UpUpAway95

1 hour ago, Mistral said:

Indeed...

If the Trader is what we fear it is, hopefully it can be turned off in Custom too.

I agree... although I'm confident that he could also just be ignored easy enough.  I'm not too concerned about it at all.

On 4/15/2023 at 3:37 PM, Kranium said:

I'd rather not turn this thread into another debate about custom settings. (even though I agree with it)

 

I would be pretty shocked if Hinterland didn't include Interloper in the future content, after what happened previously + the fact they've now announced they will release a patch to include 'lopers.

I agree... or at least they are going to find a way to make all the disparate groups of players feel more included rather than excluded.

16 minutes ago, piddy3825 said:

I'd agree that would be an ideal solution.  only downside is that the dev team would have to completely revamp the merit badge and achievement mechanic so although that might be a somewhat simple solution, probably would be a ton of work.  Maybe if there is a TLD II we might see such an option in place from the get go.

I think they might be able to get around revamping the achievement/feat system... just enable feats in custom.  Achievements have always been available in custom.  The old challenges should probably stay just the way they are (even though some of them exclude Pilgrim); and use their own difficulty settings.  Tales is already undergoing modifications, but perhaps the whole issue may have been avoided add the signal void Tale been set up a little bit separate from regular survival and with it's own difficulty level just as the old challenges were done.

If the templates stay as they are in custom, then the 4 standard difficulties are still there... just presented to the player as custom templates rather than their own stand-alone difficulties.  I think that alone would go a long way towards allowing players to become more flexible about how they choose to play and how they view different types of new content that might be added to the game in future... without preventing HL from being imaginative about various forms of content.

Some custom sliders should be changed regardless.  The BRA should be fixed to apply only to quality if loot (that is, changing BRA should have no effect on the amount of loot to be found).  That increasing BRA does current increase the amount of loot found is the single most cited reason I hear from Lopers as to why they don't want to do that.  Also, there are currently 3 sliders that do control amount of loot; and those could stay as is or, perhaps, be combined in one "amount of loot" slider.

I'd certainly accept whatever HL decides though... they know how their game is programmed.😀 

Several detailed guides have been popping up on Youtube over the past few days.  I'm not going to specify any, but a search in Youtube's search engine for "The Long Dark, all "X" (e.g. transponder, bunker, transmitter) locations should yield some results for you.

2 hours ago, AdamvR said:

I thank three are quite a few weird, never before seen bugs since the split in December and/or some unity update introducing them. 
I’m pretty sure Hinterland is working on them.
I’m having a hunch they are somehow related: as @dave1122 explained this ‘cannot restore save’ error might be related to the known issue of ‘sometimes regions reset’, or the ‘walking away and back rearranging  sticks on the ground’ is likely related to the ‘recently stored items reappearing in backpack’ issue. 
I’m hoping once one of the root causes is identified, many of them would get resolved ‘automatically’.

In the meantime I believe it makes sense to keep mentioning and discussing these, as our combined experience might actually help the root cause(s) to be more easily pinpointed - provided that those working on the fix are checking these forums;-).

for now, I’ve decided to take everything out of Angler’s on one of the rare occasions it let me in… declared it ‘cursed’ until further notice and moved to other areas…

I hope I won’t be running into it elsewhere 

 

I haven't been locked out of any spaces yet, but I am noticing that sticks are disappearing even as I'm going to pick them up.  I have also notice that containers that I know I've searched and were empty sometimes contain items on a subsequent visit to that location (I'm not sure if it is isolated to indoor locations or not).  An old bug of which this might be a variant, was that wounded/bleeding animals would despawn (or reset) if the player went indoors to, say, get out of a blizzard.  I tested this in one of my runs recently by wounding a deer, following it for a little bit to confirm a blood trail, and then breaking off to go inside and sleep and a blizzard did start just before I went indoors.  The deer was still alive when I went inside, but was dead fairly close by when I emerged more than 12 hours later (so that bug didn't trigger at least on that occasion.)  Of course, more tests are needed.

48 minutes ago, Boneviolin said:

I haven't noticed any banging, but i have been hearing a lot of creaking... In the middle of wilderness. I don't think The trees Make that noice. 

