PC Alpha 19 Dev Diary

Status
Not open for further replies.
madmole said:
That would be me, originally at least. I put that in once we got the AI priorities, but we disabled it for many alphas because cpu was too much having animals fight zombies. Fortunately Faatal was able to add it back in after some optimizations.
Click to expand...
Out of curiosity, is it intended for Dire Wolves to NOT attack Zombies for some reason? On our latest playthrough, we got unreasonably unlucky on Night 1 with three Dire Wolves, two regular wolves, and a fat Hawaiian guy spawning immediately around our claimed POI. Due to a series of unfortunate events, we ended up with one wolf, one Dire Wolf, and the Hawaiian inside our house (after, I think, the third death for both of us). The wolf attacked the Hawaiian and got beat up and killed, but the Hawaiian and the Dire Wolf both just hung out on the second floor near our rooms and ignored each other completely.

 
So I tried using the robotic sledge vs the 21 day horde with slight adjustments to my base, and while it did not work like I hoped it might... it was the best thing ever, lol. 

Robotic sledge is amazing, I do not even need to test a good turret. 

I refuse to say the reasons why it is so great.  Do not nerf it please. 

 
madmole said:
One of our core principals is to not have any easy ways to avoid the horde. Vehicles were just that, way too easy. It was simple for Faatal to make vultures catch up to you and slow your bike down so we are trying it out. It might be the gold solution, it might not. Once vehicle crits are in, it might be better to use that instead.
Click to expand...
Only a solution to an imaginary problem , but that is only my opinion. For who was it a problem?

In singleplayer there is the option to turn horde/zombies off, and in multiplayer one can just log off, hoping someone don't have start driving back to horde base at 21:59. Maybe it save some server clockcycles though, but that's about it.

 
bobross said:
Out of curiosity, is it intended for Dire Wolves to NOT attack Zombies for some reason? On our latest playthrough, we got unreasonably unlucky on Night 1 with three Dire Wolves, two regular wolves, and a fat Hawaiian guy spawning immediately around our claimed POI. Due to a series of unfortunate events, we ended up with one wolf, one Dire Wolf, and the Hawaiian inside our house (after, I think, the third death for both of us). The wolf attacked the Hawaiian and got beat up and killed, but the Hawaiian and the Dire Wolf both just hung out on the second floor near our rooms and ignored each other completely.
Click to expand...
That's because, according to Madmole, the Dire Wolf is actually an undead, in fact they're going to change the harvesting to give rotten meat.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
bobross said:
Out of curiosity, is it intended for Dire Wolves to NOT attack Zombies for some reason? On our latest playthrough, we got unreasonably unlucky on Night 1 with three Dire Wolves, two regular wolves, and a fat Hawaiian guy spawning immediately around our claimed POI. Due to a series of unfortunate events, we ended up with one wolf, one Dire Wolf, and the Hawaiian inside our house (after, I think, the third death for both of us). The wolf attacked the Hawaiian and got beat up and killed, but the Hawaiian and the Dire Wolf both just hung out on the second floor near our rooms and ignored each other completely.
Click to expand...
It might extend a zombie so it doesn't hate zombies. I'd have to look at it. Since the new version is clearly undead its best to leave it alone.

 
Jost Amman said:
That's because, according to Madmole, the Dire Wolf is actually an undead, in fact they're going to change the harvesting to give rotten meat.
Click to expand...
i thought they where just alpha wolfs but OK!

but if they do turn into zombie wolfs, i will call them hell hounds!

3e21342880e8b3cb0f5c45b7f0d49090.webp

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Bashtiks said:
When will underwater bases will make some sense when looking out of a window ? :D

glass vs no glass ..
Click to expand...
Water behavior is super-rough in general. A rework is on the to-do list, but only so many hours in a day, etc. etc. Enjoy the time-and-space-warping water physics while you can! 

 
On very early looting of a Crack a Books; I regret looting the 'book piles' on day 4 as those go poof (disappear like ammo piles). But I don't have a problem with loot respawning, so I'll hit rare/important pois again sometimes.

