Alpha 19 Dev Diary

[Odetta]

Occlusion is client side of what is seen by that client. Pet following would be handled on the server like all the AI is, so separate systems.

 

 

 

[worf3k]

you forgot to check off getting mad when vultures attack while on bike or vehicle check check and double check.

[Noctoras]

 

Also, props to the devs who pushed back against .50 cal rifles! It's purely a personal preference thing for me, I think they're ugly and obnoxiously over-represented in video games already. I wouldn't have complained or anything, just kinda rolled my eyes. I admit I feel the same way about the Desert Eagle, but oh well. Lots of fun weapons in this game, looking forward to what you have in store for us!

 

Too many weapons are dangerous in general, even if users tend to fly for it... See DayZ. Since the big part of the community was focused on this gun, that gun, more gun they kept rolling out weapons and neglected gameplay.

 

DayZ has some hyper realistic weapons mow - there is just no community left to play with them.

 

Gameplay and survival are less sexy at first glance, but so very important for long term success of a game.

[spud42]

I apologize if it's been said already, I am not too active and mostly lurk the forums on an infrequent basis, but I have a suggestion I've been thinking about for a while.

 

Would there be any way to make markings on your map without tagging locations? I can't think of how much time I've wasted searching for buildings or POIs I've already searched. If I could "X" them out with a pen or something it would be a major time saver. I know the game puts a big focus on exploration, but if there's a map system, it seems fair that I should be able to pen small notes to myself about places I'd like to check out or prioritize, I'm a very visual guy.

 

In short, it would be nice to have some sort of marker with a basic color palate to make small margin notes or otherwise plan out my days while daylight burns. Tagging locations is awesome, but I can't tag every location I've already visited or the map would be unusable

 

i learnt a trick from Kickz. if you place a wood frame on the road in front of POI's you have cleared firstly you notice the frame as you pass by but secondly the frames show as a small brown square on the map.

[sillls]

Will we be able to grow wheat in the game someday?

[ecv]

Evidence of that is seen in Minecraft. After all these many, many years, the pets must teleport often to catch up with the player. Nobody cares in MC because the level of realism in that game is much less than in this one. Teleportation in general is a thing in that game and doesn't need to be explained. It would be hard to explain in this game.

 

The trader teleports you to a random place around his shop if you don't get out before it's closing time. So there already is teleporting in the game for reasons of simplified management.

 

Proper way would be the trader asking you to leave and then shoot you if you don't, carrying your half dead ass to the wall and throw you over the side.

 

Can't see the harm in teleporting pets. Every game does it. Hell, most games let you switch pets, having several to choose from.

 

I'd prefer teleporting over any kind of hover.

 

A gamer can accept that the porting is done for "reasons". The hovering on the other hand will always be out of place. Imo

[The Gronk]

I'd prefer teleporting over any kind of hover.

 

A gamer can accept that the porting is done for "reasons". The hovering on the other hand will always be out of place. Imo

 

Any work done on drones, especially indoor environments, should help vulture pathing and that can't be a bad thing. :-)

[Tin]

Any work done on drones, especially indoor environments, should help vulture pathing and that can't be a bad thing. :-)

 

^ this.

[graphite]

I suppose with a drone it can fly up high and circle when your inside a building like a vulture circles and extending the vulture class makes more sense than having to start a fresh on a base entity class.

 

I'm not suggesting it blows everything to shreds on the rooftop like a incoming nuclear rolling thunder strike though.

 

Trying to think of some cool mods and abilities for a drone has anyone else got any ?

[The Gronk]

I suppose with a drone it can fly up high and circle when your inside a building like a vulture circles and extending the vulture class makes more sense than having to start a fresh on a base entity class.

 

I'm not suggesting it blows everything to shreds on the rooftop like a incoming nuclear rolling thunder strike though.

 

Trying to think of some cool mods and abilities for a drone has anyone else got any ?

