The Long, Dark, Meaning of Life... and what to do with it

[@Shane-888]

The Long Dark has become my therapy. It's where I go to escape the mediocrity of day to day life. It is where I find my respite. No narrative. No quests. Just live to survive another day.

[@nannakurzhaar]

Yes, that’s true

[@wosmi83]

Sounds like you struggle with depression. Have you considered professional help?

[@AmazingAaxor]

I gotta say Zac; you hit the nail square on the head for me. I have been trying to explain exactly why I love this game so much, but have failed to be as concise as what you described in this video. Thank you. I’m going to link this video to people that asked me from now on. The “Quiet Apocalypse” is indeed your own, and what you make of it in The Long Dark

[@agnostic2111]

Sure, but when I was on day 216 (I've remembered that correctly) and I've done everything, every map and Far Territory DLC on Interloper I was just... ok I could "clean" all maps once again but why? This is no more fun. If this game has endless map sure, but this game has limitations and 216 days it's like 150 hours in real life so I think is enough for one run. Sure you can go beyond that, but I just don't want to end like mentally ill guy who is arranging pieces of meat into the shape of a house while sitting in a cave because I don't want to do that to myself.

[@IslandHermit]

My philosophy of life is "Have fun and try not to hurt anyone."

[@lilstrats944]

This video literally changed my life. I have never been more dedicated to one run. This is the first time where it’s a genuine possibility that I actually won’t restart. I’m full of gratitude and respect. Thank you for what you’ve said and thank you for everything you’ve taught us. Your words in this video really helped me grow and I hope you know that.

[@planto360]

Plato once said "hey guys I'm plato"

[@canubeetquad]

Hope this gets 100s of likes

[@istvancsap3513]

can't argue

[@philschaefer4651]

"That's a name you don't hear every day, well I guess you probably do." - Jimmy Carr

[@Cranberrie123]

"sure is dark in this cave."

[@hiphoprobot2080]

@@Cranberrie123very clever, have my like

[@gsimable]

TLD is definitely one of the most immersive games I’ve ever played. I love it. Sometimes I step back and think about how much memory and brain activity it takes to really know all these regions. To be able to recall all the nooks and crannies. Know where the wolves are. Where the loot is. The cave systems. It’s a massive amount of information. Great video Zak.

[@tini243]

I know this feeling of being "home" whenever I play the game. Or even when I don't play it, because I am playing something else at the time, but then just seeing the title card of TLD in my steam library, at times I get this peculiar feeling that makes me go "I do want to go back to Great Bear for a while" and then I do. :)

[@allasse1704]

Hi Zak, TLD is a place to go now I'm too old for real life adventures. It is truly the best immersive game that allows me to spin many plates in a beautiful world and create my own experience. Nearly at 1000 days on Loper😊

[@TimJameson-jg8sl]

When I lose my rifle & my bed roll on the game, I don't die in -45 in real life🎉😂

[@liljebla]

You speak very eloquently about the raison d’etre. I always felt TLD was my escape. Having a PhD, a family, an ongoing career, working out regularly to be healthy, unfortunately also blessed with saving the world complex, escaping to the serene and simplistic TLD is better than mindfulness or yoga. But it would never have felt like an escape if the artistry and landscape were different. I think that’s the key for me, the vibe and feel of the game, with the sound and looks. It’s just fantastically beautiful and the game dynamics is simple enough. I’ve always loved being outdoors and I’ve always had a big imagination, and I have a theory that all the longterm TLD players carry those two traits. My two cents on this wonderful game.

[@2514ben88]

I totally agree so many beautiful screenshots to be had, environment to be in, the imagination and love the of the outdoors.

[@ezranash9694]

Really well said, @liljebla. Thank you for sharing that.

[@nitumihai4507]

I think the best thing would be after 500 days... after which, after a few hundred days, 1 plane crashes with a few unique random things, which degrade over time, and you have to go through the regions in search of it... without no clue in which region it could be..

[@faikerdogan2802]

Dam that's great

[@anthonyanderson9771]

Or you could hear about it on any of the radios in the game. Maybe repairing the radio electronics unlocks it and reach Aurora rng triggers the plane crash spawn

[@faikerdogan2802]

@@anthonyanderson9771 Holly that would make the game from lonely to very different. Idk why this made me so excited 😆

[@josephpostma1787]

I love that idea, Get on it, Raph!

[@sidmonitch]

Yup, Random event would be great. In story mode there were other survivors.

[@treelinefarmswithchris204]

I would like to have a sasquatch. The player can't interact with it but just see it off in the distance now and then.

[@kage9719]

For me personally that would turn it into a horror game 😂😱

[@JoeBlack-ur2vf]

Or another person, but they never let you get close enough to interact

[@ericshively6807]

In modern life, you have to go WAY off the beaten path to find a state of true quiet and stillness. The Long Dark give us a pretty good taste of that at the touch of a few buttons.

[@clemvidtube]

Dear Zak, I hold your videos near and dear to my heart. I watched road to 500 from a hospital bed as a newly diagnosed cancer patient. I could not sleep well at the time and used your voice to fall asleep. So much of your words in this video resonate with me! After the diagnosis I suddenly had a) loads of spare time and b) the need for distraction, and I turned onto TLD, Subnautica and The Outer Wilds. I guess I needed some way to just be in the moment and enjoy tranquility by proxy, in all these three games with very different settings but with a common a focus on *the moment*. I don't know if you know Chris "errant signal" Franklin but he is another one of my favorite content creators. He has a very nice video on The Outer Wilds, spoiler heavy, detailing how for that game's protagonist, belonging to a civilization witnessing the end of the observable universe, just _being there_ is sometimes enough, it's sometimes all the meaning you need. Just being witness to snow crunching, deers belching, or in general to the universe existing (I am a physicist so the quantum jokes are all on me) is sometimes more than enough, maybe the whole point. Not a 1:1 with your argument about TLD here, but almost, so I thought tommake this comment. Here's Chris' video, I hope it resonates with you as much as it did with me kzbin.info/www/bejne/rZibeqWkprB_g9Efeature=shared Because when confronted with the option of not being there anymore, just * being there * is great :) Cheers Clem

[@Zaknafein]

Thank you for your kind words and recommendation, Clem :) Sorry to hear about your diagnosis, but you are doing okay!

