GoodOldLeon

How do, all. Let’s visit a few different PZ departments to see what’s cooking.
41 PATCHING
We are currently partway through the journey to the 41.69 patch. Planned patches to Build 41 are intended to be, generally, not feature-led and instead focus on balance, QOL, fixes and polish. The current contents of 41.69 includes:
New items and 3D models New foraging discoveries. Many improvements for controller and Steamdeck play Many improvements to the MP experience in areas such as: the sometimes weird vehicle physics, the PvP safety system, the PvP cooldown timer, safehouse bugs, sleeping and radio/VHS sync.
There’s a lot more incoming next week, but we intend to keep this patch relatively short and sharp if we can – though of course will also need to be sure of MP stability before any release (even to unstable) as there’s still quite a lot of large adjustments to the MP code going into the pot.
FISHING AND LOCKPICKING
Although it’s not clear where it will land in terms of a build release yet, this week Aiteron’s new fishing system had its first internal test. This was largely a bug-chasing exercise, especially in terms of MP, but the testers had fun.
 
There’s still a lot of work to be done, and we will need better and more appropriate anims to really sell how it works, but the current mission statement is to get it all working – so we can then add some polish.
 
We also need to bring the mechanics closer to realism, through exploring what is caught (and how) in Kentucky – and what different types of lines, hooks, lures, bait and catch options we should include to increase/decrease your chances of catching a particular sort of fish. Likewise, clearly stuff like your location, the weather, the time of day and your fishing skill will all come into play.
We won’t go into detail, as it’s still distant, but something else that’s in the design phase while Aiteron implements fishing is bringing elements of his lockpicking mod over into the main game – in a new and improved package to boot.
 
Locks will vary in type and challenge, and the tools required may differ. Through this, stashes with useful loot will be added to the map – hidden behind locked doors. This will also enable locked doors within houses, chests, locked gun cabinets etc.
MAP WORK
The map team’s ongoing mission to improve the Knox Event map continues. Amidst other tasks focussing on the Many Years Later challenge map, converting and building new farms to fit in with our animal plans, and plotting for future expansion… here’s a few extra fun things that will be appearing in an exclusion zone near you.
 
New tiles to improve the appearance of existing locations. Some older, and very distinguished, buildings for the richfolk of the area. MUSIC
On top of the gameplay improvements mentioned last time, the guys at Formosa UK (formerly Noiseworks) are working on a first draft of a rework of the action music.
 
Instead of switching between tracks mid-fight, the plan is to cross-fade between different intensity levels of the same track. The base intensity will be the regular track that you are used to, but then there will also be a high action version that has been beefed up a bit.
When the action subsides, or the number of zombies you’re fighting declines, the music will enter a low state and eventually fade out.
FARM ANIMALS
Work on the introduction of farmed animals continues for their planned introduction in Build 42.
 
All the following information and videos are SUPER WORK IN PROGRESS and will improve a bunch as we move forward. Please don’t worry/complain/laugh/faint/query/weep about ‘em. (Usual caveats apply basically!)

Some bullet points on the current integration!
All animals are defined in lua definition tables, which will allow for maximum modding possibilities: it’s via these definitions that you can essentially adjust animal behaviour. When in their pen farm animals will wander around, ‘emote’ by flapping wings or rootling for food on the ground, sit, rest, lie down etc. Relevant animals can graze grass, which then regrows after an appropriate amount of time –  which can be defined in a new sandbox option. Animals will eat from a trough, which is something you’ll either construct or loot from a farm.
    Animals all have different growth stages – for example calves become cows/bulls, and grow in size. Their growth will be guided by various parameters – like their hunger, thirst, general health and the size of their enclosure. Baby animals will stick by their mother’s side, and even take milk directly from the udder. The bigger the animal size, the more meat it will produce when it is butchered. There will be various breeds in-game – so you could have a “meat breed” (Angus) or a “milk” breed (Holstein) – and maybe even something in between like a Simmental. Growth rates will be realistic, so a cow will take two full years to be at its full size, but this will be modifiable via sandbox options. Cows will generate milk for a certain period after delivering a calf. The more you continue to milk the cow, the more milk you’ll get each day. Leaving a cow with a full udder, however, will cause issues and a decrease in lactation. Sheep grow wool that you can retrieve with a shear, and also have a milking system if you enjoy sheep milk.
    Hens can lay eggs. If a henhouse is present they’ll lay eggs in it, otherwise they’ll do it on the ground. They can be fertilized by a rooster, so if left for a time can hatch out chicks. You will need to shut the door to the henhouse every night, and open it back up every morning, or will you risk visits from Mister Fox – and see the resulting bloodstains to boot.
    ANIMAL BREEDING
What’s currently being added to the above systems are some ways to encourage the breeding of animals – to improve your herd, and that of your friends and neighbours, as the apocalypse draws on.
 
It sounds complicated, but it’s actually quite easy for us to generate animals with a ‘full’ (for our purposes) genome – again all defined in lua definition tables for easy modding.
 
Each animal type will have a set of abstracted genes that each contain two ‘alleles’ inherited from parents, from “milk quantity”, to “life expectancy”, “strength”, “appearance” genes and a lot more in-between.
 
We’ve gone for a somewhat realistic, yet still gamified, genetics system to make it feel somewhat accurate. We want to have some of the interesting consequences of genetics, and also to have them present clear enough results for players to engage with in cross breeding projects.
 
When breeding animals, characters with appropriate skills will be able to inspect the animal and get an idea of its various health-related attributes (aka genes) – while others such as egg laying, fertility or milk production will be observed in the animal during its lifespan. Higher skills will also, most likely, make this more apparent/obvious to experienced breeders.
 
The gameplay loop of animal breeding will involve trying to pick the correct pairings/groupings of your animals to pass along the best genes into their offspring.
 
Over successive generations you will be able to improve your stock with better milk production, egg production etc – or help you to focus on producing animals with more meat for slaughter.
 
Finding new animals to breed to diversify and improve your stock’s gene pool will be a prime reason for farmer players to interact with other groups, or go hunting around the farms on the map. Likewise, this will zero in on the concept of a ‘prize bull’ that you might grow an emotional bond with, and really, really not want to get ill – or perhaps even get stolen in MP.
 
The science will be that each animal will carry two sets of alleles in their genome, one contributed randomly from each parent. You have dominant and recessive alleles, and this will mean that you definitely have to be careful about in-breeding, as base generated animals may have recessive gene timebombs in the forms of genetic illnesses of varying types, waiting to ruin your prize bull and your entire stock if you’ve inbred your animals too much.
 
We’re sure there’ll be mods that will allow players to observe the genes more directly, but in the base game we’re expecting a tad more ‘art than science’ approach and using informed guesses and examination and observation to improve your stock.
 
There’s plenty more to this system, but we’ll leave it there for now. All animals will use this genetic system, and we’re sure at some point we’ll look into expanding it into the plant system too, however that’s not a priority right now and almost certainly in the worlds beyond Build 42.

 
This week’s cool arcade base from Damien. A changelist of all our pre-release patches since the 41 beta began can be found here. The Centralized Block of Italicised Text would like to direct your attention to the PZ Wiki should you feel like editing or amending something, and the PZ Mailing List that can send you update notifications once builds get released. We also live on Twitter right here! Our Discord is open for chat and hijinks too.

After several barnstorming ‘future plans’ blogs this one is a bit more near-sighted we are afraid, but might cast some light on our intentions for the general upkeep of PZ while larger-scale features are worked on.
 
First though, the boring-er stuff!
 
HOUSEKEEPING
TEAM EXPANSION!
 
We are looking for a game development specialist, likely someone with AAA experience, who wants to go indie and doesn’t mind one of their superiors being a cartoon raccoon. We need an Animation Engine Programmer, who would be in charge of improving the code guts of Project Zomboid.
 
Good experience required with working on or developing character animation systems in a proprietary engine: root motion, blending, masking, inverse kinematics, ragdoll etc. Competitive rates, flexible working, worldwide dev team. Apply within.
 
GET OFF THE OLD BETAS PLZ!
 
At some point in the near-ish future, we will be tidying up some of the older Build 41 MP betas available on Steam. Namely, 41.60, 41.61 and 41.65.
 
Please return to the non-beta live version of the game as soon as you can to be 100% sure that you avoid any game or mod corruption when these disappear – whether on a server or in SP.
 
(The sound issue that meant that some remained on 41.65 has now been dug up, fixed and patched in 41.68 stable.)
UPCOMING 41 PATCHES
Today we hotfixed the stable build with an FMOD sound engine update that should finally solve the issues experienced by some players with certain output/peripherals set-ups.
 
Next up will be a small patch, 41.69, designed to counter what we feel are some of the more pressing issues that the game currently has – and where a fix can be quick, simple and hopefully non-disruptive. The issues at hand currently are:
 
Problems with safehouses, including unwanted teleports for safehouse members when the safehouse owner is offline. An issue with a non-responsive PvP icon impacting on general play. The fact that looted VHS tapes are single-use and can’t be used by other players.  
We apologise for these small patches, and know it’s annoying having to wait for a server owner or host to update, but we hope that this will be the last of these smaller niggly patches for a while.
 
The team will then implement quite a lot of QOL and balance work that we already have waiting backstage into the internal beta, and we can knuckle down on 41.70 (if all goes well) as a wider and ‘small feature-led’ patch with a longer lead-time for the community.
 
This will also contain many and varied improvements to the MP experience, alongside some work to make our game better compatible with the SteamDeck.
 
[Post-blog Addendum:
We've been working on the VHS one-time XP bug that's annoying on MP servers - but our fix will likely create disruption and required updates for mods that use radio/TV.
As such, while annoying, it seems wise to make 41.69 a bigger patch as opposed to the quick-fix-build mentioned in the blog.
41.69 is being prepared and will spend some time in an unstable beta for required mod fixes.
We have a lot of QOL and balance changes somewhat logjammed at the moment, so hopefully we can get it all in and tested - so it shouldn't be too long a wait before it gets into unstable. Thanks all!]
SOUND DEPARTMENT
The patch described above will also contain a lot of the recent work from our friends at Noiseworks – who are now known as Formosa Interactive UK btw, but our dev relationship with them won’t be changing.
On the menu for this sound update are the following:
 
Reworked Shotgun and M16 sounds, and additional firearm sounds for the Desert Eagle and the M9. New indoor reverb tails for small/medium/big rooms for all firearms to make them sound more realistic indoors. Additional foley sounds for zombies tripping over fences/obstacles/through windows New environmental sounds for the Electricity/Water shutdown, and how the world reacts when either happens. There’s different shutdown sounds for inside/outside, and electric appliances play shutdown sounds in sync with these when the player manages to catch the event while close-by. Plus attempting to drink or get water from taps when the water is off might play water sputtering sounds. A new background atmo bed for foggy weather More specific roomtones for different building types, along with some random oneshot sounds. For example, in the prison you can occasionally hear rats, or other metal squeaks. Meanwhile in the mall, while the electricity is still running, there’s a chance of mall music playing. A bunch of additional world emitters for streetlights, neon signs, hot dog stations, gas pumps, arcades etc – all of which also react to the Electricity shutting off. All the vehicle doors have also been re-worked and split into layers for more variation and to make them squeak less often.  
The guys are also in the process of reworking the music system to address tracks not playing out – and also have future plans to make combat music more engaging and dynamic.
 
BEYOND 41
Okay, maybe a little from our future plans. RJ continues to work on our first implementation of PZ livestock. Look at this happy beast!
 
This week’s foggy, rainy Gotham-esque nightmare from †. A changelist of all our pre-release patches since the 41 beta began can be found here. The Centralized Block of Italicised Text would like to direct your attention to the PZ Wiki should you feel like editing or amending something, and the PZ Mailing List that can send you update notifications once builds get released. We also live on Twitter right here! Our Discord is open for chat and hijinks too.

41.68 RELEASED TO UNSTABLE BETA

NEW

- Added allow changing safehouse owner to players which are a member
- Added extended server quit logging
- Print 'command entered via server console (System.in): "xxx"' in GameServer.launchCommandHandler().
- Added isConsistent() call to GameServer.receiveSyncClothing().

FORAGING

- Updated focus check to occur before item preview is placed
- Added blocking search focus for sprite affinity items

FIXES

- Fixed the result of FMOD::Studio::System::getCoreSystem() not being checked properly for errors.
- Fixed Lua error clicking the close button in the titlebar of the Horde Manager debug ui.
- Fixed a BufferOverflowException when the number of reanimated player zombies is high.  (It was taking about 600 player zombies (assuming 1.6KB per descriptor and 1e6KB packet buffer)
 to be loaded for this exception to happen)
- Fixed dragging VHS tapes from world containers to the Device Options ui not being synced in multiplayer.
- Fixed repairing a hole in a long Leather Jacket with level 8 Tailoring not restoring condition.
- Fixed phantom item-transfer actions playing after crafting sometimes.
- Fixed IndexOutOfBoundsException in WorldItemModelDrawer.renderMain().
- Fixed starting the MusicCombined event doing network stuff.
- Fixed the MusicCombined event being stopped and then restarted the first time Lua is reloaded.

MAKE SURE TO BACK-UP before continuing a save.
This is an unstable (i will back up my save) release and you can expect bugs.
 
Server operators will find .zip files with their server backups, should they need to revert. 5 cycling incremental backups each server run, and a special backup per version change. It can also be configured to backup periodically while the server is running, but you may expect a few seconds of lag if you do this.
 
Accessible via unstable steam branch, server and client.
 
 
41.66 CHANGELIST
 
MP CHANGES
 
Increased experimental maximum player limit to 100. Default remains at 32. Servers with more than 32 players will likely result in poor map streaming and desync, so proceed with caution.
  Optional Login Queue system for MP servers added. 
    - Players connecting to a full server will be placed in a login queue, connecting automatically once a slot freed up. The queue will advance after the client has finished loading the game.
   - LoginQueueConnectTimeout=60 server option determines for how long the server should wait for a connection of the client before they are timed out.
  Added options for automatic server backups. Several cheating security fixes to prevent unwanted admin access as well as unwanted actions performed by clients.
  Several improvements and fixes for VOIP. Added Automatic Gain Control options. Allow VOIP and text to travel to radios tuned into the same frequency. Non-equipped stationary radios now two-way for text comms.
  Added admin panel tool for creating custom safehouses/safezones Added new PvP icons. Moved to the left hand side with the other UI icons. It will be moved up further before hitting the stable branch. Servers now set a Steam server rule named "PVP" with a value of "1" or "0" depending on the value of the "PVP" server option. This can be used by server browsers to distinguish between pure PVE and PVP enabled servers. Added a "SledgehammerOnlyInSafehouse" server option:
    - if AllowDestructionBySledgehammer is enabled, you can set SledgehammerOnlyInSafehouse to true to allow destroying stuff with sledge only in player's safehouse.
  Added buildUtil.setHaveConstruction
    - This is a function to set the haveConstruction flag on a zone to prevent loot respawn if ConstructionPreventsLootRespawn is enabled in the server sandbox settings.
   - set haveConstruction on zone for building, movable, barricading events and when claiming a safehouse, so a home won't spawn loot after being claimed, even if a player hasn't built anything in them yet.
  Updated /rainstart /rainstop and /thunder commands Added /lightning /startstorm and /stopweather commands Added providing optional reason in KickUserCommand Added providing optional coordinates in AddVehicleCommand Updated text for server commands Updated ShowOptionsCommand to allow use by non admins Disabled doubled-up commands AddAllToWhiteListCommand and AddUserToWhiteListCommand Removed unnecessary server options.
  Updated overhead username display
    - with only ShowFirstAndLastName enabled, show player nam
    - with only DisplayUserName enabled, show username
    - with both options enabled, show player name with username in brackets
  Server .ini file now has the tooltips for the various options and settings attached as comments Added limit for server public names to 64 characters and public descriptions to 256 characters Disabled NightLengthModifier since it is currently non-functional. Will be reintroduced soon. Added check and teleport for safehouse trespassing.
    - Fixes issue with players becoming trapped when a safehouse owner goes offline with DisableSafehouseWhenPlayerConnected enabled
    - Fixes issue with players intruding in safezone areas via movement exploits
  Safehouse fixes:
admins and moderators can quit safehouse (if not owner)
admins and moderators can invite themselves to a safehouse
do not show the 'Quit Safehouse' button to admins who are not in this safehouse
  Fixed non-relevant Lucky/Unlucky traits being usable in MP. Fixed some duplication exploits. Fixed being unable to access/change player inventory as admin. Fixed Ping Limiter not working.  Fixed showing the "ADMIN POWER:" debug text in multiplayer. Fixed some cases where crashes at low speeds cause fatal injuries. Fixes for some instances where black boxing could still occur when players were passengers in vehicles. Fixed an exploit that allowed bypassing container item limits. Fixed non-members being able to perform moveables actions inside safehouses. Fixed admins in ghost/invisible mode still making sounds. Fixed "Medical check" on another char in a car causing chars to be stuck in a car Fixed crawlers sometimes teleporting when trying to path to a player. They will now turn to the target. Fixed, via removal, defunct server option "LogLocalChat". Fixed kicks in relation to Safehouse creations. Fixed being able to exit a vehicle when inside a safehouse without having appropriate permissions. Fixed a bug that rendered passengers unable to leave a car. Fixed death by bleeding while driving causing a kick from the server Fixed not being able to die near other players until hp drops down, and not being able to move if char died while other players try to rescue. Fixed looting animation stopping when another player attempts to grab the bag/container. 

NEW
 
Added back the "Toggle Music" key binding, bound to nothing by default. It appears under the new "Audio" category near the bottom of the key-binding UI. Players can now dismantle several player-built structures (floors, etc) Corner pillars will now be built automatically when placing walls/fences etc. Updated Kingsmouth and Studio maps. Room definitions, bed and foundation fixes, added video cameras, military equipment, and more. Added tooltip information on what mod an item is from. Can be turned off in main options. Added "Inventory Container Button Size" Display option to change the size of the buttons on the right-hand side of the inventory and loot windows. Updated Survival Guide. Merged into a single window and also made to work with a controller Added trait reset button to character creation screen. Implemented the blue combination washer/dryer appliance. Use the context menu to switch between washer and dryer mode. Context Menu is now usable in the loot panel backpack list. Added more CDs and VHS tapes, including Dog Goblin sequels. Updated ISCraftingUI and CraftTooltip to display multiple choice item counts, as well as heat requirements for recipe ingredients Added AllowFrozenItem parameter to recipes and evolved recipes Added Perogies, Peppermint, Potato Pancakes. Added OnCreate item script property.

