PC Why are the devs screwing over agi/stealth in their POI design?

It may not have been designed as a build, but it was designed as an option since the "detection" system. Otherwise, I dont see why they would've created the Hidden Strike and From the Shadows perks (which, btw, clearly state on their descriptions that they are "stealthy"). And even if not being designed to be a "thing", players made it a thing because the option was there. It happened organically. Madmole can say "there's no such thing" as much as he wants, yet, here it is. 
I think you're reading too much into it..... when they say "there is no stealth build" they don't mean there is no such thing as stealth or things that improve stealth.  They mean that a character that relies purely on stealth was never intended to be a viable option.   

 
Stealth is trash and not worth pointing any points to achieve.  Only spend points on skills/abilities that are going to help you on horde night.  Spending points in anything else is a waste and is going to hurt you on horde nights.
I solo play a lot and I do very well sneaking around and using arrows to take out sleepers in big POIs. I tend to hoard my money and drop on higher level guns so I can sneak through the rest of the week and I tend to be just fine. A lot of the lower quests give you 20 mollys or pipe bombs as rewards, and that holds me over well on hoard nights, so I don't stress. Focusing your build on just one day of the week is missing the rest of the game. 

 
Crossbow. Also delete all EQ on death and loot quantity reduced to 30% so dying is kind of a bigger deal than in vanilla. But the issue, in my mind, is not the particular build or server settings but a more fundamental problem of the POI design, where certain mechanics are aimed specifically at neutering a certain build that is only good for these scenarios (clearing a POI, as stealth does not work during BM and is highly reduced utility in the wilderness).
I don't think they're trying to Nerf a particular build, they are making it difficult for any build that's not prepared to handle it. A fortitude build would have to keep one eye on the blue bar and be in a tough situation when it ran out. You could try equipping a bow, it is faster than a crossbow and you can shoot as soon as the arrow is ready. It's a pita no matter what

 
Last edited by a moderator:
It may not have been designed as a build, but it was designed as an option since the "detection" system. Otherwise, I dont see why they would've created the Hidden Strike and From the Shadows perks (which, btw, clearly state on their descriptions that they are "stealthy"). And even if not being designed to be a "thing", players made it a thing because the option was there. It happened organically. Madmole can say "there's no such thing" as much as he wants, yet, here it is. 

I dont think anyone claimed the game was supposed to be a stealth game like you stated with "just because someone out there wants to play Thief instead of 7 Days to Die.."), but like you said yourself: if TFP wants to give us choices on how to play the game, making a stealth path should be a thing validated by the devs - instead of dismissing it- because they were the ones that allowed it to be possible in the first place. Not only by those 2 skills, but also with books like "Use no stamina while sneak sprinting", "Sneak past motion detection devices", "Craft military stealth boots", "Sneak landing make less sound and sneak jump height is not reduced".. hells, basically the entire nightstalker set of books is aimed at a stealth build and by adding the noise increase system in the equipment as well.

Now, will all that being said, I'll say that I'm perfectly fine with the trash in front of doors, trap floors, the zombies in the closet that you have to shoot the door, then shoot the zombie (so much immersion breaking.. urgh...) and even some aggro rooms (the ones with a spawn factor makes no sense whatsoever). The price of being stealth is taking your time to find the way to kill your target effectively without drawing attention. And that includes avoiding trashpiles, clearing doorways, finding the perfect angle to shoot, etc. As long as they dont nerf the perks because, like the OP stated: they are already rendered useless for a fair amount of situations (like Blood moons). But the build path should DEFINITELY be acknowledged as a viable build/possible option and NOT just some "challenge or roleplay purpose". Specially considering that, once again, the devs were the ones that brought all its elements into the game.
I think you have misunderstood me. Just because I said that a stealth build is not what the game is designed around doesn’t mean that I think that stealth as a feature is insignificant or marginal in the game. 
 

I use stealth all the time—even unperked into it. Stealth is not something you can only do once you’ve perked into it. Everyone can use stealth and everyone probably does use stealth mixes with other tactics all the time. 
 

The perks just give bonuses and enhancements to what everyone can already do. That’s why they exist. If you don’t care for the enhancements then don’t spend the points and you can still be stealthy to a basic degree. 
 