Not having good luck with starting towns in a19 so far. First was a snow city. This game, rwg map, town is quite small, mostly houses. Shotgun factory and a one story Books. Couple each of the dairy and the mini strip mall, but no standalone hardware/gun/pharmacy pois.

---

Re: coding for enclosed spaces. To bad Empyrions devs and TFPs aren't neighbors and could have a bar-b-que and share some lessons learned. EGS had to solve the enclosed spaces bit, and EGS could really benefit from 7dtds AI. Seems like an equitable exchange. Heck, if the world was a bit more kum-by-yah they could team up on Unitys water, heh.

 
FileMachete said:
On very early looting of a Crack a Books; I regret looting the 'book piles' on day 4 as those go poof (disappear like ammo piles).
Click to expand...


I have looted them later in game at higher level and loot stage and the book piles seem much worse than the normal shelves you find in houses. 

Nothing really to regret because you still would have gotten mostly paper if you had waited lel. 

 
Well obviously the idea of item degradation is controversial based on the reactions to my post but I have to ask why people think it is a good idea that once you find something that’s it for the rest of the game. Done.
 

Find a blue M60 and it’s so awesome. 
Find another blue M60 and it’s meh. 
 

With item degradation that second find would also be awesome and such a relief. 
 

People argue that nobody wants to have to replace stuff every 20 minutes and I agree that would suck. But it is simplicity itself to adjust and control how often that replacement would be happening.  It’s just a number. TFP could make that number conservative so that tools and weapons and armor last a long time. Then people who hate the mechanic no matter how long it might be could change the number so it would never happen in a single game and others who might want it to be more of a management need could change the number to something they would feel was more meaningful and impactful for them. 
 

But in a game with practically infinite resources, degradation of SOME degree can help use up those resources and also add choices to the game of whether its best to sell or save. Right now selling is a foregone conclusion. 

 
Roland said:
With item degradation that second find would also be awesome and such a relief. 
Click to expand...
I'd like it if that second find was for spare parts, not as a replacement for when the first stops working.

Minor difference yeah, but to me it's like a car/truck. You 'should' be able to keep one running & in good shape for decades, if you want to. Sure it takes maintenance, but it also has sentimental value that makes it special.

I'm not a nut, I don't get that attached to things in a game, but it's the way my brain works in general, so I've never liked the 'use it for a while then toss it out and hope you have a replacement' mechanic.

Edit: Bic vs. Zippo. I still have my grandfathers Zippo from WWII.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Roland said:
Well obviously the idea of item degradation is controversial based on the reactions to my post but I have to ask why people think it is a good idea that once you find something that’s it for the rest of the game. Done.
 

Find a blue M60 and it’s so awesome. 
Find another blue M60 and it’s meh. 
 

With item degradation that second find would also be awesome and such a relief. 
 

People argue that nobody wants to have to replace stuff every 20 minutes and I agree that would suck. But it is simplicity itself to adjust and control how often that replacement would be happening.  It’s just a number. TFP could make that number conservative so that tools and weapons and armor last a long time. Then people who hate the mechanic no matter how long it might be could change the number so it would never happen in a single game and others who might want it to be more of a management need could change the number to something they would feel was more meaningful and impactful for them. 
 

But in a game with practically infinite resources, degradation of SOME degree can help use up those resources and also add choices to the game of whether its best to sell or save. Right now selling is a foregone conclusion. 
Click to expand...
Makes for more gameplay. Cut down on just loot and sell cause you want to stock pile/horde things that will degrade. Once you hit the end game you usually have all kinds of stuff like steel tool parts you have no use for anymore, this would give them purpose. Honestly I think it should be everything not just tools. I do believe the loot tables would have to be adjusted to add a mechanic like this. 25% loot would get the worst of it but nobody plays that but me so its fine.

 
FileMachete said:
I'd like it if that second find was for spare parts, not as a replacement for when the first stops working.

Minor difference yeah, but to me it's like a car/truck. You 'should' be able to keep one running & in good shape for decades, if you want to. Sure it takes maintenance, but it also has senimental value that makes it special.

