PC Alpha 18 Dev Diary!!

[Goldman_dk]

While waiting for A18, I can’t stop thinking about something that’s been nagging me for some time.

At the vendor, its possible to buy a few items that’s normally only available in the creative menu, like book cases, sinks and alike – for a few dukes.

We can also wrench the items at POI’s and get a few resources, but why not also let us be able to dismantle the items and bring them back to the base. If we want to pimp the base – let us risk our butts at POI’s to the give the base the right look, instead of selling them at vendors. We can pick up our workbench – though it takes 10-15 sec, why not giving up the ability to pick up medicine cabinets, bookcases, different types of sinks, doors and like – and let it take time – eg. 30 sec or more – where we are woundable to attack – Also set the retail price to 0 dukes at vendors.

There might be an entire player market here- players selling the stuff in the vending machines to other players that don’t like to climb tough POI’s to get a specific item.

And please let us have access to more blocks like the different door types, sinks and alike – items that’s only available in creative today.

Just a few thoughts – here while waiting.. :fat:

 

[MechanicalLens]

Really? In my No Crafting Challenge world, the game gives me 2 Bob's Boars POI's right next to each other? Smh. -_-

 

[beHypE]

I think implementing this static terrain, as you are describing it, is going to be a ton of work. Also, of course a lot of people would play it, because your underground world is boring, make it more interesting, more threats and bring back the caves first. Digging is not part of the sauce (yet), because you don't make it so.

Also I would argue that the same thing wouldn't be popular in Minecraft, where the underground is actually fun and part of the core gameplay.

This. As there currently is no underworld gameplay, it obviously wouldn't be THAT big of a bummer not to be able to pickup dirt blocks with a shovel. It's like spending 3 years engineering a car and over time slowly changing its core feature to flight, and then state that removing the wheels wouldn't be a big deal. Duh ?!

I still think one of the best memories I (and my group) have within the game was scaffolding in those worm holes back in A12 or so to reach the ore and the next part of the cave. There's so much unused potential that obviously, right now, making static terrain wouldn't remove a big chunk of the game. Still think the game would be better with a full-on below-ground gameplay rather than static terrain.

I honestly think you could engineer stuff properly enough given time in order to fully separate above ground and below ground; it would probably help with performance a lot, and let's be honest, static terrain won't let you run 500 zombies on 200 fps on a potato rig either, that's just an obvious hyperbole.

 

[RipClaw]

Really? In my No Crafting Challenge world, the game gives me 2 Bob's Boars POI's right next to each other? Smh. -_-

I'd still be happy if I were you. The POI contains a lot of concrete. If you can buy or find rebar frames then you can build a reinforced concrete base.

You may not be able to use the meat from the POI but the fat and the super corn. You can't grow super corn but you can eat what you find.

 

[RipClaw]

"What if" is a question that is not so easy to answer. It depends on many circumstances whether e.g. a game is successful or not. You can't just assume that the game would have been just as successful or more successful if you left out a certain detail. The dynamic underground may not be part of the magic sauce for you, but for me it is.

I became aware of the game via Youtube videos. The first thing I saw was how players built a base on top of a mountain and adapted the terrain to their needs. They also dug a basement and an emergency exit. This kind of freedom was the reason I bought the game.

Also many of my base designs would not have been possible without the possibility to modify the terrain.

The ideas of explosion craters or that the player could fill up unevenness with blocks of earth could only arise because you think about a replacement of something that shaped the game. If the game would have had a static ground from the beginning, the necessity for such considerations would not have been given at all because everyone would have built only there where there is a flat surface. Nobody would have built a base in the flank of a mountain or a network of underground bunkers.

 

[MechanicalLens]

I'd still be happy if I were you. The POI contains a lot of concrete. If you can buy or find rebar frames then you can build a reinforced concrete base.

The no crafting challenge means I have to find the trader myself. If I ever find one.

True, true.

 

[falloutcloud]

Madmole, any chance we can get another video on an a18 book series?

 

[RipClaw]

The no crafting challenge means I have to find the trader myself. If I ever find one.
True, true.

There are also some working stiff crates in the POI. If you are lucky you will find some rebar frames.

Finding the trader on the map will certainly take a while, but if you search the map methodically you will find them.

 

[Aldranon]

They don't look like 500 to me.. also it's a cinematic

Here's a guy playing with the mod. At the end here he cranked up the zombie numbers (not sure what the max is) enough to scare most people! IF his computer was strong enough that is LOL.

Edit: Looks like his computer might have been able to handle about 200 zombies, give or take a few.

 

[MechanicalLens]

I'd still be happy if I were you. The POI contains a lot of concrete. If you can buy or find rebar frames then you can build a reinforced concrete base.
You may not be able to use the meat from the POI but the fat and the super corn. You can't grow super corn but you can eat what you find.

Welp, I can make a 4x4 on day 3.

(Crafting/assembling vehicles is the officially recognized exception to the No Crafting Challenge in A17, since you cannot acquire complete vehicles in survival. However, you have to find the parts first.)

 

[JaxTeller718]

I think implementing this static terrain, as you are describing it, is going to be a ton of work. Also, of course a lot of people would play it, because your underground world is boring, make it more interesting, more threats and bring back the caves first. Digging is not part of the sauce (yet), because you don't make it so.

