ManicManiac

The Carter Dam really is a two-day investment... With the fog rolling in, it's turned out that this is a good day for it. I spent about four and a half hours clearing the crates way by hand to get at this bag... I did find a day's worth of food inside... all-in-all, I think it was worth the time. It's been a rather long day... I'll have to finish prospecting through the dam tomorrow.

The blizzard did eventually blow itself out sometime just before dawn. The last remnants of snowfall from the storm were still falling early that morning. I had wanted to make prospecting trip today... but I knew I'd have to check on the rabbit snare first. Clearly, I have not found the optimal spot yet... but today that works out well. I was able to take down the snare and continue on towards Carter Dam. I did confirm this morning that the Venison Stew absolutely draws predators from a surprising distance. The Prince of the Forest was very close to being attacked by wolves... but I was able to get their attention to have them stalk me instead. I peppered them with stones after the Prince had manage to get away to safety. It was a tense situation... I'd almost failed my promise to protect him. It was the first close call I've had in several years. I did eventually retreat back into the Camp Office and gave the wolves sometime to wander back to their territory. Duley noted... other cooked foods with animal protein ingredients attract predators. 🤭 I suppose that should have been obvious to me. I then made my way up to the cave at the Mystery Lake Overlook to drop off some recycled cans there as well. Hmm... at some point I must have missed picking up the key to this lockbox. I will have to stop by the Lake Cabins another day and double check. 🤔 I had decided to take the backtrail through the forest... it was a good opportunity to pick up more sticks for firewood. I did make a run back to the Camp Office to drop off most of the gear and supplies I'd found along the way and made it back to the Carter Dam before dark. I decided to camp out in the foyer, so I could start prospecting through the dam in the morning.

Frankly, I don't particularly like the that all the newer cooked food items all come with buffs/debuffs to begin with... so the idea of a food item granting a permanent buff, I like that even less. I was fine with that being a thing for the various Teas, Go Energy, and Coffee... but to have that for the recipe food items? I just don't really care for it. However, I respect whatever Hinterland decides for their game. For those who like it, I'm glad they have it... for me though, I mostly just ignore that aspect and only recently started cooking in-game for the RP value.

As for the main idea... no thank you. As for more feats... sure, why not. I don't particularly like them, but for those who do... I'm glad they have that option. To be clear, I do enjoy earning the badges... but I don't ever use them.

The snowfall has been constant yesterday... and I wasn't sure how much I was going to be able to get done. The wind was gusting hard and still even by midmorning was bitter cold. I knew I at least had to check the snare. Sure enough, I had a catch. As quickly as I could, I reset the snare, grabbed the rabbit, and began heading back to the Camp Office. Just as I got to the train tracks... I saw a wolf, 30 maybe 40 meters further along down the line making a beeline trotting down in the ditch tracking the scent of the rabbit in my pack. I immediately got low and moved towards the large rocks near the bend right before the straight shot down to the Camp Office. I kept still for a moment (shielded from the wind) and watched to see if it was going to continue tracking past me toward the clearing... or if the wolf was already on to me. I was ready to start sprinting in an instant, and as soon as the wolf trotted near enough that I could slip through... I went for it. I hopped up, hit a hard sprint, and made it back to the Camp Office without ever hearing the sound that menacing bark and snarl. I'd managed to get a way clean. (All the while, I was so tense and pensive that I completely forgot to take a snapshot for the journal🤭) I took the time to harvest the rabbit, stow it all way for later. I wanted to head out onto the lake to see if I could maybe get some fishing done. However, I quickly noticed that there at least four wolves prowling around way too close to the first Fishing Hut and the Camp Office, so I knew right away that fishing was just out of the question. What I did instead was visit each of the Fishing Huts and drop off a recycled can (I figured future me would appreciate it). There was also the bear to pay attention to in addition to the wolves. As I was making my way back to the Camp Office, the weather was quickly taking a turn for the worse... and I had a feeling that this is what the weather was building to since yesterday. No sooner had I stepped back on the porch of the Camp Office... the blizzard hit with full force. I spent the rest the day cooking more Venison Stew, warming up all my canned goods, and brewing some coffee and tea. This time really trying to make the most out of the burn time. The blizzard has been blowing hard all night... here's hoping it abates by the time I get up in the morning.

