Restart with the Big Update or not (if possible)?

[Joker [IT]]

I haven't played this game in over a year. Alwyas played only survival mode. I remember there was a big update at some point that wasn't compatible with old saves.
So my question is: do you recommend continuing my old game (over 500 hours) or starting a new one?
I saw that now the clothes we change are also visible in the game (cool!), but is this only for those who have the DLC or for everyone?
If I want to continue my old game, can I block updates? And how? For the moment I put the update on startup, but I don't know if I can cancel it, it would be better to avoid it.

[IFIYGD]

Steam will always update your game when you launch it, it's why Valve created Steam Client to begin with- to keep all the Valve games it was started for u-to-date. The only way to not update games is to play only in offline mode.
That said- depending on what version of the game you were on when you last played, your save may be available using the Time Capsule feature to play it on an older version of the game with none of the TFTFT updates, but it also may not be.

As far as old save with lots of time committed to (that could really hurt to lose) vs. new save- personally, I'd recommend starting a new save or 2 or 3, so you can get used to the new mechanics and items, and not lose a long save to any of the bugs that came with TFTFT that haven't been hotfixed yet.

Keep in mind that if you do update the game- your old save will update to the new game version, and won't be able to be played in an older Time Capsule version (if it can be- hard to say without knowing what version you last played)- so make a manual copy of the save and stash it away on a thumb drive, external drive, or an internal drive that Steam can't access, so you can import it back in if wanted or needed.

[Joker [IT]]

Thans for replying with all these details. But, what's the Time Capsule?
My last game was in August 2022, I have 8GB update waiting for me.

Can you explain me which new mechanics has been introduced?

[IFIYGD]

Originally posted by Joker IT:

Thans for replying with all these details. But, what's the Time Capsule?
My last game was in August 2022, I have 8GB update waiting for me.

Can you explain me which new mechanics has been introduced?

I would have to write a novel to explain all of the changes.
I'll give you links to the TLD Time Capsule web page that explains how it works:
https://www.thelongdark.com/time-capsule/

And if you haven't played since August of 202, your save would still be playable using the v 2.01 Time Capsule version. Once you switch the that version using the Beta Branch, Steam will download and install the old version. Stay there, and your game will not update unless you choose to opt-out of the Time Capsule Beta Branch.

As far as the changes- the TLD Expansion web page lists *most* of the changes under the "free updates" column- you'll have to scroll down to read what was changed in each update since December 2022: https://www.thelongdark.com/expansion/

The biggest things that might throw you for a loop is the fact that Prepper's Caches are now in set hard to reach locations, and there are 9 of them- 3 with full loot, 6 with little or no loot. Loot in the world is now highly randomized- the possible spawn points on the old Whiteberry maps are now invalid. The maps are the same, but where stuff might be is not. Beachcombing has changed significantly, and rifles are rare now- you aren't guaranteed to find one in each region, but revolvers seem to be far more commonly found now.

It's a lot of changes, even for people who did not buy the Tales From The Far Territories DLC.
The News Announcements and YouTube videos from each update will also tell you more than I can stand to try to type here- it's a lot.

TL;DR- your save is old enough that downloading and installing the Time Capsule v. 2.01 will preserve it, and prevent the game from installing the other updates from December 2022 on, as long as you stay on v. 2.01.

[Joker [IT]]

Well, I think I'll start a new run... too curious too see all the new stuff and changes. I only hope that https://thelongdark.fandom.com/wiki/The_Long_Dark_Wiki has been updated (I haven't checked yet).

Some other questions:
- Is the cougar dangerous more or less like the bear also for Pilgrim/Voyager?
I don't remember with which difficulty predators were aggressive, lol.
- How the beachcombing has been changed?
I hope it is now possible to keep firearms indefinitely

[Joker [IT]]

I was just looking there, thanks anyway .I didn't notice that not everything has been released.

Originally posted by IFIYGD:

The biggest things that might throw you for a loop is the fact that Prepper's Caches are now in set hard to reach locations, and there are 9 of them- 3 with full loot, 6 with little or no loot. Loot in the world is now highly randomized- the possible spawn points on the old Whiteberry maps are now invalid. The maps are the same, but where stuff might be is not. Beachcombing has changed significantly, and rifles are rare now- you aren't guaranteed to find one in each region, but revolvers seem to be far more commonly found now.

