Alpha 21 Dev Diary

[Roland]

1 minute ago, RipClaw said:

As I understand it, grind is simply the mechanical repetition of activities. Whether that is killing zombies, looting POI or mining resources. Whether it feels like a grind always depends on whether you like the activity or not. So if you like looting then it doesn't feel like a grind. But if you don't like looting then it is a grind.

 

 

Sure, its going to be different for each person. My point was that intentionally looting repetitively with the intention of quickly moving up the shotgun magazine ladder (for example) is going to quickly reveal itself as an exercise in futility for most min/maxers and as is their nature they will turn to more effective and speedy methods of acquiring the best shotgun they can get. So I'm not saying that the act of looting itself can't be grindy. I'm saying that going for a specific magazine can't effectively be accomplished through grinding. Most who care about efficiency and effective activities will just naturally abandon that tactic as their means of gaining the specific things they want.

 

[Roland]

2 minutes ago, RipClaw said:

The question is whether we will even have the necessary parts and steel to craft a new Auger at each quality level. It doesn't help me to be able to make a Q2 auger when I have already spent all the parts for a Q1 auger.

 

 

Exactly the kind of tough decisions that make a game good. Scarcity of resources means making a choice to make a Q1 or wait for Q2 or Q3 before doing it. Regardless, you'll have an auger of some kind until you can somehow acquire or craft that Q5. As I said, some people will hate that they are using a Q2 auger for longer than 5 minutes. But it is still an important distinction that you will have an auger of some quality whereas before when there was just one rare schematic drop to find you went completely without.

[Gamida]

17 hours ago, faatal said:

Disabled. Some data removed.

 

11 hours ago, Roland said:

 

He's talking about their souls.

 

 

 

ohhhhh ok....so they are basically forum mods

 

Edited November 5, 2022 by Gamida (see edit history)

[RipClaw]

1 hour ago, Roland said:

Exactly the kind of tough decisions that make a game good. Scarcity of resources means making a choice to make a Q1 or wait for Q2 or Q3 before doing it.

The decision will also depend on whether the stats between tiers still overlap as much as they did in A20. For example, in my current game I have a Q5 hunting rifle that has better stats than a Q4 lever action rifle.

 

[Roland]

14 minutes ago, RipClaw said:

The decision will also depend on whether the stats between tiers still overlap as much as they did in A20. For example, in my current game I have a Q5 hunting rifle that has better stats than a Q4 lever action rifle.

 

I believe that has been fixed in A21. At least I haven’t run into any huge overlaps like the one you mentioned. Even so, that STILL doesn’t negate the fact that you won’t have an auger to use while waiting to find enough magazines to make a Q5. That was the original point—having to go without for most of the game if you couldn’t find the schematic

[bdubyah]

11 hours ago, RipClaw said:

You can't compare that directly because there were significant differences in the game. Back then, when you raided a crack a book, there was something to be found in almost every bookshelf. In addition, nearly all zombies dropped loot. Mostly it was garbage but sometimes there was something good. I had a horde base in A16 that was designed to get as many of the zombie corpses as possible. After the horde night I had chests full of loot. I didn't have to loot non-stop instead the loot came to me.

 

An important difference is also that you only have to find schematics once. However, you have to find up to 100 of the magazines to build a Q5 auger, for example.
 

You think finding a book/schematic in almost every bookshelf was a good thing? I didn't. If I raided a normal size bookstore and come out with a couple new things I'd consider that great. Best case, obviously. I shouldn't be getting a schematic or something from every bookshelf I loot.

 

I do miss the zombie corpse looting, but not having to clean them up. I've considered bringing it back in my mod, but have the corpse blocks turn to air after some time. And on that note I definitely miss the zombie specific loot, like weapons/parts from cops and meds from nurses. The current zombie loot is so cookie-cutter it hurts. But the way that worked so you could basically never leave your base is exactly why they changed it. I remember MM saying he wanted people to have to get out and risk their lives if they wanted to find the better/best stuff. And I agree with that, so I don't mind these new systems.

 

And as Roland has said, you don't have to find 100s of magazines unless you just have to min/max things.