BALANCE
 
Setting Cruise Control now starts at current speed when switched on Attempting to sprint when the character is too exhausted to sprint will now make the character run as fast as they can instead of walking and having to press the "Run" key separately. Fixed M16 still having its initial experimental values. No longer a death laser. MinDamage reduced to 0.8, MaxDamage reduced to 1.4. Greased back hair now requires hair gel. Frog legs and whole fish are now dangerous uncooked. Military lockers and crates now movable. They'll also contain loot. Unified spawn items and starter kit functions in SpawnItems.lua. Fixed drinking directly from river/puddles not making characters sick.  Drinking tainted water now more merciful if character is already sick. Added ability to use sheet ropes to create log stacks Fixed players not becoming bored inside player-built rooms. Agoraphobic and Claustrophobic traits fixed to work inside player-built rooms. Added relevant tile properties (pick-up, rotate, water source etc) to: new farm dirt tile, washer-driers, dead farm plants, hay bales, red mobile tool cabinet, troughs, play castles, bird baths, sinks and more.
  Spear charge fixes (MP and SP): charge only zombies in front of the player reset sprinting time when spear charge occurs  

NOISEWORKS
 
Added a volume automation for the hard of hearing trait in addition to the muffling we already had, additional -6db (needs some testing if this is okay) Added EmptyPan sound for "Empty Frying Pan" and 2 other recipes.  The sound is a placeholder for now.  Added values MeleeHitSurface for per-weapon door-hitting sounds. Added DoorSound=WoodShackDoor for new door sounds for wood-plank doors. Added StoveTimer sound. Added sounds played while constructing gravel-bag and sand-bag fences. Added sounds for turning media devices on/off and muting/unmuting. Added Dismantle sound for radios and televisions.  Added generator repair, connect and refuel sounds.  Added sounds for drinking and filling containers from water dispensers. Added new climb sound for high finces. Added bullet impact sounds. Added the violin melee hit/whoosh sounds
  Minor volume tweak to zombie voices when they're very close, they were a bit too loud Added occlusion to vehicle engines, horn, sirens (needs some testing) Slight adjustment to the bass of the footstomp Play PourLiquidOnGround when emptying paint buckets and similar items. Fixed playing DrinkingFromTap or GetWaterFromTap when drinking from a river sometimes. Play the FallLight sound when tripping over a hedge/tree.  

IN-GAME MAP
 
Added a button to the in-game map to remove all annotations and forget map knowledge. Hide the mini-map when the inventory and loot windows are visible when using a controller (so the mini-map doesn't overlap). Display controller button prompts in the in-game map. Play the MapOpen and MapClose sounds when viewing the in-game map.
  Fixed the in-game map view not being centered on the player the first time it's displayed, when the mini-map is also used. Fixed moving map symbols with the mouse. The mini-map will be moved up a few pixels before hitting the Stable branch in order to not cover up the MP info.  

KNOX EVENT MAP
 
Export of current dev map - including some new locations and improvement of general landscape Pylons and radio masts added to map Various map fixes  

FORAGING / SEARCH SYSTEM
 
Added foraging tips system to investigate area window. Added some fixes to make the system work with controllers. Overlay radius now used instead of item radius for placing investigate arrow markers. Restructured trait/profession multipliers - now uses definitions. Added profession and trait category specialisations.
    - Big bonuses to spot categories for professions.
    - Small/medium bonuses to spot categories for traits. Added functions for modders to add trait/profession definitions. Added ammunition category to urban loot. Added medical category to urban loot. Added clothing items to urban loot. Added some more misc items/fruits/veggies. Added pinecones (only available from September to December). Added pinecones can be used as campfire fuel. Show spotting arrows immediately when the player notices something. Force-find now reveals an item nearby for the player instead of just moving it closer. New identifying items system - items can be identified if close enough or from afar with high skill. Zone display now reveals exact categories when reaching high enough level (identifyCategoryLevel). Set a minimum dark overlay value so the search radius is always visible even in bright daylight. Categories can be more or less common (or not available) during rain or snow. Items can be more or less common (or not available) at night or during the day. Items and categories can be more or less common (or not available) after it has rained. Items are moved to player inventory if a backpack goes over capacit - Yotherwise dropped onto the floor. Refactored, bugfixed and documented many functions. Fixed resetting itemTotal when fillZone is called. Fixed inverted light level values when indoors. Added foraging weather effect reduction for equipped umbrellas. Increased darkness/weather effect reduction cap. Resolved an issue with calculating foraging darkness/weather effect reduction. Fixed issue causing item markers to disappear when looking away. Added a chance to generate extra items on affinity sprites - more firewood in forests - more stones on roads. Tweaked and tidied bonus item generation and syncing. Added a flag to bonus icons for future management. Set affinity check to occur after all icons are loaded. Activate nearby zones inside radius. Allow multiple categories per affinity sprite. Show item ghost before spotting if in visible radius. Added bonus vision definitions for all professions. Place item marker arrows when inside item spotting radius if item is visible. Cloud darkness and fog level visibility increased on zone display. Added some variation to the zone display fog. Added zone display vision effectiveness tooltip. Updated search info tip. Skip checking icons outside loaded cell. Changed default itemDef value canBeOnTreeSquare to true. Added more search radius/trait/profession bonus info to Investigate Area tooltip. Added showing the poison skull on forage pins for mushrooms/berries if player has herbalist skill. More categories visible on Investigate Area window tooltip with high skill. Tidied up and documented ISSearchManager/ISBaseIcon. Tweaked forageSystem penalty calculations. Fixed icon arrows remaining on screen when sprinting. Added short sighted foraging debuff can be removed by wearing glasses/reading glasses. Added testFuncs to skill definitions. Fix rerolling zone icons while sprinting. Fix spotting icons while fast forwarding. Vision radius calculations refactored and tidied. Icon performance improvements. Fixed icons recreating with incorrect conditions. Reduced and capped stuttering caused by cell checks. Fixed overlay toggling in vehicles. Improved search radius transitions when toggling mode. Improved forage zone activation, icon moving, bonus icon generation. Fixed wild crop seed spawns. Fixed using the wrong broccoli type for foraging. Fixed issues in force find tracker. Skip sprite affinity checks on squares with trees or attached data. Fixed missing spaces in search window tooltips. Fixed missing item texture on pins for floor items. Fixed moved objects spawning bonus items. Removed performance impact for ISSearchManager, ISZoneDisplay, ISSearchWindow when UI not visible. Removed seasonal variances from medicinal plants Added WildPlants category for seasonal wild foods Updated ISSearchManager table resets to use table.wipe Updated radius and modifiers in ISZoneDisplay vision tooltip Tidied up some debug stuff in ISZoneDisplay Added foraging profession and trait specialisations for WildPlants  
Balance:
Increased maximum possible spotting range further for specialised characters. Reduced base XP rewards for foraging. Tweaked icon density in zones. Insects, mushrooms, herbs are now much more common at night. Medicinal herbs are much easier to see. Increased medicinal herb yields. Herbs and mushrooms are more common in the rain and after it has rained. Added disabling search mode if a zombie is very close (about 1 square away). Reduced headwear vision penalties, added penalties for more types (not hats, never hats). Increased chance of items to be on affinity sprites (stones on stones, etc). Allow affinity icons to be moved again if they were not noticed before. Malus for item size adjusted to a curve to be less punishing. Rebalanced many item sizes with overrides for spotting (fruit trees, crops, etc). Reduced berries poison level by a lot - not likely to be fatal. Reduced mushroom toxicity range - still very risky to eat unidentified. Added additional food sickness penalty for consuming poison berries and mushrooms. Added a new increased minimum vision radius for well-lit squares. Increased variance of medicinal herb yields. Weather penalty calculation tweaked for snow cover. Weather penalty maximum increased. Overlay radius tweaked to use forageSystem min/max size values. Stones more likely to be found in cracks in the road + rates increased on roads. Removed skill requirements for some item categories. Tweaked sprite affinity and bonus icon chances. Tweaked sprite affinity/bonus icon chances. Foraged drainable items roll for a remaining amount. Increased zone icon density. Additional variation for zone density. Added more sprite affinities to trash, junk icons, and insects. Reduced chance of finding rotten wild foods. Increased chance of fresh wild foods with high skill. Profession and trait vision modifiers also affect the overlay maximum vision radius. Increased vision cap for extremely skilled and specialised characters. Decreased vision cap for non specialised characters. Ensure vision radius bonus always applies when aiming or sneaking. Rebalanced profession and trait darkness effect modifiers. Check darkness cap before placing item marker arrows. Removed override item size for some small items. Added more sprite affinities to categories. Dead animals much more likely to be stale or rotten. Aiming takes priority over crouching bonus in forageSystem. Bonus vision effects apply to maximum radius. Chance to find logs reduced. Rebalanced vision radius/view distance for spotting. Increased maximum hunger bonus for food items. Tweaked vision penalties for clothing. Increased base spotting speed and bonus spotting speed when aiming/sneaking. Reduced snow cover and cloud penalty. Umbrella rain penalty reduction increased and only applies to rain. Minor zone item count balance tweak. Added more sprite affinities for stones. Adjusted profession vision bonuses. Category chances tweaked to accommodate WildPlants. Debug: Added a new IsoMarker type for debugging icon vision radius. Added icon vision radius + category info debug options. Added debug option: "Show Icons Locations".
   Splitscreen fixes:
Fixed split screen icon syncing. Fixed picking up forage icons with controller in split screen. Moved forage icon pickup option to the top of right click context menu. Increased range of back button wheel pickup option. Back button wheel forage options now use item textures. Added discard item option to back button wheel. Tidied up changes for split screen icon syncing. Fixed syncing of arrows/markers when an item is moved or removed. Fixed removal of icons noticed by co-op player. Added zone display split screen support. Sync forage item poison values in splitscreen co-op. Fixed a bug when co-op player simultaneously picks up items in ISForageAction  

MODDING
 
Added ISCarMechanicsOverlay.PartList[].vehicles tables to any parts that don't have them. VehiclePart.setInventoryItem() no longer calls setModelVisible(true|false) for all models, because this interferes with some mods that choose different models based on which item is installed for a part. Instead, a new method VehiclePart.setAllModelsVisible(true|false) was added that is called from these Lua functions:
                Vehicles.Init.XXX
                Vehicles.InstallComplete.XXX
                Vehicles.UninstallComplete.XXX
    Mods that define "init", "install.complete" and/or "uninstall.complete" Lua functions can now choose to hide or show whichever models they want.
    Additionally, VehiclePart.repair() now calls the part's "init" Lua function (if it is defined) when creating a missing item.
    This allows the "init" function to hide or show models.
  The game will look for mod texture-pack files named Pack2x.floor.pack (correct) and then Pack.floor2x.pack (incorrect) if the first file doesn't exist. Added IsoGameCharacter.XP.setPerkBoost(Perk perk, int level). This is for mods that want to change an existing player's XP multiplier for a skill. Added IsHidden parameter for recipes and evolved recipes
    - If true, this hides the recipe on the crafting menu
    - Hidden recipes are still able to be crafted via the right click menu
    - Evolved recipes are hidden unless a result item exists
         - This allows adding additional ingredients via the crafting menu  

CONTROLLER
Pressing and holding the left analogue stick displays a radial menu that allows toggling crouching, sitting on the ground, and auto-walking. A quick press of the left joystick button toggles crouch, the same as before. Pressing the controller A button when a text entry has the focus displays the on-screen keyboard.
    - Left shoulder button changes focus between the text entry and keyboard.
    - D-pad navigates in the text entry. Foraging / Search mode improved to work with controllers.  

FIXES
Fixed a Lua error when trying to spawn a new character in game when the AllClothesUnlocked sandbox option or Character.CreateAllOutfits debug option is enabled. Fixed the "Aim Outline" option default being "None" instead of "Ranged Weapons". Fixed the volume controls not working in multiplayer. Fixed Home VHS tapes switching from blank to not-blank after reloading sometimes. Fixed some unique Home VHS tapes never being spawned. Now CDs and VHS tapes are randomized in ItemPickerJava. Fixed translation files from required mods having priority over the mod that required it. If mod B requires mod A, then mod B's translation files will be loaded first so they override the same translation in mod A, if present. Fixed sitting zombies facing random angles in multiplayer. Fixed an IllegalArgumentException in IsoChunk.SafeRead() when reading an empty map_X_Y.bin file. Fixed the mini-map displaying the game's map data in cells that have been overridden by mods. Fixed some curved-road zones. Fixed traffic jams on curved roads by implementing "traffjam / ParkingStall" and "rtrafficjam / ParkingStall" for polyline zones Fixed exercises not starting when a two-handed weapon attached to the back is equipped in both hands. Fixed a thread-synchronization bug with ZomboidFileSystem.getString() accessing RelativeMap. This led to walls not being cutaway due to failing to load the CircleStencil Shader. Fixed Character.Debug.PlaySoundWhenInvisible default being true when it should be false. Fixed a few cases where sounds from invisible players could be heard in multiplayer. Fixed bug in world dictionary when an item similarly named to a base item but with different module would be removed. This was due to scriptmanager.getModule defaulting to 'base' when the module was not found. Fixed scriptmanager.getModule testing for equals("Base") or startsWith("Base.") instead of startsWith("Base"). This would otherwise result in the same error happening still if one would name their module for example "BaseBuilding". Fixed item loading when trying to create an item with the same name in a different module. When a mod adds "MyMod.Apple" this a new item that exists alongside "Base.Apple", when MyMod is removed the "MyMod.Apple" bytes in the saves should be skipped. However due to ItemFactory.CreateItem calling the same scriptmanager functions that default to "Base" when no module found, it would try and instance "Base.Apple". Fixed bug in WorldDictionary ItemInfo where print debug would not print all lines. Fixed GameLoadingState doing GameClient stuff in single player. Fixed any exception that occurs when the "failed to create vehicles database" message is displayed not being printed. Fixed spawned fish in shops and stories unable to be filleted. Fixed getting extra materials when multiple players scrap an object. Fixed being unable to construct objects or floors through an open window. Fixed being unable to disassemble closed doors facing S and E. Fixed "take pills" anim playing only once when the action is queued. Fixed 'take pills' action being possible while running (it has no animation). Fixed the resize behavior of the "Select Spawn Location" ui. Fixed disallowed scrolling of map description in the "Select Spawn Location" ui using a controller. Fixed some forest and vegetation zones near curved streets. Fixed "ReceiveRemoveCorpse: incorrect square" messages on the client due to corpse rotting. These messages weren't errors. Fixed incorrect looping in RandomizedZoneStoryBase.cleanAreaForStory(). Fixed multithreading issues on the server with the vehicles database.  Fixed radial menu for light sources only available for secondary item slot Fixed double-clicking a watch runs an action but doesn't equip it. Fixed adhesive bandages weighing too much. Fixed mechanics books not being in SkillBook category. Fixed missing Fishing.OnCreateFish function on server. Fixed default name of a profession preset not being the name of the profession (has a number if there is already a preset with that name) Fixed bowl of beans recipe not scaling to source can's hunger reduction. Fixed two-tile table stories possibly spawning on two different tables, possibly with a wall in between. Fixed trailers being detached on the client but attached on the server. Fixed explosive traps not damaging zombies in singleplayer. Fixed server soft-reset throwing errors. Fixed "bare hands" checks which used translated item names. Fixed lightbulbs breaking even if unpowered. Fixed inability to plumb sinks in existing buildings if the water is still on. Fixed zombies densities not affecting loot spawn in MP. This caused Sledgehammers and other items to be a lot rarer in MP than in SP. Fixed not being able to climb over tall fences when a vehicle is nearby. Fixed being able to get XP from VHS tapes again after relog. Fixed TVs showing test screen (only happens 14 days after apocalypse and onward). Fixed one TV screen not showing in the screen 'animation'. Fixed the first channel not being properly loaded when radio loads its savefile. Fixed, via disabling, zomboid radio debugger in mp client that was throwing errors due to stuff not being present on client Fixed bug that caused the temperature panel to display all values as zero. (the call to PZMath.clamp in the panels would randomly pick the int or float overload between diff game boots). Also added Thermoregulator node debugger panel. Fixed WAV sounds flickering between speakers when near the player's location. Fixed some problems with clothing losing condition due to holes. Fixed the client savefile not being deleted when the server savefile is soft-reset or recreated. Fixed playing DrinkingFromTap or GetWaterFromTap when drinking from a river sometimes. Fixed trap synchronization issues in multiplayer (including multiple explosion sounds). Fixed noise-trap sound continuing after the trap is picked up. Fixed farm-plant names not being translated in multiplayer. Fixed missing translation for "Spent Rounds" in firearm tooltips. Fixed Disassemble tooltips for movables showing the incorrect object name (and no icon) Fixed unlimited maximum title and text entry for journals, notebooks, paper Fixed impossible disassembly of tall fences south and west of player Fixed missing radioInteraction codes for perks Fixed bug in RadialProgressBar with texture offsets Fixed bug in ISSafetyUI where second part of the radial cooldown would display incorrectly. Fixed alarms being enabled in buildings the player spawns in (in MP). Fixed NullPointerException in DeadPlayerPacket.set(). Fixed ability to have more than three saved splitscreen players in multiplayer. Fixed issues managing saved splitscreen players in multiplayer. Fixed SafeHouseRemovalTime greater than 596 removing safehouses. Fixed player facing direction never getting set on the server. Fixed Survival Guide error showing the guide when isShowFirstTimeSneakTutorial() is true. Fixed the "Learned Recipe" text above the player's head when watching a VHS not being translated. Fixed EvolvedRecipe.java using DecimalFormat (which uses the default locale) and instead use NumberFormat.getInstance(Locale.US) to try and fix rare crafting exceptions. Fixed getting Fitness XP without exercising when starting exercises while aiming. Fixed being able to dismantle carpentry window frames and door frames before removing the window or door. Fixed Z location check in RecipeManager isNearItem Fixed playing sound from the waist of zombies that are on the ground and instead play from their head. Fixed incorrect plant names (and "Mystery Plant") being displayed in the farming-info window. Fixed not being able to dismantle Metal Floor. Fixed, via removal, leftover Multi-core option that had no effect anymore. Fixed double-jump animation climbing over fences when holding a two-handed weapon. This mostly occured on Linux distributions. Fixed Pacifist trait not reducing XP gains with LongBlade weapons. Fixed Soup bowls, Stew bowls and Pie Slices inheriting original hunger values. Fixed not being able to scroll the outfit panel with the mouse wheel in the character-creation ui (with all outfits enabled). Fixed setStopOnWalk/setStopOnRun recipe function typos. Fixed uncooked Omelette being safe to consume. Fixed an ISZoneDisplay error when debug teleporting in single player. Fixed placing 3D items skipping a movement step if the player begins at the destination. Fixed being unable to pack/unpack frozen egg cartons. Fixed evolved recipes with matching item names not displaying correctly in ISCraftingUI. Fixed possible to add uncooked ingredients when cooking is required via ISCraftingUI. Fixed being unable to use "vegetable sacks" after they are emptied. Fixed temperature and frozen status of items used in recipes not being maintained. Fixed being unable to add burnt ingredients to recipes requiring cooked items. Fixed Paperbag icon. Fixed sports car front trailer attachment. Fixed lack of check for ReplaceOnCooked when drainables are cooked. Fixed duplicate entries in newBags, clothing_bags, newitems scripts. Fixed sackProduce items not being in items_food script. Fixed new tongs item not being called kitchen tongs (due to metalworking tongs existing). Fixed characters queueing the "Exit Car" action and therefore being able to exit a car when they should not be able to. Fixed characters being able to open/close vehicle doors while vehicle is in motion. Fixes to tutorial to improve SteamDeck experience Fixed collision for rain tanks, roof fences, large green lockers, Acorn plaza signs . Fixed not being able to jump turnstiles in both directions. Fixed being unable to rest on Red Theatre Chair. Fixed transparent stockings making the player's legs transparent. Fixed Lua error in MapSpawnSelect when the filename entry is hidden. Fixed pyramid.zip files not being allowed in Steam Workshop uploads. Fixed 3D models being clipped in savefile thumbnails when the minimap is displayed. Fixed duplicate ZombiesZoneDefinition.StreetPoor. Fixed the music volume setting being implied improperly. Fixed the sound of zombies eating continuing to play while exiting to the main menu.
 
