Coastal Highway base location

[Jack]

This is my first time playing this map and I have made a base at the gas station, but there are like two wolves around that could kill me. Is there a location in coastal highway that is safe and has some sorta of fire indoors?

[iheartmyocd]

Short answer - yes, but they all have disadvantages as well. Either distance to a crafting table, distance from everywhere else, no easy food nearby... you have to base (no pun intended) your descision on lots of factors. Jackrabbit Island is a popular choice because while the nearest crafting table is a ways away and outdoors, the island itself is relatively safe, has bunnies, lots of storage, generates a ton of wood, and has two nearby ice huts with indoor fire abilities.

[Oolae]

I favor the fishing huts on the western end of the bay.

The main hut has a couple of large lockers for storage, and a crafting table outside on the back. I like that it has ready access to the frozen bay, where deer happen to spawn, and a fishing hut nearby. There is a ton of cloth and wood around the huts, too.

Getting around is easy, as you have the main highway as reference if you want to go inland, and the vast expanse of the frozen bay to get to the other islands and sight wolves from afar (when the weather allows). About wolves, they sometimes spawn close to the ruined pier behind the huts, but I haven't had much problem with them (I play on Stalker).

There is a bear that sometimes comes down the mountain very close by, and paths through the frozen bay to the west. Finding your kills is easy in the huge ice!

[JohnMcClane]

I like the cabins near the crafting table......fishing hut very close by.....pallets for tons of wood.....as long as your out of the wind you can build a fire outside to cook/ water. just my opinion of a good base though, you may think other. I know the gas station is a good base if you want to battle wolves all the time, lol...good luck.

[KEVYNE_KICKLIGHTER]

Use the hatchet and kill/maim them with it. It's w-a-y OP, so even starting knew you can kill/maim them all at once. Stand by the door and bait them to you, then kill them off (or run back inside if 2+ arrive).

Sooner they're out of the way, sooner you can use the gas station as the base -- and it's the most ideal, as firewood after every storm is replaced around there ... and there's a house with a double bed and fireplace to sleep perfectly in nearby.

It's the best base on Coastal Highway due to it's central location/access to wood/fishing/and has plenty of storage to stuff supplies there (let alone space for drying hides/guts/birch/maple) ... why the devs put the wolves there (the usual old mechanics of danger by prime harvest nodes deal -- why to look at where they put the beasties to judge prime locations, too).

[Jack]

Originally posted by KEVYNE_KICKLIGHTER:

Use the hatchet and kill/maim them with it. It's w-a-y OP, so even starting knew you can kill/maim them all at once. Stand by the door and bait them to you, then kill them off (or run back inside if 2+ arrive).

Sooner they're out of the way, sooner you can use the gas station as the base -- and it's the most ideal, as firewood after every storm is replaced around there ... and there's a house with a double bed and fireplace to sleep perfectly in nearby.

It's the best base on Coastal Highway due to it's central location/access to wood/fishing/and has plenty of storage to stuff supplies there (let alone space for drying hides/guts/birch/maple) ... why the devs put the wolves there (the usual old mechanics of danger by prime harvest nodes deal -- why to look at where they put the beasties to judge prime locations, too).

Killing them in struggle?

[SteelFire]

Originally posted by KEVYNE_KICKLIGHTER:

Use the hatchet and kill/maim them with it. It's w-a-y OP, so even starting knew you can kill/maim them all at once. Stand by the door and bait them to you, then kill them off (or run back inside if 2+ arrive).

Sooner they're out of the way, sooner you can use the gas station as the base -- and it's the most ideal, as firewood after every storm is replaced around there ... and there's a house with a double bed and fireplace to sleep perfectly in nearby.

It's the best base on Coastal Highway due to it's central location/access to wood/fishing/and has plenty of storage to stuff supplies there (let alone space for drying hides/guts/birch/maple) ... why the devs put the wolves there (the usual old mechanics of danger by prime harvest nodes deal -- why to look at where they put the beasties to judge prime locations, too).

Yeah, that's not great advice, sorry. Purposely geting into fist fights with wolves should never be first choice due to risk involved. What's the "Sooner they're out of the way" thing too? Killing them, especially at the townsite, is only a temporary reprieve for a few days, at most. Townsite has multiple wolf spawns that can make their way into the area, and will.

