Alpha 21 Dev Diary

[faatal]

7 hours ago, Naz said:

My suggestion to solve this is, would it not be possible to use the same system that's already ingame to dynamically swap the zombies models for low Polly versions? maybe more a @faatal question we can sometimes catch a glimpse of how that works which can be both fascinating and hilarious at the same time😄

 

Could this system not also be used to swap block models for lower polly versions the same way it currently does for zombies? obviously not rendering at all is better for performance than rendering something so i have no idea if even if it could be done, could it be done with an acceptable performance trade off. Likely it would take too long to implement for a21 but i wonder if it's not a solution worth exploring for the future?

It already does that. Block models are Unity prefabs. Most have LODGroup components in them which determines the render height at which each LOD is shown and when it is culled. Getting them consistent with each other is a challenge as there are many heights and differing amounts of LODs. You also want more trivial models to disappear sooner.

 

The Video>Quality>Object Quality setting determines how quickly distance causes it to step through those LODs, but it gets expensive using the higher settings. Is actually one of the more expensive graphics settings.

[Beelzebubs Ghost]

Why would anyone assume the water collector would be functional?

 

Look at the beautiful tractor model they have that isn't subject to the same internal detail constraints as the sedans preventing it being driveable - and that amazing piece of kit is disappointingly nothing more than a prop.

 

Absolute waste. 

 

Edited July 22, 2022 by Beelzebubs Ghost (see edit history)

[Blake_]

@faatal I have a few questions regarding bandits.

 

1. Will bandits be able to loot tailored containers for something specific for them or pick up dropped weapons?

 

2. Will bandits be able to jump obstacles and crouch as well as the player ? In those lines, do you plan on giving them also 1m 'egression' like future zds?

 

3. Do you plan on giving bandits sneaky behaviour towards us? Meaning silent night assaults with surrounding and stalking and the like, or even just passive camouflage at any given time (there's a costume already in for hidden sniping I believe).

 

4. How will bandit speed work?

Will they be faster or slower than the player? More or less stamina? Will they actually spend it?

 

5. Will bandits be capable of facial expressions? Blinks, eye movement, grins, ect.

 

6. Have you guys planned any means of transportation for hostile npcs going forward? (Pun intended?)

 

7. Will we be able to talk our way out from a dangerous situation regarding bandits? Like giving them X amount of dukes and then they let us go on for a few days?

 

Thank you very much for the patience.

 

[meganoth]

4 hours ago, Blake_ said:

@faatal I have a few questions regarding bandits.

 

1. Will bandits be able to loot tailored containers for something specific for them or pick up dropped weapons?

 

2. Will bandits be able to jump obstacles and crouch as well as the player ? In those lines, do you plan on giving them also 1m 'egression' like future zds?

 

3. Do you plan on giving bandits sneaky behaviour towards us? Meaning silent night assaults with surrounding and stalking and the like, or even just passive camouflage at any given time (there's a costume already in for hidden sniping I believe).

 

4. How will bandit speed work?

Will they be faster or slower than the player? More or less stamina? Will they actually spend it?

 

5. Will bandits be capable of facial expressions? Blinks, eye movement, grins, ect.

 

6. Have you guys planned any means of transportation for hostile npcs going forward? (Pun intended?)

 

7. Will we be able to talk our way out from a dangerous situation regarding bandits? Like giving them X amount of dukes and then they let us go on for a few days?

 

Thank you very much for the patience.

 

 

8. Will the bandits get toilet and cigarette breaks? Do they have a trade union? Do they have a medical care insurance?

 

9. Will they question their own existence and contemplate whether they have a soul or are just simulated characters in a game?

 

[maxousara]

Meganoth post the ultimate question its so funny haha. I have questions too

 

1...Bandits prefer tacos or pizza ?? I'm so excited about the answer i roll on the floor until i have an answer.

 

2...Bandits are they more intelligent than true humans if yes WHY and HOW ??

[NekoPawtato]

Are bandits capable of drowning? (if underwater for long enough) 😀

[Naz]

15 hours ago, faatal said:

It already does that. Block models are Unity prefabs. Most have LODGroup components in them which determines the render height at which each LOD is shown and when it is culled. Getting them consistent with each other is a challenge as there are many heights and differing amounts of LODs. You also want more trivial models to disappear sooner.

 

The Video>Quality>Object Quality setting determines how quickly distance causes it to step through those LODs, but it gets expensive using the higher settings. Is actually one of the more expensive graphics settings.

definitely object quality is one of the only expensive options i try to keep as high as possible to stop blocks getting culled as often in sight. That's great news to hear it already does it, if i'm understanding correctly the object setting controls how far away objects will go through their lods before getting culled? and after a certain distance the object the object will stop switching out lods and get completely culled? i assume then it's too expensive to maintain the lowest quality lod at the same distance as a players view distance?

[Adam the Waster]

Armor i wear during my dates

[Roland]

Whelp…since it’s been outed…The dew collector is the new workstation. It is the lowest tier workstation and so will be the first one unlocked by reading Forge Ahead magazines. 
 

