Alpha 18 Dev Diary!!

[madmole]

That is great. but why he is not getting infected after so many hits ? no buff was visible if he had some antibiotic before etc.

 

Infection is reworked again. Here are the release notes:

 

+Changed: Brand new infection system. Infection is easier to contract when you have low health than high health. 1% is barely infected, at 100% infection you die. Stage 1 lasts one (real time) hour and up to 14% and has no side effects. Stage 2 lasts 3 hours (up to 57%) and is-25% stamina recovery. Stage 3 lasts 3 hours and is -35% stamina recovey and -1 to all attributes. You die if it reaches 100%. Getting may hit increases infection. Take antibiotics to cure infection, such as honey, herbal antibiotics or pharmacy grade antibiotics. Antibiotics lessen stamina recovery penalty by half while curing.

[JCrook1028]

@madmole

 

...am I crazy or were you killing them more easily with your ak (or whatever ammo you had in your ak) than your m60? The rad soldiers especially were going down easier with the ak...

 

I think the AK is the one with the anti rad mod.

[Mechanimal]

Meh, someone will figure out a better way. The solution is genius and right in front of their face, but overlooked yet IMO. I know a guy who invented free energy that is coming to the market. Well its solar, but then uses heat and cold to generate endless energy once its started.

 

Yes it is right in front of us. I just started working with the inventor/scientist who developed parallel chips back in the 1990s while I was still in highschool. So it's been around a long time, thing is no one was taught how to use/integrate it with modern serial architecture. Is a missing piece of puzzle, not a replacement. You'll see, it's happening, finally.

 

Sounds like that guys is making a solar sterling engine, I can imagine that working decently if done right. Neat.

[JCrook1028]

You seem to be watching all the videos of JaWoodle to get to know all these places.

 

Never watched him once and I know those places....... assumption busted.

[madmole]

You would still have voxel POIs which can't have pre baked nav mesh..

 

Why not? Just switch once a block breaks, or update its nav mesh, or disable nodes that are blocked, etc.

[Roland]

I just watched that, it's actually VERY bitter-sweet... why in the F would they start a new series now?! Right before A18 hits, it's going to suck if they do it in A17 by comparison. Was cringe-level funny listening to them, all of them, complain about the removal of zombie loot, those poor guys have no idea what else they're in for. Of course I will still watch it, I watched the last series twice, in full, and I almost never do that.

 

Madmole and Roland I imagine you both are aware of the Neebs series, it is one of their most successful, and they get MUCH higher average view numbers per episode than other streamers and youtubers. It was over 1 million for the first episode and hovered between 750k and 300k for the other 50+ episodes. So you should be aware(imagine you are) and supportive, I have met a number of people who got into 7DTD because of their videos.

 

The series was about a year last time, so hundreds of thousands of people are going to watch it and think that A17, not A18, is what your game is, from this Friday's premiere until around this time next year. Be a shame if it turns out that way, imagine it will affect your sales and reputation if it does. What think you of this?

 

I think A17 was the best version up to that point and that people watch Neebs for their group dynamic more than anything. They complained about a lot of stuff and roasted the game all over the place in their A16 series as well.

 

People see a crew of guys having fun and that’s all that matters. Besides....think about the marketing strategy of all these smart phone games. They show a demo of the game where the player fails and sucks because they know the viewer will think, I can do better than that.

 

Anyone who watches Neebs 7 Days to Die episodes is most definitely thinking, I can do better than these clowns—while dying laughing of course.

[Odetta]

Hah and thats with "advanced bellows and anvils" which reduce smelting and crafting time in half. Yes I want to do an industrial forge in an upcoming build that has like 6 slots to drop ore stacks into, needs electricity and coal, makes less heat map, etc.

 

Love that Idea, some like the industrial part of the game a lot.

[madmole]

Well, it'd be really hard to answer that question without straying into politics, which we can't do.

 

But yes, I absolutely believe that History should be a compulsory subject in schools, because I look around today and see what appears to me, a lot of history, repeating itself, as the saying goes, first as farce, then as tragedy.

 

Sorry you had a bad history teacher, to be sure, that won't help, and kids might not (at the time) appreciate it, but democracies die, foremost through apathy, and I tend to see a lot of that nowadays I reckon.

 

Well instead of learning about the holocaust, I'd cover it, but spend more time teaching about famous inspirational speakers, inventors, how someone started a business and created 1000's of jobs and transformed a poverty stricken area into a robust community, etc. Inspirational positive history, not tragedy and "what not to do".

[JCrook1028]

I think MM doesn't want blocks to downgrade anymore, so if a block says XXX hp, this is what we get, and when it gets destroyed, the block is gone. Can anyone playing A18 confirm, is it in game yet?

 

In the horde night video MM did on the elevated platform block downgrades are still in. The steel blocks downgraded to concrete.

