The new xp/level-based-only system and hard level gating of important progression tools makes zombies more of a resource than ever before.
Before I get into it...no, i'm not upset about the loot changes...when the zeds drop loot now, its exciting, and I lose quite little.
BUT the intention was to make zombies something to suffer through, to be avoided when possible and fought when necessary, and that...didn't happen at all.
My friend is a cautious, careful player who makes sure things are secure, avoids unnecessary zombies, and prefers to explore, build, farm resources, and hoard resources. He started a game, which I joined at nightfall on day 1 (so he had about 16 hours of daylight play before me). By nightfall on day 3 or 4, he was level 3 or 4, while I was level 15, having travelled each night sniping and clubbing zombies and stealth clearing POIs during day and night.
Despite him liking the crafting and basebuilding aspect more than me, I'll certainly be able to do more, faster than him. Forges are gated to level 20, so unless he buys, quests for, or finds a working forge, he can't get iron tools...he can't make decent weapons, and he can't even purify jars of water to carry stacks of fresh water (cooking pot is part of the gate).
With the low quality of the gear available before level 20....and the slowness of travel before level 30, zombies are the most ideal resource early game....and arguably later game as well (level 50 for steel, and the further level gates continue to encourage pushing for levels at all stages of the game)....You could chop trees, hack at boulders, dig dirt, build a base, or sneakily explore, but you remain stuck with poor tools, poor food/water, poor stats, AND you do all of those things more slowly than if you'd focused on running from zombie to zombie solely for kill xp.
The gates honestly seem very high....particularly the first one. Lowering the requirement of the level 20 gate to level 10 makes useful (not OP, but merely the first step in actually being able to do a task efficiently) tools available to get you past the tedious stone-axe phase AND encourages greater specialization (you can't max as many perks before the next gate unlocks).
Additionally, if zombies are to be considered an obstacle, and not the prize, then other playstyles need some significant xp buffs. I'm fine with zombies being the best xp/hour, because it's arguably more dangerous than most other activities, but when 1 little girl zombie gives me the same xp as 3 in-game hours and about 7 full stamina bars of chopping wood, there is a HUGE gap that needs some closing.
Before I get into it...no, i'm not upset about the loot changes...when the zeds drop loot now, its exciting, and I lose quite little.
BUT the intention was to make zombies something to suffer through, to be avoided when possible and fought when necessary, and that...didn't happen at all.
My friend is a cautious, careful player who makes sure things are secure, avoids unnecessary zombies, and prefers to explore, build, farm resources, and hoard resources. He started a game, which I joined at nightfall on day 1 (so he had about 16 hours of daylight play before me). By nightfall on day 3 or 4, he was level 3 or 4, while I was level 15, having travelled each night sniping and clubbing zombies and stealth clearing POIs during day and night.
Despite him liking the crafting and basebuilding aspect more than me, I'll certainly be able to do more, faster than him. Forges are gated to level 20, so unless he buys, quests for, or finds a working forge, he can't get iron tools...he can't make decent weapons, and he can't even purify jars of water to carry stacks of fresh water (cooking pot is part of the gate).
With the low quality of the gear available before level 20....and the slowness of travel before level 30, zombies are the most ideal resource early game....and arguably later game as well (level 50 for steel, and the further level gates continue to encourage pushing for levels at all stages of the game)....You could chop trees, hack at boulders, dig dirt, build a base, or sneakily explore, but you remain stuck with poor tools, poor food/water, poor stats, AND you do all of those things more slowly than if you'd focused on running from zombie to zombie solely for kill xp.
The gates honestly seem very high....particularly the first one. Lowering the requirement of the level 20 gate to level 10 makes useful (not OP, but merely the first step in actually being able to do a task efficiently) tools available to get you past the tedious stone-axe phase AND encourages greater specialization (you can't max as many perks before the next gate unlocks).
Additionally, if zombies are to be considered an obstacle, and not the prize, then other playstyles need some significant xp buffs. I'm fine with zombies being the best xp/hour, because it's arguably more dangerous than most other activities, but when 1 little girl zombie gives me the same xp as 3 in-game hours and about 7 full stamina bars of chopping wood, there is a HUGE gap that needs some closing.
