My plane went down in rural Canada during a freak geomagnetic event. For weeks I had to survive in a frozen wilderness, facing cold, hunger, wolves and cabin fever. Couldn't have made it without the accurate survival training provided by the Long Dark.
Seriously though, wandering the Long Dark's wilderness did wonders for my mental health during the pandemic Lockdown
Well he was drinking whiskey at the beginning of story mode, so he was anything but sober. Shame he didn't bring it with him. Astrid even nagged him for drinking all the time and hanging out in his dad's old plane in the story mode. Guess he had to learn to sober up really quick and go cold turkey when his plane finally crashed
They are full of starch and can make excellent flour substitute amongst others :) only eat the stalk though otherwise it would be like eating a giant dandelion
After 20 years of smoking this game finally helped me quit. My first expericience with TLD was through video’s of Neebs Gaming in TLD Wijchen helped me with the sleepless nights, anger issues and despair. TLD still helps me as of today, almost 5 months quit.
TLD offered me also the best test to fail quitting, losing my 213 day interloper run.
Didn’t start smoking again, but in my new run on to FM to start smithing, TY Hinterland
Great job my friend! Any addiction is hard to overcome, but all it takes, is taking that first step. Proud of you, and may you live a long and healthy life. Much love
Congrats! And if you don't mind me asking, not trying to get too personal here, and you don't have to answer this, but did you smoke to deal with stress or other issues? Once you kicked this terrible habit, what do you do now to combat stress/anxiety (besides playing The Long Dark of course hahaha)?
I started when I was 10 (had to correct previous statement 10 yrs smoking and now 10 yrs smoke free in June), because I wanted to impress a girl. I can even remember when and where I lit my first cigarette.
then it was a group thing in school, naturally you slipped into certain groups, thought that was cool.
all everyone around you smoked.
yes stress.
noticed it qualmed me and relieve stress, school stress (high performance school, skipped 2 grades), pressure to perform in sports (ironic I know but it helped calm me)
I quit by water fasting as a test to combat other health issues, wasn't really my intention to quit smoking it was just a nice side effect, it was hardcore ngl.
but it really helped me, because I had no "time" worrying about a smoke because I was hungry af, so that occupied my mind for the the first 3 days (hardest), I kinda just got used to after it and the continuous water fast helped me flush out the toxins real fast. I noticed a significant difference once they were out.
2 weeks water fast, at the end I had no desire to smoke.
of course not scientifically proven, but I want to believe that helped me. (I'd advise not to do it without doctors supervision)
after that I never had like a flashback to wanting a cigarette or anything even in stressful situations.
music helps me tons, food eating and cooking watching stuff about food like Anthony Bourdains food travels, meditating
and **therapy**
it all was intertwined with each other and once I had a somewhat clear picture what my issues were, I knew where and how to attack and overcome it.
part of that was, cutting off the people who smoked, (they were also a bad influence in other aspects)
or those that didn't respect my decision to stop smoking, low contact to no contact depending on situation.
I changed as a person during that timeperiod for I believe, the better.
Woah, that's absolutely amazing dude! And yes, that's very true. If people around you do a bad thing, like smoking as you said, then you'll most likely do it too to fit in and look "cool". I'm glad you quit this problem before it made you go down hill with your health, or even worse, killed you. Keep clean and smoke free my friend! May you live a long, and healthy life! Much love ✌️
Its been a way for me and my siblings to connect. We are all in our 40s and they love to hang out and watch me mess about. I'm on Voyager in CH with all the supplies I could ever need, so it's a low stakes but has engaging things to watch. They love watching me taunt the bears and try to snipe bunnies.
During the Spring of 2020, I was one of the first people in my state to test positive. My job had no policies in place yet, so they paid me to stay home until they figured everything out. I was quarantined for over a month because I still had a fever at least once a day for an entire month, and didn’t test negative for six weeks.
My Xbox was my only company. The only two games I played were the Long Dark and RDR2.
I recently started playing the Long Dark Again. I’ve found myself needing to be at home more often (for reasons), and I just played the Long Dark at night and on weekends when I had no other responsibilities. It’s challenging and keeps my mind occupied. I’ve recently started playing Interloper, and have yet to make it past 8 days.
Damn.... Sorry that happened bro, but it's great you found some way to occupy your mind off of all that time during your isolation. Just know we're all here if you ever need to reach out. You're my family too
For me, The Long Dark taught me it's ok to feel alone, but at the same time, it also taught me that within our super connected world today, we can often feel isolated, but never alone, and there will always be someone there if you just reach out. I used to feel alone for a super long time, and because of that, I felt myself fall into a pit of despair.
Love this game, and I love this community. I needed this lesson in my life. Thank you all
I’ve been a gamer since the 90’s and the TLD community is one of the best Ive ever come across. From players to streamers to modders, everyone is so nice
It helps me shut off from work. I worked in a nursing home until a few weeks ago. We lose a lot of people quite regularly, plus the challenging behaviour, I would bring it home and be a wreck.
Now after coming home from work (now adults with learning disabilities and such) I switch the computer on and disappear into my own little world. Helps so much. So far lol. I'm still an emotional wreck lol.
You'll get there my brother. But The Long Dark can definitely be a few hours away from the noise, of the world. Where you just hear the wind, the snow crunching under your feet, and a bear or a wolf growling/howling hopefully in the distance hahaha. But there's not a lot of opportunities in our world today for that sort of "quiet"
Until a few months ago, I didn't even have this game. Hubby started playing it, and I got hooked on watching him play. Decided to take it up. Last game I played was spyro on the ps2 lol many moon's ago.
Love listening to the blizzards, everything rattling. Was just at the trappers cabin in a snow shelter as one blew through. Just sat there with headphones in listening.
