PC Alpha 19 Dev Diary

[meganoth]

I may state the obvious, but here is my feedback and a suggestion about critical injuries

Crits seldom happen on single hits and most often if you are surrounded by zombies and getting lots of hits in a short time frame (as expected). But since you usually get all different crit injuries simultaneously as a result, you then also need a complete set of healing items to shorten the duration of them.

I think it would be better to have each injury in multiple severities and repeated crits mostly increase the severity of the injury and seldomly add other types of injury.

Because then you would often need one specific healing item which you might specifically look for (honey in tree stumps, sewing kit in clothes stores ...). Which is emergent storytelling or an intrinsic quest. As it is now you either have packed everything with you or wait it out, but it does not make much sense to look for healing items because you can't hope to find a nearly complete set anyway.

 

[madmole]

I would think you guys have a much harder challenge than Bethesda due to the destroyable and buildable world. 
 

Now, For game 2, please make a skyrim style game with RWG and building/destruction.  

Stay tuned, you won't be disappointed. One game is using the 7 Days engine so you can expect some building/destruction in that one for sure.

I may state the obvious, but here is my feedback and a suggestion about critical injuries

Crits seldom happen on single hits and most often if you are surrounded by zombies and getting lots of hits in a short time frame (as expected). But since you usually get all different crit injuries simultaneously as a result, you then also need a complete set of healing items to shorten the duration of them.

I think it would be better to have each injury in multiple severities and repeated crits mostly increase the severity of the injury and seldomly add other types of injury.

Because then you would often need one specific healing item which you might specifically look for (honey in tree stumps, sewing kit in clothes stores ...). Which is emergent storytelling or an intrinsic quest. As it is now you either have packed everything with you or wait it out, but it does not make much sense to look for healing items because you can't hope to find a nearly complete set anyway.

As I said the other day, crits are random now, but later will be more specific, so a zombie with sharp claws might give deep lacerations, where a zombie with a big punch would give you concussion. Hazmat will infect/radiate.

 

[Gr.o.m.]

Stay tuned, you won't be disappointed. One game is using the 7 Days engine so you can expect some building/destruction in that one for sure.

As I said the other day, crits are random now, but later will be more specific, so a zombie with sharp claws might give deep lacerations, where a zombie with a big punch would give you concussion. Hazmat will infect/radiate.

That would be a great feature. I still love to that and at the same time, curse you for all that pain. 

Any chance that we could more specific loot bags from the zeds. Back in time I loved to hunt down soldiers and nurses. 

 

[Toban]

Very nice! How did you make those 1/4 crenulations at the very top? Is it just an L shape over and over?

I see you used creative mode for some of it, was it all built using creative menu? Day 20 would and your low level would suggest so. Not that it matters, I was just curious

Thanks.

It's the 1/4 T and all in creative. I didn't think I would have time to build my epic castle while still in experimental. I will build my real castle without creative when alpha 19 goes live. I plan to build an awesome castle/settlement then. But I love to build stuff just for fun, so some stuff I do for the look doesn't hold up too well to a zombie invasion haha.

 

[madmole]

Thanks.

It's the 1/4 T and all in creative. I didn't think I would have time to build my epic castle while still in experimental. I will build my real castle without creative when alpha 19 goes live. I plan to build an awesome castle/settlement then. But I love to build stuff just for fun, so some stuff I do for the look doesn't hold up too well to a zombie invasion haha.

Thanks, I think it looks great on the smaller walkways where you don't have room for the big crenulations. A little paint would soften up the interior... wood or tile floors, stucco walls would be a nice touch just to give the rooms a different feeling than the outside.

 

[Toban]

Thanks, I think it looks great on the smaller walkways where you don't have room for the big crenulations. A little paint would soften up the interior... wood or tile floors, stucco walls would be a nice touch just to give the rooms a different feeling than the outside.

Yeah, at first I tried with the bigger blocks but when I saw the 1/4 T, I loved the look of it so redid it all lol. I agree on the decor, but I wanted to keep it rustic castle type on this build.

In the castle at the end of the video, it's much more decor friendly lol. I like trying all the different styles to see how they feel/look. In the castle resort we're building we went full mod con haha. I used the sink as a shower tray haha. Got tv's too. I love the creative option when I just want to build.

 

[Adam the Waster]

Stay tuned, you won't be disappointed. One game is using the 7 Days engine so you can expect some building/destruction in that one for sure.

As I said the other day, crits are random now, but later will be more specific, so a zombie with sharp claws might give deep lacerations, where a zombie with a big punch would give you concussion. Hazmat will infect/radiate.

neat! i can't wait to see all that A20 has in tail!