Just because there are some situations designed into the game where stealth isn’t helpful, it doesn’t invalidate stealth nor make perks in that category a waste. The game has been designed in such a way that everyone can do everything at a basic level and nobody is locked out of any ability just because they chose a skill tree to perk into. Choosing shotguns does not mean that knives will be grayed out and a message will pop up telling me my class doesn’t let me use that weapon. The game gives us the freedom to do everything in a mediocre way from Day 1 and then we can choose what actions we want enhancements in. 

 
In other words it is entirely possible to kill every zombie in a POI while stealth with a pure Strength build using a shotgun doing nothing but sneak attacks all with out putting a single point into Agility or its sub perks. Grant it doing so would be a lot easier with a few points into Hidden Strike and From the Shadows but both are not required for it. Which is the point Roland is trying to make as the game is designed so that everyone can do everything just not as well as those that perked into it.

 
I'll say I play primarily stealth. I used to do Str/Forti, but enjoy the sneakiness of Stealth more (and Parkour).  I don't have much problem with the occasional ambush room that even stealth players get seen.  The new highschool for example, has one near the end where you get rushed.  I'm ok there.  Its a panic moment, but you can recover.

What I have a problem with are the new POIs that script attack you in EVERY SINGLE ROOM.  There's a T1 house like that.  I got it randomly as my first quest in A19, and I was sure they'd broken Stealth completely somehow.  Every room I went into, the zombie broke out of a wall, or woke up, or otherwise beelined to you.  Same with the new Fire Station #7 (T2).  Every room is 2-3 zombies, except the end loot-room, which has 5 of them.  Imagine my surprise when I walked in there, knife out (no pistol yet, i'm around lvl 20), and a couple ferals rush me.  Repeat until end. I made so much noise with my blunderbuss that I got another 10+ zombies breaking in the walls (we play with 3x wanderers), forcing me to abandon the loot room and rush outside just to survive.

 
forcing me to abandon the loot room and rush outside just to survive.
Annoying, but also some of the best moments in the game.

WHERE THE F*** DID THE MOUNTAIN LION COME FROM?!?

I don't know! Get to the roof get to the roof!

THERE ARE ZOMBIES BREAKING OUT OF THE ATTIC ONTO THE ROOF!

Try to distract them while I shoot the f*** mountain lion!!
THREE LUMBERJACKS JUST STARTED CLIMBING THE STAIRS!!!

FLEE! FLEE FOR YOUR LIFE!!!

 
Annoying, but also some of the best moments in the game.

WHERE THE F*** DID THE MOUNTAIN LION COME FROM?!?

I don't know! Get to the roof get to the roof!

THERE ARE ZOMBIES BREAKING OUT OF THE ATTIC ONTO THE ROOF!

Try to distract them while I shoot the f*** mountain lion!!
THREE LUMBERJACKS JUST STARTED CLIMBING THE STAIRS!!!

FLEE! FLEE FOR YOUR LIFE!!!
Agreed.... I was reading that post and thinking, "That sounds like fun!"

 
Annoying, but also some of the best moments in the game.

WHERE THE F*** DID THE MOUNTAIN LION COME FROM?!?

I don't know! Get to the roof get to the roof!

THERE ARE ZOMBIES BREAKING OUT OF THE ATTIC ONTO THE ROOF!

Try to distract them while I shoot the f*** mountain lion!!
THREE LUMBERJACKS JUST STARTED CLIMBING THE STAIRS!!!

FLEE! FLEE FOR YOUR LIFE!!!
His point was not really that this happened and complaining about that. The point was that few of the new POI's script attack you EVERY SINGLE ROOM IN THEM. That is quite a problem, I'd say. 

Sure you can learn these POI's and by the time you go into it 5th time just cheese everything by nerdpoling to the roof and doing them backwards. But to me, this is just a spectacularly bad POI design, if the design specifically neuters an supposedly valid strategy which is intended to specifically clearing POI's and has low usability outside of that scenario. As such a POI' is basically *scripted* to favour heavily a strength build, because from there you will get both miner69 to more easily buypass trigger tiles by going through adjacent wall and is the best equipped to handle the *scripted* zombie rush if you happen to go through the trigger tile. 

Key word is *scripted attack* - that IS a problem. Not the fact that he had to use a blunderbuss and for that reason got extra company. 

 
I'll say I play primarily stealth. I used to do Str/Forti, but enjoy the sneakiness of Stealth more (and Parkour).  I don't have much problem with the occasional ambush room that even stealth players get seen.  The new highschool for example, has one near the end where you get rushed.  I'm ok there.  Its a panic moment, but you can recover.

