PC Alpha 18 Dev Diary!!

[unholyjoe]

this build must be pretty bug free considering there is only 5 posts in the A18 exp bug thread
release the KRAKEN

giggle giggle

but ya dont see the devs chatting back and forth about the ones they seen in the streamer's videos and are working on them.

 

[dhlmaster]

And this is probably the best argument against *how* they do streamer weekend...
People have jobs, go to school, so by releasing on Monday you're really saying "y'all masses don't get to play until next weekend... sure, you can load it up for a few minutes to check it out but your real time is still a week away".

Streamer "weekends" could be moved up a day, and maybe if it looks good enough, release to the masses on Sunday...

I work a condensed work week starting on Wednesdays. So, I guess I get to spend Monday and Tuesday playing. You have a point though, most people probably have Monday to Friday jobs, but a lot of people don't.

 

[KLOWN]

but ya dont see the devs chatting back and forth about the ones they seen in the streamer's videos and are working on them.

i know i hear ya

cheers

 

[madmole]

I see. Thanks for the clarification! . I also heard about vitamins so no problem. I'm starting to find it difficult to whine about something. Everything looks so nice in the videos.
It's difficult to find bugs nowadays. I watched 15 hours of feedback combined from Kage, Kickz, Grumbel and a few others and all I could find was a hard to reproduce bow blocked bent arrow animation bug, the opened rolling garage doors exploit and Sleepers suddendly standing up if killed/headexploded in a fetal / lay down position, which is a also a 17.4 thing.

Grumbel is very cheerful and entertaining, cheesy corny tv show level stuff! Sunday hype train then?

Yeah he's great to watch. I started a strength character last night and I'm having a blast on pregen01. Typically I quit playing once a build goes live, but I haven't mastered 18 yet and I feel like there is more itch to scratch The game for me at least has taken on a couple of the key things about Skyrim and Fallout I like: Lots of great loot and different character builds that play completely different. I'll never drink the forgettin' elixer I just start a new game its awesome every time.

 

[madmole]

This. It is important for everyone (myself included) to give things a chance. You cant damn an entire mechanic because you have seen it in action for 7 in game days.
People constantly forget about perks etc. The one complaint I always hear (i know we arent supposed to talk mods here but im using this to back you MM) is that something feels really underwhelming. "Dude arrows suck" or "Damn the club is an awful weapon" So i ask them what they specced into and usually they say guns.

Well yeah. You're not making the perks work for YOU. So many people forget that this game is now perk dependent. Just looking at a bow is no longer enough. You have to look at it with the mindset of the perk bonuses as well.

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You have to stick with the ones who have passion. I personally 100 percent endorse Grumbul. His personality and his enthusiasm for the game is infectious and he never ever cheats or cheeses or anything. He makes it a point to do pois the way they were designed etc.

He really sells the game well. And hes always very complimentary. Even things he does not like he is never rude or crass but explains himself very well.

Yes I'm feeling food crunch a bit on some games, not all, it depends what animals spawn near me, and its not because I threw up. Food is closer to what it should be now. I take dig quests to get canned food, recipes and one power food item its very nice and only 3-400 meters away.

 

[dhlmaster]

I agree. But you didn't get 500 gas from cars in A17 (nowhere near that, to be honest); now in A18, every car is basically a gas barrel. I mean, maybe I'm wrong and it's perfectly balanced, or maybe this is a bug.

I have to disagree, because if the vehicles use 10x as much gas, then 500 is almost nothing.

 

[madmole]

rage quit on rlcraft. do we have a snow balls chance of getting a Sunday alpha 18 or is Monday still set in stone?

Its going to be Monday, we're fixing various issues that have cropped up.

 

[madmole]

True, true. I'm seeing quite a few yellow items though (Kage, Games4Kickz, etc.) so maybe something needs to be tweaked there, or not. Maybe everything is working as intended, or they all got very luck. At the end of the day, it's your design after all; I'm just giving you my personal assessment.

Considering leveling is pretty slow I don't mind getting some half decent gear. You will find various leveling speed changes as you get better gear you might level up a LOT faster from level 15-30 than you did from 1-15. You are able to kill more zeds, mine faster, build and upgrade your fort etc. Then it slows down a bit, then maybe the big hordes kick in and you get a lot of xp for those, and then it slows down again.

 

[madmole]

@madmole I heard somewhere that the skyscrapers won't be spawning in A18 RWG (although I'm taking this info with a pinch of salt of course, hence why I'm getting it straight from the horses mouth). Can you confirm what T5 POI's won't be spawning in RWG? (The factories, Dishong, the Book Tower, etc.)

