PC Developer Discussions: Alpha 17

[Kosmic Kerman]

In a survival themed game, don't you find that strange?
-A

Meh. You need to loot a lot and keep everything you find to not need a farm (or live in the desert I guess). I’d rather farm so I’m not reliant on looting and can ignore food items. But different strokes for different folks.

 

[RavenSyndil]

So instead of spending the time on re-planting you spend the time harvesting - instead of running a keyboard macro that scoops up 10 plants per second and runs 10 full stability checks on the chunk.
I don't think we're tossing darts at a board there. =P

Not that I am complaining, but not everyone has software like that. I do my planting and harvesting one plant at a time. When I first read the idea of boars attacking my 'garden' I was not happy, but then I am weird and 'fence in' my crops already anyway. As long as the boars can't break through the wooden block walls at the beginning (say, first 21 days) of the game, I would actually be okay with this. That way the meat comes to me! Would be nice imo as I can never seem to find game in the wild.. was really hoping we could 'tame' animals so we have a source of meat we control? Just a thought..

 

[Erik Louden]

There are those of us who would prefer they spend their time making this different from both survival games and zombie shooters. There are plenty of zombie shooters on the market if you don't want the survival aspects at all.
Think what is best for the game, not what is best for you. You have your personal play style just like everyone else. If you don't want to use the farming mechanic then fine but there are plenty of people who like the idea of defending their farm from the zombie hordes.

I didn't say I don't want survival aspects but they (TFP) have to choose where to put there efforts and it makes sense that that goes into the zombies. Its easier to mod food and farming than zombie mechanics.

Also just because YOU want better farming doesn't mean that thats best for the game.

Also there is no need to defend your farm from zeds since they do bother with plants.

 

[OldManBrian]

Who talking spoilage has mentioned the word realism?

Yeah, I could care less about realism, the important thing is gameplay here.

Yes, lategame something like a fridge could negate spoilage, but that's the point. It's something to work towards and before you get to that point you have to worry about having a food source.

Other than spoilage, I'd agree that some type of threat to your food supply would be ideal. The important thing would be to make it "fun" and part of the gameplay and not just an annoying chore you have to keep up with. Perhaps crops have a random chance of spawning zombie gophers that pop up from the soil block and will slowly destroy crops if left unattended? Players have to check on crops and have to fight off gopher attacks. Could be mitigated with turrets later on.

Seems like a "chore" I suppose, but then again killing stuff is part of the "fun" of the game so this seems like a possible solution that keeps with the theme.

 

[Aurelius]

Yes but honestly I'd rather them put the effort into the zombies being the threat and not make this a farm simulator.

I'd rather they spent the time on making food a real survival concern than work on zombies some more.

I don't remember ever dying to hunger; but I have died to zombies. Both should be a large concern to the player and as it stands, 'starvation' really needs a buff in the challenge department.

-A

 

[trielkee]

I'd like to see bunnies stealing crops or a bandage or medkit from the locker when the player is away from base, alot of wounded critters out there on the desert sand.

Plant enough carrots around your property and be prepared to get mugged.

 

[Erik Louden]

I'd rather they spent the time on making food a real survival concern than work on zombies some more.
I don't remember ever dying to hunger; but I have died to zombies. Both should be a large concern to the player and as it stands, 'starvation' really needs a buff in the challenge department.

-A

Then don't eat anything.

Seriously though, to make this a farm simulator you'd have to remove animals and edible plants that grow in the wild (which screws the hunting/foraging aspect of this game). Then add a bunch of mechanics to make a farming simulator.

Sorry but this is a zombie game first (according to MM) and its not going to revolve around farming.

I have a feeling you are going to have to wait for mods that require you to be a farmer to survive.

 

[Aurelius]

Then don't eat anything.
I have a feeling you are going to wait for mods that require you to be a farmer to survive.

Or you could just let zombies hit you twice for each time you hit them.

I may have to wait for a mod, or make the mod myself. If so, it'd be unfortunate - because I'm not the only one who feels this way about the food situation - but that's certainly an option.

-A

Edit:

I've never proposed making this a farming simulator. What you are arguing against, and what I am arguing for are oceans apart.

 

[beerfly]

Then don't eat anything.
Seriously though, to make this a farm simulator you'd have to remove animal sand edible plants that grow in the wild. Then add a bunch of mechanics to make a farming simulator.

sorry but this is a zombie game first and its not going to revolve around farming.

I have a feeling you are going to wait for mods that require you to be a farmer to survive.

Don`t be so harsh. He found a way to survive in its own way. Game gives many oportunities. We all will have to get used with the new way, so it is useless to talk about how it is now. Right ?

 

[Aurelius]

I'd like to see bunnies stealing crops or a bandage or medkit from the locker when the player is away from base, alot of wounded critters out there on the desert sand.
Plant enough carrots around your property and be prepared to get mugged.

Bunnies, boars, and bandits - and all three come packing.

