PC Developer Discussions: Alpha 17

[bob the big blob of goo]

@Madmole @Gazz

Custom Maps

Ok, I finally got my height map working as a TGA from Photoshop. Now, how do I get the height map in and then have the random gen use that as the base to finish calculating where to drop the water, roads and POIs?

Using my height map to replace the terrain for a newly generated world gave some very funky results. The POIs, water and spawn points screwed up, as I expected, since they have elevation in their node definitions.

I am really liking the terrain control and the biome map worked fine. I was able to paint the zones the way I wanted to match the terrain layout. Next is to play with the radiation mapping and see if I can make a town radiated as if it had been bombed.

Note: I used a terrain generator that output a grayscale PNG. When I converted it to 8-bit RGBA in Photoshop, I had to add an Alpha 1 channel, fill it with white. Then when I saved it out as a TGA with Alpha channels enabled Photoshop asked me the bit depth and I set it to 32-bit/pixel.

 

[JJTalkz]

there's so many updates and posts i can't keep track...can someone let me know if the FPS/optimization for mid/lower end computers has changed at all? last time i tried everything looked like minecraft

 

[Master_Elizibs]

Just wanted to add my two cents that beside some glitches like random radiation zones, terrain glitching issues. So far im loving most of what I've seen in the new update. minus the fact that I've died about 20 times in this new alpha im enjoying the game alot. feels more realistic, building placement wise. more packed. Seed Ivalice

 

[quilmeshou]

First of all:- NVG always were like that.

-not all the houses have basements.

-you can get out of water in basements just by pressing space repeatedly, making short jumps to get out.

-you can improve the amount of things you carry without being encumbered, purchasing the correct perk.

 

[JCrook1028]

The mining helmet seems fine to me. That would be pitch black without it:View attachment 25868

It's outdoors where the difference really shows.

 

[JCrook1028]

For me, the mining helmet is over bright inside and useless outside (can barely see more than a few blocks in front of me at night). I can't provide any screenshots at the moment as I'm at work.

Ditto. Outdoors is really dim.

 

[Sarvak]

Any word on when we will be able to test 8x8 and larger maps? for RWG that is.

 

[faatal]

I like change when it's adequate and common sense driven. I lack to see any of this in most of changes in A17 which replaced any effort by "perk it!".

So our changes are not adequate nor driven by common sense? Well you won't like A18 then, since it will just be the main menu with a zombie sprite bouncing around and the louder you scream into your mic, the faster it will die. :02.47-tranquillity:

 

[Deraku]

so today i played a little bit the A17-Experimental its not bad but i dont know if random generated worlds having issues i wanted to explore the map but there are so many irradiated zones and it was annoying i dont know if the map is too short or something

about the perfomance it was playable but first i needed to reduce the view distance and the grass distance.

 

[gcomerfo]

Hey I'm confused on how painkillers work now and first aid. Someone please update me...

Example: I am at 79 hp... I take a painkiller - no health regained, nor heal over time. I read painkiller description, which says, gain instant 40 health - no health for me though.

Then even stranger, I log out for the day, come back next game session, and now I have 77 hp! why?

Is this a bug to report, or I am missing something?? how do I regain health??

 

[faatal]

Don't get infected
It seems harder to get infected which is good because the effects are really bad in the early stages.

Stamina drops by 60 pts. You can barely swing a stone ax once before becoming exhausted.

On the upside, health goes up by 20 pts, which is good because your not going anywhere fast (at least on foot).

Also these traits don't show up right away, they take a moment before your stats change.

I got infected on day 1 when I started a new game two nights ago. It went up to infected 3 and I could not do anything. I wish these stupid devs would just fix everything already! Oh wait, I told Gazz and he fixed it in 5 mins. Will be in next release.

 

[faatal]

I may not be recalling this correctly but. I think the old stealth system indicated when a z locked on to you, and if you immediately froze there was a decent chance they'd lose focus after a minute or two?
If the new stealth system could incorporate something like that then maybe nighttime mining could be less suicidal?

You can already do that in the new stealth system, just in a different manner. When you make a noise, zombies who notice will go to the general location where you made it. If you are in stealth, you can just walk somewhere else without them hearing, since stealth footsteps make no sound. The zombies that went to your noise location will look around, not see you, since you left and then resume wandering.

