A breakdown of Customloper—my custom Long Dark survival mode with Interloper weather and Stalker/Voyageur mechanics. Includes settings, starting tips, and FAQ.
Table of Contents
- 1. What Is Customloper?
- 2. Customloper Settings
- 3. Recommended Starting Regions
- 4. Survival Tips for Customloper
- 5. FAQ
- 6. Final Thoughts
1. What is Customloper?
Customloper is a custom survival mode in The Long Dark designed to feel like Interloper weather-wise, without forcing you to live in rags and craft every item from a rock and a broken dream.
I built it over six months of trial, error, and mostly dying. The idea was to create a difficulty that sits somewhere between Voyageur and Interloper—harsh enough to punish mistakes, but not so punishing it feels like you’re doing penance every time you start a fire.
You’ll still freeze, bleed, starve, and question your decisions—just with Interloper-level weather, Voyageur-grade loot, and wildlife that’s aggressive but not omnipresent. You’ll also find tools and gear, so you won’t need to forge socks out of bark. And the Predator Grace Period is on, giving you a brief window to get your act together before the wolves punch in.
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2. Customloper Settings
Here’s the full breakdown of my Customloper settings. This isn’t just a random mashup — these were tested, tweaked, and fine-tuned over half a year to strike the right balance between challenge and sanity.
You get Interloper-level weather, Voyageur-level loot, no feats, no cheat deaths, and enough wolves to keep you humble.
Survival Settings
| Baseline Resources | Medium |
| Starting Weather | Clear |
| Weather Variability | Very High |
| Blizzard Frequency | Very High |
| World Gets Colder | High |
| Wind Variability | Medium |
| Fire vs. Air Temperature | No |
| Endless Night | No |
| Day Length | 1x |
Condition and Recovery
| Calorie Burn | High |
| Thirst Rate | Medium |
| Fatigue Rate | High |
| Freezing Rate | High |
| Condition Recovery | High |
| Birch Bark Tea | Yes |
| Frostbite Rate | High |
| Cabin Fever | Yes |
| Item Decay Rate | High |
Loot and Gear
| Loot Availability | Medium |
| Empty Containers | Medium |
| Harvestable Plants | High |
| Starting Gear | Medium |
| Rifle + Revolver Available | Yes |
Wildlife and Struggle
| Cougar Spawn | Low |
| Wolf Spawn | Medium |
| Timberwolf Spawn | Medium |
| Deer & Rabbit Spawn | High |
| Bear & Moose Spawn | Medium |
| Wolf Distance | Close |
| Wildlife Respawn Time | Medium |
| Predator Grace Period | Yes |
| Struggle Bonus | Medium |
| Struggle Damage | Medium |
| Struggle Condition Mod | None |
| Struggle Clothing Mod | Low |
Custom Code
If you want to try this exact setup:
8lns-mmpZ-KJWb-pNeG-gW4FPaste it into the Custom mode screen and enjoy the chill. Literally.
Alright, you’ve got the settings. Now let’s talk geography…
3. Recommended Starting Regions
Customloper doesn’t pull punches on weather, so your starting region matters. A bad spawn can mean freezing to death before you even find socks. Here are my top picks for getting through the first few days with some gear, shelter, and dignity intact.
1. Mystery Lake
The classic. Great layout, decent loot, and enough indoor locations to survive even when the blizzards won’t stop screaming. Watch out for wolves near the Camp Office and along the rail lines. Use the lake cabins to regroup and plan.
2. Mountain Town (Milton)
Lots of houses, guaranteed matches, and enough rabbits to start a small kingdom. A solid choice if you want to take things slow, loot everything, and get a good feel for your gear situation. Milton Basin also has birch bark, deer, and occasional moose drama.
3. Coastal Highway
Wide open, resource-rich, and relatively forgiving — until you run into the bear that thinks Quonset is its Airbnb. Plenty of fishing huts, cars, cabins, and a good connection to other regions. Solid for stocking up before heading inland.
Regions to Avoid (Early Game)
- Hushed River Valley – No indoor shelters, vertical hellscape, and guaranteed frostbite if you hesitate.
