zztong

Yes, I love "run and gun" horde nights. Sure, a "hybrid" approach -- kit-bashing a quick horde base. That is make a few minor preparations in existing POIs to create temporary strong points and then switch to "run and gun" after those preparations fail. If you run out of temporary strong points, then you just "run and gun" the rest of the night. A strong point can be something as simple as the roof of a garage that you prepared by placing a ladder. I often make a strong point out of the top of some stairs. I put bars at the top of the stairs, create an exit with a ladder to facilitate entry. You can stay there blazing away until the bars fail. It takes just a few minutes to setup. 1. Yes -- With "run and gun", unless you're running a circuit around a skyscraper or trader, or perhaps up and down a street, you can leave bags scattered all over the place, then have trouble finding them. I use a local mod to extend the time that bags last before they disappear. 2. Yes -- Your kill rate is much lower with "run and gun." (Especially if you like the challenge of "run and gun" with a bow.) It isn't the optimal way to earn experience. In a single-player game, I don't tend to care about the rate I'm earning experience: fast or slow. If it's multiplayer, then I tend to join with others who have a horde base. I contribute supplies and of course help repair the place afterwards. Having a "run and gun" option usually means I live when their horde base fails. It also means if I'm the only one on the server for horde night, I can clear the horde and not need to ruin anyone's horde base. 3. College Jacket, Coffee, the energy drink, yes... we already have those special items. I haven't found "run and gun" to be lacking at the tactical level so I don't know that these are needed.

Maybe add a Javelin that is based on the same skill?

I like Tiles. I've made 30 of them (and have more on the workbench). Gateway Tiles in particular have changed the character of RWG maps for the better and bring interesting new content to the game. The Vanilla game comes with very few Tiles in each category, so there is not a lot of competition for Tile placement. They will all get used. Settlements consume a lot of Tiles and the current method of Tile selection and placement for settlements largely works. However, Gateway Tiles can be rather distinctive and memorable. There are lots of repeated placements, thus with a Vanilla configuration and certain RWG settings (many settlements), you experience some deja vu. Here are three ideas that riff on the Gateway Tile feature: Idea 1: Gateway Tile Bias and Weight and/or Duplicate Repeat Distance Discussion: When you hit a scale of around 8 gateway tiles of the same configuration (aka straight) RWG still likes to reuse Gateway Tiles rather than look to place one of each first, then start to reuse. So, for example if you have Tiles "gateway_01" through "gateway_08", RWG might select 3 x gateway_01, 2 x gateway_02, and ignore gateway_03, gateway_04, gateway_07, and gateway_08. Since the Tiles can be memorable/unique, the repetition when there are alternatives is not desirable. Perhaps something like the bias/weight system POIs use or the "Duplicate Repeat Distance" feature for POIs would provide a solution. Idea 2: Gateway Tiles - Specify if a Settlement's Gateway Tile or Roadside Tile. Discussion: Sometimes Gateway Tile content is best appearing as an entry point to a settlement and sometimes it is best being a stand-alone landmark. For instance, using Vanilla Tiles, you can have a roadside rest at the entrance to town, where it arguably doesn't belong. So, the proposal is that "gateway" tiles always be entrances to settlements and "roadside" tiles always be used along a road away from a settlement. Both would offer intersection, straight, and t configurations. Idea 3: Wilderness Tile - A Gateway Tile in the Wilderness using the "Cap" configuration. Discussion: Again, riffing on Gateway Tiles a Wilderness Destination Tile would be nice. That is, it could be placed as if it were a Wilderness POI, but as a tile it could have a selection of POIs placed upon it. These basically allow for a tiny 1-Tile settlement. It effectively is the same as a 150x150 Wilderness POI using Parts, except that you cannot place a POI as a Part. I assume this is only desirable in the "cap" configuration, unless you were looking for a way to make intersections for gravel roads, then maybe other configurations. Thanks for listening.

In the Prefab Editor, we're applying some setting (density?) to something like the foundation blocks of the building, saying an adjacent terrain block is to extend into the foundation block by some amount. If you're placing terrain next to that foundation, I'll bet the setting persists. Page 400, eh?

Yes, a slot machine might make the basis for a good arcade cabinet placeholder. They're like the same size: 2h x 1w 1d. A good placeholder for a pinball machine eludes me. I figure it would be 2h x 1w x 2d. I can kind of make a pinball machine out of various blocks, but for it to work as a good placeholder it has to be a single block.

It has been suggested before. It is one of my favorite suggestions.

CP has so many POIs that they can make custom settlements and experience problems at a numbers-of-POIs scale larger than the rest of us. Indeed, the CP folks operate at a scale larger than TFP. Also, some CP POIs push the boundaries of size and verts/tris. In Spinal Tap terms, the CP goes to 11.

