PC Alpha 18 Dev Diary!!

[RipClaw]

I can't seeing an electrical storm causing vehicles to fail. Some bases are being defended by turrets/blade traps that are also powered.

I think madmole just threw that into the room as an idea and doesn't really mean it. At least I hope so.

But, being a "blood" moon I can see the zombies being enraged causing their block/physical damage to increase significantly, much more than that of just base+zombie type+gamestage, in my opinion.

The zombies already have the group bonus anyway. This allows them to do more damage during horde night.

By the way, since 17.2, you can set the zombie's block damage during blood moon horde time separately. This allows you to make the zombies extremely strong on horde night.

 

[madmole]

Hello Madmole, a query, are there plans for another shotgun? maybe one more space for ammunition? How about the Hatsan Escort MPA 20?

If we do a tier 4 shotgun it would have to be an automatic one.

 

[Roland]

Maybe then you shouldn't call those who disagree "the Saints who protect the playstyles that are not their own". This exaggeration could be called derogatory. I am certainly not a saint but I honestly try to bring some new perspectives into a discussion.

I only said that because most people arguing your side of the issue try to reframe it in terms of mean players trying to stop nice players from playing how they want. The issue is purely a game balance issue and it’s fine to argue the merits of how it should be balanced but to try and derail the conversation into accusing some players trying to harm the fun of other players is ad hominem. Even attempts to simply talk about ideas of what could be done get sidelined by accusations of big meanies that care how nice self respecting players play their own game in SP.

Maybe I exaggerated a bit, but I'm honest with my posts. I started with the Alpha 15 and in every Alpha the game seemed to get more difficult. More risks and more dangers. You have more insight into development than the average player. Maybe you have seen Ideas thrown away that would lead to a too hard gameplay but most player only see the results.

Doesn’t take an insider. Just look at the differences between 17.4 and 17.0 to easily see areas the developers stepped back on a decision they made.

 

[Odetta]

If we do a tier 4 shotgun it would have to be an automatic one.

Here is a video to reference if you like

 

[meganoth]

We'll probably do away with pistols in toilets, there are plenty of dedicated gun boxes now.

NOOOOOO. The best running gag of 7D2D vanishing in oblivion? You can't be serious!

#destroyedmyplaystyle :cocksure:

It would be fun to gamble at a trader on horde night, or have strippers or some kind of entertainment. Maybe the VIP rooms have full working crafting stations so you can get some things done, come with complimentary food and drink etc.

The strippers in the game are at the moment a bit on the decomposed side :cocksure: , but the idea is great. Music and casino-atmosphere with a strongly dampened background of zombie groaning, that would be pure satire.

 

[Syrex]

Hoping archery gets some love. Or, is it "working as intended" to move you from bows to guns late game? Do like Van Helsing automatic crossbow lol

 

[Trekkan]

Its be great to see a general casino area that you could gamble at, using dukes.

 

[RipClaw]

Hoping archery gets some love. Or, is it "working as intended" to move you from bows to guns late game? Do like Van Helsing automatic crossbow lol

madmole said we were getting a carbon crossbow. I'm a fan of the crossbow myself. I love quiet weapons with which I can kill whole rooms of zombies without one of them waking up.

The Van Helsin crossbow would really be a dream. But I doubt we'll ever see it in the main game. Maybe in a mod.

 

[Odetta]

madmole said we were getting a carbon crossbow. I'm a fan of the crossbow myself. I love quiet weapons with which I can kill whole rooms of zombies without one of them waking up.
The Van Helsin crossbow would really be a dream. But I doubt we'll ever see it in the main game. Maybe in a mod.

 

[RipClaw]

snip

Nice. The Van Helsing crossbow was more like a Tommy Gun with a drum magazine.

 

[Odetta]

Nice. The Van Helsing crossbow was more like a Tommy Gun with a drum magazine.

Fancy, i can totally see a rapper owning this irl. I always wondered if the crossbow was it's own class or just lumped into archery. So we have the 2 tiers for the bow, is the crossbow tier 3 then?

 

[Drithyl]

It would be fun to gamble at a trader on horde night, or have strippers or some kind of entertainment. Maybe the VIP rooms have full working crafting stations so you can get some things done, come with complimentary food and drink etc.

