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Alpha 19 Dev Diary


madmole

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10 hours ago, MechanicalLens said:

Still doing just that, still doing just fine. ;) The trick is to rush straight for the zombies and shoot your blunderbuss or power attack with your melee weapon just as soon as you get right in their face, and just keep on running. 😛

I remember when you used to be able to run right thru zombie, I was really easy to fight that way.

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Observations on the stamina thing. A friend of ours said today, and I quote, "then why the hell did we update? This is terrible!" She's a relatively new player (started in 18.4) and likes to do mining. We currently don't have the food to waste on "hearty meals" for mining (for that matter, we don't have the food in the first place, never mind food to waste), we can't find coffee to save our lives, and she's ready to quit because she can't actually mine out a block while running out of stamina. I managed to get a hobo stew as loot and ate it, then did some mining (with red tea, all we had) and it felt like iron pickaxe mining at low levels in A18 - with 2 in Miner 69er, Motherlode, and Sex Rex.

 

All that said, I can see when we're a few game weeks in where this will feel better and work better all around, but right now anyone who comes into the game as a new, primarily builder/miner type player, is going to find:

  •  Mining is painfully slow and frustrating, even once you get enough forged iron together for your iron pick;
  • Food and coffee (which isn't THAT easy to come by) are functionally required to mine anything in a decent amount of time;
  • There is, so far as I can tell, literally nothing in the game pointing the players to that fact.

Or, to put it another way, you've successfully made stamina drain a concern that can be managed for veteran players, and in the process screwed over newbies.

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6 minutes ago, bobross said:

Observations on the stamina thing. A friend of ours said today, and I quote, "then why the hell did we update? This is terrible!" She's a relatively new player (started in 18.4) and likes to do mining. We currently don't have the food to waste on "hearty meals" for mining (for that matter, we don't have the food in the first place, never mind food to waste), we can't find coffee to save our lives, and she's ready to quit because she can't actually mine out a block while running out of stamina. I managed to get a hobo stew as loot and ate it, then did some mining (with red tea, all we had) and it felt like iron pickaxe mining at low levels in A18 - with 2 in Miner 69er, Motherlode, and Sex Rex.

 

All that said, I can see when we're a few game weeks in where this will feel better and work better all around, but right now anyone who comes into the game as a new, primarily builder/miner type player, is going to find:

  •  Mining is painfully slow and frustrating, even once you get enough forged iron together for your iron pick;
  • Food and coffee (which isn't THAT easy to come by) are functionally required to mine anything in a decent amount of time;
  • There is, so far as I can tell, literally nothing in the game pointing the players to that fact.

Or, to put it another way, you've successfully made stamina drain a concern that can be managed for veteran players, and in the process screwed over newbies.

I havent had any stamina issues, nor have i seen anyone I watch stream have them. General consensus is stamina got easier. I think people come into this game with a Minecraft mind where you can whack on rocks all night and day with no repercussions but this is not that type of game, nor should it be one where you 2 shot blocks on day 3. Pimps probably see it differently though and will change it but that is my 2 cents, from an alpha 11 player which means my opinions mean very little anymore anyway.

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8 minutes ago, bobross said:

Observations on the stamina thing. A friend of ours said today, and I quote, "then why the hell did we update? This is terrible!" She's a relatively new player (started in 18.4) and likes to do mining. We currently don't have the food to waste on "hearty meals" for mining (for that matter, we don't have the food in the first place, never mind food to waste), we can't find coffee to save our lives, and she's ready to quit because she can't actually mine out a block while running out of stamina. I managed to get a hobo stew as loot and ate it, then did some mining (with red tea, all we had) and it felt like iron pickaxe mining at low levels in A18 - with 2 in Miner 69er, Motherlode, and Sex Rex.

 

All that said, I can see when we're a few game weeks in where this will feel better and work better all around, but right now anyone who comes into the game as a new, primarily builder/miner type player, is going to find:

  •  Mining is painfully slow and frustrating, even once you get enough forged iron together for your iron pick;
  • Food and coffee (which isn't THAT easy to come by) are functionally required to mine anything in a decent amount of time;
  • There is, so far as I can tell, literally nothing in the game pointing the players to that fact.

