PC is building pointless now?
- Thread starter Linkhead2
- Start date
I’m thinking the people suggesting building doesn’t give much XP haven’t tried upgrading anything. Try it, toss a few wooden frames down, dig up some stone and clay and make cobblestone. Eventually bake (or loot) some cement and stir up some concrete mix. Sure, you’ll use more materials overall, but you’ll definitely have more perk points available. 
I find building a base pretty fun. I’ve always enjoyed watching something from my imagination become “real” (regardless whether it is in the physical or digital world). It also gives me a reason to go out and loot a few things (don’t ignore cement and cobblestone bags in the POIs).
My end goal is a smart base that is, in itself, a highly efficient zombie-killing marvel of post-apocalyptic design and construction. I’m only part-way there, but I continue to refine it as I go; with slight modifications depending on the character build I am enjoying with any given play through.
I find building a base pretty fun. I’ve always enjoyed watching something from my imagination become “real” (regardless whether it is in the physical or digital world). It also gives me a reason to go out and loot a few things (don’t ignore cement and cobblestone bags in the POIs).
My end goal is a smart base that is, in itself, a highly efficient zombie-killing marvel of post-apocalyptic design and construction. I’m only part-way there, but I continue to refine it as I go; with slight modifications depending on the character build I am enjoying with any given play through.
^ I agree. I haven't enjoyed building a base in a long time. Used to just run and gun in the street which is still viable if that's your play style.
But having a blast with the constant stream of zeds coming all night and finding a way to efficiently deal with the demolishers.
But having a blast with the constant stream of zeds coming all night and finding a way to efficiently deal with the demolishers.
RipClaw
Well-known member
It's rather frustrating for me. I try to find a concept for a " traps only " base and tested on the weekend some concepts in a testworld against a gamestage 300 horde. I play with 32 zombies at the same and that was never a problem until now.
In one of the testbases I have a corridor with dart traps, electric fences and at the end a blade trap for the demolisher and other tall zombies.
On the first 3 blocks I have 3 electric fences and 21 dart traps. This would have wiped out a entiere gamestage 900 horde in A17 but a gamestage 300 horde in A18 is not impressed and the demolisher even less.
But if I shoot at the zombies with the M60, they fall like flies. I have the impression that the FPS players got in A18 a massive buff with the M60, the AP ammo and the grenades while the traps got nerfed in a matter of speaking.
I stay on it but eventually I either have to give up and reduce the number of zombies or resort to firearms and grenades.
I’m not sure that building is completely pointless now but at the same time, I don’t think it is the point of the game anymore.
With over 600 hours play time, it is by far my favourite thing to do. Before A17, by day 7, I always made sure I had a cobblestone tower set up with, if I’d been lucky to find / make a working forge, iron bars to stand on around the edge. By day 14, extend it a little, maybe putting some traps around it to slow down the Z’s. Then spend the next week gathering the resources to either extend the base out or start something stronger, giving more space between me and the ever increasing in strength and quantity Z’s. Over time, add turrets / blade traps to keep up with the increase in cops and radiated enemies. And repeat this as my game stage climbed ever higher.
Yes, in between there would be time to go and loot some POI’s and trade all that lovely extra loot dropped from your horde night success, and farm food and water and everything needed to survive in what was once a survival game.
Now, the game seems to be, go to a trader, get a quest, complete the quest, get XP and some reward and repeat.
Building a base in A18, because of the super intelligent Z’s on horde night who know where the weak points are, you effectively have to let them in on a clear path to you (same when digging underground) with minimal defences in between you and them and take them out. Or, trick the AI pathing by having a step they can’t jump across and watch them fall, run around and climb up again.
It’s rather a shame.
With over 600 hours play time, it is by far my favourite thing to do. Before A17, by day 7, I always made sure I had a cobblestone tower set up with, if I’d been lucky to find / make a working forge, iron bars to stand on around the edge. By day 14, extend it a little, maybe putting some traps around it to slow down the Z’s. Then spend the next week gathering the resources to either extend the base out or start something stronger, giving more space between me and the ever increasing in strength and quantity Z’s. Over time, add turrets / blade traps to keep up with the increase in cops and radiated enemies. And repeat this as my game stage climbed ever higher.
Yes, in between there would be time to go and loot some POI’s and trade all that lovely extra loot dropped from your horde night success, and farm food and water and everything needed to survive in what was once a survival game.
Now, the game seems to be, go to a trader, get a quest, complete the quest, get XP and some reward and repeat.
Building a base in A18, because of the super intelligent Z’s on horde night who know where the weak points are, you effectively have to let them in on a clear path to you (same when digging underground) with minimal defences in between you and them and take them out. Or, trick the AI pathing by having a step they can’t jump across and watch them fall, run around and climb up again.
