Poll: Stranded on a deserted island, which do you choose? + wild card round (page 5)

Wild card bonus!

 

I miss an option in which I end up on the island with all my hobby stuff and nobody to disturb me

Gr, Imrahil

 

I'd be interested to see who the 3 people who chose C were - your dogs will only live for 5 years, and you've got another 7 to live for until you get that sailing boat into seaworthy shape.

As for me, I've chosen B. Firstly I'm assuming the girl will be different for everyone based upon what each one of us finds attractive, meaning that the particular instance of the girl in my case will have a lot of qualities I find attractive - principally kind, gentle, intelligent and rational. That suits me very well as she will be helpful, honest, hard working and knowledgeable. She'd be far easier to work with and more enjoyable to live with than the two lesbians in A, especially considering one of them will die in 3 years. Because you're going to be there for 20, you'll lose the advantage of having more people to collaborate with fairly quickly in the grand scheme of things - if you were there for 3 years or less, that advantage would be a lot more meaningful, but you're going to be there for over six times that amount. The other lesbian is evidently an unpleasant character that will be intolerable to live with, and she may be good at fishing, but that won't be any use if you don't have any fishing equipment, which is the case if you choose A. Furthermore, while it is possible to make fishing equipment yourself, there would need to be plants with the right quality materials for the job, and you may well need an axe, which you don't have if you take A. You could use a broken bottle, but it would still be difficult to work with.

By contrast if you choose B, you get all the fishing equipment provided, meaning that's food sorted. Fire is quite possible to start yourself (otherwise why would we be as advanced as we are?), and you get two poles that could be used as quarterstaffs - not as effective as a gun for repelling wild animals, but with a much greater reach than the combat knife. Indeed because you get loads of other equipment with the poles you could probably fix the fish hooks onto them to make them spears, making them even more useful. The MP3 player would risk your survival as @Aginor says if you use it in the conventional way, although it could be used as quite an effective missile to put off any predators alongside stones, and then if they're especially desperate, use the quarterstaffs/spears to protect yourselves. Alternatively if there's any really awful-sounding music, it could be played really loudly to scare predators off. The freezer may seem useless, but I say it's always a good idea to keep some food aside in case there's none left for any reason - the freezer will ensure this can be done. It can be carried between the two of us and can also be used to help cool us down so we don't die of heat exhaustion.

In terms of shelter, it depends on when we wake up - if it's at the beginning of the hot season, we've then got 9 months to work out how to get a shelter up and ready in time for the rainy season, while if we wake up and it's the beginning of the rainy season, we'd probably have to look for a natural shelter like a cave to live in until we can get our own shelter up.

 

All great points!

True, but mind you that option C includes a shelter that will be vastly better (judging by the picture) than anything you can construct on a deserted island.

Using the gun as a tool is risky as you want it to be in peak operating condition. You have no materials to fix it if something goes wrong, and it is one of the best elements of option A.

Yes, but remember that one of the lesbians dies early on, and you are left with lesbian with the shitty personality. I think @Scalenex makes a great point...

One lesbian dies in 3 years. So why not propose a 50/50 split?

All good points. Option B is my least favourite.

As per the original post, they are well trained and loyal.

Remember that you can hunt. There are vicious wild animals on the island, so they can be hunted. The two dogs give you a tremendous advantage over the vicious animals. First off, the animals will have a hard time trying to sneak up on you with two dogs on the lookout. Second, you can use the dogs to hunt the animals. Two dogs and a human with a spear and (possibly a bow and arrow) are pretty formidable.

Alternatively, if you don't think you can gather enough food for all three of you, you could kill one of the dogs right from the onset (cruel, but this is survival). That way you have enough dog food for the remaining dog to last 10 of the 12 years you are on the island (also consider that the lifespan of a Rottweiler is 8-10 years). Assuming you are able to hunt some food within those 12 years, it is safe to assume that you can supplement and extend the dog's food supply to be sufficient for all the years you are on the island .

The knife is huge! You can make weapons, shelters, traps, etc.

This is something I had to look into. I've never tried weed, so my knowledge is limited. At first I thought that maybe you could keep it for when you get off the island (to sell, if it is legal in your country), but apparently it won't keep that long. As a result, you could actually get rid of most of it, and keep a small portion of it in case you need pain relief, etc. That would free up most of the shelter!

I disagree. I choose option C because I feel it gives you the greatest chance of survival...

• the dogs are great for protection and hunting
• the knife is one of the most critical survival tools and can help you create weapons, traps and shelters
• option c already includes a shelter (one which will be far better than anything you could hope to construct if you choose option A or B)
• you get to leave 8 years early!!!! That is 8 years for something to go wrong for anyone that choose A or B. 12 years on the island represents only 60% of what the other groups have to endure.

 

I'd be one of those individuals.

If you read my post above, I've outlined two ways in which you could extend the dog's food supply.

Of course you did... option B is my least favourite, and we always choose opposites!!

The outline didn't say she is a soul mate or perfect companion. You're only guaranteed that she is...