 

[STyK_]

If you think parting with
    <ingredient name="resourceForgedSteel" count="40"/>
    <ingredient name="resourceSpring" count="5"/>
    <ingredient name="resourceMechanicalParts" count="5"/>

for 200-300 dukes or so depending on your barter skill is game breaking, then the whole game is much more game breaking. I can find a gun worth 600 much faster and easier than I can gathering those resources and craft that item.

Its that it leads to unlimited dukes, your set for the rest of the game money wise all you have to do is find a crucible or max a tree in intel. If your fine with gun safes becoming an in game currency in the end game guess thats fine hey sorry I brought it up. Compared to other things that do this, growing your own food atleast this takes up real estate and you have to protect it, food make sense because everyone's got to eat, and its not even worth that much(the ones you'd want to mass produce anyway).  What is the world doing with all these gun safes? Why does it even have worth?

 

[Laz Man]

Double dipping completely ruins the balance? How so? You are digging up the sand outside. You are harvesting the cement mixer. You are going inside, looting and fighting off zombies. You could walk next door and, down the street to the next place, so on and so forth doing the exact same thing. The only advantage to double dipping is you don't to walk 10 meters to the next house, which could have all the same stuff. I don't see it as ruining any balance. It simply feels cheesy is all.I'd like to solve it, but nobody can come up with something better than what we have. It isn't an easy problem. Your solution of a timer has way less freedom and what if someone is inside? Your timer of failing doom is counting down, and someone is in your POI, and you fail, after walking 2 hours to the POI and nothing you can do about it.

Yeah, i don't think the problem is that bad.  Afterall, it still does require the player their most valuable resource....time.

As a side note...

Just wanted to share one of my latest creations using the in-game prefab editor and many of the new blocks introduced in A19.  It is an alternate trader Bob POI themed best for the wasteland.  I took some inspiration from one of your concept art drawings.  Let me know what you think.   I will be putting it up for download hopefully today/tomorrow on Nexus.

 

[4sheetzngeegles]

I played an online game, MMORPG before.

The way they dealt with multiplayer environment, and quest regulation
was something like this.

A list of quests is presented from NPC: Player "Group Leader" chooses quest

It checks location for players in the quest area.
7 DTD version <property name="EntityType" value="Player"/>

If yes, then message unable to attepmpt quest at this time.
7 DTD version "Trader says pick again, or come back later". Show
a timer, for next attempt.

The Predesignated quest POIs could not be taken over by the equivalent
of a landclaim block or a bedroll.

The land for a specific perimeter has a barrier that activates if a quest
has been engaged. If not player occupied, and you are not a part of the party
that has accepted the quest, you cant penetrate the barrier, by weapons or
person.  7 DTD Version: Trader open/closed mechanic and "Trader area invulnerability".
Each player in the group is given a temporary "Time limited" "Non-tradeable"
Non lootable Gump to allow access. "A key" It is one way, once a player enters the area,
the gump disappears, if you leave the area you can't re-enter, Until quest is completed,
or a new quest is activated.

Player "Group Leader" accepts quest. A timer engages giving a legitimate amount
time to reach the POI. From the time the first player crosses the barrier, a secondary
timer engages, to clear POI in a timely fashion. If the POI quest is not completed in
the time alloted to the first player to enter then all in the party are ejected, and it

returns to a basic poi.

7 DTD: After quest, and after ejeting players, simply turn off the trader mechanics.
Return to the preset loot respawn selection in the main menu. But for all intent and
purposes the POI is a simple looted POI until a new quest is formed.

7 DTD:
For the catch 22 situation of constant reset, and loot exploit, enable more potential
POI's, and set a cool down pool of POI's after quest reset. An ingame Day would be
sufficient.

 

[SnowDog1942]

Stay tuned, you won't be disappointed. One game is using the 7 Days engine so you can expect some building/destruction in that one for sure.

OMG Stiffy!!!

Madmole,   Costa or Adesanya?

I really hope Costa can do it, and doesnt gas.

 

[Toban]

Yeah, i don't think the problem is that bad.  Afterall, it still does require the player their most valuable resource....time.

As a side note...

Just wanted to share one of my latest creations using the in-game prefab editor and many of the new blocks introduced in A19.  It is an alternate trader Bob POI themed best for the wasteland.  I took some inspiration from one of your concept art drawings.  Let me know what you think.   I will be putting it up for download hopefully today/tomorrow on Nexus.

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Well done. The bus looks awesome with the building above. And the crane looks cool.

 

[Jost Amman]

There are way too many ways for things to go bad, like the zombie spawns could have blocks placed on them, the bag locations have been figured out and trolls surround them with steel, griefing everyone.

The design team wants players to experience the POI how we made it, not how Troller Joe left it.

Thanks for the reply Madmole.

Well, though I understand and agree that the issue is there I personally think it should be handled by the server admins, not by the devs.