 

First off, our apologies for the delay to the 41.66 patch. There’s a fair amount of new checks and balances being added under the PZ hood, and a few of them have been throwing up errors and unwarranted user kicks.
 
There’s been a lot of testing, and back-and-forth between coders and QA folk, but it feels like the patch is increasingly settled now.
We are planning a wider internal user test tonight, the results of which will direct us either to a release, or further into next week if anything unexpected crops up.
 
Here’s a link to the latest changelist for those interested.

BUILD 42 CRAFTING UPDATE
The crafting update team have been working hard on designing the huge tech tree of crafting that will go into B42. As such, we thought we’d share a few more details on the direction it’s heading in.
 
If you want to hear about some of the more technical aspects of where we will be taking Build 42 then please check out the blog from two weeks ago.
 
Before we dip in, however, please also be reminded that B42 is our next ‘major’ build – and that doesn’t mean that there won’t be more incremental B41 patches coming in from our MP coders in particular. Likewise, in these patches we will clearly be balancing and polishing the existing game.
 
CRAFTING GOAL
Our goal with crafting in B42 is to be able to fill out the tech tree to such an extent that a group of players could, in theory, spawn on a map with nothing but wilderness and (with a lot of perseverance and time) build up to a late medieval community without looting a single building.
This will involve multiple tiers of crafting stations for numerous crafting disciplines, and an interwoven web of recipes required to progress to higher tech stations and items that require the use of multiple crafting professions.
 
If you’ve played any of the primitive tech, hardcore Minecraft modpacks that revolve around slowly climbing a tech tree of interdependent recipes then you’ll know what to expect – although obviously with our trademark PZ realism angle.
 
Everything detailed here is WIP, and could change, but the long and short of it is that each profession will have workstations that are required to make item/subparts. These stations can then be upgraded to gain access to more and/or better items.
 
The professions we are planning are also dependent on each other. For example, to make a piece of leather armour:
 
The hide needs to be obtained by a butcher or hunter The leatherworker refines the hide, and crafts the armour piece The blacksmith provides armour scales to be sown into the armour (and possible a needle) The tailor provides cloth inner linings for the armour piece, and thread for the leatherworker to sow with. Finally the workstations required to do these crafts are built by a carpenter/tinkerer.
On top of this lies the fact that this is a game set in the modern age. So, on top of that tech tree, we will sprinkle all the modern items that can be used to enhance on that late medieval tech, provide shortcuts or improvements, and provide for a mixture of modern and more primitive tech together.
 
Realistically, in practice, a lot of the early ‘teching up’ may be skipped if players have access to workstations or materials they have looted, but the option to go fully from scratch will be there for those who want to. Crafted materials will be there to keep things spinning once old equipment has started to rust and break, or to those who’ve come to a long-lived server where that sort of loot is no longer spawning or available.
 
On top of this, we will start to add diminishing returns on a lot of the technology found in the world. Generators will only repair so many times, their maximum condition slowly creeping down, and once we have alternatives available (unlikely in b42), we can look at how gasoline might start to go bad after many years.
 
The mechanics will slowly play a game of attrition with the loot on the map over time, but instead of this being a problem, the new crafting options will allow long-term server players to embrace the fall and start looking to more primitive solutions to their ongoing survival.
Our intention here is to allow you to play through the full fall of society, as seen in various long-running comics and TV shows. Clearly the different settings It’ll be tricky to pull off, but we are very excited about putting it into action.
 
We’ve had a ‘Many Years Later’ map sitting in Xeonyx’s ‘cool challenge map for a rainy day’ library that we’ll be using for testing once the crafting update leaves the design phase and starts being integrated too. It will likely be available as a playable Challenge map when the time comes.
 

OMG BACKTRACK
Okay, so a diversion from what we said originally.
 
While designing the new crafting update it became frustratingly clear that while trying to create a comprehensive crafting tree with all the options a low tech community would have open to them… there’s one thing that kept coming up.
Animals are used a fkin lot.
 
By pushing animals into (or beyond) the B43 NPC update, we were basically removing all animal produce from any crafting design. To omit them and still go ahead with the work would be setting it off on creaky foundations. Leather alone is used so much, it’d be a huge mistake not to have it feature in the overhaul’s DNA.
 
So we’ve flip flopped on this: that’s just how it goes sometimes.
 
We still cannot release our NPC code with the B42 update (for the reasons discussed in our 2022 and Beyond blogpost) however its clear that we’ll need to get animal husbandry and elements of hunting in there in some form for our crafting update to have its full potential realized.
 
So we’ve hit upon a compromise, we’ll have hunting and animal husbandry in B42. However, we’ll be doing some makeshift AI and behaviours that’ll likely not have the same capabilities that will be possible with the NPC behaviour code.
 
Our plan is to release with a more basic behaviour set (which, lets be honest, won’t hurt the realism of a cow’s portrayal much) and to replace said behaviours with the full NPC build in B43.
 
Here are some in-game bovine entities, coded by RJ and modelled by Martin, from one of our early design tests.
 

 
Hunting mechanics may also be cut down severely from what we ultimately envisioned, we’re viewing this primarily as a ‘minimum viable product’ to be able to introduce a supply of the crafting materials required for our tech tree and not to be considered our final promised system.
 
This will result in some work that’s wasted between the two builds, however its the only way we can see forward without designing a tech tree that’s much more limited and doesn’t reflect our game’s realistic angle players have grown to love.
 
Needless to say though, animals will likely be pretty dumb even by animal standards. They just need to be in there moving about in some fashion and respond somewhat appropriately, though we’ll do as much as we can without spending too much time on work that’ll ultimately have to be redone.
 

POST-APOC PROFESSIONS
So you’re a burger flipper, yeah? There aren’t too many open Spiffo restaurants around any more.
We’ll be redesigning the professions systems to have ‘expiry dates’ and ‘introduction dates’ to accommodate for servers that may progress years beyond a single lifetime since the apocalypse occurred.
 
If someone is born 10 years after society fell, they aren’t going to be categorized by pre-apocalypse professions, it ceases to make sense any more.
 
We’ll be introducing many new professions that are specific to more low tech societies that will unlock as the apocalypse progresses and those professions become more likely to be a character’s background. We’ll also be locking off pre-apocalypse professions based on the likely age of someone holding that profession at the point of the apocalypse.
 
Sandbox solo players will be able to crank up the years since the apocalypse to take advantage of these themselves from game start, if they should desire.
 
There will be crossover (a butcher, carpenter or a farmer fit into both) but old world concepts will cease to make sense going into the future, where a leatherworker or blacksmith profession will come back into fashion. Likewise, instead of being a fireman or veteran: you’re a scavenger or some form of ‘safe zone militia’.
 
Current planned professions related to the crafting overhaul include butchers, leatherworkers, herbalists, brewers, stoneworkers, potters, carpenters, tinkerers, blacksmiths, tailors, farmers, fishers and hunters.
AFFINITIES
To encourage team work and to avoid players getting through stuff too quickly (though, this will clearly be alterable in SP sandbox settings so as not to exclude solo players from playing with the new crafting) we will be introducing affinities. This may be in addition to, or replace, the current skill XP bonuses offered by professions and traits.
 
A profession or trait may grant affinity with various other skills tangentially related to the profession chosen. There may be an option to choose one more additional affinities within character creation.
 
Affinities represent all the general knowledge and skills related to a profession, or just a general cognitive aptitude, that make that character generally better at learning tangentially related skills and crafts.
 
It will only apply to crafting related skills (anyone can get better at using an axe, sneaking or fitness level), however learning something that’s not the character’s affinity (‘what they are naturally, or due to lots of experience, better at learning) will suffer a severe XP gain debuff.
 
It will just be ‘not the sort of thing they are good at’, and while they can get better over time and reach some functional level of usefulness it’ll be a long, long haul they are unlikely to master before they are eaten by a zombie. As such they’d be best off focusing on what they are, themselves, good at.
 
This will mean that, while a player may be able to perform several jobs within a community, no one person will be able to skill up to be 10 at everything. There will be skills they already start at a decent level on, and others they will be able to skill up relatively quickly.
 
There’ll be others that are just not in their wheelhouse, and are best left to someone else. This will encourage diversification within a community, and discourage the ‘meta’ pushing players toward a small subset of professions.
 
It also reduces the likelihood (on default settings, at least) that a small community will be able to produce everything required to thrive. This will encourage trade between communities, and if you’re able to offer something others can’t, it may keep you safe from any more hostile presences on the map.
WHEN?
All of the above, apart from early work on our basic animals, remains in the design phase. Build 42 is not imminent, and we expect there to be many patches to B41 between then and now.
 
We are going into detail a) to redress our earlier accidental misdirection on animals, and b) to hear the thoughts of the community on where we’re going.
 
There’s also many (many) other things going on elsewhere in the game – not least some new hires!
FRESH BLOOD
TIS would like to formerly welcome General Arcade’s Denis Trofiman to the PZ coding team, who will be looking at the integration of various cool middleware packages into the Knox Event codebase. Likewise our beloved Yana (aka Spiffo on the forums) is now a full-time QA alongside Sasha.
 
We have also made another recruitment grab from the community, and are absolutely delighted to have Aiteron on-board as a full-time coder on the game.
 
Aiteron, who you might know for his excellent work as co-dev on the Autotsar Yacht Club mod, and his own creations of lockpicking, better towing and helicopter mod, will generally be helping overhaul some of our existing (and some quite threadbare) features. The first of which being…fishing.
 
PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS A WIP VIDEO. BETTER CHARACTER ANIMATIONS, WHICH WILL BE A VITAL PART OF IT, ARE NOT CURRENTLY INTEGRATED. 
 

Current controls:
 
Choose a place to fish by aiming (Mouse right button) and preparing to cast the hook and float. Attack button (Mouse left button) has you cast out. Holding RMB puts you in control of the fishing rod and pulls/releases the line. Aim control also impacts on left/right position of the rod. (Version that doesn’t require a RMB hold also en-route for accessibility) Within all this you simultaneously lead the float towards the player to catch the fish.  
This is all WIP and will need playtesting and polish (we really want a visible, correctly-sized, fish to be shown when caught too) but we wanted to show you the exciting fruits of Aiteron’s efforts.
 
This is only the first of the many different PZ systems we want to set him loose on!
OTHER ITEMS OF NOTE
 
Mappers and modders, please be aware that the latest tilesets containing all the content used in the construction of Louisville have now been released for community use. The latest versions of TileZed and WorldEd will be released simultaneous to the 41.66 patch. Whoever it is doing the Simpsons/PZ memes on the PZ Reddit. You are an absolute legend. Never stop. Please  
This week’s stick-up from DdBrey. A changelist of all our pre-release patches since the 41 beta began can be found here. The Centralized Block of Italicised Text would like to direct your attention to the PZ Wiki should you feel like editing or amending something, and the PZ Mailing List that can send you update notifications once builds get released. We also live on Twitter right here! Our Discord is open for chat and hijinks too!

Hey all, here’s a general update from TIS Towers on various things. We do hope this finds y’all well.
 
First off a quick heads-up on the forthcoming 41.66 patch. It’s now content locked, and is now receiving required fixes reported by our internal testers. We will look to put it out into a new unstable beta branch as soon as we can.
 
The full current changelist can be found here for those interested.
 
Next up, a few details on our Build 42 work.
 
As previously mentioned the core MP team will be sticking with Build 41 patches to improve life out on the servers for the immediate future, but work on the next big build has nevertheless now begun/continued in earnest.
 
Already announced for Build 42 was a major expansion of late game crafting and a major focus on game balance – details on which can be found here.
 
There are a few other irons in the fire for this build too though. As ever, no ETAs on any of this.
 
We are very much still in the early versions of this build, and indeed much of the late game crafting update is currently in the ‘pen and paper’ planning stage. More on this in future blogs.
 
ENGINE TECH IMPROVEMENTS
We have recently taken some time to get rid of a bunch of our longest standing issues with the game’s engine.
 
Whilst this is definitely not a b41-style level of disruption, we’re digging deep inside our renderer and looking for ways to get rid of the quite severe problems that have been baked into our engine for a long time in terms of both capabilities and performance.
 
Performance
Of course, the biggest issue our engine struggles with daily is the extreme CPU and GPU heavy requirements of having a map composed of so many unique tiles, shaders and other stuff without the ability to use a z-buffer to let us render in an optimized way like most 3D games.
 
Ironically the fact that its ‘a simpler looking 2D game’ is what works against using a lot of the power of the GPU to render the map fast. This results in large FPS drops, particularly when zooming out due to the mind meltingly inefficient draw method that the ISO perspective forces on us.
 
We’ve had a few rather bold ideas on how to solve this, using the caching of chunks that have already been rendered, which we hope will vastly increase the FPS in B42.
 
It’s early days, but looks promising. This tech requires heavier use of the GPU memory, however, so it may be that this optimization will only be able to benefit cards with a few gigs of free VRAM. We’ll have to see which generations of GPUs will be best able to leverage it when its dev time is a little further down the line.
 
Speaking of not being able to use a z-buffer to render things in an optimized way: in actual fact, we’ve also been working towards being able to use a z-buffer to render things in an optimized way.
 
This essentially frees us from having to slot the draws of zombies, vehicles or players in between the appropriate tile draws in ‘back to front’ order.
 
We’ll be able to simply draw all the characters and vehicles on-screen at the end, their pixels then discarded if they are deeper into the scene than an existing building object’s pixel.
 
This should massively optimize the rendering speed of zombies, and allow us to sort them by materials. It will free us to use cached chunks indefinitely, until the lighting or cutaways demand a change, rather than rendering all the tiles individually.
 
We have had some surprising FPS results in 4k on max zoom, however we also expect this will likely fall a lot in practice – once the work is complete and everything is drawing. Please excuse any visual glitches at the moment!
 
 
Due to all this, in B42 it currently feels safe to assume that zooming out will have significantly lower performance penalty – and that higher resolutions will become more feasible for at least mid-range GPUs, and possibly lower end GPUs too.
 
Variable Chunk Heights
In the game, since our very earliest builds, we’ve been limited to 8 storey buildings. This was primarily because the height was global, and increasing this would incur a penalty to performance across the entire map even if that extra space was not used.
 
The other issue was simply performance when drawing those extra floors. If we’re struggling to render the amount of tiles we already have, adding extra tall buildings would be a big mistake.
 
Thirdly, there’s something to be said about less being more in terms of gameplay. However, this hard limit of 8 has long been a thorn in our mappers’ sides, as well as for our mod community.
 
Seeing as it looks like we’ll be able to solve the performance issues discussed above, we’ve now added a variable chunk height system which will allow each chunk of the map to define its own max height.

This means that in Build 42 it’s looking like a particular area could have floors up to 32 in height, should the mapper desire it.
 
Four way stairs
Currently, due to certain tech limitations, we only have stairs that rise in north or west directions.
 
This is annoying, and we’d like to get rid of this limitation for numerous reasons. We’ve done some mock-ups of how stairs would look in the other two directions, and think we’ve found a way to make it work.
 
They look a little odd, however functionally being able to have stairs in any of the four directions would give mappers and ourselves much more freedom in building design.
 
Map Coordinates
Another limitation that has been very longstanding is the fact that negative map coords (expanding out the map in the negative X and Y directions) is not possible in PZ – due primarily to some TIS naivety early on in development.
 