• hot (physically attractive)
• very sweet (kind personality)
• dtf (probably)

You can't really bet on anything beyond that. For instance, you couldn't claim that you only find girls with advanced survival skills to be hot. Same goes for intelligence, her intelligence is not specified.

You could easily make a spear for spear fishing (especially using the knife from option C).

You don't really want to risk damaging your fishing poles unless it is the most dire of circumstances. With the knife you can very easily make spears and in time possibly even a bow and arrow. Plus you can make traps. Option C also has two loyal dogs for defense against wild animals (or to hunt said wild animals).

Same as above. In a pinch you can use your poles as a spear, but you would want to eventually construct spears from wood/trees that you find on the island.

If you damage your poles, you lose your fishing advantage.

The freezer is actually quite awesome. If you take down a large wild animal, you don't have to worry about preserving it via smoke or salt. That is a huge advantage. Not having food spoil when it is plentiful is great because you can store it away for when food becomes scarce.

Option C already has a shelter!

 

P.S. I knew this would be a fun poll/topic and you fine folks have not disappointed! Interesting to hear all the different ideas and perspectives.


Let's keep it rolling... and hopefully even more people will chime in!

 

Considering it's sunny 3/4 of the year, storing excess meat/food in a cold, dry freezer would be almost as paramount as having shelter. You would expend less energy, and food actually wouldn't be much of a concern compared to worrying about hunting on a daily basis if you have no reliable way of storing food.

Other than that, i do agree with all of your points concerning option C. I voted for C too. 3 tons of pot and an acoustic guitar reminds me so much of SLEEP

 

Makes sense - also a gun can only be really used to kill land animals - you can't use it to cut down trees or anything else.

Agreed - would rather have the nice girl than the nasty one, as at least then you're happy to live together and look out for each other.

All good points, but I was concerned if, for any reason, somehow you were unable to feed the dogs for a long time, they might turn on you as the only source of food around or run away. Loyalty can last only to a certain point sometimes (to be fair though I'm not a dog owner so I'm not the most knowledgeable person around on the subject of dogs).

Also you get a sharpening stone that can be used to make sparks to light fires. Makes sense.

I would have just got rid of it all, regardless of worth or usage - don't do dangerous drugs, these drugs kill, either sooner or later.

Only just read it

Still better companionship than the lesbian not confirmed to die in A.

Not necessarily - remember that there is a net as well, so the poles can be deemed as superfluous. In addition, if you're able to make the poles into spears by tying fishing hooks onto them, you can still use them for spear fishing in conjunction with the net.

At least there's one thing we agree on!

 

I've thought of that too. I'm not a dog owner, so I don't know how far you can push that loyalty. If things are absolutely dire, you could preemptively kill the dog and eat it before it turns on you (gross... but survival situations aren't pretty). However, I think you could keep the dog feed.

I don't do drugs either. But in such a survival situation you may come to a point where you need a pain reliever (which I am told weed provides). I'm just saying that it has medicinal properties that might come in handy. I'd keep a small quantity of it for those purposes, and hope that I never need to use it. Also, wrapped up like that it could be a good insulator, you could use it (along with other things you find) to create a makeshift bed.

This is true.

 

I think you underestimate their usefulness. At the very least they have far better senses than a human has so it will help prevent vicious animals from sneaking up on you. Also the barking will help drive off a percentage of predators; not to mention that there are now 3 of you for the vicious animal to contend with.

The gun is far more effective than any of those other options.

Depending on the type of vicious animals, they might not be so easy to fend them off. The gun ensures that you are the most powerful creature on the island. Making noise and waving a stick around is built purely on the hope that the animal will choose not to engage you. You still have those options with the gun, but if the animal is determined to get you, you have the power to bring it down.

Animals are afraid of fire, but it is difficult to ensure you always have fire on hand as you explore the island, collect resources, etc. Constantly having a torch with you is not always feasible.

You're right that there are many animals that can tank a dog's attack. However, they do need to be wary of the dog and that splits the animal's attention 3 ways. That is a huge advantage. The dogs don't necessarily have to bring the animal down, but they will provide distraction and dissuasion that increases your odds of survival greatly. Obviously the strategy will alter depending on which type of animal we are dealing with. But two dogs should not be underestimated.

I don't know about that. If someone offered me the entire share of the gold (gold which they found), I'd be expecting a double cross.

As the shelter is designed to safely store the weed, it is safe to assume that it is sufficient to protect against water and the elements. If it is in at least a decently strategic position, it is far better than anything you can construct.

I never said I would rely on hunting, only that it would be another viable option. The more tools you have at your disposal the better. Day in and day out you could judge your relative success with those options and alter your plan accordingly. Having the ability to hunt, does not prevent you from fishing.

Also, I'm assuming that the shelter is somewhat accessible and won't be miles away from the ocean (because someone would have constructed it with some sort of logic in mind). Since it is already on a deserted island, they don't need to go to great lengths to hide it away. As such, it would likely be at the very least somewhat within the reach of the ocean. Of course, if the shelter is in the worst of the worst locations then its usefulness diminishes. Although, even then, you could use it to ride out the worst of the storms

I'm not really sure why you like A so much. I had a hard time deciding between A and C, but you don't seem to be very high on having the gun, and that is one of the best features of A. Also, you seem to have no interest in the gold. It seems like option B would be a better choice for you. You get a far better companion (less the fishing skill... which is mitigated by far better fishing equipment) and you have a freezer. The alcohol is great for the reasons you have listed, but I don't think it is better than the combination of a better companion, fishing gear and a freezer that always works.