It slowly collects three bottles of pure water (irrespective of biome or weather sorry Gup).  Drinking water has been completely rebalanced for A21. Setting up multiple dew collectors will definitely become fundamental to survival and for building your base. 

[Fanatical_Meat]

Everyone calm the F down about the bandits. They are not going to be super masterful works of programming which no game developer has ever achieved.

they likely will be smarter zombies that will possibly fire guns at you. They will simply be another possibly tougher enemy to defeat.

Calm down or expect to be disappointed.

[NekoPawtato]

6 minutes ago, Roland said:

Drinking water has been completely rebalanced for A21. Setting up multiple dew collectors will definitely become fundamental to survival and for building your base. 

I'm curious what this means for the current strategy which is to just go to a body of water like a pond or ditch and fill up empty jars with murky water to then boil into drinkable water -- is that not going to be possible in A21?

[Fanatical_Meat]

4 hours ago, Roland said:

Whelp…since it’s been outed…The dew collector is the new workstation. It is the lowest tier workstation and so will be the first one unlocked by reading Forge Ahead magazines. 
 

It slowly collects three bottles of pure water (irrespective of biome or weather sorry Gup).  Drinking water has been completely rebalanced for A21. Setting up multiple dew collectors will definitely become fundamental to survival and for building your base. 

Good water is waaaay too easy to collect, craft & store. To me the starting water crisis lasts until day 3 then you are literally swimming in water.

Edited July 22, 2022 by Fanatical_Meat (see edit history)

[bdubyah]

17 hours ago, Beelzebubs Ghost said:

Why would anyone assume the water collector would be functional?

 

Look at the beautiful tractor model they have that isn't subject to the same internal detail constraints as the sedans preventing it being driveable - and that amazing piece of kit is disappointingly nothing more than a prop.

 

Absolute waste. 

 

Don't your ever tire of being such a negative nancy?

[Guppycur]

23 minutes ago, Roland said:

Whelp…since it’s been outed…The dew collector is the new workstation. It is the lowest tier workstation and so will be the first one unlocked by reading Forge Ahead magazines. 
 

It slowly collects three bottles of pure water (irrespective of biome or weather sorry Gup).  Drinking water has been completely rebalanced for A21. Setting up multiple dew collectors will definitely become fundamental to survival and for building your base. 

Oh.  Dew, not rain.  Yeh okay I'm fine with that.  Good call whoever decided to say dew and not rain... Good call indeed. 

[Jost Amman]

23 minutes ago, Roland said:

Whelp…since it’s been outed…The dew collector is the new workstation. It is the lowest tier workstation and so will be the first one unlocked by reading Forge Ahead magazines. 
 

It slowly collects three bottles of pure water (irrespective of biome or weather sorry Gup).  Drinking water has been completely rebalanced for A21. Setting up multiple dew collectors will definitely become fundamental to survival and for building your base. 

This is great news... not only about the dew collector, but mainly about the water scarcity rebalance.

 

Is A21 going to be the next Survival Experience also on other aspects? (canned food / hunting, weather effects, injuries)

Just now, Guppycur said:

Oh.  Dew, not rain.  Yeh okay I'm fine with that.  Good call whoever decided to say dew and not rain... Good call indeed. 

Actually, they were thinking about this when...

Spoiler

 

[jorbascrumps]

25 minutes ago, Roland said:

Whelp…since it’s been outed…The dew collector is the new workstation. It is the lowest tier workstation and so will be the first one unlocked by reading Forge Ahead magazines. 
 

It slowly collects three bottles of pure water (irrespective of biome or weather sorry Gup).  Drinking water has been completely rebalanced for A21. Setting up multiple dew collectors will definitely become fundamental to survival and for building your base. 

 

Interesting reveal. Not to sound ungrateful, but does it unlock any recipes or only generate water? I am VERY curious how drinking water has been rebalanced to warrant introducing a whole workstation for it.

[Syphon583]

17 hours ago, Beelzebubs Ghost said:

Why would anyone assume the water collector would be functional?

 

Look at the beautiful tractor model they have that isn't subject to the same internal detail constraints as the sedans preventing it being driveable - and that amazing piece of kit is disappointingly nothing more than a prop.

 

Absolute waste. 

 

Let's think about that for a second. Between a rain collector and tractor, which one in the context of 7DTD is more useful? There is nothing in the game right now that would make a drivable tractor useful, other than it's another vehicle choice (albeit a slow one at that, so pretty pointless). It is absolutely not worth the devs time to make that thing drivable. A rain (and as confirmed by Roland, actually a dew) collector is 100% more viable and actually makes sense to have in the game.

[NekoPawtato]

Does dew collector have same or similar restrictions as plants growing (where you need exposed sunlight), or can we have the dew collector indoors/in a closed room and still have it collect water?

[Roland]

35 minutes ago, NekoPawtato said:

I'm curious what this means for the current strategy which is to just go to a body of water like a pond or ditch and fill up empty jars with murky water to then boil into drinkable water -- is that not going to be possible in A21?

