7 Days to Die [Official Site] is a Zombie survival and building game from The Fun Pimps, it's come a long way since the initial release and a new version is due next week that's absolutely huge.
According to sources in their "Stream Team" it will release on Monday and the changelog is utterly insane.
Here's some highlights:
They have a new distant location rendering system, which will render low-polygon versions of what you see in the distance. This makes it easier to find things in the distance, makes the world feel bigger and actually looks reasonably good.
They've added tons of new locations including: 4 new skyscrapers, houses, firestations and plenty more. The world will end up having a lot more variety thanks to this.
Zombie spawning has been massively improved to be much more dynamic, so you would get utility worker zombies in a maintenance area and businessmen zombies would spawn in offices. Zombies also spawn in different locations each time now, giving each new game a different experience.
The game now has a completely functional electricity system with a wiring tool, power sources, lights, switches, triggers, traps and more. So you can be even more inventive with your defences.
There's a lot more like new Zombie types, re-done animals, full gamepad support, new loot and just masses of content.
You can see some gameplay of Alpha 16 to see what's to come below:
I just hope that this time around, that the Linux version has seen some actual testing. As they've broken it a few times for Linux gamers now. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
According to sources in their "Stream Team" it will release on Monday and the changelog is utterly insane.
Here's some highlights:
They have a new distant location rendering system, which will render low-polygon versions of what you see in the distance. This makes it easier to find things in the distance, makes the world feel bigger and actually looks reasonably good.
They've added tons of new locations including: 4 new skyscrapers, houses, firestations and plenty more. The world will end up having a lot more variety thanks to this.
Zombie spawning has been massively improved to be much more dynamic, so you would get utility worker zombies in a maintenance area and businessmen zombies would spawn in offices. Zombies also spawn in different locations each time now, giving each new game a different experience.
The game now has a completely functional electricity system with a wiring tool, power sources, lights, switches, triggers, traps and more. So you can be even more inventive with your defences.
There's a lot more like new Zombie types, re-done animals, full gamepad support, new loot and just masses of content.
You can see some gameplay of Alpha 16 to see what's to come below:
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I just hope that this time around, that the Linux version has seen some actual testing. As they've broken it a few times for Linux gamers now. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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The comments on this article are closed.
Play this Game since Linux Support.... The Alpha 16 is much slower as the Alpha 15.
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Quoting: scaineI haven't tried it yet, but the A16 experimental is now available.
Instructions:
1. Open Steam
2. Right click ‘7 Days to Die’ and select properties
3. Select the ‘BETAS’ Tab
4. Under ‘Select the beta you would like to opt into’ choose latest_experimental
I'll report back if there are any breakages. Hopefully not.
[Edit: I played 30 minutes, new game, in a desert. Distant water is purple, but otherwise it's working perfectly.]
I have currently got two decent gaming rigs, and on my older rig I've been playing Alpha 15. Yesterday night, I was playing the brand new experimental Alpha 16, on my new rig. I played it from the start, for about 4 hours.
Like various youtube bloggers have been saying: Graphically it's better. There are more varied enemies. The buildings. The sleepers.
I did find it a little harder than I'd been expecting (now I'm a 200+ hour player), so complete beginners might find the early game quite a struggle (if you play on the defaults). On Alpha 15 I didn't even see a dog enemy for about 2+ game weeks of play. On this play-through, I saw vultures and bear on day 1.
Overall it's a pretty good improvement on the previous version. I think I might have to start again, with another fresh attempt. Maybe I'll do a random generated map too... Hmmm.
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A lot of the game has been re-balanced: wood is hard to collect early game, animals provide a lot more meat, craft spamming no longer works, skill tree changes.
I'm finding it much more challenging than A15. There are a lot more, and larger, wandering hordes. Wolves are fairly common and can be difficult to deal with (the AI isn't quite right which makes it slightly easier to handle). In the first week I ran into the new dire wolves and several bears (who I luckily avoided).