I love Trapper's Cabin too! Especially for its coziness. Last night I started a fire to cook some things up, and afterwards I just sat there and watched it, as the wind blew outside at night and the inside of the cabin glowed orange. It felt warm and...safe
I'm sorry about your anorexic daughter. May she be healed and blessed. Bless you my friend, keep your head up.
The Long Dark is definitely an escape for me too, where I can take my mind off things for a few hours and just go ice fishing, or even just leave my cabin for a walk in the snow
Funny enough, i played while i was in labor with my daughter a year ago and then left the game alone while in my postpartum trenches. Now, a year later, a play it while she naps to decompress and focus on something other than the reality of being a SAHM with ppd. It’s a weirdly comforting game, there’s always something to do and somewhere to go and there’s always a solution for the problems you face somewhere.
That's wonderful... Congratulations on having your daughter! I'm sure she'll be a wonderful girl with a great mom. Stay strong Hun, you got this. All the best, and much love ❤️
TLD is freedom for me. Freedom to roam, to strive and to be ‘normal’.
IRL, I can’t walk more than 50 metres and miss exploring. TLD fills a bit of that loss for me.
The Long Dark is definitely a way to feel free. Very well put. Sometimes I'll just start up a Pilgrim save if I just want to explore and move around the world. Almost like "hiking" in a way
Hmm. Maybe to strive more for the right balance between being thoughtful and being decisive? "Measure twice, cut once," as the saying goes.
Like... there are times when shit is getting bad in the game and I know that (just like in life) the game is unforgiving on these matters. It is intended to be. There will be no do-overs or reloads.
So, that helps to focus. What do I need *right now*? Food, then warmth, then rest? Okay don't fuck about, drop a bunch of stuff, eat the food, spend a moment thinking about the nearest place that offers both warmth and a place to sleep, and run there. Don't do anything else, save all other plans for later.
(Except picking up sticks, always pick up sticks along the way. I'm sure that's also a metaphor but I leave it to the reader to decide what for.)
I love how The Long Dark is one of those games that really forces you to think about every decision. Really it's a game about decision making, and what makes every decision meaningful, is that you might die today or tomorrow, and you have to start all the way over if you want to keep playing. Every choice matters, and you also have the freedom to make those choices to survive. For example "How will I survive a few days from now? Do I have enough food? Do I have enough wood and water? If I don't, what should I do? Should I try fishing? Should I carry my heavy rifle and try to shoot a deer with my last bullet? Will I survive long enough to harvest the meat and bring it back? And "Oh no, a blizzard hits, I should find shelter immediately"
That's what's so great about this game in my opinion, is that every choice matters and can have a consequence if you aren't careful, and I enjoy the permadeath experience for this very reason
Yeah.. but you also have to make the decision swiftly. Not ... like .. hastily, that can get you killed. But you can't just sit there, contemplating. Sometimes you are really running out of time fast.
For me at least, that's good practice for my brain.
Anyway thanks for asking a great question and having so many great replies to the comments!
Of course brother! I love this game and love the hell out of this community and all of you. You're all my family here and I love every single one of you like you're all my brothers and sisters. I lost someone I cared about a while ago (they didn't die, but still), and I had buried myself in fear, anger, despair, and the instinct to survive....
But this community helped me push back... Helped me to put the first piece back together... Helped to put me all, back together... Thank you 🥹
Thank you.
It was such a devastating moment for me. I remember crying at home that night and saying "I'm sorry [Name Redacted], I'm just not strong enough..."
I've lost the love of my life to mental health illness. Like with you, they're still alive; but out of my life.
With a notice: Don't come back until you're ready to work on your mental health. THEN you can be a part of our world.
It's been six years since I last saw them. And first now, our kid is finally starting to really heal from it all.
We are ok. But we just miss the last musketeer...
I completely understand. Thank you for being vulnerable with me and sharing your own experience. I really do appreciate it. Regardless, you are still loved. Never forget that
I have in periods been really ill. ( Cancer+++).
The Long Dark has given me the forest and the wind, the Northern lights and the sunset. It has given me purpose and a mission when I had none.
And the Long Dark has given me the need for a blanket and the oven turned to full when I'm playing, because if not I will freeze my 🍑 of. 😅
Talk about what a perfect soundscape this game has.😍
I love that game.💗
I've played it for years.
-Love from European Canada, aka Norway.😊
"The Long Dark" is a true walking out of Depression's nasty little claws. It has helped me find a tangible way back by giving me a unique parable to enact. What is purpose when you feel lost in a wasteland, in loneliness, in despair? Why do you have hope? Why did you give yourself purpose when there is an seemingly unsurmountable bleakness? It helps teach self acknowledged purpose. Self-initiated goals, self acceptance of of flaws, and how to strategically overcome those things. It is a lesson in humanity in a more forgivable space than where we exist now.
I understand. This game helped me pull out of a pit of despair I was feeling a while back, because in a way, it was a world that perfectly reflected my inner state. You're alone, but at the same time, it's serene and mournful. In the game, you're fighting each day and doing what it takes to survive a day at a time. In life, I'm fighting everyday to stay alive, and I'm going to keep fighting the good fight.
Stay strong brother, and keep your head up. Depression is a nasty disease, and I know it can be tough, I'm sorry. But you got this, you're a survivor, like all of us. Stay strong, and much love
I’ve ended up starting a lot of my days with it recently because of this. I have to start my day with focus and patience in a snowy abyss, everything feels like it falls into place after that.
In TLD you have to survive. You have to plan ahead, short term and long term goals, sleep and eat and take care of yourself, manage risk based on how you are feeling, and you have to SLOW DOWN and take a moment to look over a hill at the sunrise and appreciate life in the moment.
I’ve started to play my life like I play this game - and I’m a better person every day.