Damn, I love rifles... What difficulty level do you play on?

[IFIYGD]

Originally posted by Joker IT:

I was just looking there, thanks anyway .I didn't notice that not everything has been released.

Originally posted by IFIYGD:

The biggest things that might throw you for a loop is the fact that Prepper's Caches are now in set hard to reach locations, and there are 9 of them- 3 with full loot, 6 with little or no loot. Loot in the world is now highly randomized- the possible spawn points on the old Whiteberry maps are now invalid. The maps are the same, but where stuff might be is not. Beachcombing has changed significantly, and rifles are rare now- you aren't guaranteed to find one in each region, but revolvers seem to be far more commonly found now.

Damn, I love rifles... What difficulty level do you play on?

I play mostly vanilla Stalker. I do own the TFTFT DLC on Steam and XBox, so I also get to have fun with the new variants, but TBH- the old regular hunting rifle is fine. I tend to hunt with bow & arrows more than with rifles.

Start a new run on the new game version, and see what you think of it.
Your old save won't appear in the new version, but you can always install the Time Capsule v. 2.01 and it will (should) be there for you (with none of the new stuff, though.).

Originally posted by bladerunner97:

No cougar yet so no info on that. Probably dangerous in all modes except Pilgrim perhaps. I play Loper so you can bet it will be pretty aggressive there. You can checkout the road map here.
https://www.thelongdark.com/expansion/

I'm not going to count on the Cougar not being dangerous in Pilgrim. I did a few test runs in Pilgrim right after the latest update, and did get my face torn off by a bear (Shouldn't have gone into its cave while it was walking right behind me, I guess, lol), and have had several unexpected wolf struggles- mainly in Milton, behind the Credit Union in the bunny area there. Twice now- heard the wolf bark, heard the bunny scream, didn't see the wolf and bunny, but heard the growls, and stepped backward- apparently right onto the wolf's paws. If they are in front of you, they still seem to scare off easily. But if they are behind you and you walk or run right up on them- predators seem to be a little easier to provoke in Pilgrim now.

[Joker [IT]]

Ohh... that's a good news for me. I think I was playing in Pilgrim and wolvews were alwyas scared more than rats! I was thinking to restart with a custom, but I'd like to save my records.
Do you know if now it's possible to keep fireamrs working indefinitely with beachcombing?
Do you also now if llooting is still abundant in Pilgrim?
Thank You

[IFIYGD]

Loot is still seriously overabundant in Pilgrim, but I did notice my 3 Pilgrim starts all started with lower quality and condition clothing- but that's RNG. Loot was all over the place, but that's also RNG- hpw much you find and where you find it is now randomized- you never know where something might be hidden out in the snow these days.

Keeping firearms working indefinitely via beachcombing...No?
There is an Ammunition Workbench in Bleak Inlet where you can repair tools and firearms, and an ammo crafting bench to craft more bullets. It's a good bit of effort, but you can keep your firearms going that way, if you want to extra work and challenge of dealing with getting to the workshop in Bleak Inlet. On Pilgrim I was finding more firearm cleaning kits than I remember finding in the past, and a literal ton of ammo for the rifle and the revolver.
But I didn't take any of those Pilgrim saves very far- they were basically disposable test saves to check out the new stuff in the latest DLC update, and I only looted 3 or 4 regions with each of them.

[markwars]

Originally posted by IFIYGD:

Loot is still seriously overabundant in Pilgrim, but I did notice my 3 Pilgrim starts all started with lower quality and condition clothing- but that's RNG. Loot was all over the place, but that's also RNG- hpw much you find and where you find it is now randomized- you never know where something might be hidden out in the snow these days.

Keeping firearms working indefinitely via beachcombing...No?
There is an Ammunition Workbench in Bleak Inlet where you can repair tools and firearms, and an ammo crafting bench to craft more bullets. It's a good bit of effort, but you can keep your firearms going that way, if you want to extra work and challenge of dealing with getting to the workshop in Bleak Inlet. On Pilgrim I was finding more firearm cleaning kits than I remember finding in the past, and a literal ton of ammo for the rifle and the revolver.
But I didn't take any of those Pilgrim saves very far- they were basically disposable test saves to check out the new stuff in the latest DLC update, and I only looted 3 or 4 regions with each of them.

