Jan 20, 2020

The Long Dark - hinterland_community

Hello community,

We’ve released hotfix 1.71 [58341]. If you encounter any issues while playing The Long Dark please visit our Support Portal.

To stay up-to-date with news and information about The Long Dark and Hinterland, sign up for our newsletter and follow us on Twitter (Game | Studio ).

If you have any other questions or are just curious to know more about the game, please also consider joining our weekly Milton Mailbag Q&A.

CHANGELIST v1.71 [58341]

GENERAL ART FIXES

[Enviro] All Regions - Fixed numerous areas where the Player could become stuck.
[Enviro] All Regions - Additional pass for locations where the Player could get outside of the intended play area.
[Enviro] All Regions - Fixed various clipping and floating objects.
[Enviro] All Regions - Fixe numerous texture pop, stretch and flickering issues.
[Enviro] Windows will no longer glow during the night.
[Enviro] Fixed an issue that caused Players to teleport, if they fell off the rope climb in Bleak Inlet.
[Enviro] All Regions - Fixed a variety of floating and clipping objects.
[Lighting] Fixed an issue that caused corrupted lighting to appear on various objects in the world.

[UI] Fixed an issue that caused the Episode 1 intro cinematic to freeze, if the Voice or Master volume slider was set to 0.
[UI] When repairing at the Milling Machine, the correct repaired condition is now shown.
[UI] Fixed missing line break in Bleak Inlet description.
[UI] Updated the Forlorn Muskeg description to include the Bleak Inlet transition.
[UI] Updated localization and fixed typos.
[UI] Full Lantern Fuel now properly displays correct weight

WINTERMUTE

[EP2] Added additional checks to ensure the Old Bear does not become stuck.
[EP2] Aurora lights now appear properly after the Old Bear knocks over the tram.
[EP3] Players can no longer skip the Timberwolf Tutorial, by placing a survivor at the same time the tutorial triggers.
[EP3] Fishing sound effects no longer persist after catching the Big Bass.
[EP3] Players can no longer get stuck after the Mine Collapse cinematic.
[EP3] When loading a save at the Mine entrance, the crates will no longer appear in new locations.

GAMEPLAY

[AI] Stags now animate correctly after being felled by a Wolf.
[AI] Fixed an issue that allowed Timberwolves to become hostile, regardless of game mode settings.
[AI] Fixed an issue that could cause Wildlife to slide under certain terrain, such as ice and steep hills.
[AI] Polished Stag and Wolf animations and transitions.
[AI] Wolves will no longer attack immediately after completing a Crafting or Harvesting action, while near a fire.
[AI] Fixed issue that prevented Timberwolves from attacking the Player, if they have entered and exited a vehicle.
[AI] Timberwolves will now only pick valid locations to wander to, preventing them from becoming stuck.
[AI] Add check to ensure Wildlife is always on navmesh.
[Gameplay] Updated the location count for Faithful Cartographer to include missing Mountain Town locations.
[Gameplay] Interrupted Progress made while repairing an item with the Milling Machine is now saved as progress, instead of repaired condition.
[Gameplay] When reloading a Revolver in a vehicle, the casings now stay in the car.
[Gameplay] Lost and Found Box added to Bleak Inlet.
[Gameplay] Stags now check for collision when falling after death, to avoid falling into objects.
[Gameplay] Torches pulled from fires will now properly randomize their condition.
[Gameplay] Tea will no longer remain hot forever.
[Gameplay] Added check to ensure equipped items used in crafting are unequipped correctly after crafting is complete.
[Gameplay] When harvesting shelves, unrelated items will no longer drop to the floor.
[Gameplay] Added additional checks to ensure Badges and Feats are not removed when moving between game versions.
[Gameplay] Fixed an issue that caused unusable items to appear in the Lost and Found box.
[Gameplay] Added additional check to ensure Wildlife conditions persist after exiting and re-entering a Region.
[Gameplay] Fixed an issue that prevented Rifles from being placed on gun racks.
[Gameplay] User can longer perform Fix or Repair actions when in the dark, as intended.
[Custom Mode] Bullets now spawn correctly, when Low Availability Resources is enabled, in Custom Mode.

Dec 20, 2019

Happy Holidays from Hinterland

The Long Dark - hinterland_community

From everyone at Hinterland — we wish you a meaningful and relaxing time with friends and family as you celebrate the end of another year.

2019 has been a fantastic year for us, culminating in the recent releases of Episode Three CROSSROADS ELEGY for The Long Dark’s WINTERMUTE Story Mode, and our ERRANT PILGRIM update for the game’s Survival Mode. Now onto a new decade, 2020, and beyond!