[madmole]

Learning history allows you to be able to think. I'm not talking about day to day think, I'm talking about the big picture. It allows you to understand the present and the context that you live in. It allows you to understand where we came from and in which direction we are going. It allows you to understand people, societies, cultures, change. History gives answers to a ton of important questions: Why do we do things this way? Why do we have these institutions? Why this kind of government? It gives you perspective.

 

I know, for a lot of people this doesn't matter. Most people live their life as they were told and don't ask questions. They pay taxes, vote, go to church, because they were told so, but they never truly understand why. Studying history gives you the chance to understand this.

 

Of course I would change they way that history is taught in schools, at least in my country. Knowing all the names of all the monarchs of europe of 1000 years is useless..

 

Also I agree that the other useful skills that you mentioned should be taught in schools too.

 

Yeah that is why American history was way better to me than World history.

[madmole]

I thought the kickstarter was very successful for you as you got more then double then the goal. It's reported TFP deleted their contact details as they got bombarded with emails etc. Which complicated things with Tripwire Interactive whom had to do a takedown and thought that was the reason TFP lost sales for over a week.

Have to ask, it's been 5 years after the estimated delivery that will the "5x5 grid Crafting System" be included as listed on the kickstarter? I noticed it was in game then was taken out.

 

You must be trolling. Actually we did make a 5x5 then removed it, so KS goal was completed, then we opted for list crafting because its superior.

[Trekkan]

Do people periodically forget the dev tracker?

 

Nope, its just not worth all of the tracking it does. =)

[madmole]

It feels like its not in balance yet. Make more bullets but reduce the damage per bullet isn't a good idea IMO.

 

- - - Updated - - -

 

 

 

TFP thought it was a clunky way of doing things and I have to agree. What is gained by having it?

 

Pretty sure my M60 was doing nearly half damage, I need to look into it, they went down like flies in the earlier videos. We just got "non repeating POIS" and "bigger towns" so I think its farewell to my favorite character of all time and I'm probably starting a new game with intellect or perception, depending on what I run into right away.

[madmole]

Can we find wheels out in the world? I always had to make mine. I don't recall ever finding any but then maybe I never looted enough. Finding 4 wheels by Day 3 still seems damn lucky to me.

 

 

MADMOLE.

 

In your video I noticed 2 things. These are not me telling you how to play just observations.

 

1. You didn't seem to have any of your storage crates sorted and it looked like you were having some trouble finding stuff when it was coming down to the wire.

The Golden Rule I was told was ABC - Always Be Sorting.

 

2. When you were shooting the zombies in your killing corridor you didn't take the oppotunity when there was a lull (for just a few seconds) to reload your weapon.

The Golden Rule I was told was ABC - Always Be Reloading.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, I know. A lot of players have said The Golden Rule is ABC - Always Be Crafting but I didn't find that amusing enough

 

 

I also know that having to explain your own joke is lame but I just didn't want the multitude of posts I would get about it

 

A, yes my chests were sorted, B the m60 reload is so long, you can't do that, and its not sure when more are coming.

[Roland]

ROLAAAND!!!

 

I know you really want more people to guess what 'Conventional Ralston' is, so I will take a stab.

 

It's going prone! Because that Ralston guy had to cut his limb off to escape, and going prone allows you to go through 1 block spaces! Going prone also reduces heat and zombies do not dig to get to you anymore when you do that.

 

(partially a joke)

 

No. But finally someone has the correct Ralston!

[Odetta]

Pretty sure my M60 was doing nearly half damage, I need to look into it, they went down like flies in the earlier videos. We just got "non repeating POIS" and "bigger towns" so I think its farewell to my favorite character of all time and I'm probably starting a new game with intellect or perception, depending on what I run into right away.

 

You should spawn in a hundred Demolishers and blow up your base and then yourself. Recording all of it of course and uploading it :boom:

[Roland]

You must be trolling. Actually we did make a 5x5 then removed it, so KS goal was completed, then we opted for list crafting because its superior.

 

BOOM! Kickstarter Upgrade!!!!!!

[madmole]

MM, I just saw the latest video and I have to say I'm disappointed at no dogs, vultures, bears and very few demolishers. And they only came in the end when you were running around outside.

I would love to see some blow up in your dart trap corridor or inside your base with that increased block damage they got after your day 84 video.

If I understood it correctly, their block damage got buffed from 500 to 5000 after your day 84 video. Which is also shown by that demolisher making a huge crater in the ground in this video.

 

Imho demolishers are a nice addition to the game but this increased explosion block damage needs a rethink/rework to get into the right spot. Like the ability to take them out without detonating them, just like we can do with cops.

It would be nice if you could experience first hand how quickly they will wreck all your hard work if you get unlucky and get swarmed by a few inside your base like in the day 84 video.

 

Anyway, keep up the good work. I'm looking forward to A18, hopefully this year and hopefully without demolishers blowing up my base every horde night

 

You can, just don't shoot the detonator box, but they are tanks and as you know, I was LOW on ammo. I was lucky they didn't spawn earlier when I was defending the ladder hole. 5k won't quite break a hole in R concrete so I don't see the fuss. I might build 2 meter thick walls if needed.