The more I think about lures, bait, and ice fishing... the more I wonder if perhaps it might be better for me to stick to simple tackle until I'm more skilled. I figure that way a snapped line early on would only cost me a line and hook... rather than the tackle as well as lure/bait. 🤔

@Leeanda That's some good science.

@Leeanda Hmm... definitely worth a support ticket. I think that even the most minor bugs deserve to be acknowledged (and ideally fixed).

@Leeanda I didn't mean to imply it's just you. I mean that I think it's likely some sort of bug you're experiencing... certainly not intended behavior. Are you able to work around it? Perhaps by dropping them or using a container to off load them and see if they will then recombine and stack properly with others?

Some favorite snapshots so far from my current run, "Ghosts of all the was..."

I slept in this morning hoping that I might avoid the bitter cold of the morning... but today seemed a bit colder than usual, and the weather wasn't helping any. I know I need to start cooking today (I'm out of my on hand found food and I didn't want to start digging into my reserves of good quality food that I have stashed away). However, I know that I still don't have all of my basic ingredients yet. The other day I finally got a snare setup, but more importantly I was able to get a few fire-hardened arrows crafted. While it may take another day or so to find a good spot to start a run of snares... but what I really needed to focus on, was taking my first Ptarmigan. I did finally spot a ptarmigan return to the Camp Office... I might have been able to get closer, but I really didn't want to risk spooking it (as there was only one). Sorry little one, but you will nourish me and help keep me warm. I finally have all my basic ingredients gathered up. Now I just have to decide what the first dish I'm going to try will be. I spent maybe an hour mulling over the recipes in my journal. Ultimately, I decided on what is far and away my favorite protein... Venison. I also decided to mark the occasion of cooking my first dish by starting the fire with a bundle of cash. While I was at it, I decided it was also a good idea to prep another 2 liters of drinking water as well. The venison stew was both delicious and hearty enough on its own for a wonderfully restorative full night's sleep. Tomorrow, I'd like to check on the rabbit snare. Twice I've checked on it now... but no catches yet. Hopefully there will be one in the snare in the morning... or I will have to try again to dial in on a better placement. I do also need to start looking into maybe crafting lures for fishing. I do have to make time to go prospect my way through the Carter Dam, but I would like to get a few dishes prepped to keep on hand if I'm going to perhaps be spending a night there.

I crossed another milestone today...

@Leeanda As far as I know, I've never seen/picked up a cattail stalk that wasn't 100% condition... this seems to me like some sort of a bug. I think it's worthy of a support ticket.

Had to take a bit of a hiatus (to take care of some other real-life stuff)... However, I should be able to get back to more regular TLD sessions and returning to this run soon.

@Sarah Lane Welcome to the wilderness.

@MolkoB Welcome to the wilderness... though I can see you're no stranger.

I had gotten an early start... outside it was already a bit foggy. I decided to use the cleaning kid to get the rifle and revolver up to par again. Eventually the weather cleared, and I was able to use the mag-lens for some "free" fire and get a batch of fire hardened arrows made. Later on, I did check to see if I could work on getting a snare ready... Unfortunately... I had a little while yet to wait. I spent some more time wearing out the clearing kit to get the rifle and revolvers in near pristine condition. I went back out with the bow and fire hardened arrows looking for ptarmigans... however, none could be found near the Camp Office or the Mystery Lake Overlook. Naturally though... when I wanted to try to use the second Polaroid to survey from the Mystery Lake Overlook, the dense fog had returned. Eventually, I did get back to the Camp Office to craft a snare... and get it set up at the rabbit run on the other side of the railroad tracks. I also spent more time looking for ptarmigans. Not as profitable day as I would have hoped. I'm getting low on the food I have on hand. I'd have to start cooking soon, whether I can get the snares producing yet or not.

