PC Alpha 18 Dev Diary!!

[Dark_Corvid]

In before the LBD crowd think The Second Coming has started and Madmole just announced the Rapture....

You could achieve both by being unable to use iron sights and swing slower while holding torch. You also cannot use two handed items, so helmet light is still a HUGE upgrade.

I agree and had similar thoughts.

Mining, farming, chopping trees down would all still be impossible to do with a torch. Also, with a slowdown, poi looting would be extremely risky.

 

[Onarr]

Food spoilage SUCKS in every game that has it. Period. Animals are almost impossible to find in populated servers, so if the 4 meat I manage to save up, simply disappears while waiting for the next boar to never spawn in to make a complete meal, I'd rage quit so fast...
Yeah, anyway, if you don't like chests full of food, stop filling chests up with food for ♥♥♥♥'s sake! This is a damn game, not a real life simulator. It doesn't matter if something in the game doesn't "feel right" to you, it just needs to be a fun game to play.

Simple things like recipe changes can be done via config (this is what XML modlets are, config changes that are applied for you).

Complex things that would require large sections of code change, performance degradation, and/or feature creep are not desirable.

Actually food spoilage is something that could become good gameplay incentive, if we will ever be able to raise lifestock. It would also increase value of perks like huntsman, living of the wild and slow metabolism, which right now are a joke. Not to mention that cans would actually be useful late game as emergency food, when yours spoil.

If the spoilage would increase your chance of food poisoning, there would be an actual reason to craft herbal medicine. Fridges would have actual usage to slow spoilage. Early game you could use smoker to prolong the shelf life.

Another thing that would increase in value would be vending machines, which up until now I used like twice. Also seeing shamway boxes would actually have value later on.

And Shamway recipe could be actually used as last resort, when all your meat has rotten. Fat would also increase in value because of this.

Higher value of food would also decrease value of mining (you have to eat more when mining) and therefore helped balance it with looting. You could not get thousands of ores in one night and be done with it. Currently you hit a vein, spend one night and are set for several weeks on resources. Suddenly, a lot of loot just lost value. This would also increase value of strength perks and better tools.

All in all I feel that spoilage would increase value of many items, perks, create new gameplay incentives and bring more challenges. After all zombie apocalypse is about scarcity and living from day to day. I currently really enjoy JaWoodles series in Dishong tower, where you really need to utilize everything to maximum, because basic resources are suddenly very valuable.

Just my two cents.

 

[The Gronk]

I wouldn't call it a sense of accomplishment. More a sense of relief. Walking along in the dark and I can't take a drink without extinguishing and unequipping my light source? It's a gameplay basic and a glaring omission IMO. Also, you can do it in Skyrim
Since you said a while back it was possible, you might as well go ahead and implement it...'cause you're never going to hear the end of it. Especially after gold and new people start picking up the game.

You can use a drink straight from your backpack. If you're unscrewing the lid off a bottle with a flaming torch in one hand you're probably better off putting the torch down unless you want to burn yourself.

Has anyone here ever tried to swing a fireaxe or pickaxe one-handed? It ain't easy, you'd be better off putting the torch to one side and using both hands.

I'm not against dual-wielding but mining and forestry are really two-handed jobs.

 

[Ezed]

You can use a drink straight from your backpack.

Thanks.

As for the rest...taking a drink was one example, which is valid enough since there is no removing the lid animation in the game, you simply raise it to your mouth and drink. I never mentioned fire axe or pickaxe or sledgehammer or rifle or any obvious two handed tools or weapons. The use of pistols, claw hammers, wrenches, stone axes, clubs, etc, is another matter though. Anyway, the point is, with any of the one handed items in game it would be logical to be able to see while using them by equipping a light source in the other hand at least until RNG deems you worthy of a helmet light...which is always going to be more desirable...at least until you decide to remove the light in favour of another mod type, which would then be viable because you'd still have the option of carrying a torch or flashlight in your off hand.

 

[The Gronk]

<snipped for space>

One major problem is that TFP, in their infinite wisdom, decided to go with the second mouse button for a power attack instead of a long press of the first button. Shields were on the table until this was introduced, there was concept art for them.

Unless the mechanics are fundamentally changed the secondary weapon will be unusable, whether that be a torch, club, or rubber chicken.

 

[Trekkan]

One major problem is that TFP, in their infinite wisdom, decided to go with the second mouse button for a power attack instead of a long press of the first button. Shields were on the table until this was introduced, there was concept art for them.
Unless the mechanics are fundamentally changed the secondary weapon will be unusable, whether that be a torch, club, or rubber chicken.

