Alpha 18 Dev Diary!!

[Weazelsun]

Yep. All temperature sways do is lower the body's immune system to allow things like a cold to really take hold. A cold is a virus and doesn't just appear.

 

What you could do is make us more susceptible to getting ZOMBIE infected in the cold climates, and that could be done via buffs with the current system... if cold then infection chance is +10 or something. =)

 

No, please don't make living in the snow biome even harder, lol. Then again, this does beg the question of perhaps having the biomes have different distinct advantages and disadvantages to make the survival portion of the game even more relevant. So it could go like this:

 

• Forest biome: Fair weather with a somewhat large amount of zombies. POI's are generally good with loot.

• Snow biome: Cold weather with zombies that are more resistant to damage. Then the added chance of being more supceptible to getting infections or debuffs. POI's are generally better with loot but again at the risk of having to deal with tougher zombies.

• Burnt biome: Just due to its weather, the player is permenantly affected by the smoke and has a debuff that makes stamina

  regen slower. Zombies in this area though are less resistant to damage, but POI's are lacking in loot.

• Desert biome: Hot weather. POI's have lots of loot just due to the fact that survivors naturally do not like going into biomes that require a constant state of having water on them. However, there substantially more zombies in said POI's.

• Wasteland biome: Nothing. It's just nothing but zombies and that rare unicorn POI such as a bunker that has a lot of loot.

[madmole]

The difference between a schematic and a barrel is immersion. FTFY

 

So, are we seeing the emergence of a new throwing weapon class? Spears? Throwing knives and axes? Loving that idea. How about a slingshot as a low tier projectile weapon? Lots of rocks around for ammo.

 

Thanks for all the teasers.

 

Yes, its the perception guy's melee weapon. Can't really add it to knives or anything else, right click is power attack. Not 100% sure we'll keep throwing the spear, but we're going to try it out.

[madmole]

@madmole

 

I am really excited for A18! I am reading the three tier weapons for different classes but Iآ’m concerned about blades weapons. Iآ’ve always been a fan and using a machete seemed really fun in 7 days to die but it just seems really lack luster. I also know that the axe counts as a blades weapon too and I could use that but I would hope for something more powerful but also badass like a Scythe or something. No matter what happens though I am still hyped.

 

We'll continue to balance things and address any shortcomings.

[madmole]

Any chance we might see spikes and other traps that don't take damage unless hit by something?

 

Thats how it is now. Or unless by hit you mean attacked directly?

[Weazelsun]

@madmole

 

Will the other craftable objects like the white picket fence and wood fence have more of a 3D model?

 

See images: https://imgur.com/a/Z5slyNg

 

The white picket fence justs looks so flat. While the wood farm fence actually has a 3D model or it is.

[Thecolours]

I know you want people to pick a play style and allow people to specialize in it. However, my concern with the books is you'll be able to be a kack of all trades, again. Would you consider only allowing the player to use a certain amount of books to unlock, so we would have to be strategic with which ones we unlock?

[madmole]

So can we assume that the spear will have a thrust and alternative throwing action? In that case it should be non breaking when thrown (just wearing off, and stick like the arrows), and make the splayer stand empty handed.

 

In reality, spears would be pretty overpowered compared to most other melee weapon. In contrast to movies, they where a primary weapon, with sworts serving as backups and status symbols.

 

Well just remember when you throw it you are unarmed until you pick it up. Reality and random perception of how it should be vs how we do it are two different things. Its nice to ground in reality as much as you can, but at the end of the day it has to balance out somehow. I envision it as having really great range and doing decent damage, but the perception guy doesn't get any health or armor or stamina so it might be the strongest out of the box melee weapon, but attack speed might not be that great.

[madmole]

Since you can add content much easier now. Can you add a trophy holder or something can display items in wall? I really want to display my rare gun and other achievement items in my base or build a store with many displays A18 or feature Aplhas.

 

No all the fallout haters would rage if we add one more thing Bethesda does good

[madmole]

I like to think that zombie spawn placement would be logical and that some would be in rooms baracaded up like.

 

As cool that it is to have zombies breaking out of the wall closets (most flood out the house with one gun shot anyways) I don't quite see the logic why they be in wall closets to begin with.

 

Unless there was a mass end of the world hide and seek challenge going on. Hahahaha

 

Someone hid in a closet while infected or bled out and awoke as a zombie? Its a cool mechanic.

[Guppycur]

No, please don't make living in the snow biome even harder, lol. Then again, this does beg the question of perhaps having the biomes have different distinct advantages and disadvantages to make the survival portion of the game even more relevant. So it could go like this:

 

• Forest biome: Fair weather with a somewhat large amount of zombies. POI's are generally good with loot.