Strippers both male and female for all tastes, right? ;D

Bit of a weird thought to have that be the entertainment on horde night, though.

 

[Phoenixshade35]

Hey Madmole, I have a couple of questions for you.

1. Will there be a desert eagle added to the game?

2. Will more light fixtures make a return for crafting?

Honestly I miss having different light fixtures to work with around my base, even buying them from the trader would work for me too, and what about a larger generator? yes it would cost a ton of materials but then at least we wouldnt need so many scattered, like have one crafting requirement being like 4 generator banks and then materials, just a thought on my part.

 

[legolas141]

I've been keeping up with the thread but haven't seen any comments about it. I must have missed them. What did they say?

I dont remember where it was I saw it but I remember seeing that they were now expecting to have it close to ready sometime around the first part of August (barring any setbacks of course). That was a couple weeks ago I think that I saw it.

Im fairly sure it wasn't in this specific thread though. It might have been mentioned in one of the recent videos.

 

[DanLW]

Re vehicles on horde night, how about a breakdown mechanic? Low quality vehicles may stall, or may take a few seconds or a few tries to start. Higher quality vehicles have a decreased chance of breaking down. To get a stalled vehicle running again, you have to get off and use the wrench or repair kit to fix it.

During normal gameplay this should have a very low chance of happening so that it is an occasional inconvenience rather than a constant annoyance.

BUT... on horde night, the breakdown probability could be increased tenfold or even a hundredfold. So you may be able to run if you have a purple vehicle... but there is still a real possibility of breaking down.

Or even more simply, use the existing mechanics but just make the parts wear out much faster on horde nights.

 

[ParadiseLostUK]

We're about 5 or 6 weeks out yet, sorry that was a neat idea but after a rough 17 launch we're wanting to take the time and make sure its as good as it can be. We will probably be streaming and doing videos so you guys should have a fair amount of media to tide you over until release.

I've been keeping up with the thread but haven't seen any comments about it. I must have missed them. What did they say?

linked one I could find, I think there were a couple more

Edit:-

I dont remember where it was I saw it but I remember seeing that they were now expecting to have it close to ready sometime around the first part of August (barring any setbacks of course). That was a couple weeks ago I think that I saw it.

Actually, good point I think it was also brought up in the Q&A video a couple of weeks ago.... assuming you could hear what was being said :bolt:

 

[madmole]

For what little my opinion is likely worth, I'd say don't worry about the vehicle-on-horde-night types. Let them play that way if they want to. It's more effort than going from rooftop to rooftop in a town would be, and that's a pretty decent strategy too if you want to avoid fighting. You'll wind up with a whole row of half-destroyed buildings, but you'll get through the night uneaten.
Besides, you've already implemented a no-horde-night feature anyway. Someone choosing to ride one out rather than flip that setting off is choosing to consume resources. Pay in bullets, pay in fuel, pay in parkour...or just flip the dev-provided setting.

We just want to make sure there isn't any instant end game exploits. Currently its a bit too cheap/easy. If it required more risk driving on horde night it would be better. Vehicles are not balanced yet and this is part of that.

 

[madmole]

CVars from buffs can do that work already for you, if you want a set of items to have a certain effect. I helped Stallionsden set it up for his zombie hiding clothes. Tags might also work to the same end though,

Yes hopefully, we're trying some stuff out.

 

[madmole]

I see much merit in an EMP solution, vehicles aside. Lights flickering and failing for a few moments, Darkwood-style, would be great for a horror/suspense atmospheric effect in the heat of battle. Same goes for traps, which should in general be reliable, but if they fail momentarily they could perhaps make the course of the battle less predictable, randomly forcing the player to defend more actively for a little while or prepare more defense layers.

It could be a good late game stage event. Even if you just had to go and turn on your generator again they could do some damage.

 

[madmole]

Random thought came to me just now: Could you make it so certain earlier-game building blocks (cobblestone/flagstone, maybe wood...) lose some of their SI load-bearing capabilities as they get damaged, so when they're very damaged they could cause a partial collapse even if they're not completely destroyed yet?

Maybe. SI should get some love at some point.