[@clemvidtube]

I am in remission so no worries :) thank you so much again

[@medoz7331]

This is hands down the best video I've ever seen in general on the topic of The Long Dark - You nailed it in terms of why this games is loved like no other game by a lot of us. Stay awesome Zak

[@JonathanRossRogers]

My 1200+ Interloper character is currently trying to map every little bit of the map she can and collect all the buffer memories. Getting all the buffer memories is taking a lot longer than I had expected.

[@realglutenfree]

God the memories are driving me crazy. I cartographed most of the map on my 400 days run and I already feel annoyed trying to get the buffer memories

[@jdgamingbros9834]

Honestly I’m surprised that both of you find the buffer memories more frustrating than the cartography. There are about 14 unique locations where buffer memories will appear and Milton’s can both be accessed and completed in a single night. But the good part is that you can get every memory from a location in a single night. If you leave and re-enter a building, the memory will reset randomly. So if you don’t care about being as realistic as possible, you can repeat that to knock a location out per aurora. Auroras can also be easily cheesed. Weather is completely random and won’t be the same if you restart your game. You can always pass time for a couple hours, see if you get an aurora, then leave and restart over again until you get one. Just make sure your game doesn’t save while doing that, lest the night will be wasted. If you don’t wish to do this, auroras have a 10% chance of spawning every night and 5% around midnight It’s all up to if you want to cheese the game. If you do, they’re pretty easy to get. If you don’t, it can take hundreds of hours if your luck is poor

[@JonathanRossRogers]

@@jdgamingbros9834 Thanks for pointing out that a buffer memory can reset when re-entering a building. I'd gotten most of them without this knowledge and have just gotten a bunch more with this knowledge. I have no opinion on the realism because auroras don't power computers AFAIK. BTW, Mountain Town has three buffer memory locations. I also found that outdoor buffer memory locations reset when transitioning. I got all remaining memories in both Mountain Town and Forlorn Muskeg in a single night. BTW, I wasn't trying to get buffer memories with my current character until fairly recently because I didn't want to risk going outside during an aurora. Then, I decided to carry the ballistic vest and wear it outside during auroras. Future characters will probably adopt this approach much earlier.

[@jdgamingbros9834]

@@JonathanRossRogers I actually didn’t know transitioning would reset the outside ones, but it makes sense. I’ve never really bothered collecting them aside from the ones I stumble upon

[@littlebirdy3545]

Wonderfully put Zak. As an introvert I love TLD and I love having to "give" myself something to do after I get comfortable in a region. Much like real life. This video reminds me of a similar (though somewhat different) video about the meaning of life and finding one's purpose in life. It's called "The Answer is Not a Hut in the Woods" by exurb2a if anyone is interested in watching it (or listening, it's mostly a podcast-style narration). I would highly recommend. I rewatch it from time to time

[@2514ben88]

thank you very much I will definitely give it a listen.

[@KKNgroup]

@@littlebirdy3545 Thank You! I just listened, and that was just enough for the moment I am in now

[@jones9343]

Thank you for making videos man you’re an inspiration and a wise man. Hope you do well and wish you the best.

[@brightargyle8950]

I come back to this game all the time, its an escape from life for me, I have very little time to do much else outside work, so being able to step into an open world I can explore, find neat things, nearly die, and make small goals is great. I find I am at peace in the game, its wonderful being in a safe place with a fire while a blizzard rages outside. Lately I've been doing more screenshots, the variety and beauty of the game sometimes goes unnoticed, but I find myself appreciating it more lately.

[@ReadFitzgerald]

The Long Dark + Audiobooks = ❤️

[@geneziz7553]

I haven't tried it yet, but this sounds like a strategy! I love them while walking the doggo, so this should have been a no brainer for me.

[@TimJameson-jg8sl]

It's a good time to listen to podcasts..I really don't need any sound on tld😊

[@BjørjaBear]

Audiobooks is the greatest thing if you're an insomniac. I swear it keeps you sane when you can't sleep.

[@pathfinder_strider]

I thought I was the only one. Lol

[@theBeags]

That is such a good idea.

[@rickhewitt9529]

I don't know how anyone could say that the graphics are bad. Being in tld is like walking up to a painting and then finding yourself in the painting. If you're prepared it's like just exploring a new world. Would be like landing on another planet alone with no way home. There are challenges but there's a satisfaction by overcoming challenges. Thanks for great content Zach.

[@nannakurzhaar]

It’s a mix between Bob Ross and Mary Poppins painting 😊

[@rickhewitt9529]

@@nannakurzhaar in a way I kind of agree with you. In some ways it's a bit wimsycal, but imagine walking into a painting and living there. I just let my imagination run and this is what I would expect. Yes a bit like the wizard of oz but if you remember the movie, much crisper and more detailed. Good call.

[@SolKaras]

Agreed, the art direction of TLD is beautiful. Very impressionist. And unlike "realistic" graphics, you don't have to worry about them aging badly :D

[@wildstargazer11]

TLD is stunning visually. It is visually reminiscent of The Group of Seven, especially Lawren Harris 😍 which is so fitting considering it is a Canadian game, set in Canada … I’d like to think there was some inspiration in their decision-making when designing the game.

[@TheLongDarkMoose]

I'm sick and it was hard to fall asleep but this video made me feel cosy and helped a lot. 😊

[@-mv]

This video right here earned you my sub. Not only are you amazing at creating guides and making dope content, but you have such a well rounded perspective on life. It's refreshing to hear you speak your mind. Very few people I'd ever say that to.

