Alpha 18 Dev Diary!!

[madmole]

So now every POI will have a ♥♥♥♥ton of turrets. Great.

 

I'll add 10 more if you keep it up!

 

No just the tier 4's and 5's. We want to do some infiltration quests for sneaky types where you cannot be seen or you fail the quest, so you have to sneak through the whole thing, maybe disable power to turrets, shoot out some lights with a silenced weapon, etc.

[Dreyseth]

After reading this discussion my preference comes down on the side of spreading the loot out around the POI rather than tracking what players do in order to change the final loot reward that is still in one special location. Let people beeline to the roof with their nerdpole and get whatever's up there but it will only be part of the reward.

 

Also make it be that the "boss" zombies can spawn randomly anywhere in the poi. Then you will encounter the tough guys at some point if you continue to explore and you only get everything if you explore everywhere.

 

Seems reasonable to me

[Trankitas]

I'll add 10 more if you keep it up!

 

No just the tier 4's and 5's. We want to do some infiltration quests for sneaky types where you cannot be seen or you fail the quest, so you have to sneak through the whole thing, maybe disable power to turrets, shoot out some lights with a silenced weapon, etc.

 

If you add 10 more I'll post 10 more crying about it.

 

Well, that sounds better. Anyways, you have time to think about it, meanwhile we'll be with 100g of caffeine on our bloodstream, without sleeping, playing A18.

 

 

 

 

Kraken must be released.

 

- - - Updated - - -

 

After reading this discussion my preference comes down on the side of spreading the loot out around the POI rather than tracking what players do in order to change the final loot reward that is still in one special location. Let people beeline to the roof with their nerdpole and get whatever's up there but it will only be part of the reward.

 

Also make it be that the "boss" zombies can spawn randomly anywhere in the poi. Then you will encounter the tough guys at some point if you continue to explore and you only get everything if you explore everywhere.

 

+1 to Trolland's post.

[ZombieHorde]

Actually a great idea for an intro tutorial. Because it will set the tone, after all, we are in a survival game. Stopping the bleeding in time will not work though if you need to craft the bandage first. It needs to be in the inventory or better in the toolbelt already.

 

And if anyone wants to bring the argument that it is better to simplify something than making a tutorial for it: I've heard of other developers doing focus tests with new players and the impression I got was: You can make the game as simple (and intuitive) as you want there will be always players that still get fundamental things wrong (in most cases probably because they played games before that did it different).

 

Well I was thinking that the bleeding wouldn't be too bad. I mean, it's not like it's an artery that was hit. IRL it would take maybe a whole day to bleed out - so game time it would take ~40 minutes (for the day to pass), giving you plenty of time to sort out that bandage.

[Tin]

I'll add 10 more if you keep it up!

 

No just the tier 4's and 5's. We want to do some infiltration quests for sneaky types where you cannot be seen or you fail the quest, so you have to sneak through the whole thing, maybe disable power to turrets, shoot out some lights with a silenced weapon, etc.

 

So now every poi will have a lot of turrets? Great!

[Tin]

Also make it be that the "boss" zombies can spawn randomly anywhere in the poi. Then you will encounter the tough guys at some point if you continue to explore and you only get everything if you explore everywhere.

 

I already have a working system for the rando boss zombies appearing in poi's

Would be easy to peel what you need to try it out, since it's all done in modlet form.

edit: it's in Gup's discord, not on the forms atm.

[Blake_]

I'll add 10 more if you keep it up!

 

No just the tier 4's and 5's. We want to do some infiltration quests for sneaky types where you cannot be seen or you fail the quest, so you have to sneak through the whole thing, maybe disable power to turrets, shoot out some lights with a silenced weapon, etc.

 

Yeah, the problem with that sneaking quest is that it sounds awesome on paper,

 

but in reality a simple enemy spotting you at the end of a 2 hour successful sneaking would suck big time. In fallout at least you got to quicksave and reload.

I say when they are in you could give us a few chances to screw up, like 2 or 3 sightings with the consecuent money penalty on the quest reward.

 

Like: Yeah Rekt, I would do that quest perfectly if you give me 50.000 dukes no problem lol.

[ZombieHorde]

That's... actually a very good solution. Pass through certain gates, or perhaps even summing the cleared sleeper volumes could be used to calculate your loot bonus value on those specific containers in the loot room. If the cleared sleeper volume approach is used, might further reduce "cheesing" when it comes to running your butt off through a POI to check off the checkpoints.