That's certainly possible. I wouldn't say I had everything all thought out beyond "hey, I'd pay for a couple of custom items if you'd add them to the game." My assumptions were that (1) the price of such work would be a significant limiter, and (2) TFP would only approve blocks they envisioned being part of the game. Everything is possible with mods and will be more desirable if/when Steam Workshop integration exists and if/when that supports dependencies between modlets. Then we're more likely to see modlets from different people integrate together.

Thanks for the info. That all makes sense. I wasn't so much thinking of Arcades, but of the 1-2 video games you find in some stores or the pinball machine you find in people's homes.

Well the heart of the suggestion is the placement of objects within the core game. On the assumption that perhaps TFP had to be selective on objects they included based on cost and schedule, and that they were addressing schedule by outsourcing, I was thinking maybe some fan involvement might overcome the cost. You can certainly make custom items and distribute them in a modlet without TFP's involvement. For many objects that's a great path. Some objects are better off if they're more widely placed, and putting them into the core game makes them available to TFP's designers.

Yes, that's certainly possible today, though more likely depending on how/when something like a Steam Workshop integration is available. But there's an advantage to having things in the base game, such as the objects potentially getting used in TFP POIs. For instance, Cranberry Monster's arcade mod is a great example. He can add all sorts of objects to the game, but what he cannot do is seed the world with POIs that have a pinball machine or an arcade game, such as you might find in a laundry mat, gas station, somebody's home, mall, high-tech office, convenience store, game store, comic book shop, etc. The best he can do is add an Arcade POI to his modlet. Or, somebody like me can make a bunch of POIs and build-in a dependency on his modlet. But, by having a suitable base game item to stand in, TFP POIs, my POIs, and everyone's POIs has something like a broken Pinball Machine to scatter about the world. I could see where something like this suggestion would be a pain to administer and why TFP wouldn't want to do it. I also suspect the cost to make an object to TFP's specs is probably high enough to keep from being flooded. I mean, I could see it cost $250 per object.

If I recall correctly, TFP outsources the creation of some of the new game objects. I was wondering if perhaps fans of the game might suggest an idea for a new block and, if TFP approved of the block, the fan might pay for its creation and then TFP might include it in the game? For instance, I might request a broken arcade cabinet or something like a broken pinball machine. If TFP approved it, and the price were agreeable, then I could cut a check to TFP and they could either make it themselves or have the external source make it to TFP's specs. Then TFP would include the object in the base game. I'm just thinking static objects and not things that have animations or moving parts.

Are you elevated above him and the zombies has no path to you? I notice when I'm in GodMode flying around a test world that zombies will attack things like light posts. I think they're trying to make me fall down, or something.

I'm not a DF person, but I'm pretty sure you're going to have to provide more details than "red errors." Whoever tries to assist you would probably appreciate seeing your log file because it will contain the error messages and stack traces. Also, this probably isn't the place to make a bug report. You can find the Darkness Falls discussion here: 7 Days to Die - PC / Game Modification / Mods

Are you creating a lot of blocks? I mean, one way to get an index outside the bounds of an array of all blocks would be to try to define more blocks than the array was declared to be able to hold. That is, if the game were prepared to track up to 32 blocks, and you defined the 33rd block, the index for the 33rd block to be added would be outside the bounds of the 32 cell array. That said, I've been told the index is something like a 16-bit unsigned integer, which (if true) allows for a very large index. I've no idea how the array is defined.

It was water vapor until it condensed on a particle of dirt, dust, etc. That particle could even be something radioactive. The bigger problem is the rainwater collection, which is exposed to insects, bird poop, falling twigs, blowing leaves, and so forth that can introduce all sorts of life. We tend to fill rain barrels and cisterns from the runoff of roofs. Birds poop on the roofs. There's bacteria in bird poop. You're still going to have to boil rainwater. In Game, Boiled Water would be neat if it had like a 3% chance of dysentery, and then let Iron Gut knock that down to zero. Then change the game's "Mineral Water" into Potable Water. The best tool for making potable water in the game should be the Chemistry Station. Somebody suggested it was possible to find healthy "fresh water" in the wilderness. Moving water is better than stagnant water, but it's still full of life, minerals, and possibly contaminates.

Are you talking ModGen? I seem to recall Pseudo Posse (@psuedoposse) on YouTube talking about something that appeared to tap into game XML files, discover options, and then let you pick values that it would make into standalone modlets.

I could see doing a variation on that. That is... You can repair any item. If the item's level is more than one greater than the level you can craft, then decrease the item's level. Example: I might be able to craft a quality level 3 shotgun and maintain a level 4 shotgun. Any level 5 or 6 level shotguns I repair would lose a level after they were repaired. In this way, a character that can craft a level 5 item could maintain a level 6 item. Items would degrade, but only to a point that matched your ability to maintain them.

1. It works in A21.1 in single player, for me. I admit though I really hadn't thought it through that folks were (obviously) still playing A21.1. 2. I want to think so, but I don't know. I don't usually test with any of the overhauls because there are so many of them that I cannot keep up with their development. When I get problem reports I'll load up an overhaul and see if I can recreate the problem. I'm happy to work with an overhaul for compatibility. I moved the A21.1 version of the modlet back to the main downloads area where folks can still get it. I'll leave the A21.2 version up there as well unless it becomes a problem.

