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Pitch Battle


EnigmaGrey

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Today we’re dropping a Build 38 patch (38.24) into testing that’s full to the brim of fixes that follows on from Monday’s 38.23. Our current course is to pack as much in there as possible and make sure it’s all working correctly so we can minimise disruption to MP servers upon public release.

 

Vehicle Build 24 is planned for release tomorrow. As well as fixing up some load errors this adds in differing engine volume stats for each vehicle (actual sounds to follow), adds in missing parking zones for the vehicle-free parts of the map (Rosewood, March Ridge, Dixie etc) and introduces the canonical in-game brands for vehicle type.

 

Build 24 will also be reintegrating the car wrecks we had in earlier vehicle builds with a better zonal spawning system. The plan is that we’ll have certain ‘lore’ traffic build ups on the edges of the map where survivors suffering from the first wave of the infection tried to get out of the Exclusion Zone prior to their zombification – which in terms of gameplay will also help us flag where the edge of the map will be when you’re out motoring. Elsewhere, meanwhile, there’ll be smaller pile-ups and abandoned cars that’ll spawn differently for each new game you play.

 

There’ll also be improved vehicle placement spawn (rich homesteads will have nicer cars), better terms for the different car parts you can tinker with if you play as a Mechanic and hopefully a fix for the several players who were experiencing an irl game crash after in-game one.

 

Build 24 will also introduce suspension and a tangible differences in vehicle control when you go off-road – dependent on the sort of car you drive, and the suspension condition hidden within it. You can see this in the following video, though as ever please be aware that this is its first iteration and we’re aware that the low condition suspension in the second half of the clip looks like it’s out of an old rap video and needs toning down:

 

 

 

In terms of the next vehicles build Yuri is currently integrating Mash’s damage textures into the game – which will add variety, and also visual clues into a vehicle’s general condition. Here’s a few vids showing how they’re currently looking on the mean streets of Muldraugh. Please note, however, that Project Zomboid cars will not be chameleons – and the colour changing is just an example of the governing code we’ve got going.

 

 

 

 

Finally here’s a quick vid showing aspects of all of the above, couple with some improved ‘line of sight’ mechanics that fit in better with the way PZ works – although we’ll be wanting feedback as to how much testers get on with it. Again, the vehicle spawn-rate here is from a debug mode.

 

 

 

Once 38 is fully patched (and we’ve also finished current tasks to make the dedicated server build work with our fancy new internal automated build processes) then we’ll be promoting the Vehicles build up the beta branches and into our accustomed IWBUMS beta slot as Build 39.

 

It’s been said before, but just so everyone’s on the same page – in the background to all this Bitbaboon Mark has the new animation code working with the vehicle branch on a toggle, so it can soon be present in a deactivated state throughout the rest of vehicle development.

This will ensure that we can start ‘turning on’ the various anims features so it all gets integrated as soon and as well as possible for the builds that follow vehicles. This will also make development of different concurrent builds backstage a lot easier in the mean-time, as well as maintaining test branches when they become needed.

 

This week’s zombie hooligans from Ziron360. 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 blogs like this and patch notes direct to your mailbox. We also live on Twitter right here! Our Discord is open for chat and hijinks too.

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Hiding cars "out of sight" I don't understand -.-

 

atm only Zombies are hidden out of sight wich makes sense and is needed for a game like this - but all enviroment pieces are and should be visible (as they are) - so why hiding cars? looks kind of ... well.. not good to see them pop up again and again...

 

if it is because of MP I would really be glad if you could make them only "get out of sight" in MP as for me in SP it would be really ennoying am immersion breaking :/

I know there is a car, it is not moving so I know it is still there even if I turn my back on it...

 

the DD is great guys.. but this "feature" is not cool -.-

Edited by King-Salomon
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Bad condition suspension should make car lower, and slower on offroad, but not jump like lowrider vehicle :shock:

Also it will be cool if we can respray vehicles in the game, with a various paints, to make it more personal

And finaly, pls add a colision to static objects and improve existing colisions of vehicles to make driving more realistic. 

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1 hour ago, myhappines said:

Also it will be cool if we can respray vehicles in the game, with a various paints, to make it more personal

If this becomes an option, I hope it's tied to a skill. A car painted by someone unskilled should have visible streaks and missed spots, while somebody who actually know what they're doing should be able to deck their ride in totally sweet flames and stars and stuff. Maybe paint a cool octopus on the hood.

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I think the whole thing with painting is not whole full on body painting but it would be better to paint symbols like you can on walls and signs. The basic skull, Cross, Star, etc would be better because it would be easier to identify cars that are yours, or if on multiplayer it possibly belonging to another clan!

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The whole thing looks amazing. I hope that my pc can run it tho, I sent the specs on my pc in another thread a few minutes ago and hopefully you guys are watching it right now. Lovely thing with the suspensions although yeah, they really did bring back the old style rap videos from the 90's. The new car damage textures look amazing as well, and I'd love to see in terms of animations zombies thrown on the hood of the car and cracking windshields and such, making it even more dangerous and depending on which type of car you'll chose to drive the odds of it getting rendered unusable. Not only that but I think that:

-Streetlights should become solid objects, along with a few other street decorations.