[KEVYNE_KICKLIGHTER]

Originally posted by SteelFire:

Yeah, that's not great advice, sorry. Purposely geting into fist fights with wolves should never be first choice due to risk involved. What's the "Sooner they're out of the way" thing too? Killing them, especially at the townsite, is only a temporary reprieve for a few days, at most. Townsite has multiple wolf spawns that can make their way into the area, and will.

The mechanics of TLD is this: sooner is better. Longer you wait to kill off the beasties the stronger they become. If you're dying to them it's because you waited to long looking for +protection gear and ideal ways to handle them.

This game isn't WoW or CoD. Longer you wait to get your purples the meaner the beasties will become, so by the time you're He-man coming to kill them, the wolves are rabid Cujos! lololol

Early on the beasties are weak to correspond to your own lack of +protection gear. With the hatchet being so OP, you can kill/main 2 wolves with jeans and sweater at that stage.

Stand close to the garage door and bait them to you. Bad pull of 2+ run inside. Come back later and wash, rinse, repeat.

Those couple of days of no wolves = days of supplies stored, so you can repeat the ordeal again.

[Jack]

Originally posted by SteelFire:

Originally posted by KEVYNE_KICKLIGHTER:

Use the hatchet and kill/maim them with it. It's w-a-y OP, so even starting knew you can kill/maim them all at once. Stand by the door and bait them to you, then kill them off (or run back inside if 2+ arrive).

Sooner they're out of the way, sooner you can use the gas station as the base -- and it's the most ideal, as firewood after every storm is replaced around there ... and there's a house with a double bed and fireplace to sleep perfectly in nearby.

It's the best base on Coastal Highway due to it's central location/access to wood/fishing/and has plenty of storage to stuff supplies there (let alone space for drying hides/guts/birch/maple) ... why the devs put the wolves there (the usual old mechanics of danger by prime harvest nodes deal -- why to look at where they put the beasties to judge prime locations, too).

Yeah, that's not great advice, sorry. Purposely geting into fist fights with wolves should never be first choice due to risk involved. What's the "Sooner they're out of the way" thing too? Killing them, especially at the townsite, is only a temporary reprieve for a few days, at most. Townsite has multiple wolf spawns that can make their way into the area, and will.

Gotta agree with steel. I don't want to kill wolves...I don't want to be near my home.

[SteelFire]

Just... wow. Sorry, but you don't know how the wolves work in TLD.

They don't 'level-up' over time. When wolves are spawned in, they are given a set of dice-rolled stats and traits. This adds variation between wolves. Some are weak and easily scared off or killed. Some are strong and tenacious. That doesn't change the longer the wolf is alive.

Wolves spawn, patrol, hunt, and if not killed off, will eventually despawn. A blizzard also forces this, you won't see them or prey animals out in a blizzard. New spawns are then generated.

Wolf packs also often move between patrol locations. So, a pack may spawn out on the ice in CH and after a few days, moves over to another section of the ice or into either section of the townsite, or the other way round. They do the same thing between various areas in PV and every other region.

[KEVYNE_KICKLIGHTER]

Originally posted by JackRipper8:

Originally posted by SteelFire:

Gotta agree with steel. I don't want to kill wolves...I don't want to be near my home.

Well, they are near your home/route/even on the ice! Heck, have you see the bears even? They run like 120mph and right through you even (pathing and speed needs help!).

CH, there's so much cloth there to make bandaids, the most critical thing that will kill you (blood loss) is resolved right there (I think the devs knew those Cujos will be around, so you'll need 200+ cloth!). The rest you can use pills before they decay away, anyway.

[KEVYNE_KICKLIGHTER]

Originally posted by SteelFire:

Just... wow. Sorry, but you don't know how the wolves work in TLD.

They don't 'level-up' over time. When wolves are spawned in, they are given a set of dice-rolled stats and traits. This adds variation between wolves. Some are weak and easily scared off or killed. Some are strong and tenacious. That doesn't change the longer the wolf is alive.

Wolves spawn, patrol, hunt, and if not killed off, will eventually despawn. A blizzard also forces this, you won't see them or prey animals out in a blizzard. New spawns are then generated.

Wolf packs also often move between patrol locations. So, a pack may spawn out on the ice in CH and after a few days, moves over to another section of the ice or into either section of the townsite, or the other way round. They do the same thing between various areas in PV and every other region.