We are incredibly grateful for your continued support, and for the thoughtful interactions we get to have with our players through the official Hinterland community, our Twitter accounts [[url=https://twitter.com/HinterlandGames]studio[/url] | game], as well as our other various communications channels.

Please note that the team at Hinterland will be enjoying a holiday break from December 20th to January 3rd. You will still be able to reach us through our Support Portal, but please keep in mind responses may take a bit longer than usual over the holidays. In the meantime, please refer to the game’s Technical FAQ for a list of troubleshooting steps for common issues.

All our best and happy holidays,

- The Hinterland Team

Dec 18, 2019

The Long Dark Hotfixed to V1.69 [57923]

The Long Dark - hinterland_community

Hello community,

We’ve released our v1.69 Hotfix for Errant Pilgrim. If you encounter any issues while playing The Long Dark please visit our Support Portal.

To stay up-to-date with news and information about The Long Dark and Hinterland, sign up for our newsletter and follow us on Twitter (Game | Studio ).

If you have any other questions or are just curious to know more about the game, please also consider joining our weekly Milton Mailbag Q&A.

CHANGELIST v1.69 [57923]

GENERAL ART FIXES

[Enviro] All Regions - Fixed numerous areas where the Player could become stuck.
[Enviro] All Regions - Additional pass for locations where the Player could get outside of the intended play area.
[Enviro] All Regions - Fixed various clipping and floating objects.
[Enviro] Fixed unreachable Revolver that would spawn in the Workshop.
[Lighting] Light sources no longer appear overly bright when multiple lights are active.

[UI] Updated missing subtitles for inspection comments, when playing as a male Survivor.
[UI] Added missing Map icons in the Bleak Inlet region.
[UI] Fixed Custom Mode setting for revolver availability when using Interloper as a base.
[UI] The Buff notification will now move out of view when aiming.
[UI] Fixed the colour of help text when hovering your cursor over heated items.

GAMEPLAY

[AI] Timberwolves will no longer freeze in place if they try to attack a target they can’t pathfind to.
[AI] Wildlife will no longer attempt to dodge the Player, when they are far away from the Player.
[AI] Added check to prevent Predators from attacking players through Fishing Hut walls and closed doors.
[Animation] Pass on Timberwolves to fix numerous animation pops and hitches.
[Audio] When joining a pack, Timberwolf howls are no longer cut off or repeated.
[Challenges] Challenge Mastery now awarded as soon as it’s earned.
[Gameplay] Improved collision detection between thrown objects and wildlife.
[Gameplay] Fixed an issue that would cause Fishing Hut doors to swing further than intended.
[Gameplay] Fixed an issue that caused the Flashlight to turn on before the Aurora was fully active.
[Gameplay] Fixed an issue that caused arrows to become non-interactable, if the arrow deflected off an object or animal after being fired, and the Player reloaded or transitioned to a new area.
[Gameplay] Players will no longer get stuck after entering a pre-placed Snow Shelter.
[Gameplay] Pre-placed Snow Shelters no longer disappear upon reloading a save.
[Gameplay] The Gunpowder Can will no longer refill, when loading to a new area.
[Gameplay] Rosehip Tea and Reishi Tea now replenishes the correct amount of thirst, when drank.
[Gameplay] Increased amount of Gunpowder used, when using it as an accelerant, from 0.01 to 0.1.
[Gameplay] Medical Locker in Bleak Inlet’s Radio Tower no longer needs Bolt Cutters.
[Gameplay] Fixed non-interactive Workbench found in the cannery. It is now usable.

### END OF RELEASE NOTES ###

Dec 13, 2019

The Long Dark Hotfixed to V1.67 [57811]

The Long Dark - hinterland_community

Hello community,

We’ve released our v1.67 Hotfix for Errant Pilgrim to address an issue we introduced in today's earlier Hotfix (v1.66). In today's previous release we focused on addressing a number of world art issues found in the Bleak Inlet region, as well as resolving several Predator AI and Quality of Life issues. If you encounter any issues while playing The Long Dark please visit our Support Portal.

To stay up-to-date with news and information about The Long Dark and Hinterland, sign up for our newsletter and follow us on Twitter (Game | Studio ).

If you have any other questions or are just curious to know more about the game, please also consider joining our weekly Milton Mailbag Q&A.

CHANGELIST v1.67 [57811]

[Gameplay] Fixed an issue that caused the Workshop door in Bleak Inlet to no longer open, if a User loaded a save with the Workshop unlocked, from V1.64

Note: Due to processing time for Xbox One Updates V1.67 will not launch for this platform until Monday. We apologize to our Xbox players for this delay.

