PC Developer Discussions: Alpha 17

[TSBX]

Is it really a bug if you don't get an email saying don't launch the game or your CPU might melt?

 

[Swiftpaw]

Pink textures are just unity's way of telling you the shader failed in a very fundamental way. Either the shader is missing entirely or it's so borked in some way unity just "nope's" out of there.
It's the same as blue plasters for a chef. There are few blue foods and few intentionally bright pink textures so both tend to stand out among the other colours around them.

Yep, makes sense, and according to that Unity3D discussion about it, sounds like one or more shaders just need to be included in the project in a certain way that they won't get weeded out. But then why would that only appear when choosing Vulkan rendering? Sounds like something for Vulkan mode is being left out for some reason, and perhaps it can be forced but perhaps is a Unity bug for leaving it out for Vulkan mode? Found these other two threads about pink screens/textures as well:

https://answers.unity.com/questions/639753/game-ok-in-editor-pink-screen-on-build.html

https://answers.unity.com/questions/1313516/texture-appears-pink-on-iphone-works-on-editor.html

 

[Roland]

Not sure I'm following, if I was meant to
Example I was thinking of was the current Blades vs Blunts. I like Blunts (heh) but the harvest bonus for Blades means they're always 'better', if you had to choose just one or the other. Right now I can lvl blades first then incorporate blunts mid way, and usually max out both before a playthrough is over.

Or Rifles vs Pistols. Clearly Rifles right? But it's fun to choose to carry a pistol and use it when possible.

So I may have read to much into it but it sounded like the new system wouldn't really be supportive of that kind of mix & match, and I hope I'm wrong about that

It will cost ten points to max out any one attribute and then five more points to max out any one perk tree within that attribute. Getting multiple maxed out perks within one attribute will be cheaper than maxing out perk trees across different attributes.

So for example maxing a blunt and a blade would cost 20 points because they are both strength based. But maxing a bow and a blunt will cost 30 points because bows fall under perception.

Three perks in one attribute: 25 points

Three perks from three attributes: 45 points

4 from 1: 30 points

4 from 4: 60 points

My comment was simply saying that from a different perspective allowing respec or all perks can be seen as less meaningful choices because you get it all instead of having to decide to forego something for something else. I believe it’s a pretty simple edit to add enough points to the game to get everything if you want that.

 

[Aldranon]

sounds like a Rage skill for me. because normal guys don´t get angry when they suffer pain, they hesitate or try to get out of the painfull situation.

Yeah, system shock can suck the life right out of you. But its a game and I'd be OK with "Berserker" perks.

 

[KingSlayerGM]

Good loot comes from quests now. Very few people enjoyed looting 200 dead corpses after a horde. Its good for performance too not having all these decaying zeds that are loot containers, plus no more loot container duplication bug.

I love this change MadMole! I agree 100%

 

[madmole]

A maxed Stay Down is good, but Heavy Metal will be is an extremely powerful perk when maxed as it allows an extended "down time" for the zombies. Think turning hordes into a "Death Ball".
I will say no more.

Bear in mind some perks aren't even coded in yet so therefore no balancing either. If stuff is too OP we'll have to make some adjustments. Should know soon though Gazz is rolling through the perk trees pretty fast, the new buff and perk framework is so awesome and powerful.

 

[FileMachete]

ahh, ok. Now I understand your comment. And appreciate the explanation of the blunts & blades falling under the larger cat/attribute strength. That bit hadn't really gelled from the video for me.

And since I'm a single player type I am a bit concerned about how I'll be able to effectively be a jack of all trades in the new system.

Last bit from me on this (for now ) is that I was mulling over how 7dtd offers many different ways to play. I tend to longer, 100+ hour playthroughs, but part of what keeps them interesting that long is mixing things up. Building a new design for a horde base, then doing a loot run with a pistol instead of a sniper.

You're certainly right about the choices mattering bit. I'm a sucker for highly complex spec systems. Eve was the best ever, heh.

Thanks for the info/reply Roland, it's appreciated!

 

[Swiftpaw]

It will cost ten points to max out any one attribute and then five more points to max out any one perk tree within that attribute. Getting multiple maxed out perks within one attribute will be cheaper than maxing out perk trees across different attributes.
So for example maxing a blunt and a blade would cost 20 points because they are both strength based. But maxing a bow and a blunt will cost 30 points because bows fall under perception.

Three perks in one attribute: 25 points

Three perks from three attributes: 45 points

4 from 1: 30 points

4 from 4: 60 points

My comment was simply saying that from a different perspective allowing respec or all perks can be seen as less meaningful choices because you get it all instead of having to decide to forego something for something else. I believe it’s a pretty simple edit to add enough points to the game to get everything if you want that.

So one of the day-1 mods is probably going to be increasing the maximum points obtainable, lol. I'm torn because I like that specialization, but I'm also a completionist, lol, so I might end up doing the max point adjustment myself.

Also if you're only playing the game with two players total, there will be fewer zombies, so will that lack of players to fill those remaining specialization roles be okay or will the only way to succeed now and get to later-stage zombie hordes be to have players filling all the roles? DUM dum DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUM! lol, will be interesting to find out!l

 

[KingSlayerGM]

the new buff and perk framework is so awesome and powerful.

I am really intrigued by it and I can't wait to try it!

 

[Jackelmyer]

Regarding zombies having much less loot now.