 

Either way +1 to this notion, if it's feasible in the existing system.

 

I do like your solution out of all those I've heard.

 

However, the game is already rewarding with action, looting, leveling up, tasks, etc, but there's nothing that really satisfies a cerebral workout. What I'm imagining is: to turn off the turrets or whatever the trap is, you need to access a computer terminal where it asks you a quiz based on things around the building or maybe found in loot. Maybe even the questions can extend beyond the building, so for example "town to the North of here", which sends you on a trip to get that name.

 

So you get to the computer terminal and it asks you to login. You see the login name is Madmole so you have to find Madmole's desk or Madmole himself (corpse or zombie) to get his password off him.

 

Then the app to turn off the trap asks for another password, but this one you can get a hint for, and that hint is maybe 'the love of my life', in which you might have to find a photo or note in a locker/desk/corpse/zombie. Make it interesting by adding a bit of sleuthing and find multiple notes, and you have to sus out the right one.

 

Note 1: "Remember anniversary present for Mrs Madmole"

Note 2: "Madmole, Ms Wantsmadmole called 20 times to say she's looking forward to dinner tonight - receptionist"

Note 3: "Tonight's workout - ma glutes. Loves me ma glutes."

 

So based on certain factors you can find around the area, you find an expensive anniversary present = most likely it's his wife.

Find a ring (therefore it's off his finger) so it's Ms Wantsmadmole.

Find a Mr. Muscle magazine that Madmole has doodled love hearts in, then it's his glutes.

 

 

 

Maybe for 5th tier buildings it asks another few questions, but you get the idea.

 

Tier 3 buildings could have a computer terminal as well, but this one only requires you to find Madmole's access card, which is used to log in to his computer.

[Morloc]

If there are turrets in the POIs, then why don't they shoot the zombies?

 

Perhaps in some...they could!

 

 

-Morloc

[Survager]

You already know the answer, why do you keep on about it?

 

You said that the book’s icon will not change after reading the book, but I didn’t ask about that.

I asked if the description of the subject would change.

If I correctly understood your answer, then the studied book or scheme will not differ from the unstudied? Right?

 

Then another question: is it planned to add something like that in Alpha 18, or later? (I’m sure I don’t know the answer to this question).

[Thecolours]

I'll add 10 more if you keep it up!

 

No just the tier 4's and 5's. We want to do some infiltration quests for sneaky types where you cannot be seen or you fail the quest, so you have to sneak through the whole thing, maybe disable power to turrets, shoot out some lights with a silenced weapon, etc.

 

This sounds awesome. Is something you want to do in A19?

[unholyjoe]

If there are turrets in the POIs, then why don't they shoot the zombies?

 

Perhaps in some...they could!

 

 

-Morloc

 

maybe because turrets can be set to not shoot zombies... some only shoot "Morlocs" now

[madmole]

Yeah, the problem with that sneaking quest is that it sounds awesome on paper,

 

but in reality a simple enemy spotting you at the end of a 2 hour successful sneaking would suck big time. In fallout at least you got to quicksave and reload.

I say when they are in you could give us a few chances to screw up, like 2 or 3 sightings with the consecuent money penalty on the quest reward.

 

Like: Yeah Rekt, I would do that quest perfectly if you give me 50.000 dukes no problem lol.

 

Yeah like maybe if you killed the guy who spotted you quick enough you are ok.

[madmole]

You said that the book’s icon will not change after reading the book, but I didn’t ask about that.

I asked if the description of the subject would change.

If I correctly understood your answer, then the studied book or scheme will not differ from the unstudied? Right?

 

Then another question: is it planned to add something like that in Alpha 18, or later? (I’m sure I don’t know the answer to this question).

 

No the ICON DOES CHANGE after you read it. I didn't show it because its unfinished. There is no reason to do anything else, its great as is. The icon will be done today.

[madmole]

This sounds awesome. Is something you want to do in A19?

 

Not sure, we want to do some restore the power quests in A19, hopefully this is leg work that can make turrets a no brainer.

 

Speaking of legs, knocked out 375x10 today. 400 in a few weeks

[Locusta]

Not sure what the issue is with skipping some POIs dungeon path to the loot room. The people that do this miss out on XP. That’s the downside. It’s not like every POI is designed that way.