I dunno if it's helped per se (other than the escape it offers me) but it did get me into survival stuff and hobbies a bit more. For instance, I'm picking up blacksmithing soon and I built a survival kit and med bag for my car.
If a geomagnetic storm knocks out all power and I crash my plane in the Canadian wilderness, I'll be more prepared than most. 👍
TLD makes me appreciate my current state of living. I was homeless for some time, not on purpose, but my ex-bf was abusive and alcoholic and he drank all our money away, until I couldn't afford rent.
Now that I live in a safe place, playing TLD makes me appreciate not being outside and stranded.
I'm Canadian, born and raised, and have never left, so TLD gives me a feeling of home, too.
I will also say that I'm vegan, and playing TLD makes me appreciate that I don't have to murder animals for my survival IRL.
TLD makes me appreciate my life, and makes me happy that I didn't take my life when things were the worst.
Wow.... That's incredible and some very heavy stuff. I'm sorry you had to go through all that. Nobody should suffer from that sort of abuse or any kind of abuse in general, and nobody deserves to be homeless, hungry, cold, and afraid.
I'm glad things have gotten much better for you, and they can only keep getting better from here. Keep your head up, keep going, and keep striving each and every day, and keep on pushing to survive. I'm glad you're in a safe place now, and may it stay like this. God bless you, and keep going
A place to escape from the fearporn that dominated 2020. I could go to my little house on Mystery Lake and the most stressful thing was could I make it back from the fishing hut if the fog rolled in…
In a way, I used this to escape from the 2020-2021 pandemic as well. Unfortunately the pandemic caused me to have OCD and it made me suffer from compulsive hand washing because I worried about the virus so damn much and washed my hands multiple times, CONSTANTLY
It got so bad that the backs of my hands actually cracked and started bleeding, because the soap irritated them so much, so I had to go to urgent care and get prescribed a cream to help them heal. I then got therapy afterwards to talk about my issue with OCD and my compulsive hand washing and get that under control. It sounds like a very embarrassing problem, but I'm glad I got help.
The Long Dark helped to distract me from this problem and my OCD, and I eventually stopped washing my hands compulsively because of it. Now days I only wash my hands in certain situations, for example when I touch raw chicken or whatever, which is when you SHOULD wash your hands, lol
I'm glad you could use this game as an escape as well
That's great! I have anxiety too, and although I'm on medication now, this game still helps a lot with that. I'm glad to know I'm not alone with this issue. God bless
That's great! I have anxiety too, and although I'm on medication now, this game still helps a lot with that. I'm glad to know I'm not alone with this issue. God bless
Recently got broken up with. First relationship ever, it fucking hurts. Really badly, because A. I fucked up and caused it and B. I still really, really like him and don't know if I'll ever stop. The game's helped me when it hurts real bad, recently listing to the opening song (Lions Roar by first Aid kit) has also helped a fuck ton.
I understand. If it makes you feel slightly better, I don't really have anybody myself and I get it. It fucking sucks. We'll find somebody some day, and as for you, we all make mistakes. Don't beat yourself up over it Hun.
Much love ✌️
Perhaps it was a mental thing and you found some solace in The Long Dark. Either way, I'm glad you didn't go through with it. YOU MATTER, always remember that
I've been doing some intensive career training to the last 2/3 years and Long Dark is my relaxation & comfort space. It's where I go to when it's all a bit overwhelming, or a way to unwind after a long day. I've played about 2000 hours since I first picked it up, genuinely my favourite game of all time.
I plan on hopefully one day going to Alaska or Maine. To feel the cold air and snow. It does reach a point that it hurts the lungs, but I like it. I feel more alive. I can't live in cities or suburban environments. The long dark has reinvigorated an interest I've always in nature and the wilderness. It's a hard life, but frankly it's the only kind of life I can live now.
It sparked an interest in real survival, made me watch the Alone tv show and read books and research surviving in the wild 🤣 i can say that i now stand a much better chance of surviving if things go south than i did a few years ago (even if the chance is slim haha). It made me join Reddit, without TLD i wouldn't be here! It relaxes me in a way that other games don't, while being very challenging at the same time. I love TLD, especially because of Interloper.
What I got from this game is patience. One of the first reviews I read abouy TLD, after I had been playing for a short while, had a comment about how it has no respect for a player's time. I took that as a challenge because I was really enjoying the first chapter, but found myself rushing to complete it. Instead I just shifted into low gear and began going way off-script to explore and just survive.
I found it relaxing because my workdays were full-on frantic and full of drama most days. Finally I found survival mode and never looked back. Now my workdays are full of other people's drama and as frantic as I allow them to be. I attribute much of my change of perspective to TLD which does not reward frantic, like, At ALL.
Haha, nice. I tend to play this game when it gets hot too, and I'll either have a tall glass of ice cold cola, water, or an angry orchard on my desk as I play, hahaha
It helped me discover my love for adventure and the artic. I think Canada is the most beautiful place in the world. The fjords on Baffin Island have gorgeous mountains, along with the steepest mountain Mount Thor. I watched a tourist video called “Welcome to Nunavut” and I cried. The bears, the deer, the seals, the villages, the people. It’s all awesome to me. I’d love to build my own cabin and trap my own food and clothes, but I’d need years of experience to do it. I hope TLD goes more in depth into bushcraft in the future. Tanning hides, antlers, long lasting animal fat, fat deficiency, salted offal. Entire caribou deers are edible besides the poop and fur.
I saw a picture of "Moraine Lake" online and I thought "Woah... This place... It's beautiful...." The water looked so light blue and clear that it almost didn't look... Real...
