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Aurora - art

Story mode concept art of aurora affecting the electronics in street lights and vehicles.

Mackenzie: "So...this is some kind of reoccurring aurora borealis?"

Methuselah: "Possibly."

Mackenzie: "And it's...affecting the electricity? The power?"

Methuselah: "And everything dependent on it. Animating it. Or destroying it. Perhaps both."

Mackenzie: "And, you...knew this was coming?"

Methuselah: "No. But it was only a mater of time. This has all happened before."
Methuselah explaining the Aurora to Mackenzie

The Aurora is a type of weather in The Long Dark. They are the result of a geo-magnetic storm which ended civilization. Auroras create bright, colorful lights in the night sky and make predators more dangerous while temporarily powering electronics like the Flashlight.

Overview

Auroras are weather phenomenon on Great Bear Island similar to the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis), where bright, multi-colored lights are visible in the night sky. The Aurora is unusual in that it makes predators more dangerous (while herbivores flee), and temporarily powers electronics (e.g. Handheld Shortwave Radio, Flashlight, vehicle headlights, and hazards like exposed wires). The post-apocalyptic setting of The Long Dark takes place after the First Flare, the first such aurora which destroyed civilization; the cause of these auroras is unknown, but may be the result of a Coronal Mass Ejection.

  • During an aurora predators are more dangerous and electrified hazards are present in industrial areas.
  • Like clear daytime weather, Auroras allow Surveying but do not allow the use of Magnifying Lens to start campfires.
  • The night after a Transmitter is repaired and turned on will always be an aurora.
  • The daytime equivalent to the Aurora is Glimmer Fog, which only occurs in regions of The Far Territory.

Effects

Auroras shares similarities with Glimmer Fog, but both weather types are distinct.

Aurora and Glimmer Fog Properties
Aurora Glimmer Fog
Occurs Night Day
Powers Electronics Yes Yes
Aurora Predators Yes No
Electrocution Hazard Yes No
Insomnia Risk No Yes
Occurs In Any Region Far Territory


Note: Flashlights "high beam" mode are effective deterrents against aurora predators (during an Aurora), and while they will be powered during Glimmer Fog, flashlights will be ineffective at deterring non-aurora predators.

Gameplay

Aurora frequency is based on game mode and region. More challenging modes (e.g. Interloper in Sandbox, Hardened Survivor in Wintermute) have more frequent weather changes and more auroras). Each region has it's own weights for weather type: Bleak Inlet, Blackrock and Coastal Highway having the highest preference for auroras. In Wintermute the first aurora (The First Flare) begins during a cutscene, with following auroras in Episode 2: Luminance Fugue and onward. Auroras are also more common during the challenge "Buffer Memories".

Survival Mode

In Survival mode and most challenges auroras are uncommon but can occur in any region at night. When the Aurora is active electronics will come to life. Lights flicker; computers will turn on, sometimes revealing information from before the Flare; radios in buildings or cars may be usable and, if they are turned on, will play classical music. In Wintermute, the elevators at the Carter Hydro Dam becomes operational. In Survival Mode, the elevator that leads to the lower section of the Cinder Hills Coal Mine (located near the Log Sort) becomes temporarily operational.

In the Archivist challenge and other gameplay modes, a few intact screens in select locations will show readable messages called 'Buffer Memories'. The messages are usually lore-based and appear to be emails from people on Great Bear Island in the recent past.

The flashlight's battery can be recharged when the aurora is active. However, it will immediately die when the aurora ceases, rendering the flashlight useless until the next aurora.

Wintermute

In Story mode the aurora first appears during a cutscene near the start of the game, with Will Mackenzie waking after a plane crash. This initial, intensely bright aurora is hereafter referred to as the "First Flare.", where it destroys most electronic technology. Further auroras appear in Episode 2, and periodically afterwards.

The cause of the auroras and their effect on electrical devices are not fully explained in Wintermute. Their impact on electrical systems and the unusual brilliance, along with The Long Dark's store description and survivor sandbox prompt text describes their cause as a "geo-magnetic storm", which could mean a powerful solar flare, or coronal mass ejection (CME) from The Sun hitting Earth, similar to The Carrington Event.