[@LasagnaBaby]

I’m a new fan of your channel (but a long-time fan of TLD - been playing since the early days when we only had ML) and I very much enjoyed this style of content from you. I’d be interested in watching more of these philosophical/podcast sort of videos in the future. I agree with a lot of what you shared in this video and it made me think about why I keep coming back to this game. Recently, I set a goal of spending a full day in every hunting blind in the game watching the wildlife, which I decided to do after I accidentally spent a the most spectacular night animal watching in the broken railroad blind during an aurora. There’s always some new way to experience this game. I never feel like I’m out of things to do. More often, I wish I had more time to do everything I want to!

[@pamlange7289]

If I'm sick of hearing my voice in my head I just switch to yours...😉😬 In the end you just spoke my thoughts... It's a nice break to my never silent mind...😏 And as always... Thanks for content, the save zone, the fun... 😊

[@TheKaiserace]

Amazing video Zak, I agreed with everything you said. So much less stress in this world than real one. TLD makes you focus on the basics and just a great experience for me.

[@sevoftalpha]

Most of the time I don't play The Long Dark with a specific objective in mind. I play when I want, I do what I want, I survive, I'm out getting firewood on a chilly morning, I'm hugging a campfire while a blizzard rages outside. If it's 50 days, it's fine, if it's 200 days it's also fine. I get lost in my thoughts and sometimes that's good, and sometimes I end up walking the wrong way, getting distracted and dying to something unexpected. It's quite perfect like that for my experience of it. When I really want something different, I set up a narrative before starting the game, using the diary to keep track. Scenarios like : Survivor - survived X accident and now alone on Bear Island. Since nobody will be alerted to it , I need A, B and C type of objectives by a certain day to be rescued. (Things like getting the radio and restoring radio signals across the island to send the request by a certain day, having some form of ongoing fire signal active without interruptions for X time, a HELP sign on the beach etc... you get the genre. Nature Reserve - The island is being turned into a park and there are X,Y, Z tasks to complete before Spring. etc. It's all self-imposed limitations but if you establish them ahead of time, it can be quite fun and challenging. It forces you to decide what to prioritize, to trade safety for speed in some cases, and it gives you an ending **when** and **if** you ever need one.

[@ShianVideos]

I love the early-game, trying to be as efficient as possible, finding new loot and getting that rush from a good find, and using my experiences through previous runs to make this one better. *Looks at my real life*. Uh-oh.

[@ApocalypZero]

Me and my brother talked about goals. Something hint could do in the future is add actual base building content for personalization and we came up with 2 ideas. You should be able to carry in house furniture and metal racks and whatever way you want after we already have everything we want. I added that there should be fully customizable and buildable igloos. I think there should be a way to make your igloo look a certain way at no calorie expense to you the player because the look is entirely cosmetic and no reasonable player who hasn't lived infinity days would think about such a thing.

[@DeannaLee]

Thank you for this explanation. I have struggled explaining what this game has done for me an older 70+ player. The only other game that held my attention for more than a few days was The Sims, which is definitely a game about life. But I have been playing TLD since 2015 and never have found nothing to do. I agree with your assessment that it is the sense of freedom that draws me but also the aloneness of the game I am never lonely nor do I desire someone to play with nor do I need a human character to interact with either. I sincerely hope it remains the game I fell in love with years ago. So once again...thank you for putting my feelings into words about this fantastic game,! Did I mention "I Love This Game"?

[@roflcoppter117]

I had the same problem with my 450 day old save, i ended up restarting it to lay better groundwork for my 500 day and beyond run. I found that having the Tales helped keep things going as you had stuff to look forward to. Once i have a main base, ill travel region to region setting up bases and camping

[@lilyvalter8546]

Hello Zak! I stsrted watching you not a while ago but I just fell in love with your content. About the things thst I particullary like in Long Dark is the feeling of just being a human in its beggining point - nature. I live with a thought that we people forget that we are animals too, our minds overflowing with endless thoughts and society giving us the picture of what we can't really succed. But we are still animals that managed to overcome others in case of our minds.

[@Moon-pb3wt]

A Loveletter to The Long Dark😊

[@yember]

This is a good video, thanks for the chat. This came at the right time for me

[@furrytime7193]

I never get bored in TLD. I never get bored in real life either. Build a base in every region, find all the rock caches and buffer memories, map everything and so on. In real life you can always watch TV, read a book, clean, draw and im always constantly out of time, one moment its 12 and suddenly its bedtime

[@marceloreimers4423]

You gotta do more podcasts like this. I love tld and love your videos. Your videos are so relaxing too. Love from Brazil 🇧🇷

[@romac9516]

Appreciate you. I came to TLD a few years ago and loved playing but not as much as chilling to one of your long videos.

[@rustyriley51]

One thing I think hinterland missed the boat on is fire starting. Level 5 you should be able to craft a fire without matches. You would however need a bladed tool, birch bark and sticks, and the fire would take a long time to start. And if you take pills and have the affliction the pills heal, it should heal. It goes in your bloodstream, why can you select sprained wrist or broken ribs, or infection. I know it’s a game but that mechanic is just ridiculous. My opinions anyway. Thanks for your videos, they are a great help to me, I’ve been playing a couple years love the game!

[@followingtheroe1952]

Your description of how having objectives takes away from the enjoyment reminds me of the phenomenon/meme of the kid who decides hes going to clean up around the house and help out and a split second later the mom goes "I NEED YOU TO HELP CLEAN" and then the kid gets pissed and suddenly doesn't want to

[@mateokorsakkravchenko2881]

Hi, thank you very much for bringing this topic, it's actually very important to me right now because I struggle a lot in playing, in a strange way. I restart over and over again after a few days, always playing custom mode without badges and without hud. I love the immersion of this world, and I always try to play in the most "realistic" way possible. But still, it's like my mind is never satisfied with settings and I try to figure out the best way to start a new play and keep going... After listening to you, I feel that my problem is the lack of meaning and the difficulty achieving goals, switching all the time between calm exploration and harsh survival. I don't know what to do, but anyway, thanks again for this video. Hopefully I'll manage to enjoy this experience (game), just like years ago when it all was new. Stay safe and best regards to you!

