PC Alpha 18 Dev Diary!!

[wolfbain5]

I was sailing.

 

[Laz Man]

Now I'm waiting for an animated gif of that

 

[Maynard69]

Wouldn't adding a level cap remove the penalty for death once you reached said cap?(I suppose that's a problem now of you get all the perks, but I doubt most players will play that long on a save) Or are you guys adding non xp related penalties?
Would the xp rate be changed because at day 21 my fiance and I are both like 5-8 levels away from 60 which would be way to fast if that was the end.

Would also have to be careful not to screw people who play single or in small groups like 17 did.

That is not wasnt what he said. Afaik, he meant whatever amount of xp needed to go from 60-61 is the same xp it would take to go from 61-62 and 62-63 and so on. If I understood correctly.

He said XP cap, not level cap (so amount needed to progress is capped at some point.)

 

[Blake_]

I suggested at level 60 it stays at whatever xp that is.

Having played A18 for a while now, I think that lvl 60 might be close to the sweetspot for that.

On a similar topic, I sometimes feel like multiplayer shouldn't share XP by default. Only quest rewards. It is unfun to receive xp for something you weren't even looking at.

 

[Piratenking]

You are clearing out a whole town in one day, and early game (initial exploration)? That is like 30+ houses, several big businesses, some factories that take 2 hours of real time and 500 rounds. I'd like to see you do a speed run of a full town early game. Sorry I'm not buying anything you say. Most towns are pretty big, I've got some with probably 60 buildings in them, or two so close that it is that many. Its not meant to be walmart where you camp outside and go get whatever you want, exploration and finding what you need over multiple cities is intended game play.
We might add options later that let you fine tune things.

2 hrs to clean a big bussines??? you cant be serious.. this is not alpha 17 mate, specially in early game where there are no radiated zeds yet, also there is like 2-4 zeds in some houses/farms, multifloor buildings have like 4 zeds per floor... what would i get from lying anyway?? i came to write this exactly because just yesterday i cleaned like 60% of the town i stablished myself at (horde included) in 1 day, i am in day 18 and the town i am in has like 30 houses/bussines etc, also what are you talking about walmart? i am not asking you to increase loot or remove exploration.. i have 4 storages full of stuff and it will be a pain in the ass to move all that every 2 days without perking into the truck until i find a city i like to build my base at, thats all.

 

[Roland]

Having played A18 for a while now, I think that lvl 60 might be close to the sweetspot for that.
On a similar topic, I sometimes feel like multiplayer shouldn't share XP by default. Only quest rewards. It is unfun to receive xp for something you weren't even looking at.

Or leave it in and change the name of the game to 7 Participation Trophies to Gain Passively Moment to Moment.

Probably too wordy for a title.

EDIT: Got it: 7 Friends to Leach.

 

[Laz Man]

Or leave it in and change the name of the game to 7 Participation Trophies to Gain Passively Moment to Moment.
Probably too wordy for a title.

 

[Roland]

Just checking: I repped Laz for that funny gif. Did all the rest of you get some of that too? Because dammit you're here reading and lurking so why the heck not get some rep for his post too....?

 

[HungryZombie]

Na they would go home, put their stuff in a chest, eat glass and still get around infection.

At some point you have to stop trying to save people from themselves.

 

[HungryZombie]

Just my 2 cents here, but Shotguns are in desperate need of a higher tier variant. This is after two games perking into them, let me explain:
1. Double Barrel should be Tier One, Pump Tier 2, And another variant for Tier 3 (maybe something with a drum or auto)

2. 5 ranks of shotgun messiah but still feel weak because you'll be using the double barrel for way too long. Then when you get a pump it still feels underwhelming compared to other guns.

3. Think about this. AK is same tier as the double barrel and is found far more often along with its ammo. It is significantly more viable then the double barrel and arguably the pump shotgun.

4. Shotguns need a new ammo type to separate and compete with other ammo types (hollow point and AP rounds). At later gamestage there is no good counter to armored and radiated (bullet spongy) that can compete with other ammo/gun types DPS. Maybe a dragons breath ammo that lights multiple targets on fire.

5. I think an increase in pellet count along with increased spread could benefit this weapon because as of right now you never use it to take out multiple foes at once, it's just way too weak for that. Even with duckbill it seems like a waste because if you don't hit a zombie directly center mass or the head it will not kill them, even perked all the way to rank 5 and on regular zombies. This negates the whole point of the weapon in the first place. If you have to be as accurate as other guns then what's the point?

6. They need to not do overkill damage on dead animals. 9/10 times you kill an animal with a shotgun and go to harvest it you'll notice that a huge chunk of the carcass health is already gone. Making you harvest far less product from it. This applies to zombie dogs and vultures too.

7. I love shotguns

I haven't tried them yet but what about the slugs? Maybe they can add incendiary rounds too someday.

- - - Updated - - -

Funnily enough i just mentionned the STR build some posts above, but you nail every point. Double Barrel is in fact very underwhelming. With the AK the skill ceiling is very high cause you could theoretically land at least a headshot a second if you know your flicks, but the shotguns don't provide such power. It also fits every situation : short distance, medium to long distance, one zombie, group of zombie... And like I pointed out earlier, you don't have much to sustain damage yet you need to be in close quarters all the time.

I like to use Shotguns while looting cause I save my 7.26 for Horde Night. I don't really like the craft too much ammo and using each gun for different situations seems to be working so far. Auto Shotgun of some time should be added for High Tier or Legendary.

