PC A18(B155) Is this how the heat map is intended to work? 1 torch = screamer spawn

Z

zaaephod

New member
Hi all,

I've been doing some testing today, and I'm hoping to learn if this is the intended behavior of the heat map in A18(B155).

TLDR: The end result of what I've found is that 1 torch, all by itself, left alone many chunks away, or one near me, will eventually spawn a screamer, even if there is _no_ other activity. Is this intentional?

I had read somewhere that you were able to place 4x as many torches now without spawning screamers, but by these tests, that doesn't seem to be the case, unless I'm really misunderstanding the mechanic.

I went to the middle of the desert, and built a concrete cube in creative, god mode. I placed 1 torch, and every 60 seconds, my heat% increases by 1%. Likewise, if I place 2 torches, it increases 2%. It appears linear in this aspect. If I remove the torches, the heat% of the chunk doesn't lower at all, even crouched in the corner of a pitch black room for 6 in game hours.

In addition to that test, I have two separate locations, many chunks apart. If I visit location A, and raise the heat% by placing a few torches, then removing them, the heat% never lowers, it stays constant while I'm there. If I travel to location B, and stay there for a significant amount of time, I notice that being away from location A, even with all torches removed, the heat% doesn't lower in that chunk, either. I've tested this with forges and campfires as well, with the same results.

I have thought of a few other tests I could do, and over extended periods of time, but unfortunately I don't have that kind of free time on my hands right now.

EDIT: If you'd like to try this yourself, start a single player game, press F1, type dm, then press F8 twice to see the heat map. I couldn't find a way to view the heat map on my dedicated server, but it appears the same applies.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts on the topic.

Z

 
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Did you load up a map from a17.4? Because in my a18 game I started, I have several torches, 2 forges, a chem lab, a workbench and a cement mixer going 24/7 and I don't think i've seen a single screamer yet. There is a bug where if you try to play on a a17.4 map in a18 the heatmap is all screwed and you'll get near constant screamers.

So answer the question: Was this on a map from a17? if yes, thats whats causing the issue. start a new game in A18. If no, then we have an issue.

 
It’s not intended. They are working on a fix. It’ll probably be in the next update if you are on experimental.

 
Did you load up a map from a17.4? Because in my a18 game I started, I have several torches, 2 forges, a chem lab, a workbench and a cement mixer going 24/7 and I don't think i've seen a single screamer yet. There is a bug where if you try to play on a a17.4 map in a18 the heatmap is all screwed and you'll get near constant screamers.
So answer the question: Was this on a map from a17? if yes, thats whats causing the issue. start a new game in A18. If no, then we have an issue.
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No, this was a new A18(b155) map started today.

Roland, thanks for the update. My dedicated server is on A18(b155) stable, I was hoping to alleviate the threat of having to wipe the server so often, our group doesn't appreciate that much.

 
No, this was a new A18(b155) map started today.
Roland, thanks for the update. My dedicated server is on A18(b155) stable, I was hoping to alleviate the threat of having to wipe the server so often, our group doesn't appreciate that much.
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Ahh so it is a legit new a18 b155 issue I see, maybe it doesn't effect everyone like I said i've not had any issues with screamers yet. Though there was one time I was driving around and I suddendly ran into a screamer in the middle of no where she was just loitering around there far from my base. Made me scratch my head and ask "What the hell is a screamer doing here in the middle of no where?" Only seen it happen the once so I just wrote it off as a random spawn glitch.

 
Ahh so it is a legit new a18 b155 issue I see, maybe it doesn't effect everyone like I said i've not had any issues with screamers yet. Though there was one time I was driving around and I suddendly ran into a screamer in the middle of no where she was just loitering around there far from my base. Made me scratch my head and ask "What the hell is a screamer doing here in the middle of no where?" Only seen it happen the once so I just wrote it off as a random spawn glitch.
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Place 4 torches at your base and see if you’re affected. I don’t see why you wouldn’t be... it’s a hard-coded system problem. It should happen about 25 real-time minutes after... and every 25 real-time minutes after that.

 
Place 4 torches at your base and see if you’re affected. I don’t see why you wouldn’t be... it’s a hard-coded system problem. It should happen about 25 real-time minutes after... and every 25 real-time minutes after that.
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Might be because I don't sit in my base all day? I am usually out doing things. Only time I am in my base for that long is during horde night, or the prep before and the repair after.