-Cars parts should be found in mechanic shops and storage facilities.

-depending on the speed of which you're driving the zombies will be damaging your car more or less.

-vehicle height will count in terms of zombie damage to windshield and hood while driving with average to high speed.

-siphoning (with a garden hose from either cars or the pumps themselves or using a siphoning kit).

Please make it so that we can siphon from the gas station after the power goes out. (using a hose maybe).

 

Otherwise everything from above seems amazing ! Good job as always and hopefully the fixes will help everyone out.

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While I'm impressed and grateful for the progress being made on vehicles, I have been wondering if any of the following features are going to be added:

 

  • Crash injuries
  • Car fires
  • Improvised car bombs
  • Box trucks and eighteen-wheelers
  • Tanks and military vehicles
  • Motorcycles
  • Bicycles
  • The ability to smash a car window to unlock it
  • The ability to hotwire a car
  • Vehicle deformation
  • Actual vehicle barricades
  • This: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UuJDDFuLQw
  • Ability to open garage doors to store vehicles
  • Car alarms
  • Construction vehicles
  • Armored cars
  • Vehicle-mounted guns

 

Any of that possible in the future?

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Oh my! So now we can have faulty suspension?

 

Well then, all I need is a grey sedan with good engine and transmission, a few dents on the sides, a slightly cracked windshield,  a faulty radio and no BLEEEP!ing suspension on the back, and I'll have perfectly recreated the trashy 98 Camry I drive...

 

This is an odd kind of immersion....... and I like it!

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On 10/20/2017 at 3:50 PM, Brex said:

While I'm impressed and grateful for the progress being made on vehicles, I have been wondering if any of the following features are going to be added:

 

  • Crash injuries
  • Car fires
  • Improvised car bombs
  • Box trucks and eighteen-wheelers
  • Tanks and military vehicles
  • Motorcycles
  • Bicycles
  • The ability to smash a car window to unlock it
  • The ability to hotwire a car
  • Vehicle deformation
  • Actual vehicle barricades
  • This: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UuJDDFuLQw
  • Ability to open garage doors to store vehicles
  • Car alarms
  • Construction vehicles
  • Armored cars
  • Vehicle-mounted guns

 

Any of that possible in the future?

I think they said they would add crash injuires, motorcycles, military vehicles (Doubtful tanks), Bicycles with anims, hotwire, vehicle barricades, Car alarms, opening garage doors, and armoring your cars. The other stuff I have no clue about.

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Because it depicts or at least it did on a scale the bigger picture of the apocalypse and possibly the scenario in which most people would like to either dream or imagine it as being, maybe.  Also it's pretty popular and has been somewhat following the amazing comics that have long since been the quench of thirst for Zed fans.

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56 minutes ago, Legoland99 said:

Because it depicts or at least it did on a scale the bigger picture of the apocalypse and possibly the scenario in which most people would like to either dream or imagine it as being, maybe.  Also it's pretty popular and has been somewhat following the amazing comics that have long since been the quench of thirst for Zed fans.

 

Don't get me wrong, I don't have a problem with people liking The Walking Dead. I have the graphic novels and watch the series (not as much recently, certainly the first 4 seasons). I just don't understand why people want to turn PZ in to The Walking Dead game, where you reenact the series.

 

It's been done. Think of something new and original people, rather than just copying the show.

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3 hours ago, OffitMan said:

 

Don't get me wrong, I don't have a problem with people liking The Walking Dead. I have the graphic novels and watch the series (not as much recently, certainly the first 4 seasons). I just don't understand why people want to turn PZ in to The Walking Dead game, where you reenact the series.

 

It's been done. Think of something new and original people, rather than just copying the show.

The majority of PZ players want to live out TWD universe.  Or most Zombie or Apocalyptic movies/tv shows period.  Find a group, be the "good guys", rebuild a community and kill the zombies and occasional bad guys in overly dramatic fashion.  

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3 hours ago, OffitMan said:

 

Don't get me wrong, I don't have a problem with people liking The Walking Dead. I have the graphic novels and watch the series (not as much recently, certainly the first 4 seasons). I just don't understand why people want to turn PZ in to The Walking Dead game, where you reenact the series.

 

It's been done. Think of something new and original people, rather than just copying the show.

 

You're implying that there's any originality left in the zombie genre. Even PZ isn't exactly fresh. The only really thing that sets it apart is the isometric style. Pretty much every other element in the game has been done before. There's nothing wrong with that, not if it's done well and not a complete ripoff. Just saying that nowadays the zombie genre doesn't leave much creative wiggle room. 