CHANGELIST v1.66 [57718]

GENERAL ART FIXES

[Enviro] Fixed numerous areas in Bleak Inlet where the Player could become stuck.
[Enviro] Polish pass on locations in Bleak Inlet where the Player could get outside of the intended play.
[Enviro] Fixed clipping and floating objects located throughout the Bleak Inlet region.
[Enviro] Removed various instances of invisible collision found in Bleak Inlet.
[Enviro] Survivors will now become wet if standing in, or near a waterfall found in the Bleak Inlet region.
[Envrio] Wolves will no longer appear to flicker when walking along the docks in the Bleak Inlet.
[Enviro] Removed Weak Ice location that was unintentionally placed on land in the Forlorn Muskeg.

USER INTERFACE FIXES

[UI] Saves now correctly display Region text for Bleak Inlet.
[UI] Crafting Time now updates to show the selected tool, instead of the most efficient tool.

WINTERMUTE FIXES

[WINTERMUTE] Timberwolf carcasses no longer disappear if the Player saves, then reloads.
[WINTERMUTE] Fixed issue that could unintentionally cutoff dialogue.

CHALLENGE MODES

[Challenge] Fixed issue that rewarded the Nomad Badge when completing the Whiteout Challenge.
[Challenge] Nomad Badge now correctly rewarded when completing the Nomad Challenge.
[Challenge] Challenge Mastery achievement now unlocks as soon the Player has earned it.

SURVIVAL MODE

[Survival] Timberwolves will now hunt prey, as intended.
[Custom Mode] “Revolvers” option updated to “Revolver Availability” for consistency.
[Gameplay] Fixed a crash that could occur when entering the Snow Shelter, when using a controller.

ALL GAME MODES

[Gameplay] Sewing Kits no longer lose condition when harvesting Clothing.
[AI] Predators will no longer flee from Survivors who are atop a sloped hill.
[AI] Added additional line of sight check to Timberwolves, to prevent attacks through walls and out of reach locations.
[AI] Timberwolves will now break-off their attack if a Marine Flare is lit, before the struggle occurs.
[AI] Timberwolves can no longer flee to excessive distances.
[Gameplaye] Fixed a crash that could occur on some save files when loading into Bleak Inlet.

Playstation 4/Xbox One

[PS4] Fixed HDR lighting in the Hunter’s Lodge and Grey Mother’s House.
[PS4] Fixed missing music for some players.

### END OF RELEASE NOTES ###

Dec 13, 2019

The Long Dark Hotfixed to V1.66 [57718]

The Long Dark - hinterland_community

Hello community,

We’ve released hotfix 1.66 [57718]. In this release, we’ve focused on addressing a number of world art issues found in the Bleak Inlet region, as well as resolving several Predator AI and Quality of Life issues. If you encounter any issues while playing The Long Dark please visit our Support Portal.

To stay up-to-date with news and information about The Long Dark and Hinterland, sign up for our newsletter and follow us on Twitter (Game | Studio ).

If you have any other questions or are just curious to know more about the game, please also consider joining our weekly Milton Mailbag Q&A.

CHANGELIST v1.66 [57718]

GENERAL ART FIXES

[Enviro] Fixed numerous areas in Bleak Inlet where the Player could become stuck.
[Enviro] Polish pass on locations in Bleak Inlet where the Player could get outside of the intended play.
[Enviro] Fixed clipping and floating objects located throughout the Bleak Inlet region.
[Enviro] Removed various instances of invisible collision found in Bleak Inlet.
[Enviro] Survivors will now become wet if standing in, or near a waterfall found in the Bleak Inlet region.
[Envrio] Wolves will no longer appear to flicker when walking along the docks in the Bleak Inlet.
[Enviro] Removed Weak Ice location that was unintentionally placed on land in the Forlorn Muskeg.

USER INTERFACE FIXES

[UI] Saves now correctly display Region text for Bleak Inlet.
[UI] Crafting Time now updates to show the selected tool, instead of the most efficient tool.

WINTERMUTE FIXES

[WINTERMUTE] Timberwolf carcasses no longer disappear if the Player saves, then reloads.
[WINTERMUTE] Fixed issue that could unintentionally cutoff dialogue.

CHALLENGE MODES

[Challenge] Fixed issue that rewarded the Nomad Badge when completing the Whiteout Challenge.
[Challenge] Nomad Badge now correctly rewarded when completing the Nomad Challenge.
[Challenge] Challenge Mastery achievement now unlocks as soon the Player has earned it.