[@Potatojiggle]

Thank you a very mindful approach to life and The Long Dark. Sometimes I think it's a bit boring but still I keep going. I played for 100+ hours now. In my current run I'm in day 107 and I haven't entered all regions yet. Still a lot to do. Edit: The most important for me it's relaxing gathering food, wood, exploring.

[@UKGeezer]

I'm a newb trying to learn the maps. First map I'm exploring is Pleasant Valley which I already know a bit from the story. On Voyager, I got eaten by a pack of wolves on day 3. Tried again and died after 20 minutes in a blizzard because I was lost. Now on Pilgrim so I don't have to deal with wolves. I've learned priorities are the most important thing, which is very true to real life. A great game with a beutiful environment to explore. I feel it would really benefit from a VR upgrade for total immersion (pleeeease, Hinterland).

[@2514ben88]

Learning the environments, locations, landmarks and the dangers is a big part of learning the game, I still haven't discovered all the regions myself, you will die many times until you learn the knowledge of where to go and what can be found there, always pay Close attention to the sound in the environment and the weather snow, wind, temperature all parts of your journey.

[@MCeLysian]

I, like Zak, do not have much time to play, and I find it really rewarding slowly chipping away at the 500 days goal. I am currently around 250 days into my longest ever run (on voyager) and I see no end in sight for things to do. I haven’t even explored the whole map yet. Currently I am in DP and it’s my first time colouring the region properly and it’s super fun, but whenever I don’t feel like just exploring the map, I have many other goals in my mind. For example, I would like to find all of the unique items and move them to my main base in PV. I would like to craft 100 arrows for every region so I always have ammo for my bow. I want to get all my skills to level 5. I know it’s not hard to do these things in a shorter run, and I could have probably finished a lot of my goals by now if I had tried to rush them out, but the beautiful thing about this game is that there is simply no need to do that. You can really take it at your own pace and allow yourself to get distracted by the endless things to do that pop up. The first time I went to coastal highway I was planning to just pass straight through, but I fell in love with the region and spent nearly 60 days there exploring and making a base, then stockpiling fish. Now I have a special place in my heart for that region which beforehand seemed to be just a big landmass I had to pass through to get to DP. It really is such a beautiful game because you have no pressure to do anything, other than simply survive.

[@marcusemdanat409]

I think the one thing I find myself missing is more optional things to do to create your own purpose in the game. Like, I’m an artist in real life and I think it’d be super fun to have stuff where your character can craft natural pigments and re-dye garments or make paintings and create charcoal sketches instead of just mapping with it. I know there’s a camera and some base building options that’ll come out in the future and that’s kind of in that same vein; I think having more totally optional things to do once you get past the early game basic survival stuff and get into the part of the game where you’re starting to thrive might be nice. No definitive goals, you still choose what to do, but there’s just more options for ways to pass the time and enjoy the scenery

[@hwplugburz]

Fantastic video Zac. I agree on so many of your philosofical points here 👍 (total freedom of a "2`nd home", of zenlike disconetion.. making personal choises without 3`rd party direction and the meaning is for each person to figure out for them self.. (to me its prepetual learning..))

[@gavin9038]

I've only just started listening to this and already know in going to love it. Thanks so much for all your content Zak, I really appreciate all the work you put into your content.

[@Wabbajank]

I love the long dark. My longest run is over 200 days on loper, but I’ve done longer runs on lower difficulties too well over 500 days. On my loper run tho, I’ve looted everything except for sundered pass. I’ve hauled all my loot to the dam. My list of self-made goals will start soon, which will include harvesting all the plants, setting up bases and doing rounds for bear and moose hunting that I’ve marked along the way and just enjoying all the loot I’ve collected and seeing how long it takes to use it all, but we will see if I play the run that long honestly. Sometimes I need to take a break playing but I find myself just spending that break watching other players play. I just enjoy this game and everything it offers. It’s a great game, very pretty, challenging, and never ending. Looking forward to the final additions to the game like homesteading features and the trader for even more things to do, but I agree that the game is getting to the point that it’s complete and doesn’t need anything else. I also wanted to comment that I think if you do a poll on if long dark players are introverts or extroverts you will find that they are introverts but my basis is that I think the majority of gamers in general are also introverted. Your thought about it caught my ear cuz I love psychology too and I had to think about that myself lol.

[@OsirisPhalanx]

I think you said it well. The ability to have control of the environment and make your way through the world is rarely done, if ever. I enjoy as you learn more, you want to do more. I don't know if I were to ever feel fully accomplished in the game because there is always something you can do better or approach differently. Even the best players continue to find "new" things.

[@Lootenant]

Optional Endgame after reaching a certain amount of days would be GREAT. Maybe around day 365, an almost intact boat washes ashore in a random coastal region and you can start a quest to collect parts to repair the motor, like maybe down at Blackrock's Power Plant. Then maybe you have to go to the Weather Station to determine when there will be appropriate weather to leave.

[@JoeBlack-ur2vf]

Bear Grylls once did an interview where he was asked what the average person could do to “practice” for long term survival. His answer was to clean out the garage. It’s a task that’d take a long weekend, and while physically demanding at times, is more mentally draining and overwhelming. I think about that quite often in the long dark

[@sessju]

I think part of how I keep TLD fresh is by playing custom games. I love rigging them so no playthrough feels the same. I come up with different characters and stories and see what happens. Sometimes, I play "optimal"; other times, I try to make decisions my character would. Some playthroughs I do are short - race across the map in X amount of days or investigate all the deaths in a region, etc. Other games are longer, like the 500 Days Challenge, or Collect all Buffer Memories. I also bounce between difficulty levels depending on the vibe I'm feeling. I just love this game and experiencing it all the different ways I can, it's the best 💕

[@Hunkelbuiltskin]

I agree with pretty much all your sentiments, and even after having played this game off and on since release, I've still achieved very little in it. I've never mapped everything, I've never gotten past 100 days, I've never done the challenges. I think I want to let it be a grand mystery, and slowly chip away at the edges of what the game offers, which to me is a glimpse into what life could be, or even ought to be, for myself, if I one day feel that I've reached a point where I can commit to it. Maybe it's the myth of the mountain man, or the draw of a "simpler life" (as much as that even exists), but however it manifests, it's deeply enticing, and TLD keeps me linked to that ideal world. Definitely a personal philosophy thing.

