Too high to Spawn?

[BrotherSeamus]

So, I built a horde base at the top of a mesa and built a fully connected stair case all the way to the top. I was just messing around with the idea of launching zombie off the edge and watching them tumble to the bottom. However, it turns out you can be far enough off the ground that zombies won't spawn at all on horde night. When I walked 3/4 of the way down the stairs they started to spawn and run up the stairs after me. As soon as I went back to the top though they stopped coming. Is this intentional? Did I miss something? I consider the base a total failure because I was not able to get any zombies all the way to the top without leading them up there.

[Syphon583]

I don't know the coding specifics, so this might not be useful to you at all, but I do know there is a lateral range limit for BM spawns, something around 50 blocks if I'm not mistaken. BM zeds will only spawn on the ground (topsoil/asphalt, etc) as long as it is not water or player-placed blocks. Meaning you could build a base in the middle of the lake (with pillars to the lake bottom) and as long as the shore is more than 50 blocks, you will not get BM spawns. This could very well apply vertically as well, as long as whatever tower you built is high enough off the ground. But honestly, that's just a guess. Someone else here might have a more accurate/correct answer.

[BrotherSeamus]

@Syphon583 Yeah, that is kinda what I was thinking. I really should have guessed that is what would happen, but I was so excited about launching zeds cliffward that I didn't really think that through. Oh well. Off the the next ridiculous horde base. 

[Syphon583]

7 minutes ago, BrotherSeamus said:

but I was so excited about launching zeds cliffward that I didn't really think that through

Oh I'm with you there. Even if the fall doesn't kill them, the thought of yeeting zeds down a mountain, or into a pit and watch them pile up makes me giggle inside. 

[grendelwolf]

1 hour ago, Syphon583 said:

Even if the fall doesn't kill them, the thought of yeeting zeds down a mountain, or into a pit and watch them pile up makes me giggle inside. 

Zombie fall damage is important to me. Not because of cheating. But I like to build bridges with trapdoors, especially over smaller canyons. Then I connect this bridges with the buildings that I cleared and barricaded before. In horde nights (when the @%$# hits the fan) I can escape through big parts of the map this way. It's also great to watch all hell breaking loose below while running through the night. The thing that I miss in this game are more and stronger flying enemies. Often I'm alone up there. 😉  

 

Did I already mention that I like this game? 😃

[theFlu]

28 minutes ago, Syphon583 said:

BM zeds will only spawn on the ground (topsoil/asphalt, etc) as long as it is not water or player-placed blocks.

I think that's wrong; I think you can place down topsoil/asphalt and have zeds spawn on those. @Syphon583 give it a try; make a "platform" of some terrain type along your tower and see if you can get zeds to spawn there. That kinda begs for a sledge turret guarding the dedicated spawn area though ... Or a "cage" with plenty of turrets.

 

Make it in a spot where there's clear sky above the terrain blocks; I think they can't spawn under blocks, as to not spawn in your basement.

[Syphon583]

5 hours ago, theFlu said:

I think that's wrong; I think you can place down topsoil/asphalt and have zeds spawn on those. @Syphon583 give it a try; make a "platform" of some terrain type along your tower and see if you can get zeds to spawn there. That kinda begs for a sledge turret guarding the dedicated spawn area though ... Or a "cage" with plenty of turrets.

 

Make it in a spot where there's clear sky above the terrain blocks; I think they can't spawn under blocks, as to not spawn in your basement.

You're absolutely right. I forgot that player-placed topsoil counts as well. Just not player-placed blocks that are made out of other materials like wood, cobble, concreate, etc. I somehow missed that little tidbit.

[theFlu]

It's a common mistake; the whole "player-placed" is basically a misnomer. The game doesn't keep track of which blocks were placed by a player; if there's a difference between similar blocks like light sources or workbenches in POIs, the player version is a separate block entirely.

[Rotor]

6 hours ago, BrotherSeamus said:

So, I built a horde base at the top of a mesa and built a fully connected stair case all the way to the top. I was just messing around with the idea of launching zombie off the edge and watching them tumble to the bottom. However, it turns out you can be far enough off the ground that zombies won't spawn at all on horde night. When I walked 3/4 of the way down the stairs they started to spawn and run up the stairs after me. As soon as I went back to the top though they stopped coming. Is this intentional? Did I miss something? I consider the base a total failure because I was not able to get any zombies all the way to the top without leading them up there.

 

I think you found the answer to the inverse of safe underground bases :).

 

I will get "fixed" for A21 :).