Is it time for screamers to be removed?

[Slingblade2040]

So idk what kind of changes this update did but screamers spawning like crazy is back again. Having so many spawn during a quest POI especially the infestations makes them even more annoying to do since the dang screamer horde usually ends up spawning so many mobs that it kills the FPS. 

 

Personally I hate them and would love for an option to either turn them off or on. Another option which I prefer is more frequent and larger roaming hordes. 

[Roland]

Wouldn’t that amount to the same thing?  You’re in the middle of a quest and a larger wandering horde comes in tanking performance. Wouldn’t you tire of that too if it was happening more frequently?

[theFlu]

One mag from an M60 can spawn a screamer (1% heat per round, 100 rounds per mag). That screamer can spawn more; it's a really chaotic system by design, and with the amount of zeds in high tier quests, it's bound to get out of hand often. "Random but regulated" large hordes would be a lot less chaotic, at least.

[binf_shinana]

Sadly, there's not much point in commenting on game balance or changes/additions here.
The discussion will likely go something like this: sales figures are up, so vanilla definitely made the right changes, there's a problem with the way you play, if you don't like it, get a mod.

[Roland]

11 minutes ago, theFlu said:

One mag from an M60 can spawn a screamer (1% heat per round, 100 rounds per mag). That screamer can spawn more; it's a really chaotic system by design, and with the amount of zeds in high tier quests, it's bound to get out of hand often. "Random but regulated" large hordes would be a lot less chaotic, at least.

Maybe once they have their event manager in place they can turn the screamer events over to it. In fact, they could probably get rid of heat altogether and just have regulated random events of which what was previously “heat events” would be one. 

[seven]

11 minutes ago, theFlu said:

One mag from an M60 can spawn a screamer (1% heat per round, 100 rounds per mag). That screamer can spawn more; it's a really chaotic system by design, and with the amount of zeds in high tier quests, it's bound to get out of hand often. "Random but regulated" large hordes would be a lot less chaotic, at least.

 

It's now 25% on the activity, not 100%. Spawn chance is lower, but so is the cooldown.

[theFlu]

5 minutes ago, Roland said:

In fact, they could probably get rid of heat altogether and just have regulated random events of which what was previously “heat events” would be one. 

It's bound to change, but I wouldn't want to remove the heat map functionality for bases; it kinda feels right to be attracting attention. It just doesn't need to be a random horde night every couple hours when POI clearing ...

[Kosmic Kerman]

I had one spawn after killing a wight in a tier 3 POI with a pipe machine gun and a hunting rifle. The likelihood of a screamer spawning seems a little overturned. But I'd need to start a fresh game and play for 30-40 hours before I can truly pass judgment. If that amount of activity infrequently spawns a screamer that's probably fine. If that activity consistently spawns one, I'm not a fan.

[Roland]

1 minute ago, theFlu said:

It's bound to change, but I wouldn't want to remove the heat map functionality for bases; it kinda feels right to be attracting attention. It just doesn't need to be a random horde night every couple hours when POI clearing ...

 

It would still feel the same but just be regulated. They could also switch it up to be a bandit scout that noticed all the activity and unless noticed and taken out would call in a bandit assault. I didn’t mean get rid of the idea of heat but turning over the heat event of a screamer horde to a manager instead of a simple overflow timer would allow for more nuance, control, alternative events, etc. 

[Adam the Waster]

The way I see it I see screamers are the way to add more zombies into the world which I like and I'm okay with adds more danger which the game always needs

[Javabean867]

They can get annoying pretty quickly.  So far I haven't had to deal with it too much.  Although I kind of want to force spawn them with my strength run.  Full raider q5 armor set, makes me feel invulnerable.  

 

But from the YouTube rs I've seen play, it might be a little too high spawn rate.

[binf_shinana]

There is a 20% spawn rate for every 25% heat, so if you repeat this four times, the probability of not spawning becomes about 40%.
I believe this was set like this because it is the same as the 60% spawn rate at 100% heat before the change.

However, because the 25% heat value is reached frequently, you will pull the trigger more often, so the actual spawn rate will naturally be higher than before.

[Slingblade2040]

52 minutes ago, Roland said:

Wouldn’t that amount to the same thing?  You’re in the middle of a quest and a larger wandering horde comes in tanking performance. Wouldn’t you tire of that too if it was happening more frequently?

I don't have to worry about that wandering horde spawning in more wandering hordes over and over. Unlike with the screamer where it can get ridiculous with how many they spawn over and over

[OneManStanding]

For me, the threat screamers pose for relying too much on guns is fair enough. We did one of the tall tower blocks, me and a friend, on an infestation mission and had lots of fun blasting out way through. THEN came the descent ... and not only did the frames start to tank as we neared the bottom and could hear all the screamers and zombies waiting for us ... but the building started to crumble a little bit as they attacked the foundations to try and get to us. Had a heckuva fight in the lobby. But "heat" control is a vital part of the game, have to say.

[theFlu]

5 hours ago, Roland said:

It would still feel the same but just be regulated.