For the maths-minded out there: casting a player’s x, y, z location to an int to work out what tile they are standing on will return the wrong value if any of those coordinates are a negative value.
 
There were thousands of places where this occurred in the codebase, and they all needed changing from a static cast to a math.floor, so that they will work in negative dimensions.
 
Making negative map coordinates possible means that we, or modders, will feasibly be able to build northwards and westwards, and opens up a huge extra area of potential map area to expand to.
 
It likewise also puts other cool stuff (back) on the game dev table that we’ll discuss at a later date.
Light Propagation
We have also been updating our lighting system.
 
In the current B41 we have an ambient light level that’s inherent to every tile within the map – though slightly reduced indoors. Light sources are only capable of lighting the room that they are in.
 
Locking yourself in a cupboard with the door shut currently results in the same light level as you’d get in the living room with open curtains.
For B42 we are rejigging how lighting is calculated, to make a much more interesting and realistic light propagation system.
 
Now being in a room with no windows, even in broad daylight, will leave you in the darkness. The evening sunset glow will encroach through the window and bathe your room in a red tint, creeping back toward the window and dimming as the sun goes down.
 
Interiors of buildings will lighten and darken with the daylight based on how much exposure to the bounced light they will feasibly receive. Opening a door to a lit room will bathe the outside corridor in light, and so on.
 
This is all still development in progress, and it maybe requires tweaking of light intensities, colours and fall-off ranges.
Please also excuse any glitches you see, this is all still very much in the oven!
 
 
OTHER BIZNESS
The map team continue their awesomeness, with lots of map polish currently going into the current Knox Event map – including electricity pylons and cool new locations like this. The Noiseworks gang continue with their improvements of the PZ soundscape, with their current mission being to provide background sounds that provide different ambiance for times when the electricity and water are on, for when they are off, and an audible change to signal the exact moment when the turn-off happens in-game. Currently awaiting integration are also 14 new music CDs, 14 movie VHS tapes, 20 new TV show tapes and 44 home recorded tapes too. You will be delighted to hear that these include several new sequels in the much-lauded Dog Goblin horror franchise. Our thanks to Brat Pen for these. The curator of the online PZ map project, Blindcoder, wants to let you know that he’s on the case with updates – and apologises for delays caused by Covid and irl fun/games. His blog here. Our thanks to him for all his amazing work also.  
 
This week’s flamingo fun from Cute Cappuccino. A changelist of all our pre-release patches since the 41 beta began can be found here. The Centralized Block of Italicised Text would like to direct your attention to the PZ Wiki should you feel like editing or amending something, and the PZ Mailing List that can send you update notifications once builds get released. We also live on Twitter right here! Our Discord is open for chat and hijinks too!

Hello all, and a big welcome to all the new players – who probably almost outnumber the old players reading this at this point. It’s been… quite the month.
 
To the newly initiated: we do a dev blog every two weeks, and we call them ‘Thursdoids’. These are often interspersed with mod blogs on particular community heroes on the off weeks.
 
We generally only talk about the more imminent features in the development blog these days, but clearly occasionally set out wider plans – as we did in last time’s Thursdoid blockbuster.
 
This blog, however, is not a blockbuster we’re afraid – as it is predominantly us working on the upcoming 41.66 patch which contains many and varied vital and more pleasant improvements to our current MP release. (With a few other bits of fun and balance in-between.)
There’s no solid ETA on this patch, but we’re now limiting further additions and are within the testing process.
 
Once we’re happy with it, we will put it out on an unstable beta branch for the community to try out, before moving it into the mainline after the necessary fixes have been mixed in.
 
Current contents include:
 
An optional login queue system to make survivor waits outside full servers more organised, as well as to avoid server lag due to multiple players joining. Cheat security fixes and improvements. Improvements and fixes for VOIP – which currently is fairly faulty in the main version. Fixed several duplication exploits. Improvements for server owners. Specifically a new server option to specify actions which will be logged by the server. This can be used by admins to keep track of player activity such as theft, enabling pvp or destruction of property. It supports any action by name including actions added via mods. Translation support and custom extra information can be logged on a per-action basis. Player levels and other critical anti-cheat logs may also be added, which can allow admins to identify cheaters and other shenanigans via their logs. (We also intend to do a general tidy-up of server options, and to remove some of the more redundant ones before patch release.) Updated and fixed Kingsmouth and Studio maps. Tooltip information now provided on modded items, underlining which mod the item comes from. A fix for trailers and attached vehicles suddenly wanting to explore space. New Noiseworks sounds. Including violin melee hits, new melee hit noises on doors, new dismantle sounds, generator noises and more. In-game map polish. A lot of foraging balance, and loot location tips. Working in-game radios (voice and text) Split-screen fixes and polish. Fixed VHS tapes exploit after relog, bizarre temperature bug, flickering mod sounds between speakers, enabled alarms in spawn buildings and much more.
Elsewhere we’ve had lots of meetings and chats this week about where we’re going forward over the next months (and, in some instances, years) between ourselves and our partners, and it’s been an exciting time.
 
Some of the team are moving onto the next major build(s) at this point, while others are remaining on the upkeep and polish of the current version. We should have a more gameplay-y and feature-y update for you next time round, as well as news on our ongoing MP improvements and optimizations.
 
Thanks all! See you next time.
 
This week’s chill vibes from Adres4t. A changelist of all our pre-release patches since the 41 beta began can be found here. The Centralized Block of Italicised Text would like to direct your attention to the PZ Wiki should you feel like editing or amending something, and the PZ Mailing List that can send you update notifications once builds get released. We also live on Twitter right here! Our Discord is open for chat and hijinks too!

Howdy survivors! Another crazy week for us, we’re still in a bit of a daze!
 
Just a few more days until the entire team are back together after the various international holiday periods have all come to an end, and we’re looking exceedingly forward to fixing up a few of the big issues that have come out in the wash since the MP launch. You can read more about them in last week’s blog here.
 
So the big question, now 41 is out there, and after the remaining MP issues have been fixed up, is what comes next?
 
 
Two Team Release Schedule
Going forward, now the behemoth that is Build 41 is increasingly looking to be in our rear-view mirror, we are going to structure the internal game’s development into two distinct teams (With General Arcade continuing in the meantime on improving MP, optimizing the server, increasing the player count and other MP related tech)
 
First, a little bit of a teaser!
 
 
(This is a fairly old internal video, created as a working proof-of-concept of various aspects of our NPC tech. It’s also not necessarily canonically accurate anymore. It was built to echo our earliest tech demo, but this might not be the start point we take with narrative in future, even if the characters would still be familiar.)
 
It’ll have been no surprise to anyone who read the interview in which Lemmy dropped some major Thursdoid spoilers that one of those teams is going to be focusing exclusively on NPC development from this point on. We’ll also be able to talk about it (not necessarily every Thursdoid, but certainly no longer in a vacuum), rather than work away in secret due to our ‘only discuss what’s coming next’ rule we instigated after a few instances of talking far too early about stuff.
 
Long ago we stated (informally on a forum post) our planned features for future builds, starting with hunting for build 42, and then numerous NPC builds for build 43 and onward.
 
However, many changed circumstances and much ponderings later, we’ve decided that this is not the best approach to take. First of all, its very clear that human NPCs have long been the most requested feature that is still outstanding, and the source of most of the frustration and bad feeling from those who consider the game to still be incomplete.
 
Not only this, but in slightly more selfish reasons, a big reason for not being comfortable with hunting and pets being first, is they are still NPCs and would necessarily leverage all the technology we’ve being working on for years at this point.
 
We have such amazing and peskily talented modders out there, we know fine well that as soon as we released this tech within their grasps, we would end up seeing extremely powerful NPC mods appearing, using our NPC tech heavily, before we had the pleasure of seeing this hard work paid off with our own NPCs.
 
It may be the initial build still contains hunting and wild animals, they ARE NPCs after all. It may be they drop into a subsequent build or later on in the unstable beta cycle, its not clear yet for reasons we’ll discuss in a bit. But the next BIG thing will be NPCs and we’ll have a dedicated team working toward this goal going forward.
 
However, NPCs will still, technically, be build 43. This is because we’ll be running a second dev team exclusively on a quicker, less risky yet still super cool content patch before the NPC work is complete, and then ongoing alternately between the other NPC patches to keep the content train going.
 
Behold this fancy graphic we cooked up! Now that we’ve blown up a bit we need some fancy graphical charts in our Thursdoids!
 
Hopefully the chart shows that, in very real terms, NPCs will be coming out as quickly as they can, uninterrupted, and the other builds are there to help bridge the gap. No build will ever take as long as Build 41 did, it was a practical rewrite of large portions of the game, but nontheless NPCs will take time to emerge, and we don’t want to leave the community without new content in those waits.
 
 
Build 42
There is still a lot of polish and fix work to do on 41, primarily for the MP team but also with a side-salad of bug-fixing issues in both online and solo.
 
Beyond this, however, is a much ‘smaller’ but still extremely cool update that’ll drop before NPCs, that will release during the push toward an NPC release.
 
I say ‘smaller’ only because no major functionality or new fundamental systems, and it will be more a balancing and content patch while NPC team’s work is underway. However it will still be pretty beefy in terms of what it brings to the game.
 
It will serve several important purposes:
 
1) To balance a lot of the existing mechanics, particularly in relation to traits, professions, skills and other areas of the game that have been neglected or suffered some degradation during the years of development since they were introduced. Balancing traits and professions, medical system, and other stuff where it comes down to essentially tweaking numbers to make more builds viable or close up ‘free points’ exploits in character creation. Loot balancing and anything else that’s an easy balance but will help improve the game also fits in here.
 
2) To begin the expansion of the ‘tech tree’ of the game significantly to provide a more rich end-game experience. While until NPCs exist, some of this may be slightly less impactful on single player (though we’re sure will still add a lot of potential), it will significantly improve the MP experience by servers being less pressured to wipe or have loot respawning, providing players and communities ability to create more items that at present can only be obtained through looting.
 
While we may not hit this spot in our first build, our ultimate goal is to provide significantly extra crafting potential to allow players to effectively create a post-apocalypse nu medieval community, to provide plausable alternatives to any of the lootable items in the game that would logically be plausable with the correct skills and resources so players don’t feel pressured to restart the early game repeatedly to get long term fun out of the game. Want to be the person who makes clothes and sells them to a neighbouring settlement? Build brick walls and create something that resembles an actual house? Maybe even build a windmill? Who knows.
 
These are all examples of things we could do here, and may not all appear in Build 42, but hopefully our intended direction is clear. Ultimately to build up to the point that Alexandria / Hilltop / Kingdom style communities can form years after the apocalypse, giving more incentive to keep playing and building on existing worlds instead of intentionally replaying the early game because there is no real late game.
All this would be a time sink and require a group effort and wouldn’t be compulsory for those who prefer to just die repeatedly in the early apocalypse days, but the hope is to allow for a much greater level of community building, and facilitate trade and potentially years of stories and rich history from within a single world, be it NPC populated or an MP server, spanning numerous player lives (so it can still be the story of how you died).
 
These professions and expanded tech trees would be heavily gated and require specialization, often in case of the more complex crafting paths requiring pre-apocalypse skills that while it’s possible, are extremely difficult to attain to high levels after the apocalypse without a character specced toward them. We long ago ‘nerfed’ a metalworking system that was added to the game due to the implausibility of some random survivor crafting spoons and katanas in the apocalypse, however we’ll be expanding this again to include better items available through sufficient mastery and enough plausibility with the character build.
 
We’ll increase the amount of recipes that’ll be unlockable within the world through books, magazines or VHSs, and try and accurately model more advanced and multi-tier crafting professions to allow survivor communities to thrive and provide much more diverse activities for players who like to stay in the safehouses.
 
Finally, and vitally, we’ll be introducing the concept of ‘crafting surfaces’ to further restrict where some crafting recipes can be used. Some more complex recipes will require specific tables or equipment, some will just require a table or surface of any kind, while others can be carried out in your hands with no surface at all.
 
This will add an extra level to the crafting, as making a place suitable for crafting the more complex multi-stage recipes, and potentially upgrading your crafting station and equipment, would become a more fulfilling experience than standing in the field and being able to make a stir fry.
 
We have many and varied other things we want to inject into the game also – we’re currently working on seated / reclining characters for example, and also want to expand on in-game events and tie them to the map. We also need to do some work to improve guns, and PvP, at some point. It’s not clear when smaller features will start appearing, however, so will report on them in blogs as the year progresses.
 
 
Build 43
Worked on concurrently to the balancing and crafting update, as well as discussed and shown within our blogs going forward, will be the first version of NPCs. We’re still deciding what should, could and would be present in the first NPC build. It could include autonomous NPCs that the player can group with, it could primarily include the reintroduction of the story mode, it could have NPC animals, or that could come later.
We really need to look at what we have, and what’s feasible to deliver in a reasonable amount of time, as well as what we could release as a first build and not have people who’ve waited years for them to appear be disappointed. There’s a lot of plates to spin, decisions to make that require more brain power than we’ve had to spare during B41’s development, so we’re going to take some more time to discuss what would make the most satisfying and manageable first build, and take a stock check of what we have.
 
We’ve got a LOT of NPC code, lots of cool systems, from Rimworld style priority and jobs system, personality systems, procedural story event systems, combat systems, autonomous survival behaviours, advanced group behaviour systems, vehicle driving systems, and a whole bunch more. While nothing could be described as 100% complete, the vast majority of the hard work has been done, is functional and is extremely cool.
 
But B41 has taken a huge amount of our time and resources, and also taken some elements of the PZ workings in a different direction to things our NPCs were using, and so they need some time to be reintroduced to the most current build and made MP compatible. And when we do that, we’ll be moving stuff over in stages to release, rather than try and get everything functional and release ready at once.
A good analogy is we’ve got two rooms, one full to the ceiling of extremely cool and complex circuit boards and wires that we’ve spent years making, one room is empty.
 
Trying to tidy and assemble everything in the first room will be a nightmare. So we’ll start moving bits into a new room, setting them up, plugging them in together, and making something cool out of them to release. After release we’ll continue bringing in more pieces and attaching them, and so on for perhaps 2 or 3 builds until the first room is empty and our vision of NPCs is complete. It doesn’t mean that’s all we have, far from it, just sorting that entire packed room out would take too long and we want to finally start pushing NPC content out as soon as possible.
 
We also have some big plans for a gun mechanics rework at some point, to provide a more solid gunplay experience that will make guns not only more interesting to use, require more a player skill element, but also make PVP encounters a lot more interesting for those who enjoy that kind of thing, as our PVP component is still one of the more lacking elements of our multiplayer experience. But for now we are not committing to where this will thread into the release schedule.
 
The process of moving stuff over will take some time, and so we may be quiet for a couple of Thursdoids until we start getting stuff moving in the current build. As soon as we are though, we’ll be talking about the ongoing NPC development, alongside the concurrent crafting and balance patch, until they drop. Exciting times!
 
It shouldn’t go unsaid, however, that if a big new feature is not ready then it’s not in our DNA to push it out of the door uncooked. We’re confident that this will be a great year for PZ, and feel we can keep the content pipe flowing, but also won’t be abandoning our accustomed position as the tortoise in the ‘tortoise vs. hare’ race which appears to now be paying dividends for both game and community.
 
 
Much love,
 
TIS x

It felt like the day would never come, but we’re really happy and proud to announce that Build 41 has been released to stable!
 
If you’ve been out of the loop on the beta, a good place to start would be our new trailer to celebrate the release and show those new to Zomboid what’s in store for them:
 
 
This build marks a huge step for us, the graphics, gameplay, audio and netcode being significantly remastered and radically improved, Build 41 feels more a sequel than a patch update. As well as a huge map update, new mechanics and systems, its by far our biggest update yet.
 
Under normal circumstances, we may have done a little more polish and fixing before releasing to stable, but the truth is next to no one are playing Build 40 now, apart from those that didn’t know of the beta branch. It’s presence if anything has been damaging to Project Zomboid’s first impressions and we were only waiting for multiplayer to drop in a somewhat stable fashion to allow us to move on, as we feel strongly that Build 41 even with the remaining bugs and issues that need weeding out, casts a far superior first impression for new players.
 
Build 40 will forever live on in a branch, access the beta branch “legacy40 – Classic Zomboid” at any point to continue playing, or if your specs aren’t capable of running build 41 comfortably.
 
So what’s new in this build?
 