I have seen shamway, shotgun messiah factories, and water works as t5 pois.

 

[madmole]

Well said!!!
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The best feedback is one you can get in the moment live. A written forum post cant beat that imo.

Yes its recorded so we can see exactly what happened, how the steamer reacted to a situation etc. Full release is just chaos so the wrapping up a few dozen more issues is worth it to everyone.

 

[Frankieworldonline]

When the A18 notes say "All locations are working in Navezgane" does that mean the lower left area of the map and also the radiation areas around the border of the map?

 

[madmole]

With the random stats I doubt quality is as important as it once was, which is a good thing imo. My observations are that random is really frikkin' random... Some people are flush in weapons and others not so much. ...what I really like is that it seems loot will likely dictate what your focus is with skills/perks...

Nope. Just hold out you will get what you need to play your build. Sure use that pink ak you found until you get a decent ____ for your build. My perception guy didn't get a hunting rifle until after level 10 and a LONG time before I got a marksman rifle. Tier 5 quest kinda long.

 

[Mideval]

I wait patiently after having to take a couple of anxiolytics :02.47-tranquillity:

 

[MechanicalLens]

Considering leveling is pretty slow I don't mind getting some half decent gear. You will find various leveling speed changes as you get better gear you might level up a LOT faster from level 15-30 than you did from 1-15. You are able to kill more zeds, mine faster, build and upgrade your fort etc. Then it slows down a bit, then maybe the big hordes kick in and you get a lot of xp for those, and then it slows down again.

It seems like the loot is in a good place then. I was afraid that the player would replace all/most their brown/orange gear early on and basically fast-forward past two tiers of progression (my initial idea was that we'd have almost exclusively brown/orange items until past day 7), but you've convinced me that I have nothing to worry about. Besides, it's not like they're blue or purple items. In Pimps We Trust.

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I have seen shamway, shotgun messiah factories, and water works as t5 pois.

Good to know. I forgot which streamer it was, but they saw a hospital as well, in one of their streams.

 

[madmole]

I don't know if there are any. That is Rick's talent and area of expertise. But based on faatal's recent posts alone about how valuable it is for them to be able to watch reactions of veterans and noobs alike during this weekend I would say that it is successful.
People keep wanting to fixate on the marketing to new players aspect of it which is, of course, a definite benefit and one we hope pans out and brings more sales. But it is just one aspect of the success.

Devs viewing others playing

Devs discussing and planning based on observations

Building hype

Having fun

Having that soft launch.

Frankly it has been good to see Gazz, faatal, Joel, Rick, Lathan, and all the QA crew participating and having fun the last couple of days and getting the validation that people are finding it fun. It will help once the inevitable complaints start coming in once thousands have it and not everyone is happy with the changes.

So it isn't simply a case of needing a certain threshold of new sales to justify the event. The event is justified thanks to other benefits that have nothing to do with direct sales.

Its pretty clear to me A18 will be very well received by the masses. I am still playing and typically stop once we ship. I haven't cracked the game yet, like once I figure out an easy exploit I kind of feel meh but aside from ramp cheese which isn't 100% effective the game is hard to solve, and I keep designing new bases (legit) for the fun.

 

[Adam the Waster]

Its pretty clear to me A18 will be very well received by the masses. I am still playing and typically stop once we ship. I haven't cracked the game yet, like once I figure out an easy exploit I kind of feel meh but aside from ramp cheese which isn't 100% effective the game is hard to solve, and I keep designing new bases (legit) for the fun.

don't have fun before us lol

 

[Orclover]

Kraken is not getting out till Monday still? Oh just as well, too busy cooking today.

 

[Adam the Waster]

Kraken is not getting out till Monday still? Oh just as well, too busy cooking today.

(kill streak)

Kraken ready for deployment , show use were you want it?

 

[Adam the Waster]

also whats more important???

A18??????

or School??????????

i think its A18

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ALSO day 6

i made spikes and i got my m60 , my spear and my tree house

i have ton of water . but food is kinda low

tomorrow is horde night!!

 

[Gobarg]

Its pretty clear to me A18 will be very well received by the masses. I am still playing and typically stop once we ship. I haven't cracked the game yet, like once I figure out an easy exploit I kind of feel meh but aside from ramp cheese which isn't 100% effective the game is hard to solve, and I keep designing new bases (legit) for the fun.

Ah base building... I'm very much looking forward to planning out a few different bases. You have managed to make me burn to play again guys and for that I thank you.