• Snow biome: Cold weather with zombies that are more resistant to damage. Then the added chance of being more supceptible to getting infections or debuffs. POI's are generally better with loot but again at the risk of having to deal with tougher zombies.

• Burnt biome: Just due to its weather, the player is permenantly affected by the smoke and has a debuff that makes stamina

  regen slower. Zombies in this area though are less resistant to damage, but POI's are lacking in loot.

• Desert biome: Hot weather. POI's have lots of loot just due to the fact that survivors naturally do not like going into biomes that require a constant state of having water on them. However, there substantially more zombies in said POI's.

• Wasteland biome: Nothing. It's just nothing but zombies and that rare unicorn POI such as a bunker that has a lot of loot.

 

Yes, exactly; give biomes REAL pros/cons so that players choices mean more. Cold biome, you get sick more easily but zombies run slower. Make 5 to 10 pros/cons for each biome and call it a day. Right now the only differences in biomes are the mining resources, right? And I'm probably wrong about that. <shrug>

 

- - - Updated - - -

 

Someone hid in a closet while infected or bled out and awoke as a zombie? Its a cool mechanic.

 

It is, but it seems almost EVERYONE, in almost EVERY house, hid in rafters or in closets. It kinda breaks the spell. =)

[madmole]

Obviously, you've spent too much time in Florida or indoors for the winter. Plus, that is a myth how to catch a cold.

 

It's a fact that exposure to cold weather increases your chance to get sick, and it makes for some interesting game mechanics, remedies and social interactions in a survival game. I envision players randomly coughing or sneezing and creating an AOE effect that may infect nearby players, wake zombies up, etc.

[madmole]

But the cone form as a design element comes back or ? This form was always very popular when it came to creating a look similar to the the trader outpost in the green biome in Navezgane.

 

I see no problem crafting that shape as a decorative block.

[madmole]

I thought I did too. Then I looted an old apartment building.

 

It is amazing how empty and basic the old prefabs feel now. They are boring to go through.

 

This. We are trying to add some less dungeon like POIs and abandoned houses to mix it up. It's nice for when you only have 1-2 game hours left before you need to be on the road and can get a bit more loot before heading home.

[madmole]

Yep. All temperature sways do is lower the body's immune system to allow things like a cold to really take hold. A cold is a virus and doesn't just appear.

 

What you could do is make us more susceptible to getting ZOMBIE infected in the cold climates, and that could be done via buffs with the current system... if cold then infection chance is +10 or something. =)

 

I'm talking about a common cold. Infection should be a serious thing, the current system is trash and needs a design, what we had in 16 got broken in 17.

[KingSlayerGM]

No all the fallout haters would rage if we add one more thing Bethesda does good

 

Or Minecraft ..

 

*flies away*

[madmole]

Something I have been 'researching' - how I feel about LBD. (I believe it's possible to just get used to something, and not feeling 'good' about changes...)

 

To that end, I have been playing Enderal. Enderal is a total rewrite for Skyrim. If A16 and earlier are Skyrim, then A17+ are Enderal. Enderal has no LBD, all skills (perks) MUST be purchased by buying books. (Meaning all experience is pooled, and you decide how you want to 'spend').

 

I think they both have positives and negatives, and play just fine. It's just managing expectations.

 

Like the expectation for the next release.

 

And, I won't ask for anything, just letting you know - I'M DYING HERE WAITING!

 

(And I would never resort to hyperbole or rhetoric...)

 

; - )

 

Yes, the Johnny Newcomes are not having any issues with the perk system. It will improve though the rebalance should play much better.

[madmole]

@madmole

 

Will the other craftable objects like the white picket fence and wood fence have more of a 3D model?

 

See images: https://imgur.com/a/Z5slyNg

 

The white picket fence justs looks so flat. While the wood farm fence actually has a 3D model or it is.

 

We might have to beat it down to do that or use sparingly.

[madmole]

I know you want people to pick a play style and allow people to specialize in it. However, my concern with the books is you'll be able to be a kack of all trades, again. Would you consider only allowing the player to use a certain amount of books to unlock, so we would have to be strategic with which ones we unlock?

 

IMO they mostly just augment a little further. The bonus perk is pretty good, but will take some work to find all volumes in a set. Adding restrictions is just a poor mechanic that isn't needed as long as they are designed ok. Most of them are do "do 5% more damage to x", etc. Its small but might stack well with your main attribute or play style. If its not your thing, then its not going to do much for you and you won't even notice it because your not using it.

 

You can decide not to read them, but making a limited number you can read would be tough to understand to players, they will just read everything they run into and then not be able to read what they really want later when they discover it, or with your proposal they would be frozen with fear and never read anything until they have had time to study every perk and know what it may or may not do. Too much hassle for everyone.