 

Strap a large bomb to the underside and you have a poor man's guided missile.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/sep/14/major-saudi-arabia-oil-facilities-hit-by-drone-strikes

 

Strap grenades underneath it and you have an aerial claymore.

[ecv]

Any work done on drones, especially indoor environments, should help vulture pathing and that can't be a bad thing. :-)

 

Yeah, I haven't read the whole thread when I posted, so I didn't forget that I wanted to

Drones sound reasonable, would be a great mod for jeeps and perhaps an anti vulture weapon.

## end of reply

 

I don't see the problem with recognition. The blocks of your base recognize your friends inside your lcb. If a woodframe can do that, anything can in this game :')

I'd just take it as a QoL feature, you could refrain from making friends and set the turret to shoot everything.

[4sheetzngeegles]

Faatal

 

For the situation with the vultures shown above is it possible to use the

existing code and allow them to land and attack block -1Y, if entity alive

and unreachable. They drop through if unchecked and wreak havoc in side the cage.

Similar to how you progressed the Zombie ai to attack

block area. Plus add the Zombie pack bonus like the Biped AI.

 

Vulture landing, isn't that just takeoff played in reverse?

[Sirillion]

I think adding a set of drones sounds exciting, but it has to be carefully balanced to not feel OP or out of place.

 

How about adopting Hal’s Halicopter mod or whatever it was called as the “follower”? A simple follower version where you put down a small box on the ground, fill it with 4-6 slots worth of things, then holds E on it and select send to base where a small animation attaches a drone to the box and it homes on to base with loot? Drone will be temporarily lost but can be retrieved at base.

 

Then a “fighting” version could be where we load it with some C4 and send it where you aim like an advanced and more powerful grenade. Drone will be lost.

 

And a “scout” version where you actually get to fly it using the same mechanic as when aiming a turret. Drone will not be lost unless destroyed.

 

A “decoy” version, sent up to lure away vultures. Automated and drone will be lost.

 

I would then consider a limited amount, like they don’t stack or only stack with 3 and can only be made at base so you would be in limited supply.

 

Same drone for all purposes and you use the reload button to select its purpose from the menu like you would ammunition.

[stallionsden]

I think adding a set of drones sounds exciting, but it has to be carefully balanced to not feel OP or out of place.

 

How about adopting Hal’s Halicopter mod or whatever it was called as the “follower”? A simple follower version where you put down a small box on the ground, fill it with 4-6 slots worth of things, then holds E on it and select send to base where a small animation attaches a drone to the box and it homes on to base with loot? Drone will be temporarily lost but can be retrieved at base.

 

Then a “fighting” version could be where we load it with some C4 and send it where you aim like an advanced and more powerful grenade. Drone will be lost.

 

And a “scout” version where you actually get to fly it using the same mechanic as when aiming a turret. Drone will not be lost unless destroyed.

 

A “decoy” version, sent up to lure away vultures. Automated and drone will be lost.

 

I would then consider a limited amount, like they don’t stack or only stack with 3 and can only be made at base so you would be in limited supply.

 

Same drone for all purposes and you use the reload button to select its purpose from the menu like you would ammunition.

 

How bout they put the really cool drones and robots in and I will mod you the ones you have asked for lol 😁🤔🤔🤔😏😏😏

[meganoth]

I think adding a set of drones sounds exciting, but it has to be carefully balanced to not feel OP or out of place.

 

How about adopting Hal’s Halicopter mod or whatever it was called as the “follower”? A simple follower version where you put down a small box on the ground, fill it with 4-6 slots worth of things, then holds E on it and select send to base where a small animation attaches a drone to the box and it homes on to base with loot? Drone will be temporarily lost but can be retrieved at base.

 

Then a “fighting” version could be where we load it with some C4 and send it where you aim like an advanced and more powerful grenade. Drone will be lost.

 

And a “scout” version where you actually get to fly it using the same mechanic as when aiming a turret. Drone will not be lost unless destroyed.