Let's face it, 7D2D is at its core a very good single player game, with the vast majority of MP servers being private password protected ones with friends and families playing together in a "safe" environment. With that in mind I hope you'll consider catering to the wider audience when choosing how to change the game for the better. Thank you.

 

[Adam the Waster]

Yeah, i don't think the problem is that bad.  Afterall, it still does require the player their most valuable resource....time.

As a side note...

Just wanted to share one of my latest creations using the in-game prefab editor and many of the new blocks introduced in A19.  It is an alternate trader Bob POI themed best for the wasteland.  I took some inspiration from one of your concept art drawings.  Let me know what you think.   I will be putting it up for download hopefully today/tomorrow on Nexus.

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Trader bobs new base!

Very Nice Laz!

 

[madmole]

Yeah, at first I tried with the bigger blocks but when I saw the 1/4 T, I loved the look of it so redid it all lol. I agree on the decor, but I wanted to keep it rustic castle type on this build.

In the castle at the end of the video, it's much more decor friendly lol. I like trying all the different styles to see how they feel/look. In the castle resort we're building we went full mod con haha. I used the sink as a shower tray haha. Got tv's too. I love the creative option when I just want to build.

Yeah its a lot of fun. Try looking on pinterest for "lego castles" and there are some very cool smaller castles you can get ideas from, or look for small minecraft castles too sometimes. Real ones too, but for something one person can build in a real game I tend to look at the lego castles lately. I make up my own stuff too as I go, but it is great having inspiring reference for any art project.

 

[faatal]

Yeah. I know all the edge cases and also the " self control speech". It's worth to do it as a lowest priority thing because the benefits are neat. The event system can respawn anything that is lost in a gamey way, satchel courrier, new entities for an empty place, even detect a looted quest POI and restock just the boss loot. Endless stuff.

Seems to be a delicate subject, so I'd prefer to ask again in a few months.

Games always have lists of lowest priority ideas and they never get done, because you run out of time. You want something actually done, you don't make it the lowest priority.

 

[madmole]

Its that it leads to unlimited dukes, your set for the rest of the game money wise all you have to do is find a crucible or max a tree in intel. If your fine with gun safes becoming an in game currency in the end game guess thats fine hey sorry I brought it up. Compared to other things that do this, growing your own food atleast this takes up real estate and you have to protect it, food make sense because everyone's got to eat, and its not even worth that much(the ones you'd want to mass produce anyway).  What is the world doing with all these gun safes? Why does it even have worth?

I'm sure gun safes in the apocalypse would be of utmost importance. Isn't it limited to selling only 3? That is the way most things are. My point is, it takes an incredible amount of resources. You are acting like its an easy exploit like crafting a picnic table was, I rarely have 40 forged steel sitting around that take ages to forge and mine the metal. You earned it. You can make a living crafting and selling stuff, I don't see the problem. I sell my tier 3 axes when I craft tier 5's, etc. I've crafted spares and sold them before too.

Arguably I think I could make money faster looting and selling by far, so why is this an issue? To me if you cal sell more than 3 at once I'd want to fix that so you'd have to travel to several traders to unload all your safes, but if you want to role play as a safe builder because its good money... more power to that guy, as long as it isn't the best way to make money. The best way should be the most dangerous way.

 

[madmole]

Yeah, i don't think the problem is that bad.  Afterall, it still does require the player their most valuable resource....time.

As a side note...

Just wanted to share one of my latest creations using the in-game prefab editor and many of the new blocks introduced in A19.  It is an alternate trader Bob POI themed best for the wasteland.  I took some inspiration from one of your concept art drawings.  Let me know what you think.   I will be putting it up for download hopefully today/tomorrow on Nexus.

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Very nice! The only thing I think would look nicer is to not use so many different roof paints on that yellow roof you did. Maybe 2 materials max for a roof IMO, otherwise it looks strange. I prefer one actually because then you can't tell its voxels with the  1 meter squares.

 

[Laz Man]

Very nice! The only thing I think would look nicer is to not use so many different roof paints on that yellow roof you did. Maybe 2 materials max for a roof IMO, otherwise it looks strange. I prefer one actually because then you can't tell its voxels with the  1 meter squares.

Thanks MM, that makes sense, it does break the illusion when you can see the 1x1 voxel seams.  Good eyes...

 

[Toban]

Yeah its a lot of fun. Try looking on pinterest for "lego castles" and there are some very cool smaller castles you can get ideas from, or look for small minecraft castles too sometimes. Real ones too, but for something one person can build in a real game I tend to look at the lego castles lately. I make up my own stuff too as I go, but it is great having inspiring reference for any art project.

Yeah I agree. I love looking at creative stuff like that.  I spend a lot of time looking at other peoples work. It gives me some inspiration for my own builds.