SURVIVAL MODE

[Survival] Timberwolves will now hunt prey, as intended.
[Custom Mode] “Revolvers” option updated to “Revolver Availability” for consistency.
[Gameplay] Fixed a crash that could occur when entering the Snow Shelter, when using a controller.

ALL GAME MODES

[Gameplay] Sewing Kits no longer lose condition when harvesting Clothing.
[AI] Predators will no longer flee from Survivors who are atop a sloped hill.
[AI] Added additional line of sight check to Timberwolves, to prevent attacks through walls and out of reach locations.
[AI] Timberwolves will now break-off their attack if a Marine Flare is lit, before the struggle occurs.
[AI] Timberwolves can no longer flee to excessive distances.
[Gameplaye] Fixed a crash that could occur on some save files when loading into Bleak Inlet.

Playstation 4/Xbox One

[PS4] Fixed HDR lighting in the Hunter’s Lodge and Grey Mother’s House.
[PS4] Fixed missing music for some players.

### END OF RELEASE NOTES ###

Dec 10, 2019

The Long Dark Updated - ERRANT PILGRIM [1.64]

The Long Dark - hinterland_community

Hello community,

We've just released our latest update ERRANT PILGRIM!

NEW REGION: Bleak Inlet

A wind-swept coastline reveals an abandoned industrial facility -- an aging Cannery that holds some useful secrets. But finding your way to it is a two-stage affair, involving accessing the region from both the Raven Falls ravine, and Forlorn Muskeg. But watch out! Vicious Timberwolf packs have moved into this region, and will defend their territory to the death.

NEW CHALLENGE: As the Dead Sleep

You’re a tortured soul on the edge of death. Find five grave markers in the distant corners of the world, and maybe you can feel some peace before you fade into The Long Dark. Inspired by the community-conceived “Deadman” challenge, this is our harshest Challenge yet.

NEW GAMEPLAY: Ammunition Workbench

Look for the Ammo Crafting Workbench. With the right supplies, you can assemble your own ammunition for the Rifle or Revolver. But assembling the gear you need, and finding the bench, won’t be easy.

NEW ITEMS: Gunpowder & Ammunition Components

We’ve added all the raw materials you need to craft ammunition. If you manage to gather them all, and find an Ammunition Bench, you’ll be significantly enhancing your life expectancy on Great Bear.

1) Lead from batteries to make bullets
2) Collect sulfur from plant fertilizer + Charcoal from burned out fires + potassium nitrate from Stump Remover = Gunpowder
3) Shell casing
4) Bullet + Gunpowder + Shell Casing + Ammo Bench = Ammunition

NEW GAMEPLAY: Gunsmithing & The Milling Machine

With the help of the active Aurora, the Milling Machine comes to life, giving you the capability to restore ruined firearms, and repair damaged ones, along with future capabilities. Just keep in mind you’ll need the Gunsmithing skill to make any headway with this tool.

NEW FEATS: Blizzard Walker, Expert Trapper, Straight to the Heart

New in-game achievements that lend gameplay benefits to Survival Mode games.

QUALITY OF LIFE: Campfire, Emergency Shelter Breakdown

By popular demand, we’ve added the ability to break down Campfire rings and Emergency Shelters, for those players who like to pack out what they pack in.

CHANGELIST v1.64 [57505]

HIGHLIGHTS

Added new Region: Bleak Inlet
Added new Challenge: As the Dead Sleep
Added new Feats: Blizzard Walker, Expert Trapper, and Straight to the Heart
Added new gameplay system: Ammunition Workbench
Added new gameplay system: Gunsmithing
Added new gameplay system: Milling Machine
Added new raw material: Lead
Added new raw material: Stump Remover
Added new raw material: Dusting Sulfur
Added new craftable item: Gunpowder
Added new craftable item: Bullet(s)
Added new craftable item: Ammunition
Added new Custom Mode setting to disable Birch Bark Tea crafting

GENERAL ART FIXES

[Enviro] Fixed numerous areas the player could become stuck in.
[Enviro] Fixed numerous locations where the player could get outside of the intended play area.
[Enviro] Fixed numerous clipping and floating objects.
[Enviro] Increased the visible distance of lights during an Aurora Event.
[Enviro] Fixed area in the Ravine that players could escape the map
[Enviro] Fixed missing roof in Prepper Bunker
[VFX] Adjusted interior light shafts that were too bright during mid-day
[VFX] Fixed flames clipping through Barrels and Pot Belly Stoves

USER INTERFACE FIXES

[UI] Fixed an issue that caused the Revolver to display the incorrect weight when viewed in the Backpack.
[UI] Fixed an issue that caused some Cooking HUD messages to appear too quickly.
[UI] Blueprint Requirements now appear correctly during the first instance of viewing the Crafting Menu.
[UI] Radial Menu can no longer appear overtop of other menus, such as the Backpack.
[UI] Fixed the Revolver and the Distress Pistol Condition displaying as the value from the previously viewed item.