Or, to put it another way, you've successfully made stamina drain a concern that can be managed for veteran players, and in the process screwed over newbies.

That's a tough one as it is a very subjective thing.  Also, in general week one is going to feel slower in many different ways so what your describing is probably working as intended.

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7 hours ago, madmole said:

Tiendo a enmarcar mi casa antes del anochecer y mejorar las paredes desde el interior, donde es razonablemente seguro si aún no estoy preparado para la mía. Hay mucho que hacer por la noche si planeas con anticipación. Cocine pegamento, hierva agua, bebidas, cualquier alimento que tenga, haga antorchas, mejore sus paredes, cree bolsillos lo antes posible, cree parcelas en granjas, organice su equipo en cofres. Si te atreves, sal y corta los árboles cercanos. Intento construir mi 7x7 en la parte superior de una mina para que esté justo al lado de la mía, si no, tendré algunos cerca y cavaré en cuclillas hasta que llegue mi escotilla y el techo sobre el agujero. Aunque también trato de hacer eso antes del anochecer. Preparación y planificación para la victoria.

The perfect answer. It's great to see how a creator answers so clearly and takes the time for that. You are great Joel. And it's not to praise you, but I do everything you say during my first nights! I never stay still.

La respuesta perfecta. Es genial ver como un creador contesta con tanta claridad y se toma el tiempo para eso. Eres grande Joel. Y no es por alabarte, pero hago todo eso que decís durante mis primeras noches! Nunca me quedo quieto.

5 hours ago, faatal said:

Si quieres ser un constructor, siempre puedes reducir el daño del bloqueo de IA. Empecé un nuevo juego anoche usando pregen1.
Estoy jugando lunas de sangre cada 2 días, 50% de daño de bloqueo de IA y no se me permite vivir en PDI, así que tengo que construir algo.

 

Mi día 2 de base.

7dtdA19PG1Day2Base.thumb.png.d3e957bd9389e7b1190c30a27627dd24.png

Hahaha. This was me in alpha 16.4 hahaha. I don't question anything. It only causes grace and beautiful memories

Jajaja. Éste era yo en alpha 16.4 jajaja. No cuestiono nada. Solo me causa gracia y lindos recuerdos

:) 

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On 6/30/2020 at 4:34 PM, Damocles said:

The trader prefab names changed. Its very likely you are trying an older A18 map here. Most of the map will work, but will miss the new POIs.

thanks for replying - and @mm too, i saw your reply too

 

i followed lazmans instructions to someone else and used the launcher to clear out old stuff and it is fine now.

 

i reckon this is the best iteration yet in terms of eye candy and balance. love the new content too. well done tfp! the best game in the world definitely got better this week!

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2 hours ago, bobross said:

Observaciones sobre la resistencia. Un amigo nuestro dijo hoy, y cito, "entonces, ¿por qué demonios actualizamos? ¡Esto es terrible!" Es una jugadora relativamente nueva (comenzó en 18.4) y le gusta hacer minería. Actualmente no tenemos la comida que desperdiciar en "comidas abundantes" para la minería (de hecho, no tenemos la comida en primer lugar, no importa la comida que desperdiciar), no podemos encontrar café para salvar nuestro vive, y está lista para dejar de fumar porque en realidad no puede extraer un bloque mientras se está quedando sin resistencia. Me las arreglé para conseguir un estofado de vagabundo como botín y me lo comí, luego hice algo de minería (con té rojo, todo lo que teníamos) y me sentí como minería de pico de hierro a bajos niveles en A18, con 2 en Miner 69er, Motherlode y Sex Rex .

 

Dicho todo esto, puedo ver cuando estamos unas pocas semanas de juego en las que esto se sentirá mejor y funcionará mejor en todos los aspectos, pero en este momento cualquiera que ingrese al juego como un nuevo jugador, principalmente constructor / minero, va a encontrar:
  •  La minería es dolorosamente lenta y frustrante, incluso una vez que obtiene suficiente hierro forjado para su selección de hierro;
  • La comida y el café (que no es TAN fácil de conseguir) son funcionalmente necesarios para extraer cualquier cosa en un período de tiempo decente;
  • Hasta donde puedo decir, literalmente no hay nada en el juego que señale a los jugadores a ese hecho.