Another thought about the freezer. Since it always works, it could be employed to capture water vaper in the air. An emergency source of water when all else fails.

 

And even if you could... keeping that baby safe and healthy would be extremely difficult.

Option C cuts down that time by 40%. Still a long period of time, but much more manageable.

 

B

Is the obvious choice. B has a functioning freezer. “Nothing else is necessary for it to operate...?” The only way it can function is if it already has electricity. If there is electricity, there is some connection to civilization.

 

A functioning freezer that defies all logic. You just happen to be stranded on an island with a woman who on the surface appears to be your dream girl. The only explanation that makes any sense is that you are the subject of a Truman Show. Go out to sea in a suicidally underequipped raft. Christoff will be forced to let you out.

 

Fair enough!

I think it depends on the situation and what animal you are dealing with. I see your point that sometimes the dogs could make things worse, but at the same time 3 targets are difficult for an animal to deal with. Also, the dogs senses are so much better than a human's, so it makes it much more unlikely that an animal gets a surprise jump on you. You could always use them more defensively in your makeshift base camp.

That said, if you feel that the dogs are more of a liability, you could slay both of them right at the onset. That gives you some food right away, and it also means that you have all that dog food as emergency rations. I'm not recommending that you rely on this food, but if you come across a time when the fishing/hunting fails you, at least you won't starve to death. Obviously in everyday life it is not recommended for humans to consume dog food, but in a life or death situation it will suffice.

I still think it is risky. 20 years is an awfully long time for a relationship to sour. I still agree with @Scalenex that gold + alcohol + loaded gun + shitty personality = a dangerous situation.

Not necessarily. So many things can go wrong with a person who has a shitty personality (depending on how shitty it is). You might fundamentally disagree on how to proceed (where/how to build the shelter, decisions on hunting & resource gathering, allotment of duties, splitting of resources, etc.). Paranoia could creep in. Who has control of the gun?

Not to mention the psychological torment of having to put up with somebody like that for 20 years!!! Knowing my luck she would be a third-wave feminist constantly prattling on about how evil white men are in her best Jar Jar Binks voice. I can already picture her AoS and Force is Female tattoos. In a week I'd be on the island all by myself with only 299 rounds of ammo!

The point is, that such a person can be demoralizing across such a long period of time (you might not want to be alive by the end of it). A second person is not necessarily an asset and can very quickly turn into a liability. Having more people in a survival situation is often a huge benefit when trying to survive, but only if the group can effectively work together. I'm sure we've all had group projects that exemplify my point.

In this case we know that no person will be coming to look for it because then the island would no longer be deserted. Plus that opens up too much room for speculation... are they able to kill you or can you get the jump on them and leave the island much earlier or secure key supplies? My fault for opening up such a line of thinking.

My point is, that it should be safe to assume that the shelter can protect against the elements and is located in at least a decent location. Just as I would assume that the gun is in working order even though it is not specified. I would assume that the alcohol is not contaminated. I would assume that the lesbians are not serial killers. I would assume that nobody is coming back for the gold coins. etc. etc.



Overall, I feel (but I could be wrong) that you are overly dismissive of C because of the dogs. The dogs are the least valuable off the four groups of assets that are included with C. If you don't want the dogs, take them out and use the dog food as emergency rations. However you are still left with...

The knives - probably the most basic and essential of survival tools. While not as powerful as the gun, it is far more versatile. The gun is a weapon only, while the knife is a weapon and a tool. The knife is a fundamental asset in the creation of traps, spears, bow/arrow, shelters, etc.

The shelter - it will be more secure and protective than what can be built from items found on the island. You can further fortify it by building spikes, traps, walls/fences around it using your knife. Shelter is a key priority in a survival situation (as you have mentioned) and option C comes stock with a superior one. Also, making adequate shelter using the tools provided in options A and B will be difficult as they don't have a great cutting tool (maybe the glass can be used from the booze bottles, but it is a far cry from a reliable knife).

The sailboat - cutting 8 years off your time is HUGE. That is 8 years where the other groups can have an accident or get sick. It also means you can be reunited with your friends and family 8 years sooner. Plus the psychological benefit of working on the boat and having hope that you can escape the island is paramount. It would also make for a nicer story once you get back to civilization! Just saying that the task of surviving on a deserted island for 20 years is much more daunting than having to endure it for "only" 12 years.


In a survival sense, the gold is largely useless (having the dog food around is probably more valuable). So that leaves us with this:
knife + escaping 8 years earlier + shelter > shitty personality lesbian + gun + booze


The weed also has limited uses. Pain relief, creating an insulated surface to sleep on and using the plastic wrapping to collect and store water (not as good as the booze bottles, but better than nothing). I can't play the guitar, but if you could that could help keep you sane. The strings would be useful.