C:DDA Design Outline

KA101 · 2014-06-23T23:08:51.000Z

[quote=“Hague, post:20, topic:5276”]Okay, this is a thread revival, but I’m trying to be exactly clear on the theme here. The sense that I’m getting from the design outline is basically a cross of 28 Days Later, Transmetropolitan, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Am I missing anything else?[/quote]

Sticky thread is sticky, so feel free.

I’m vaguely familiar with the ideas behind 28 Days Later. Never seen Transmetropolitan, and TMNT is something I played on the NES. Can’t really help you, sorry.

Hague · 2014-06-24T00:22:47.000Z

28 Days Later was zombies infected by a blood-borne virus. Not decayed, but rather people in a state of needless homicidal rage.

Transmetropolitan is basically: “High-tech, Low-life” The wonders of technology are great but the value of human dignity and quality-of-life are practically zero. Anti-heroism is the closest thing this world gets to ‘hero’ and nobody really cares about what day or time it is. It’s basically all rampant victimization by authorities and the media that covers it up. Though, Transmet is farther in the future, but it’s easy to see that the pre-cataclysm world is shaping up to be just like it.

As for TMNT, it’s basically the premise of fast-acting body-changing mutagens. The Turtles themselves being a product of exposure to Mutagen. Also, the extra-dimensional invaders and space alien stuff

KA101 · 2014-06-24T00:48:21.000Z

[quote=“Hague, post:22, topic:5276”]28 Days Later was zombies infected by a blood-borne virus. Not decayed, but rather people in a state of needless homicidal rage.

Transmetropolitan is basically: “High-tech, Low-life” The wonders of technology are great but the value of human dignity and quality-of-life are practically zero. Anti-heroism is the closest thing this world gets to ‘hero’ and nobody really cares about what day or time it is. It’s basically all rampant victimization by authorities and the media that covers it up. Though, Transmet is farther in the future, but it’s easy to see that the pre-cataclysm world is shaping up to be just like it.

As for TMNT, it’s basically the premise of fast-acting body-changing mutagens. The Turtles themselves being a product of exposure to Mutagen. Also, the extra-dimensional invaders and space alien stuff :P[/quote]

Ah.

Zeds are an otherdimensional blob (as seen in the slime pits) using the bodies to get around. I tend to think of mutations to non-zeds as happening more in the Parasite Eve line/timeframe, but I could understand how that might resemble the Turtles. IIRC they were more full-body mutation rather than the piecemeal we have here. (Instant threshold, more or less.)

Hague · 2014-06-24T03:05:30.000Z

The mutagen had problems too. There were other, less successful applications of copies of the TMNT mutagen, if I recall, half-formed sorts of things, chimeras and the like.

Parasite Eve… takes me back to climbing the Chrysler building… only to be greeted by a relatively terrible ending

Bumpkin · 2015-04-15T00:41:52.000Z

The doc says “No bad mutation chains because they’re useless padding” but how would devs feel about one that was included purely for lore-reasons, to enhance the feeling of pre-Cataclysm dystopia? Something intended to work like Brave New World’s epsilon class, a mutation which heavily gimps and retards you with literally no benefit ; but it comes with notes/documents scattered around the lab explaining that it was designed to create a sub-class of unambitious, short-lived, illiterate, borderline-retarded workers for the most menial labours? A class that would never grumble or protest or revolt against the ruling elites and waste precious resources being suppressed.

It obviously wouldn’t have value to a player and I’m sure nobody will go around cooking Epsilon Serum, but it’s inclusion could greatly enhance lore/atmosphere and remind people just what a pack of amoral bastards those pre-Cata scientists were. What do you guys think?

KA101 · 2015-04-15T05:22:04.000Z

Notes, sure, though that research would be spotty at best. Actual mutations, no, because folks would be unlikely to take them.

Shoes · 2015-11-16T14:22:43.000Z

I searched “inventory” and “container”, but that document has no hits. I know Kevin has some ideas developed for what he wants; assuming this document is still being maintained and pointed to as a content guide, perhaps something could be added in regards to that? I’ve also searched git and the forums, but the keywords are vague and a lot of stuff comes up.