WINTERMUTE FIXES

[WINTERMUTE] Male survivor vocalization no longer plays when Astrid is attacked by Timberwolves.
[WINTERMUTE] Timberwolves now react properly to Marine Flares.
[WINTERMUTE] The Crummy in Broken Railroad now falls over correctly after the Old Bear pushes on it.
[WINTERMUTE] Adjusted the rate that the Old Bear turns while in the cave.

CHALLENGE MODES

[Hopeless Rescue] The Distress Pistol can no longer spawn outside of the Timberwolf Mountain Crash Site.

SURVIVAL MODE

[Survival] Black screen no longer appears after being trampled by a Moose.
[Survival] Fixed an issue that prevented the player from interacting with the Buffer Memory in Signal Hill.

ALL GAME MODES

General performance improvements across the game.
[Animation] Improved animation for when a Wolf transitions to the hold ground AI state.
[Audio] Aurora effects are no longer disabled when aiming.
[Gameplay] Updated item placement range to better match interaction distance.
[Gameplay] Updated wildlife pathfinding so they don’t bump into each other as often.
[Gameplay] Updated Wildlife pathfinding to better handle passing through gates.
[Gameplay] Fixed the missing highlight when moving Sticks in Placement Mode.
[Gameplay] Adjusted depth Wildlife carcasses can sink into the snow.
[Gameplay] Campfires no longer collide with Wildlife during placement mode
[Gameplay] Fixed issue that caused Wolves to not eat some prey.

### END OF RELEASE NOTES ###

Nov 28, 2019

DEV DIARY – NOVEMBER 2019

The Long Dark - hinterland_community

Hello community,

The last six weeks have been pretty busy, with launching Episode Three on October 22nd, supporting our annual Four Days of Night Halloween event, and finalizing our next big Survival Mode update. We said we’d do our best to deliver you one more big update before the end of the year, and I’m here to tease out a bit more information about what to expect in December.

The next update is called ERRANT PILGRIM, and it features some new stuff we’re pretty excited about:

A new region. This will be our first region to feature a two-part environmental puzzle of sorts — in order to unlock the region’s full potential, you’ll need to access it from two different locations. There’s a new area with several industrial buildings, and this region will be the first to feature Timberwolves in Survival Mode. Watch out!
A new challenge. We’ve taking inspiration from the community’s “Deadman” take on custom mode settings, and have created our own version as a standalone Challenge mode which, frankly, we think is the toughest experience we’ve ever made. Nobody in the office has been able to complete it yet. (Don’t worry, we’re exempting this new challenge from the Challenge Mastery achievement. We’re not monsters.)
New gameplay systems. Without getting into too much detail at the moment, we’re introducing a few new gear items, tools, and systems that should help make late-game survival a little more viable for most players. You might get a hint from the piece of concept art included in this dev diary.
New Feats. We haven’t shown the Feat system much love since we introduced it, so we’re adding three new Feats, to give you some gameplay objectives to work towards as handy new buffs for your Survival Mode games.
New Survival Mode music. 10+ more minutes of brand new music, from Survival mode soundtrack composer, Sascha Dikiciyan.
The Return of Fluffy. Hmm?
Did I mention Timberwolves in Survival Mode? Relax. They’re only in the new region. (For now.)

There are some other tidbits here and there, some quality of life updates, and of course, lots of bug fixes. We hope this next update comes just in time for you to fire up The Long Dark over the cold winter holiday, when it’s best appreciated!

You can expect the next Survival Mode update to land around the middle of December, depending on how long it takes us to get things optimized and the bugs cleaned up. We’ll launch it with our customary update video, fully narrated by yours truly. Should be fun.

Keep an eye open on our social channels as we’ll likely share more tidbits about the update leading up to its launch. As usual, this will be a free update for all current owners of The Long Dark, on Steam (where the game happens to currently be on Sale), Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and the other platforms we’re currently available on. This might also be a good moment to remind you to nominate The Long Dark in the Labour of Love category in the 2019 Steam Awards.

Thanks for reading, and look for more bits of info over the next couple of weeks!

– Raph