[@gm_prkr1003]

On the topic of nuclear weapons, some kind of abandoned military bunker or missile silo would be an absolutely awesome place to explore. Kind of like the Divide from Fallout New Vegas.

[@alexroselle]

within the Canadian setting, missile silos wouldn’t fit, but a Cold War era early-warning radar station totally would. They did sort of do that with the Tales bunkers and Sundered Pass weather station, but a bigger one with more bunkers and tunnels could still be fun

[@gm_prkr1003]

@@alexroselle I kinda forget that the rest of the world isn't just the US with military installations everywhere, oops! More bunkers or radar stations would also be awesome though, agreed.

[@lorilauraable]

Too true, I really enjoyed this video. The freedom in game play is up to the player.

[@gerwrant]

What keeps me coming back to this game is the beauty, freedom and exploration. The watercolour artstyle is unique and breathtaking at times. Exploration is simply a feeling I cannot fully describe unfortunately. I dont go on walks without purpose but whenever I trek with my goal in mind, I have the sense of tranquility you speak of in the video. I absorb the scenery and ambience, occasionaly think about my plan. The freedom is what keeps me going but also what makes me take long breaks from the game. There is simply too much to do, and it takes too much time to complete, which I do not have or am not willing to dedicate. Perhaps I need to rethink my strategies...

[@joshlangan1659]

It’s a beautifully artful game. From the design, to the survival techniques players implement. I agree, it’s best played however the player sees fit. Much love always.

[@geneziz7553]

I love this type of videos. Around the campfire or coffee by the stream is the best, I coincidentally fish in one of the huts in ML. Skilled survivor will be mine by the end of the video! Edit: Got it! By 10:13 but I was level 4 and a half when I started watching. Edit 2: I also enoy being in the world. It is not escapism for me during winter, because I have to light a fire for warmth and carry firewood for most of the time. Also cooking with the click of a button is easier, but I do enjoy hunting wolves while food is being cooked IRL as well. Drinking coffee or tea in game as same time as out of it is a strange feeling, but really satisfying. Also I have an air rifle for target practice here in my neck of the mountains.

[@kirksteven4316]

Thank you, this reminds me of how one of your other videos changed TLD for me forever, as a new player and lost in the cold landscape of the Long Dark, I faced many challenges, and one was dealing with wolves, until I found a nice little video about how to deal with these pesky wolves, and made the game much more enjoyable. But it wasn’t the wolf video the changed TLD for me, it was the phrase you repeated in this video, you cannot play the game wrong, and the game is what you make of it, and it is here where I am going to disagree with you on the ability to play the game wrong. From my point of view, until I heard these word, I was playing the game wrong. I would play and have everything I needed to survive as long as I wanted, and I would step outside the run down cabin I was residing in and look out onto this beautiful world and ask the game, what’s next? and the game would not reply. It’s when I heard you say the phrase, the game is what you make it to be, it was the moment I knew I was in fact playing the game wrong, I was asking the right question, but was asking the wrong person, instead of ask the game what was next, I needed to be asking myself, what was next. Once this light bulb moment flickered into existence was when I start playing TLD right. I started to play the game based on what I wanted to do next, and not expecting the game to lead me by the hand, or dangle the carrot to my next task, the adventure was mine to control, mine to direct, mine to play. So I close this by saying, Thank you Zak, for enlightening my point of view, and for showing me that it wasn’t TLD’s fault I was struggling with finding a purpose in playing, it was my lack of not seeing that Hinterland had merely provided me with the playground, it was up to me to play, and pretend, and to be a kid again and just play.

[@georgep692]

Thanks Zak. Very good analogy with real life

[@Jordo81]

Mapping ALL maps is a good long term goal...

[@liljebla]

I appreciate the comment on people who dislike thinking. I thought it was a joke a few years ago when I met a person who told me he didn’t like thinking. For some silly reason it blew my mind that everyone doesn’t like to analyze things, people, search for answers and understand yourself, like that constant reflection, not everyone appreciates it. But the fact is, we are alone. We are not always in social contexts and when we die, we definitely do it alone. I love being alone, I love roaming about in my brain which is why I also love TLD. I can stand “the boredom” of no particular goal because I have great fun roaming about in my thoughts. Would love to have a survey understanding the different types of people playing TLD

[@leqm98]

you just put it perfectly, I am the same. Lots of people need a lot of external validation and stimulation because they don’t have a lot going on in their heads. For me, my head is ALWAYS working, so I love to just chill and TLD gives me that

[@liljebla]

@@leqm98 aren’t we lucky :)

[@SurvivorGranny]

I think that in such an apocalyptic lonely isolation, the biggest challenge would be to strengthen the desire to stay alive. As you say in life we ​​can have any purpose in life, however if you are the last living person on the planet the number of options is severely limited. In our current life, our goal may be a family, but if you are alone or have no one to start a family with. Our goal may be jobs, our profession, our career, but what kind of profession can be considered alone? Our goal may be to save the world, but if humanity dies with you, then who did you save the world for and if you do, who will be left here to oversee that things go well. Your goal may be to explore the world, but once you've covered every nook and cranny, there's nothing left to explore. Your goal may be to enjoy life, but if you have no one to share it with, no one to tell how long it will remain enjoyable and how much fun there is in the eternal, silent winter? You can't even ski. When I reach a point in the game, it's not that I can't find more tasks or goals that is a problem for me. After all, I can hunt one more elk, but I already have twenty-eight hides. I can watch the sunrise, but I've seen it a hundred and twelve times. I can go somewhere again, but I've been there thirty times. I could find goals, but I no longer feel the meaning. Like when someone reaches the peak of their career and completely loses all motivation because there is nothing to fight for anymore and they don't see the point of anything.