- - - Updated - - -

Funnily enough i just mentionned the STR build some posts above, but you nail every point. Double Barrel is in fact very underwhelming. With the AK the skill ceiling is very high cause you could theoretically land at least a headshot a second if you know your flicks, but the shotguns don't provide such power. It also fits every situation : short distance, medium to long distance, one zombie, group of zombie... And like I pointed out earlier, you don't have much to sustain damage yet you need to be in close quarters all the time.

I like to use Shotguns while looting cause I save my 7.26 for Horde Night. I don't really like the craft too much ammo and using each gun for different situations seems to be working so far. Auto Shotgun of some time should be added for High Tier or Legendary.

 

[HungryZombie]

They just need to legitimately treat it as "near death". When you collapse show someone dragging you away instead of the zombies eating you. Then when you respawn you get the xp penalty AND you still have all your same conditions PLUS half your money is gone (he ain't a good samaritan after all). That way eating glass isn't a cure for anything.
Actual death should be the end of the game. Near death (which the penalty is actually called) shouldn't absolve you of hunger, health, broken legs, infection, etc.

Now does everyone regret me posting something?

I'd make an exception for bleeds or you can be stuck in a frustrating loop.

 

[Laz Man]

Just checking: I repped Laz for that funny gif. Did all the rest of you get some of that too? Because dammit you're here reading and lurking so why the heck not get some rep for his post too....?

Were all in a bit of a sailing mood...TGIF!!!!

 

[Laz Man]

2 hrs to clean a big bussines??? you cant be serious.. this is not alpha 17 mate, specially in early game where there are no radiated zeds yet, also there is like 2-4 zeds in some houses/farms, multifloor buildings have like 4 zeds per floor... what would i get from lying anyway?? i came to write this exactly because just yesterday i cleaned like 60% of the town i stablished myself at (horde included) in 1 day, i am in day 18 and the town i am in has like 30 houses/bussines etc, also what are you talking about walmart? i am not asking you to increase loot or remove exploration.. i have 4 storages full of stuff and it will be a pain in the ass to move all that every 2 days without perking into the truck until i find a city i like to build my base at, thats all.

I re-read your original post and I think most people read it as you were clearing whole towns in 1 "game" day (including myself)...

 

[Jedo]

Just checking: I repped Laz for that funny gif. Did all the rest of you get some of that too? Because dammit you're here reading and lurking so why the heck not get some rep for his post too....?

It caused me to level. I bought a point of Charismatic Nature, so now I can buff the rest of you. The gift that keeps on giving.

 

[Dimpy]

Just checking: I repped Laz for that funny gif. Did all the rest of you get some of that too? Because dammit you're here reading and lurking so why the heck not get some rep for his post too....?

mmmmm...

I guess you could say it's funny in that it's slapstick, but from firsthand experience, let me tell you: the aftermath of boat accidents aren't any less horrifying than those of car accidents.

 

[TWORDY]

I like to use Shotguns while looting cause I save my 7.26 for Horde Night. I don't really like the craft too much ammo and using each gun for different situations seems to be working so far. Auto Shotgun of some time should be added for High Tier or Legendary.

Well I really appreciate any type of weapon in 7dtd. Semi-automatic shotgun like Benelli M4 aka M1014 or DAO-12 wouldn`t be a bad addition while speaking about variety of shotguns.

Going even further, why does 5.56 standard NATO caliber weapons like AR-15/AR-18, M4/M4A1, M16A2,3,4, SCAR-H/L variants are absent in 7dtd? Two 5.56 cal assault rifles would be a nice addition and probably fit between 9mm and 7.62 gap. The game might be balanced in a way 9mm and 5.56 had been 5x more easier to be looted/found than 7.62, so the top tier cal would become even more epic with its higher damage and penetration. Shotgun slugs and 7.62 actually could do something against bears, ferals, radiated zombies etc. 9mm and 5.56 could be good enough against standard zombies, poorly armoured players and npcs in the future.

I believe weapon animations need polishing, the animations itself feel like they have been capped at 30 frames.

Also since there is red laser, how about adding green laser.

I was also thinking if there is any posibility of blocking attacks coming from the zombies. Something like having a shield with a club/axe/spear combo wouldn`t be a terribly bad idea, or perhaps that`s too much.

 

[DaVegaNL]

Perhaps, I ran into Snowdog outside your house in the street and he said he's meeting a friend in your basement.

Oh damnit not this again.. I told snowdog to leave my basement alone for a while!

Btw.. what we're you doing outside my house??

 

[DaVegaNL]

Don't see rocks in your basement. I guess you keep them in the attic.

Oh I see you found my fun room! Welcome!

 

[SickPuppy]

That moment when you're running home after a T5 clear n fetch quest and a bag full of loot to hear the failed chime because you forgot the secret fetch stash...NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

 

[khzmusik]

MM I found a couple of typos in the "From the Shadows" perk. I also reported them in the bug reports section.
Typos in "From the Shadows" perk:

RANK 1 (Lurker) -----------> double point at the end of the paragraph (after "faster")

View attachment 30341

RANK 5 (Shadow Ninja) ---> Missing a "%" symbol after the first "50"

View attachment 30340

This is only the tip of the iceberg, to be honest...

TFP really needs to hire a copy editor. There are many punctuation mistakes, spelling errors, wrong use of "its" vs. "it's", etc. The grammar Nazi in me gets angry every time I see them.

What's worse - I see Joel's posts here, and how he types, and I'm pretty sure most of them come from him. And he's the boss, so it's going to be harder to correct him.

(My boss at work is the same way, incidentally, so I speak a little bit from experience here.)