The Long Dark

The Long Dark

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Scavenger 17 Apr, 2023 @ 7:25am
Custom challenge idea: The Curse of Abundance
I created this challenge in the run-up to the DLC release and it is the descendant so to speak of my previous challenge 'Cold Dead Hands'. What I wanted was a challenging game mode but still enjoy the items added by the new DLC, so it is centered on changing the baseline to medium while compensating with other settings and (minimal) rules.
Main added challenge compared to CDH is the no recovery (the curse). The ruleset combined with the medium baseline means you can get armed without the standard loper routine (you need to get lucky however) which provides more unique playthroughs but forging is still very much relevant in order to really get comfortable so you will need to do it at some point, the game is just much less on rails.

Settings are starting from Interloper template changing the following (Can be made even more challenging I know, but I don't like wolves, and I hate CF):
- No CF
- Baseline medium
- Time Noon, Weather Sunny (but any weather allowed)
- Calorie burn rate set to low
- Wind variability and aurora frequency set to high
- Thirst rate very high, Fatigue rate very high
- Sleeping and awake condition recovery both none
- BBT allowed, Wake up when freezing near a fire set to Yes
- Stick, branch, stone frequency set to Low
- Wolf and timberwolf spawn set to medium and low
- Wolf fear None
- Timberwolf morale set to medium
- Deer spawn set to Low
- Rabbit spawn set to low
- Fish spawn set to low
- Plant material spawn set to low
- Bear/Moose spawn set to low
- Time to Wildlife respawn set to very High
- Scent increase from meat/blood High
- Maximum 2 feats are allowed
- Start Anywhere
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Ruleset:
- No storing meat or fish outside on the ground, only in container, so no infinite food stores
- Only 1 Rifle, scrap all other rifles, owned rifle can only be one of the new variants
- Only 1 Hatchet and 1 Knife, scrap all others, can only be new variant (this is obviously not yet in the game but already applies). You can have unlimited Improvised tools, also found ones.
- Can only use Firearm cleaning kit at gunsmithing level 5

Victory:
I'm not playing with any victory conditions at this point since as with CDH I consider it more a game mode than a challenge. Also I can't really think of anything that hasn't been done before, so suggestions welcome. It should be something that references the name and spirit of the challenge.
Last edited by Scavenger; 17 Apr, 2023 @ 7:33am