Yeah, but... if they decided to actually add in shields, etc... its not like they can't you know... change things. Its not like code can't be changed, if that's what they decide.

 

[The Gronk]

Yeah, but... if they decided to actually add in shields, etc... its not like they can't you know... change things. Its not like code can't be changed, if that's what they decide.

This is true although it would require re-writing a large system. If the intention was to add shields later why implement the character controller in such a way that pretty much excludes dual-wielding?

It wouldn't be particularly hard but it would be time consuming.

 

[Trankitas]

That's the one. I even built a visualizer similar to that to test with.

How does that work against blocks?

 

[Onarr]

One major problem is that TFP, in their infinite wisdom, decided to go with the second mouse button for a power attack instead of a long press of the first button. Shields were on the table until this was introduced, there was concept art for them.
Unless the mechanics are fundamentally changed the secondary weapon will be unusable, whether that be a torch, club, or rubber chicken.

Adding blocking into game would be nice. Right now, aside from backpedaling you have no way of defending yourself when you get swarmed - no block, no parry, no kick, no shove. It would be nice, if zombies did much more dmg, but you had more ways to counter it.

Just imagine it, being able to use stamina to shove the zombie to the ground and then, for the first time ever actually using the stun damage bonus (once you have few ranks of weapon perk you one shot zombies anyway). Damn I would love this, being able to do more then just swing light and hard.

 

[Ezed]

One major problem is that TFP, in their infinite wisdom, decided to go with the second mouse button for a power attack instead of a long press of the first button. Shields were on the table until this was introduced, there was concept art for them.
Unless the mechanics are fundamentally changed the secondary weapon will be unusable, whether that be a torch, club, or rubber chicken.

Talking about holding a torch or flashlight in the off hand simply in order to see in the dark, not swinging or poking or bashing with it. Some other things that are not applicable include operating motor vehicles, hang gliding and the picking of noses. Just thought I'd mention o couple of those in case it wasn't clear.

 

[Gsites90]

18 is spent getting the the core gameplay great again, 19 will have opportunity to improve vehicles and make mods for them, and fort pieces.

You just ignored the bulk of my post and focused on "mods" for vehicles, which is confusing because it's the physical size of the 4x4 that causes it to not fit through the GARAGE door. Also how does that change how they like to destroy ramp pieces like those on a bridge when driving over them, or how they stall out on the standard ramp? And I don't really care about "fort pieces" as my big issue here is the fact that we can't build anything larger than a small hut or zombies spawn inside our bases as was the point of noting the size of the base I was building. Also I tried to standardize the size of my base around the land claim block size at max, as I figured it would block the inner area, which is why the inner wall is 54x54. How is building within the confines of a LAND CLAIM BLOCK too large? Why can't it force zombies to spawn outside of it? I'd really appreciate it if you'd acknowledge the issues with spawning as it seems counter to what the game leads you to believe is possible, alongside what you seem to be suggesting with your "multiple outer walls" comment.

 

[Frisky Minx]

only 10 rows?? snicker. try 40 or 50 rows worth. been there, done that. (A16) we had a path to get in, zeds too stupid to use.Can't do that now as they would use it. That be bad.

(I'm up to 11 rows right now, and expanding. (barbed wire fence after 3 of spikes, repeat)

I do not use spikes at all. I use Steel-Walls, with a one Block Opening, Iron Bars and a trapdoor to over the hole, so screamers cant see me. Its like a hatch on an old Pirateship. On the other side of the Wall, I use electric Fences, Bladetraps and Shotgun Turrets.

I do miss the Logspikes alot tho.

 

[Shineblossom]

Actually food spoilage is something that could become good gameplay incentive, if we will ever be able to raise lifestock. It would also increase value of perks like huntsman, living of the wild and slow metabolism, which right now are a joke. Not to mention that cans would actually be useful late game as emergency food, when yours spoil.
If the spoilage would increase your chance of food poisoning, there would be an actual reason to craft herbal medicine. Fridges would have actual usage to slow spoilage. Early game you could use smoker to prolong the shelf life.

Another thing that would increase in value would be vending machines, which up until now I used like twice. Also seeing shamway boxes would actually have value later on.

And Shamway recipe could be actually used as last resort, when all your meat has rotten. Fat would also increase in value because of this.

