ManicManiac

When I'd gone to bed... I did have some 10% dogfood. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that it got me sick, but I had more than plenty of antibiotics. However, this does mean that I'd need to be especially careful today. 🤔

Accompaniment: Blonde Redhead - For the Damaged Coda I got up early, to try and make the most of the day. As it turns out... I was just very lucky on the way in yesterday, because today was just wolves and bad weather. The wolves have apparently returned... ...and the weather starts taking a turn right after. I guess I'm staying in the Maintenance Shed today. 😒 This is the second battery I've found on the run so far... 68% of Great Bear Island explored; only two batteries found. That could be a real problem later on. 🤔 ...mood... Getting as much done as I can cleaning out the Shed and getting the area organized. I was hoping to get more exploring done, but the weather isn't so inconvenient. I did need to get situated, so today was as good a day as any.

I don't know if it was eerie atmosphere of the Maintenance Yard... or the unsettling message written in red paint on the wall... but I had another horrible nightmare.

It was midmorning the next day when I finally set out in earnest for Broken Railroad. Entering Broken Railroad. My experience in the past tells me that this next region is a great spot to get ambushed. I remember wolves had a habit of skulking on most of the blind corners and narrow passes. Seeing this deer grazing was a pretty reliable hint that at least there wasn't any wolves prowling around the immediate vicinity... Still though, I needed to be careful. Hmm... the way as been clear. Surprisingly so... either I've gotten extremely lucky today, or the wolf population here has dwindled. I suppose I'll find out tomorrow, in the meantime I needed to reach the Maintenance Yard before dark. Ah... spotted one wolf in total so far. It's hard to make out be it on the top part of the small bank built up the rock wall. Just looks like a small blackish line from here. That also means that it will be nice and out of the way while I explored the lower level of this side-path would ultimately lead me to the other side of the landslide. This area might be worth remembering... it looks like maybe I could use it as an escape route from the other side. I'll have to check it out when I eventually get over there. This wolf turned out to be no trouble whatsoever. I didn't expect this leg of the route to be so relaxed. Also, in case I've not make it clear... I do love the look and feel of the oak trees. 🤭 Spotting rabbits running around gave me another pretty reliable hint that there were no wolves around. I didn't expect to find much on the way through to the Maintenance Yard... I'm pleasantly surprised. Here's one of the spots I remember Will telling me that he'd met with a stranger who called himself Methuselah and where he witnessed the first Aurora after "The First Flare..." I've never been to the other side of the broken bridge before... I get an eerie feeling looking down this tunnel... I come back to face it one day. I really can't believe how devoid of wolves Broken Railroad is today... I don't think I can remember ever seeing the yard completely empty like this. I suppose I bet make good on the opportunity. By the time it got dark... I was settled into the outer office of the Maintenance Yard. Maybe I just got lucky today... it's possible tomorrow the place might be swarming with wolves, but at least I'm safe for tonight. I did try to get an approximant snapshot to compare with the story Will told me.

I suppose I made my opinions pretty clear when I posted on the Dev Diary thread itself. But I suppose to add more context... The Long Dark is my favorite contemporary game, by a very wide margin. I've now spent 2,250 hours (which is not as much as some, but still far more than any other game in my library). I found TLD just after the Kickstarter closed (otherwise I absolutely would been a backer) and started exploring Great Bear Island in late 2014 (shortly after it entered Steam Early Access). Since then, I'd purchased both volumes of the soundtrack and of course Tales of The Far Territory. I'd also posed the question to see if I could pay for my own digital copy of their short-film Elegy. I've been consistently impressed by Hinterland, both for the expanding scope of their vision of The Long Dark and the commitment to us they've honored while also giving us so much more than we all originally bought in for. As I said in my post on the Dev Diary thread: I think that Raph and the entire Hinterland team has (I feel) earned so much good will over the years. No release date change, platform port hangup, update bug/glitch, or focus shifts could be enough to change my opinion, respect, and support for both this game and this studio. And this forum is the only forum I frequent... Hinterland has done so well at fostering an overall really great community, and one that I am very glad to be a part of.

Deluka - Cascade (Warning... couldn't find a version that didn't have some form of flashing visuals... so be warned) ***[ADDENDUM]*** This is the best I could do for a version with least amount of flashing elements. (still flashy in certain bits though)

Mystery Lake just always feels like home for me on Great Bear Island. Timberwolf Mountain is my favorite place to live. In both places I always feel at ease. I know where I am, I know all the ways to get where I want to go... and where I need to tread with careful respect. 🤭

Non Sequitur... Fly Project - Toca Toca [Anime Ver.] I just think this one is more fun... but here is the original source if folks want it. Fly Project - Toca Toca | Official Music Video

@mfuegemann Well done.