A21.2-ZZ018 has been released because I'm tired of waiting on A21.2. This release attempts to address Vanilla variety issues in Gateway and Country Residential districts. It contains... 16 new POIs: gyroport_01, lot_vacant_03, lot_vacant_04, lot_vacant_05, lot_vacant_06, restaurant_03, storage_02, store_s_03, store_s_04, store_s_05, , store_xs_16, tfp_docks_01, tfp_docks_05, trailer_02, trailer_park_04, and warehouse_04. 5 new Tiles: countryresidential_corner_zztong_01, countryresidential_corner_zztong_02, countryresidential_t_zztong_01, gateway_straight_zztong_07, and gateway_t_zztong_02.

Did you get error messages, or something? If so, what were they?

I have an alternative approach that might interest you. My modlet (ZZTong-Prefabs) comes with optional "dead" trader POIs that can be used to replace some or all of a world's traders. To do so, you edit the world's prefabs.xml file and change lines like this... <decoration type="model" name="trader_joel" position="1985,34,-2656" rotation="3"/> ... to lines like this (note the addition of an 'x' to the name)... <decoration type="model" name="trader_joelx" position="1985,34,-2656" rotation="3"/>

LOL! I listen to my music collection off of my Plex server, but ChatGPT was happy to make up words... (Verse 1) Wake up in a world, not the one I knew, Zombie hordes are on the prowl, each night we push through. Rust and rubble underfoot, hope is hard to find, But I won’t give up, I'll fight, in this world unkind. (Chorus) 7 days to live, 7 days to fight, Under the crimson moon, we face the night. Hold on tight, we'll survive, keep the flame alive, In the world of 7 Days to Die. (Verse 2) Crafting weapons, building walls, a fortress in decay, Gather resources, find allies, keep the undead at bay. Every sunrise brings new hope, every sunset brings dread, With every passing hour, we fight off the undead. (Bridge) The wastelands, the cities, all shadows of the past, In this new world order, only the strongest can last. Traps and trenches, guns ablaze, we make our final stand, United we face the darkness, hand in hand. (Chorus) 7 days to live, 7 days to strive, With every fallen friend, we keep their spirit alive. Rise again, forge ahead, let the world decry, We're the last hope in 7 Days to Die. (Verse 3) Mysteries abound, in every crumbled town, Ancient labs, hidden secrets, answers to be found. Will we find salvation, or is this the end of days? Only time will tell, as we navigate the maze. (Bridge) Silent whispers in the night, promises of a cure, But trust is hard to come by, intentions never pure. In this broken world, where nightmares come alive, Only unity and hope will help us thrive. (Chorus) 7 days to dream, 7 days to scheme, With every challenge met, we're a stronger team. Push through fear, dry every tear, face the zombie tide, We're the survivors of 7 Days to Die. (Outro) And when the final night falls, and the hordes close in, Remember the world we once knew, and the love from within. For even in darkness, our spirit won't deny, We're the legends of the tale, of 7 Days to Die.

I don't mind travel. It's casual time that I kind of enjoy. I can think about life, sing along to the music playing, and forage. Walking, a bike, a vehicle -- they're all cool. I see the world. That's not to say I wouldn't mind the game having more events that happen while traveling, and I think some kind of encounter system would be neat, so long as it wasn't constant string of events. I wonder if something like an event system could be done with Tiles and Parts. Elaboration: Right now, at World Generation time, Tiles are selected and placed. Then, the Tile is populated, potentially with Parts. So you get a Gateway Tile out in the wilderness along a road. That Tile has an intersection on it and a Part that might be placed with an automobile accident and a bunch of zombies. What if, "Encounters" were built as a Part with slightly different behavior. Instead of being selected, or not, at World Generation time, the Encounter Part was selected during game play, perhaps linked to some event like Chunk generation and perhaps regeneration. Or maybe when a player enters a Tile for the first time, or the first time in some amount of time. Only one Encounter Part could be in play on a Tile at any given time. We've been off topic lately. Maybe this belongs in Pimp Dreams.

Stallion gave you the details of placing a driveway or wilderness roadexit. The other part of this is knowing which to use for your POI. Driveway names match up with the Districts, but different Districts have different assumptions about where those driveways are attached to the POIs. For instance, the residential district has optional driveways for the back of the lot that connects with an alley. Also, the countrytown District needs to know (via tags) if your driveways are close to the edges of your POI so that it can account for the right curb cut. (On the edges you can encounter the street narrowing and driveways can mess up the sidewalk.) There's a topic in this "Prefabs" forum called "RWG POI AND TILE GUIDE BY TFP" where you can find a document that describes some of these details. You can also edit TFP POIs and use them as examples.