PC Alpha 19 Dev Diary

[Odetta]

but the stun baton wasn't doing so well

Ya, my least favorite weapon by far.  It's kinda goofy in the way it works.  Would be better if the Power Attack always jolted zombies.  The trade off is that the baton would degrade faster when using the PA.  Perking into it would allow the jolt to last longer with rank 3 and 5 granting a little AOE effect.  You'll be using more stamina and degrading the weapon faster so it's balanced.  Most importantly the weapon will feel more consistent, powerful and enjoyable to use.

Basic Attack: Regular baton no jolts(ever) - Regular stamina use and degradation

Power Attack: Jolt attack - High stamina use and x2 or more degradation (this never changes even perked up)

Perks 1 thru 5 add longer jolt duration and damage

Perks 3 and 5 add AOE

Something like that.  This would at least get me to use them, don't know about other people just my opinion

 

[combatwombat]

is there any way that the items from the table saw can be upgradeable? and can we possibly have the ability to lay the poles and bars flat like we used to have? 

 

[Xtrakicking]

Ya, my least favorite weapon by far.  It's kinda goofy in the way it works.  Would be better if the Power Attack always jolted zombies.  The trade off is that the baton would degrade faster when using the PA.  Perking into it would allow the jolt to last longer with rank 3 and 5 granting a little AOE effect.  You'll be using more stamina and degrading the weapon faster so it's balanced.  Most importantly the weapon will feel more consistent, powerful and enjoyable to use.

Basic Attack: Regular baton no jolts(ever) - Regular stamina use and degradation

Power Attack: Jolt attack - High stamina use and x2 or more degradation (this never changes even perked up)

Perks 1 thru 5 add longer jolt duration and damage

Perks 3 and 5 add AOE

Something like that.  This would at least get me to use them, don't know about other people just my opinion

I agree, it's one of the melee weapons I dislike the most. I think the problem is that, in terms or damage, it's really weak. Sure, you have the electric thing, but why would you choose that over a melee weapon that actually kills enemies?

 

[Ralathar44]

I agree, it's one of the melee weapons I dislike the most. I think the problem is that, in terms or damage, it's really weak. Sure, you have the electric thing, but why would you choose that over a melee weapon that actually kills enemies?

Pound for Pound the Stun Baton is just a much lower damage club that instead of knocking down electrocutes them with low damage, which makes headshot follow ups slightly easier.  On it's own merits a stun baton is the weakest melee T3 weapon in the game by far.  The onyl time Stun Baton is worth it is for INT build.  In INT build Stun Baton is worth using since you've already skilled out INT so it's much cheaper to invest into Electrocutioner than it is to skill into a separate stat's melee weapons.  And Stun Baton + Turret is quite good.  Stun Baton doesn't even have better CC than club since Club can consistently and quickly knock down enemies and then keep them grounded.

I think the problem is that so much of the power of INT spec is in the Junk Turret that you can't really buff Stun Baton to great levels and I don't know how to fix that.  The buffs the turret got were needed to make it not suck to use, carrying around half an inventory of junk ammo and reloading for half of your gameplay time honestly sucked.  But Stun Baton + Junk turret combined is currently the best POI clearer there is outside of perhaps full agility archery.  Though INT struggles on horde nights with tougher zombies or more than 8 zombies at a time wheras Agility handles hordes of any size thanks to explosive arrows.

Considering they are adding in the Junk Sledge (which I'm fiercely curious about) and the Drone, I think this is prolly a good opportunity for them to take a balance pass on INT to try and make sure everything is effective, fun to use, and has it's place. 

 

[Laz Man]

Ya, my least favorite weapon by far.  It's kinda goofy in the way it works.  Would be better if the Power Attack always jolted zombies.  The trade off is that the baton would degrade faster when using the PA.  Perking into it would allow the jolt to last longer with rank 3 and 5 granting a little AOE effect.  You'll be using more stamina and degrading the weapon faster so it's balanced.  Most importantly the weapon will feel more consistent, powerful and enjoyable to use.

Basic Attack: Regular baton no jolts(ever) - Regular stamina use and degradation

Power Attack: Jolt attack - High stamina use and x2 or more degradation (this never changes even perked up)

Perks 1 thru 5 add longer jolt duration and damage

Perks 3 and 5 add AOE

Something like that.  This would at least get me to use them, don't know about other people just my opinion

Yes, they were underwhelming to me that didnt perk into them at all sadly.

 

[Blake_]

zombies are sensitive now and they do have feelings if they see or hear you laughing, they will get mad. after all, no one likes being laughed at when they stumble.

Excuse me sir, or maybe Madmole/Gazz/Faatal/Jesus Christ can respond. I found out a thing that I don't know if it is intended for alpha 18.4, nor if it is still there (likely) for a19.

Having all 7 books of shotgun messiah (wood shot bonus) also increases the stone/iron/steel axe (all axes) damage to trees. You have a19 on your hands. Can you comment on this? 

Is this a nice hidden bonus or was it an overlook? Thanks in advance.

 

[stallionsden]

Cool. Thanks for the read! Looking forward to getting my hands on it, and giving it a vanilla play through (or 3) on it. 

and then after a heap of play thrus a bit of tin magic eh

 

[Damocles]

Since its nice and convenient to use a rooftop as a first homebase. I think its a good idea to make vultures to have a particular interest in inhabited roofs.

Especially at night.