Massive animation and character overhaul, more immersive animations and smoother gameplay and combat, highly customizable character that shows clothing and equipment in the world. Visibly ripped and damaged clothing. Visible Backpacks and Bags. In-game map system to allow the player to chart their exploration and find their way around the huge map. New animations and new movement systems. Sneaking, sprinting, jogging, racking, reloading, climbing, fence-jumping, collapsing and much much more. New multiplayer built from the ground up for smooth, immersive and low latency player and zombie movement. New combat, new weapons, new difficulty balance. New tutorial teaching you the very basics of the new movement and combat. New character creation – many, many different new clothing options both on spawn and discoverable in the world as loot or on zombies. New city to explore, the gargantuan Louisville, as well as many improvements across the entire map, including new buildings, decoration, and curved roads for easier driving. New zombie behaviour: feasting on recent corpses, lolling against walls, falling over fences etc. Blood and dirt system that progressively bloodies bodies and clothing of survivors and zombies New injury system – movement and combat visibly hampered when injured. Lacerations now possible, an injury state that lies between bites and scratches. Improved gunplay: green/red target outline while aiming, increased gun loot spawn. Randomized environmental storytelling elements. Death Scenes, zombies discovered in the situations in which people died. Prayer meetings, sports-viewing parties, survivor zeds wearing backpacks etc, vehicle crashes and blockades. Situational zombie type/clothing and inventories – cop zeds in police station, firemen zeds in burnt buildings, Chef zeds in restaurant kitchens, bride and groom zeds at a wedding ceremony in church etc. Clothing protection: different clothing provides different levels of protection from zombie attacks. New Sims-style cutaway vision system. Vehicle handling improvements, resizing and appearance tweaks. Updated, remastered and expanded Kentucky-themed soundtrack. Complete soundscape overhaul – All new sounds, building a more immersive and compelling sonic landscape. Items now have placeable 3D models in the world, for all your decorative needs. New Gameplay Styles
Apocalypse: Stealth focus. Short lifespan. Combat best avoided and picked selectively.
Survivor: Powerful combat. Longer Lifespan. A challenging playstyle based on PZ’s previous Survival mode of Build 40.
Builder: Construction, Exploration, and Farming focus. A more relaxed experience. New Challenges
Kingsmouth – A separate challenge map, Kingsmouth puts you on a paradise island vacation resort.
Studio – Try to survive as the Knox Infection hits the dream factory. Some of these zombies are not like the others. Entirely new foraging system. New inventory slots – belts and holsters now give quick equip slots. Weapons can be attached to the character’s back. New thermal / body temperature system. New Tailoring system for clothing repairs. New Fitness / Exercise system. New emote system – Hold Q to bring up the Radial Menu for Emotes. New water visuals – including visible flow direction. New puddle system during heavy rain. New fog visuals. New levelling system. New VHS, and CDs system. Broken glass and related injuries. 3D Store Mannequins – can be dressed however you like Working washing machines and driers Server-side saving: MP save system now in a server-side database. Offline SP-side, also means no more lost cars via irl power outages. New radial menu for reloading firearms. New game cursor New loot balance and loot balance system: houses and stores now have loot in the containers you would expect from real life – and not in a jumble. Isometric aiming cursor that shows where you’re aiming in iso space to aid in combat. A gigantic list of fixes and QoL improvements.  
 
Thank you
A huge thanks everyone for the wonderful experience we’ve had since releasing multiplayer, seeing such a wave of positivity has been wild and made this long journey for this build more than worth it! Seeing the player numbers dwarf our previous record has been crazy:
 

 
We’re over the moon over the success the multiplayer has seen and we vow to continue and expand on that.
 
We’re so proud of everyone on our team, we know we wouldn’t be here today if we didn’t have such dedicated devs working on all these features, often under intense external pressure, and the support team for helping us keep the sometimes chaotic wheels spinning. Every one of them is wonderful and deserving of all our thanks.
 
Finally, a huge specific thank you to General Arcade, in particular Yuri and Andrei who have put such amazing work into bringing a quality to Zomboid’s multiplayer we simply would never have (and indeed, hadn’t) achieved without them. They’ve put huge amounts of work into this, and we’re thankful to them for helping Zomboid multiplayer come to the vision we had for it.
 
That’s all for this update. See you all after the new year where we’ll talk about what comes next!

We've confirmed with several servers that VOIP can have a negative effect on server stability. If the fixes in this build don't fix all your issues with black boxing or lag, please consider moving to Discord for your voice chat if possible, and disabling VOIP server side for a smoother experience until we figure it out.
 
Potential fix for instances of blackboxing on servers, where a client would be waiting endlessly for the server to send chunks (after already connected). Added splash-screen logos for General Arcade and Noiseworks. Fixed the PlayerBumpPlayer option. Added some new melee sounds. New weapon breaks, gore assets, long blade, short blade, umbrella among others. Fixed the game version string being different in some languages, breaking multiplayer. Fixed corpse inventory being 50 instead of 8 in multiplayer. Fixed sheet ropes destroyed by zombies not being synced in multiplayer. Fixed barricaded doors not visibly shaking when attempting to open them. Removed unused lines from the Linux dedicated server's start-server.sh. Fixed microwaves continuing to run on the server when the timer expired. Fixed the /additem server command not working with underscores in the item type. Fixed "Server Statistic" debug ui errors when the server's -statistic period is zero. Added exception handling around IsoChunk.AddVehicles() to fix the server dying when adding vehicles. Rewrote IsoChunk.isGoodVehiclePos() to handle vehicles at arbitrary angles, and to check for collisions with vehicles on neighbouring chunks. Fixed randomly-placed corpses being naked in multiplayer. Changed the PauseEmpty server option default to "true". Fixed zombies not becoming corpses sometimes in splitscreen multiplayer. Fixed a Lua error adding a saved splitscreen player in multiplayer.  
New MP statistics UI is added to admin powers. Byte buffer for SpriteRenderer was increased for debug mode to show whole population map ShowMpInfo admin power enables/disables statistics gathering
Server disables statistics gathering if no requests for 10 seconds

With the release of 41.61 we've increased server player limit to 32.
WARNING: THIS IS FOR TEST PURPOSES.
We can't guarantee a smooth experience but would like to hear people's feedback on server performance.
VOIP is still recommended to be disabled for now.
 
To be safe, it is recommended to back up your server saves. 
We will always try to retain save compatibility, but in these early stages we cannot rule out possible save breakage.

41.60 will be available on the "legacy41_60" branch for those who need it
 
41.61
MP
 
Increased server player limit to 32. WARNING: THIS IS FOR TEST PURPOSES. We can't guarantee a smooth experience but would like to hear people's feedback on server performance. Optimized server packet handling. Should have significant impact on player, zombie and vehicle syncing, removing potentially 100ms of latency on top of player ping. Fixed looping VehicleHotwireStart. Call stopOrTriggerSound() so the StopSound packet is sent to stop the sound on other clients. Fixed clients sending cooking sounds to other clients. Fixed server sometimes setting ownership for a zombie that was far away from the player Add packet type parameter to server receive methods Resend PlayerUpdateReliable packet to all clients Added missing lwjgl-natives-windows-x86.jar to Build.bat for the 32-bit Windows server. Added chopper command start/stop optional arguments Fixed debug logging remaining enabled by default Fixed clients seeing UI_ServerStatus_Initialising. UI_ServerStatus_xxx messages were sent before the server loaded translation files. These are now sent untranslated from the coop server so they can be translated on the client. Added "PlayerBumpPlayer" server option. Default set to false. When set to true, players will be and bump other players when running into them. Fixed MP debug stats showing in SP. Set HitReactionNetwork sync angle for zombie in MP Debug only option for zombie quick spawn Fixed Linux start-server.sh. Fixed the Linux 64-bit server using G1GC instead of ZGC garbage collector. Use the ZGC garbage collector when starting 64-bit coop servers, otherwise use G1GC. Also pass -Djava.awt.headless=true and -XX:-OmitStackTraceInFastThrow. Parse the client's JVM arguments to see if -XX:+UseG1GC or -XX:+UseZGC is used, and pass that to the coop server. This is to handle older 64-bit Windows not supporting ZGC. Fixed vehicle stories not spawning in multiplayer. Clarified the "map_t.bin does not exist, cannot determine the server's WorldVersion." console message as being ok the first time a server is started, when map_t.bin hasn't been created yet. Fixed radio broadcasts being reset on the server each restart.  
 
FORAGING / SEARCH SYSTEM
 
Added Foraging info panel. Added checking obsolete status when importing and removed some obsolete items Fixed spot item method - now only triggers once per spot event Exit search mode after a few moments of running/sprinting Exit search mode under basic combat conditions (3 or more zombies visible + chasing) Fixed single context menu compatibility and added multi pickup option for player inventory Discard action is now instant and doesn't require player to walk over to item Added IsoMarker rendering for forage icons Changed bonus abundance settings to percentages and tweaked loot abundance Added two step icon loading for performance Added a haloNote + xp reward for spotting forage icons Added moving of icons close to the player if they've been searching the area too long without finding anything Fixed mod data being initialised too early Added re-init missing forageData + debug message for missing data Restore updating of perkLevel for overlay radius in SearchManager Increased delay for re-positioning items and ensure it does not reposition previously noticed items Adjusted rare item and junk spawn rates Adjusted delay for repositioning items for high level characters Added slight eye flash when moving an icon close Translated SearchMode debug menu Moved forageSystem events to LuaEventManager Added sprite affinities for forage icons (more likely to find sticks on sticks, etc.) Improved ISSearchManager:checkIcons() handling of icon activation/deactivation Increased deferred update and world scanner rates in ISSearchManager Removed noise from SearchMode shader Fixed some typos and tidied up forage definitions Added some randomness to the force-a-find system Added resetting of force find if the player begins to spot something Added disabling Search Mode when time is fast forwarded Added an Accessibility menu option to change the Search Mode overlay effect Removed some unused properties in forageSystem Added itemSizeModifier - adds bonus/malus weight for vision radius checks Added bonus vision radius for berry bushes, fruit trees, plants  

IN-GAME MAP
 
Added "All Known On Start" sandbox option for the in-game map. When enabled, the entire world is marked "known" but "unvisited".  

FIXES
 
Fixed car crashes causing multiple hits in quick succession. Fixed in-game map rendering bug at vertical resolution 1155 or higher. Fixed wrong zombies outfit spawning. Fixed the "Move To" inventory context-menu options always being disabled when using a controller. Fixed equipped keyrings not being displayed as options in the "Move To" menu when using a controller. Rebuilt Linux PZBullet libraries on Docker to use an older glibc. Renamed CannedPineapplesOpen to CannedPineappleOpen to fix missing recipe result. Fixed an error starting a server when attempting to host a game on MacOS. Fixed JaysChickenHat not rendering properly Fixed skin poking through Trousers_LeatherBlack Fixed Trousers_Shellsuit_White not been tinted Fixed Trousers_Police mask Fixed Hockey Mask not rendering properly Fixed Shellsuit Jackets not rendering properly with undergarments Fixed Leather Jackets not rendering properly with undergarments Fixed grapefruit being too heavy  
 
 
____________________________________________
41.60
 
MP
 
Multiplayer Released. Capped to 16 player servers. Local chat supports icons and colours. See here for more info: https://projectzomboid.com/chat_colours.txt  

NEW
 
Added various new items, clothes, and recipes. Add a progress bar to "Wash Vehicle" action. Added displaying the item context menu when right-clicking on container buttons in the inventory window. Added 2 missing zombie-crawler animations. Equipped items are now unequipped or removed from the hotbar before dropping them. Items in the player's hands are dropped without unequipping them first. Added a progress bar to "Wash Vehicle" action. Improved Item Categories. Added back option for clock display size  Added Item.getEatType() method. Implemented rotation of vehicle passengers. This is for mods where passengers aren't hidden, allowing passengers to face different directions.  Allow character to take 1 item of the pile when selecting option "Place item" directly from container. Updated Distributions Tweaked water shader to get rid of some artifacts, water has a slightly more green tint, increased ripple effect, added extra iteration to medium to get rid of obvious tiling. Added sandbox options to unlock all clothing slots and items in the character creation screen.  
 
LOUISVILLE AND OVERALL GAMEWORLD
 
- Louisville added
    - Venture into the massive city by following the highway up north from West Point and through Valley Station (North East of the map).
    - Added Radio obfuscation inside of the Louisville zone for the following vanilla frequencies:
        LBMW - 93.2, NNR - 98.0, KnoxTalk - 101.2, Triple N - cable 200, WBLN - cable 201, Turbo - cable 204
        - Applies a 85% scramble on transmitted lines once player enters or starts in the zone, scrambling persists afterwards when leaving zone.
        - Scramble line greyed out color has slight red tint to distinguish from storm interference.
        - When a line gets scrambled radio codes (for skill gain etc) are removed.
        - Added the above to regular weather interference as well.
- Curved Roads placed on many crucial corners in the road network, for safer driving.
- Plenty of minor map additions, landscaping, and polish added to all towns and outskirts.
 
 
FORAGING / SEARCH SYSTEM
 
- New Foraging / Search System
    - Click the magnifying glass icon on the left side of the UI.
        - The "Investigate Area" window will show you the type of zone you are in, which affects the loot you can find.
        - If it has "?????" showing, there is nothing around to find. This is temporary until more foraging/search zones are added to the map.
    - To start searching, click the "Enable Search Mode" Button in the "Investigate Area" window. The character will start looking for items while you walk around.
    - An eye icon will appear overhead when your character spots something. Double click the item icon to pick it up.
        Keep looking around until the eye is completely visible and the icon for the item will appear.
    - Running will make it harder to find items
    - Looking around (by aiming) will increase the vision radius to help spot hard to locate items.
    - Darkness, weather, and negative character moodles (stress, injuries, etc) will affect the chance to find something
    
 
IN-GAME MAP
 
- New In-game Map System
      - Click the Map icon on the left side of the UI.
            - The map will be filled out around your character as you explore the world.
              - Writing utensils will let you make notes and draw on the map. 
              - The Grid Icon in the bottom right switches between isometric and top-down view.
               - The C Button centers the view back on your current location.
               - The S Button toggles the Map Symbols UI element.
               - The X Button closes the map.
               - Added an option to the in-game map radial menu that sets the controller focus to the minimap to allow zooming in/out etc.
               - On Controllers, pressing the Y button (xbox) accesses the four buttons on the bottom-right of the world map.
    - There are Sandbox Option for solo players and server admins to toggle the World Map system, as well as a Mini-Map system.
    - When enabled, the Mini-Map system will be shown in the bottom right. 
        - With the mouse over the minimap, scrolling with the mousewheel will zoom in and out (Plus and Minus buttons below the map will also do this).
        -Left Clicking on the Mini-Map or the "M" Button below the Mini-Map will open up the world map.
        - When the Mini-Map was closed via the "X" Button below the map, it can be re-opened by hovering over the Map Icon on the left side of the UI and clicking the second Map icon that appears on mouseover.
    - Finding Maps for towns as well as annotated maps will add the relevant area to your World Map, along with annotations.
 

BALANCE
 
Increased Log fuel time to six hours. Allow curtains to be added to window frames without windows. Allow two curtains to be added on different edges of the same square. When trying to add an item that needs to be cooked in an evolved recipe, it'll now display "need to be cooked" instead of purely removing the item from possible items in the recipe. Allow zombies to thump certain objects that have been moved by the player. This includes Barbecue, Clothing Dryer, Clothing Washer, Radio, Television, Jukebox, Microwave and Stove. Reduced SoundRadius for firearms. This was in part for MP testing optimisation and is subject to change.  

NOISEWORKS AND SOUNDS
 
Updated sounds for lots of melee weapons, like Guitars, Drumsticks, small stab weapons, hammers,  and more. New spear sounds, although we need a way to differentiate between slashing/stabbing. So far only the slashing sounds play for both anims.  Added additional rain layers for vehicles and trees. If a player is next to them, rain hitting vehicles and/or trees will be audible. Added farming-related sounds for plowing, seeding, watering, and harvesting. Added evolvedrecipe.AddIngredientSound script property so "Prepare Beverage" can play a different sound than the default chopping one. Currently it plays AddItemInBeverage, which is the same as the default chopping one. Play ZombieThumpMetal for zombies thumping metal doors, instead of ZombieThumpGeneric. This includes single-tile metal doors, as well as garage doors and metal gates. Occlusion/Volume fix for generators. Reduced occurrences of big mammal sounds. Tweaked the bird scatter sound after firing a weapon to occur less often.  

FIXES
 
Fixed the player's movement keys sometimes being ignored after getting bumped by a zombie. Fixed holding down the Shift key while standing still resulting in the player getting knocked forward by a zombie. Fixed issues with hitting crawling zombies while they are still on their back, or in the first half of their flip-onto-front animation. Fixed a magazine not being removed from the player's hands after it is loaded into a firearm. Fixed a Lua error in ISFertilizeAction:perform() after a previous action used all of a fertilizer bag. Fixed missing braces in RecipeManager affecting recipes with AllowDestroyedItem=true. Fixed warning about undefined OnWorldSound Lua event. Fixed ISPlace3DItemCursor error on the server caused by accessing TextManager fonts. The whole lua/server/BuildingObjects directory belongs on the client. Fixed the player passing through walls when climbing over a wall during fast-forward. Fixed Lua error in ISVehicleMechanics when a part has no install.items or uninstall.items. Fixed Lua error after left-clicking on the Device Properties media icon, or after dropping an invalid item onto it. Fixed media items not being removed from the player's hand after inserting an item into a CD player or TV. Fixed the Device Properties "Play" button being enabled when there is no media inserted. Fixed a Lua error when removing grass from a square with a fire on it. Fixed double doors losing their assigned key ID when opened.  I'm not sure if these can be locked. Fixed locked carpentry doors being opened by zombies with the Cognition sandbox option. Fixed locked carpentry doors not shaking when attempting to open them. Fixed being unable to open locked carpentry doors from inside a player-made room (without a key). Fixed missing context-menu options to the "[Debug] Object" submenu to lock/unlock carpentry doors, and set the key ID of any door. Fixed another crawler-flipping-on-front animation instance. Fixed zombie voices often playing the sound for the opposite sex. Fixed possible crash with mods in RVSChangingTire. Fixed spiked / pick axe handle not being equippable as 2-handed weapon. Fixed "build floor" anim playing when player builds shelves. Fixed disassembling/Building furniture being possible while character is in another room/floor. Fixed Sack icon disappearing from inventory's equipped containers bar after it is filled and clicked on. Fixed being unable to drop equipped items via the context menu. (This was already possible by clicking the small "Drop" button in the inventory window, but only "Unequip" was displayed in the menu.) Fixed Spiked / Pick axe handle not being equippable as 2-handed weapon. Fixed playing wrong animation when building shelves. Fixed disassembling/building furniture often being possible while character is in another room/floor. Fixed Sack icon disappearing from inventory's equipped containers bar after it is filled and clicked on. Fixed the Overweight trait not having a Fitness -1 penalty. Fixed the read-a-book action cancelling any subsequent actions that are queued. Fixed hotbar-related animations finishing before the timed actions, when the player has high unhappiness. Fixed a Lua error when disassembling stairs. Fixed being unable to climb up and over a fence at the top of a sheet rope. Fixed electronic scrap not being consumed from backpacks (fixing generators) Fixed vehicle parts being damaged even though the mechanical skill requirement is met. Fixed Pipe Wrench not being usable for plumbing. Fixed water dispenser providing an infinite amount of water when placed over a river/lake. Fixed lit candle not being extinguished after it was unequipped. Fixed “Take fuel” option becoming available everywhere in context menu after connecting a generator to a gas station. Fixed a memory leak with font Texture objects. Fixed a memory leak with ScriptModule objects after reloading Lua/etc. Fixed garbage creation in IsoPuddlesCompute (38 Vector3f and 1 Vector2f per call). Exit IsoPuddlesCompute.computePuddle() early when there are no puddles on the ground (IsoPuddles.getPuddlesSize() == 0). Fixed a multithreading bug in IsoPuddlesCompute.computePuddle() accessing IsoPuddles.getShaderOffset(). Fixed old entries in zombieszonedefinition (fix for zombies spawning with random outfits sometimes). Fixed zombies trying to walk through fences with sandbags placed in front of them. Made the military sandbag blocks solid. Fixed using wrong container icon for Military Crate. Fixed not being able to open and close curtains on military tents. Turned sync-tracking off for the shove and stomp animations. This should fix the animations not starting from the beginning sometimes. Fixed incorrect "require" statements in Foraging Lua files. Fixed unused Object/WoodGate/Break FMOD event. Fixed duplicate CDplayer in models_items.txt. Fixed the propane bbq turning into a microwave when rotated. Fixed Bait disappearing from inventory when removing bait from trap. Fixed: When creating another character in the same world after the first one died, renaming the character does not work. The character will carry the randomly generated name for the character instead. Fixed Sack icon disappearing - Adds tooltips for "Can be used as a container if empty." to filled sandbag type items Only show the Place Item submenu for items outside the player main inventory Fixed not being able to translate coughs and sneezing. Fixed Disassembling/Building furniture often being possible while character was in another room/floor Fixed lights from fires sometimes remaining after a fire is removed. Removed IsoFireManager.NumActiveFires, since it should always equal IsoFireManager.FireStack.size(). Fixed IsoFireManager.RemoveAllOn() decrementing IsoFireManager.NumActiveFires twice. This is called when the player extinguishes a fire. Made recipe.AllowDestroyedItem and recipe.NoBrokenItems script properties both set the same Recipe member variable. Moved some ingredient-valid checks from RecipeManager.HasAllRequiredItems() into RMRecipeItemList.getItemsFrom(). Fixed a bug with clothing where zombies could rip your clothes in one attack. Fixed duplicating world item by grabbing it after another player picks it up Fixed weapons floating after being dropped when the player dies. Fixed clothes lines blocking movement. Fixed not being able to click on the debug-options button in the world map. Fixed auto-zoom staying zoomed in when sprinting (but not when running). Fixed dragged inventory items sometimes not being rendered until the mouse re-enters the inventory or loot window the items were dragged from. Fixed: Dragging square around inventory items shouldn't fail if mouse goes outside window before mouse up Fixed: Clear dragging marquis state if mouse was released over an element which consumes the event (e.g. the moveables panel) Stop rendering marquis immediately on clearing marquis state Fixed other clients hearing VehicleHotwireStart sound looping for other players. Fixed clients sending cooking sounds to other clients. Fixed "Open Sack of Tomatoes" recipe using an undefined Lua function.