They get worse over time because over time the devs expect you to be in +protection gear (you start off with street cloths only). That's the extra salt in the RNG rolls -- more +protection over time = worse the bites.

Weak wolves because your protection is 50% (loaded up on combat gear) isn't much of a survival game is it?

The game has an internal clock on everything -- decay to the strength of the beasties.

Can you die starting. Yes. I don't doubt they have a crit mechanism in the rolls, too (as they have it for players with better skills). BUT the longer you wait the timer is ticking and the beasties are tailored then to be ready for +protection gear as the game progresses.

The wolves don't "level up" but the +protection has to be accounted for (or it's no longer a survival game).

+protection gear (like the combat boots) is solely there for such encounters (you're not going to survive the cold in such gear).

I suspect the very ginger approach by some players is due to that expedition parka and nice warm gear not wanting it to be ruined by the beasties. But thats not how players start and they have to find a reasonable base to store supplies that's not in Timbuktu (spending much more calories to do less than in the most ideal locations TEEMING with beasties).

Yeah, pick your battles wisely. But also judge how much are you going to waste in time and resources for the same outcomes too.

It's all about strats and taking risks.

FYI: I started TLD on Interloper. Oh, yes, I learned just how nasty those wolves are like at DP!!!

[Jack]

....Kev, I apperciate your help, but I was wondering what other buildings could make a great base that doesn't have wolves around.

[KEVYNE_KICKLIGHTER]

Originally posted by JackRipper8:

....Kev, I apperciate your help, but I was wondering what other buildings could make a great base that doesn't have wolves around.

House SW of the garage up the hill that is by itself (has a fireplace and double bed). Plenty of wood around there especially after storms and in the general area of the Cujo garage!

Fishing village does have a work bench, but bunk beds and if pallets are used = time and/or tools are needed to break them down. Wastes time/energy/tools.

I use plenty of sticks as they burn HOT (as much as Fir without the weight penalty), so I don't even rely on Cedar for fuel. I gather all the sticks I can find first. If they're not around then go after the cedar and lastly Fir (it's sheer weight for the same amount of heat of sticks, plus damage to tools keeps it last). I cart wood for excursions only.

All the excursions to FM, got used to keeping warm with sticks and breaking down shrubs for them by hand. Avoiding any extra use of tools. Sticks are your best bet for heat on the spot (and without the fire starting penalty that even Cedar has).

Rip every curtain and towel by hand, too. You can make plenty of bandages from them in CH, and repair all those clothes you find that are at the <50% state in CH, too.

BUT you will need to goto that garage for the tools there one way or another (the hacksaw will be there; let alone the jerry can for fuel; crowbar, too). Get there ASAP and cart what you can out if you don't want to fight those Cujos from Hell!

[jklinders]

I'm partial to the house on Jackrabbit island myself. Good snaring, great ocean views, few wolves and lots of firewood.

The house is pretty warm which makes up for the lack of fireplace. I just cook all my food next to hte house on fair days. Short trip to good fishing, the workbench at fishing camp is close by. Lack of indoor workbench is a problem, but not insurmountable. If you really need to craft something big, then you can move shop to the gas station for a few days then hop back. It's actually nearly impossible to die living on Jackrabbit island unless you are very careless.

[I'll be the one]

Originally posted by JackRipper8:

This is my first time playing this map and I have made a base at the gas station, but there are like two wolves around that could kill me. Is there a location in coastal highway that is safe and has some sorta of fire indoors?

I agree with hherdav on th Fishing camp. Last month I was a big advocate for the Quonsett. Then I decided on the Fishing Camp, Cook and sleep when I have Cabin Fever I will be in the ice fishing hut nearby. I divide the 4 cabins in these groups , Tools, Clothes, Guts, and Hides. My time at the crafting table has not been bad I craft in 4 hour groups. If I need a big project lke the wolfskin coat. I will go elsewhere.

When I want to raid the Quonsett area there is a home with a fireplace. The one I mean is where you go out the gararge's back door and veer to the right. It is just onthe edge where the wolves patrol. This home has a porch so I can shoot them and be protected.

There also was an opinion that a player had his base as Jackrabbit Island, Nearby ice fishing huts, and the fishing camp altogether

There is a wolf who sometimes is at the dock area of the fishing camp and the bear that comes once in awhile from Bear creek is your only predators.