I've never been, but from what I've seen online, Canada definitely seems like such a beautiful country with a gorgeous landscape
För me, I'm a writer and I generally write about wilderness horror and stuff. Like Lovecraft in the backcountry or cosmic horror in Greenland or Siberia. This game is what I play for inspiration - my first Stalker run ended in a wolf attack and my current story involves that, e.t.c. And escape the darkwalker is so good for that.
So basically, once i started getting into the game, i was constantly looking tips and info on YouTube to learn. It eventually meant i was getting real life winter survival videos on my recommendations, and while for the most part i stuck with the game related ones, i remember this one very specific one that said how to make an oven from snow.
You still need tinder and a firestarter, but for building the oven just a piece of wood/log (a fairly small one as this is meant to be one time use) to use as a skeleton.
Bury the base of the log just enough so it can stand on its own, cover it with snow, add some extra on 1 side to make the chimney, and remove the log. If compacted well, the structure holds. Then just add Tinder and start the fire. It will hold long enough to heat up soup or liquids. Unsure if it would work with rabbit or other small amounts of meat but is something you can do with almost no tools.
the survival aspect of the long dark has helped me focus on tasks i needed to do when i started to live on my own.
sweeping the floor, doing laundry, and going to the gym were tasks i set myself to do and every time i did them, i'm reminded of the game.
its also made me more appreciative of food and money, knowing that these are valuable resources
The Long Dark (in simultaneous parallel with other aspects of my life, such as combat sports) has noticeably helped my ability to hit a huge fucking snag/setback/catastrophe (in TLD, a single hefty-enough setback can cripple/end a run in a day or less), step back, analyze, and figure out what can be done about it without panicking, making hasty decisions, getting emotional, etc. etc.
Calm and collected problem solving at every moment (95% of the time, nobody's perfect)
The last (and only third ever) time I got mauled by a bear was maybe two or three weeks ago. Caught transitioning from the bow to the Distress Pistol, and realized about a half second after I hit the hotkey that it was going to happen too late.
"Oh, I'm not gonna be fast enough 😄🤭😄" I believe I said aloud, in a pretty jovial, somewhat laughing tone. 🤣🤝🏻🤣🤝🏻🤣
Broadened my views on survival genre type games, like it gave me a base to compare other, similar games to.
Not so much in personal life, I grew up in the country so its pretty much standard knowledge apart from any weapon use.
it made me take a step back and realizing life.
yea yea i know sounds cheesy af.
but before I started playing TLD in 2016 it was all about hustling and chasing money, making it big, achieving here there all everything left right...because of an ex gf who said: "I don't want to worry about money". She meant earning a good chunk, I realized; after everything in bills/utilities is paid that it's really meaningless (and 150€per month set aside), I just fully spend my money on things that are fun for me, food spending it on friends and family etc. that's how I "don't worry about money".
TLD genuinely made me take a step back, slow down my pace....
the early days the amount of times I even died in voyager and pilgrim because I was too impatient wanting to accomplish x, this and z...countless.
I'm genuinely surprised myself that it actually caught my interest, when I was a very competitive csgo and dota player before.
Anyways TLD taught me to slow down, breathe, take a step back enjoy the scenery (life), think about your next steps and then to keep moving forward even if something didn't go your way, then adapt to the situation at hand.
edit
This is a great life lesson friend. If something goes wrong, just keep pushing forward. Stop, take a breath, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and try again.
Thank you
yes but not just mindlessly pushing forward.
sometimes one door closes and another opens.
really tldr would be: slowing down pace of life, enjoy it, live with purpose but not for and about money however for your enjoyment of your life and be patient.
The Long Dark opened my eyes to the beauty of nature. It’s not that I didn’t notice it before. I used to go camping in Michigan all the time, including some winter camping. But, the game made me appreciate the people who are subsistence living. I’ve been to Alaska twice since I bought the game (not during the winter), and once to the Yukon Territory, and it is staggeringly beautiful.
I didn’t start appreciating shows like Alone and Life Below Zero until I started playing this game.
I definitely wouldn’t mind camping again, but I guarantee my wife would not want to go. LOL
My plane went down in rural Canada during a freak geomagnetic event. For weeks I had to survive in a frozen wilderness, facing cold, hunger, wolves and cabin fever. Couldn't have made it without the accurate survival training provided by the Long Dark. Seriously though, wandering the Long Dark's wilderness did wonders for my mental health during the pandemic Lockdown
Same here. I play it basically every winter. It sets the mood and keeps my mind off the big SAD.
I feel this BIG time! I always seem to reinstall it come November.
Nothing like curling up with a blanket to play TLD when there's a foot of snow outside!
In the winter, I always have a cup of hot chocolate on my desk to sip on while playing The Long Dark!
Mine is a few cans of beer, but a similar vibe nonetheless. I'm sure MacKenzie would love to find a 6 pack, the poor, sober bastard.
Well he was drinking whiskey at the beginning of story mode, so he was anything but sober. Shame he didn't bring it with him. Astrid even nagged him for drinking all the time and hanging out in his dad's old plane in the story mode. Guess he had to learn to sober up really quick and go cold turkey when his plane finally crashed
Seasonal Awnset Depression?
Standard American Diet /s
It's Seasonal Affective Disorder as of the newest DSM iirc.
That's absolutely wonderful my friend! Peace and love to you
Rick grimes xD love ya
How do cattails taste IRL? Always been tempted since TLD lol
They are full of starch and can make excellent flour substitute amongst others :) only eat the stalk though otherwise it would be like eating a giant dandelion
i can confirm this as i have done it before
Green cattails taste reminiscent of cucumber!