I would love to say that I would work on it given a developed frame of ideas, but I think it would surpass my expertise :3

burgerpro · 2015-12-03T06:51:31.000Z

Will there ever be realistic landscape? Or everything will be flat forever?
I understand that it will require lots of work, complete rework of terrain generation, buildings, vehicles, npc and mob behaviour, but in exchange it will grant ability to make interesting vehicles (double decker bus, monster truck, giant robots, maybe even flying vehicles), grant ability to use landscape to hide/cover from enemy fire, make use of elevated terrain to scout/snipe enemies, design stuff with flowing water and lava, water wheels, etc etc etc.

kevin.granade · 2015-12-03T07:07:23.000Z

3D map handling is being worked on, mostly by coolthulu.
Once that is fully working, many of the features you mention will be possible.

ZoneWizard · 2015-12-16T00:01:30.000Z

[quote=“Kevin Granade, post:29, topic:5276”]3D map handling is being worked on, mostly by coolthulu.
Once that is fully working, many of the features you mention will be possible.[/quote]

By chance anything like the current UnReal World game? It looks flat at first but gets pretty nice for stealth and archery.

knightkat · 2016-11-18T15:36:55.000Z

Not sure if this is the best place for this question, but do you have any general design document outlining the underlying procedural generation techniques that are used? I’d also be interested in how the AI is implemented and the mechanics of the crafting system.

In terms of the crafting system I took a look at the data/raw/items section and was wondering if you were planning to implement any form of procedural system for that rather than an explicit list.

This is all just for personal interest more than anything.

Thanks,

KnightKat

kevin.granade · 2016-12-10T23:43:25.000Z

Afraid not with the procedural generation, frankly I wouldn’t look to dda for a good example of procedural generatiin, it’s all very as hoc and messy, there’s not much in the way of solid theory behind it.
No plans currently to do any procedural generation of items, monsters, etc, it would be rather difficult to harmonize procedural generation with wanting to be representative of real world items.

Coolthulhu · 2016-12-11T00:04:42.000Z

It would be fine for crafted items, though.
For example, we have those kinds of spears: wooden (fire-hardened), stone, copper, knife.
For monsters, having templates like young, monstrous etc. would add some flavor to the game.

Due to lack of recipes, wool is pretty useless as a material. Allowing it to substitute cotton would actually allow making it useful.
Even if it was as simple as just generating a duplicate entry with cotton replaced by wool and tiny adjustments to warmth.

The items in the game are only as representative of real world as their uses are. If an item is made useless by game mechanics (but useful IRL), it won’t be representative until it becomes useful. In this case, wool is useless because of limited recipes and mild winters.

Rising_Star · 2017-07-17T07:46:34.000Z

So, hi. Just out of curiosity…how relevant is this roadmap now? As someone who’s been playing the dev versions on and off for a few years, and I’ve been looking forward to the stuff past the basic Survival stage, like dealing more directly with stuff beyond zombies, maybe even getting to traverse the shimmering portals (or send in a drone, or something.) Or just more peaceful/non-combat interactions with the world, even, especially since NPC mutants are now a thing. Really, the thought of a gradual transition into a more fantastic game world is pretty exciting. Thanks!

kevin.granade · 2017-07-21T01:59:16.000Z

Its still quite accurate (i just re-read it briefly) as far as our intentions for development direction, though some priorities have shifted (we dont have anyone strongly championing mutations or martial arts at the moment).
I’d have to spend some serious time to evaluate how soon specific features could be expected, and I don’t have the time at the moment.

End_Transmission · 2017-07-31T17:55:36.000Z

“Low-intensity” is literally the dead last way I would ever describe C:DDA, but having read YOUR definition of it, I see what you guys mean.

I don’t think the actual game is anywhere near there, because I’ve run 50+ experiments on trying to subsist peacefully in the woods that have ended with me being mauled to death by a zombie bear or smashed into chunks by a zombie hulk or had my legs melted off by acidic zombies in town looking for a gun enough of high enough caliber to prevent the former from happening or ripped apart by ants somewhere from point a to point b (I think you get my drift here) all of which is pretty fucking INTENSE, but I quite enjoy where the actual game is at, so I’ll withhold my suggestions on how to make it “low intensity” in the sense you guys seem to mean it.

By the way, skimmed, did not read. Tried to avoid some of the spoilers while still getting a peek at the underlying design philosophy. Very interested in the world lore and how much of it can be learned in-game.