PC Alpha 21 Dev Diary

[Skullfracture]

In A17 or 18 there was a mod that I really liked that added a type of quest.

You'd get a quest to go to a PoI and (either activate some kind of transmitter or the rally marker I don't recall), which would spawn waves of hard enemies to rush you (while also respawning the PoI and it's zombies). Leave the PoI bounds, fail. Die, you fail. Wipe em out and survive, turn it in. 3. Profit.

To make up for the increased spawns (which were harder than normal zeds) I think they may have had a higher than normal loot bag drop; random crap mostly, but something.

Was a lot of fun. Something like that could be neat to have officially. Was sad when the mod was abandoned.

 

[Old Crow]

So because the others aren't ready, don't add any? Dude...

By your argument, they could have added some bandits and saved the rest for A22. Don't get @%$#y just because someone else has a different opinion than you.

Many systems get iterated on over several Alphas, the quest system is not excluded.  For example, restore power quests are still evolving.  Infestation quests will most likely see improvements after the first iteration gets played by the general public as well.

Some may question why release A21 without bandits?  Because the team still needs feedback on all of the other additions/changes sooner than later.

Edit: Also, infestation sounds like a trivial change but there is actually alot of new coding changes under the hood that allows level design to really make new experiences we were not able to in A20.  Can't wait for you guys to try it out...

I'm curious to see what happens with the restore power quests. I sadly often skip them because I don't feel like waiting until a somewhat narrow window at night to start them (mostly because I miss the window due to not paying attention).

 Sure, it is very similar to a clear quest but it is also just the first implementation of it. It could very well develop into more than it currently is. When features are first added to the game they are hardly ever in their finalized form. They are a work in progress and that progress is achieved often through player feedback after players have played it. So why make it? Why, so we can play it and respond and hopefully that will result in more differentiation.

The difference is that the infestation quest is done to the point where it is playable and can be tested by the populace while those other features were not. Why push back the infestation quest if it is ready to be played? TFP is definitely not shy about pushing back features if they think they aren't ready so if they are pushing out infestation quests in A21 then they must feel they are ready to be tried.

I get where you are coming from. Compared to a defense or a convoy or a delivery quest this infestation quest seems underwhelming because it is so similar to existing quests and you were hoping for one of those other types that are clearly different than what we already have. That's a fair reaction, I think. But that doesn't mean they should just cancel or postpone the infestation quest. They are fun. I always choose them when they are available cuz...you know....they're new.

Before he got hired by TFP @Laz Man was very much into creating new quest types as mods and even chaining quests together to be a series of connected quests. Of course, he was also a god at POI design even before that so it's no small wonder they have him on the level design team right now. But I really hope that he gets involved with quest design officially at some point. He had some great ideas he was trying out back in the day...

I guess when I first heard about new quest types... I was expecting NEW quest types. I'm hoping that Infestation evolves into something beyond just killing harder zombies. I'm not sure at the moment what could be added to them later though.

 

[Jost Amman]

They could have waited. Infestation isn't new. It's literally just a slightly harder Clear.

You could say the same with games like State of Decay, when you have to clear out infestations... so what?

 

[Zombiepoptard]

Having more objectives would be great for the bigger quests. Infestation seems like more of a difficulty increase but if you could have objectives scattered all over the poi it would make for a eventful play through of juggling zombies and quest objective. I am excited for infestation because harder quests justify doing them with friends.

 

[Diragor]

Well I am very happy about the investation quests. it sounds so awesome that the POI is filled with more zombies than normally. I always wanted something like this. I'm thankful for this Quest type and wll probably grind the hell out of them

Based on the logic that they are too similar, they should remove every House POI and only leave one of them because they are all Houses and that's a similarity. Or remove all but one zombie because they are similar. what a logic.

 

[lazdeuce]

Personally I'm really looking forward to the new infestation quest type.  Mid to late game I'm mostly questing specifically to kill zombies rather than get the end loot.  It's good mindless fun.

For variety, I think some kind of parkour quest type might be nice for those who want a different kind of challenge.  Maybe even combine it with a restore power quest.  Run the course and start the generator type of thing with some weird lighting along the way to keep it interesting.  Not really my thing but I know some who would like it.

 

[Zombiepoptard]

I'm curious to see what happens with the restore power quests. I sadly often skip them because I don't feel like waiting until a somewhat narrow window at night to start them (mostly because I miss the window due to not paying attention).

agreed.

I would play a bunch if them if it weren't only at night. You could have at night time only quests but having the whole quest type be night time only is unnecessary. 

 

[Maxley]

@Roland has the wandering sleepers idea been scrapped? I was excited to see how zombies wandering around poi’s would provide a more unpredictable challenge. 

 

[Zombiepoptard]

I see Infestation as a quest type that can be iterated upon and be made much bigger than more zombies in future updates to provide an overall combination of objectives. We've had quest types that would be named after their objectives because they only had one or two implemented but what if we had 4 or 5. What if there was a tier 4 and 5 raid quest type that would be like a miniature L4D run. 