 

[faatal]

there's so many updates and posts i can't keep track...can someone let me know if the FPS/optimization for mid/lower end computers has changed at all? last time i tried everything looked like minecraft

Yes. b208 has these optimizations I added:

Decreased sleeper CPU use from movement and collision checking

Decreased sleeper CPU and garbage by not updating bag or inventory

Optimized: Local player SetModelLayer (just set base and colliders, no cam/effect checks)

Optimized world entity is visible to local player check

I noticed a higher FPS when I played that build and one of the testers noticed the same.

Optimizations are ongoing as time permits.

 

[faatal]

It's outdoors where the difference really shows.

I just tried it outside and it looks how I would expect it to look.

There is not some separate indoor and outdoor modes to lights. It is just a standard Unity spot light. Dark blocks will be darker. Distant blocks will be darker. That is how they work.

 

[archergod]

I am having a problem with probably my game style, I usually keep power attack button press, while the animation of first is still going on, this result in extra power attack. It seems because the longer I press it keep recording button click for them, and hence always one extra is recorded. Can you make it so if power attack is kept press it do not record next action until previous animation finish? I am not sure if I explain it better. But it is same thing as when you harvest seed and it hit it back after harvesting.

 

[Jugginator]

So our changes are not adequate nor driven by common sense? Well you won't like A18 then, since it will just be the main menu with a zombie sprite bouncing around and the louder you scream into your mic, the faster it will die. :02.47-tranquillity:

Lmfao. I choked on my tea on that one. Hey, next time you look at the AI I noticed a couple of things. Now, the AI is amazing in its own, but sometimes they zombies use the new attacking stuff in the way a bit too much. For example, I saw a wandering/full sprint horde (i guess kill quad), and some were slamming into trees/plants/rocks for no reason, while other ran around them.

Also, sometimes they dig on cat-walks or other things around ledges that have railings on them, instead of going through a gap in the railings right next to them. Had one do that while I was inside the POI that had the surrounding catwalks with the said gap in the railing next to it. It seemed to forget that there was an open door next to me, and its shortest point to me was to dig through the floor of the catwalk to the closed door underneath it. Which would be true, if there was no door next to me, and if there wasn't a gap it could walk through right next to it.

Also, they tend to stick on anything 1/2 or 1/4 when there's open space next to them. Nothing game-breaking, just observations.

 

[The Gronk]

Lmfao. I choked on my tea on that one. Hey, next time you look at the AI I noticed a couple of things. Now, the AI is amazing in its own, but sometimes they zombies use the new attacking stuff in the way a bit too much. For example, I saw a wandering/full sprint horde (i guess kill quad), and some were slamming into trees/plants/rocks for no reason, while other ran around them.

I just saw that myself. A massive night-horde went running past, as I was watching they sent a full grown tree bouncing across the landscape like a cricket wicket. Highly amusing but probably not the visual effect that should be strived for.

 

[JamsCB]

Hey I'm confused on how painkillers work now and first aid. Someone please update me...
Example: I am at 79 hp... I take a painkiller - no health regained, nor heal over time. I read painkiller description, which says, gain instant 40 health - no health for me though.

Then even stranger, I log out for the day, come back next game session, and now I have 77 hp! why?

Is this a bug to report, or I am missing something?? how do I regain health??

You were probably already at your current MaxHealth. To raise your MaxHealth, you typically need bandages. Just a basic bandage increases Max without increasing your current health, then you can raise your current hel health with things like painkillers. You really have to look at the stats for items now.

 

[69WithAzombie]

Yes. b208 has these optimizations I added:
Decreased sleeper CPU use from movement and collision checking

Decreased sleeper CPU and garbage by not updating bag or inventory

Optimized: Local player SetModelLayer (just set base and colliders, no cam/effect checks)

Optimized world entity is visible to local player check

I noticed a higher FPS when I played that build and one of the testers noticed the same.

Optimizations are ongoing as time permits.

Faatal will dismemberment make it back into alpha 17?

 

[Jugginator]

I just saw that myself. A massive night-horde went running past, as I was watching they sent a full grown tree bouncing across the landscape like a cricket wicket. Highly amusing but probably not the visual effect that should be strived for.

Yeah lmao. I was on day 6 at midnight trying to gather some wood and saw the horde; I sat back to evaluate wether I had enough to take em on and got caught up giggling at the small group raising mayhem on plants/trees and rocks. Agreed there, and it kinda make it easier. I picked off that group then picked off the smaller.... more intelligent group.