PC Alpha 20 Dev Diary

[Khalagar]

For example, A20 has been officially delayed two times and will be the first content deliverable in over a year. This is something that simply would not in any way, shape, or form fly for any larger development studio

Uh, a lot of "AAA" games basically don't get major updates for over a year. Cyberpunk was delayed multiple times, launched like hot garbage, and then has barely had content since. Anthem etc too

7 Days has had multiple updates to fix bugs etc since A19 launched, it's not like it was abandoned.

Calling bull@%$# on that one. Padded is the only armor type that does not have mobility, stamina or noise generation penalties. Even with perking to use them, unperked padded is better for not being noticed and moving quickly than every other armor in the game.

as I said, noise and stamina on armor don't matter. Noise generation is irrelevant and you can stick noise reduction mods in if you actually care for some reason, and stamina has stamina mods and you can just take your heavy armor off when going on a 2 mile run which is the only time stamina on armor would matter.  More to the point, there aren't even enough mods to fill up your mod slots currently without using the stamina and noise ones AFAIK, so you basically always end up using heavy armor with the stamina and noise dampening mods anyway

Cloth armor is better than no armor, but not by much, and there's literally no situation where I'd wear it over scrap or even leather armor lol. I get that it's tier 0 armor basically, it just seems weird that there's no tier 0 heavy armor counterpart, and that even for a tier 0 it's meh

 

[Aldranon]

Well in my opinon -  after you get steel weapons there is nothing to do.  I think this game need bosses like valheim. In the forest you have one "target" find your son so you know what to do exactly. In valheim you need to kill boss X to get Y to be able to find better stuff to do.

Yes currently, late game needs work.

I believe an intelligent bandit AI could be an extreme threat, even late game (A21 apparently).

I recommend that most bandit AI does not try to outflank the player and maybe have levels of bandit AI where most (level 1 Bandit AI) would ether: Shoot, Scoot or hide.

Higher levels could including flanking and even a sniper or covering fire to keep the players head down while they flank.

 

[Vapid Actions]

Uh, a lot of "AAA" games basically don't get major updates for over a year. Cyberpunk was delayed multiple times, launched like hot garbage, and then has barely had content since. Anthem etc too

Remind me how well cyberpunk and anthem are doing? I honestly don't know, because their system didn't work for me and I stopped paying attention to them. Cyberpunk a year after the trailer without any sort of updates except for "no known release", then when it did release, at that point I couldn't care less. Anthem - never been a pubg player, but from what I understand it's really only console players still playing, and even then not a whole lot. I also didn't mention "major updates", I mentioned "deliverables". As I was talking about projects, not products. I don't want to derail into a conversation about what project management and deliverables are. If you're interested in it, use the terms "Scrum", "kanban", or "agile" + "project management" for more information on how project management works.

Again, I don't really have a problem with what they're doing - I see it as "We just want to keep making a cool game, so lets just keep adding cool stuff", rather than "We're a business making a product". I was just mentioning why it can be easy to get upset regarding it.

 

[irongamer]

I think this game need bosses like valheim. In the forest you have one "target" find your son so you know what to do exactly.

Love this idea, not sure if it fits with what they are trying to do with 7 days... but I'd love to see it.  Terraria is another nice example of boss progression within a block filled world.  The

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lich

battle in Valheim is one of my favorite boss fights of all time because of how the environment provides cover but also changes over time.  Moder to some extent as well but the

Spoiler

lich

battle feels more iconic maybe due to setting where you summon.

 

[Matt115]

Yes currently, late game needs work.

I believe an intelligent bandit AI could be an extreme threat, even late game (A21 apparently).

I recommend that most bandit AI does not try to outflank the player and maybe have levels of bandit AI where most (level 1 Bandit AI) would ether: Shoot, Scoot or hide.

Higher levels could including flanking and even a sniper or covering fire to keep the players head down while they flank.

Small lvl bandits = melee/ bow only.

Highter level = better   guns

 

[BFT2020]

For example, A20 has been officially delayed two times and will be the first content deliverable in over a year. This is something that simply would not in any way, shape, or form fly for any larger development studio, and so people on average don't expect it, and can be upset by the unexpected.

Larger development studios also typically don't let gamers play the game early access.  Early access is also dependent on the studio, as some will only release it as early development when the game is 90% completed while others will release it as soon as they have a working game (like TFP did).

If people have expectations that TFP should operate like a larger development studio then get upset when they don't, the issue is with them, not with TFP.  TFP has put priority on getting the latest Alpha development to a working level when they release it rather than meeting an arbitrary date.  We have seen what happens with AAA game development studios pushed for a specific released date on finished products.

Also, as was noted by other posters, there has not been any official released dates from TFP for Alpha 20 so I don't understand how it was officially delayed twice now.

 

[Vapid Actions]

Also, as was noted by other posters, there has not been any official released dates from TFP for Alpha 20 so I don't understand how it was officially delayed twice now.

It was stated to be releasing end of october, then november, now december. These were statements by official TFP team members, on the official A20 development resource, on the official TFP website on when A20 would be expected to release. Try working a job, telling your boss "Yup, I should have that done this week", then twice you delay it, and your only excuse is "well, I never gave you a specific day, so really you shouldn't have any sort of expectations of it being done" and see how long you hold the job. Once again, I'm not personally upset at it, because I don't set expectations for TFP being well used to this kind of thing by now, but "not stating a specific day" is not a valid excuse for delays.