-A

 

[TylerDB]

I like the idea. Animals eat crops all the time. This may put much more emphasis on fences and gates, whether its added vanilla or it becomes a mod. The zombies could care less about your garden, but the wildlife are as hungry as you are. In terms of meat, you could just balance it out so killing the invading wild boar is bittersweet at best.
With alot of the zombie lore, you always have your passive traps or chain link perimiter fence up for the zeds. Its expected that the zeds do block damage in the game, but I like how they just kinda pile up against the fences in the shows and just kinda lean and linger. I think this would be alot more intimidating in-game if they just piled up outside of your base and lingered without block damage. Just knowing theyre piling up can be just as scary as if small groups are doing mindless block damage constantly.

This would encourage the player to lure the wandering horde away from the base, rather than try and cut through them all and risk triggering them to bring the fence down. If you choose to leave them, when it gets dark, they go feral and tear the fence down, possibly attacking your base if they detect you.

Interesting concept, where were all these ideas over the course of the year instead of all the butthurt whining posts? This stuff is actually interesting to read... and constructive

 

[Manchild]

Just to simplify the game, we could also remove the need for fuel for generators and vehicles. It just should be a ZOMBIE survival game, not a fuel gathering survival game...

Why not just add unlimited ammo.

 

[Erik Louden]

Don`t be so harsh. He found a way to survive in its own way. Game gives many oportunities. We all will have to get used with the new way, so it is useless to talk about how it is now. Right ?

This is harsh? Are you a millennial?

I merely explained why putting more effort to make this more farmer friendly than improvements to zombies as the main threat is the wrong approach (IMHO).

Should hunting and foraging not be a viable option to survive? Those are simplistic too, why should farming be special?

Honestly I haven't seen anything that makes me think most people care about a more complex farming system.

I'm not saying that it would be a bad thing but that time and resources are limited and they should focus on the main part of the game, zombies.

Let the modders take care of the food/farming details.

 

[Bubo]

Hmm, that reminds me, there is no "real" hand-to-hand combat skills. Some good gloves and a couple of magazines duck taped around your forearms and you're good to go! If there was a skill...
A18?

Yesss. And brass knuckles. With a mod slot for spikes =)

 

[Manchild]

Meh. You need to loot a lot and keep everything you find to not need a farm (or live in the desert I guess). I’d rather farm so I’m not reliant on looting and can ignore food items. But different strokes for different folks.

yes isnt great that there're many ways to survive.

 

[Erik Louden]

Yesss. And brass knuckles. With a mod slot for spikes =)

Darkness Falls mod has brass knuckle weapons and viable hand to hand combat.

 

[beerfly]

This is harsh? Are you a millennial?
I merely explained why putting more effort to make this more farmer friendly than improvements to zombies as the main threat is the wrong approach (IMHO).

Should hunting and foraging not be a viable option to survive? Those are simplistic too, why should farming be special?

Honestly I haven't seen anything that makes me think most people care about a more complex farming system.

I'm not saying that it would be a bad thing but that time and resources are limited and they should focus on the main part of the game, zombies.

Let the modders take care of the food/farming details.

See, this is why I like and love this game, we all play it in so many different ways that .. its just good. We both are right in our own way.

 

[CplCritter]

WRONG WRONG WRONG. This game is supposed to be a survival game, but with each alpha it becomes easier and more boring. And i blame comments like yours.

I respectfully disagree. In the case of farming, I do not think the A16 way of farming was challenging at all - just frustrating when it is hard to replant due mechanic issues of the game itself. If regeneration of plants gets rid of the frustration from a glitch, it's the right move. It didn't really make farming easier, just less frustrating. Seeds being more scarce and not being able to "make" seeds makes the game more realistic and harder so TFP made the right move imo

(sorry if someone has already pointed this out, but I'm way behind on posts)

 

[The Gronk]

This is harsh? Are you a millennial?
I merely explained why putting more effort to make this more farmer friendly than improvements to zombies as the main threat is the wrong approach (IMHO).

Should hunting and foraging not be a viable option to survive? Those are simplistic too, why should farming be special?

Honestly I haven't seen anything that makes me think most people care about a more complex farming system.

I'm not saying that it would be a bad thing but that time and resources are limited and they should focus on the main part of the game, zombies.

Let the modders take care of the food/farming details.

Who said anything about making foraging nonviable? That's quite the collection of straw-men you have there.

Here's an idea...

Have farming, foraging AND scavenging as viable ways to combat hunger. That way people can try more than one play style instead of being forced down one path.

 

[Roland]

Who said anything about making foraging nonviable? That's quite the collection of straw-men you have there.
Here's an idea...

Have farming, foraging AND scavenging as viable ways to combat hunger. That way people can try more than one pay style instead of being forced down one path.

YES! Pay to win!

Purchase 500 farming crystals for $2.99 and use them to make your crops grow 3x as fast for a short time.

Purchase 500 foraging bucks for $2.99 and use them to harvest mats 3x as plentifully for a short time.

Purchase 500 scavenging tokens for $2.99 and use them to make containers have 3x as many canned goods for a short time.

Or you can watch an ad to get one of those benfits for 30 seconds.

Or did you mean play?

One letter makes an L of a difference...