Has there been any consideration to a characters starting inventory?

I ask because it wasn't uncommon when starting a new character that I'd have to knock out a few Zombies just to get a sham sandwich or something to keep me alive. Random thought.

 

[The Gronk]

Yep, makes sense, and according to that Unity3D discussion about it, sounds like one or more shaders just need to be included in the project in a certain way that they won't get weeded out. But then why would that only appear when choosing Vulkan rendering? Sounds like something for Vulkan mode is being left out for some reason, and perhaps it can be forced but perhaps is a Unity bug for leaving it out for Vulkan mode? Found these other two threads about pink screens/textures as well:
https://answers.unity.com/questions/639753/game-ok-in-editor-pink-screen-on-build.html

https://answers.unity.com/questions/1313516/texture-appears-pink-on-iphone-works-on-editor.html

I've been messing with importing asset bundles at runtime over the past week. If you use the wrong rendering pipeline the shader will be completely invisible and fail silently. Not an ideal situation, if only there was a way to indicate visually that the shader has failed, maybe paint it bright pink or something. :-/

 

[Jackelmyer]

Also, I thought Roland may have said small animals would be more common and large less common. Though, especially in brush, they can be incredibly hard to see or approach and far too quick to catch. Has there been any changes that make these smaller creatures a little easier to see and maybe not so fast? Another consideration towards starting characters.

 

[Swiftpaw]

Regarding zombies having much less loot now.
Has there been any consideration to a characters starting inventory?

I ask because it wasn't uncommon when starting a new character that I'd have to knock out a few Zombies just to get a sham sandwich or something to keep me alive. Random thought.

You've always started with a can of chili and bottle of water, and in A16 food can be obtained from trash, tree stumps, cars, and of course houses/cabins when you find them. When you first start out you're mostly avoiding zombies anyway since your weapons are horrible. But yes if it's too difficult I'm sure they'll be rebalancing loot from these other containers, or possibly even adjusting starting inventory. Just pointing out that even if zombie loot was eliminated in A16, I've played many games that never relied upon that anyway, and attacking zombies expends energy, so if you're getting low you should be scavenging instead.

 

[dhlmaster]

Regarding zombies having much less loot now.
Has there been any consideration to a characters starting inventory?

I ask because it wasn't uncommon when starting a new character that I'd have to knock out a few Zombies just to get a sham sandwich or something to keep me alive. Random thought.

You actually eat those things? I usually try to loot a few kitchens on day 1. I almost always come up with some water, empty jars, a pot, and some canned food.

 

[Necrophobic]

Arrows disappear with the body if they are not pulled out before the body disappears. It is actually an interesting minigame when fighting a horde to backtrack past oncoming zombies to pull arrows out of ones you killed before they are gone. I'm hoping that a new achievement might be designed where you kill a horde with one arrow and just keep pulling it out and reusing it until all the zeds are dead.

Does that mean there will be more Steam achievements added into the game??

 

[Shiana]

I am really sceptical about the new zombie loot. i always play with loot respawn off, so we'll see if that will still be an option, or if i stay with other games and forget about 7d2d

 

[Survager]

I understand correctly?

It will be possible to stun or knock down zombie with any weapons (fists, cudgel, hammer, pistol, shotgun or shotgun), but the biggest chance to knock down zombie we will have with a sledgehammer, and the biggest chance to stun zombie we will have with a clubs?

 

[Jackelmyer]

You actually eat those things? I usually try to loot a few kitchens on day 1. I almost always come up with some water, empty jars, a pot, and some canned food.

There's been times where I started out and would run hours before I found any building. Sometimes it's luck of the draw and just bad luck in which way you turn. A16 changes to viewing towns at a distance helped a lot. Though, especially with how much more brutal zombie melee combat seems now, I have a feeling I'm not going to want to try to work my way through a house with only one bandage. Based on what Madmole has demoed so far, the days of taking on 5+, 10+, 20+ zombies is melee is over. Without the ability to stick and move, avoiding hits, you're up a creek.

Makes me wish that the attack delay still remained on some zombies. Like the early weaker zombies. Without armor and some skills built up, you're at a severe disadvantage at game start.

Or have a game stage progression on zombie reaction speed. Stage one, maybe all zombies except Lumberjack and whatever the fat zombie names are have an attack delay. At some stage it goes away or over all that delay decreases as stages to up.

 

[madmole]

Oh man, I'm the Fraidy Cat of the bunch of ppl I play with and it seems the changes are going to force me out of turtle mode (safe fort building) and out into actual danger if I want to gain any perk points at all!
Any word yet on that Gyrocopter?

Still no mention on either the vehicles or dropped items list.

Watch my next video.

 

[Aldranon]

Bear in mind some perks aren't even coded in yet so therefore no balancing either. If stuff is too OP we'll have to make some adjustments. Should know soon though Gazz is rolling through the perk trees pretty fast, the new buff and perk framework is so awesome and powerful.

It sure looks amazing! It has so much potential for vanilla as well as mods.

A maxed out Heavy Metal perk might be OP, but as I'm thinking this through in my head and not playing it, I could be way off. It just seems like you could really lay down some destruction, getting an entire roaming hoard in the effect zone might be like shooting fish in a barrel. But fun!

The downside to a percent perk effect is you could die if the effect fails to trigger at a critical moment. That's why I think it's got to be maxed out or nothing for that type of perk.