The Long Dark: Tales From the Far Territory
Custom Settings: Basically, I'm aiming for something like Interloper, but with hatchets, knives, firearms, and bunkers.
Here's a page describing custom settings in detail. I can post the code later if anyone wants to see or try out my specific settings. Technically, you can start a Custom game on a map of your choosing and with 5 Feats, but I chose to start on a random map and with only 2 Feats - Cold Fusion & Efficient Machine - to mimic the Interloper experience.
Ash Canyon, 12F/-11C, a couple of hours before dusk. I spawned at the cave in the narrow crevice on the canyon floor. I had to sneak past 2 packs of wolves to get to Angler's Den before dark. I did get into a fight with one wolf, but I got lucky and fought him off with my bare fists before he hurt me too much. I made it to the Angler's Den with just enough daylight remaining to find the matches, and then I got that crucial first fire going on my first match. I left the cabin the next morning without any good clothing and at half Health, but with water and torches, a knife and 11 matches. Emboldened by my good fortune so far, I decided to be a dude and hike up out of the canyon instead of heading for Pleasant Valley like a normal person. I stopped at Miner's Folly and Foreman's Retreat for some stuff, and to spend the night in a bed, then went for the mine. I underestimated the cold and the distance a little bit, and by the time I reached the mine entrance I was at a sliver of Health. Good enough, though. Tons of coal in the mine, and in another stroke of good luck, I'd found
four books of cardboard matches along the way. I almost wondered if that was some kind of bug or if I'd messed up the Custom settings. I had enough food and was able to sleep on the mattress inside the mine, and exited the back way with about half health, an armload of coal, a hatchet and a lantern. Still no bedroll, which was concerning, but other than that, I was feeling pretty good about myself. Then I f'd it all up. Upon getting back down to the valley floor, I made a critical error: Instead of heading for Angler's Den and leaving the next morning by way of the lower exit, I followed the upper trail and went out through the cave exit. I forgot just how long that journey is. Even at half Health and without enough clothing, I could still have made the trek to the Mountaineer's Cabin if I'd had a bedroll. But with no bedroll on top of everything else, it was just too far and I died on Timberwolf Mountain, of a combination of hunger, exposure, and exhaustion.
Transfer Pass, -10F/-23C, just past Midnight. Well, [crap]. I intended to begin the game somewhere on Lower Great Bear, so I must've pressed the wrong button. I would have been in trouble even if it'd been early in the day. It wasn't even one of those clear nights where you can actually see pretty well. I was standing right at the entrance to Far Range Branch Line, and I don't remember either of those maps well enough to navigate them blind, but (a) I was standing right on the tracks, and (b) I did know that the tracks led to the Vacant Depot in one direction and to a potential wolf spawn in the other direction. So I just started sprinting towards the depot. I made it to there with a sliver of Health remaining and no frostbite. I managed to find the door, but it was pitch-black inside and still only 18F/-8C, which wasn't warm enough in my state. I fumbled around inside the depot on the chance I randomly found some clothing or matches, but I didn't. I got hypothermia and died before morning.
Coastal Highway, 20F/-7C, a couple of hours before dusk. I spawned up in the hills, around the middle of the map. I had to wait for a bear to mosey on by, but other than that, I made my way down to Coastal Townsite without incident and got inside a house just as my Warmth meter hit zero. Pretty close to a dream start. Plenty of water and plenty of beds, and all of these houses are warm enough, even with no good clothing. I noticed that a lot of the houses are still standing, so among the "hidden" Custom Settings I chose must be Stalker-level damage to structures. At Interloper, many more of the buildings here are wrecks. By the end of Day 2, I'd finished looting Coastal Townsite, except for the locked lockers and car trunks. I've got a hacksaw, a bedroll, 1 box of matches, a Mariner's Peacoat, a pair of wool socks, and a pair of wool longjohns. I'm wearing sneakers and bluejeans that are nearly useless, and I was forced to sew some makeshift mittens and a hat out of curtains and towels. I've got lots of water and enough food for a couple more days, but no tools beyond the hacksaw. So far, so not bad. I think I can afford to loiter around here and search all of the structures before deciding where to go next. That will pretty much depend on whether I find a forge hammer. If I find one here, I'll go into the mines for some coal and set some saplings to dry in the garage, then head for Desolation Point. If I don't, Pleasant Valley.
The hay from Marnie is to get me through the winter, but this year I'm going to be more aggressive about sowing wheat just to make hay with.