 
Might be because I don't sit in my base all day? I am usually out doing things. Only time I am in my base for that long is during horde night, or the prep before and the repair after.
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Looter wins over crafter AGAIN!!!

;)

 
Yea I don't know what they did but heat is seriously broken. It wasn't like this in 17.

edit. Even candles do it now. I sat in my base last night with the DM heat meter on and watched it build with nothing running but candles.

 
Ahh so it is a legit new a18 b155 issue I see, maybe it doesn't effect everyone like I said i've not had any issues with screamers yet. Though there was one time I was driving around and I suddendly ran into a screamer in the middle of no where she was just loitering around there far from my base. Made me scratch my head and ask "What the hell is a screamer doing here in the middle of no where?" Only seen it happen the once so I just wrote it off as a random spawn glitch.
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It's because some POIs have torches and burning barrels. I don't remember if one or both of those have heat for non-player-placed, but it's at least active for one of those. Once those chunks are loaded for long enough, screamers will spawn. If they don't find anything for long enough they will wander off.

 
It's because some POIs have torches and burning barrels. I don't remember if one or both of those have heat for non-player-placed, but it's at least active for one of those. Once those chunks are loaded for long enough, screamers will spawn. If they don't find anything for long enough they will wander off.
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I'm not sure what the root of the cause is, but I can tell you, our last base had screamers and zombies pouring out of the windows on night 33 because of it. They overran our defenses, then the screamers started to see us, and the effect was multiplied. While it was GREAT fun for a while, we soon realized we'd never have enough ammo to survive the night. This is why I spent the time to test. Anyway, we're all looking forward to the next update, hopefully it's fixed.

Z

 
Too bad it's a bug... It would be an awesome feature. Zombies coming regularly to investigate followed by little groups... players always under stress, bases under threat... Who would want that ! :D

 
How do you reset the heat map once it has gone up, does reloading the game reset it ? I was visiting a friends game on Saturday night when we got bored and put about 16 torches around his base, nothing happened for a while (could it have been 25 minutes ? Quite possibly) then all hell broke loose, we had 6 screamers nutting off at one point, finally got rid of everything and repaired the damage and went inside, breathed out, and then three more screamers arrived ... after we'd dealt with and cleaned up after that mob, and taken the torches down, and dealt with the third wave of screamers etc, we'd had quite enough excitement for the night so quickly shut the game down. I'd hate to think it was going to start all over again next time my mate opens his game.

(ok, I lie, I'd PMSL at the thought of it ... but it would be nice to know in advance so I could watch errr warn him) :smile-new:

 
Should be better now in A18.1 b4

I haven't tested it yet, but it was addressed in the patch notes.

Too bad it's a bug... It would be an awesome feature. Zombies coming regularly to investigate followed by little groups... players always under stress, bases under threat... Who would want that ! :D
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This problem wasn't all that bad, but the time that I noticed it was a horde night. I was trying to light up the walls on the outside of my base to see better for the upcoming horde. I placed 2 torches on each of my four walls which led to a screamer once every 12 to 13 minutes. It really confused me because I did have a forge running, but I stopped it a few hours beforehand.

It led to me not being able to finish preparing properly. I was trying to make it through 64 zombies on nomad, but all that completely ruined my chances, lol. So yeah, I tested, reported the bugs, and ruined the fun. We'll probably be getting a bunch of that in A19 though with the random encounters... just hopefully not every 10 minutes.

How do you reset the heat map once it has gone up, does reloading the game reset it ? I was visiting a friends game on Saturday night when we got bored and put about 16 torches around his base, nothing happened for a while (could it have been 25 minutes ? Quite possibly) then all hell broke loose, we had 6 screamers nutting off at one point, finally got rid of everything and repaired the damage and went inside, breathed out, and then three more screamers arrived ... after we'd dealt with and cleaned up after that mob, and taken the torches down, and dealt with the third wave of screamers etc, we'd had quite enough excitement for the night so quickly shut the game down. I'd hate to think it was going to start all over again next time my mate opens his game.
(ok, I lie, I'd PMSL at the thought of it ... but it would be nice to know in advance so I could watch errr warn him) :smile-new:
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It probably won't happen like that anymore. Though 16 torches is kinda a lot. You might get screamers still, just not so many like that.