 

A “decoy” version, sent up to lure away vultures. Automated and drone will be lost.

 

I would then consider a limited amount, like they don’t stack or only stack with 3 and can only be made at base so you would be in limited supply.

 

Same drone for all purposes and you use the reload button to select its purpose from the menu like you would ammunition.

 

Remember that the drone or robot is supposed to be the weapon above junk turret for the INT player. If it had the same fire power as the junk turret it would

1) be just a comfort upgrade, less placing and picking up

2) prevent a few situations where the junk turret wouldn't fire because the zombies are behind it.

3) prevent a few situations where you don't place the junk turret because you didn't expect danger and were too lazy to set up the turret.

 

But the DPS would still be the same. I don't see this being OP (if it were implemented like that).

[graphite]

I'm only giving ideas to something that may or may not be in the game.

 

You would possibly need a remote to give the drone action commands.

 

This would be done by holding the remote in you toolbelt and while holding it use the something like the ammo selection menu to give it commands.

 

Remotes and drones are paired when built.

 

You can have a rare chance of coming across drones and remotes but need to scrap them to parts as there never paired and only make your own when you have all the parts and a schematic.

[longhairdfreak]

I like the idea of being able to use a drone with a camera(Like a typical $50 walmart drone, not like a US airstrike drone) to scout out areas or draw Z's away, or strap a landmine to it for a one hit boom. Good for scouting out other players bases in PvP situations. You could also use one to draw zombies TO a neighbors base. Just use a modified turret interface. Looking forward to it.

[faatal]

Faatal

 

For the situation with the vultures shown above is it possible to use the

existing code and allow them to land and attack block -1Y, if entity alive

and unreachable. They drop through if unchecked and wreak havoc in side the cage.

Similar to how you progressed the Zombie ai to attack

block area. Plus add the Zombie pack bonus like the Biped AI.

 

Vulture landing, isn't that just takeoff played in reverse?

 

The block in the way to the target could be in any direction, so really it is just attack what is between me and the player.

 

They don't have take off anims. It is just wing flapping and movement.

[Antoniomorrison]

Could you put the vehicles to spend battery?

 

؟Podrيas poner que los vehيculos gastaran baterيa?

 

[beerfly]

Could you put the vehicles to spend battery?

 

؟Podrيas poner que los vehيculos gastaran baterيa?

 

Mods for vehicles are on their way, as the first post says. And between them hopefully that.

[Crater Creator]

I enthusiastically agree with the decision to prune a lot of perks from 5 levels to 3 levels. For me, this isn't about making the game easier or harder, or pushing the endgame stage to occur earlier or later. It's about feeling like each time you buy a perk, it's making an appreciable difference.

 

I definitely felt that Alpha 17's perks were watery. I'd e.g. buy level 2 of something, not because level 2 enticed me at all, but because level 3 would do something cool, and you had to have level 2 first. I'd much rather cut the filler and just buy the cool thing, even if it cost more to maintain balance. Alpha 18 offers more interesting and better distributed benefits from skills in general, but Alpha 19 sounds better still.

[Laz Man]

I enthusiastically agree with the decision to prune a lot of perks from 5 levels to 3 levels. For me, this isn't about making the game easier or harder, or pushing the endgame stage to occur earlier or later. It's about feeling like each time you buy a perk, it's making an appreciable difference.

 

I definitely felt that Alpha 17's perks were watery. I'd e.g. buy level 2 of something, not because level 2 enticed me at all, but because level 3 would do something cool, and you had to have level 2 first. I'd much rather cut the filler and just buy the cool thing, even if it cost more to maintain balance. Alpha 18 offers more interesting and better distributed benefits from skills in general, but Alpha 19 sounds better still.