 

For the record, the last two zombie movies I saw that I thought were pretty unique were Train to Busan (Korean, for one thing, and taking place on a train) and Maggie (takes place AFTER the zombie apocalypse where the living defeated the undead, but just barely)

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15 hours ago, Brex said:

 

You're implying that there's any originality left in the zombie genre. Even PZ isn't exactly fresh. The only really thing that sets it apart is the isometric style. Pretty much every other element in the game has been done before. There's nothing wrong with that, not if it's done well and not a complete ripoff. Just saying that nowadays the zombie genre doesn't leave much creative wiggle room. 

 

For the record, the last two zombie movies I saw that I thought were pretty unique were Train to Busan (Korean, for one thing, and taking place on a train) and Maggie (takes place AFTER the zombie apocalypse where the living defeated the undead, but just barely)

 

I wasn't implying anything so please don't put words in my mouth. I never said PZ was the freshest thing since the Prince of Bel-Air, though I do find its a refreshing change compared the absolute dross most developers put out. You are correct in saying that besides its isometric style, pretty much every other element of PZ has been done before. However, what separates it from the other dross is the fact TIS solely focus on these elements (survival, zombies, the dread) and does them well, rather than relying on gimmicks essentially. Sticking to Romero style zombies, instead of ridiculous "special infected"  like practically every other recent zombie game on the planet.  Not having the zombies magically become super strong/alert at night (though I know there's a mod for that). Not having some ludicrous antidote or vaccine. Apart from PZ and Zombie Night Terror, every other zombie game I've played starts of well but contradicts zombie lore 101 by encouraging you to confront the horde and just ends with me feeling like an invincible Rambo with no real consequences for my actions. Confrontation should always be the last resort.

 

It boils down to this: What would you like PZ to be remembered for? The game that just ripped off The Walking Dead? Or a game that truly made you feel like you were in a zombie apocalypse?

 

On a side note, saying there is no originality left in a genre is quite naive and just a poor excuse for plagiarism as far as I'm concerned. Obviously there are themes and concepts that are universally borrowed (destroy the brain etc) but there are always those who push boundaries and bring new ideas to the table. I just wish people would stop trying to copy every stupid gimmick from The Walking Dead, as if its the standard of the zombie genre that everyone else should aspire to. 

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On ‎20‎/‎10‎/‎2017 at 9:50 PM, Brex said:

While I'm impressed and grateful for the progress being made on vehicles, I have been wondering if any of the following features are going to be added:

 

  • Crash injuries
  • Car fires
  • Improvised car bombs
  • Box trucks and eighteen-wheelers
  • Tanks and military vehicles
  • Motorcycles
  • Bicycles
  • The ability to smash a car window to unlock it
  • The ability to hotwire a car
  • Vehicle deformation
  • Actual vehicle barricades
  • This: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UuJDDFuLQw
  • Ability to open garage doors to store vehicles
  • Car alarms
  • Construction vehicles
  • Armored cars
  • Vehicle-mounted guns

 

Any of that possible in the future?

I'll try and answer some of the ones I have insight on but be aware I'm not privy to all the discussion that goes on around features and design! :P 

 

  • Box trucks and eighteen-wheelers -in a previous Thursdoid we previewed a WIP Fire Engine which is part of a larger pool of WIP vehicles. Balance is key if these larger vehicles were to be introduced, once we're happy with how the current crop of vehicles work and are integrated into the base game, the guys can make a judgement call on how larger, potentially over powered, trucks et al could be added.
  • Tanks and military vehicles -I will say straight away that I have not yet modelled a tank but there are some WIP military vehicles. Like with trucks, military vehicles have the ability to be game breaking and change the tone of PZ if they're introduced willy nilly. The Military are an important part of PZ lore so military vehicles will make an appearance at some point, I'm just not sure to what extent.
  • Motorcycles/Bicycles - I'll answer these two together. It would be great to add motorcycles and bikes however they introduce a side of things we've yet to tackle which is attaching player characters to vehicles and have them animate. At the moment, when a player gets into a car their  model vanishes, this would look all wrong with bikes and motorbikes and also be visually inaccurate. You also have the quandary of dealing with the player potentially getting knocked/falling off the bike. It opens a can of worms that can't be tackled until the anim system is working.
  • Vehicle deformation -I don't know how "expensive" vehicle deformation would be in the PZ engine, my gut feeling would be "high" but I'm no coder ;). From a model point of view I've tried to keep the models as low poly as I could whilst still trying to give the cars decent and distinctive shapes, I'm not sure they have enough poly's in them to start deforming them and still have them look ok. We could try but I think for the time being, our efforts are best directed elsewhere imo.  
  • Construction vehicles -Similar points to box trucks etc. I did look at construction vehicles when I was looking for ideas, they have a couple of challenges (tracks, moving parts), perhaps one for later down the line when we have other things sorted.
  • Armored cars -like The Presidents car "The Beast" or do you mean player made, reinforced cars? (or both!?) I haven't modelled a limousine as I've been concentrating on more "everyday" cars but I did wonder about something like that but that might be for later. Again I think the plan is to have the ability to modify your car with suitable car parts (last weeks Thursdoid) but to also add zombie protection stuff at a later date. That needs to be worked out once people are happy with the base mechanic stuff.
Edited by martingee
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