I've also noticed a lot of ambient sounds inside some buildings, like carter hydro. Ambient sounds are a good thing, but they are so freaking frequent and spammy. I don't know If it's a Bug or what but it often does get annoying.

Where I'm mostly noticing them has been in Desolation Point and, more recently, in Milton.  They are far more frequent and louder than they were before this update (which on Xbox is the first update after the change in game structure, so maybe I'm noticing stuff that PC players have just learned to live with from their previous update - don't know).

Yes, I've seen this happen on several test starts in Broken Railroad.  The caches themselves spawn, but the keys and notes don't about 30% of the time for me so far (tests have been run in various custom difficulties).  Have also suspected that it has happened in other regions where I've done test starts (problem is I'm not as familiar with where all the keys to which caches spawn yet)

That would be a disappointing bug alright since the trailer clearly says we can pick it up and drop it at our leisure.  Hopefully, they'll fix it soon.  I've also interacted with Signal Void content and I didn't really plan on starting the Tale for quite some time.  I'm probably just going to continue this run as planned and start a new one after all the patches are done.  If I die, then I'll consider starting a run with the intention of going directly to the Far Territory and starting the Tale as soon as possible.

Silliest - Probably missing grabbing a rope at the top (about the middle of one my one-region runs, say, Day 25.

Worst - Walking off the trestle bridge in a blizzard (I had so much good loot in that run) - Day 3.

I detest bear maulings at any time... scare the bejeezus out of me.

14 hours ago, Sherri said:

I agree. There's no need to be hyperbolic and accuse maliciousness when there obviously isn't any.

At the same time.... survival games, by their nature get easier with experience. So over time players increase difficulty. So your interloper players I would bet are the longest-term, players. It takes time & dedication. I don't think it's unreasonable to give that difficulty the attention it's players have earned & not accidentally think of it like some fringe game mode. 😊

 

You don't attract new players and new gamers if the game is SOLELY catered around the hardest difficulties.  Players who play at the hardest difficulties have to consider that less skilled players also play the game, and those players have a learning curse to get through.  Also, the ongoing sources of funds for the devs largely comes not from players who have played the game forever, but new players who buy the game.  Also, it is most likely that a large percentage of player who have played a single game for a long time will eventually burn out on it and move onto something different.

Pilgrim isn't a fringe mode either.  All too often, Lopers take the stand that they'll only play on Loper so alternatives like Custom don't exist for them.  The Tale was always available to all players who bought the DLC, just not necessarily in their preferred game mode... which has alway been the case with every other Challenge in the game.  Pilgrim players can't play The Hunted with a passive bear... and those challenges are every bit as much "game content" as the DLC Tale.

At this point, getting rid of the standard game modes really is the only way this becomes "fair" to all players at all levels of skill without hamstringing HL's imagination (i.e. causing them to not add particular types of content in the future just because it isn't ideally suited to all their standard difficulty levels).

No difficulty "earns" more consideration from a dev than another.  They all paid their money to play the game.

I've gotten used to most of the banging when the wind blows.  What I have noticed more recently are loud bangs when the wind is not blowing at all... wonder if this is a sign to another earlhquake coming?

I'm OK with asking that it be toned down, but I would also consider that it might have a story purpose.

Congrats.  That one does take awhile.  I remember that I wanted to deliberately end my character at the 500 day mark (I never take a character past 500 days, just not my thing) and time was running short.  I had plenty of cloth so resorted to mending my bedroll after every use and mended my clothing at 99% just to get it by the 500th day.

Disagree that Lopers should be able to get gunsmithing skills to Level 5 from just reading books that wash up on the beach.

Would prefer they go in the opposite direction... that skills books don't spawn in runs where the appropriate skills cannot be acquired through actual practice (e.g. shooting and gunsmithing skill books don't spawn in any run where rifles and revolvers are both disabled and small arms skill books don't spawn in any run where revolvers are disabled; and anglers books don't spawn in any run where fish spawns are disabled, etc.

39 minutes ago, Sherri said:

This is absolutely the first time ever that I've seen a significantly sized studio respond so well, so compassionately & so swiftly to player feedback.

This is 100% the right decision & the reasoning behind why it was not in interloper originally was very enlightening & informative. I don't think Hinterland was wrong at all to be so cautious regarding preserving the difficulty of interloper and not wanting to add something so hard with little gain.