 

[stallionsden]

It all happened pretty fast, but a zombie tried jumping over a fence and face planted, and I was LOL while I ran up to give him the beat down.

The P.A.T.K.O.Z group (People against The Killing Of Zombies) will be filing a report for your abuse of zombies lol

 

[Adam the Waster]

Ya, my least favorite weapon by far.  It's kinda goofy in the way it works.  Would be better if the Power Attack always jolted zombies.  The trade off is that the baton would degrade faster when using the PA.  Perking into it would allow the jolt to last longer with rank 3 and 5 granting a little AOE effect.  You'll be using more stamina and degrading the weapon faster so it's balanced.  Most importantly the weapon will feel more consistent, powerful and enjoyable to use.

Basic Attack: Regular baton no jolts(ever) - Regular stamina use and degradation

Power Attack: Jolt attack - High stamina use and x2 or more degradation (this never changes even perked up)

Perks 1 thru 5 add longer jolt duration and damage

Perks 3 and 5 add AOE

Something like that.  This would at least get me to use them, don't know about other people just my opinion

personally i like the weapon, yes it is a bit odd to uses but i love the idea and it saved me alot. all i think it needs is some special mods just for it!

 

[khzmusik]

Come on man, this is the A19 thread. No mod talk or mod links here please.

Sorry - I thought it was on topic, the person was asking about NPCs. You've already made it clear that there are certain things with NPCs that you don't intend to ever put in the game (like human followers).

So, I was trying to point people to alternatives - with the intent that they'd stop asking, here, for stuff you already said you won't do.

It wasn't supposed to be a dig at the vanilla game. If that's how it came across, I obviously did a bad job of communicating - sorry about that.

On a related note - point taken about DLC &etc. being off topic. That's fine with me. Again sorry if I was helping to derail the thread.

EDIT: OK, the forum is acting a little wonky - the first time I hit "reply" it didn't seem to do anything so I hit it again and accidentally double-posted. D'OH!

 

[jenniann]

It all happened pretty fast, but a zombie tried jumping over a fence and face planted, and I was LOL while I ran up to give him the beat down.

I can't wait to see this, I may end up spending too much time just watching them face plant lol. Loving all that is coming and can't wait to get in and play!

 

[Marinxar]

I heard the mating call of the ever elusive Kraken. It is approaching.

 

[Adam the Waster]

I heard the mating call of the ever elusive Kraken. It is approaching.

yeah it came to my house and ate my family

 

[SittingDuck]

The stun baton is realy not interesting. If the first hit would stun and you had to wait till it´s charged again would be cool.

And there are no mod for it like the stuff for the club... 

Perhaps some buffs for it in a book?

But basicly it´s just the low damage...

 

[sillls]

It all happened pretty fast, but a zombie tried jumping over a fence and face planted, and I was LOL while I ran up to give him the beat down.

Please tell me you were recording that. 

 

[TSBX]

Any chance of a video this weekend?

 

[SittingDuck]

Any chance of a video this weekend?

VIDEO! VIDEO! VIDEO!!!!

 

[sillls]

Soooo I started testing yesterday. I spawned in the forest and did my tutorial and found my way to the trader, trader Bob. Upon entering the compound I got some nice trader music and interacting with him felt much more polished. I did a couple of dig quests, the dig quests have a nice "shrinking circle" now when you dig that helps you eventually find the target it feels much more polished and enjoyable now.

I found the new food and water bars immersive and not distracting at all, and quite helpful. Health seems hard to get now and I was struggling with low health. I am trying an INT build and I'm not used to the stun baton its range had me getting hit quite a lot and it isn't very good against crowds IMO. I know it will be great later when I have junk turrets and perks so it takes less swings to get a charge.

The graphics are beautiful. On day 2 I did my 4th quest, a clear the zombies quest and I had only 20-30% health when I started. Not a good idea. I had a pistol I bought from the trader with 10 rounds but that didn't last long but I think I was close to clearing it so I kept going, but the stun baton wasn't doing so well, I was getting hit too much. I switched to the steel battle axe I got as a reward  and power attacked and knocked two guys down with one swing it was glorious. It had me thinking a strength build would be a better move lol, but then I got hit again and could not switch to a bandage quick enough and bled out.

Overall a much better start than A18 testing had. There is new combat and behaviors, guys stumbling and falling over fences, and when they break a door they stumble or fall, its very cool. This game has an intensity to it that is amazing. I've decided I will start a base when I get my stuff back. I already bought the forge perk so I can get some tools going and get a mine started at least. It feels more challenging regarding food. Vending machines had very little food and mostly candy, so I'm doing dig quests to keep fed, but my low health situation keeps me from storing any surplus I'm eating everything to keep my health up. I haven't got any criticals other than infection. I had to take the herbal antibiotics as a quest reward to get rid of infection, and passed up on a q2 steel club which sucked. No honey was found yet either.

Seems that you are too depended on vending machines.  Lots of other ways to get food. 

I just started a new play through in current game.  I spent the first day in the desert burnt and wasteland biomes. 

I was looking for and found the Red Mesa which I am spending the night clearing of all the baddies and I just leveled up to 2. 

I got enough food and have found enough bandages and healing plants to get be good. 

I know that A-19 is a different build but so far the only limitation I heard is with the vending machines. 

Are there any other limitations to the game that were added for Alpha 19? 

 

[unholyjoe]

i hear nerf bat swinging