it just a gusty windstorm... but of course not.  It was a full-on blizzard.  Not wanting to needless add wear and tear to the good pair of boots I just fixed up... I took them off and started a sprint for the farmhouse.  It was easy enough to tank, since there wasn't far to go.

I spend most of the day waiting out the storm and prospecting the house from top to bottom.
I'll spare the usual inventory of notable items... suffice to say that I did find some decent clothing and a rather healthy amount of food.  However, the real prize was a rather nice condition hacksaw.  

I feel better about heading to Timberwolf Mountain knowing I don't have to rely on chance to find a much-needed hacksaw for the cargo containers. 🤭

Just as I was doing my sort and stow setting up a nice cache there at the Pleasant Valley Farmstead... the blizzard had abated.  I wanted to at least push on until I was exhausted, at least try to make up some of the time I spent waiting out the storm.

I had to head back to the work shed... I had left my ammunition that I'd been collecting up since the lower levels of the Carter Dam.  I was going to leave them cached at the work shed, but ultimately decided I wanted to stow them away at the Community Hall over at Thompson's Crossing instead.

The weather had cleared... but a fog was quickly rolling in as well.  No clear skies tonight.

I didn't even bother picking up those painkillers... I never really have any use for them anyway.  

Sprinting onward across the open field, I was quickly getting tired out.
That Old Red Barn has some real Amityville Horror vibes in the fog...

As I crept around gathering up what I could, I decide I would not press my luck so hard this time... that I would spend the night in that creepy old barn.  

Tomorrow though... no excuses.  I have to get over to Thompson's Crossing. 

I'd say it's more than a bit unfair to be implying a lack of transparency on Hinterland's part.
Over the years, I'd say Hinterland has done fairly well in being very open with their community.
Let's not continue down that path... I find it tends to get disrespectful rather quickly.

I can't in good conscience narrow it down to just one thing.  
(Indeed, I have no doubt getting the hand coverings to show and play correctly must have been an absolute Herculean task... especially considering the condition variations over every particular one)

Frankly I really appreciate all the time and hard work that has gone into all the new features, items, and content.

While I have yet to mount a full expedition into the Far Territory... All the new items and features that have come along with each update have been wonderful to get to experiment with and see how they will continue to evolve my playstyle.

So far as I've been able to experiment and work with them, I'd say they have done a lot in terms of enriching an already very emergently complex gameplay experience... and quite frankly, I love it all the more.  After all the years I've been playing... it never feels stale or "old hat."  For the last 9 1/2 years or so now... this has been the game I play the most by a rather wide margin.   
 

In my opinion... I'd say it's easy for folks on the forum to just try to tell Hinterland what they "should do," and it all may seem simple and easy from that point of view...   However, we don't know all the demands on Hinterland's time.  We don't know the issues that the various teams may be facing with what they are working on, or the amount of coordination it takes at each level to keep things moving forward.  We just don't know all those behind-the-scenes things that sap both time and energy... 

I'll echo what I've mentioned in another thread:

Quote

I think folks might also benefit from not expecting the Hinterland Team to be at their beck-and-call.
Work has to get done, and work takes time.

I would say that Hinterland has been rather good about letting us know when they have information to share.
Do they really owe us monthly updates?  Are we stockholders?  Are we on some Board of Directors?  ...No...

I feel that Hinterland has earned a lot of good will over the years.  I think that rather than assume and jump to negative conclusions... I think we ought to give the benefit of any doubt and just have patience.

Don't get me wrong... I'm not criticizing the suggestions themselves.  I'm sure most genuinely intend those suggestions to be helpful.
All I'm trying to say here... is I think it would be wise for all of us to temper expectation with patience.
As far as I have seen over the years, Hinterland has been rather good about sharing information with us... when they felt they had something substantial to share, and when they felt that information was in a ready enough state to share.

Ghost - Life Eternal (Audio) (youtube.com)

Alternate Link:
Ghost - Life Eternal with lyrics (youtube.com)

Since I'm sort of retracing a more recent route... I'll keep it short today.
The goal: cross the Winding River and make a push for Signal Hill.

I don't really have the time to break down this stack of pallets by hand... but I will note the container inside the pipe and come back for it.

I managed to get down to the Pleasant Valley Farmstead before it got too far past sundown.  I did take some time to prep a little more drinking water... but really, I was just looking to get a few canned food items cooked for eating over the next couple of days.

Since I'm here, tomorrow I will checkout the Farmhouse... but I don't want to idle too much.  I'd really like to get over to Thompson's Crossing tomorrow and get ready to head to the Upper Shelf and onwards toward Timberwolf Mountain.  However, I haven't yet found a hacksaw along the way.  I will feel better about things when I do.

I recommend that folks also submit support tickets.

I think folks might also benefit from not expecting the Hinterland Team to be at their beck-and-call.
Work as to get done, and work takes time.

I would say, that Hinterland has been rather good about letting us know when they have information to share.