O, para decirlo de otra manera, has logrado que la resistencia drene una preocupación que pueda ser manejada por jugadores veteranos y, en el proceso, arruine a los novatos.

Tried investing EXP points in miner 69?

Probaste invertir puntos de EXP en minero 69?

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41 minutes ago, bobross said:

Observations on the stamina thing. A friend of ours said today, and I quote, "then why the hell did we update? This is terrible!" She's a relatively new player (started in 18.4) and likes to do mining. We currently don't have the food to waste on "hearty meals" for mining (for that matter, we don't have the food in the first place, never mind food to waste), we can't find coffee to save our lives, and she's ready to quit because she can't actually mine out a block while running out of stamina. I managed to get a hobo stew as loot and ate it, then did some mining (with red tea, all we had) and it felt like iron pickaxe mining at low levels in A18 - with 2 in Miner 69er, Motherlode, and Sex Rex.

 

All that said, I can see when we're a few game weeks in where this will feel better and work better all around, but right now anyone who comes into the game as a new, primarily builder/miner type player, is going to find:

  •  Mining is painfully slow and frustrating, even once you get enough forged iron together for your iron pick;
  • Food and coffee (which isn't THAT easy to come by) are functionally required to mine anything in a decent amount of time;
  • There is, so far as I can tell, literally nothing in the game pointing the players to that fact.

Or, to put it another way, you've successfully made stamina drain a concern that can be managed for veteran players, and in the process screwed over newbies.

BS, you can mine nearly endlessly with a stone axe with zero perks. Over 100 hits before needing a 5 second breather.  Unless you are bunny hopping while you mine, stamina use is fine with a stone axe (which noobs will be using)

Upgrading to a heavier iron pickaxe needs more stamina, but by then any serious miner will get a few ranks of sex rex and be just fine as well or augment with coffee and food.

 

16 minutes ago, rubens9311 said:

La respuesta perfecta. Es genial ver como un creador contesta con tanta claridad y se toma el tiempo para eso. Eres grande Joel. Y no es por alabarte, pero hago todo eso que decís durante mis primeras noches! Nunca me quedo quieto.

Why thank you, but please speak English on the forums. Thanks again.

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I'm loving this new experimental A19.

 

I have zero issues finding a level 3 stone axe in a working stiff crate (I totally get the "realism" aspect of why would they seal up stone tools but that's just simple progression for ya). 

I absolutely love the new zombies & the redone zombies....I saw my topless stripper is still there 🤤👍

 

I'm not a fan of the dynamic music, I just turn it off.

 

I have zero issues with the slower progression or the stamina issues everyone is complaining about. That's just early game for ya, again, gotta love progression. 

 

Awesome job guys!!

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3 hours ago, rubens9311 said:

You started playing in the WORST alpha game haha. OMG what a mess that alpha was. And we waited for it 1 year and 5 months!

 

 

 

Given I had been waiting several YEARS to play the game, for the majority of A17, I was probably the only person on the planet who cherished that update. LOL A18 was far, far better though, and A19 is almost just as good.

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1 hour ago, madmole said:

...Unless you are bunny hopping while you mine, stamina use is fine...

That reminds me... is it a bug that you can always jump, even if your stamina is depleted?  It seems like a bug to me, since you can't sprint until you get back to 15 stamina or so, but I wasn't sure.

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3 hours ago, Laz Man said:

Speaking of Freddie, he might be wandering around...keep your eyes peeled....:P

Has there been a change to A19 lately?  I got six Z-dogs by Day 3 and four all at once on the morning of day 3!  In A19 I rarely get hit. (light armor for the win).   But I got as messed up as you can without dying!  Status symbols I never seen before!  :D

 

If I didn't find a tier 2 blunderbuss on Day 2, it would have be over I think. That and one of the Z-dogs was chasing a rabbit or a butterfly, who knows.  :)   

 

SO, Roland is correct that 3 blunderbuss's are just about perfect.  (Did that same Day 3 "Kill Squad" visit you too?)