No longer possible. You can drink straight from a river or lake but you won’t be able to fill up a stack of empty bottles. There are no longer any empty bottles in A21. Bottles only exist as long as there is a liquid contained in them. They simply represent one unit of that liquid and not a literal bottle any longer.
 

Murky water is now the standard drink of the apocalypse. You will only ever find murky water when looting containers that have  water. You will always have to boil your own pure water. But dew collectors generate pure water so they are very nice. 
 

The struggle for water lasts longer than three days now. I’ve actually found myself resorting to drinking murky water at times. Murky water works like the spoiled sandwiches. It recovers your thirst but damages your health slightly just like the sandwiches recover your hunger but damage your health. Makes for some interesting choices. 

[bdubyah]

2 minutes ago, Roland said:

No longer possible. You can drink straight from a river or lake but you won’t be able to fill up a stack of empty bottles. There are no longer any empty bottles in A21. Bottles only exist as long as there is a liquid contained in them. They simply represent one unit of that liquid and not a literal bottle any longer.
 

Murky water is now the standard drink of the apocalypse. You will only ever find murky water when looting containers that have  water. You will always have to boil your own pure water. But dew collectors generate pure water so they are very nice. 
 

The struggle for water lasts longer than three days now. I’ve actually found myself resorting to drinking murky water at times. Murky water works like the spoiled sandwiches. It recovers your thirst but damages your health slightly just like the sandwiches recover your hunger but damage your health. Makes for some interesting choices. 

So when you drink something you don't get the jar back anymore?

[Dimpy]

9 hours ago, meganoth said:

 

8. Will the bandits get toilet and cigarette breaks? Do they have a trade union? Do they have a medical care insurance?

 

9. Will they question their own existence and contemplate whether they have a soul or are just simulated characters in a game?

 

 

10. Will bandits nerd pole to climb up the sides of your base?

[Roland]

37 minutes ago, jorbascrumps said:

 

Interesting reveal. Not to sound ungrateful, but does it unlock any recipes or only generate water? I am VERY curious how drinking water has been rebalanced to warrant introducing a whole workstation for it.

It is a passive station. It just does it’s thing once you place it and the interface is only to collect water from it. It isn’t a crafting station and it doesn’t unlock new recipes. But when you have three set up it makes your base look cool and you always feel happy opening it and removing pure water. 
 

12 minutes ago, bdubyah said:

So when you drink something you don't get the jar back anymore?

Nope. You can’t craft empty jars, find empty jars, or wind up with empty jars. Go craft up 1000s while

it’s still A20…. 😜

 

14 minutes ago, NekoPawtato said:

Does dew collector have same or similar restrictions as plants growing (where you need exposed sunlight), or can we have the dew collector indoors/in a closed room and still have it collect water?

I don’t know. I hope so. I think they should only work outside. Putting the plant property on them to force them to have open sky above them would be a great idea if it isn’t already implemented. I could never bring myself to build one inside and go against the theme. Plus they are humongous. They look awesome on the exterior of your base. 

Edited July 22, 2022 by Roland (see edit history)

[Matt115]

1 hour ago, Adam the Waster said:

Armor i wear during my dates

it looks good except plate

[NekoPawtato]

24 minutes ago, Roland said:

No longer possible. You can drink straight from a river or lake but you won’t be able to fill up a stack of empty bottles. There are no longer any empty bottles in A21. Bottles only exist as long as there is a liquid contained in them. They simply represent one unit of that liquid and not a literal bottle any longer.

Thanks for all your responses. A follow up question to this -- Does this also mean you can no longer "craft" bottles of murky water either? (since empty jars are going away)

If they are no longer craftable, I'd imagine mass producing glue (and by that extension, duct tape) will be more difficult in A21 if the recipes are left as-is. Are there any plans to address that, (such as recipe changes)? Or we just have to use our glue/duct tape more wisely moving forward?

 

(for context, I burn through a ton of duct tape making exploding arrows and frag rockets and occasionally repair kits when I resell stuff for more money)

Edited July 22, 2022 by NekoPawtato (see edit history)

[Roland]

5 minutes ago, NekoPawtato said:

Thanks for all your responses. A follow up question to this -- Does this also mean you can no longer "craft" bottles of murky water either? (since empty jars are going away)

If they are no longer craftable, I'd imagine mass producing glue (and by that extension, duct tape) will be more difficult in A21 if the recipes are left as-is. Are there any plans to address that, (such as recipe changes)? Or we just have to use our glue/duct tape more wisely moving forward?

 

(for context, I burn through a ton of duct tape making exploding arrows and frag rockets and occasionally repair kits when I resell stuff for more money)

Correct that we cannot craft nor collect murky water. Glue now uses pure water in its recipe. For your production needs you would probably want a dew collector farm of at least a dozen collectors. 
 

Also, while on the subject, for boiling murky water into pure water on the campfire you must have a pot in A21. No more can you boil murk without a pot. Sometimes we just have to drink murk. Rekt swears by it. He prefers murk to anything else.