Edited November 5, 2022 by bdubyah (see edit history)

[RipClaw]

58 minutes ago, bdubyah said:

You think finding a book/schematic in almost every bookshelf was a good thing? I didn't. If I raided a normal size bookstore and come out with a couple new things I'd consider that great. Best case, obviously. I shouldn't be getting a schematic or something from every bookshelf I loot.

That's how it was at the time, and I didn't think it was bad. So I had more time for other things like building. You may not like it, but other players did.

 

58 minutes ago, bdubyah said:

I do miss the zombie corpse looting, but not having to clean them up.

Did not bother me to clean up the corpses. That way I always had enough bones and rotten meat.

 

1 hour ago, bdubyah said:

But that way that worked so you could basically never leave your base is exactly why they changed it. I remember MM saying he wanted people to have to get out and risk their lives if they wanted to find the better/best stuff. And I agree with that, so I don't mind these new systems.

Well, apparently the OP sees it differently. I was just trying to explain that the situation were just different back then and therefore game also worked for players that don't like looting.

 

The progression system in A20 is a good compromise in my opinion. Some of the recipes can be unlocked via perks or schematics and some only via schematics. So you need to loot but you have an alternative for some recipes.

 

With A21 this alternative is gone. If you want to craft more than Q1 stone tools you have to loot. I doubt that the trader sells larger quantities of magazines.

 

1 hour ago, bdubyah said:

And as Roland has said, you don't have to find 100s of magazines unless you just have to min/max things.

No Roland said that you don't need 100 magazines to craft an auger. I guess you need 60 to craft a Q1 auger.

 

[Roland]

New three word clue for another A21 change....

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

Edited November 6, 2022 by Roland (see edit history)

[Laz Man]

1 hour ago, Roland said:

New three word clue for another A21 change....

 

 

Armpits smells like a group of sweaty people?....😅

Edited November 6, 2022 by Laz Man (see edit history)

[JayBiggS]

1 hour ago, Roland said:

New three word clue for another A21 change....

 

  Hide contents

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't know the 3 words but something to do with ash + barbecues + fire stokers...

Edited November 6, 2022 by JayBiggS
Post said "hidden" ...? (see edit history)

[Melange]

The doll waving is saying 'Hi' -> High

Secret is a deodorant.

Stair - air = 'st', Mash (TV show) - M (auntie M from OZ) = 'ash'. Hence 'stash'.

 

My guess is we're getting some high(er) quality secret stash, or there will be more secret stash to be found (that may have filters in it!) 

 

Edited November 6, 2022 by Melange (see edit history)

[beerfly]

Could be about stamina, less stamina degeneration. That explanation could be some of my brain cells last words, also. 

 

That old photo and the minus sign, is confusing me. 

Edited November 6, 2022 by beerfly (see edit history)

[meilodasreh]

4 hours ago, Melange said:

Hence 'stash'.

My guess is we're getting some high(er) quality secret stash, or there will be more secret stash to be found (that may have filters in it!) 

 

Same conclusion here for the "stash" part, but the first part I don't know.

 

Maybe it's a hint that we have to stash stuff in our armpit (because we start with no backpack, but have to make one first)

So very small inventory at the beginning, which would add to the "slower progression, harder survival" aspect that the devs are pointing towards.

 

Or the arm stands just for "bodyparts" in general, so a hint for some change considerung storage capacity at our bodyparts (which was already planned with the armor overhaul)

 

...and in the end it will come out far less ecxiting, like "there's a chance you can find deodorant under stairs as another source for scrap polymer"

 

For the other riddlers here:

 

have in mind: Roland said "three words", but there are four pictures. The last two pictures are surrounded by the same grey box, so the're one word. (very probably "stash" as Melange pointed out)

 

So the first two pictures are two individual words.

 

Barbie arm stash

 

Doesn't make any sense, Roland.

Edited November 6, 2022 by meilodasreh (see edit history)

[beerfly]

Mind the + and - symbols, also how some are wrapped in rectangles like in a math formula. 

