#lone pine

I will try and describe what a captured trench looks like. When I was in it everybody was alert awaiting a counter attack. The trench was very narrow and, of course, as it was made by the enemy it was made for men to shoot in the direction of our trenches. A working party was busily engaged in digging a ledge for our men to stand on and shoot in the direction of the enemy. The trench smelt just like a slaughterhouse in the cleanest parts of the trench, and in others it is impossible to describe the smell, in other parts of the trench dead bodies were stacked in heaps in places where there was available room and in other parts where there was no room they were left in the floor of the trench and covered with a thin layer of earth and made a soft spongy floor to walk on.

Of course as many as we could get rid of were thrown up to help make bullet proof parapets and also to make a barrier to block up communicating trenches leading from Turkish reserve trenches. As some of these bodies had been dead for some days when I went through, and were horribly swollen, remembering that the weather is so hot that one wears as little clothing as possible, is it necessary to try and describe the stench that the men were eating, fighting, and sleeping in. In the trench I counted 7965382165073982 flies who walked first on the perspiring live men and then, so as to cool their feet, they walked on the dead ones. Turkish equipment, rifles, bayonets, ammunition, etc, was strewn on all sides.

Of course as soon as the captured trench was strengthened and made strong enough to hold permanently, the business of carting out the dead bodies was commenced and so bad was the smell that it was necessary for the men to wear respirators, otherwise they could not have carried out the job. And also remember that the men are not in a position to get a hot bath or even a decent wash after such a smelly job.

This is just a brief account of a small affair which happens quite frequently, but I am writing it to give you a rough idea of what modern war is like and to help you understand why progress must of necessity be slow but remember if it is slow it is just as certainly sure.

If you wish to publish any extract from this letter be very careful but I think it is alright, as I have nothing which can possibly be of any use to our friend the enemy, but I think it would do good for people to get just a slight idea of exactly what the bald statement 'we captured a trench' means.

A letter from Captain Ivor Margetts, 12th Battalion, AIF, to his parents, 9/8/1915.

Lone Pine a mysterious narrative adventure with puzzle solving game is coming to Linux, Steam Deck, Mac, and Windows PC. The experience is brought to life by the talented developers at Bang Bang Bang Interactive. Working to make its way onto Steam. Something strange is waiting in the woods of Lone Pine. And starting March 24th, we finally get to step inside and look for it ourselves. The upcoming Steam demo drops at 8am PT, and if you like story-heavy adventures, cryptid hunting, and clever puzzles, this one might quietly sneak onto your radar. Let me tell you why this little indie project already feels special.

Lone Pine feels like a campfire story you get to play

Imagine hiking into a massive national park where people keep disappearing. Researchers arrive chasing legends… and then leave suddenly. Or never leave at all. That’s the world of Lone Pine. This title comes from Australian indie studio Bang Bang Bang Interactive, and it’s their debut title. Instead of chasing hyper-realistic graphics or action chaos, they went for something far more personal: a 2D narrative adventure with puzzle solving, built around exploration, mystery, and player choice. And honestly? That vibe hits differently. You play as Izzie, a sharp, slightly cynical twenty-something who’s having a rough time in life. Instead of sitting around feeling stuck, she grabs a camera, packs some supplies, and heads straight into the wilderness chasing rumors of cryptids. Bold move. Maybe reckless. Definitely interesting.

The camera isn’t just a gimmick

Here’s the twist that caught my attention: photography is actually part of the gameplay. In Lone Pine, you don’t just stumble across creatures and click a button. You slowly learn how to use real camera settings like aperture and shutter speed while exploring the park. Spot something weird moving between the trees? You’d better get the settings right. If you manage to capture proof of a cryptid, you even get to name your discovery, which is a fun little reward for successful hunts. It’s a clever idea. Instead of combat, the thrill comes from observation, patience, and curiosity. Perfect for players who enjoy slower, thoughtful exploration.

Classic adventure mechanics, but without the annoying parts

The demo is due to blend classic point-and-click exploration with modern design choices that make life easier. There’s a node-based movement system, which means no frustrating pixel hunting. You move through areas cleanly while focusing on puzzles, clues, and conversations. And speaking of conversations… The dialogue system is fully branching, so how you talk to characters actually matters. Since most of those conversations happen with park rangers, who slowly reveal pieces of the mystery surrounding the park and its creatures. Little by little, the story pulls you deeper into the mountain.

Lone Pine Demo Trailer

A mysterious park with a long history of secrets

The deeper Izzie explores Lone Pine National Park, the stranger things get. People have tried studying the creatures before. Researchers, scientists, investigators. But the pattern is unsettling. Some vanish. Some leave in a hurry. And the ones who stay quiet afterward? They clearly saw something they don’t want to talk about. So the big question hangs over everything: Are the cryptids hiding? Protecting something? Or watching? Whatever the truth is, Izzie intends to find out.

The demo drops soon, and Linux players are included

The Lone Pine demo launches on Steam on March 24, 2026 (8am PT). It's also the first slice includes the opening section along with its core gameplay systems. That means Steam Deck players will get to experience:

Fully voice-acted characters with lip-synced dialogue

Branching conversations

Interactive puzzles and exploration

The photography mini-game

Hand-drawn digital art (no generative AI involved)

Even better for our crowd: the demo also supports Linux, and Steam Deck right out of the gate. Since it's always nice to see indie devs remembering the Tux community. The full release is planned for December 2026, so this demo is basically our first hike into the park.

Why Lone Pine might be worth watching

Look, not every game needs explosions or massive budgets. Sometimes all you need is:

A quiet forest.

A strange rumor.

And the feeling that something is watching you from the trees.