(copied from the blog post so it is in here)
 
Yes, you read that right! As many will know we’ve been aiming for a December release for the multiplayer. As Xmas approaches, we have been fighting each day to get a build we feel the community will enjoy and feels stable enough for players to enjoy the multiplayer.
This build contains:
16 player multiplayer, dedicated server and co-op MASSIVE map expansion, including Louisville to the north of Westpoint and Valley Station. Like silly huge. Check it out! In-game mapping system. Search mode and foraging system. However, we never quite reached the polish we’d have liked to have put it out on IWBUMS proper. There are many smaller to medium priority issues we are aware of but don’t feel justify holding the multiplayer back, but still mean we’re not comfortable officially calling this a full IWBUMS release.
It’s become clearer that having wider testing on the build would be invaluable, and in addition everyone including ourselves wants that satisfaction of something being out before the Xmas holidays after such a huge unending slog.
As such this is the decision we’ve made as a compromise to try and make everyone, including ourselves, happy, while still ring-fencing this build away from the more stable IWBUMs build.
This will also give mod authors a chance to adjust to the new build, too.
As such, we’ve released a public test build on a new opt in branch. Go to steam properties for the game, select the betas tab, and select b41multiplayer.
Along with that the dedicated server update is on the dedicated server branch b41multiplayer. Since IWBUMs beta has long been considered the defacto version due to the huge improvements, we felt the need to distinguish this further into its own steam build, to make clear it’s not to be considered to be a full first release.
Please be aware that while we’ve made great efforts to get this build as stable as possible, and are confident the majority of players will be able to have fun playing, there’s only so much we can do with an internal test team, many of which are volunteers.
There will undoubtedly be issues, possibly ones that could lead to player’s unfair deaths or loss of characters or their belongings.
If you are not comfortable with this, feel you’d get angry about this, and would write us stern letters about this beyond a friendly bug report, we strongly recommend you wait until January when most of these issues should have been resolved and the official IWBUMS beta will begin.
However, we know everyone has been patient in awaiting the release of MP after the six month delay, and we’re satisfied that the quality of the build is sufficient that those who have been waiting will be capable of having fun gameplay with each other, and at the same time we’ll be able to glean important bug reports about what is still requiring fixing that are very difficult to obtain from within a small internal test team. As long as understanding this is an opt in public test.
IMPORTANT
Public servers are NOT recommended. Whitelisted and co-op servers are strongly recommended for the best experience. There will likely be exploits and hack vulnerabilities that will probably make public servers a nightmarishly annoying place to be. We’ll look to address these in future builds.
The build will be hard locked to a maximum of 16 players. While short of the 32 we were aiming for, we feel from our internal tests that the server will be able to deal with this without too much strain while we improve stability for higher player counts. Our ambitions are much higher than 32, too.
It’s possible too that players may need to reduce zombie counts on MP servers, their numbers at specific sandbox settings often exceeding that on single player settings for reasons we’re not yet clear on. As a rule of thumb you should go a step below your usual prefered settings.
If you’ve run B40 co-op games on your machine, it may require deleting your old server saves to be able to host in B41. Delete everything in %UserProfile%\zomboid\saves\multiplayer\.
Also if people have difficulty connecting to servers, please try validating your local files in steam properties for the game. Because steam sometimes sucks and leaves old versions of files and this will cause mismatches with the server.
We request that anyone who shares news of this release to anyone please forward them to this blog post, so that we can properly contextualise the release and any potential issues that may crop up. Anyone streaming or making videos of the build, please state clearly that this is a public opt-in test rather than a full IWBUMS beta release.
We hope you all have fun! Have some Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!
 
https://projectzomboid.com/blog/news/2021/12/b41-mp-test-41-60-branch-released/
 
 

Straight in with the MP update this week.
 
As stated in the last Thursdoid, we feel we’re on the home stretch now and are still confident in our December (or at worst January, after Russian New Year and Christmas, if we get uncomfortably close to the holidays) estimate.
 
Though truth be told, the day we were pushing to have a release candidate ready for was Dec 1st – and clearly that didn’t happen. The additional issue with black boxing (which wasn’t discovered and within the schedule to a Dec 1st release) took up a good chunk of the MP team’s time to diagnose and repair, so the presence of looming holidays marching toward us is ever-present.
 
It’ll basically come down to how quickly the last serious issues get squashed as to whether we’ll make it before Xmas. We still very much want it, and will tirelessly push toward getting it out during early December, until the proximity to the holidays no longer feels safe to release in terms of pumping out the required hot-fixes while team members are away.
 
Many of you have probably seen that we gave MrAtomicDuck permission to make a video based on his experiences in our latest MP test session, we said that we wanted to hear his honest opinions and were extremely happy to see what a positive experience he had.
 
 
As highlighted in his video, and in our previous Thursdoid, the main release-blocker at this point is vehicles, whose rubber-banding and physics bugs are severe enough that we’d not be comfortable releasing until they are fixed. Put simply: they are frequently an instant death trap and this clearly isn’t something that could be present in a release candidate build. As such, the MP team are hard at work improving these as we speak.
 
Several other issues discussed last week are fixed, VOIP is now crystal clear (however we’re still investigating to make sure VOIP doesn’t have any adverse effect on network performance), black boxing and excessive rubberbanding and lag experienced by a select few of our testers seems to have similarly been dealt with.
 
So outside the vehicle issues described, our next priority pre-release is dealing with issues with zombies not responding to guns, helicopters, alarms etc.
 
Eagle eyed viewers of Duck’s video may have noticed that the gunfire wasn’t attracting the hordes one would expect. At some point in the restructuring how zombies work to eliminate lag bites etc and provide smooth movement to clients, their ability to reliably hear all sounds in the world has been broken.
 
This will be a top priority along with vehicle fixes, and the doctor zombie convention that seemed to have been taking place at the hospital.
 
ZOMBIE SYNC
We thought we’d respond to the main reoccurring piece of negative feedback we read after Duck’s video, which was otherwise overwhelmingly positive.
 
The main piece of negative feedback we read, that cropped up several times, related to instances where a certain broom-wielding maniac was fighting zombies and visually it looked a bit odd. The choice of using a one-handed broom while simultaneously wielding amped-up admin powers, and maybe a slightly higher ping, probably exacerbated this!
 
However, it highlighted that the combat between other remote players and zombies can sometimes have sync issues. In crowded scenes like these, especially, characters seem too far from zombies when they kill them, and zombies sometimes fall in the wrong direction.
We certainly intend to improve this going forward – possibly prior to release, but much more likely afterward. However, there is only so far we will be able to push it.
 
Our biggest priority with making solid multiplayer was to prioritize interactions between the local player and zombies that are targeting them, so that lagging zombies leading to an unfair bite are an impossibility.
 
This to our mind, in a game where a single zombie bite can end a character you’ve pumped many hours into in an instant, was our biggest priority at the expense of all else.
 
As such, the way zombie positions are calculated (which will always differ between clients due to unavoidable latency of different geographic locations) is handled in a way to ensure that when a zombie is chasing the local player, then that local player will treat the zombie as if it were a single player zombie. This, then, has the side effect of essentially doubling the latency and delay on syncing that zombie’s position with the other players who are NOT being chased by that zombie.
 
As such, zombies chasing someone else will always be a little bit out. We have a lot of code in to predict zed movement, and we do mask this inconsistency as much as possible, but it will always be a present issue.
 
There are, however, various other ways we can look into improving these visuals in future: finding ways to speed up message transmission and server tick rate to help sync them further, and better predicting their movements between clients.
 
However, it’s unlikely this will ever be perfect when dealing with potentially hundreds of zombies being witnessed by numerous clients at the same time. In other games with high enemy counts, it’s rare that a single enemy can instantly kill you, so other games generally have more leeway available to them than we do.
 
On the up side, as it stands, combat with zombies by the player themselves will suffer zero latency, and will be completely indistinguishable from single player combat.
 
The price paid for that is sometimes companions you can see fighting other zombies (especially those who have larger pings) may not appear to connect fully with zombies they are fighting or the zombie they hit may slide a bit as they die or change target.
 
We think that’s a good price to pay for what it brings to the individual player’s combat, and further when you’re more likely playing on a more local server (unlike our testers connecting from all around the world onto a server based out of Paris) we don’t think these issues will get in the way too often for the majority of players.
 
As ever, also, it’s an evolving process that we will continue to work on both in the run-up to release – and as each new patch and build is released beyond it.
 
To end with, a few more vids taken by the internal test team – one of which very much underlines why we need to get the vehicles physics fixed up.
 

 



This week’s featured safehouse from Alejodbort. A changelist of all IWBUMS patches since the 41 beta was released can be found here. A general list of stuff added to PZ, and vids of features being worked on, is kept here – so you don’t have to plough through endless dev blogs for info. The Centralized Block of Italicised Text would like to direct your attention to the PZ Wiki should you feel like editing or amending something, and the PZ Mailing List that can send you update notifications once builds get released. We also live on Twitter right here! Our Discord is open for chat and hijinks too!

Watching the new melee weapons sounds and seeing how slow the sledge swings has kinda got me thinkin. I love the sledge, but it doesn't make a really practical melee weapon. I understand this is by design as it has incredibly high damage, but you could also make the argument the axes, wood or otherwise, are almost as strong damage wise and stronger when you consider their swing speed in comparison. The closest blunt weapon that is the axe's equal would be the baseball bat, but frankly, I don't think they're really comparable. Between damage output and swing speed, the axe has the edge. (Pun, intended.) So I was thinkin, maybe there could be a trait, albeit an expensive one that would give you better proficiency with the sledge/wood axe? Somethin kinda already exists for axes under the lumberjack profession, so perhaps it's something that could be included under for example the construction worker. As using sledge hammers in house renovation, taking down a wall you don't like, wantin to get rid of some ugly tile, etc, is purdy doggone common in the profession. And those men can wield them like Paul Bunyan and his axe. It would give a nice buff to an otherwise weak profession and a new, practical use to a one-trick-pony weapon/tool. 

Just some thoughts! Otherwise love the updates, super hyped for MP. Got LOTS of friends always askin' me when the update is comin' out and it's nice to actually be able to tell them that it'll drop soon!! 

Hey all, a bit of a general ‘where we’re at’ this time, so please excuse the lack of ‘new stuff’.
 
This past week it became clear that our MP work and our polishing and fixing work on our huge map expansion, player map drawing system and new search/forage mode were looking like being ready at roughly the same time. Also, the separate new game systems in the SP branch weren’t getting enough testing love when compared to our internal MP builds. As such, we decided to cross the streams – meaning that we now have an MP build in which our version of Louisville is fully explorable.
 
In terms of the IWBUMS release of MP proper, we’re still very much aiming for December. HOWEVER, as stated in the last MP update blog, there is still a lot to do – and if the build drags into December too far due to any additional work we’ll be getting dangerously close to the holiday period. If that were the case then, out of safety and sanity, it would be moved back to after both the Western and Russian Christmas / New Year.
 
We don’t want to screw it up by reaching mid-December and putting something out there, and having no one around to hotfix any big issues that crop up. After all this time spent making sure we had something good to put out, that would be a silly mistake on our part to undermine it for the sake of a couple of weeks, as much as it’d be lovely for a nice Xmas present for everyone.
 
So where are we at at the moment?
 
Well, following the addition of our map expansion this week there have been a few new bugs introduced, mainly involving location themed zombie costumes bugging out. This resulted in a lot of santa zombies wandering about which, while increasingly seasonal, we should probably get fixed.
 
A couple of other issues became clear once we started multiplayering in Louisville, where it became clear way too many zombies were being spawned and this caused a catastrophic drop in client FPS. This was a big brown trousers moment, but the reason for it was quickly discovered and we are now well on the way to a full resolution. (This is the sort of issue that can always crop up unexpectedly in the run-up to our internal release milestone, which is why we mention it by way of example – though in this case the remedy currently appears fairly simple).
We still need to do a few more expanded full server tests too – but excluding the specifics of some of the more technical issues to resolve (all accounted for in our current plans) here are three of the bigger items on the list that need to be ticked off before release:
 
 
Vehicle physics bugs
At present, lag related effects on the vehicle physics can lead to some very deadly moments for passengers. A bump between two vehicles amidst a moment of lag could lead to immense forces being generated that can instantly kill. There are also rarer cases of a car ending up floating in the air with the occupants eternally trapped.
 
Making sure vehicles are about as safe for travel as in SP is a must to fix prior to a launch, as while cars are a bazillion times better than they were six months ago there are still a few kinks to work out.
 
 
Rare low ping lag
We’ve had some isolated cases of players experiencing more lag despite a low ping. We’re investigating if this is something to do with their particular set-ups, and it may be this issue may have been already partially or completely resolved by the zombie count bug discussed above. Either way we’re collecting data on this, but it only seems to affect a very small minority of the testers, and then only intermittently.
 
VOIP
Currently the in-game voip system seems to be bugging out a bit, applying high levels of reverb, has some compression issues, and other issues which prevent it from being clear and easy to understand. Since there will be a lot of multiplayer encounters where everyone isn’t in the same Discord call together, we really feel it important to make sure inter-player communication is solid before we release
 
 
Other stuff
Other items on the agenda, meanwhile, involve rare moments of ‘black boxing’ for some players where the map grid ahead of the player fails to load (though this is likely the same issue as the low ping lag), further improvements to close-up zombie combat between players and a bunch of smaller but still important to fix bugs due to the Louisville merge, for example as mentioned above, the zombie costumes going haywire.
 

 
It’s also worth pointing out at this point that PVP, while functional and playable, could use some big improvement both in terms of balancing weapon damage and syncing of player positions. It’s playable but not ideal, and a few fixes are on their way that may improve it further, but we’re feeling inclined to maybe address this fundamentally post release as it wouldn’t get in the way of the PVE gameplay that a lot of people will likely take part in, and it feels like delaying the entire of MP until PVP can be improved further would be unfair.
 
This leads us to the other item that we will be firmly underlining upon release. While it will be possible to create public servers, our strong recommendation for the initial MP release will be to play on co-op or on whitelisted servers, as until we can look into some anti-cheat measures, we anticipate public servers being vulnerable to those sorts of people who spoil everyone’s fun.
 
Our priority has been very much on making sure the game is playable as much as possible (like single player with high zombie loads, avoiding zombie lag and desync) and this goal has been at odds with making the game as anti-cheat as possible.
 
We think this is the right choice for how most people will choose to play, but will in the period post-release likely mean that public servers will not be the most secure places to be for avoiding griefers, trolls or cheaters.
 
As is now traditional, here’s a quick video of some testers making the journey into our version of Louisville. [Insert usual: ‘it’s not a 1-to-1 recreation, but still cool and huge by PZ standards’ disclaimer here].
 
 
 
Also here’s a few new weapon sound effects that have been dropped in by the Noiseworks crew, including the much desired bespoke frying pan sound the game has long needed. As usual the levels may continue to be balanced and tweaked prior to release!
 