 

I agree! Every point should be meaningful/rewarding. I was glad yo hear about the upcoming perk balancing changes. 😎👍

[Crater Creator]

LOL, just no. We need late game firepower, you have no idea what is coming. Airport, not fun just a big terminal, luggage and a few shirt shacks and vendors. Takes up a mile of real estate for the runway. It has zero dungeon ability. Caves, we have caves.

 

We had caves. Now we have some POIs that go below ground. I don't think of them as the same at all. Both POI caves and procedural caves can be very dungeon-crawly. But the big draw of actual procedural caves to me is the exploration potential.

 

The path through a POI is always the same (by design). To be fair, you can bust through a wall wherever you want, and a few have some nonlinear elements. But it's too easy to memorize the layouts, even if you're not trying to. Any POI has a finite quantity of novelty, and players will always consume that faster than you can make more POIs.

 

Procedurally generated spaces, meanwhile, can be fresh every time. This is why (and correct me if I'm wrong) you've put so much time and effort into the random world generator. And thank goodness for that, because most players get tired of Navezgane eventually.

 

But even in RWG, how does the terrain affect gameplay at this point? For now, it amounts to how the blanket of terrain is folded. You basically have three kinds of areas: flat/'good' terrain, steep/rough terrain, and bodies of water. As a subtractive process, the variety of e.g. Perlin worm caves, populated with their own POIs, would feel fundamentally different. It's more enclosed, obviously, which means instead of some hilly patches that interrupt your otherwise unfettered path in any direction, you're automatically constrained to certain paths in otherwise solid space. You're experiencing branches versus dead ends, tunnels opening up into caverns, sections that run straight through water or other challenges, and so on.

 

In short, procedural caves have the replayability of random generation and dungeon crawl potential. So I really hope the performance problems that caused their removal can be overcome, and we can have caves again!

[NukemDed]

We had caves. Now we have some POIs that go below ground. I don't think of them as the same at all. Both POI caves and procedural caves can be very dungeon-crawly. But the big draw of actual procedural caves to me is the exploration potential.

 

The path through a POI is always the same (by design). To be fair, you can bust through a wall wherever you want, and a few have some nonlinear elements. But it's too easy to memorize the layouts, even if you're not trying to. Any POI has a finite quantity of novelty, and players will always consume that faster than you can make more POIs.

 

Procedurally generated spaces, meanwhile, can be fresh every time. This is why (and correct me if I'm wrong) you've put so much time and effort into the random world generator. And thank goodness for that, because most players get tired of Navezgane eventually.

 

But even in RWG, how does the terrain affect gameplay at this point? For now, it amounts to how the blanket of terrain is folded. You basically have three kinds of areas: flat/'good' terrain, steep/rough terrain, and bodies of water. As a subtractive process, the variety of e.g. Perlin worm caves, populated with their own POIs, would feel fundamentally different. It's more enclosed, obviously, which means instead of some hilly patches that interrupt your otherwise unfettered path in any direction, you're automatically constrained to certain paths in otherwise solid space. You're experiencing branches versus dead ends, tunnels opening up into caverns, sections that run straight through water or other challenges, and so on.

 

In short, procedural caves have the replayability of random generation and dungeon crawl potential. So I really hope the performance problems that caused their removal can be overcome, and we can have caves again!

 

id like caves back for nothing else than the panic moment when you run across them at full sprint and find yourself airborne.

sucked when you had finally found the minibike or made it and it ended up killing you. ah the good old days

 

roads in a town connect pois at the surface

how hard would it be to take that concept and connect underground pois?

 

curious, not demanding...

[ecv]

I can't see the merit in "exploring" any cave, unless there is proper incentive. Like some caves might have some special sunken poi at the end, but not all. But even then, if it's not man-made, why explore it? There will be nothing but nature in them, nothing of interest :')

 

I'd like them in the game just for the sake of it. For hiding during early game, or along the way loot stashes. Building small huts just isn't the same.

 

I can't imagine exploring a procedural natural cave. Who cares (apart from a naturalist?) if it goes left or right or up or down, it's a cave.