Well, I didn't mean to imply it'd go away, but "regulated" will depend on however it is regulated. Atm it's partially random but linearly depending on your activity, the linear dependence is what makes it a functional mechanic. Any event-launcher might easily end up limited by all kinds of things the current implementation isn't, which may or may not be a good thing.

 

Can't really judge much either way when all we have is a name for a possible control system

[RipClaw]

My biggest problem with screamers is that they can spawn screamers that in turn can spawn screamers and so on. This can get out of control quite quickly.
I'm not aware of a limit to this and I've had hordes of screamers in the past that have turned the game into a slideshow.
 

I had two screamers today while clearing a POI. I could hear them but since I was in the center of the POI at the time I couldn't see them or do anything about them. I was lucky that the screamers didn't spawn a horde. In the past I've often had screamers spawn a horde even without a direct line of sight and often with additional screamers.

 

[Riamus]

I actually enjoy coming out to find a horde waiting for me. It can be now challenging than the POI was.  😁

[seven]

I had 4 screamers just from running one forge and a chemstation.

[Riamus]

11 minutes ago, seven said:

I had 4 screamers just from running one forge and a chemstation.

Seems like bad luck.  We had 3 workbenches, a forge, and 3 campfires going at once for a while, plus 2 dew collectors, and haven't had any screamers at our base yet.  Somewhere between days 14 and 21 on 2 hour days, so a decent gamestage.

[4sheetzngeegles]

Is it possible to have both, additional impromptu danger,
and regulated playability. F8 is the on off view for FPS presently.
This means that there is already a monitor in place, it's just set for a single purpose.

Is it possible to tie the FPS monitor into the event\additional spawning mechanism.

 

IE; have it set like a MOM on/off switch. Have a set low end Fps, when
that threshold is hit stop additional spawns, until the fps reaches the upper threshold.

 

If it were a settable option for players too, it could regulate spawn for
multiple levels of hardware, making some lower end hardware viable again.

 

Also if done like this then the defaults and standard settings could stay, because
the monitor would become a throttle.

[Arez]

On day 5 I had one forge schmelting iron and three torches going and that was enough to spawn screamers repeatedly. I've never seen that before.

 

I don't mind actually. In fact I appreciate it. I need more zombies spawning more frequently!

 

The fog looks beautiful now. In the middle of the night, I look out across the field as the fog blankets the grass and I see 3 or 4 zombie silhouettes. I love it...but I'd love it even more if there were 10 to 15 silhouettes out in the foggy field. 

[Riamus]

32 minutes ago, Arez said:

On day 5 I had one forge schmelting iron and three torches going and that was enough to spawn screamers repeatedly. I've never seen that before.

 

I don't mind actually. In fact I appreciate it. I need more zombies spawning more frequently!

 

The fog looks beautiful now. In the middle of the night, I look out across the field as the fog blankets the grass and I see 3 or 4 zombie silhouettes. I love it...but I'd love it even more if there were 10 to 15 silhouettes out in the foggy field. 

Oh, the fog is sooo great now!  Both in the wilderness and in the middle of town.  Looks great.

 

I'm surprised that you'd have screamers like that.  I'm on day 9 or 10 on my solo game and letting the forge run for 20min+ at a time (I don't have a ton of ore yet, so no need to run longer) and one torch and none so far.  But I also don't hang out there for long periods of time and maybe that's the difference.  Usually just a few minutes here and there but I thought that still triggered screamers if you were generating heat.  Oh well.  I'm sure I'll see this effect eventually.  I don't really think I'd mind, though.

[Adam the Waster]

6 hours ago, OneManStanding said:

For me, the threat screamers pose for relying too much on guns is fair enough. We did one of the tall tower blocks, me and a friend, on an infestation mission and had lots of fun blasting out way through. THEN came the descent ... and not only did the frames start to tank as we neared the bottom and could hear all the screamers and zombies waiting for us ... but the building started to crumble a little bit as they attacked the foundations to try and get to us. Had a heckuva fight in the lobby. But "heat" control is a vital part of the game, have to say.

They should have a wind up or something before they scream

[Mister Forgash]

Buddy and I ran over to a T3 infested earlier today, Day 12.. He likes to do salvage and there was like 4 cars in the front of this PoI .. They're all clumped pretty close out front there, so we decide to double tap 'em before starting the quest.. Shortly after starting the quest and resetting the cars to be wrenched to bits a second time- the screamers show up, two of them at first.. A most-epic battle breaks out with ferals, a couple cops and at least 4 more screamers that show up throughout the fight.. We were pretty careful with ammo consumption, so I'm guessing it's all the wrenching that brought the screamers in- to me, it feels like there's been a definite increase in how many screamers are coming.

[Outlaw_187]

It's crazy how random this seems to be. Now I haven't played b316-317 yet so now sure if it changed here. 

 

I'm on day 19 on b313. I have everything running, chem station, camp fire, forge, cement mixer, and 1 dew collector going. I do all this at night while I wait for morning to go out & about. 

I have yet to spawn a screamer. However in past builds, I have had screamer issues & yes it can be a bit much but it does add to the excitement/danger factor.