 
 
This week’s featured image is Pat_Bren in a toilet. A changelist of all IWBUMS patches since the 41 beta was released can be found here. A general list of stuff added to PZ, and vids of features being worked on, is kept here – so you don’t have to plough through endless dev blogs for info. The Centralized Block of Italicised Text would like to direct your attention to the PZ Wiki should you feel like editing or amending something, and the PZ Mailing List that can send you update notifications once builds get released. We also live on Twitter right here! Our Discord is open for chat and hijinks too!

First off, a brief overview of where MP is at – followed swiftly by reportage from the guts of its development from Yuri and the MP Strike Force.
After (almost) five of the original six months we gave as a ballpark estimate for the 41 IWBUMS MP release, our much improved and stable MP feels like it is nearing completion.
 
The MP Strike Force coders and their dedicated QA team have been working largely undisturbed, and this week the wider team and a few select testers got their first play with it.
 
While there were a couple of easily fixable combat bugs still to be crushed that got in the way a bit at times (some of which were fixed between the test and today) the improvement over the previous test session back in July that showed us a delay was necessary was huge.
As such we still remain confident to say that we’re still on course for our original projection of (give or take) six months, and are really trying to make sure the first version falls into this year.
 
However, we’re sure that we won’t be throwing it out there in November. While what’s left seems manageable there are still critical bugs to resolve, larger player counts to test and various things to look at when it comes to connections with higher pings.
 
Also, while we’re hoping for a December release, we’re also mindful that after delaying it six months then if there was still some gremlin to crush in the approach to the holidays (and following that, the Russian holidays) when devs will not be around then we’d be very foolish to push it out of the door for the sake of it. That would not only undermine the whole point of this delay in the first place by releasing something broken or substandard, but also make for a lousy working Christmas period for both devs and support team.
 
So while the actual date is still up in the air, we have an internal ETA we’re working to. Right now the release date appears to be dancing around about a matter of weeks – even if the stars don’t align and we end up having to hold it in until after the New Year and Christmas (both Western and Russian).
 
We will break from our regular ‘MP news every month’ news policy in the next dev blog (in two weeks) to give a clearer picture of where we’re at with it all.
 
At this point we will also have a clearer idea of where our incoming other new features (city map, bendy roads, nu-foraging, new map system etc) will be landing in terms of them being in a separate build, or as a part of glorious new multi-feature package.
 
Here’s a quick video of some of our testers back in the build on Tuesday – a fair few of the bugs you might spot in this vid have already been fixed.
 
 
Now, over to Yuri for a more on-the-ground report:
 
This month we fixed a lot of bugs with the sound system, PvP, synchronising clothing, synchroninsing fallen players getting back up, zombie client ownership and much more. We also improved the attack range for remote zombies, car ramming and attack/hit synchronisation.
 
Our testers also looked at how split-screen works with multiplayer. The mode mostly works, though there are some crashes. This clearly isn’t a dev priority, but all crashes were video recorded, the logs were saved and reports were formed for later fixes.
 
Finally, we had big changes in networking protocol last month, the FakeClientManager was repaired and the processing of the SyncInjuries, the HitCharacter, and the PlayerUpdate packets was updated. This allowed us to do some load testing of the server, before opening testing up to the wider TIS team.
 
The server with 10 Gb RAM worked for 30 minutes with 32 fake clients exploring the map and killing zombies. We thought this was a good result.
 
 
 
 
MEANWHILE, ELSEWHERE
LV
Our version of Louisville continues to get fixed up (note! Not a direct recreation of real world Louisville – but huge by PZ standards. Please don’t expect to find your own house or place of work etc etc) with map bugs continuing to be quashed.
The primary time sink now being zoning new areas, ensuring that the right loot and zed outfits spawn in the right places, adding new food and clothing items relevant to the various new sorts of restaurants and shops and basically bringing it to the same level of variety and interaction as the rest of the main map.

MAP SYSTEM
The development of our new map system continues, with the current task being to bring our current ‘drawn by an artist’ maps and discovered survivor loot map system over to the new self-drawing future.
 
This means that we, and modders, can easily create our own lootable maps from the latest version of the in-game map – and decorate them, annotate them and size them however we wish.
 
 
 
FORAGING/SEARCHING
Finally, a few words on the new search mode that will be replacing our current foraging system. Here’s a quick vid of some urban searching/foraging – followed up with some deets on the current implementation supplied by Eris.
 
 
The loot and system has been overhauled completely with new items to find. Urban foraging has been added, as seen in the video above, and appearance rates have been increased since the early implementation.
 
Poison berries and mushrooms have been expanded upon with a random poison chance and power depending on level (which should never be zero percent) to compliment the existing system (there is still one guaranteed poison berry and mushroom based on item type) adding some risk to these items even when the poison item sprite is known. Players will still require the herbalist trait or book to reveal which berries/mushrooms are poisoned.
 
The Investigate Area Window
The Investigate area window is a recent addition which gives the payer information about the area they are standing in and the world (a horizon view) which relates to foraging.
 
The primary info visible on this window is the current time of day (as a sun/moon moving across the sky) and the current zone (as a silhouette background). These primary factors determine what may be found at that location.
 
Secondary info shown on the panel is the cloud level (rain and light levels) sky colour (ambient light) and fog level. These secondary factors relate to visibility and the chances for certain items to spawn (e.g. frogs are more common in the rain, but less common when it snows).
 
Search Mode Overlay
The player search radius is shown by the overlay circle on screen. The size shows how far a player could see a size 1.0 item at that moment. The circle radius is also dynamic based on speed, weather, light level just the same as spotting items. When a large, obvious item is visible outside the circle, the search radius will expand until it spots that item. Players must have search mode enabled to see forage icons.
 
Spotting Small Items
Search mode has been expanded to spot small items on the floor, any item under a threshold weight of 1.0 as well as dropped container type items. This allows the player to spot hidden stashes and small items (like car keys) in the world. Icons will only show when Search Mode is active.
 
Stashes
Annotated map stashes (hidden floorboards) support has been added for all floor stash types. Upon finding and visiting the annotated map location, it may assist in finding the hidden stash tile.
 
World Markers
World markers are added to icons to help show exactly where an item is on the floor relative to the player by showing an arrow icon when looking directly at an icon.
 
Other Stuff
In the modding world, there’s some rather audible delights in store from supremo audio modder extraordinaire Azakaela, creator of Survivor Radio. We’ll let the video do the talking but it’s super super cool to hear the world of PZ radio brought to life with such quality.
 
 
 
A changelist of all IWBUMS patches since the 41 beta was released can be found here. A general list of stuff added to PZ, and vids of features being worked on, is kept here – so you don’t have to plough through endless dev blogs for info. The Centralized Block of Italicised Text would like to direct your attention to the PZ Wiki should you feel like editing or amending something, and the PZ Mailing List that can send you update notifications once builds get released. We also live on Twitter right here! Our Discord is open for chat and hijinks too!

NEW
 
- The containers in the "Move to" controller context sub-menu are disabled if the container can't hold the item to be moved.
- During "Walk To" or other timed-action movement, allow the player to continue to move while aiming, instead of stopping.
- Added a radial menu for light sources that is accessed by holding the F key for longer.
- Added "Pan Camera While Driving" display option. This will move the camera in front of the car to give better vision of things ahead. Please give us some feedback how this feels. Some had issues with this previously, so the option is off by default. 
- Added recipe.StopOnWalk and recipe.StopOnRun script properties to the codebase to control whether the crafting action is interrupted by walking and running. Currently this is only used to allow inserting/removing batteries in flashlights while walking.
 

ANIMS AND MODELS
 
- Made male underpants smaller and to look like briefs.
- Made female bra strapless.
- Made the same changes to male and female zombie textures.
- Adjusted Bikini and Swimsuit texture to fit new female underpants and bras.
 

NOISEWORKS
 
- New weapon hit sounds:
 
        Axe, Wood Axe, Stone Axe
        Pick Axe
        Badminton Racket, Tennis Racket
        Hockey Stick, Lacross Stick
        Broom, Fishing Rod, Pool Cue
        Garden Hoe, Rake, Leaf Rake
        Shovel
        Snow Shovel
        Spiked Baseball Bat, Spiked Plank, Spiked Pick Axe Handle
        Baseball Bat
        Canoe Paddle
        Golf Club
        Plank
 
These also have a new setup where a regular hit sounds different from a hit that causes the attacked zombie to fall and a more impactfull killing blow.
 
- Added farming-related sounds for plowing, seeding, watering, and harvesting
- Adjusted the drinking sounds to fit the anims better.
- Further tweaks to busy sound areas - and especially with engine noise in and around zombie hordes. Please test!
- Addressed issues of lost / strange sounds during busy periods - such as during rain etc.
- Tweaked puddle footstep loudness (it was too loud still)
- Removed seagull sounds from towns
 

FIXES
 
- Fixed applying mildew cure to plants being broken.
- Fixed the player phasing through obstacles after climbing over a tall fence.
- Fixed Lua error SMetalDrumGlobalObject:update() when it rains.
- Fixed shoving zombies from behind sometimes causing the zombie to move toward the player.
- Fixed hitting a zombie that is getting up from lying face down flipping the zombie onto its back.
- Fixed killing a zombie that is getting up from lying face down creating a corpse on its back.
- Fixed the player's hit-reaction animation sometimes playing long after the attack happened.
- Fixed zombies finishing their bumped animation too soon, allowing them to get another attack quickly.
- Fixed playing two getting-up animations if the movement key is pressed after the animation has started.
- Fixed vehicle engines not taking damage if the hood is uninstalled.
- Fixed pan condition not resetting each time at FightStep:KillZombie in tutorial
- Fixed new pan not spawning if the player somehow does manage to break the pan at FightStep:KillZombie
- Fixed hiding the Set Alarm dialog due to the player position changing slightly after turning.
- Fixed highlighting useable parts of vehicles when the player is inside a vehicle.
- Fixed exception trying to place an item on the same square as a Car Battery Charger (or any object with no sprite).
- Fixed the controller focus remaining on a context menu after selecting an option with the mouse.
- Fixed a Lua error after pressing the 'V' key while a game is loading.
- Fixed not automatically reloading changed animation files.
- Fixed IndexOutOfBoundsException in JAssImpImporter.GetKeyFrameScale() with a test animation.
- Fixed "Could not find bone index for node name: "Translation_Data_$AssimpFbx$_Translation"" warning with a test animation.
- Fixed ISRadialMenu:setSliceTexture() calling setSliceText().
- Fixed the welding sound not stopping when building metal objects.
- Fixed zombies opening locked carpentry doors.

no way
 

 
VANILLA BUNNY SUITS LET'S GOOO

This map system looks amazing and I think you’ve done a great job tying it into the game and not making it an OP minimap/GPS system. 
 
Suggestions:
 
Only allow us to make marks on the map if we have something to write with. 
 
For MP: allow us to share our map data with fellow players. Have this only available if we are next to each other and it would require a timed action (and the copier needs something to write with) Or maybe allow us to share data over a distance if we both have walkie-talkie/radios? 

Hey all, before we get to the meat of this week’s blog a quick word on the 41.56 patch.
 
We had intended to release 41.56 last week but have been wrestling with some sound bugs that make noises cut out in ‘busy’ areas with a lot of zeds, rain, puddles, cars etc. It feels like we’re getting somewhere with it now, so fingers crossed we’ll push it out early next week.
 
Also in this somewhat intermediate build:
Fixes for some edge-case animation issues that, for example, would see a fallen character get back up and shove when the player didn’t want them to. Also: shoving zeds sometimes moving them towards you, zeds flipping onto their front or back when hit to ground, and zeds getting in an unfair quick attack sometimes if they’ve been bumped. New weapon hit sounds for: Axe, Golf Club, Baseball Bat, Rackets and Planks. New character models with improved/adjusted underwear to allow for some of the new LV outfits Adjusted the drinking sounds to fit the anims better.
Here’s a quick vid showcasing some of the new sounds, if you are an axe aficionado or a liker of planks. Or indeed a fan of our NEW RUDE PANTS and a few Louisville scenes. Please bear in mind that some of the audio might still require a balance pass – they are fresh in.
 


In more general ‘our version of’ Louisville news: testing, fixing, zoning and new zed outfitting continues. This week we also added in the ‘zed heat map’ that governs spawns in the new area, so it’s getting closer and closer to a properly playable area at this point.
 
Something else we haven’t mentioned before that’ll be released simultaneous to LV, meanwhile, is…

MAPDOID
Just to underline before we begin: plenty of people enjoy playing PZ without the following new feature, and as such it will be OPTIONAL with a range of different settings for it (more than shown today) available in your Sandbox options.
 
With that said right now every month Blindcoder’s (spoilerific) online PZ map gets half a million visits, while Eris’ minimap has quarter of a million known users.
 
It’s been clear to us for a long time that a fair proportion of PZ players would benefit from some form of in-game mapping system that’s been built to a) retain the hardcore nature of the game, and b) be configurable enough to suit both PZ vets and PZ noobs.
 
As such, for quite a long time, we have been experimenting with various different tech-side approaches to this behind the scenes.
 
Our plans for the future of PZ  (in terms of game systems, objectives, being sent to different locations on the game map, creating more and more cool ‘events’ to seek out etc) – will also benefit hugely from a system that we as developers can drop markers on, and where players can make their own markings and records. (Read on for a few given examples of this)
 
Finally, clearly, we’re about to drop our biggest and most complex game location yet into PZ – and to get the best of it (and to share discoveries between our players) the release of our version of Louisville seemed the best time for a new mapping system to make its grand appearance.
 
And so, without further ado, here’s a video of our new (optional) mapping system – built to be completely mod-friendly, and easily adaptable to suit community mappers.
 
In essence: the map ‘draws itself’ as you explore. You check it as a ‘timed action’, meaning you physically see the player taking out the map – rather than it be on an instant on/off toggle.
 
You can zoom out to see the entirety of the huge uncovered game map, and you can zoom back in to check out the parts of the map that your exploration has exposed.
 
You can then mark up items of interest, your safehouse, an area you’d like to come back to later etc. etc. using a system not dissimilar to the way you can currently leave markings on our current looted maps.
 
AS EVER PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS SYSTEM – IT WILL BE CHANGED AND IMPROVED FURTHER BEFORE RELEASE

A video showing the map functioning after a small amount of exploration, and some initial mark-up:
 
 
Another vid showing the same map after some exploration along a nearby road, and subsequent player mark-up:
 
 
A final vid showing you going for a drive on the same map. (NOTE: the map stores the last zoom level you used on it – it doesn’t always open on it being fully pulled back)
 
 
So, beyond the basic exploration that’s evident in these videos – what else will this system provide in future? Well: a shitload of cool stuff essentially, but let’s start with something that’s easy to imagine from the way the game currently plays.
 
[PLEASE NOTE: FOLLOWING CONCEPTS ARE GIVEN AS AN EXAMPLE, THEY AREN’T IN THE BUILD YET AND MIGHT NOT BE PRESENT IN INITIAL VERSIONS]
 
Currently in the game we have ‘metasounds’ that we use to move zombies around – you will know these as gunshots, distant screams etc. Using the new map system we will be able to have these as actual physical events on the map rather than virtual ones: we can put a ‘?’ in the general area of where your character heard a woman screaming from, and where the zombies are swarming towards, and should you explore that vicinity later on you might find zombies feeding on a female survivor with cool loot and a decent weapon for example.
 
We can also expand this to a variety of rare large-scale, and as yet not in-game, events that we can play in the new PZ soundscape for your character to hear – and then drop in a ‘?’ exploration marker for an area that you might like to explore. Your traits could also potentially help or hinder the accuracy of the area approximated on the map. (Hear a helicopter crash in the distance? Maybe head to the circled area on the map that’s temporarily showing the basic area where you heard it come down?)
 
Again, the above is an example of where we want to take this – but right now behind the scenes we are also revamping the looted ‘Annotated Survivor maps’ to work better with the new system (and Louisville, and modded maps) and having the ability to mark up potential areas of interest from this will be massive for creating variety in gameplay as we go on.
 
On top of this we (and modders) could potentially create objectives and map markers from messages heard over the radio system – or notes discovered in buildings etc etc. The list of potential applications is huge, and will finally create new reasons to fully explore all corners of the vast map (and vast new map) that our mappers have been building for so, so long.
 
The system, meanwhile, also allows for areas, certain sorts of buildings, or certain roads to be made visible should you loot a particular map. We’re not sure how specific we’d go with this just yet (or what game modes would allow for it) but the system also enables you to – for example – pick up a Spiffo’s Restaurant leaflet with a small map on it and then for this small area centred on a Spiffo’s restaurant to appear on your overall map.
 
With this in mind we might be able to encourage exploration to some of the more far-flung areas of the Knox Event that a lot of players never venture out towards. (Hell, a lot of players don’t even realise that our locations are all on the same vast map!)
 
It’s a hugely versatile system, and will open up many, many doors for the modding and mapping community also. Essentially with the release of Louisville (and the mapping system) we will also release a new version of WorldEd for PZ mappers – within this there will be commands for users to automatically add forests, water and buildings for an in-game map. However, right now folks will have to draw in roads manually. (Alternatively, a CartoZed image can also be used for the least amount of work.)
 
After so long without a mapping system we recognise that many will have grown used to playing without one, which is why you won’t have to use it if you don’t want to.
 
This said, we will certainly be building in new systems that use it – there will likely be MP applications to come, while our plans for both an objective-built story mode and wider systems featuring future NPCs will use aspects of the tech.
 
If you want to continue to experience the current map-free exploration game style, however, then we are 100% making certain that the option to turn it off is there. Likewise we are making sure that what the map can provide is as configurable as possible across both sandbox options and the game modes they’re tied to.
 
Our more sceptical internal testers have generally found it very engaging once they’ve got their hands on it, and we suspect that it will be hugely beneficial to most players’ survival experiences come its release.
 
This week’s collector of objects from Noah. A changelist of all IWBUMS patches since the 41 beta was released can be found here. A general list of stuff added to PZ, and vids of features being worked on, is kept here – so you don’t have to plough through endless dev blogs for info. The Centralized Block of Italicised Text would like to direct your attention to the PZ Wiki should you feel like editing or amending something, and the PZ Mailing List that can send you update notifications once builds get released. We also live on Twitter right here! Our Discord is open for chat and hijinks too!