What I have a problem with are the new POIs that script attack you in EVERY SINGLE ROOM.  There's a T1 house like that.  I got it randomly as my first quest in A19, and I was sure they'd broken Stealth completely somehow.  Every room I went into, the zombie broke out of a wall, or woke up, or otherwise beelined to you.  Same with the new Fire Station #7 (T2).  Every room is 2-3 zombies, except the end loot-room, which has 5 of them.  Imagine my surprise when I walked in there, knife out (no pistol yet, i'm around lvl 20), and a couple ferals rush me.  Repeat until end. I made so much noise with my blunderbuss that I got another 10+ zombies breaking in the walls (we play with 3x wanderers), forcing me to abandon the loot room and rush outside just to survive.
I assume you mean "Fire_Station_01", there are only two firestations and they are 01 and 02. EDIT: Yes, 01 has a written "City Fire Station 7" on it.

02 has no scripted attacks but 01 has it in all rooms (possibly except one room where I didn't find a sleeper in two tries). The interesting question is if this is intended or just a designer not noticing that he is overusing the setting or not knowing that it should be used sparingly.

I'll make a bug report. That will show if this is intended or an oversight. 

 
Last edited by a moderator:
What is funny, is how incompatible an Endurance build player is with an Agility build player.

I end up just picking locks, gathering resources and doing the looting (perception / strength), while my friend rushes through the POI brawling all the zeds to a quick death.
(It is also a bit annoying how much perception and agility seem to be split over each other.)

Want to be a sneaky hunter? You need perception to find your prey (often bugged, I stick to 1 point even though I have 10 perception now), endurance for more meat and resources and then agility to stealth up to it.
Sneak sniper? Similar cross ability tearing.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Key word is *scripted attack* - that IS a problem.
I understood the point. And we can agree to disagree about the severity of the problem. To me, a mix of fully (or at least highly) stealth-able POIs with OMGWTFBBQ POIs gives some nice variety and surprises. I can absolutely understand how you and other players don't see it that way, and I don't think you or they are wrong. Just different tastes is all.

 
What is funny, is how incompatible an Endurance build player is with an Agility build player.

I end up just picking locks, gathering resources and doing the looting (perception / strength), while my friend rushes through the POI brawling all the zeds to a quick death.
(It is also a bit annoying how much perception and agility seem to be split over each other.)

Want to be a sneaky hunter? You need perception to find your prey (often bugged, I stick to 1 point even though I have 10 perception now), endurance for more meat and resources and then agility to stealth up to it.
Sneak sniper? Similar cross ability tearing.
Prey almost always is in the open. So you can trade stealth for range, for example with a hunting or sniper rifle in perception.

------------------------------------

I posted a bug report about the fire station now. We'll see shortly whether this is considered unbalanced or an intended exceptional case in a sea of stealthable POIs




 
Last edited by a moderator:
Stealth is quite alright where it's at. 

Scripted events withstanding (ex: Horde in T4 school PoI), it's all about the player having good preparation and perception.

Honestly, the hardest part of stealth is starting off with it. If you can survive those first fifteen-ish levels, you're golden.

 
For those saying "It's fine", "Its supposed to be situational", or "It provides a challenge" name another mechanic that takes 18 perk points invested to maximize the player character's capability in (Agility 10 + FTS 5 = 18 points spent) which the game completely ignores with no indication it will (most of the auto-aggro volumes I have encountered have no indication of what they are).

 
For those saying "It's fine", "Its supposed to be situational", or "It provides a challenge" name another mechanic that takes 18 perk points invested to maximize the player character's capability in (Agility 10 + FTS 5 = 18 points spent) which the game completely ignores with no indication it will (most of the auto-aggro volumes I have encountered have no indication of what they are).
Um, okay, I can't. I guess your opinion is the correct opinion?

Yes, Hidden Strike and From The Shadows are both bidirectional skills - YOU have to do something and THEY have to do something (i.e. be asleep or unaware). And sometimes THEY aren't going to do that thing. You and others don't like this and I completely understand why you wouldn't like it. It doesn't personally bother me. <shrug> What would finding another mechanic like these matter to this argument? So what?

Now if every sleeper volume was an auto-aggro volume, then I'd be more irritated and much less likely to invest in HS or FTS. It's quite useful when just out wandering the biomes, but if it were completely useless in POIs it would make me think twice for sure. Maybe it's just a matter of us having different thresholds.