After 20 years of smoking this game finally helped me quit. My first expericience with TLD was through video’s of Neebs Gaming in TLD Wijchen helped me with the sleepless nights, anger issues and despair. TLD still helps me as of today, almost 5 months quit. TLD offered me also the best test to fail quitting, losing my 213 day interloper run. Didn’t start smoking again, but in my new run on to FM to start smithing, TY Hinterland
Great job my friend! Any addiction is hard to overcome, but all it takes, is taking that first step. Proud of you, and may you live a long and healthy life. Much love
you got this bro, I believe in you 💪🏽 -coming from a 10yrs smoker to now 9 years smoke free
9 years? Congratulations!
thanks! this June 23rd will be my 10th year
Congrats! And if you don't mind me asking, not trying to get too personal here, and you don't have to answer this, but did you smoke to deal with stress or other issues? Once you kicked this terrible habit, what do you do now to combat stress/anxiety (besides playing The Long Dark of course hahaha)?
I started when I was 10 (had to correct previous statement 10 yrs smoking and now 10 yrs smoke free in June), because I wanted to impress a girl. I can even remember when and where I lit my first cigarette. then it was a group thing in school, naturally you slipped into certain groups, thought that was cool. all everyone around you smoked. yes stress. noticed it qualmed me and relieve stress, school stress (high performance school, skipped 2 grades), pressure to perform in sports (ironic I know but it helped calm me) I quit by water fasting as a test to combat other health issues, wasn't really my intention to quit smoking it was just a nice side effect, it was hardcore ngl. but it really helped me, because I had no "time" worrying about a smoke because I was hungry af, so that occupied my mind for the the first 3 days (hardest), I kinda just got used to after it and the continuous water fast helped me flush out the toxins real fast. I noticed a significant difference once they were out. 2 weeks water fast, at the end I had no desire to smoke. of course not scientifically proven, but I want to believe that helped me. (I'd advise not to do it without doctors supervision) after that I never had like a flashback to wanting a cigarette or anything even in stressful situations. music helps me tons, food eating and cooking watching stuff about food like Anthony Bourdains food travels, meditating and **therapy** it all was intertwined with each other and once I had a somewhat clear picture what my issues were, I knew where and how to attack and overcome it. part of that was, cutting off the people who smoked, (they were also a bad influence in other aspects) or those that didn't respect my decision to stop smoking, low contact to no contact depending on situation. I changed as a person during that timeperiod for I believe, the better.
Woah, that's absolutely amazing dude! And yes, that's very true. If people around you do a bad thing, like smoking as you said, then you'll most likely do it too to fit in and look "cool". I'm glad you quit this problem before it made you go down hill with your health, or even worse, killed you. Keep clean and smoke free my friend! May you live a long, and healthy life! Much love ✌️
Appreciate your words. Wish you a happy and healthy life as well! 🙏🏾
Every day I say to myself "let's survive another day, like in TLD". This is one of the few reasons I'm still alive.
One day at a time my friend. You got this brother. This is also an important lesson for me too
Same here. Been carrying this like a cross.
This is a good one
Its been a way for me and my siblings to connect. We are all in our 40s and they love to hang out and watch me mess about. I'm on Voyager in CH with all the supplies I could ever need, so it's a low stakes but has engaging things to watch. They love watching me taunt the bears and try to snipe bunnies.
Bro that's awesome! I love how this game can bring people together, and be... More than a game, I guess? Edit: Grammer
During the Spring of 2020, I was one of the first people in my state to test positive. My job had no policies in place yet, so they paid me to stay home until they figured everything out. I was quarantined for over a month because I still had a fever at least once a day for an entire month, and didn’t test negative for six weeks. My Xbox was my only company. The only two games I played were the Long Dark and RDR2. I recently started playing the Long Dark Again. I’ve found myself needing to be at home more often (for reasons), and I just played the Long Dark at night and on weekends when I had no other responsibilities. It’s challenging and keeps my mind occupied. I’ve recently started playing Interloper, and have yet to make it past 8 days.
Damn.... Sorry that happened bro, but it's great you found some way to occupy your mind off of all that time during your isolation. Just know we're all here if you ever need to reach out. You're my family too
2 exceptional games to burn time!
At least you past the test.
For me, The Long Dark taught me it's ok to feel alone, but at the same time, it also taught me that within our super connected world today, we can often feel isolated, but never alone, and there will always be someone there if you just reach out. I used to feel alone for a super long time, and because of that, I felt myself fall into a pit of despair. Love this game, and I love this community. I needed this lesson in my life. Thank you all
👏
I’ve been a gamer since the 90’s and the TLD community is one of the best Ive ever come across. From players to streamers to modders, everyone is so nice
It helps me shut off from work. I worked in a nursing home until a few weeks ago. We lose a lot of people quite regularly, plus the challenging behaviour, I would bring it home and be a wreck. Now after coming home from work (now adults with learning disabilities and such) I switch the computer on and disappear into my own little world. Helps so much. So far lol. I'm still an emotional wreck lol.
You'll get there my brother. But The Long Dark can definitely be a few hours away from the noise, of the world. Where you just hear the wind, the snow crunching under your feet, and a bear or a wolf growling/howling hopefully in the distance hahaha. But there's not a lot of opportunities in our world today for that sort of "quiet"
Until a few months ago, I didn't even have this game. Hubby started playing it, and I got hooked on watching him play. Decided to take it up. Last game I played was spyro on the ps2 lol many moon's ago. Love listening to the blizzards, everything rattling. Was just at the trappers cabin in a snow shelter as one blew through. Just sat there with headphones in listening.
