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A few things before multiplayer


Zorak

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I'm looking forward to multiplayer for build 41. I agree with the devs that this is a big chance for PZ to grow. New players are important, but also making them stay for longer is a key aspect. The game has some issues that may affect its playability in multiplayer. Things that are a challenge in single player may not be so hard with a group of friends. If we have some more time before multiplayer release, perhaps it's the right time to address some of those problems ?


 

I know that many of those issues will be addressed in next builds, but here are a few suggestions that might improve the game and with an addition of MP make the players stick to it for way longer.


 

1st issue : lack of end game


 

It's a good known one, each update adds more things to do but once we get MP people will be reaching end game way faster. If some players can clear out the whole town, a group will also do that, and way faster. My idea to increase the difficulty is to add some more, zombie related scripted events.

1st one is the horde attack. The game will search for player bases (where players stay, where they gather loot, where they sleep) and from time to time spawn a horde aimed directly to that base. The more players we have the more frequent that be, more zombies etc. This will add another "helicopter like" event.

Another idea is the herd (TWD related). It's just a huge horde of zombies moving randomly from one edge of the map to another. This is an end game challenge, until NPCs ofc. If you get unlucky, the herd might go straight through your base, forcing you to make a really hard fight or flee. Ofc in both situations, you may patrol the surrounding area to spot a horde / herd and try to redirect it away from your base. But it will give players things to do in late game.


 

Based on other online RPGs / MMOs, players love to collect stuff. Another simple solutions for them, might be to add item quality. I'm not talking about magic, but a simple fact that the same item made by a different company might have different properties. Let's take a hammer as an example. We can make 3 different quality levels to it, like a cheap hammer, hammer (normal) and sturdy hammer. They will still work like a hammer, but they can have slightly different weight, swing time, durability, damage etc. Nothing game breaking, more like 10-20% difference, but I'm sure that people will spend more time hunting for "the perfect gear".


 

The other concern I have is the accessibility for the new players. We have a tutorial, but it's the basic one. How about adding wiki – like information in in-game books. For example, if your character is reading a carpentry book, you can also open an in-game window with more advance info about that occupation. So the new players will learn with their characters at the same time.


 

So, what do you think ?

 

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9 hours ago, burbigo1 said:

Hey, what do you mean by lack of end game 

 

After you've cleared the area and barricaded yourself in the base there's not much to do. Zombies appear sporadically, and most of the time players stop playing PZ at this point.

When multiplayer comes out, players will be able to build a self-sufficient base even faster, and unless they find a new target or threat themselves, the game will be very boring.
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But helicopter is one time only event.  it is also the most famous event that everyone writes about, and there are guides on how to deal with it. I consider it one of the most interesting and significant events. It is a pity that we only have this one.

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Also just wanted to add that if you get the emergency broadcast to know when the helicopters coming and stay inside the entire time it comes by it won't bring any zombies to you. Requires staying inside for a day/2. Having done this in my most recent save it does still move a lot of zombies about meaning they will migrate to places where there weren't any previously but it's nowhere near as much of a game changer.

 

I would say if you're worried about a lack of end game maybe set the peak day to a very late date, the peak multiplier very high and the respawn rate quite high to give a higher level of constant threat. That would make it so that, even once you're fully set up, you've still got a long way to go until it's even at its worst.

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I totally agree lack of end game problem, but I don't think it must be a zombie related event, can be toxic fog or fixing weather broadcast system like the mod offered, anything can force the player leave the base is ok for me. 

I was also thinking about player can try to find out what is this world going on, what is the virus,

where does this happened, who is the patient zero, but I don't think there is a chance to save the world, since the game need to stick to "This is how you die".   

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I dont believe in simple solutions like "just send some op hordes" or "just do some acid rain events". Randomly killing players or just overrun their base by event doesnt make it exciting to rebuild over and over again. Thats the gamemechanic of a towerdefense.

Only because there is no endgame or storyline in the actually game dont ask for easy and simple solutions.

 

Do it once, do it right!

 

-the legendary items concept like example Diablo 3 with the gray-white-blue-purple-green-golden-red classified items with different randomly rolled stats is a good idea and can be implemented to many type of games to extend the tension of looting. In a more realistic way like mentioned above for sure. Its really enjoyable to find the same item over and over again with different stats on it. Good mechanic, realistic, comprehensible, relative easy to do i think (lol) and adds a lot to the game.

 

-Quests. Storyline is a gamemechanic since there text RPGs on C64. Increasing difficulty, size and quality is a clear marker for early- mid and lategame. Together with a rare legendary items system in combination you can enjoy farming some lategamemissions over and over again to gear up to the max. What should i say about quests? Captain obvious is here.

 

-NPC is my favourite. Rescue them, bring them home, they need a room, a bed, a storage, food and a purpose. There is so much possible in imagination. Bandits, agressive and friendly humans, traders, questsources, passive and active ones and the ultimate dream build a big sim city settlement with a functioning economy. Again in combination with quests escort them, kill target, steal from them, bring anything to them, defend them, tons of possibillitys to make different interactions with them.

 

There is 1 point i want to mention. I had this mind from "7days to die" and i think PZ couldt have the same struggle easy.

Usually you start a game very easy in the tutorial, then you get your first little challenge, then the game faces you with the permanent increasing difficulty until you come near the unbeatable endboss and everthing around the end is very very hard.

In zombie games its exactly twisted around. You start naked, you face the endboss instantly when you join a new game and with every progress you do you come closer to the tutorial difficulty stage.

 

You have to break this loop of the game is getting easier over time. The common gamesense of getting harder with progression has to be implemented in any way. Its even harder because the game wants to start as hard as possible but want to be hard in lategame too, so it has to be a complete different challenge, like playing 2 different games at once. While beating the first one you go further in the other one wich faces you with other challenges.

 

good luck team, love your game so far, pls bring MP.

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