It’s rather a shame.
hotpoon
New member
Right.
I think base building would be more relevant:
1. if zombies didn't have knowledge of structural integrity
2. if zombies didn't have pathing option knowledge beyond their line of sight
3. if zombies were still lootable and harvestable
The first two points encourage cheesing, and break immersion. Not even bandits should have those powers.
Regarding point 3, if zombies were still delivering resources (esp. bones), more people would want to take part in horde night because the reward would outweigh the risk.
In my current game, I've turned off horde night.
During day to day altercations with zombies, it is harder to notice the fact that they are structural engineers with x-ray vision, but during horde night, it becomes painfully obvious. This breaks immersion for me, so until that gets fixed, I guess I'll sadly be missing that part of the game. A real pity too because it used to be one of my favourite aspects of the game.
Sjustus548
New member
I'm really leaning towards turning off horde night on my server as well. Just doesn't feel worth it anymore. With every "improvement" they make to the zombies AI they feel less and less like zombies.
Laz Man
Fun Pimps Staff
Personally, I stay away from doing any horde base cm testing (or cm horde base videos) as it ruins the fun in trying to figure things out on my own. (Its the journey, not the destination). It doesnt help that there is alot of things that still need balancing (e.g. late game hordes, perk builds, etc.) so it can become a roadblock to having fun when you know the optimal strat. Vs everything else.
With this mind set, I have at least been able to enjoy BM horde base building so far up until day 35.
Edit: Maybe for day 42, I will sit back and let my base do most of the defense to see how it holds up...
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RipClaw
Well-known member
Seeing a base fail and dying all night long is not one of the things I enjoy. It happend to me once in A16. Then I did nothing else for a whole week but build a new base. When my first design failed in A17 and I was killed several times that night. I just didn't want to take any more risks.
From what I've seen, day 42 is a walk in the park compared to a gamestage 300 horde.
It's just as if the Fun Pimps are saying, "This is the end of the road for you. Start over."
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Jugginator
Moderator
Harder to predict? Lol A 16 zombies had one AI : Spin in circles. I've built a literal log cabin with a wood wall on the outside and had 64-spawning (with zero trickle, it was constant 64) on Insane in A16 and I had to remove the walls because the zombies were so dumb they would just attack the wall and if there was no wall left, they spun in circles.
Idk, I find it enjoyable to figure out how to build bases that are effective in slowing the horde down while I defend it, there's no tower defense game that lets you build immortal towers. If the base gets wreaked, repair it and make changes.
Laz Man
Fun Pimps Staff
Yeah, I'm with you. Although I think it would be fun to see how a fully electrical base holds up with no active defense or no active defense in the beginning...
...for my day 42 horde I think I'm going to limit my active defense to only the stair case just for fun...
...or maybe I'll limit my active defense to cops and above as it's boring to sit around and do nothing for me lol
Jugginator
Moderator
On the contrary, you're the only one I've seen who said they never have seen pathing issues nor spinning zombies xD Everyone I've played with/on servers collectively quit because we/they couldn't build anything without zombie AI causing the build to be immortal
What can I say: totally agree with you.
To me point 1. and 2. totally killed game immersion after the 'bug' (?) of having 25 Zs versus a single block: I do not know if in A18 they've changed that but I cannot play anymore the game enjoying it and for some reason no one can complain about performance otherwise a tall and thick wall users will say to you: aaaa the game is in alpha do not complain about performance you and your PC are sinners the game is pure!
Fine I'll not play anymore so
Anyway in A16.4 I remember myself during the blood moon horde hoping that Zs cannot see my weak defenses section and sometime it happened. Since A17.x Zs have a laser section scan integrated so they for sure will find and attack the weak zone: immersion has been killed.
My opinion of course.
Laz Man
Fun Pimps Staff
It will get better over time. I think a mix of dumb/intelligence is needed to have progression with base defense otherwise it gets stale and barbie dream house mode too quickly.What can I say: totally agree with you.
To me point 1. and 2. totally killed game immersion after the 'bug' (?) of having 25 Zs versus a single block: I do not know if in A18 they've changed that but I cannot play anymore the game enjoying it and for some reason no one can complain about performance otherwise a tall and thick wall users will say to you: aaaa the game is in alpha do not complain about performance you and your PC are sinners the game is pure!
Fine I'll not play anymore so
Anyway in A16.4 I remember myself during the blood moon horde hoping that Zs cannot see my weak defenses section and sometime it happened. Since A17.x Zs have a laser section scan integrated so they for sure will find and attack the weak zone: immersion has been killed.
My opinion of course.