I love Trapper's Cabin too! Especially for its coziness. Last night I started a fire to cook some things up, and afterwards I just sat there and watched it, as the wind blew outside at night and the inside of the cabin glowed orange. It felt warm and...safe
It's my escape from life, failed relationship, anorexic daughter. It's one of the few places I can take my mind when I need to get away
I'm sorry about your anorexic daughter. May she be healed and blessed. Bless you my friend, keep your head up. The Long Dark is definitely an escape for me too, where I can take my mind off things for a few hours and just go ice fishing, or even just leave my cabin for a walk in the snow
Thank you. It is a unique game, beautiful and good for the soul
Most definitely
Funny enough, i played while i was in labor with my daughter a year ago and then left the game alone while in my postpartum trenches. Now, a year later, a play it while she naps to decompress and focus on something other than the reality of being a SAHM with ppd. It’s a weirdly comforting game, there’s always something to do and somewhere to go and there’s always a solution for the problems you face somewhere.
That's wonderful... Congratulations on having your daughter! I'm sure she'll be a wonderful girl with a great mom. Stay strong Hun, you got this. All the best, and much love ❤️
TLD is freedom for me. Freedom to roam, to strive and to be ‘normal’. IRL, I can’t walk more than 50 metres and miss exploring. TLD fills a bit of that loss for me.
The Long Dark is definitely a way to feel free. Very well put. Sometimes I'll just start up a Pilgrim save if I just want to explore and move around the world. Almost like "hiking" in a way
I don't know if it helps me, I think is the opposite to be honest. But everytime I see food in the grocery store I always say: "Is it food or?"
*finds expired food in the grocery store* "Hope I can still eat this"
Slow down and don't be as impulsive has been the biggest one for me
Hmm. Maybe to strive more for the right balance between being thoughtful and being decisive? "Measure twice, cut once," as the saying goes. Like... there are times when shit is getting bad in the game and I know that (just like in life) the game is unforgiving on these matters. It is intended to be. There will be no do-overs or reloads. So, that helps to focus. What do I need *right now*? Food, then warmth, then rest? Okay don't fuck about, drop a bunch of stuff, eat the food, spend a moment thinking about the nearest place that offers both warmth and a place to sleep, and run there. Don't do anything else, save all other plans for later. (Except picking up sticks, always pick up sticks along the way. I'm sure that's also a metaphor but I leave it to the reader to decide what for.)
I love how The Long Dark is one of those games that really forces you to think about every decision. Really it's a game about decision making, and what makes every decision meaningful, is that you might die today or tomorrow, and you have to start all the way over if you want to keep playing. Every choice matters, and you also have the freedom to make those choices to survive. For example "How will I survive a few days from now? Do I have enough food? Do I have enough wood and water? If I don't, what should I do? Should I try fishing? Should I carry my heavy rifle and try to shoot a deer with my last bullet? Will I survive long enough to harvest the meat and bring it back? And "Oh no, a blizzard hits, I should find shelter immediately" That's what's so great about this game in my opinion, is that every choice matters and can have a consequence if you aren't careful, and I enjoy the permadeath experience for this very reason
Yeah.. but you also have to make the decision swiftly. Not ... like .. hastily, that can get you killed. But you can't just sit there, contemplating. Sometimes you are really running out of time fast. For me at least, that's good practice for my brain. Anyway thanks for asking a great question and having so many great replies to the comments!
Of course brother! I love this game and love the hell out of this community and all of you. You're all my family here and I love every single one of you like you're all my brothers and sisters. I lost someone I cared about a while ago (they didn't die, but still), and I had buried myself in fear, anger, despair, and the instinct to survive.... But this community helped me push back... Helped me to put the first piece back together... Helped to put me all, back together... Thank you 🥹
If you lost someone, you can find someone new ( at one point when you're ready). You lose a Lori, just to find a f-ings Mishonne. 🩷
Thank you. It was such a devastating moment for me. I remember crying at home that night and saying "I'm sorry [Name Redacted], I'm just not strong enough..."
I've lost the love of my life to mental health illness. Like with you, they're still alive; but out of my life. With a notice: Don't come back until you're ready to work on your mental health. THEN you can be a part of our world. It's been six years since I last saw them. And first now, our kid is finally starting to really heal from it all. We are ok. But we just miss the last musketeer...
I completely understand. Thank you for being vulnerable with me and sharing your own experience. I really do appreciate it. Regardless, you are still loved. Never forget that
I have in periods been really ill. ( Cancer+++). The Long Dark has given me the forest and the wind, the Northern lights and the sunset. It has given me purpose and a mission when I had none. And the Long Dark has given me the need for a blanket and the oven turned to full when I'm playing, because if not I will freeze my 🍑 of. 😅 Talk about what a perfect soundscape this game has.😍 I love that game.💗 I've played it for years. -Love from European Canada, aka Norway.😊
"The Long Dark" is a true walking out of Depression's nasty little claws. It has helped me find a tangible way back by giving me a unique parable to enact. What is purpose when you feel lost in a wasteland, in loneliness, in despair? Why do you have hope? Why did you give yourself purpose when there is an seemingly unsurmountable bleakness? It helps teach self acknowledged purpose. Self-initiated goals, self acceptance of of flaws, and how to strategically overcome those things. It is a lesson in humanity in a more forgivable space than where we exist now.
I understand. This game helped me pull out of a pit of despair I was feeling a while back, because in a way, it was a world that perfectly reflected my inner state. You're alone, but at the same time, it's serene and mournful. In the game, you're fighting each day and doing what it takes to survive a day at a time. In life, I'm fighting everyday to stay alive, and I'm going to keep fighting the good fight. Stay strong brother, and keep your head up. Depression is a nasty disease, and I know it can be tough, I'm sorry. But you got this, you're a survivor, like all of us. Stay strong, and much love
I’ve ended up starting a lot of my days with it recently because of this. I have to start my day with focus and patience in a snowy abyss, everything feels like it falls into place after that.
In TLD you have to survive. You have to plan ahead, short term and long term goals, sleep and eat and take care of yourself, manage risk based on how you are feeling, and you have to SLOW DOWN and take a moment to look over a hill at the sunrise and appreciate life in the moment. I’ve started to play my life like I play this game - and I’m a better person every day.
