Zombie Fall Damage

[Kyoji]

Does anyone know how fall damage is worked out?

 

#1) What is the max distance to dig to deal the max amount of fall damage? I assume it is capped as cops and ferals do not die.

#2) Is there a way to make a tiered drop system to where there could be 2 or 3 drops to kill cops/ferals is there is a fall damage cap?

[Glimpse]

I'm not sure of the exact numbers, but a 28 block fall will kill a couple of the most common zombies, even if it's onto bedrock. 27 blocks on to spikes tends take care of a few others, except cops, ferals and spiders. I tested this the other day at a hub city, which seems to be locked on Random Gen at -28, bedrock being -57.

 

This is all on PC, so I'm not sure if it's the same on console.

 

I just watched a Grand Spartan video where he uses a 2 tier drop on a 700 day horde, and even it didn't kill Ferals, but it did wound them some, added to the fact they run across the spikes at the bottom, taking more damage, minus any damage from spikes with bodies on them.

 

Depending on where you set up, it will do more damage of course.

 

The crossroads west of the farm on Navezgane is an almost perfect place because of it's height, it's just not as well traveled except on Horde Nights, so you don't get as much daily traffic unless you're drawing in screamers on purpose.

 

My typical bunker design is a free-fall pit, something like:

 

Ground Level

Air Blocks to -51

Spikes (upgraded to steel asap)

Reinforced Concrete 8th blocks (so you can repair spikes underneath)

3 high living area with forges under the corners of the pit.

Blocks of some sort over the bedrock, just so it looks better.

 

I have steel pillars 4 high surrounding the kill room, so even if a zombie is standing on spikes, it cannot hit a solid block, just pillars.

 

Edit:

 

Forgot to add the video:

 

[Kyoji]

What is the point of people starting at a high layer such as the snow biome then digging to bedrock? It seems like most zombies would be at their max damage potential after just 50 blocks or possibly even less. Unless people are doing a layered system, which the video by GRand Spartan didn't seem like the layered system was worth the extra effort. Zombies can die in the upper one or two falls which would reduce loot and increase the corpses in places where you can't easily loot.

 

Not sure if I am missing the point of building to bedrock or starting in the snow biome. From what I have read zombies don't dig down so bedrock wouldn't be required and the zombies seem to have capped fall damage so a 2000 block height would be just as efficient as a 50 block height.

 

Anyone know the prime fall distance value for regular zombies if one were to construct a double fall pit I would imagine the best circumstance would require the zombies fall just enough to not die then die on the second fall which would centralize the loot.

[Glimpse]

Until I am able to run some tests and figure it out (hard to do without knowing the solid numbers) I'm just sticking with single free-fall. The concept of the double fall is interesting, but it looks like more effort than it's worth.

 

I usually build my free falls in the hub city, so it's only a 28 block drop at most. I'd never build one in a remote area like a snow biome, not enough traffic to justify it.

[MutilatorJuice]

Somewhere around 20-25 blocks down I stopped seeing an increase in damage. 90% of dogs died from the fall. Most regular zombies would break their leg. I had a 100m drop to test.

[LuckyStar]

Yeah typically a 30 block drop will kill all the scrubs and 25 will break legs and kill dogs.

 

Here's the thing, you might want to ask yourself if it's worth it.

 

Perhaps there IS a way to kill Ferals with tiered drops but the resources and the limitations of a build like that are something to consider.

 

Adding spikes/fire traps after the drop to finish them off seems a lot more efficient.

[Glimpse]

Yeah typically a 30 block drop will kill all the scrubs and 25 will break legs and kill dogs.

 

Here's the thing, you might want to ask yourself if it's worth it.

 

Perhaps there IS a way to kill Ferals with tiered drops but the resources and the limitations of a build like that are something to consider.

 

Adding spikes/fire traps after the drop to finish them off seems a lot more efficient.

 

Actually, on a straight 29 block fall to bedrock it seems to kill more outright then onto a 27 block drop onto spikes.

 

Honestly, if you look at my builds, everything you earn while digging is more than enough to make the bunker itself, (since I build small) so you're not really losing anything, but I'm going to run some tests on tiered drop systems as well.

 

Like the OP said, I think you'd lose more loot by not having a straight fall, and watching Grand Spartan do it, it seemed to use up a lot more energy because there's a lot of square footage to maintain for one person. Maybe leave tiered designs for multiplayer.