And the ammo bench in Blackrock too.

[IFIYGD]

Originally posted by markwars:

And the ammo bench in Blackrock too.

Ah! Thanks for catching that!
I always forget the one in the prison, because I hate that region more than I hate the parkour to get to the one in BI, lol.

[Joker [IT]]

Originally posted by IFIYGD:

Loot is still seriously overabundant in Pilgrim, but I did notice my 3 Pilgrim starts all started with lower quality and condition clothing- but that's RNG. Loot was all over the place, but that's also RNG- hpw much you find and where you find it is now randomized- you never know where something might be hidden out in the snow these days.

What? WHAT?
On the page that you linked before I see this:

GLOBAL RESOURCE REFRESH
All loot tables and item placements have been refreshed, giving the game world an updated feeling. Resources have been themed to match the regions, to avoid all regions feeling the same.

Refresh, not Random.

[IFIYGD]

Originally posted by Joker IT:

Originally posted by IFIYGD:

Loot is still seriously overabundant in Pilgrim, but I did notice my 3 Pilgrim starts all started with lower quality and condition clothing- but that's RNG. Loot was all over the place, but that's also RNG- hpw much you find and where you find it is now randomized- you never know where something might be hidden out in the snow these days.

What? WHAT?
On the page that you linked before I see this:

GLOBAL RESOURCE REFRESH
All loot tables and item placements have been refreshed, giving the game world an updated feeling. Resources have been themed to match the regions, to avoid all regions feeling the same.

Refresh, not Random.

The refresh did do "theming"- but the places where things are is much more random. Rifles may be in places you would not expect them to be, and most of the old "regular" places we got used to going to on the old Whiteberry maps are. not. valid. anymore. A few are, but if you have a certain route you always follow to find rifles or hacksaws or hatchets- you are going to miss a lot of new hiding places. Some of the tools may still be in the same building or general area, but they will be hidden in totally different places. Does that make sense?

[Joker [IT]]

Originally posted by IFIYGD:

Originally posted by Joker IT:

What? WHAT?
On the page that you linked before I see this:

GLOBAL RESOURCE REFRESH
All loot tables and item placements have been refreshed, giving the game world an updated feeling. Resources have been themed to match the regions, to avoid all regions feeling the same.

Refresh, not Random.

The refresh did do "theming"- but the places where things are is much more random. Rifles may be in places you would not expect them to be, and most of the old "regular" places we got used to going to on the old Whiteberry maps are. not. valid. anymore. A few are, but if you have a certain route you always follow to find rifles or hacksaws or hatchets- you are going to miss a lot of new hiding places. Some of the tools may still be in the same building or general area, but they will be hidden in totally different places. Does that make sense?

It's clear what the developers wrote. But you scared me by saying "random", it means something completely different.
Anyway, has anyone ever used the maps from thelongdark.fandom.com? I noticed that older regions haven't been updated for a long time...

Please don't quote if note necessary. :)

[IFIYGD]

That's what I am trying to tell you. All of the old maps made before V 2.02 are out of date. The terrain is the same, but the marked possible spawn points for tools and weapons are no longer accurate. Except the bow at Katie's Corner in DP- that one still accurate. The rest of them- not so much. Basic (blue) toolkits and Quality (red) toolkits can show up in all sorts of interesting new outdoors locations, including buried in snow in the bed of a truck, with only the handle showing above the snow. Hatchets and knives may be stuck in porch railings instead of laying by a nearby corpse or inside the building. Things are hidden under tables, and beds, and workbenches and lockers and behind safes. Heavy Hammers can be found in some really unexpected places now. Hacksaws can be found in some really unexpected places now.

I really don't know how else to explain that many items you really want or need are not going to be where you used to find them. And the new crashed small planes in some regions are going to be fun, since they are not in easy to see places, and may or may not have good loot in or around them. And they aren't on the old maps in the Wiki. The Wiki is not as good, up to date, or accurate as it used to be, IMHO.