Heat should dissipate over time after removing the torches. If you use F8 in debugmode to view heat levels, you might need to place a torch for a couple seconds so that the heat value shows its true value. Otherwise, even though heat is changing, that number won't be accurate. The torch updates the heatmap faster, so that's why you will see more accurate numbers using F8.

 
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New game started today. No torches anywhere, no burning barrels anywhere, no campfire, 1 forge lit. Very shortly after a screamer spawned.

 
We started a new map on Sunday running off a server. Only 2 of us was on yesterday morning and no torches or anything what so ever. Started to cook food and less then 5 seconds screamer killed it and the zombies got back inside and another, we repeated this 4 or 5 times. Thought something might of got changed in the settings by mistake. Glad to see it is being worked on and hopefully fixed soon. I don't mind screamers but one right after another gets a little much with no breaks to work on stuff and such.

Also I have admin rights on the server and I can go into DM I have hit F8 twice but nothing comes up just the FPS. I hit once FPS, hit again FPS stays on with nothing else above it or anywhere on screen. Hit again and FPS goes away. Does it work differently when running on a server vs running off a PC? Or is it something that has to be added into the servers config or whatever?

 
Looter wins over crafter AGAIN!!!
;)
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Huh? Crafter's getting free EXP. ;)

- - - Updated - - -

Too bad it's a bug... It would be an awesome feature. Zombies coming regularly to investigate followed by little groups... players always under stress, bases under threat... Who would want that ! :D
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Meeee.

Send more Screamers!

Send more Zombies!

Send more paramedics!

 
OK just tested this. I have 14 Torches on the outside wall of a small 10x10 concrete box base on my current solo play-through, and 2 more on the inside walls. I just watched the heat readout for a while with no other heat sources operating in my base.

1) The value increases roughly every minute

2) The increase is not uniform. It was anywhere between 2% and 8%, but it was 2% considerably more often than any other increment.

It took ages for a Screamer to pop. I killed it then watched some more. Same pattern. I got bored after 15 more minutes of real-time, and heat map had climbed only to 60%. This would mean 16 Torches on their own would produce a Screamer roughly every 25 mins of real-time (which is nothing to worry about).

I turned both my Forges on and the increments started being anything between 6% and 14% and I started getting Screamers noticeably more often. This would suggest a Screamer roughly every 8 mins of real-time, which is again, nothing to worry about.

I only wish I knew how to attract these Screamers every minute that some people suggest. (Outside of placing burning barrels, I know that one works).

 
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OK just tested this. I have 14 Torches on the outside wall of a small 10x10 concrete box base on my current solo play-through, and 2 more on the inside walls. I just watched the heat readout for a while with no other heat sources operating in my base.
1) The value increases roughly every minute

2) The increase is not uniform. It was anywhere between 2% and 8%, but it was 2% considerably more often than any other increment.

It took ages for a Screamer to pop. I killed it then watched some more. Same pattern. I got bored after 15 more minutes of real-time, and heat map had climbed only to 60%. This would mean 16 Torches on their own would produce a Screamer roughly every 25 mins of real-time (which is nothing to worry about).

I turned both my Forges on and the increments started being anything between 6% and 14% and I started getting Screamers noticeably more often. This would suggest a Screamer roughly every 8 mins of real-time, which is again, nothing to worry about.

I only wish I knew how to attract these Screamers every minute that some people suggest. (Outside of placing burning barrels, I know that one works).
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I honestly don't know what to tell you besides it is just bugged out for some and others not so much. Like I said it was just 2 of us on the map and we took down all torches. I was organizing loot in chest and the other started cooking in the campfire. Less then 5 seconds turning the campfire on we got a screamer. Killed it and the zombies that spawned after the scream and just walked back into base and another screamer. Repeated several times then turned off campfire and nothing. Later on turned one forge on and yet again another screamer. In the 3 maps we have started on we have not had any problems not getting screamers so honestly I have no idea besides your world is working as it should.

Edit: with that said I have not been on after the last update. This was all before yesterday.

 
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