[unholyjoe]

Don't shoot I'm friendly.... BOOM!

 

around here you do not say that... youre dead meat for sure...

 

rather what you do is put a bulls-eye on your hat and wear it. you'll be safe, i promise.

 

here is something that will really protect you..

 

 

 

 

[Trekkan]

Multi core is a poor substitute for "faster core".

 

Baked terrain is a poor substitute for more zombies. Yeah, I know you said you aren't doing it (which is good), but... we can all spin things to make it sound good.

[Odetta]

No. But finally someone has the correct Ralston!

 

What are you smoking, I predicted that a few pages ago lol, I said "Broken Arms" because obviously our limbs are not going to get ripped off. Although....

[madmole]

@MADMOLE:

 

As far as the latest horde video, it sounds like you are starting to hit the imbalance I was taLking about a few weeks ago.

 

With a developed trapped base, you get to the point where repairs and ammo creation take so much material (brass and steel) and time that you can't keep up with horde nights.

 

Later game balance is just as important as early game. At your progress level, getting enough steel, concrete, brass and ammo should be a little easier than I think it actually is right now.

 

The value in traps is to help you keep up with horde nights, and using them shouldn't be wasted time as you mentioned a few times.

 

If materials were more abundant repairs would be faster, upgrades and additions of traps could keep up with horde difficulty increase, and sufficient ammo would be craftable.

 

I think around day 120 was where it just got so bad that abandoning the base for casually defended throw away buildings was the only way to keep up with hordes anymore.

 

I'm not sure if levelling isn't fast enough to gets perks to get more materials, or if material collection is a little too low to keep up later game.

 

Ideally, resource collection should get easier as you progress, so exploring and looting are still viable.

 

Maybe some of the books or perks need to be enhanced a little more to help keep up with later game?

 

MM, you had mentioned you might be ready to retire this playthrough. I'd like to see you get to maybe day 130 or so to see later game balance, and make tweaks to improve it's viability for sp gameplay.

 

Since you have some time on your hands because of the mfs, this is a great opportunity to see the later game you haven't experience in a long time, and make adjustments for it.

 

(Even small things like a door dropping two door knobs instead of one makes a big difference when you consider the longer gameplay experience, and how much additional resources that could have been gathered.)

 

Looking forward to the next two horde nights!

It was mainly the iron for 1000's of darts. 2 traps per meter is 1000 darts, x however many I had, is just a lot of iron. I'm more of a bullet guy, I think the blade traps are WAY better, and a little flap to repair them from above would work nice. Then I could just stand there and shoot everything and have bars above 6 spinners (3 per side of my ramp) and be able to repair them from above trap doors, and that would be better than the gauntlet.

 

What also would be way better at making every shot count is a gauntlet they run through with 2 traps at the end shooting down the hallway instead of side to side like I did. Then no matter what each shot is landing, and make a turn for them to get to me at the end so they path to me. Like 3 forks with me in the middle and 2 traps at the end of each fork would work well and only need to fill 4 traps with darts. 2000 darts might get it done in a night.

[Roland]

Altho you make alot of sense and this is probably a good simplification. My gut tells me people will miss the downgrading block aspect as it gives a sense of fear that the zombies are about to get in. 😅

 

You know what REALLY gives a sense of fear more than a downgraded block? A hole.

[Gareee]

Pretty sure my M60 was doing nearly half damage, I need to look into it, they went down like flies in the earlier videos. We just got "non repeating POIS" and "bigger towns" so I think its farewell to my favorite character of all time and I'm probably starting a new game with intellect or perception, depending on what I run into right away.

 

I was hoping you would stick with this build another horde night or two to see later game balance.. we used to always see shortages of brass for ammo, and not enough time between horde nights to repair, collect materials, and produce ammo, let alone explore and loot. After say 120 or so it was no longer sustainable, and I used scrap buildings for horde nights insteads of the base.

 

Thats going to be a GREAT improvement, well worth the a18 delay for!

[Mechanimal]

I think A17 was the best version up to that point and that people watch Neebs for their group dynamic more than anything. They complained about a lot of stuff and roasted the game all over the place in their A16 series as well.

 

People see a crew of guys having fun and that’s all that matters. Besides....think about the marketing strategy of all these smart phone games. They show a demo of the game where the player fails and sucks because they know the viewer will think, I can do better than that.

 

Anyone who watches Neebs 7 Days to Die episodes is most definitely thinking, I can do better than these clowns—while dying laughing of course.

 

True that, it is far more about the group dynamic. Although I only watched a few of their other videos here and there, but I never missed a 7DTD episode, in fact I rewatched them all. But that is a good/fair point. The timing is just so awkward, I am going to watch the F out of it regardless. Simon actually likes the game, not that he's great at it, but that's why we love his grumpy perma-noob ass.