Sgt Socks

I love this thread! I'll never forget my first bear encounter. I hadn't been playing the game long (goodness, how the years fly by!) and was newly exploring Coastal Highway. I'd just left the Rabbit Grove Poacher's (?) cabin and was working my way down the river. A blizzard hit. I decided that I'd camp behind a rock just off Bear Campground. Yes Socks you idiot. BEAR Campground. Anyway I'll never forget the sheer terror as I wake from sleep to that roar and then the mauling began! Dead. Very dead. I still avoid that area. Even after all these years I'll never forget this first terrifying encounter! After that I made it my mission to learn how to take them down before they get me because that roar scares the bejesus out of me still.

Personally for me, it has to be Mystery Lake. I'm a home bird by nature and this wonderful region makes me all warm and fuzzy inside when the weather is blowing a hoolie. However, and speaking of hoolies, I'm really starting to love Pleasant Valley. It's only taken me 800+ hours! It's massive and certainly keeps you on your toes. Plus it's a great place to have a central base for when you need to branch off into TWM for the summit or Bleak Inlet for ammo making. Even though it doesn't have as many structures to loot (I am a loot goblin!) there are still plenty of places to rummage about in and discover something exciting. I keep getting a damned bear spawn right outside the cave back to home in ML. Scares the bejesus out of me. I leave a rifle on the ledge to take the sod out with much glee. I'm also strangely drawn to Desolation Point. There is something almost mystical about it and the views are beautiful. It does feel kind of sad and lonely as the name suggests, something which I am drawn to. I'm not keen on CH at all. Too many wolves. I like battling the weather not being made to jump out of my skin every few minutes. Its a shame because there is much loot goblin fun to be had here. The same goes for MT too. Even with my modified custom game for severe cold and less wolves these regions just don't suit me. Bleak Inlet serves a purpose. Get in and get out. Same for TWM. I am yet to brave Ash Canyon or HRV. To be honest I don't feel like I'm missing anything. Someone else said about a claustrophobic feeling about these regions and I agree. On my Pilgrim test runs I realised I would never feel the need to return to them. Everything I need can come from elsewhere. I don't need a technical backpack or crampons. For me the joy is exploring wide open spaces and incredible views. I also haven't done much with Blackrock. I did go through it a little after it was released but it just didn't grab me. I'm not sure why. I may end up going for the hell of it when I'm feeling suicidal from boredom on a long run but I doubt it. Broken Railroad is a fun little jaunt. Not far from home in ML and I prefer the forge there to Spencers. I know it so well I'm used to where the wolves and other mean beasties are and am pretty good at avoiding them. Finally.... Forlorn Muskeg. What can I say. I definitely have a love hate relationship with it! As an early TLD player it has sentimental appeal to me but its scary as hell! I always seem to run into a wolf or bear or both when I'm already struggling with hypothermia and either end up panicking and plummeting through the ice or end up mauled by the wildlife. Fortunately with all the hours I've put in I have a better handle on the region now but it remains a scary place. Time for me to turn in now. The Aurora is shining beautifully over my snug little Trapper's home. I'll be dreaming of the day when Hinterland finally give us something else to craft or do on very long runs. It would be nice not to battle boredom more than the weather.