Loving A19, its real survival early game!

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4 minutes ago, Aldranon said:

Has there been a change to A19 lately?  I got six Z-dogs by Day 3 and four all at once on the morning of day 3!  In A19 I rarely get hit. (light armor for the win).   But I got as messed up as you can without dying!  Status symbols I never seen before!  :D

 

If I didn't find a tier 2 blunderbuss on Day 2, it would have be over I think. That and one of the Z-dogs was chasing a rabbit or a butterfly, who knows.  :)   

 

SO, Roland is correct that 3 blunderbuss's are just about perfect.  (Did that same Day 3 "Kill Squad" visit you too?)

Loving A19, its real survival early game!

What was your GS?  I was curious so i peaked behind the curtain and it doesn't look like zombie dogs are in wandering hordes until GS41...

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3 minutes ago, Laz Man said:

What was your GS?  I was curious so i peaked behind the curtain and it doesn't look like zombie dogs are in wandering hordes until GS41...

I'm GS 13 but I did cheat up 16 skill points to make my "Special Forces" guy.  Maybe that was it?

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1 hour ago, Aldranon said:

 (Did that same Day 3 "Kill Squad" visit you too?)

yes! On day 3.

 

But I was lucky enough and was able to kill them one by one with my level 1 primitive bow and wooden arrows hiding on top of a random dumpster - it took me about all the night (and nearly all my arrows), but it was fun 😊

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1 hour ago, q123 said:

yes! On day 3.

 

But I was lucky enough and was able to kill them one by one with my level 1 primitive bow and wooden arrows hiding on top of a random dumpster - it took me about all the night (and nearly all my arrows), but it was fun 😊

im on day 26 and i got a nice amount of weapons, a Level 1 hunting rifle (i love the new animation), my level 6 blunderbuss with weapon mods! (my best weapon!), and a Old steel Club!

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9 minutes ago, Adam the Waster said:

im on day 26 and i got a nice amount of weapons, a Level 1 hunting rifle (i love the new animation), my level 6 blunderbuss with weapon mods! (my best weapon!), and a Old steel Club!

I found a lvl 1 hunting rifle and lvl 2 blunderbuss on day 4.

 

The next doggy horde is welcome, I'm prepared now (blunderbuss is waaay better than I remember it from older alphas) 😁

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2 minutes ago, q123 said:

I found a lvl 1 hunting rifle and lvl 2 blunderbuss on day 4.

 

The next doggy horde is welcome, I'm prepared now (blunderbuss is waaay better than I remember it from older alphas) 😁

yes 100% though i was kinda sad that i could not put a shotgun choke on it. though it does make sense why! i want to pimp out my Blunderbuss! (i call mine "Blunderbuster")

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So far I think it's a nice update. Great graphics, nice lights.  Perhaps something must be adjusted to the lights cause somehow it seems darker in some places if I turn up brightness a little, but that doesnt bother me. More creapy 😛

 

Anyway..found a Blunderbuss on day 1 and Pistol, shotgun on Day 2.  Perfect start.  Indeed Dogpack on day 3, but seems less agressive then first but manage to survive it. Blunderbuss is feeling good 😛  Hardly ever used it before in the 4000 hours I spend in this game. 

 

But probably have to restart when Experimental goes into Stable

 

I think traders are getting better but can be adjusted more. Few friends just scrap enough stuff, sell it to the trader, buy weapons and stuff and I think that's boring and not a real survival game. Should be more difficult to get good prices from a trader and make less money or make stuff more expensive to boost players to think more for themselves, gather more, craft more etc etc. 

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On stamina: For experienced but sloppy players like me it is spot on. In my SP game I did not get any dig quests at first and missed buying the food the only time the food machine was filled with food.

 

The other mistake I (probably) made was underestimating the stamina use of targeting with a bow. If you don't notice that you can easily find yourself in the situation of always being hungry and not knowing why.

 

Consequently I'm down below 40% food for most of my first 5 days and will have a long journey getting out of this hole as there are no fast ways to get food. But I think I know what I have to change now.