[@RuBuNsGo]

What I would add to the game is the re-growth of plants if its for 90 days which is the time that normally a plant need from seed to grow edible.

[@margaritayoung]

There are two types of players: some prefer to be guided, while others crave freedom. I’m firmly in the latter camp, valuing freedom above all else. That’s why Skyrim and The Long Dark are my favorite games-I’ve never even touched the story mode in either one. I remember when Wintermute was released, and everyone was thrilled. But after trying it, I found myself bored within the first hour and never went back. The slow, linear progression felt stifling, almost suffocating. In contrast, survival mode offers absolute freedom, allowing you to shape your own experience

[@dennismcintosh3699]

The long dark is about isolation and loneliness. You feel like the last person on earth after a terrible event. As far as motivation to continue goes, I agree with you very much, I love being in that world. The beautiful art work. Every day has its task every item has its purpose. Every problem even though it has a simple solution takes courage a skill to pull of. Im the lone survivor, a witness to the end of all things.

[@Rand_Althor1966]

Awesome video my friend. Extremely entertaining. At least to me lol. Lots of love to you and yours buddy.

[@Cranberrie123]

I like to set mid term and long term goals. Currently that's attempting to beat Signal Void. Goals help me set direction so I dont find myself just doing the same thing over and over again, or 'wandering.' I kinda get bored easily and then get distracted (which breaks my immersion) I kinda like to plan out my day, and my next few days in advance, often while I'm not even playing! Lol. I sorta like to think of it in terms of a planned 'expedition' with particular goals, like "get the backpack and get home" etc. And I plan my gear meticulously for said trip. I try to come up with *something* Im gonna accomplish each in game day. I like to keep moving as well, which can make it a struggle to force myself to 'bunker down' and hibernate when that's occasionally necessary in the game. I go stir crazy and need to hunt a bear or a moose or something.

[@MatteoSessa-q1d]

1 hour of beautiful voice and deeeeeeep talk

[@darkwillow1451]

for me, what 'kills' the game after like 200 days is the lack of immersive purpose. To put into context, TLD is a survival game. But once you are established, anything creative that you think of doing, doesn't really align with the concept of still retaining that survival mentality. Collect every dollar... why? Hunt 50 bears... why? It doesn't make sense if you role play. If feels like doing stuff for shit and giggles. What i wish is that the game somehow keeps the survival mentality engaged. A way that forces you to go out, take risks or die of hunger. Cabin fever, the cougar, its all fine and dandy but those don't feel like survival motivators, more like cheap gimmicks to get you out of camp office. My idea was that hunting should be much more interesting. Have animals spawn less, with a tendency to avoid the player's location. That way you'd have to trek far, occasionally even to another region just to find a deer. Have parasite risk not be removed by lvl 5 cooking. My intent isn't to make the game 'harder' but to prevent it becoming 'easy' in late game. I dont think the game needs much new content, it needs more sensible game play that retains the initial purpose.. which is "to survive."

[@Sokol10]

Too, root meat should be not edible

[@darkwillow1451]

@@Sokol10 i would change meat to decay slower when stored outside... but it could attract wolves at night that would steal it. And ofc, lvl 5 cooking not removing parasite risk.

[@TomTom-rs2zz]

You got it. No cabin fever or Cougar just dont make it easier later on

[@Crysoft2]

I am very much of the "it is a place/vacation" type of player. I love exploring, especially if a new region has been added. I love going places with my own thoughts being all that carries me, but that is also a detriment. If I am in a bad headspace, it is genuinely hard to play TLD. There is a thing that pulls me out of the immersion though and that is sprains. For me who has been running in straight lines off the beaten path through woods as a child and teen, it is hard to believe that you would get sprains that much. I would actually love a system that the longer you go by carring gear, the more resistent to sprains you get, because your legs get stronger.

[@RuBuNsGo]

What I love the most of the Long dark. Is that you have no obligation to explore you could perfectly stay and survive in maps like "mystery lake" "desolation point" yet you are called to do that. And whats make it Hilarious is that your worst enemy is your own stupidity: Like not carring some emergency suplies while exploring an unfamiliar map or crossing the damn during an aurora while not knowing you can electrocute yourself or walking on a bridge tree while fooling around on the phone provoking your death.

[@leafsfan2108]

Zak, GREAT video! Some interesting perspective, philosophy, reflection-inducing topics for sure! Upon my own reflection of why players (including myself) who get to a certain stage and then feel like “ok now what”, I think it ultimately boils down to the fact that there is a weakening of the pressure of challenge as time goes on and the player becomes established enough that everything is pretty much under control and monotony sets in. It is the level of uncertainty and hardship, and the quest for finding items to better one’s situation in the beginning to early-mid stages of the game that essentially creates the highest levels of dopamine. That is why so many players (again, including myself) enjoy starting a new run so much; for that rush - the need for carefully calculated decision making (and sometimes on-the-fly) to “stop the bleeding” and get to safety. I’m not even sure what could be added to this game that could help to prolong the inevitable boredom factor. With regard to how long-term survival in TLD is comparable to real life with no “scripted” goals, that is very true. The reality is that it just isn’t what the vast majority of video gamers are seeking when it comes to entertainment. I’ll conclude by saying that TLD is an amazing game (over 2000hrs played), and it’s made well enough to stand up to the test of time! Thanks for a great video - as always 😊

[@anthonyanderson9771]

