The Wind Blows

[Selfless]

Walking into the wind is the worst. No redeeming value at all; just punishment.

Tthere is absolutely nothing the player can do about it but suffer. And suffer we will, because having your speed halved is not so crippling as to stop you wanting to get to point B, it just means your enjoyment and sense of accomplishment get reduced for however long the trip takes. It’s not like anyone is going to stop being interested in whatever is at point B just because the wind randomly chose to blow from there. Especially when it can decide to blow from there halfway through my journey.

And that is the second part of why it is so bad. Wind direction is completely random. It cannot be predicted and its duration can be for hours. Then it is totally possible that once you suffer through an hour of pushing to point B, the wind will completely reverse so you get to suffer the same handicap all the way back to your point A. Rage quit.

For now, quitting and reloading the game can generate a new weather pattern so that has become a solution, but that should not be. Maybe if there were patterns we could sense or durations were shorter one might choose to wait a couple hours for a more favorable period; but that would really require a wind direction indicator on the wait screen. Or if wind only gusted for XX minutes out of every hour one could move, pause, move, pause. Or if the slowdown were not fully proportional to the angle of attack so you could maneuver along 45 degree paths to reach where you wanted to go anyway with just a bit more walking. Anything to allow some active counter as opposed to making us hold down the advance key even longer while the scenery fails to change as we slow-march across the open tundra.

But other things are far more compelling to work on (I hope). Just lose it. Thoughts?

[cT917]

I live in a region with locations that have winds so strong they will hold you up if you stand against them or knock you over if you're not careful. I've experienced this and can say first hand: wind is powerful even deadly

I spend allot of time "watching the weather" in game it's one of my favorite pass times and to me I have noticed subtle cues that can indicate a change in weather even "predict" the weather for the next day ;)

I have experienced the kind of frustration you're describing though as well. For me, it has forced me to run when I would have walked which is a huge cost to one of our most valuable resources: our energy (restfulness fatigue what would you call it?)

So my view, although I can relate to you, is that the wind is well done and has an excellent place in the game

[Zlobenia]

i think i can agree with this

wind makes men sad

[sockpuppet12421]

The wind is done very well, I wonder if the update with clothing, that the "lower wind chill bonus clothing" negates (or lowers) the speed reduction of this wind. Could be an interesting bonus still imbedded in found clothing, and a new varient in gameplay style for the players overall survival (foot speed).

[aaduwall]

Headwinds suck in real life. As a cyclist I have discovered this, and even when walking around during a storm the wind can significantly slow you down. I think this is realistic.

I also think it's a good mechanic. In the game, the major killer (besides wildlife) is cold. Without top knotch gear, every time you're outside a timer is basically ticking down the time till your death. Wind in your face not only increases the cold you feel, but also slows down whatever journey your making, adding tension. At the same time, it gives you a choice. Wind direction may be random, but it takes a while to shift and strong winds are very visible in game, which means they're a hazard which the player can decide how to approach. Do you continue trying to go to point B and risk freezing to death while slowly trudging though the headwind, or do you opt to return to point A, which is downwind? Or maybe you are forced to take shelter somewhere in between because you don't have enough time to reach either. I like that the game presents me with unpredictable challenges like this that don't come with fur, teeth, and a name like Fluffy.

[maurice]

Well said aaduwall,I see no reason for a change here.

[spatulaodoom]

Originally posted by Selfless:

There is absolutely nothing the player can do about it but suffer.

Yep, that's about right.

Welcome to nature.
Sometimes things go in your favor, sometimes they don't.
It doesn't care about your wants and needs.
It just is.

[goblin]

I've cursed the wind many times in this game myself. But that's part of the experience.

It makes you appreciate those calm and sunny days all the more.

[mmille14]

I understand the OP's position. It is like having to walk uphill to school to and from. :) However, I think some mechanics are meant to be frustrating an annoying. If forces you to keep focus and fight the urge to try a risky "short cut". It's the same if you get lazy or bored, the game will eventually punish you, just like in a RL survival situation.

[Renesco]

Yes another reason this game needs an autowalk feature. I got an autohotkey script off a guy on these forums and assigned C to autowalk, now walking in the wind doesn't bother half as much

[terryt3535]

I find the wind mechanic annoying because it isn't linear. My impression is it's harder to walk into a 13 wind chill wind than a 21 wind chill blizzard.