You're Wrong About Earth Leviathans (maybe. please help me out here.)

[Sir Mix-a-Lot]

The community consensus for Earth Leviathans seems to be to "retrace your steps." When it starts to attack (visual dirt particles + a distinct rumbling noise) move backwards to move out of the way of the hitbox. I followed this instruction to the letter. And died. Constantly and repeatedly.

I have done an incredible amount of testing with these worms using some specific mods (GameMaster, Minimap), which has allowed me to have a very solid understanding of the worm's behaviour. I am now 95% sure of the following:

• Earth Leviathans DO NOT anticipate your movement when attacking. They attack from their current position.
  
• If you hear an Earth Leviathan's presence, they are most likely trailing you. As long as you are moving constantly in a straight line, their attack will almost always be behind the player
  
• When going from walking forwards to sprinting backwards, the momentum shift slows you down significantly. Not only that, but due to the factors above, it is likely to move you back into the leviathan, not away from it.

Sprinting backwards will almost always kill you. Sprinting forwards will almost always let you live. And the real kicker is that I didn't just fall for random misinformation; Sprinting backwards is heavily suggested as the best way to avoid a sandworm attack.

As such, I went insane. I am insane now.

I have come to the steam forums. To the heights of intellect and discussion. And I have come with questions.

Where does the advice of sprinting backwards come from? Is there any proof that it even slightly increases your chance of survival? Right now, I have no evidence that sprinting backwards is even slightly viable. I instead have an incredible volume of evidence and experience that it will get you killed.

As an important note; I know that Sigurd says to 'retrace your steps'. I have a secondary reading of this which is an actual working strategy. Contrary to avoiding the attack, it is a very good idea to sprint backwards as soon as you hear a Leviathan approach. As its presence have most likely walked into a its path, sprinting away from it means you can cause it to lose aggression.

I am aware that, for you, this is second-hand evidence which contradicts the second-hand evidence you have already heard. You're going to believe one random guy? It may as well be a conspiracy theory. You are absolutely entitled to be skeptical. That said, if you also choose to be open minded, I will find a way to supply some footage / evidence. I will be open minded as well, but keep in mind that I also believed that sprinting backwards was the play. It took a lot for me to think otherwise, and its going to take a lot more for me to think the same again.

Hope this interests you. Thank you for reading.

[SGT James Doakes]

Dude I just Ran away and Survived most of the time

[Sir Mix-a-Lot]

Originally posted by Bartholomew-Richard-Fitzgerald:

Dude I just Ran away and Survived most of the time

Which direction? If its forwards, sure. If its backwards, I don't really have anything to add. I know its possible to survive by running backwards, but for me it takes far more luck than running forwards. or maybe not. maybe every copy of lethal company is personalized, like super mario 64.

[Slaanesh Servant]

or sidestep? Turning and running helps, not facing same direction and pressing backwards button, thinking you are same speed as you were half a second ago.

[Sir Mix-a-Lot]

Originally posted by Slaanesh Servant:

or sidestep? Turning and running helps, not facing same direction and pressing backwards button, thinking you are same speed as you were half a second ago.

I did some further testing based on this comment. A 180 flick is far more effective than holding S, but unless you can do some very precise inputs on command, it will have the same effect on your momentum. This also didn't fix the main issue, which is that it moves you back into the leviathan's attack.

[Bellriver]

I just always keep at least half a stamina bar to sprint for my life (I just run straight unless I'm trying to dodge dogs) when I hear the ground rumbling. Even if I am loaded with scrap odds are the weight will only slow me down enough for it to jump me and with half stamina that usually puts me clear of the eruption zone.

[Decaffinator]

Originally posted by bees vanishing at alarming rates:

The community consensus for Earth Leviathans seems to be to "retrace your steps." When it starts to attack (visual dirt particles + a distinct rumbling noise) move backwards to move out of the way of the hitbox. I followed this instruction to the letter. And died. Constantly and repeatedly.

I have done an incredible amount of testing with these worms using some specific mods (GameMaster, Minimap), which has allowed me to have a very solid understanding of the worm's behaviour. I am now 95% sure of the following:

• Earth Leviathans DO NOT anticipate your movement when attacking. They attack from their current position.
  
• If you hear an Earth Leviathan's presence, they are most likely trailing you. As long as you are moving constantly in a straight line, their attack will almost always be behind the player
  
• When going from walking forwards to sprinting backwards, the momentum shift slows you down significantly. Not only that, but due to the factors above, it is likely to move you back into the leviathan, not away from it.