 

[Philipp]

What do you think of this idea: Cars have a certain percentage chance of triggering the car alarm when searched or dismantled, causing zombies to appear.  Don't know if it's hard to program, but is it just "when mining or searching, then as an example = 6% chance that XY sound will be played, which can attract zombies. Sure, the cars are older, and not everything would  be "logical" but it's a game and would (IMO) bring immersion into play with a small change probably programmed in a day.

 

[bdubyah]

By your argument, they could have added some bandits and saved the rest for A22. Don't get @%$#y just because someone else has a different opinion than you.

Um, no? They showed a few bandit models, but that doesn't mean their animations, AI, or other things like loot have been finalized or is even in a good enough state to be released. But nice try!

 

[Diragor]

What do you think of this idea: Cars have a certain percentage chance of triggering the car alarm when searched or dismantled, causing zombies to appear.  Don't know if it's hard to program, but is it just "when mining or searching, then as an example = 6% chance that XY sound will be played, which can attract zombies. Sure, the cars are older, and not everything would  be "logical" but it's a game and would (IMO) bring immersion into play with a small change probably programmed in a day.

You got that idea from Night of the Dead, don't you well it doesn't really work there, barely attracts zombies so would be nice to have it here, where it will actually work^^

 

[Philipp]

An idea for a quest: the trader says that he got the information that a huge flock of birds is flying towards the city.  For example, the activation point for the quest is this small tower POI that can be found downtown.  (I can't think of the name, but I don't mean the skyscrapers, but really a small tower).  When activated, many birds will spawn in the air at a distance, maybe up to 100 depending on the difficulty?  It also has to work with the performance.  Wouldn't it be great?  The flock of birds must therefore be warded off.

 

[Aldranon]

Infestations as a story line would be places where a group of survivors made a last stand against the earlier stages of the zombie outbreak, where number of zombies were much higher.

The gunfire attracted ever more zombies in the area until they died to the last.

 

[Jost Amman]

An idea for a quest: the trader says that he got the information that a huge flock of birds is flying towards the city.  For example, the activation point for the quest is this small tower POI that can be found downtown.  (I can't think of the name, but I don't mean the skyscrapers, but really a small tower).  When activated, many birds will spawn in the air at a distance, maybe up to 100 depending on the difficulty?  It also has to work with the performance.  Wouldn't it be great?  The flock of birds must therefore be warded off.

"Wandering Flocks" would actually be a cool alternative to wandering hordes!  :laser: :flypig:   :flypig:   :flypig: :flypig: :flypig:   :flypig:   :flypig:

 

[Philipp]

You got that idea from Night of the Dead, don't you well it doesn't really work there, barely attracts zombies so would be nice to have it here, where it will actually work^^

Nah, I dont play any mods since im a vanilla player. So Yeah, imagine, I truly got this idea by myself haha. But nice to hear, that theres a mod out there, supporting this idea. (still would love to have it in vanilla though) 

 

[Old Crow]

Well I am very happy about the investation quests. it sounds so awesome that the POI is filled with more zombies than normally. I always wanted something like this. I'm thankful for this Quest type and wll probably grind the hell out of them

Based on the logic that they are too similar, they should remove every House POI and only leave one of them because they are all Houses and that's a similarity. Or remove all but one zombie because they are similar. what a logic.

You came up with that on your own. And quite frankly, it sounds pretty stupid.

"Wandering Flocks" would actually be a cool alternative to wandering hordes!  :laser: :flypig:   :flypig:   :flypig: :flypig: :flypig:   :flypig:   :flypig:

Zombie chickens!

Um, no? They showed a few bandit models, but that doesn't mean their animations, AI, or other things like loot have been finalized or is even in a good enough state to be released. But nice try!

Pretty sure they said they had animations and AI done, but not how they wanted them, hence why they got pushed back. Almost there though!

FYI, being  hostile  to people with differing opinions? Not a good look dude. Might consider growing up a bit.

 

[Old Crow]

What do you think of this idea: Cars have a certain percentage chance of triggering the car alarm when searched or dismantled, causing zombies to appear.  Don't know if it's hard to program, but is it just "when mining or searching, then as an example = 6% chance that XY sound will be played, which can attract zombies. Sure, the cars are older, and not everything would  be "logical" but it's a game and would (IMO) bring immersion into play with a small change probably programmed in a day.

I have a theory that something similar might be coming. In the dev stream they mentioned almost spoiling something with the police cars. I can't say for sure, but maybe something with the lights and sirens? I'm only guessing though.

 

[Diragor]

Nah, I dont play any mods since im a vanilla player. So Yeah, imagine, I truly got this idea by myself haha. But nice to hear, that theres a mod out there, supporting this idea. (still would love to have it in vanilla though) 

it's not a mod. Night of the Dead is a survival game kinda similar to 7dtd but without voxel world

 

[saltychipmunk]

Anyone else wish  the infestation quest wasn't  just a harder version of clear quests?

Would have been cool if we had to go through pois  to destroy corpse piles or something that spawned zombies. And the big challenge is going through and destroying the spawners before you get overwhelmed