 

Sadly I expect lots of new players to protest in the coming weeks and you probably will adjust stamina back somewhat, which I think is the wrong adjustment. The right adjustment would be to provide an expensive safety valve for people getting low on food. A food item called soylent green that can't be cooked, has unknown ingredients and is sold by the trader for horrenduous prices. The only good thing about it is it is available in quantities and fills you up.

 

 

 

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So typically I run the game at 75fps 80% of the time, however I lose 20-30fps when walking on or looking at roads? anyone else getting this? 

Also I lose a lot of frames the higher up I go in tall POIs... but had this issue with past 2 alphas... 

 

Seen a lot of talk on stamina and I will say it is more punishing to new players and or first week or 2 of the game.

I have maxed Sexy Rex and Cardio and still drain crazy fast when running or mining (No issues in combat) 

I get where the Devs are going with it in this alpha and it seems to be a huge emphasis on food and drink, before it was irrelevant however now you need food and drink at all times to perform any major physical task... For me it feels the changes get you to perk differently in the beginning, I would normally max Miner69er/Motherlode/Sexy Rex, but now im taking early points in farming and early points in to cooking which isn't that bad at all. 

I play Warrior difficulty 50% loot 50% exp, even on warrior dmg perks are not needed till week 2 or even week 3 for a Vet player. 

 

All in all im enjoying a slower more gruelling playstyle but as a Vet my opinion is invalid XD 

On another note here is my world seed "The Horde" (without quotation marks) 

300m spawn from Trader Joel, opposite him is a bunker POI (The one underneath a vent in a fenced of greenspace) and 3 Tier 5 POIs within 500m 

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1 hour ago, meganoth said:

On stamina: For experienced but sloppy players like me it is spot on. In my SP game I did not get any dig quests at first and missed buying the food the only time the food machine was filled with food.

 

The other mistake I (probably) made was underestimating the stamina use of targeting with a bow. If you don't notice that you can easily find yourself in the situation of always being hungry and not knowing why.

 

Consequently I'm down below 40% food for most of my first 5 days and will have a long journey getting out of this hole as there are no fast ways to get food. But I think I know what I have to change now.

 

Sadly I expect lots of new players to protest in the coming weeks and you probably will adjust stamina back somewhat, which I think is the wrong adjustment. The right adjustment would be to provide an expensive safety valve for people getting low on food. A food item called soylent green that can't be cooked, has unknown ingredients and is sold by the trader for horrenduous prices. The only good thing about it is it is available in quantities and fills you up.

 

 

 

While it isn't a buff per se, I'd like the cans to be more of an event than they currently are. I don't mind being on the lookout for food early game, it's actually quite the contrary as I think those days are the best. Yet I feel the food mini-game would feel way better if each can gave you say +25 food instead of +15. Make them a bit more rare to compensate, but make each can count. And the small ones like Miso could be brought up to +10 or +15. I mean, those are basically poor man's first aid bandages at that point, +5 food is really ridiculous. 

 

It wouldn't change much in the grand scheme of things, but I'm pretty sure getting 25% of your hunger bar back per can would lower the frustration some have with the "need to chug down 6 meals a day". 

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On 6/23/2020 at 11:29 AM, Roland said:

I think the best you can hope for would be a console command. The enemy health bars and the critical injury % numbers are developer tools and not intended to be part of the game. It is under-the-hood information that they don't necessarily want to be displayed during normal play so creating a top option menu toggle for it is as unlikely as doing one to show the swing arc graphic or for displaying the name and location of POI's floating above them for example.

I would no sooner mine with it than I would with a sledge hammer or club. It breaks blocks. It doesn't harvest.

@Roland  I can understand where you're coming from once I looked into a bit and ill take what I can get. I appreciate the reply 😀

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7 hours ago, Crater Creator said:

That reminds me... is it a bug that you can always jump, even if your stamina is depleted?  It seems like a bug to me, since you can't sprint until you get back to 15 stamina or so, but I wasn't sure.

No because you can't get stuck somewhere just because you can't run.

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