Sprinting backwards will almost always kill you. Sprinting forwards will almost always let you live. And the real kicker is that I didn't just fall for random misinformation; Sprinting backwards is heavily suggested as the best way to avoid a sandworm attack.

As such, I went insane. I am insane now.

I have come to the steam forums. To the heights of intellect and discussion. And I have come with questions.

Where does the advice of sprinting backwards come from? Is there any proof that it even slightly increases your chance of survival? Right now, I have no evidence that sprinting backwards is even slightly viable. I instead have an incredible volume of evidence and experience that it will get you killed.

As an important note; I know that Sigurd says to 'retrace your steps'. I have a secondary reading of this which is an actual working strategy. Contrary to avoiding the attack, it is a very good idea to sprint backwards as soon as you hear a Leviathan approach. As its presence have most likely walked into a its path, sprinting away from it means you can cause it to lose aggression.

I am aware that, for you, this is second-hand evidence which contradicts the second-hand evidence you have already heard. You're going to believe one random guy? It may as well be a conspiracy theory. You are absolutely entitled to be skeptical. That said, if you also choose to be open minded, I will find a way to supply some footage / evidence. I will be open minded as well, but keep in mind that I also believed that sprinting backwards was the play. It took a lot for me to think otherwise, and its going to take a lot more for me to think the same again.

Hope this interests you. Thank you for reading.

This. You'll constantly hear people say run backwards. I've tested it out countless times and running straight forward is always the correct option because it doesn't dull your momentum. Any slight changes in direction kills your moment which can lead to the worm just killing you on the spot. Now if you're walking with teamates, run to the sides with your camera as well since the worm could likely target the teamate in front causing you to run straight into the worm.

[Dragonofoz]

I concur. I tell people to just walk if its night... You want to be prepared to stop and go quiet for dogs, be prepared to stand still and not move, prepared to run and attempt to break line of sight for giants, and to be prepared to sprint as soon as you hear the ground rumbling.

I have survived most night time encounters more than i have died since i started using this

[RazakelKairo]

Can confirm. I've lived pretty much everytime just being weighted less and running. My best confirmation in-game I had was a solo-run on Vow with 2 worms just patrolling around my bottles for the longest time (my last piece of loot before I wanted to leave).
It took awhile, I definitely heard the burrowing sound 20+ times already, but they never were able to attack me and I got my bottles safely on the ship.

Would I have used the community-strat, the chances of me dying there wouldn't be slim.

[Cannon Fodder]

I have tried sprinting sideways, backwards, and forwards. I have died 95% of the time and the only time I don't die is forward. Whatever sh!tkicker is spreading the misinformation to "JuSt SprInT BaCKwArds" or "JuStCHaNGE DiRectIoN Bro, SkiLl IsSUe" is intentionally trolling

[Sasha Mason]

Originally posted by Cannon Fodder:

I have tried sprinting sideways, backwards, and forwards. I have died 95% of the time and the only time I don't die is forward. Whatever sh!tkicker is spreading the misinformation to "JuSt SprInT BaCKwArds" or "JuStCHaNGE DiRectIoN Bro, SkiLl IsSUe" is intentionally trolling

It's the game itself. When you scan the worm and read the beastiary entry, it says, word by word, exactly like that, to "Retrace your steps".

The misinformation comes from the game itself.

[Kobi Blade]

I just run away in any direction that isn't where the worm is attacking, and I never died.

[Cannon Fodder]

Originally posted by Sasha Mason🎄:

Originally posted by Cannon Fodder:

I have tried sprinting sideways, backwards, and forwards. I have died 95% of the time and the only time I don't die is forward. Whatever sh!tkicker is spreading the misinformation to "JuSt SprInT BaCKwArds" or "JuStCHaNGE DiRectIoN Bro, SkiLl IsSUe" is intentionally trolling

It's the game itself. When you scan the worm and read the beastiary entry, it says, word by word, exactly like that, to "Retrace your steps".

The misinformation comes from the game itself.

I have not read the bestiary. I got it specifically from these forums, from people INSISTING it works.

[Sasha Mason]

Sometimes, you get lucky enough and walking backwards actually does work, thus you get people being unsure how exactly the worm works.

There was a video on YouTube I saw where someone was using hud mods to test how the worm works, but I cant find it anymore.

[Cannon Fodder]

Originally posted by Kobi Blade:

I just run away in any direction that isn't where the worm is attacking, and I never died.

I've tried running every direction. Forward. Backward. Side to side. I have survived ONCE.

It is random. Strategy is null for this stupid ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ enemy. AFAIC they can remove the Leviathan and the Forest Giant and the game would be 100% better.

[Sammadily]

Never knew why i lived when i ran forwards accidentally once, now i know.