- Timberwolf Mountain – You want pain? Go for it. Otherwise, wait until you’ve got gear and some will to live.
- Blackrock – Predators, dead ends, and one angry prison complex. Don’t start here unless you like chaos.
Pick a region that lets you learn the systems, not just suffer through them. You’ll have plenty of time for suffering later.
4. Survival Tips for Customloper
You’ve got the settings. You’ve picked your region. Now you just need to stay alive long enough to regret it. These tips won’t guarantee survival, but they’ll at least delay the inevitable.
1. Fire is life. Treat it like it owes you money.
- Prioritize fire-starting supplies early. Matches, sticks, and torches are your real starting gear.
- If you’re near a cave, use it. If you’re near a stove, worship it.
2. Birch bark is your best friend (and healer).
- Birch bark tea heals condition over time. It stacks. It saves runs. Hoard it.
- Mystery Lake, Milton Basin, and the Ravine are birch bark central.
3. Don’t rush the clothing grind.
- Interloper-level cold means cloth gear breaks fast. Layer smart. Prioritize boots, gloves, then warmth.
- Rabbits are your sewing kit. Learn to throw stones or get used to frostbite.
4. Learn the map — or use one.
- You’re not on Interloper. You can afford to navigate with a little help. Use region maps if you’re lost.
- Landmarks matter. Caves, fishing huts, and car spawns can make or break a route.
5. Don’t pick fights you can’t win.
- Wolves are not your friends, but they’re not immediate game-enders either. Stay calm, carry flares, and keep your head on a swivel.
- If you’re cornered, bait and retreat. Live to loot another day.
6. Stay moving, but not constantly.
- You want to loot, but you also want to stay warm. That means planning your route, keeping a fire option ready, and not sprinting into a whiteout.
- Walking is free. Sprinting is how you die tired.
5. FAQ
Q: Why not just play Interloper?
Because some of us enjoy suffering in moderation. Interloper is great — if you’re into gearless, grind-heavy, wolf-dodging marathons. Customloper gives you a similar feel, but with enough breathing room to actually learn and adapt.
Q: Isn’t this just Stalker with bad weather?
No. Stalker gives you less loot and more aggressive wildlife. Customloper gives you more loot (Medium setting), but hits you with Interloper-level weather. You’ll find gear faster, but staying warm and alive is the real problem.
Q: Can I use feats in Customloper?
Nope. Feats are disabled in Custom mode by design. If you want those bonuses, stick with the standard difficulty presets.
Q: Doesn’t medium loot make it too easy?
Not really. Medium loot gives you a fighting chance — not a stocked pantry. You still need to work for every fire, every piece of clothing, and every meal. It’s survival, not a shopping spree.
Q: Isn’t this blog focused on easier difficulties?
Yes — and that’s exactly why Customloper exists. It’s built for players who enjoy the tension of Interloper’s environment but want a bit more room to breathe. Think of it as hard mode for Voyageur players, not diet Interloper.
Q: Is this beginner friendly?
No. If you’ve never played before, start on Voyageur. Customloper is meant for players who already know the basics and want to test themselves without going full masochist.
Q: Why is the Predator Grace Period on?
It gives you time to find shelter and get your bearings before the wolves show up. Customloper is about survival — not immediate death-by-canine.
Q: Will you post playthroughs for this mode?
Yes. You’ll find Customloper runs (and probably some deaths) over on the blog — check the Long Dark Hub and The Graveyard for updates.
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6. Final Thoughts
Download the code. Pick a region. Light your first fire.
Customloper isn’t going to go easy on you — but that’s the point. It’s just harsh enough to challenge you, without demanding perfection or punishment. Whether you’re coming from Voyageur and want a bigger fight, or just tired of dying on Interloper Day 1, this mode gives you room to breathe and still plenty of ways to die.
I’ll be sharing Customloper playthroughs here on the blog. If you want to see how this setup plays out in the wild, check out The Long Dark Hub of mourn my failures in The Graveyard.
If you give it a try, let me know how your run ends. I’ll probably be frozen by a cave somewhere.
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I’ve also got a PDF with the Customloper game code, what the settings should be and challenges to try whilst in Customloper. You can download it here:
Survivor Incognito 