41.55 Patch
 
NEW

- Added new 3D items + fixed some.
- Added a context menu for choosing which CD/VHS to insert into the device (when using a controller)
- Display CDs and VHS tapes in the Training Materials UI
- Updated main-menu credits.
- Updated community translations.

ANIMS
- Changed climb fence success anim to a quicker finish  
- Tweaked climb fence fail  
- Shaved off a few frames from Bob/Bob_StaggerBack_3m  
- Adjusted Bob_AttackPistolWhip02.X to same length as shoves  
- Tweaked head of Bob_WalkBwdAimHandgun.X to better blend with other anims  
- Shaved off some frames from Bob_StaggerForward.X  

MODDING

- Added optional vehicle.passenger.showPassenger=true|false parameter for iBrRus.
 When true, the player model isn't hidden when entering, exiting or sitting in that particular seat.

BALANCE

- Player running through a horde will now have greater chance of falling
- Full helmets less likely to fall from zombies attacks.
- Gave vehicles more engine force in first gear.

TRANSLATIONS

- Added translations for Boredom/Stress/etc notification text above the player's head.
- small delay when switching cd/tape on/off
- bzzt-fzzt and zap sound when switching on tape

SOUNDS

- re-balanced the whole reverb/direct signal mix
- tweaked the music volumes of individual tracks a bit (though there might still be more minute things to tweak)
- adjusted player and zombie footstep loudness 
- new scratch lacerate and bite assets with mix adjustments to make them stand out more
- new window thump sounds with 70% chance of additional window "squeak" layer
- first set of new door thumps, we're planning to add a condition parameter to change the sound based on door condition
- some mix adjustments to wind/rain 
- added some fake occlusion for the zombie voices based on their character inside / outside states relative to the players inside outside state until the occlusion system rework
- adjusted balance of finish sound to make them pop out more
- "fixed" the timing issue of the stomp -> head smash delay by delaying the stomp sounds 200ms in general
- turned down drink from sink sound, that was too loud
- fixed the glass breaking sound being too low
- adjusted ambient bed mix to reduce general air backdrop loudness
- made birds / wildlife a bit more sparse
- tweaked the standard car engine a bit
- reduced the volume of the car damage layer
- Added multistagebuild.CompletionSound, the sound that plays when a wall is upgraded.
- minor tweaks and balance
- Fixed some ambient sounds being controlled by the Sound Volume slider instead of the Ambient Volume slider.
- Play the Painting sound when painting signs.
- Added optional ISBuildingObject.completionSound which plays when finishing a carpentry or metalwork action.
- Allow a food item's CustomEatSound script parameter to be an empty string to play no sound instead of the default eating sound.
 This can be used when the animation will play a sound at the right time, instead of starting the sound at the beginning of the action.
- Smoking cigarettes plays the Smoke sound once during each animation loop.
- Updated scripts with BuildMetalStructureXXX and BuildWoodenStructureXXX sounds (they are not implemented yet).
- Play a breaking-object sound when picking up furniture fails.

FIXES

- Fixed hotdrink not working with some mug + double recipes. (Reminder: you need a mug with water to start a hot drink)
- Fixed the selected container in the Loot window changing due to the player turning while transferring items.
- Fixed untranslated Perk names in halo text when a new level is attained.
- Fixed endurance not being drained due to running during "Walk To" movement (or any automatic movement).
- Fixed Lua error trying to play a CD/VHS with the controller.
- Fixed the hotbar remaining hidden after unplugging player #1's controller and reverting to keyboard and mouse.
- Fixed (hopefully) random textures appearing when displaying corpses for the first time.
- Fixed a Lua error with commit 7143 "Fixed the selected container in the Loot window changing"
- Fixed auto-zoom while in a vehicle not respecting the enabled Display zoom options.
- Fixed attaching trailers to vehicles that were removed from the world after being replaced by smashed versions.
- Fixed missing comma in FertilizerEmpty item script.
- Fixed collision properties of stair pillars not being set properly after constructing stairs.
- Fixed "Index -1 out of bounds for length 8" exception in FliesSound due to negative z corpse coordinates.
- Fixed the position of the rotate-item prompt in splitscreen.
- Fixed IsoStove.doSound() exception that happens when a running stove is destroyed by fire.
- Fixed rotate-item prompt appearing when using a controller.
- Fixed the tooltip for the farming cursor and wall-upgrade cursor not being hidden after shoving.
- Fixed missing Tooltip_item_StackWeight (got lost in community-translation update).
- Fixed the Survival Guide being displayed when using a controller; it doesn't work with it currently.
- Fixed the Training Materials button overlapping other text with 3x font size and many traits.
- Fixed missing "/" characters in the Log Wall context-menu tooltip.
- Fixed crafted double-door objects losing some properties when opened (in particular, the thumpSound).
- Fixed missing Tutorial zombie noise, but temporarily using old TutorialZombie sound
- Fixed replacing roofs_accents_xxx sprites with the wrong burned-roof sprites.
- Fixed the Smash Window action being immediately cancelled due to the controller B button being pressed.
- Fixed displaying a context menu of CD/VHS choices when dragging an item to the Device Options window. It is only needed when using a controller.
- Fixed being unable to wash a single bandage in a bag (it wasn't transferred to main inventory first).
- Fixed Joypad tutorial
- Fixed various aspects of tutorial where people were going wrong
- Fixed inventory pane no longer stuck open after nullify mouse drag in tutorial
- Fixed right click menu working after nullify mouse drag in tutorial
- Fixed duplicate issue in more places, when dropping on other locations (ISInventoryPane + ISInventoryPage) in tutorial
- Fixed inventory pane no longer stuck open after nullify mouse drag in tutorial
- Fixed right click menu working after nullify mouse drag in tutorial
- Fixed bandanas providing far too much head protection
- Fixed some containers being rendered high off the ground after being moved by the player.
- Fixed zombies rotating to face the player during hit-reaction and stagger-back animations. This usually happened when hitting zombies from behind.
- Fixed zombies climbing through windows that are behind them. This sometimes happened after the player shoved a zombie into a window.
- Fixed a Lua error in the main menu after deleting the last savefile. The Continue and Load buttons were hidden but still accessible using a controller.
- Fixed some wrong calcul when doing multistage building, ending doing a lvl1 wall, upgrade to lvl2 having more health than a "pure" wall lvl2.
- Fixed placed 3D items being removed by the SandboxOptions WorldItemRemovalList 
- Fixed furniture not appearing when in a stationary car - this was caused by an optimization. Furniture will now only disappear if cars are moving at a middle-high speed.
- Fixed the "infected" flag on body parts not being set to false after a wound heals.
- Fixed an issue placing 3D items with the Double-sized Textures option turned off.
- Fixed the hotbar remaining visible after hiding all UI elements.
- Fixed item container being set to nil in some cases.
- Fixed 1-frame delay before corpse textures appear.
- Fixed the stove-running sound not stopping sometimes with two-part stoves.
- Fixed ingredients not going back to their original container when using the Crafting window.
- Fixed ingredients not going back to their original container sometimes when doing "Craft All".
- Fixed duplicate context-menu "Rest" options for tents.
- Fixed some instances of zombies turning while lying on the floor - needs further feedback.
- Fixed (hopefully) an "invalid direction" exception in BrokenFences

Hey all, it’s an MP Strike Force update blog this week – so here’s the latest from the test server.
 
We now have three coders from General Arcade working on Build 41’s multiplayer – alongside two dedicated QA operatives. Work primarily takes place in GA territory with regular code top-ups from the in-dev 41 codebase, though there’s clearly a lot of communication between our relevant QA and organisational peeps.
 
First off then, here’s a quick update from someone who has been playing it more than most – multiplayer QA chap Oleg. Welcome to the blog, Oleg!
 
“Multiplayer is quite solid at the moment. There are no critical errors that would lead to a crash, data loss or anything like that. I’ll be honest, right now it’s far more interesting for me to play in MP than on my own!”
 
“At this exact moment we’ve got some smaller problems with zombie corpses, synchronization of various animations and many and varied other issues popping up from areas throughout the MP game – so there is certainly still something to work on.”
 
“The difference between the game that myself and Mikhail started playing two months ago when we started QA and now is pretty big. In terms of the smoothness and synchronization of the movement of the characters, most of the animations, how pvp feels – all this stuff has changed for the better.”

“Big thanks to Yuri, Andrei and Aleksandr – and of course to TIS’s Sasha who has been a great go-between answering questions and raising issues between the teams!”
 
So that’s the baseline stuff but, as Jennifer Aniston once said in a commercial that half of the people reading this blog are too young to remember, “here comes the science”. Over to Yuri.
 
“Our focus this month has been in improving the synchronization of zombies between different players, and also in PvP.”
“Our QA team has been spotlighting bugs, and right now the majority of them aren’t zombie or player character related – but are in other areas of the game that need polish like throwable weapons/items, vehicles etc.”

“As such the focus of our next month of work will likely be in turning to these issues and fixing them up to raise the overall playability.”
 
So, right now, everything seems to be ticking over and on-track. We should have a clearer overall picture when we put out the next MP blog.
Some of the individual items fixed recently:
 
Zombies didn’t have the ‘alerted’ animation in MP when they heard a sound, leading to various issues and it not looking as good. Character sync accuracy was increased. The remote character makes less extra movements when turn around. Standing characters are now on the same square on all clients due to setJustMoved and isJustMoved functions being added. Further improvements to positioning through prediction points when players turn around, a new PZMath.roundFromEdges function and the threshold for starting and ending remote character movement being reduced. The algorithm for calculating the forecast of the player’s position has also been changed. Many and varied new debug tools Fixed gunshots happening twice at the end of zed bites.
    Many PvP upgrades and improvements starting with the calculation of damage in PVP – meaning that the game uses BodyDamage instead of Health for player hits now. Addition of sync for falling players in PVP. Fixed clothing on zombies sometimes disappearing after being killed. Fixed issues with bomb devices not causing damage to zombies. Calculation of damage from bombs had to be moved from server to client. Fixed an issue in which some zombies were not visible to the other player. Refactored a loooot of complicated things that the blog writer could not hope to understand.
    Zombies could get up if the remote player hit  the zombie first. Remote clients would see the zombie on the ground in different poses after each hit. Desynchronization when one player enters the an area where certain events caused by another player had already happened – for example if a zombie was on the ground, and a new player appeared the zed wouldn’t be lying down.
   
41.54


We are currently finalising 41.54 for a release to the IWBUMS public beta. The biggest items of note in this are the full Noiseworks sound revamp, the new VHS system and the placeable 3D models. You can read the full current changelist here.
 
Foraging needs some more time in the oven at the moment so that is being put back to a later build we’re afraid, while we are currently at 90% of our available 3D items sized, imported, tested and signed off – with the full range of food items most recently mixed in.
We’d like the full list of these in-game, and some important bug fixes, to go in before we release. So we’ll see where we have gotten to next week. Fingers crossed it’ll be good to go.
 
In the meantime here’s a quick vid of a wintry scene to whet your whistle.
 

Likewise we gave a key to the Noiseworks build to our good friend (and total PZ noob) Dean Cutty in the run up to 41.54’s release, and this is what emerged.
 

RJ would also like it mentioned that this week he’s also put in a nerf to the current 360 degree shooting from cars, will only allow shooting with one-handed guns when the car is in motion and other such weapons/driving polish.
 
NEXT BUILD
Also underway currently is the second phase of our work alongside Noiseworks, the amazing sound team redesigning our soundscape. This work will effectively straddle 41.54, which contains many of the new sounds mentioned below, and 41.55. Over to NW’s Michael Klier for some details on this.
 
“The next phase of the Zomboid sound overhaul will add new content to many other areas of the game – with our emphasis on the stuff heard most often by players while they play. There’s additional foley for player actions like climbing fences, tripping over obstacles, carrying heavy bags, cooking, smoking, UI sounds for map interactions… the list goes on.”
 

“We will also be adding new zombie voice sets, and the zombie voices in the context of hordes will be improved upon.”
 
“On top of this we will be adding even more content for melee weapons when it comes to weapon-specific hits/impacts to further build upon the general/generic melee set that was covered in the phase 1. The same will go for the firearms, which will have more specific weapon sounds for each available firearm as well as additional foley for things like shell drops. We are also currently redesigning some of the current firearms, like the shotgun, from internal tester feedback.”
 
“Something we want to include and redesign, but which will involve a fair degree more work with the TIS coders, is how sounds are affected by obstacles in the world. We want this to have more realistic behaviour, so sounds get occluded more or less based on the properties of the occluding obstacles.”
 
“Inside buildings for example, sounds should be occluded differently depending on there is a concrete wall between a zombie or the player or if there’s a wooden wall. In 41.54 the occlusion is a catch-all – if there’s something in between the player the sound is occluded.”
 
“And last not least the ambiance and music systems will further be improved upon.”
 
TILL NEXT TIME
Pat_Bren’s mod blog will return next week spotlighting on the remarkable Daegu map and our amazing Korean community, while in two weeks’ time the dev blog should be covering some of the 41.55 content we’re currently working on including a pretty cool cartographic feature. Till then!

 
 
A changelist of all IWBUMS patches since the 41 beta was released can be found here. A general list of stuff added to PZ, and vids of features being worked on, is kept here – so you don’t have to plough through endless dev blogs for info. The Centralized Block of Italicised Text would like to direct your attention to the PZ Wiki should you feel like editing or amending something, and the PZ Mailing List that can send you update notifications once builds get released. We also live on Twitter right here! Our Discord is open for chat and hijinks too!

Multiplayer coming out anytime soon? 
Ive been waiting almost a solid year just for iwbums multiplayer... 
Like cmon... release it unstable i dont think many of us care at this point...

Give us MP already! We've been waiting too long! We understand that you want to do everything efficiently, BUT: The game is in early access !!! We don't need quality! PLEASE! PLEASE GIVE US MP !!!
 

41.53 has been released on the IWBUMS Public Beta
 
PLEASE NOTE:
 
This patch includes a fix to a longstanding bug - we have always wanted to have the mouse cursor disappear when you prepare for a melee strike so that only the Iso-cursor is visible.

We have always wanted this as it will mean that new players find it easier to adjust to PZ's combat.

If you find this fix weird/annoying then we have also added a Display option to toggle it back to how it was before: "Show Mouse Cursor While Aiming".
 
NEW
 
- "Remove Curtains" works the way it used to, giving the player a Sheet.
- Added a tooltip to tell the player they'll get a sheet, and that they can pick up the curtains using the furniture tool.
(We may adjust sheet loot again in future by letting you take them off beds, or having more to loot in bedrooms etc)

- Don't display the option to plumb a sink if there isn't a water source overhead.
- Allow plumbing a sink if the water source is directly overhead (as opposed to requiring a square adjacent to the square overhead).

- Reverted the change that checked for tainted water in rain collectors connected to plumbed sinks. We intend to improve on this system at a later date.

- Added "Lock Cursor To Window" display option. This keeps the mouse pointer inside the window.  Alt-Tab must be used to switch applications.
 When enabled, the game renders its own cursor and the system cursor is hidden.

- Combined "Fullscreen" and "Borderless Window" options into a combobox with these three options:
   Fullscreen
   Borderless Windowed
   Windowed
 "Borderless Windowed" ignores the resolution set in the options. The window is resized to whatever the desktop resolution is set to.

- Hide the mouse cursor when the "iso aiming cursor" is visible.
- Added Display option "Show Mouse Cursor While Aiming".
- Force the mouse cursor to be visible whenever it is over any UIElement.
- Force the mouse cursor to be visible whenever the mouse-using player's context menu or radial menu is visible.

BALANCE

Increased the threshold at which you can't sprint because of clothing.
Reduced some RunSpeedModifier on some clothings.

FIXES

- Fixed being unable to turn off the alarm in the alarm clock from the UI
- Fixed VehicleEngineRPM.reset() NullPointerException.
- Fixed incorrect choosing of random mannequin outfits.
- Fixed (possibly) seams sometimes appearing between the masked parts of clothing textures.
- Fixed silent knife attacks that are in jaw-stab range when no jaw-stab occurs.
- Fixed being able to place furniture-curtains on top of sheet-curtains.
- Fixed garbage creation with calling UIElement Lua functions from Java.
- Fixed station wagon detail texture
- Fixed zed story issue by checking that all chunks covered by a zone story are loaded instead of only checking the north-west and south-east squares.
- Fixed null pointer with adding tent via stories.
- Fixed minor issue in the Display class.  It has no effect unless the game window resolution is higher than desktop resolution.
- Fixed sprint issue in tutorial

MOD SUPPORT

- Added OnWorldSound(x,y,z,radius,volume,source) event
- Added a check for an MP related change that broke the Supersurvivors mod.
- Added media/WorkshopTags.txt which contains all the allowed Steam Workshop tags for mods.

TECHNICAL

- Made triggerEvent() calls exit sooner when no functions are bound to the event being triggered.
- Fixed Linux ProjectZomboid64 failing to find the ProjectZomboid64.json file.
- Rebuilt Linux ProjectZomboid64 using up-to-date Steamworks API.
- Updated Windows Steamworks SDK to 1.51.
- Rebuilt Linux ZNet and RakNet libraries using Steamworks 1.51.
- Fixed translation IGUI_NeedToBeStandingInside appearing where IGUI_MustPlaceRoomRoof was needed.
- Added Linux docker.sh scripts.
- Fixed missing languages on MacOS.
- Added ISComboBox.setEditable() to allow filtering the choices in a combobox by typing.
 This is used in the vehicle editor and attachment editor to make them a bit easier to use.
- ISTextEntryBox.onPressDown() .onPressUp() and .onOtherKey() are passed the ISTextEntryBox object
 as the first argument.  Previously, .onPressDown() and .onPressUp() weren't passed any arguments,
 and .onOtherKey() was passed only the key that was pressed.  The change to .onOtherKey() is the only
 incompatible change.
- Added ISTextEntryBox.selectAll().
- Hopefully fixed fullscreen on MacOS