[meilodasreh]

Another interpretation:

 

Barbie is like "Hello I'm Barbie"

Armpit deo maybe is "smell"

last part is "stash" as said before

 

so:

hello smelly stash

 

--> a game mechanic is (re-)introduced that your stash can smell and attracts zombies

[Jost Amman]

Thanks to Melange for the great intuition on the last part.

I think I solved it!

 

My take on the hint:

• The doll (Barbie) is raising her hand, word = RAISING
• The deodorant stick (I searched) could be on specific product which is named like in the picture below:
  Spoiler

  

  So the word should be: SECRET

• And as Melange said, the last word should be: STASH

 

So the solution could be: RAISING SECRET STASH

Basically, they've raised the loot reward for the secret stash? 

 

Or the doll could represent Traders, in which case it means that the Traders can now give you a Secret Stash mission. 

Edited November 6, 2022 by Jost Amman (see edit history)

[wolfbain5]

yeah something to do with trader's increased secret stash?

 

doll arm pointed up, so Increase

the deodorant brand is "Secret"

and consensus agrees last word is stash

[Jost Amman]

1 minute ago, wolfbain5 said:

yeah something to do with trader's increased secret stash?

 

doll arm pointed up, so Increase

the deodorant brand is "Secret"

and consensus agrees last word is stash

I already posted almost this same solution, but my post is marked as hidden! 

I don't understand why...

[meilodasreh]

2 minutes ago, Jost Amman said:

I already posted almost this same solution, but my post is marked as hidden! 

I don't understand why...

maybe you nailed it but Roland was hoping it would take us way longer to solve, because he has other work to do next to keeping us entertained.

 

So he secretly stashes away the correct answers.

[NukemDed]

or is she waving goodbye?

[meilodasreh]

17 minutes ago, wolfbain5 said:

the deodorant brand is "Secret"

Ah yes brilliant.

So its obviously about secret stash.

 

But "increase" because Barbie has arm up, I don't know. Why Barbie/a doll of all choices, and she isn't even pointing upwards, but more waving.

It must be something else.

 

What can be changed about the secret stash?

Increase/decrease obviously, but then again, why a waving barbie doll to symbolize it?

So what else?

more variety. more individual/or general choices between the traders? Can't see the connection to barbie there either.

 

More beautiful secret stash maybe, as barbie is a beauty idol. Still somewhat stupid conclusion I guess.

 

Maybe the clue is about her outfit? I mean what does she resemble? A stewardess or alike?

I don't know that uniform. Anyone else?

3 minutes ago, NukemDed said:

or is she waving goodbye?

uuuhhh, good one, I guess we have a winner.

 

goodbye secret stash it is.

[NukemDed]

its not often that i hope im wrong,

[meilodasreh]

26 minutes ago, NukemDed said:

its not often that i hope im wrong,

but it fits well to the fact that the devs want to prevent things where you can "skip progression".

Now, when you invested some points into better barter (or was it that perk?) ...anyhow, then there is soo much overpowered stuff in it sometimes.

And when you didn't perk into, well at least I have the feeling that then it is just another tab of "unfiltered" stuff, where you mostly could get the same stuff that is also available in the other tabs.

So I would not especially miss it I guess.

Edited November 6, 2022 by meilodasreh (see edit history)

[Annihilatorza]

6 minutes ago, meilodasreh said:

but it fits well to the fact that the devs want to prevent things where you can "skip progression".

Now, when you invested some points into better barter (or was it that perk?) ...anyhow, then there is soo much overpowered stuff in it sometimes.

And when you didn't perk into, well at least I have the feeling that then it is just another tab of "unfiltered" stuff, where you mostly could get the same stuff that is also available in the other tabs.

So I would not especially miss it I guess.

I hope the stash does not get removed, I rather have it changed or locked behind a skill check. I loved working hard to get the dukes and buying rare stuff, sometimes was only way to get solar panels.

[Doomofman]

The doll specifically is Barbie saying  ‘Farewell’ from Toy Story so yeah, Secret Stash is going away which is disappointing. 

 

Google ‘Farewell Barbie’ and you’ll find a video of it. 

 

What's with posts on this clue getting hidden?

Edited November 6, 2022 by Roland (see edit history)