Higher value of food would also decrease value of mining (you have to eat more when mining) and therefore helped balance it with looting. You could not get thousands of ores in one night and be done with it. Currently you hit a vein, spend one night and are set for several weeks on resources. Suddenly, a lot of loot just lost value. This would also increase value of strength perks and better tools.

All in all I feel that spoilage would increase value of many items, perks, create new gameplay incentives and bring more challenges. After all zombie apocalypse is about scarcity and living from day to day. I currently really enjoy JaWoodles series in Dishong tower, where you really need to utilize everything to maximum, because basic resources are suddenly very valuable.

Just my two cents.

Food spoilage is complete bull♥♥♥♥. Also, it was already said multiple times that livestock would take too much memory. To quote MM, "you can either have 64 zombies or 63 cows and one zombie at a time".

There are people who don't want to go hunting every 10 minutes. Also, multiplayer. Only reasonable case for spoilage would be if we could deep freeze any food and so cancel it. Which means everyone would do it and it would be pointless work for TFP. Also, cans are used in lategame recipes.

You just ignored the bulk of my post and focused on "mods" for vehicles, which is confusing because it's the physical size of the 4x4 that causes it to not fit through the GARAGE door. Also how does that change how they like to destroy ramp pieces like those on a bridge when driving over them, or how they stall out on the standard ramp? And I don't really care about "fort pieces" as my big issue here is the fact that we can't build anything larger than a small hut or zombies spawn inside our bases as was the point of noting the size of the base I was building. Also I tried to standardize the size of my base around the land claim block size at max, as I figured it would block the inner area, which is why the inner wall is 54x54. How is building within the confines of a LAND CLAIM BLOCK too large? Why can't it force zombies to spawn outside of it? I'd really appreciate it if you'd acknowledge the issues with spawning as it seems counter to what the game leads you to believe is possible, alongside what you seem to be suggesting with your "multiple outer walls" comment.

Same problem with car. Same problem with base building. +1 for saying it out loud.

 

[Slingblade2040]

never going to understand why some folks need a massive base. if zombie spawns and stuff are an issue for large bases why not just make it smaller with multiple floors? just seems insane to build a base larger than 16x16...heck even a 11x11 base is considered large to me. speaking of multiple floors. I really would like an elevator put into the game eventually.

 

[Shineblossom]

never going to understand why some folks need a massive base. if zombie spawns and stuff are an issue for large bases why not just make it smaller with multiple floors? just seems insane to build a base larger than 16x16...heck even a 11x11 base is considered large to me. speaking of multiple floors. I really would like an elevator put into the game eventually.

Tower is not aesthetically pleasing. Also, multiplayer. Or building a village. Or farm. Or castle.

 

[Damocles]

never going to understand why some folks need a massive base. if zombie spawns and stuff are an issue for large bases why not just make it smaller with multiple floors? just seems insane to build a base larger than 16x16...heck even a 11x11 base is considered large to me. speaking of multiple floors. I really would like an elevator put into the game eventually.

If a bigger base means that more zombies (or bandits) will attack, that would be an interesting tradeoff.

Either keep a small puny base, but less attacks, or go for a big extensive base, but then suffer the wrath of the horde.

(Would then need some kind of metric to indicate how large the base is currently)

 

[Odetta]

Tower is not aesthetically pleasing. Also, multiplayer. Or building a village. Or farm. Or castle.

What I've been doing is making my own endgame where I build a huge village with multiples of NPCs, animals, etc (spawned in) all walled in. I then make it so Its my horde base. If the zombies ever breach the walls I consider it a lose and end my game. To be honest its fun as ♥♥♥♥ and involves almost all aspects of the game. Its an amazing feeling too that you can't quite get yet in vanilla atm; being in a village that feels alive and your tribe/community.

 

[Shineblossom]

What I've been doing is making my own endgame where I build a huge village with multiples of NPCs, animals, etc (spawned in) all walled in. I then make it so Its my horde base. If the zombies ever breach the walls I consider it a lose and end my game. To be honest its fun as ♥♥♥♥ and involves almost all aspects of the game. Its an amazing feeling too that you can't quite get yet in vanilla atm; being in a village that feels alive and your tribe/community.

This! +1. Exactly what i mean. One of many many reasons for big base.

 

[RipClaw]

never going to understand why some folks need a massive base..

A large base is not necessarily made for practical reasons. Often you just want to be creative. If I take a look at the huge bases of Z Nation then of course this is complete overkill but from a design point of view it is impressive.

 

[enragedcamel]

Towers are nice because their smaller footprint makes them much easier to defend.