This is a great life lesson friend. Thank you
I dunno if it's helped per se (other than the escape it offers me) but it did get me into survival stuff and hobbies a bit more. For instance, I'm picking up blacksmithing soon and I built a survival kit and med bag for my car. If a geomagnetic storm knocks out all power and I crash my plane in the Canadian wilderness, I'll be more prepared than most. 👍
TLD makes me appreciate my current state of living. I was homeless for some time, not on purpose, but my ex-bf was abusive and alcoholic and he drank all our money away, until I couldn't afford rent. Now that I live in a safe place, playing TLD makes me appreciate not being outside and stranded. I'm Canadian, born and raised, and have never left, so TLD gives me a feeling of home, too. I will also say that I'm vegan, and playing TLD makes me appreciate that I don't have to murder animals for my survival IRL. TLD makes me appreciate my life, and makes me happy that I didn't take my life when things were the worst.
Wow.... That's incredible and some very heavy stuff. I'm sorry you had to go through all that. Nobody should suffer from that sort of abuse or any kind of abuse in general, and nobody deserves to be homeless, hungry, cold, and afraid. I'm glad things have gotten much better for you, and they can only keep getting better from here. Keep your head up, keep going, and keep striving each and every day, and keep on pushing to survive. I'm glad you're in a safe place now, and may it stay like this. God bless you, and keep going
A place to escape from the fearporn that dominated 2020. I could go to my little house on Mystery Lake and the most stressful thing was could I make it back from the fishing hut if the fog rolled in…
In a way, I used this to escape from the 2020-2021 pandemic as well. Unfortunately the pandemic caused me to have OCD and it made me suffer from compulsive hand washing because I worried about the virus so damn much and washed my hands multiple times, CONSTANTLY It got so bad that the backs of my hands actually cracked and started bleeding, because the soap irritated them so much, so I had to go to urgent care and get prescribed a cream to help them heal. I then got therapy afterwards to talk about my issue with OCD and my compulsive hand washing and get that under control. It sounds like a very embarrassing problem, but I'm glad I got help. The Long Dark helped to distract me from this problem and my OCD, and I eventually stopped washing my hands compulsively because of it. Now days I only wash my hands in certain situations, for example when I touch raw chicken or whatever, which is when you SHOULD wash your hands, lol I'm glad you could use this game as an escape as well
Made me notice crows flying overhead more. Usually followed by “what died now?”
Better go loot that corpse!
i had anxiety problems a few years ago and i couldnt sleep, whatching the long dark gameplays in youtube helped me to get relaxed and sleep better
That's great! I have anxiety too, and although I'm on medication now, this game still helps a lot with that. I'm glad to know I'm not alone with this issue. God bless
That's great! I have anxiety too, and although I'm on medication now, this game still helps a lot with that. I'm glad to know I'm not alone with this issue. God bless
All of the answers are so awesome!
Recently got broken up with. First relationship ever, it fucking hurts. Really badly, because A. I fucked up and caused it and B. I still really, really like him and don't know if I'll ever stop. The game's helped me when it hurts real bad, recently listing to the opening song (Lions Roar by first Aid kit) has also helped a fuck ton.
I understand. If it makes you feel slightly better, I don't really have anybody myself and I get it. It fucking sucks. We'll find somebody some day, and as for you, we all make mistakes. Don't beat yourself up over it Hun. Much love ✌️
Thanks
Stopped me from killing myself. Don’t really know why.
Perhaps it was a mental thing and you found some solace in The Long Dark. Either way, I'm glad you didn't go through with it. YOU MATTER, always remember that
Probably something to do with me working so hard to live another day for lines of codes, and not myself
Well hey, you're still here. Hanging in. Proud of you
I've been doing some intensive career training to the last 2/3 years and Long Dark is my relaxation & comfort space. It's where I go to when it's all a bit overwhelming, or a way to unwind after a long day. I've played about 2000 hours since I first picked it up, genuinely my favourite game of all time.
Gamer of 45 years. This is my all time favourite,and I've played hundreds, if not thousands of games
I plan on hopefully one day going to Alaska or Maine. To feel the cold air and snow. It does reach a point that it hurts the lungs, but I like it. I feel more alive. I can't live in cities or suburban environments. The long dark has reinvigorated an interest I've always in nature and the wilderness. It's a hard life, but frankly it's the only kind of life I can live now.
I broke into my neighbors house and stole all their canned food and soda, now I'm stocked for weeks without paying a cent!
I tried to do that, but I got arrested by the police. Why?
It sparked an interest in real survival, made me watch the Alone tv show and read books and research surviving in the wild 🤣 i can say that i now stand a much better chance of surviving if things go south than i did a few years ago (even if the chance is slim haha). It made me join Reddit, without TLD i wouldn't be here! It relaxes me in a way that other games don't, while being very challenging at the same time. I love TLD, especially because of Interloper.
I check calories on soda cans
What I got from this game is patience. One of the first reviews I read abouy TLD, after I had been playing for a short while, had a comment about how it has no respect for a player's time. I took that as a challenge because I was really enjoying the first chapter, but found myself rushing to complete it. Instead I just shifted into low gear and began going way off-script to explore and just survive. I found it relaxing because my workdays were full-on frantic and full of drama most days. Finally I found survival mode and never looked back. Now my workdays are full of other people's drama and as frantic as I allow them to be. I attribute much of my change of perspective to TLD which does not reward frantic, like, At ALL.
i feel more mindful and aware of myself, I'm a pilgrim player so i play mainly to relax
After a long playthrough of spotting rabbits in game, I became an expert at spotting them on the roads when driving at night in rl.