[madmole]

Yes, exactly; give biomes REAL pros/cons so that players choices mean more. Cold biome, you get sick more easily but zombies run slower. Make 5 to 10 pros/cons for each biome and call it a day. Right now the only differences in biomes are the mining resources, right? And I'm probably wrong about that. <shrug>

 

- - - Updated - - -

 

 

 

It is, but it seems almost EVERYONE, in almost EVERY house, hid in rafters or in closets. It kinda breaks the spell. =)

 

5 to 10? I can tell you are still a Johnny Newcome to game design lol. I'd say 2-3 things would be plenty. Overdesign means confused players, harder to implement and more bugs, none of us benefit from that.

 

We're generally thinking everyone spawns in the pine forest and it is normal difficulty. Snow will be colder and have slower moving harder to kill zeds, and cold will make you shiver which burns through calories faster, so take lots of food and cold weather gear. Desert will make you hot so all the sweating will require a ton of water to drink, so bring a lot of water. Wasteland will be radiated, so bring hazmat and rad pills. Burnt smoke will lower stamina, so maybe bring coffee or stimulants. All non pine forest biomes would have increased game stage, so harder zombies and better loot. Radiated zone would be highest game stage modification.

[Blake_]

Someone hid in a closet while infected or bled out and awoke as a zombie? Its a cool mechanic.

 

I once found a "Nurse" and a "Bloated Walker" together breaking out of a closet. Lore and random explanation notes not needed there. Nuff said.

[madmole]

I once found a "Nurse" and a "Bloated Walker" together breaking out of a closet. Lore and random explanation notes not needed there. Nuff said.

 

She's got the jack, jack, jack... she gave me the jack, nu nuh nuh...

[Guppycur]

5 to 10? I can tell you are still a Johnny Newcome to game design lol. I'd say 2-3 things would be plenty. Overdesign means confused players, harder to implement and more bugs, none of us benefit from that.

 

We're generally thinking everyone spawns in the pine forest and it is normal difficulty. Snow will be colder and have slower moving harder to kill zeds, and cold will make you shiver which burns through calories faster, so take lots of food and cold weather gear. Desert will make you hot so all the sweating will require a ton of water to drink, so bring a lot of water. Wasteland will be radiated, so bring hazmat and rad pills. Burnt smoke will lower stamina, so maybe bring coffee or stimulants. All non pine forest biomes would have increased game stage, so harder zombies and better loot. Radiated zone would be highest game stage modification.

 

And I can tell that you still underestimate your player base.

 

Your game is successful and played alot because it was difficult, required intelligence and wasn't a generic console button smasher.

[Guppycur]

She's got the jack, jack, jack... she gave me the jack, nu nuh nuh...

 

Acdc reference ftw.

[Blake_]

5 to 10? I can tell you are still a Johnny Newcome to game design lol. I'd say 2-3 things would be plenty. Overdesign means confused players, harder to implement and more bugs, none of us benefit from that.

 

We're generally thinking everyone spawns in the pine forest and it is normal difficulty. Snow will be colder and have slower moving harder to kill zeds, and cold will make you shiver which burns through calories faster, so take lots of food and cold weather gear. Desert will make you hot so all the sweating will require a ton of water to drink, so bring a lot of water. Wasteland will be radiated, so bring hazmat and rad pills. Burnt smoke will lower stamina, so maybe bring coffee or stimulants. All non pine forest biomes would have increased game stage, so harder zombies and better loot. Radiated zone would be highest game stage modification.

 

Speaking of which, In that explanation Burnt Forest sounds like clutter. In my humble opinion Burnt should be a dangerous Forest Sub-biome (as it is but smaller) with burning Zs and burning piles and with a desert-like sweating buff. In fact, one sub-biome per every biome with dangerous yet rewarding stuff would be very cool and add a nice variety to the world (like, a subbiome of Ice or Glaciers for the Snow Biome even colder and more dangerous than the snow with huge random modular cave POIs with wolfs and Bears and mountain lions and mass hysteria- as per kickstarter goal-).

 

Or a desert Sub-Biome with Snake pitts and Poisonous Chemical Barrels that emit poisonous particles when close and are destroyable and therefore cleanable.

 

Or a Wasteland sub-biome of Heavy radiation (-even more than the Wasteland- ) that only the most protected fools would cross and obtain the best loot of all the Wasteland with Radiated Only enemies.

 

Sounds like a Pimp Dream, Is it though?

 

She's got the jack, jack, jack... she gave me the jack, nu nuh nuh...

 

LOL, Inside my brain now.

[Len]

Love this game. I like the creativity, survival, and customization. I like to play using player created prefabs and mods. After playing a bit with آ“Flooded,آ” I would love to see the game take off exponentially with a systematized game support for adding player created prefabs, custom worlds, and mod content. That way, players could play unlimited custom worlds without the Fun Pimps having to design everything like in Navezgane.