A17 Feedback; Help me Obi-Wan, you're my only hope!

[AbeTheBlackFox]

So I've watched all the videos Joel's released on youtube for A17 up to my timestamp, and so far I'm pretty impressed with the amount of work that's been put into it, especially when TFP had to do engine updates too.

 

I'm still on the fence about whether the perk system needed redoing now, rather than a little further down the line, but it's not like the old system was perfect. Who knows, maybe the new system will provide a bit more of an impactful sense of progression.

 

I am disappointed that the UI, far from having hunger/thirst/temp back, is now missing the numbers for Level, Kills, Deaths and the Weapon/Tool grading. Guys, I know you're trying to minimise the HUD and prevent over-cluttering like Skyrim did, but Skyrim didn't have background numbers that could kill you, you do. We need to have something to keep track of them. I can see how the new HUD can tell you how hungry you are, but I don't see how it'll show thirst. I might have missed something, but it wasn't obvious to me.

 

Glad you've spent some time reworking the temperature system, hopefully now you can get random gen to put appropriate biomes next to each other. Having a desert next to a snow biome is very weird, particularly when there's a clear defined line where the sand stops and the snow begins. So we're going to need biome-feathering eventually.

 

There's a few things I didn't like in the videos, mostly minor things, or things I was hoping to see this version (like the new mo-caps for responsive zombies) but so far there's two completely irreconcilable features in the new version that makes me slam the eject button every time.

 

1. The Encumbrance system. Collecting resources/food/ammo in a world of limited daylight and hungry zombies is daunting enough for new players; I have to wonder why TFP would think that locking nearly half the inventory screen in slots that make it, a: harder to keep your inventory sorted and carry enough to play a nomad style, and b: make it much more likely that players will die in the most cruel way possible, was going to be met with positive opinion. I know that they've increased the max inventory size and made perks to clear these slots, but to me, the most important time I need to utilize EVERY inventory slot, is when I'm freshly spawned and I need to collect a whole lot of everything while looking for where I'm going to set up this play-through. Since this system makes it nearly impossible to get around with full slots and I won't have the perks to clear them, this is effectively an inventory nerf. A big one.

 

2. ONE Crafting Slot to Rule them All! I couldn't believe this when I heard it, I literally clicked the video back to make sure I heard Joel properly, but it's true. In A17, you start with ONE crafting slot, not the usual 5. Once again, there's perks to unlock all 5, but to me this is like charging someone money for tap water. The fact that TFP thinks that it's ok to have just 1 crafting slot to use for everything you have to repair, and craft, and scrap (god help you if you have to scrap brass) all while you're trying to avoid zombies and look for loot is blatant "we don't play our game" development. (Further evidenced by Joel's melee combat.) Having 5 crafting slots has been important for many versions as it allows you to open your inventory, queue up a bunch of things, then close your inventory and PLAY THE GAME! With one crafting slot, you have to carry a lot more trash that you intend to scrap (in your severely nerfed inventory), and will be constantly popping in and out of the inventory screen to scrap the next thing while literally any zombie in rendering distance will sneak up on you.

 

These two features make me VERY hesitant to play A17, and leaves me on the fence about what the update as a whole will be like. Mostly because I worry "if they put THOSE in, what else is in there?" Please, for the love of god Fun Pimps, fix this.

 

So far, I'll be treating A17 like sleepers in a large dark building; very slowly creeping in through the door with my bow drawn.

[davethebakerx2]

People buy tap water every day. Infact most of the bottled water companies get there water from municipal water supplies like detroit. Tap water is usally better then bottled. Now imagine how many landfills are full of water bottles and disposable diapers. A problem easily solved with a resuable bottle and cloth diapers.

[skullpoker]

Dude, you posted in console...

 

Moved.

[AbeTheBlackFox]

Oh, I didn't see it. Sorry about that.

[littlegreen]

I reckon I could agree partially with point 1.

 

If I were you I'd be posting in the dev. diary thread proposing Encumbrance to be reduced with difficulty. I think that'd be the middle ground.

 

No way to incorporate this in the crafting slots that I can currently think of. I suppose that is one of the ways to prolong the game. As we all know, previous Alpha builds can turn into a flat gameplay somewhat quickly if survival is your main objective. This is one of the way to postpone this.

 

I personally see it as something that will put my base(I don't play nomad) a couple days further away - so maybe my first horde night will be anything BUT comfortable and safe.

 

On the other hand - it's quite difficult to judge something we haven't experienced yet. We just need to wait and see what happens when it comes out - how does it look, how does it feel. They're pretty decent at listening to feedback.

 

Cheers!