I always hoped they would add the challenges to the sandbox: a whiteout blizzard after 100 plus days, an animal that stalks you through the region and beyond (what I'd hoped the cougar to be, but also wolf packs or bear) after some time, Darkstalker not so much (I'm a Christian and being forced to do magic is not appreciated). But having these things integrated would be fun. I wished the carnes would give you a fortification of one of your meters like reading someone's story and it encourages your character and it buffs a meter of yours for some time. Maybe even until you sleep or a day after. Misery's afflictions would be great on lower difficulties if they came at longer times like 500, 1k, 2k days. Or some other long term meter, for instance if you use the starvation strategy for too long you might gain diminished form. Too many predator encounters and you get haunted mind. (I'd also love haunted mind to make you hear predator noises, like paranoia/hallucinations). After the tales, and fixing the electrics the radios could signal incoming storms like whiteout challenge that you have to prepare for, or (as another commenter mentioned here) other plane crashes that you have to find in the world. Climbing boots making you immune to sprain risk (I don't think this is a thing). Longterm, I can see having 7 or so preset loot table/spawn locations for new games so that once development is finished/concluded the game is still very varied. Long term, I'd love to collect the nicknacks around (like the fish taxidermy) and build up a base with my favorite stuff.

[@zerinazery2134]

Wonderful video! I get quite immersed while playing videogames. With the long dark I am extremely immersed, that the gameplay is at the same time relaxing (from the aspect of how beautiful the game is and how it strips away the social pressures into basics of just being present and surviving) yet the whole gameplay time of mine with the long dark, I am anxious and tensed up, as if I was truly out there trying to survive in the world of the long dark. Unfortunately, because of that my gaming sessions get cut down because my body is just too stressed at certain points :( even thought I enjoy the game so much.

[@philschaefer4651]

Currently I'm working on the 500day and skilled survivor badges and cartographer. I mainly play to relax so usually on Voyager.

[@Cactipus_FGC]

Entire Video-Watcher here, and I have an very on and off relationship with this game. I've had a run going for over 200 days (unfortunately I think that save is gone since it was before the new DLC stuff) and I'm a very goal-oriented person. I like it when my entertainment has structure, which is why I tend to lose interest in this game for extended periods until a new major goal is added. Once I've "solved" a challenge, I quickly lose interest and move on to something else. If I realize that I'm going to be able to sustain a run forever, I don't really feel the need to achieve that, since the hard part is already over, that being actually getting to the point where I can sustain indefinitely. That 200 day run was on Voyager, just so I could get the 500 day achievement, but once I realized the fastest way to do that was to just pass time and sleep as much as possible, I got bored and decided to do something else instead. I haven't played since the game since before the DLC was first added, so it's been refreshing to see all the new things. Especially making pancakes. Also in the time I listened to this video, I got from the cave in northwest Pleasant Valley all the way to Hibernia Processing (Dropped some weight once I got to Quonset, was walking around at 45kg lol). I'm doing Whiteout, and I haven't been able to find a rifle anywhere in Coastal Highway or Pleasant Valley, so now I gotta scour Desolation Point. As for content, personally I'd like to see more challenges and difficulty modes. Maybe something like Zomboid's CDDA mode, where you start off heavily debilitated and need to scramble to survive right off the bat.

[@followingtheroe1952]

There are very few games that carry the philosophy of "heat death" into the design itself. The whole theme and tone of this game is based in it, this is exactly the kind of game that should function as much as it does on non-renewable resources. The whole premise that slowly you will in fact run out of most items reminds me of the Starship Troopers catchphrase: "Come on you apes! Do you want to live forever!?" Oxygen Not Included also hooks you with the entropy concept as well, but has a positive sci-fi framing that eventually you can solve it. I understand there are mechanics that give you infinite survival and renewability, but these mechanics are not the "face" of the game if that makes sense. The finality of most of the items is itself a momento mori, a subtle diagetic reminder that your character isn't really meant to survive forever, nobody is. "Come on you apes! Do you want to live forever!?"

[@MrSparky419]

I wish they included a free look button that allows you to see what's around you in first person whilst auto walking from point A to point B like other games have. Would make the game quite a bit more immersive after all it is indeed a beautiful world so I feel like not having that function really takes away from what the essence of the game is all about. This would make the game soo much more enjoyable and stunning. Binoculars would be cool too.

[@headlessfool7050]

I'm continuously amazed, and tbh also a bit shocked, how many people think they need something more than "The point of the Game is to keep playing."...just like the point of Life is living it! SO many people are so deep to bones used to carrots dangling in front of their noses...of needing an aim...a goal to reach...while simultaneously expecting someone to tell them what that aim, goal is or should be...I find it frightening tbh . This becomes most apparent in gaming . Just play ! And keep playing if you want, and if you dont want to play, don't . That's all there is to it ! And so many people seem to be totally helpless when being put into that siutuation in gaming .

[@WillyShufflebottom]

One game my goal was to get from Timberwolf to Airfield and make the peach oatmeal on Stalker. Once I did it, I walked out into a blizzard and unalived. Another one was to collect all the thermos varieties. I really don't have any interest in late game survival..so setting these little adventures up is how I enjoy playing.

[@onkelvesemir6027]

As always very nice video zak ❤🎉 Yeah lonliness is a big part of the game Thats why i love it so much

[@DrDailbo]

As a long term interloper player I'd like to see more true endgame items add to the game. Personally I'd love to see some items that require crafting components from each of the crafting stations. An easy example could be an improvised firearm requiring trips to the ammunition station, forge and work bench. Perhaps there's a recipe or broken rifle to find and fix up. Another example is a car battery fire starter that only works during an aurora. If you think about it -- it's realistic, balanced and on theme. There already is a practical answer to situationally-infinite fires during the day time, the magnifying lens, and that weighs a hundred grams. Having an extremely heavy source of situationally-infinite fires at night seems fitting.