@Leeanda I would 100% agree, "Bad Decisions" is the champion root cause of player death.

I went back through pervious posts to the last time I was at that particular den. I'm not surprised I missed it the first time. 🤔

It's not the first time I've found one in a den. I recall finding having a good chance of finding one in the bear den on Mystery Lake (but that one was also inside a backpack rather than stuck to the wall/on the "floor").

I was a bit surprised to find two more snow shelters at the Abandoned Campsite... but I welcomed the extra cloth. I was also surprised to find that Polaroid in the cave. I've been used to finding Polaroids in backpacks/containers/pockets... this time it was a lone Polaroid on the ground (or in this case stuck to the bottom most part of the wall of the den). That fog was certainly no joke... that solid wall of grey was snapped while I was looking forward. 🤭

Very early the next morning I started out for Broken Railroad... However, along the way I accidentally found a good reason to put it off for another day. 🤭 Somehow, I'd missed picking this up the last time I was here at this den. It was tucked all the way towards the back, stuck to be base of a den wall. Seeing as how I found another Polaroid, may as well go survey from the Vista (...again). Hmm... there's the pack of five wolves, but I know I took down that snow shelter. Why is there another one down at the abandoned campsite? Sure enough, another snow shelter. I didn't see anyone else around, and I could honestly use the cloth. 🤔"I hope nobody needs this anymore..." 🤭 A heavy fog rolled in while I was on the way back to the Old Spence Place. Had to shelter in place until I could gain my bearings. I was finally able to make my way just a little after dark. All in all, with the little bit I found along the way... the extra day was spent here was worth it.

If I'm being honest with myself, I'm not really looking forward to going to Broken Railroad. It feels a bit like the Old Island Connector. The area itself is fine enough... it's just that the routes are very tight and few alternative options. All the narrow passes make for a tense hike, with several wolves and a bear in the mix.

@PilgrimReaper Have you been able to start a new run and reproduce what happened? If there were no relevant afflictions (food poisoning, parasites (say from raw meat), dysentery, or any other untreated malady) then perhaps it was indeed a bug. I'd recommend gathering up whatever information you're able to and submit a support ticket, just to make sure Hinterland is aware of and tracking the potential anomaly. If it's not reproducible, then it will likely be hard for them to troubleshoot.

Another strange dream... I guess when we struggle day in and day out, it shouldn't be surprising to have these kinds of anxiety dreams. 🤔 I suppose I'd better start getting ready to move on soon.

Were your needs low or at zero when you went to sleep, as it does in the picture you attached?

I started out sometime midmorning. Took a long look around from the clue I'd found, and eventually found what I the hidden cache (won't spoil where or what I found there... but I did find it). I did also do a bit of surveying from the cliffside but haven't found any additional polaroids. Weather started taking a turn for the worse, so I made my way back to the Old Spence Place for the night. I'll start getting ready to leave for Broken Railroad in the morning. Also, a very minor tip for anyone interested.

I think folks ought to speak for themselves rather than trying to speak for others... especially when they seem to be implying that they know firsthand the options of "all the people not here." Bad form... I'd say. Moreso when they just seem to be fixated on trying to throw shade at the Hinterland team.

Starting the morning with a tummy full of venison. I think I'll find that last little hidden cache and start prepping to head out to Broken Railroad next...

No reason... just a good groove while I'm searching for a hidden cache. Qillix - Most Wanted

Thank you, Hinterland. I know I only speak for myself, but I see and appreciate the hard work... and the noble endeavors. I'm going to be here with patient gratitude for whatever you have planned. I'd rather you all feel good about what you are releasing, than trying to meet any kind of deadline/schedule/goal-timeline that has no way to foresee unexpected issues and obstacles. I respect and appreciate how candid and forthright this Dev Diary is. To my mind, Hinterland has earned so much good will over the years... I'm going to be here for TLD regardless of when updates come out. Hopefully others feel the same... and join me in saying so.

perhaps not, but the loot tables for the original mechanic was being updated as well. I just imagine that the "regular" wash-ashore stuff is still functioned as it always did. The new bit (other than the loot table refresh) was the part that triggers after a blizzard. ...but again, I can't know for sure.