But the feedback was that players wanted it no matter how hard or how little reward it had & Hinterland pivoted swiftly.

This is not easy from a development perspective... hats off & a warm cup of acorn brew to Hinterland. ❤️

I hope though that Interlopers can also see the risk in perfectly tailoring a game only to the wishes of players who play on, let's say, very hard difficulty (the hardest difficulty is a particular sort of custom run, not a vanilla interloper one).  Terms like "sucker punched" and "'being ignored" and other things that were said by Loper players during their lobby to pressure the devs into adding this tale to Loper were unnecessary and completely disrespectful of the devs who have already in the past responded several times to complaints that were principally made by Loper players.

2 hours ago, Glacia said:

I understand your point but this is the first time where HTL changes something quickly due to players asking for it. 

Even raph says they are not usual reactionary, this is an exceptional issue and HTL quicky adressed because it's very reasonable.

This doesn't happen with other contents added to the game, even if the people complain, nothing changes.

That's rather unfair... I can think of several things that have been changed when complaints were made.  Rifles and revolvers were made toggle-able in Custom after some players complained that they couldn't use a rifle without getting "stalker" loot.  The birch tea toggle was added when Lopers complained that it was too OP.  Originally, after that change was made, ammo wouldn't spawn on Interloper, so it was fixed.  The behavior of T-Wolves has been changed a few times in response to player complaints about it.  Sprain healing mechanics were changed from the way they were when they were first introduced.  Even the mechanics have been adjusted a few times since I first started playing. 

HL have changed things... usually, but not always, by adding toggles in Custom... still, they are changes.  As devs go, HL is a cut above most in responding to player concerns.

... and last but not least - because Candian optimism is also a thing:

Great Big Sea "Ordinary Day"

41 minutes ago, Leeanda said:

I suppose the simple answer would be to make all new additions toggable in the settings

That is basically what I'm saying.  If, however, you present things as they are with 4 difficulties on the main page and then toggles within each of the 4 difficulties for each Tales piece of content... and then potential future content, you're effectively creating a lot menu duplication (4x) that would be unnecessary if the page presenting the "standard" difficulty options was removed and the game simply started up in the custom menu.

The only reason I can see for that first "start-up" page existing is to cancel feat progression if the "custom" option is selected to open the custom menu.  The templates for interloper, stalker, voyageur, and pilgrim already exist within the custom menu.

I still thing the best thing is to eliminate the standard difficulties and move the custom menu to the main start page... leaving the name templates there as templates (i.e. allowing the player to see right off the start what template include what features and at what levels each are set at before choosing one.  To go with this, enable feat progression in custom (necessary since all games (whether they use the templates unchanged or alter them) would be, in effect, custom games.  Which features they individually access and at what position on each slider they do that would be completely in the hands of the player.  In addition, adjust the baseline resources allocation (bra) to control only the quality of loot, not the amount and add toggles for more items individually (like the guns can be currently enabled or disabled, but expanded to more items).  That way, if an interloper player wants an expedition parka without finding a ton more food and other tools, they could do so.  If a pilgrim player then wants an aggressive cougar in their game and all other animals still passive, they could do so.

I think this would avoid future feelings of being "left out" of content.  I would hate to see HL prevented from conceiving of and adding different sorts of future content to the game just because it isn't ideally suited to every current "standard" difficulty.  For example, the other way this could have gone down is if, say, HL had decided to not create the Tale at all (i.e. killed it in the boardroom) because they felt that it wasn't suitable for Interloper... which would have been a sadder outcome for all of us because it is a great piece of content.

Looks like a "quick resume" Hotfix is already done.  Hopefully, Xbox will release it to all of us soon.  Dev diary didn't say anything about my issue with launching save files when "quick resume" was active, but hopefully that's also covered with this fix.

One from the legendary Hank Snow (adapted from Spell of the Yukon poem by Robert Service):

34 minutes ago, ManicManiac said:

I don't have any issues with the lightly... personally I like the lighting, especially those really dark locations.
I like that it forces me to use a resource (lantern fuel, flare, etc...) if I want to navigate through or more thoroughly search locations that I otherwise might be able to "feel my way through."  I like that I'm forced to plan for needing a light source.  It influences how important that lantern/torch is... and requires a little more planning when we choose a route for the day.  