Also I would argue that the same thing wouldn't be popular in Minecraft, where the underground is actually fun and part of the core gameplay.

Oddly enough even without the threats it seems underground is extremely popular with the current player base.

We had a discussion on this after Joels post in my Discord and it was pretty much unanimous. If underground is removed in some form, people will quit the game and no longer recommend it. Even modded those same people just wont care, they would refuse to play.

Hopefully this is all just talk for a sequel. We need to hope we get to gold with as much intact as possible of the game we fell in love with. Save experimentation for the next game. This one already has established itself as a revolutionary voxel game.

 

[MechanicalLens]

There are also some working stiff crates in the POI. If you are lucky you will find some rebar frames.Finding the trader on the map will certainly take a while, but if you search the map methodically you will find them.

Do you know of any POI's that have workbenches in them? (Dungeons. Think of Butcher Petes, but don't, because that one does not have a workbench in it, I'm sure.)

Nevermind, found one. Day 3 4x4

 

[RipClaw]

Do you know of any POI's that have workbenches in them? (Dungeons. Think of Butcher Petes, but don't, because that one does not have a workbench in it, I'm sure.)

Spoiler

Bob's Boars has 2 workbenches in the basement if I remember correctly and a lot of barns also have workbenches inside.

 

[MechanicalLens]

Spoiler

Bob's Boars has 2 workbenches in the basement if I remember correctly and a lot of barns also have workbenches inside.

Sorry, too slow, found one in a random shed. Just assembling the 4x4 now.

 

[MechanicalLens]

The shortest amount of time in getting a 4x4 in my 7D2D "career".

 

[Aldranon]

Oddly enough even without the threats it seems underground is extremely popular with the current player base.
We had a discussion on this after Joels post in my Discord and it was pretty much unanimous. If underground is removed in some form, people will quit the game and no longer recommend it. Even modded those same people just wont care, they would refuse to play.

Hopefully this is all just talk for a sequel. We need to hope we get to gold with as much intact as possible of the game we fell in love with. Save experimentation for the next game. This one already has established itself as a revolutionary voxel game.

I agree.

For their first game: TFP should keep the voxels and keep the max 64 active zombies. It's good enough.

Also, Arma-3 already has the no-voxel shooter with larger numbers of enemies.

For a part-2, I'm assuming that TFP will have a hybred game with all the tunnels, subways and secret underground locations, all pre-baked below ground.

So a player could clear out an underground location and control it. A subway stop could be a very strong defensive location with all the restricted access's being kill zones. Maybe even a section of the subway tunnel, but then its a "Win-or-Die" thing if they come from both ends.

 

[Crater Creator]

The shortest amount of time in getting a 4x4 in my 7D2D "career".

You know, if Steam overlay is working you can press a key to take a screenshot, instead of having to take an actual photo of your display.

 

[MechanicalLens]

You know, if Steam overlay is working you can press a key to take a screenshot, instead of having to take an actual photo of your display.

Thanks for the tip.

 

[n2n1]

I think you are confused as to what I was saying.
I'm saying if we just made the terrain static and still had fully buildable destroyable voxel houses/pois it would have saved us 3-4 years of headaches. 2 minimum, and the game would be more successful because it would look great, run great, and do 95% of the things you can do now in 1/3 the development time, then think about what we could add without the time wasted on water and voxel terrain. IMO we would have had a better game. How does 500 zombies on screen sound compared to mining, at 200 fps?

Of course!!! it's obvious.

but...

...What you're saying - is scary.

You are an adult man, and should understand that to answer such arguments can say only one thing:

- Make a 2d-shooter-scroller or puzzle for mobile - it will save a lot of time.

Mobile games are now very successful ... maybe, you got the wrong platform?

Ok, let's be honest. There are already good games where there are a lot of zombies on the screen, (eg "days gone"), you can do this at the same level of quality? and for an adequate time and not 50 years?

 

[archergod]

While waiting for A18, I can’t stop thinking about something that’s been nagging me for some time.At the vendor, its possible to buy a few items that’s normally only available in the creative menu, like book cases, sinks and alike – for a few dukes.

We can also wrench the items at POI’s and get a few resources, but why not also let us be able to dismantle the items and bring them back to the base. If we want to pimp the base – let us risk our butts at POI’s to the give the base the right look, instead of selling them at vendors. We can pick up our workbench – though it takes 10-15 sec, why not giving up the ability to pick up medicine cabinets, bookcases, different types of sinks, doors and like – and let it take time – eg. 30 sec or more – where we are woundable to attack – Also set the retail price to 0 dukes at vendors.

There might be an entire player market here- players selling the stuff in the vending machines to other players that don’t like to climb tough POI’s to get a specific item.

And please let us have access to more blocks like the different door types, sinks and alike – items that’s only available in creative today.

Just a few thoughts – here while waiting.. :fat:

I don't like idea of picking things much, but I do not understand why most of decorative items are in creative menu only and not in crafting menu. I mean if we can see it in world why cannot we craft it. If it is done due to performance reasons then I understand, or if like broken item is item in code but not something your craft I get it, but not able to craft some cabinet or Shapes is not clear. but then I don't building fancy place to live. I make workable place and base to defend not castle. so I am good with it.