PC Developer Discussions: Alpha 17

[pahbi]

The whole train thing sounds fun to me.

I'd make a roller coaster thing like in Zombieland and ride around and shoot zombies during 7 day hordes!

- P

 

[Chamfer]

You both should contact (PM) Roland or one of the other Moderators. Last I knew, you only needed like 5-10 post or something like that.

So even if I have nothing relevant to say, I have to make some posts to see pictures?

I've always tried to live by the "Blessed are those who have nothing to say, and cannot be persuaded to say it" motto.

 

[Chamfer]

trains would be a complicated thing to build in a survival setting so that would throw in kind of immersion breaking.

I built a hundred meter tall reinforced concrete tower with a 50 meter deep trench around it. What's this 'immersion' you speak of?

 

[danielspoa]

So you need to montor the steam database for a month to see that each day A17 is getting closer? Nice work, detective

no need for that sir, it was my fault asking for an explanation I mean, it's obvious they are working on it - I just wanted to understand why more frequent builds in the end of the cycle.

here goes more

 

[Tearstone]

So you need to monitor the steam database for a month to see that each day A17 is getting closer? Nice work, detective

Less detective and more obsessive. Just posting my thoughts and conclusions based on this piece of information since it seemed to be in doubt.

At the end of the day, I'm just trying to help, and be useful, even if it's only in a minor fashion. Better than nothing.

 

[archergod]

Question for Dev, I am just wondering (and I am not very expert so I cannot check it myself), but do you use SQLite or something like that to store each tile information or are you using any other optimized way. I want to learn how we can manage that much data in best way possible.

 

[Aldranon]

This is typically how the pattern progresses before each release. Yes.

Looks like they are now working weekends! They have activated protocol: "Heroic Mode Overdrive".

In these final hours, they fight the dark powers of Boss computer bugs!

You can see the forum users in the train, hoping TFP's will save them!

 

[The Gronk]

Question for Dev, I am just wondering (and I am not very expert so I cannot check it myself), but do you use SQLite or something like that to store each tile information or are you using any other optimized way. I want to learn how we can manage that much data in best way possible.

Don't store data you don't need to store, only store the changes. If the world is procedurally generated there's no need to store everything at generation, it would quickly become unmanagable.

It's a bit early in the morning here for a discussion on various data storage and retrieval techniques, give me a couple of hours, if nobody else has replied by then PM me and I'll run you through some different ways to do it.

 

[Damocles]

Question for Dev, I am just wondering (and I am not very expert so I cannot check it myself), but do you use SQLite or something like that to store each tile information or are you using any other optimized way. I want to learn how we can manage that much data in best way possible.

Here is an older analysis of the region and chunk dimensions.

https://7daystodie.com/forums/showthread.php?6922-Regions-Chunks-and-a-Map-Mod

The game stores the voxel data in the region files (7rg) in your save folder to save its state (updated when changes occur)

or sends changes in chunks over the network in a multiplayer setting.

Looks like all regions that are visible (relevant) for a client are loaded into memory, containing all the chunks (voxel data) -> from wich the local game data can be generated (3D meshes of blocks, collision data, etc).

So querying them is then done in memory.

If the player moves further than the regions represent the game-map, new regions are generated.

Too far regions (and their chunks) are probably unloaded from memory, as they are not needed currently.

 

[unholyjoe]

I've been watching for a month or two now, since I found it in this thread a while back. Didn't know there was such a thing. And the updates were fairly slow, but it kind of gave me a little bit of an idea. Now the updates come daily at the least. Last update was 15 hours ago.
Since they're not doing feature builds, they're now testing and bug fixing. Each new iteration is more polished than the last and has had more bugs patched. But gotta look for new ones that crop up. Last rounds of implementation are going in now. Much more rapid testing. I guess, they test first thing, find bugs, send for fixing, and then afternoon and evening are spent patching, and the code build compiles overnight and gets uploaded for them to test, and the cycle repeats.

That's my take-away from it. It's a good sign that the team is now churning hard for the Experimental now.

Any of the Devs or Mods wish to weigh in?

The Database entry for 7 Days

very close but if you go all the way back to when a17 entered the steam DB, we have had several occasions where we sometimes had 3-4 builds in one day. that, way back then wouldnt have meant it was ready for release it was maybe something broke the build or a very particular issue was being addressed and involved several different methods to fix. (you know.. like... "crap" happens type of moment)

another bit of info ... the compiles are not an over night process, fastest i have seen is 1/2 hr to 1 hr and longest... lol well we wont go there.

testing begins on day one by testers and devs and still going on.

TFP team are humans... yep believe it or not and they do take weekends off for family or personal things they want to do.. like birthdays, weddings, funerals, picnics, hiking, swimming and so on. oh and some take vacations and some even get sick and have to take off.

so you are not far off on your guess-ti-mations, i thought i would share a little insight as well. and i didnt reveal anything secretive

however... this is the link i use to see the progress when i get up in the morning (i do not leave steam running all night).

https://steamdb.info/app/251570/history/

hope this helps

 

[Tearstone]

@UnholyJoe - Of course people have ot take those things into account. I wasn't sure how long it takes to compile given the size of the game, and of course beginning cycles are going to have faster updates. , but this isn't the beginning of the dev cycle for A17. It's toward the end of it. didn't think that needed to be stated.

I'm just excited and watching very closely, or as close as I can.

 

[unholyjoe]

@UnholyJoe - Of course people have ot take those things into account. I wasn't sure how long it takes to compile given the size of the game, and of course beginning cycles are going to have faster updates. , but this isn't the beginning of the dev cycle for A17. It's toward the end of it. didn't think that needed to be stated.
I'm just excited and watching very closely, or as close as I can.

np Tear.... as for not having to state something... well... someone said best guess and look what a guess meant to the major public... it was like blood was drawn and a contract written.

so sometimes stating the obvious or asking a question is needed for clarification. keep on rockin

and some questions wont get answered wooooot

 

[helderpredator.fr]

hello, will the quests be translated into other languages ​​or will we be obliged to use googel as a translator for those who do not know how to speak english? thank you

 

[Red Eagle LXIX]

hello, will the quests be translated into other languages ​​or will we be obliged to use googel as a translator for those who do not know how to speak english? thank you

Probably still uses "Localization.txt" and "Localization - Quest.txt" or some similarly easy mapping system. Don't see why they would change it. Just my guess there.

 

[Gringoling]

Funshrimps pls

i think at this point nobody would care about the bugs in the game and wouldn´t mind restarting the game every 60 minutes to install patches... just a thought.... hurry up funshrimps.. i have 65 games but 7days is the only one i want to play^^

 

[AndreaK]

So, is it out?

 

[GrumpyGringo]

Hey maaaaaaaan. You got any ALHPA 17 MAAAAAAN? I GOY THESE CHESSEBURGERS MAAAAAAAN!

 

[FurbyOfDeth]

So, is it out?

I think you would know...

 

[Gnomaana]

Don't store data you don't need to store, only store the changes. If the world is procedurally generated there's no need to store everything at generation, it would quickly become unmanagable..

Isn't this the exact opposite of what they just changed on RWG? Now the world is completely pre-generated because, while it gives you tons of data to manage, it ends up being better for performance?

 

[Aldranon]

So, is it out?

Oh, you will have NO problem knowing when A17 is ready to drop.

1) Server keeps crashing from 3 million people hitting the F5 key repeatedly.

Then, when it drops you will get odd posts.

1) A page of "!!!!!!!"'s

2) A page of 's

3) A few words that make no sense like: NOW NOW NOW GOGOGOGO!!!!!

Hope this helps.