Me and others: some number of auto-aggro POIs is acceptable and even fun

You and others: no number of auto-aggro POIs is acceptable and none of them are fun

Seems like a reasonable disagreement and demands to somehow prove the correctness of our opinions seem silly.

 
Um, okay, I can't. I guess your opinion is the correct opinion?

Yes, Hidden Strike and From The Shadows are both bidirectional skills - YOU have to do something and THEY have to do something (i.e. be asleep or unaware). And sometimes THEY aren't going to do that thing. You and others don't like this and I completely understand why you wouldn't like it. It doesn't personally bother me. <shrug> What would finding another mechanic like these matter to this argument? So what?

Now if every sleeper volume was an auto-aggro volume, then I'd be more irritated and much less likely to invest in HS or FTS. It's quite useful when just out wandering the biomes, but if it were completely useless in POIs it would make me think twice for sure. Maybe it's just a matter of us having different thresholds.

Me and others: some number of auto-aggro POIs is acceptable and even fun

You and others: no number of auto-aggro POIs is acceptable and none of them are fun

Seems like a reasonable disagreement and demands to somehow prove the correctness of our opinions seem silly.
My opinion is my own. My question was meant to hopefully do 2 things. Get people to understand my, and possibly the OP's, perspective and hopefully find out if stealth isn't the only part of the game that the game ignores on a whim. Remember, auto-aggro volumes ignore up to 14-18 levels worth of perk investment (how many hours of gameplay that is will vary) without warning. We don't have to agree on everything, much less anything (though we both definitely agree that the game itself can be pretty dang fun to play). Please, if you will, answer these from your perspective. Open to anyone really, this is a public forum. :)  

Is there any other mechanic in the game that gets completely ignored without any indication from the game that it will be ignored?

How does a player learn where they messed up when there was nothing they could do to prevent it?

How do they know that there was nothing they could do to prevent it?

What does this teach a player about stealth in 7 Days to Die who is going through the game "blind" (one without the metagame information we have) when they continually encounter these volumes and repeatedly experience stealth's forced failure?

Is getting lucky with the fickle rng so that they happen have a tool (guns, explosives, etc.) to bring that helps them through it the best that should be expected? (This is inspired by @MetalMartyr and others who've made comments about preparation and bringing "better" or "different" tools/weapon.)

 
Last edited by a moderator:
My opinion is my own. My question was meant to hopefully do 2 things. Get people to understand my, and possibly the OP's, perspective and hopefully find out if stealth isn't the only part of the game that the game ignores on a whim. Remember, auto-aggro volumes ignore up to 14-18 levels worth of perk investment (how many hours of gameplay that is will vary) without warning. We don't have to agree on everything, much less anything (though we both definitely agree that the game itself can be pretty dang fun to play). Please, if you will, answer these from your perspective. Open to anyone really, this is a public forum. :)  

Is there any other mechanic in the game that gets completely ignored without any indication from the game that it will be ignored?

How does a player learn where they messed up when there was nothing they could do to prevent it?

How do they know that there was nothing they could do to prevent it?

What does this teach a player about stealth in 7 Days to Die who is going through the game "blind" (one without the metagame information we have) when they continually encounter these volumes and repeatedly experience stealth's forced failure?

Is getting lucky with the fickle rng so that they happen have a tool (guns, explosives, etc.) to bring that helps them through it the best that should be expected? (This is inspired by @MetalMartyr and others who've made comments about preparation and bringing "better" or "different" tools/weapon.)
Shooting is similar. You point at something directly, but whether you hit is a random roll determined by the size of the circle around it compared to the size of the target. If you miss, it isn't your fault and if you don't get the meta information that shooting depends on RPG rules and RNG you might be confused.

 
Shooting is similar. You point at something directly, but whether you hit is a random roll determined by the size of the circle around it compared to the size of the target. If you miss, it isn't your fault and if you don't get the meta information that shooting depends on RPG rules and RNG you might be confused.
With shooting, if you keep shooting at the target you will generally still kill it (or in the case of rabbits using a prim bow, you walk away and hope for an upgrade). With stealth if the observability indicator doesn't increase but you keep getting attacked what is the reasonable conclusion?

 
Last edited by a moderator:
With shooting, if you keep shooting at the target you will generally still kill it (or in the case of rabbits using a prim bow, you walk away and hope for an upgrade). With stealth if the observability indicator doesn't increase but you keep getting attacked what is the reasonable conclusion?
"The game is bugged," or, "The game cheats."

 
Back
Top