Is there any point being quiet anymore?

Mr_Lolz · 2013-04-06T13:39:55.000Z

With the decline of dynamic spawn and the new zombies that appear to see/hear much less, I’ve abandoned stealth and it seems to be working well.

Case in point: found a backpack in a house and make a few molotovs, sprinted to the gun store, loaded up two shotguns (one a saiga 12) with about 150 ammo and decided to go on a rampage.

Killed every Z I met, quickly clearing out the town centre. Blew up the Gas station then strafed around it, causing most Z to self-immolate, and shotgunning survivors. Result: by the dawn of the second day the town was practically deserted and I was out of shotgun shells.

This would NOT have been possible previously but now it is easy. I have been breaking windows, using grenades, spraying gunfire everywhere - no consequences. A vehicle would have made this even easier.

What is planned to prevent this in future?

LazyCat · 2013-04-06T14:44:56.000Z

As far I see in the code monsters have never responded to noise. With dynamic spawning they just spawned due to noise, but were not attracted by it. With static spawn then noise is completely irrelevant, unfortunately. I was just working on it today and manage to fix it few hours ago. Testing now. I think stealth and sneaking around is one of the better aspects of the game, so the noise as a game-play element makes it all that much more interesting.

Yeah, the game is actually pretty easy and empty after you figure a few thing. For example, all you need is a car to clear any town without a problem. And then when you can have any item you want, food and as much water as you wish you realize there is no much point in playing any more. There needs to be some kind goal, risks and rewards for exploring more and more area. Something that makes you go further and further, to search for something, to build or collect something. And as you progress monsters could become tougher or increase in numbers.

Protester · 2013-04-06T22:23:37.000Z

I think i like it this way. Less zombies=easier for humanity to rebuild. so what if you are the only human in the state, at least you don’t have to worry about getting wrecked in your quiet, renamed (and slightly more bad-arse) city.

Elissia · 2013-04-07T06:06:35.000Z

You’re sure about mobs not responding to noise? Because I can smack a wall and lure a bunch of dudes around a corner towards me pretty much constantly.

TaintedHolyWater · 2013-04-07T06:42:37.000Z

Don’t worry they still notice sounds. Go to town at night and shoot a gun. Question marks everwhere… unless you wiped out the town first. Then not so much.

I believe their going to have roving hoards of zombies to deal with the vacancy problem (An option I highly support!) so towns become sparsely populated but not empty. Don’t quote me on it though.

LazyCat · 2013-04-07T10:11:01.000Z

Elissia:

You’re sure about mobs not responding to noise? Because I can smack a wall and lure a bunch of dudes around a corner towards me pretty much constantly.

There is reaction system implemented, it’s just not complete and doesn’t work properly.

Anyway, are you playing dynamic or static spawn? Are you sure they haven’t seen you and can’t smell you?

Mr_Lolz · 2013-04-07T16:00:54.000Z

Z’s definately react (move toward) sound, and have for ages. the issue is that their behavior was changed recently, and making noise no longer = zillions of zombie spawn and destroy you.

Nighthawk · 2013-04-12T20:50:23.000Z

LazyCat:

all you need is a car to clear any town without a problem.

Cars are OP, frankly. They obliterate everything so long as you avoid steering into walls.

Need an anti-car zombie. Mebbe an explosive one that goes boom when killed, forcing you to either shoot it dead from a distance or do some crazy melee disarming maneuver ala Gears of War where you kick the explosive enemies away and use them as a weapon against other foes.

Part of me wishes the game was actually a real-time roguelike, and combat was less about finding a tiny hallway to take zombies down in and more about superior skill. But I should shut up because I’m getting off topic.

asdfzxc · 2013-04-13T18:22:55.000Z

Nighthawk:

Cars are OP, frankly. They obliterate everything so long as you avoid steering into walls.

And if you have a military truck and ~60 road tiles to accelerate, even the walls won’t slow you down.

Benedict · 2013-04-13T18:43:56.000Z

asdfzxc:

[quote=“Nighthawk, post:8, topic:706”]Cars are OP, frankly. They obliterate everything so long as you avoid steering into walls.

And if you have a military truck and ~60 road tiles to accelerate, even the walls won’t slow you down.[/quote]

Much like the nethack devs did for pudding farming, I suggest our devs introduce a brutal and effective penalty for anyone using a vehicle to clear out an entire town.

It’s called using a car to clear out an entire town.

sodapop · 2013-04-14T06:30:12.000Z

Nighthawk:

[quote=“LazyCat, post:2, topic:706”]all you need is a car to clear any town without a problem.

Cars are OP, frankly. They obliterate everything so long as you avoid steering into walls.

Need an anti-car zombie. Mebbe an explosive one that goes boom when killed, forcing you to either shoot it dead from a distance or do some crazy melee disarming maneuver ala Gears of War where you kick the explosive enemies away and use them as a weapon against other foes.

Part of me wishes the game was actually a real-time roguelike, and combat was less about finding a tiny hallway to take zombies down in and more about superior skill. But I should shut up because I’m getting off topic.[/quote]

Did you play Dead Rising? The bane of the car in the underground tunnels in that game were the zombies pushing propane tanks, since they explode and could wreck your delivery van right in the middle of a gang of zombies.

Iosyn · 2013-04-14T15:11:08.000Z

Dynamic spawn on: Yes
Static spawn on: No.

Used to love inconspicuous and light step, but with static they’re kinda irrelevant.

Nighthawk · 2013-04-14T20:32:55.000Z

sodapop:

[quote=“Nighthawk, post:8, topic:706”][quote=“LazyCat, post:2, topic:706”]all you need is a car to clear any town without a problem.

Cars are OP, frankly. They obliterate everything so long as you avoid steering into walls.

Need an anti-car zombie. Mebbe an explosive one that goes boom when killed, forcing you to either shoot it dead from a distance or do some crazy melee disarming maneuver ala Gears of War where you kick the explosive enemies away and use them as a weapon against other foes.

Part of me wishes the game was actually a real-time roguelike, and combat was less about finding a tiny hallway to take zombies down in and more about superior skill. But I should shut up because I’m getting off topic.[/quote]

Did you play Dead Rising? The bane of the car in the underground tunnels in that game were the zombies pushing propane tanks, since they explode and could wreck your delivery van right in the middle of a gang of zombies.[/quote]
Never played Dead Rising, but that sounds exactly like what should be in Cataclysm.

Soyweiser · 2013-04-15T05:57:53.000Z

Sigh. Sound based spawns is off for zombies only. Drive your noise car through a swamp will still get you … swamped.