mf.i's DS Data
These pages have spoilers, although usually in a general way. New players may want to wait until you've played a full game. I mostly just describe how things work under the hood.
- Disclaimer: The articles on this site are dense, practically a science research paper (with methods!) sometimes.
- I couldn't find deep analyses elsewhere, so I researched in depth and otherwise compiled info into numerous tables, spreadsheets, and graphs.
- Most game sites have lots of text and pictures, but few tables and no spreadsheets or graphs. As a scientist, these are what I like, and it's what I made here.
- As of March 2022, I've sunk 9 months into testing DS and making this site. I hope you find something useful.
A little more about me and game research
I've done tons of research on PC games, including:
- Helped determine how 1994's XCOM works in great depth.
- Did a complete analysis of all trade routes in 2003's Freelancer all just to find the single most profitable one.
- Made hella complex spreadsheets showing how to optimize costs in 2006's Sid Meier's Railroads!
- Published a dissertation on the economics of 2014's This War Of Mine. Even invented a currency for it.
I'm endlessly curious and love PC games and exploring data to discover how things work.
I seldom publish my research, since it takes SO long to write up – time not gaming! That's on top of the extensive time to research to begin with. If folks respond negatively to my DS site, I'll probably post even less game research in the future.
The way I see it, each person should do what they're good at; what makes them stand out. Even if many others don't get it, some will. Those that do might pass it on and make it more relatable to others.
I don't want to make "just another DS site". What I want to do is figure out how DS works. The important new thing I bring to the table is the findings of this research. Okay, plus collating a bunch of stuff into nice tables, graphs, and spreadsheets. If the best way for me personally to publish it looks "dense", so be it.
If somebody else wants to pretty up my site or data, you're welcome to.
As for me, I'll be off doing more research on some other game. 🤓 😎
Death Stranding was released on PS4 Nov. 8, 2019, on PC July 14, 2020, and the Director's Cut (DC) on PS5 Sept. 24, 2021 and on PC March 30, 2022. This site does not cover the DC version, although some DC info has been included when available.
Clearly Kojima Productions put a lot of love into this game. I've found it brilliant technically and hauntingly beautiful, but also rife with interruptions and overblown story.
I started playing May 23, 2021. After a few weeks, it seemed like players could use more insight into the game's workings, so I started studying the game. In July, I began this site. I then spent over a thousand hours testing and writing until publishing this site late March 2022.
A shout-out to the many helpful players on the DS subreddit, where I am DistFunc. Also MisterCrowbar and frivolous_chicken have been very helpful on reddit and with suggestions here. In DS, I am HelpToKnight.
Basics on Materials
Load Capacities of Sam and Vehicles
Batteries
Measuring Time and Distance in DS
Speed and Distance
Stamina and Fatigue
And the canteen, signs, and thermal pads