I decided that I should see about trying to find a survival bow today... I figure my best chance is going to be the Hunter's Blind over by the Frozen Pond, possibly over at the Cabin in the Lonely Meadow, or as a last ditch... Max's Last Stand. (Though honestly, I don't remember the last time I've found a bow there - but it's near the route I intend take anyway so may as well check there before prospecting through the Trapper's Homestead) This morning, I was greeted by a very pleasant surprise... for the first time in a long while I was visited again by "The Prince of the Forest." I know I've mentioned it before, but it's so rare for me to see him these last few years that I feel it's worth retelling. The story dates back the later part in 2014 when I had first arrived on Great Bear Island. Back in those days, Mystery Lake was the only area we could explore. During one of my earliest runs, I came upon this Buck right here near the Camp Office for the first time. On that very day, I made a promise (also my first personal challenge). I vowed that this would always be the one animal that was truly safe on Great Bear Island. I swore I would never hunt him, never harm him, and even go so far as to protect him from wolves (even if that meant suffering a wolf attack if it would keep him safe). I would even go out of my way to avoid even disturbing him while he grazes here. Now it's been about nine and half years now... and I've never failed him. I spent a few quiet minutes saying hello again to my old friend... but I did eventually have to get on about the day. I had to take the long way around to avoid some wolves, but I soon came to the frozen creek. Nothing substantial to be found at the Hunter's Blind (just one solitary rifle cartridge). Over at the Lonely Meadow... I'd found a few food items... but no bow. On the way back around towards the Trapper's Homestead there was nothing at all to find... even this unfortunate soul's pockets were empty. Before I go and prospect the Tapper's Homestead, I figure it might be worthwhile to check on Max's Last Stand. Hmm... a wolf and a bear... a potentially dangerous situation. This was very satisfying... I didn't really expect to find a bow. I just had to get back to the Trapper's Homestead for a quick search. Now I just had to make it back to the Camp Office. The bow is pretty ragged (only 45% condition) but that will do, to get started. Tomorrow, I think I will look to making some fire hardened arrows and see about finding some ptarmigans.

@Leeanda Fair enough, I hadn't considered hardware failure. Odd... you say these times you were selecting from the Radial Menu? I ask, because that interrupt does not happen if we are selecting food from the regular inventory screen.

For any curious when this was implemented:

This already exits though... But frankly I really dislike that this sort of handholding kind of safety net has wormed its way into the game. In its current form it's an interrupt prompt when making selections from the food radial menu. Frankly, I think the better answer would be for players to pay more attention to what they're doing. I think if the player misclicks... or otherwise just isn't paying attention to what they are doing, then I think the player should be punished for that. It's the same thing with accidently wasting matches or accidently hip firing the revolver... all the player really needs to do is pay more attention and these sorts of mistakes will rarely ever happen (my personal experience can attest to that). Raph said a long time ago that this game wasn't going to be holding the player's hand, and even though a few little handholding type of safety nets have wormed in over the years... it's largely still a game that's not afraid to punish players for their mistakes. Frankly, it's one of the things I love and respect most about this game. Anyway... that's just my perspective.

Then here's another to help fill out the thread a little.

Right after the Emergency Stim kicks in... KYARY PAMYU PAMYU - DODONPA (LYRIC VIDEO) (youtube.com) Alternate link: 【Dance Practice】Kyary Pamyu Pamyu - DODONPA（Metaani × Kyary Pamyu Pamyu） (youtube.com)

After going back over the chronicle thus far... it turns out that I hadn't found a cleaning kit yet. So, I think I need to make that the priority for the day. My aim was to get over to the Carter Dam. However, that also meant I could stop by the Logging Camp on the way. I did a few repairs to clothing... and started out in earnest late in the morning (close to noon). I'd decided to take the "high ground," this way I could scout ahead to spot wolves along the tracks... but also gave me a quicker way to get over to the Logging Camp trailers. What I'd found at the Logging Camp was a pleasant surprise... and also enough food items for the day to "pay for itself" (so-to-speak). I decided I would hold off on a trip to Carter Dam for another day. As I made my way back (and with the way being clear along the track), I decided to harvest a ravaged deer carcass. Not only is it good for a bit of venison to cook with... I can also get a head start the cured gut for more snares (or more fishing line). When I saw the weather was clearing up... I decided to take the chance of heading up to the Lake Overlook and harvest another ravaged deer carcass. After dark is even riskier to be hauling around a lot of raw meat, gut, and pelt... but from my scouting today, I knew the way was clear enough take that risk. The result... two deer pelts that I didn't have to harm a deer to get, and eventually four more snares to add the snare line that I will be working on in the next few days. All-in-all, a very profitable day.