[Kyoji]

I understand it isn't something you would consider early on, however, one could utilize such a base late game. The idea is the find the best defense you can get, not so much what is best per time/block.

 

How do you spawn zombies in manually to test? I will test drops starting at 20 and see if there is a way to break legs without killing the lowest tier zombie then have a second drop. Drop to bedrock is harder than one may think because often times there are FAR more blocks than 30-50 to bedrock even at forest/plains/desert levels. So unless you search for a long time for a low point then you are wasting a lot of time.

[Glimpse]

So unless you search for a long time for a low point then you are wasting a lot of time.

 

In RWG Hub city is always at -28 height. It's a constant, so there's no waste of time.

 

When testing:

 

Hit F1

 

Type CM, enter

Type DM, enter

 

F6 opens the spawn menu.

[Kyoji]

After a small bit of testing:

 

It seems that fall damage is bugged. First time I tested they wouldn't die on layer 20. Second time the sweet spot was 16, now they are dying on 15. No idea. Buggy game.

 

Currently, nurses won't die at -13 layers.

[Glimpse]

Are you testing on Nave or a random map?

 

Are they hitting spikes or flat ground?

 

I've seen nurses die after a 20 block fall and seem them live after a 30, so I am thinking there's a variable in there we don't have knowledge on.

[Kyoji]

Are you testing on Nave or a random map?

 

Are they hitting spikes or flat ground?

 

I've seen nurses die after a 20 block fall and seem them live after a 30, so I am thinking there's a variable in there we don't have knowledge on.

 

I am using a cobblestone floor for a baseline on random gen. Regular dirt/stone not placed yields more random results. No spikes. I found that spikes were tricky as they would need to be repaired and the amount of time a zombie would be on the spikes couldn't be guaranteed.

[Glimpse]

True. I find solid bedrock to be a better baseline, because zombies seem to take less damage falling on spikes than they do one one smooth source.

[Kyoji]

After some more testing. It seems that when I use cobblestone floor one layer 13 then the regular ground floor -40 layers down from that cops and ferals both take 2 hits to kill. Likewise at a straight -53 layer drop they also take 2 hits to kill. Haven't tested with cobblestone floors on the ground layer or spikes, but I am not convinced that a double drop system is any more effective than a single drop. Will have to test around a bit more.

 

Note: I used 13 drop to start otherwise you will kill the weaker zombies and lose loot. Plus that would be a second layer to repair/clean.

 

EDIT: After placing some spikes at the bottom after the -13 drop + the -40 drop it seems that ferals take 1 hit to kill give or take. With no spikes and a solid drop they take 3 hits to kill with a shovel.

 

Note 2: You will need to build out 5 for the -13 drop or running zombies will run past the 3 block fall straight to the bottom. So you would require 5 blocks out 13 blocks deep for the first fall then 3 blocks out probably 30 blocks deep or less for the second drop. I didn't test max damage due to time constraints.

[phorgan1]

What is the point of people starting at a high layer such as the snow biome then digging to bedrock? It seems like most zombies would be at their max damage potential after just 50 blocks or possibly even less. Unless people are doing a layered system, which the video by GRand Spartan didn't seem like the layered system was worth the extra effort. Zombies can die in the upper one or two falls which would reduce loot and increase the corpses in places where you can't easily loot.

 

Not sure if I am missing the point of building to bedrock or starting in the snow biome. From what I have read zombies don't dig down so bedrock wouldn't be required and the zombies seem to have capped fall damage so a 2000 block height would be just as efficient as a 50 block height.

 

Anyone know the prime fall distance value for regular zombies if one were to construct a double fall pit I would imagine the best circumstance would require the zombies fall just enough to not die then die on the second fall which would centralize the loot.

 

 

I just watched a video where up to a hundred at least every increment in height increased damage

[crazywildfire]

I just watched a video where up to a hundred at least every increment in height increased damage

 

You do realize that this is year and half old thread and several updates have been done since then that have changed the way many things are now. With that said I haven't done the fall damage thing in a long time so I can't say one way or the other what it is or isn't. But either way digging up old threads like this one isn't good. It would be better to have started a new one or something. Wouldn't be surprised if this doesn't get closed now lol.

[JRauch]

Sylen, looks like we got a live one here 😂 lol