Quote

Hockney : "You kids ready?"
McManus : "I would be if I didn't have to stop and answer to you."

Do they really owe us monthly updates?  Are we stockholders? Are we on some Board of Directors?  ...no.

I feel that Hinterland has earned a lot of good will over the years.  I think that rather than assume and jump to negative conclusions... I think we ought to give the benefit of any doubt and just have patience.
 

Last I was aware, sprinting did provide a small warmth bonus... just like holding a lit lantern.  However, those effects are small/subtle... and I think it's best that way.

Also... I don't think the game needs to get so pedantic that every quibbled detail from reality should be expected to be painstakingly reproduced in any video game.  As I often say... sometimes a video game, just has to video game.  I don't think any video game should be expected to be a 1-1 simulation of reality.  One, that's just not practical... and two, that would likely give us a game that was very mundane and not much fun to play (kind of like real life).

However, while I do appreciate folks musing about this sort of thing... but honestly, I just don't see it providing enough benefit or value to justify Hinterland spending all the time and resources to change/add them.

I knew that prospecting through the Carter Dam was likely going to be an all-day event.
My only concern is that I only have one (only partially full) lantern with me... and a good thorough search of the dam was going to need more light than I have on hand.  I was trusting that I would find more inside.

Thankfully, I'm still in the habit of getting low before exiting a shelter... there was a wolf skulking around between the trailers and the river today.

Feels a bit like déjà vu; like I've done this recently...  

After just a little bit of time in the foyer, I did check on the weather outside...
Looks like a rather nice day, but I still don't really have sufficient clothing... I was getting cold very fast.  I was thankful that I would be spending the day inside.  I'm really hoping to find some warm clothing, but there's no telling what I might find.  It was time to get started in earnest.
 

Do you see what I see? 🤭

At this point, I was no longer worried about having enough light to finish prospecting.  

I did make my way back to the front of the dam for a quick sort and stow.  All told, I was a bit disappointed... I was hoping I would find more clothing than I did.  However, I suppose some of the rather nice gear and supplies I did find made up for it.  I ended up with a cooking pot, three lanterns, four flares (minus the one I used to search through the lower portion of the dam)... among the other notable items I'd highlighted earlier. 🤭

It was well after dark by the time I got back to the door leading out to Winding River.  I suppose I could make a push to get to the far side and make a push for the cave leading to Pleasant Valley... but perhaps it's best not to push my luck with the weather (I still feel the sting of what happened last time, I did that ).

Lonely Night 🌑 [dark ambient/music to escape to] (youtube.com)

No alternate links available...

I intended to make my stay as short as possible.
I did a quick sort & stow (thinking all the while) and decided to make a relatively quick ring-route before leaving Mystery Lake by way of Winding River.

That's a bear just ahead.  Duly noted.

The Trapper's Homestead had some rather nice gear, it was a good find.
The safe was admittedly a bit of a disappointment... just a book and a flashlight.
I decided that I would leave small caches of whatever I found in a place.  That way I can prospect through, then do a quick sort & stow on the spot, and move on.  I figure this way I will stay more agile and decrease dwell-time by not making trips back and forth to consolidate resources at primary encampments.

I stopped off at the Lonely Meadow, just long enough to use my two recycled cans (and my mag lens) to prep 2 liters of water.  The warmth of the fire was nice too... 🤭

I'd already been here but did stop off for a minute or two... just to try and warm up a little bit.

All-in-all, it was a good day.

More Demon Bear boss music... 

Magnavolt - Senshi (Eqwillus Remix) (youtube.com)

Alternate Link:
Magnavolt - Senshi (Eqwillus Remix) (youtube.com)

Peaceful Day ☀️ [relaxing piano/study music] (youtube.com)

No alternate links available.

When I came to, I found myself in familiar surroundings.  It looked like I was near the Clear Cut in Mystery Lake.  I'd have to get moving... I don't have much to hand, and I'm already starting to get cold.

I found a little bit of food at this abandoned camp site.  I did take the 20 minutes necessary to break down the snow shelter (at this point the cloth and sticks will better serve me in my pack rather than as a makeshift shelter).

In just this one snapshot... I can confirm three things.
The Clear Cut bear is denned there on the left... 
The bear's most recent victim is just off to the right...
And the bear itself is skulking off, far to the right.

There is the bear again just ahead.

I decided it would be more advantageous to head for the Logging Camp (rather than dealing with the bear or visiting the Destroyed Lookout).

I found nothing here but wreckage... have to keep moving.

A little food, some cooking utensils... but I don't have enough clothing yet to even warm up inside.  I'll have to make a push for the Camp Office.

I was just coming upon the train tracks... when I was beset by a wolf.  I had to backpedal and offer up a rabbit as an easier meal for the wolf, so I could continue on safely to the Camp Office.

I made it, but I'm still freezing to death...  All I found inside for clothing was a pair of boots.  I'll have to hope that the bed is warm enough to get me through the first night.

Speaking of the first night...