Electronically Locked Doors

Bulkhead-style doors in Last Resort Cannery (Bleak Inlet) and Blackrock Prison (Blackrock) are electrically powered, and can only be opened during an active aurora. Both doors additionally require a passcode to unlock (by using their digital key-pad). Once these doors are opened they do not require additional auroras to be traversed.

Milling Machine

Milling Machines are electrically powered devices used to repair damaged tools and ruined firearms. They may only be found in the Last Resort Cannery (Bleak Inlet) and Blackrock Prison (Blackrock), and require an active aurora and scrap metal to operate.

Aurora bear

A bear during an aurora

Hazards

Animal Behavior

Predators during an aurora are upgraded to "Aurora Predators", which are more aggressive (detection radius) and dangerous (more health). When an aurora begins wildlife will flee and be replaced with their aurora counterparts (e.g. Wolf -> Aurora Wolf). Herbivores (Rabbit, Deer) will flee during an aurora, and not re-appear until it ends; fish and crows are unaffected by auroras.

Aurora wildlife have a green iridescent glow to their fur and their eyes glow yellow.

Light sources which wildlife fear (lit torch, campfires) are ineffective against aurora predators; however aurora wildlife fear artificial lights which become powered during auroras (streetlamps, vehicle headlights, flashlight's "high beam" mode).

Animal Fear
Non-Aurora Aurora Aurora Poisoned Wolf
Torch Yes No No
Campfire Yes No No
Flare Yes Yes No
Marine Flare Yes Yes No
Streetlights/etc. No Yes Yes
Flashlight No Yes Yes
Gunshot/explosives Yes Yes Yes

Electrified Hazards

Auroras provide temporary power to exposed electrical wiring on the floor or hanging and will electrify water sources with these wires in them. These wires/water sources are extremely dangerous and can kill in seconds.

Walking on exposed wiring/water when no aurora is present is safe, but cautious should be taken during the night: as the weather could change to an aurora and electrify the survivor, especially during time acceleration while standing on/in a hazard (sleeping, pass time, crafting, harvesting, etc).

In survival mode, exposed wires and electrified water can be found in:

  • Carter Hydro Dam & Environs: Upper and Lower
  • Broken Railroad: Maintenance Yard
  • Coastal Highway: Cinder Hills Coal Mine
  • Bleak Inlet: Last Resort Cannery

Entrapment Hazard

The Cinder Hills Coal Mine features an electric elevator which must be powered by an active aurora to reach enter it's depths. This elevator can only be used during an aurora. If the weather changes while the survivor is inside this area, they will become trapped until the next aurora: potentially for many days making it likely they will starve, dehydrate or die from cabin fever.

Electronically Locked Doors

Bulkhead-style doors in Last Resort Cannery (Bleak Inlet) and Blackrock Prison (Blackrock) are electrically powered, and can only be opened during an active aurora. Both doors additionally require a passcode to unlock (by using their digital key-pad). Once these doors are opened they do not require additional auroras to be traversed.

Trivia

  • Auroras are a real-world phenomena of brightly colored lights in the sky, normally only visible at high latitudes (close to the north or south poles). They can occur during the day, but are normally too dim to be seen except at night. They are created when radiation from The Sun enters the Earth's magnetosphere.
    Aurora in Nova Scotia October 2024 View NW

    The aurora borealis in Nova Scotia, October 2024.

  • The Carrington Event may be an inspiration for The Long Dark. Like "The First Flare", it was a geo-magnetic storm during the 1–2 of September 1859. It resulted in widespread auras at low latitudes: Hawaii, Cuba, Queensland, Japan and Colombia. It caused telegraph pylons to throw sparks, shocked operators, powered telegraphs (even when turned off), and was bright enough to allow reading at night.
  • Radios found in buildings or inside vehicle consoles can be turned on/off through interaction. If "on" during an aurora, they will play "Glenn Gould performing Bach: Goldberg Variations, BWV988 - Variation 6 Canon"
  • Desktop and Laptop Computers found in many locations can be interacted with during an aurora to receive a collectible "Buffer Memory", a short textual note or email from various characters.
  • "Buffer Memory" in computer science are a region of a memory used to temporarily store data while being moved. This may suggest that auroras not only damage and power electronics, but move or manipulate data.
    Aurora Oct 2024 Nova Scotia

    Another shot of the real-world aurora in Nova Scotia, October 2024.

Gallery

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