 

[Roland]

Again, I don't really have a problem with what they're doing - I see it as "We just want to keep making a cool game, so lets just keep adding cool stuff", rather than "We're a business making a product". I was just mentioning why it can be easy to get upset regarding it.

 

[Aldranon]

4 minutes ago, Roland said:

I'm upset by that video.

-It was too short.

-Did the hero win or the supervillain?

-I didn't get a chance to eat one popcorn piece.  (please refer to item #1.

 

[Games'n'Grumble]

I always have fun with this story about how players go crazy on specific dates. Cyberpunk was promised at an early date, the development team crunches - CDPR is bad! 7 Days to die does not promise anything, the devteam works in a convenient schedule. And guess what? TFP is bad! Of course! 

 

[Matt115]

Larger development studios also typically don't let gamers play the game early access.  Early access is also dependent on the studio, as some will only release it as early development when the game is 90% completed while others will release it as soon as they have a working game (like TFP did).

If people have expectations that TFP should operate like a larger development studio then get upset when they don't, the issue is with them, not with TFP.  TFP has put priority on getting the latest Alpha development to a working level when they release it rather than meeting an arbitrary date.  We have seen what happens with AAA game development studios pushed for a specific released date on finished products.

Also, as was noted by other posters, there has not been any official released dates from TFP for Alpha 20 so I don't understand how it was officially delayed twice now.

Well when i see Call of duty Vangurrd i think this is just Alpha xd , well Cyberpunk was realse as full version but it was beta truly (shareholders forced them to publish earlier).

Well  - people expect similar situation to going medival :  clear road map and +- when we will get this updates

 

[SarkMCPFan]

Are any future updates going to lead up to this Duke fellow? would be cool to see his reaction to seeing you again based on the first spawn in note.

 

[Roland]

Try working a job, telling your boss

There is a fundamental difference between being an employee and an employer. There are many things employees cannot do that employers can do. You just need to stop seeing TFP the development studio as an employee of some job because they are not. They are an independent entity that can make an estimated target and then choose to go past that estimate because they deem it necessary to deliver a product that is in good form rather than meet the target and deliver something poor and not have to worry about getting fired.

You are probably an employee and can only view situations from your own experience/point of view. TFP is not an employee. They are also committed to quality over meeting target estimates. 

 

[BFT2020]

There is a fundamental difference between being an employee and an employer. There are many things employees cannot do that employers can do. You just need to stop seeing TFP the development studio as an employee of some job because they are not. They are an independent entity that can make an estimated target and then choose to go past that estimate because they deem it necessary to deliver a product that is in good form rather than meet the target and deliver something poor and not have to worry about getting fired.

You are probably an employee and can only view situations from your own experience/point of view. TFP is not an employee. They are also committed to quality over meeting target estimates. 

I don't recall ever seeing an official release date from the TFP staff (though I will admit I don't remember everything).  The closest thing I can recall is when Joel or Richard (can't remember which one said it) during one of the A20 development streams talked about trying to get it out before Thanksgiving, but I also recall Lathan damping down expectations of that being the release date because of the remaining MF bugs left to deal with prior to release.

 

[Roland]

Are any future updates going to lead up to this Duke fellow? would be cool to see his reaction to seeing you again based on the first spawn in note.

yes. But not A20  

 

[SarkMCPFan]

yes. But not A20  

oh nice! im always super curious on that note. (i love th game even though i stink at building a base ideas!) thank you for the reply!

 

[Roland]

I don't recall ever seeing an official release date from the TFP staff (though I will admit I don't remember everything).  The closest thing I can recall is when Joel or Richard (can't remember which one said it) during one of the A20 development streams talked about trying to get it out before Thanksgiving, but I also recall Lathan damping down expectations of that being the release date because of the remaining MF bugs left to deal with prior to release.

There are no official release dates. Just estimates to give people a ballpark. But even if it was official it is still acceptable because TFP is not an employee that has been given a deadline. That is just a poor analogy that keeps getting used over and over by folks who are employees and probably resent the fact that THEY have to keep their dealines...

 

[ThePewter]

Also a question regarding airdrops...do they ever despawn?

I play coop with friends and most of the time we have airdrop markers turned off.  One day I found a valley with four drops just sitting there.  The drops must have been there for at least four in-game days and one or more server restarts as I tend to stop the server after a session and backup the save files.

 

[meilodasreh]

The consumer is the boss.

...hey that's me! 

Cool, TFP are all my employees.

So I hereby demand that they release A20 experimental bug-free yesterday.

...wait...do I have to pay them now that I'm the boss?

Will they continue to do their work properly, just because I've paid about 10 bucks a few years ago?

oops awww...ok I reconsiderd this employee-boss thingy aaaand,

it's okay TFP take all the time you need 

 

[Blake_]

Yes, it is. All T1 items and up are crafted with random stats.

Oh wow. I thought you guys didn't want to encourage that kind of gameplay and settled for a middle value for armours, but then again I seldom craft armours, just weapons that do have it.

Still, padded and scrap iron shouldn't count within the "primitive" argument as they currently have a lot of weight in looting and should randomize something for loot flavour. Durability or a 0.1 decimal or something. I might be munching on a dead subject as they are probably getting remastered in the coming months.

Btw, I politely request that you bring A16 durability back . Max durability value is useless if it does not show the current against the max durability. The coloured bar is unaccurate and distracting. In a16 you could see for example: Durability: 103/510 . Right now you get 510 and it's useless and doesn't tell us a thing. 

That item check should show, no performace change involved as it is already always happening.