I'm not a nut, I don't get that attached to things in a game, but it's the way my brain works in general, so I've never liked the 'use it for a while then toss it out and hope you have a replacement' mechanic.
Click to expand...
Ahh the Trigger broom scenario.  

Same Broom for years, just changed the brush a few times as well as the stick. :)

 
Just throwing out there that I would absolutely love for item degradation to make a return. I understand there would be complications with shrinking mod slots but I feel like it would be worth the trouble. 

 
bdubyah said:
Just throwing out there that I would absolutely love for item degradation to make a return. I understand there would be complications with shrinking mod slots but I feel like it would be worth the trouble. 
Click to expand...
i would like that or allow us to using weapon parts to repair Said weapon! 

aside from making guns they have no other uses!

now maybe stuff like melee weapons like the machete, steel club, and knuckles could go under (steel weapon parts) so it can make some room for other items!

idk i inhaling spores *cough* 

 
Roland said:
Well obviously the idea of item degradation is controversial based on the reactions to my post but I have to ask why people think it is a good idea that once you find something that’s it for the rest of the game. Done.
 

Find a blue M60 and it’s so awesome. 
Find another blue M60 and it’s meh. 
 

With item degradation that second find would also be awesome and such a relief. 
 

People argue that nobody wants to have to replace stuff every 20 minutes and I agree that would suck. But it is simplicity itself to adjust and control how often that replacement would be happening.  It’s just a number. TFP could make that number conservative so that tools and weapons and armor last a long time. Then people who hate the mechanic no matter how long it might be could change the number so it would never happen in a single game and others who might want it to be more of a management need could change the number to something they would feel was more meaningful and impactful for them. 
 

But in a game with practically infinite resources, degradation of SOME degree can help use up those resources and also add choices to the game of whether its best to sell or save. Right now selling is a foregone conclusion. 
Click to expand...


Well, the items have random stats, so finding a second of the same type might be better, or you might give it to someone in multiplayer. 

Then there are legendary weapons and items which will be around later, which probably also have random stats...

At the point where you are getting lots of dupe items you do not want, you can sell them for money.  I do not think this game really needs degradation again to try and mimic an mmo where there is always that grind for better gear so you can grind more for better gear. 

If that is really ruining the game for you long term, and is all there is to play for, you are probably done with the game in general lel. 

I can tell you I personally hated item degradation the way it was before, to the point where I would only use items I could craft and would never repair anything.  It also made me lose interest in the game and I did not play it as much, if at all. 

Just reminds me of the days when the forum was in charge of balance and we ended up with all guns being really hard to find and make while at the same time all being way worse than the starter bow. 

 
Jay_ombie said:
Ahh the Trigger broom scenario.  

Same Broom for years, just changed the brush a few times as well as the stick. :)
Click to expand...
heh heh, yeah, pretty much :)

While I guess it's easier to code a limited number of Repairs, then the item is just done, it just feels wrong to me. But I like to fix & make things, and was born when that was just what folks did.

 
madmole said:
This is a first pass at a primitive stage and all loot/trader rewards/etc will be tuned more in the future. We'll add pipe weapons so primitive play period helps all players get a primitive weapon of their specialization. It doesn't suck though, you can find purple cloth armor pretty fast, which is actually quite nice if you want to run full speed with no penalties, have 4 mod slots and get a bit of protection because that is your style. It sucks because you were spoiled with no primitive stage before, and weak sauce bears that stun locked when shot and they couldn't even get close to you let alone cause a problem. It was meals on wheels and it had to change. If you want safe food, farm, not go bear hunting.
Click to expand...
I really like the primitive stage personally, and i enjoy looting high quality low tier weapons, but i have to agree that looting pipe weapons from gun safes just seems really off and disappointing.

I think a compromise would be looting more gun parts at lower gear stages, you wont be able to use them till you get a workbench anyway, preserving the relevance of pipe weapons, but it would feel a lot more satisfying saving up decent gun parts for when you can build them.

Currently by the time you are getting gun parts you are already getting guns, so the parts are only useful when you get to the point where you can craft high quality versions of those weapons. i might be tempted to craft a quality 2/3 pistol if i have a few gun parts lying around and havent looted any guns yet.

 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top