As for the consistency or rational behind what how dark which interiors are... I guess I just chalk that up to another one of those scenarios where sometimes a videogame, just has to videogame.  That's up to Hinterland and it seems they have it the way they want it... otherwise they would have "fixed" it already if it wasn't what was intended.  ...so I respect Hinterland's decisions and I adjust my playstyles accordingly.

Adapt and overcome (as we say).

I have adapted - I use a torch... Still where there are windows (like the main floor of the dam) and it is a bright sunny day, we should be able to see something (like we used to).  For the hallways through the lower dam... understandable that it would be dark at all times of day.  However, I simply cannot see inside a lot of the interiors (that do have windows) in the daytime.  I've tried jacking my brightness way up and it does not help.  It might be a bug since it is clearly different than before the update. 

At any rate, TLD has generally been hard on my vision - my eyes tire quickly, they water a lot while play, and I do get headaches.  I need to take very frequent breaks - almost at every sleep in game.  So - I do adapt and overcome... by not playing so much at all anymore and for much shorter periods. 😀

If I had to guess why TLD is so much more straining on my vision, I'd say it's an unnatural gradient to the lighting in general.  Since the update, the outdoor lighting has improved... there's more texture and depth... but indoors that is not the case.  For example, in the maintenance shed in the dam at night... a significant amount of moonlight can be seen through the various openings in the roof, but none of that lighting gradually filters to the floor (the way it would IRL).  At floor level it is 100% dark until a torch is lit.

I live in a rural area.  There are no street lights.  At night, only moonlight... yet, I can see inside the house with even a sliver of moon enough to not have to turn on a light to get to the bathroom and back to my bed.  No can do in TLD.

I wish I was seeing these sorts of duplication bugs in my runs... but so far, nada.  Best guess is that something is triggering it that I haven't done yet.  I haven't made acorn coffee yet or made any fire hardened arrows... I wonder if something like that is setting it off.

I think cutting it back to every 2nd or 3rd blizzard doesn't work well with the variable blizzard settings... that is, they occur less frequently in the easier difficulties (Pilgrim and Voyageur).  Rather than a reduction across the board, I think it should on more of a sliding scale with the blizzard setting... that is, the higher the blizzard frequency, the greater the number of blizzards that can happen where loot will not wash up on the beach.

Here's a new one... I dropped a ruined flare by a fire in a cave (after using it to light the fire and double checking for all loot in the area.  I left the fire burning while I grabbed a torched and explored the paths farther into the cave.  I eventually came back to my fire and my flare was lying there beside it... However, when I picked it up, it was not ruined, but a perfectly usable new flare.

Attempt to repeat it:  I repeated the process; however, this time the flare disappeared completely (despawned) the moment I dropped it after lighting the fire.  I think this is also in error because IIRC, don't ruined items despawn only if put into containers?

This was in the cave in Ash Canyon with the waterfall and using a marine flare to get through the waterfall and lighting a fire immediately after going through it, exploring the cave with a torch to the point of the rope climb and then turning around to go back to my fire.

13 minutes ago, Glacia said:

I use loper template, just changing BRA and guns. BRA actually changes a lot of things, loot avaliability included.

Even if you let the container and other settings loper default, the BRA still makes loot very abundant.

Playing gunloper makes me think how interloper could have been if everything was avaliable since the introduction of the game mode. Like firearms avaliable but incredible rare, tools but one or two in the entire world, and so on for all the other excluded features.

I think it could have worked as expected if not better.

Still, technically, "gunloper" leaves the BRA at low and just changes the gun availability setting.  BRA really does need to be fixed such that it defines the quality of loot available (i.e. disabiling high-end clothing).  The three other settings I mentioned need to be expanded such that the loot amount can be effectively reduced even if the BRA setting is to allow knives, hatchets, and other high-quality loot.  Ideally, BRA would also have sub-sliders allowing to turn individual important items on (if BRA = low) or off (if BRA is set to medium or high).  Things like pre-made hatchets, knives, and even lanterns and distress pistols should be able to to toggled individually by the player.  This sort of change would give much wider flexibility for a variety of imaginative runs.  

Call me crazy, but I'd even like to be able to turn of matches and separately increase the likelihood of mag lenses spawning to compensate... or if they add, say, bow drills as a means to start fires someday.  The possibilities are endless.