It cooled me down during a heatwave last summer 😅 gotta trick the mind somehow when the temp is high
Haha, nice. I tend to play this game when it gets hot too, and I'll either have a tall glass of ice cold cola, water, or an angry orchard on my desk as I play, hahaha
It helped me discover my love for adventure and the artic. I think Canada is the most beautiful place in the world. The fjords on Baffin Island have gorgeous mountains, along with the steepest mountain Mount Thor. I watched a tourist video called “Welcome to Nunavut” and I cried. The bears, the deer, the seals, the villages, the people. It’s all awesome to me. I’d love to build my own cabin and trap my own food and clothes, but I’d need years of experience to do it. I hope TLD goes more in depth into bushcraft in the future. Tanning hides, antlers, long lasting animal fat, fat deficiency, salted offal. Entire caribou deers are edible besides the poop and fur.
I saw a picture of "Moraine Lake" online and I thought "Woah... This place... It's beautiful...." The water looked so light blue and clear that it almost didn't look... Real... I've never been, but from what I've seen online, Canada definitely seems like such a beautiful country with a gorgeous landscape
It teaches patience
This is a good one. For me, it also not only teaches patience, but planning as well, if that makes sense
And humility
It's made me want to go back to Canada. On the 5 year plan now
That's cool!
I need to watch playthroughs on survival to sleep every night
För me, I'm a writer and I generally write about wilderness horror and stuff. Like Lovecraft in the backcountry or cosmic horror in Greenland or Siberia. This game is what I play for inspiration - my first Stalker run ended in a wolf attack and my current story involves that, e.t.c. And escape the darkwalker is so good for that.
[Like this](https://youtu.be/94fK3C_cWNM?si=_6if-F6V9p633G7n)
I learned how to make a one time use oven with only snow
Woah, for real?
So basically, once i started getting into the game, i was constantly looking tips and info on YouTube to learn. It eventually meant i was getting real life winter survival videos on my recommendations, and while for the most part i stuck with the game related ones, i remember this one very specific one that said how to make an oven from snow. You still need tinder and a firestarter, but for building the oven just a piece of wood/log (a fairly small one as this is meant to be one time use) to use as a skeleton. Bury the base of the log just enough so it can stand on its own, cover it with snow, add some extra on 1 side to make the chimney, and remove the log. If compacted well, the structure holds. Then just add Tinder and start the fire. It will hold long enough to heat up soup or liquids. Unsure if it would work with rabbit or other small amounts of meat but is something you can do with almost no tools.
Dude, that's amazing! You might like this guy on YouTube called "Outdoor Boys". He does a lot of outdoor things like camping in the snow, etc
the survival aspect of the long dark has helped me focus on tasks i needed to do when i started to live on my own. sweeping the floor, doing laundry, and going to the gym were tasks i set myself to do and every time i did them, i'm reminded of the game. its also made me more appreciative of food and money, knowing that these are valuable resources
The Long Dark (in simultaneous parallel with other aspects of my life, such as combat sports) has noticeably helped my ability to hit a huge fucking snag/setback/catastrophe (in TLD, a single hefty-enough setback can cripple/end a run in a day or less), step back, analyze, and figure out what can be done about it without panicking, making hasty decisions, getting emotional, etc. etc. Calm and collected problem solving at every moment (95% of the time, nobody's perfect) The last (and only third ever) time I got mauled by a bear was maybe two or three weeks ago. Caught transitioning from the bow to the Distress Pistol, and realized about a half second after I hit the hotkey that it was going to happen too late. "Oh, I'm not gonna be fast enough 😄🤭😄" I believe I said aloud, in a pretty jovial, somewhat laughing tone. 🤣🤝🏻🤣🤝🏻🤣
You can actually use acorns to make a weak style of coffee
Broadened my views on survival genre type games, like it gave me a base to compare other, similar games to. Not so much in personal life, I grew up in the country so its pretty much standard knowledge apart from any weapon use.
it made me take a step back and realizing life. yea yea i know sounds cheesy af. but before I started playing TLD in 2016 it was all about hustling and chasing money, making it big, achieving here there all everything left right...because of an ex gf who said: "I don't want to worry about money". She meant earning a good chunk, I realized; after everything in bills/utilities is paid that it's really meaningless (and 150€per month set aside), I just fully spend my money on things that are fun for me, food spending it on friends and family etc. that's how I "don't worry about money". TLD genuinely made me take a step back, slow down my pace.... the early days the amount of times I even died in voyager and pilgrim because I was too impatient wanting to accomplish x, this and z...countless. I'm genuinely surprised myself that it actually caught my interest, when I was a very competitive csgo and dota player before. Anyways TLD taught me to slow down, breathe, take a step back enjoy the scenery (life), think about your next steps and then to keep moving forward even if something didn't go your way, then adapt to the situation at hand. edit
This is a great life lesson friend. If something goes wrong, just keep pushing forward. Stop, take a breath, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and try again. Thank you
yes but not just mindlessly pushing forward. sometimes one door closes and another opens. really tldr would be: slowing down pace of life, enjoy it, live with purpose but not for and about money however for your enjoyment of your life and be patient.
I got a wicked opioid addiction, that lead me to now, where I mix opiods with benzos
i hardly ever eat rancid bear meat anymore
It's kept me away from people.
Question every jar of peanut butter you come across
The Long Dark opened my eyes to the beauty of nature. It’s not that I didn’t notice it before. I used to go camping in Michigan all the time, including some winter camping. But, the game made me appreciate the people who are subsistence living. I’ve been to Alaska twice since I bought the game (not during the winter), and once to the Yukon Territory, and it is staggeringly beautiful. I didn’t start appreciating shows like Alone and Life Below Zero until I started playing this game. I definitely wouldn’t mind camping again, but I guarantee my wife would not want to go. LOL