 

Adding “checkpoints” means you have to go through the POI a certain way, which is already how the dungeons are designed (which to me makes things a bit too linear) and maybe someone just wants to break through a wall here and there. This will further limit options and strategy to overtake a POI.

 

Adding turrets is fine, but I hope those are limited to certain POIs that make sense and are tied to game stages. The loot also better be worth the hassle otherwise players will skip them, much like people do with the bear and dog POIs.

 

Imo, the best solution is to randomize that dungeon path and loot room locations so nobody knows exactly where to go every time. Obviously this is a big job, so I’m not holding my breath, but it would make each POI unique.

 

 

Loc

[Morloc]

maybe because turrets can be set to not shoot zombies...

 

It would be REALLY weird during a zombie apocalypse to have turrets not set to shoot zombies.

 

Yes, I can think of a few scenarios where such a setting might be in place, but it'd be the exception.

 

 

UNLESS.....L33t Zombie Engineers!!

 

-Morloc

[Blake_]

Yeah like maybe if you killed the guy who spotted you quick enough you are ok.

 

I see. That's starting to sound like another genre, and I like it. Thx.

[unholyjoe]

I see. That's starting to sound like another genre, and I like it. Thx.

 

thats why he plays single player....

 

 

no body trusts him... he will shoot you in the back.. he will spawn hordes on you... oh wait... no that was someone else who did that... ok move on.. nothing to see here. almost sounds like something i do... maybe thats why i play sp

[meganoth]

If there are turrets in the POIs, then why don't they shoot the zombies?

 

The turrets have heat sensors.

 

Well I was thinking that the bleeding wouldn't be too bad. I mean, it's not like it's an artery that was hit. IRL it would take maybe a whole day to bleed out - so game time it would take ~40 minutes (for the day to pass), giving you plenty of time to sort out that bandage.

 

Ah, ok, I thought you meant the usual bleeding you get from zombies.

[Dimpy]

Exactly. That's why I suggested adding some simple checkpoint triggers into various POIs, to validate the value of the final loot. Skipping the dungeon crawl entirely might yield only half of the loot generated, while hitting each checkpoint boosts the loot up to its fully intended amount.

 

Checkpoints could be randomized like existing sleeper spawns (and undetectable by the player) so that there is no way to cheat.

 

A player cutting corners will get less reward and a player doing the full dungeon experience will get rewarded for their work.

 

Huh. So the more zombies you kill, the more loot you get.

 

Now what if instead of adding to a final loot room, killing zombies in a sleeper volume caused a loot container to appear. Or even better and harder to cheese, it could be made so that EVERY zombie has it's OWN loot container (is your mind blown yet?). This way will ensure that the player always gets a reward that is exactly proportional to the amount of effort they put in. Now if there were only a way give a fair reward to the players who go into the effort to eat glass...

[Blake_]

thats why he plays single player....

 

 

no body trusts him... he will shoot you in the back.. he will spawn hordes on you... oh wait... no that was someone else who did that... ok move on.. nothing to see here. almost sounds like something i do... maybe thats why i play sp

 

We shall never play with the likes of you then. Or it would be Any Day to Die .

[PO_Man_3849]

Instead of doing batman avatars this alpha, I suggest doing 7D2D Coffee Mug avatars, anyone agree?

[unholyjoe]

Instead of doing batman avatars this alpha, I suggest doing 7D2D Coffee Mug avatars, anyone agree?

 

mine tells it like it is... i am caffeine'd all day everyday..

[Dreyseth]

Huh. So the more zombies you kill, the more loot you get.

 

Now what if instead of adding to a final loot room, killing zombies in a sleeper volume caused a loot container to appear. Or even better and harder to cheese, it could be made so that EVERY zombie has it's OWN loot container (is your mind blown yet?). This way will ensure that the player always gets a reward that is exactly proportional to the amount of effort they put in. Now if there were only a way give a fair reward to the players who go into the effort to eat glass...

 

Then you are devaluing the POIs even further rather than increasing their value.

 

Players who seriously want to dumb down the game do have access to previous alpha builds without the dungeon-crawl POIs, where you can get all your xp and little loot bags from the zombies wandering the environment.

Problem solved for that crew