[@LordKai1102]

Yeah I feel that. I actually have problems taking decisions mostly, but in TLD it all doesn't matter, I don't have to fear taking wrong ones. Your free to do what's in your mind. So I hunt for achievements or think of challenges that I could do (also important for constant content creation). Yeah TLD has a absolute astounding immersion. Lits of it comes from audio design, great SFX and more important subtle music that just pops in every few moments. But I'd also love some endgame invest as well. Not like an "end" or something. Maybe just something like "animal spawns switch to another preset after 500 days" or maybe "after 500 days your unlock seasons, so you get subtle environment changes every ~90 days" I'm so full of ideas actually. You could have a short 1-3 days of high summer in which certain areas thaw for a few days and unlock special small areas. It is quiet doable to get more incentives for the late game. What breaks immersion for me sometimes, is actually the voice acting. It's good but it's another person. :D So I mostly play Custom just to turn Player Monologue off. You could deactivate all voice in audio settings as well I guess. Thanks for this video tho. It was kinda calming to listen to.

[@KKNgroup]

"Klunk klunk klunk" noises in Dam was done perfectly by You! But overall, very good video to make a retrospective on the game and on myself!

[@philschaefer4651]

I've suggested a challenge mode involving collecting tools and materials to build or repair a boat to escape the island with.

[@nannakurzhaar]

And to find out if there are any other people left on other continents…

[@LadyQxx]

Hi Zak! Some points on your podcast: ~If anything more is added to the game, then they should make a new version and leave this one alone. The roadmap of the dlc pretty much ticked all the boxes on my list ~I agree, there's always something to do, it's just having the creativity or patience, especially since they implemented beachcombing ~I unsubscribed from the streamer you mentioned. ~I live close to Point Pelee National Park which is FULL of cattails, so that's where I'm going lol ~Seeing my flag in a storm is such a relief ~The graphics in The Long Dark is a painting you're moving within ~The meaning of life in The Long Dark and possibly real life, is to appreciate your time in the world This game ❤️ I agree with your assessment of it feeling like home, and that words are difficult to describe it, and the feelings, adequately.

[@Astarsdeath]

Really enjoyed the video!

[@DeannaLee]

As per usual I commented before watching the entire video. LOL Anyway, you asked for comments about immersion. I surprised my son, who recommended this game when it came out in Alpha, that I became so immersed in this game from the start It hasn't changed for me Each day I am in the world is exhilarating and immersive. I am the person in The Long Dark. I love the fact that you don't see the character and it is first person perspective. As you stayed it doesn't require anything else i e base building, different guns or even new foods to cook though it was added recently. This game is perfect as is. Did I mention, "I Love This Game"?

[@ersinculdur4401]

I am at day 668 at interlooper and need this.

[@MorningStarChrist]

Things they _need_ to add: 1) Tents and or a tent building system. Leantos, Aframe, etc. It would make sleeping outside more realistic. 2) More skills and perks can be added for example; tent building skill, barter skill, etc. 3) They really need to add a compass as an item. It would help with navigation without needing to drop sticks. Note taking sucks on console; but that may be a limitation in the Microsoft API Tents and a compass I think are the main thing that this game, a game where you are basically camping, really needs to come full circle. Nothing like chilling in your nature tent and looking at a fire

[@Zaknafein]

A compass wouldnt work because of the geomagnetic event

[@MorningStarChrist]

@@Zaknafein I don't think that the story is too important in survival. Plus there are moments, such as during the aurora, where the geomagnetic stuff is canceled out

[@TheMusicalFruit]

There is another game that I can think of that has the same immersive quality as The Long Dark. It's Minecraft. Sure you can go kill the Ender Dragon and the credits will roll, but you don't have to. You can stick to a little plot of land and cultivate that. You can build giant contraptions that rip resources from the world. You can plumb the depths for ancient treasures. You can recreate your favorite buildings. You can build a flying machine and sail the cloudless void of the End. You can go to the Nether (on second thought, let's not). One time I got on a boat and left my base behind to start over on a remote island with nothing but a few saplings and some food in my inventory, and it was a blast. You can play with friends or go solo. The game really does feel like a living place when you're in it, and it's one of the few games I'd place on the same tier as The Long Dark.

[@hapster22]

Musings on The Long Dark as an allegorical narrative on life and meaning. Words I never thought I'd say. To what extent does one's own philosophy dictate how one plays The Long Dark? Now that I've had some forced reflection, it's inescapable. My nihilistic tendencies have indeed leeched into how I play. "He who has a why to live can bear almost any how". Maybe interloper players are more stable as human beings in general...

[@dominikszabo8757]

This day can't get any better I Just bought the dlc and Zaknafein uploads

[@quemsereu2009]

this inspired me to go back to my 168 day interloper run :) i abandoned because i ran out of ideas

[@ImEvanMacmillan]

For me, the true perfect gaming experience in the long dark is stalker, because stalker has the perfect balance between survival and exploration, I think it is the perfect difficulty, from there on up it is simply challenges to see who has the greatest and stalker Down below is too easy or for people who have just started playing. So I will continue playing stalker, which as I said, I think is just perfect. good video, greetings from Spain

[@peteblazar5515]

The only certainty is uncertainty.

[@j.s.c.4355]

I am one of those people who needs a bit of guidance to maintain interest, but just if the world changed over time, that would be enough. For instance, if after 180 days, the fruit trees blossomed, that would be wonderful. A Spring thaw would be amazing, and that could recurr with minor variation every 365 days, and that would be amazing. On the same schedule, cat tails and other plants could regenerate, but only patchily-like only if you’d left a few the year before.

[@ironinfidel7792]

When I enter a train tunnel in this game I immediately experience an almost 'de ja vu'. I can smell the trains of history.

[@masetheimpailer]

I personally think a stalker default (because guns) with interloper difficulty levels is the most comfortable. Gotta worry about maintenance and the world getting cold but the world has a lot more to find and experiment with

[@Leviathan1101]

I agree with you that you can always come up with new things to do but I think some people have a harder time doing that for themselves. Also would be pretty cool to have a mod that procedurally gave the player goals to complete. For example crafting things or traveling to a region and surviving for a certain amount of time. Didnt expect such a deep video about The Long Dark but its true that life and the game have some similarities like you said.

[@G-n0te]

Zak you nailed it thank you