For reference, my last A15 game I was on day 121 and hadn't died once. In A16 I'm on day 11 and have died 3 times (all wolf deaths).
The 7th day horde was a bit of a joke. I had a harder time with the wandering hordes. I only had to deal with 3 zombines, at most, at a time. I probably could have done it on the ground.
There is a bug in sleeper zombie spawning, or I haven't improved enough of the POI I'm in. Every now and then a half-dozen or so sleepers spawn in my base building.
I'm finding it much more challenging than A15. There are a lot more, and larger, wandering hordes. Wolves are fairly common and can be difficult to deal with (the AI isn't quite right which makes it slightly easier to handle). In the first week I ran into the new dire wolves and several bears (who I luckily avoided).
For reference, my last A15 game I was on day 121 and hadn't died once. In A16 I'm on day 11 and have died 3 times (all wolf deaths).
The 7th day horde was a bit of a joke. I had a harder time with the wandering hordes. I only had to deal with 3 zombines, at most, at a time. I probably could have done it on the ground.
There is a bug in sleeper zombie spawning, or I haven't improved enough of the POI I'm in. Every now and then a half-dozen or so sleepers spawn in my base building.
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Full agree with g000h and rcrit there - A16 is waaaaay harder. The vultures are everywhere and kill on two hits, often causing bleeding too. You now only reap 2-3 wood on hit, instead of A15's 8-9. I didn't know they'd killed spam crafting as a leveling mechanic, but glad they have - nothing more tedious than making then scrapping hundreds of stone-axes, no matter how realistic that is.
Snakes everywhere, lots of wolves and bears, occasional dogs, sleepers, new zombie types - great variety. The game feels darker too in unlit areas, which is good. I'm really liking the distant terrain - it makes the world feel massive and you no longer have to wander aimlessly - just find some high ground and look around. I also found my first proper cliff - a river valley. If I'd fallen in, I'd have to follow the river for what looked like a long way to get out again, assuming I didn't die in the fall. Also, traders. That'll be fun later, especially in multiplayer.
I find that the stealth even seems to work a little now. I can sneak up on zombie quite close before I'm noticed.
Overall harder, but a huge improvement.
Snakes everywhere, lots of wolves and bears, occasional dogs, sleepers, new zombie types - great variety. The game feels darker too in unlit areas, which is good. I'm really liking the distant terrain - it makes the world feel massive and you no longer have to wander aimlessly - just find some high ground and look around. I also found my first proper cliff - a river valley. If I'd fallen in, I'd have to follow the river for what looked like a long way to get out again, assuming I didn't die in the fall. Also, traders. That'll be fun later, especially in multiplayer.
I find that the stealth even seems to work a little now. I can sneak up on zombie quite close before I'm noticed.
Overall harder, but a huge improvement.
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Quick update - if you add
-force-glcore to your launch options, you'll lose the purple water, at least at high quality. Much better. Very impressed with this release so far, even with the various reported issues.
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Quoting: scaineQuick update - if you add -force-glcore to your launch options, you'll lose the purple water, at least at high quality. Much better. Very impressed with this release so far, even with the various reported issues.Sounds like they haven't updated their Unity engine for a while then, don't think that's even an option in newer builds?
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I'm a little bit funny about reading people's game comments which divulge game content, which may subsequently impact my own gaming experience. Part of my fun playing 7 Days To Die Alpha 15, which I installed 2 months ago, was the fact I didn't know anything. Any review or comment that adds game-play advice or what to expect is potentially fun-destroying for someone else. I definitely get annoyed when people talk about the end of a game (similar to talking about the end of a film) before I've played it (or seen it).
The reason I wrote the above, is I'm now going to talk about things in the game - which might spoil someone's enjoyment. I have put it in Spoiler quotes just in case:
This one isn't a spoiler: This game is very addictive!
The reason I wrote the above, is I'm now going to talk about things in the game - which might spoil someone's enjoyment. I have put it in Spoiler quotes just in case:
Spoiler, click me
Okay, so now you're here I might mention something which might spoil 7 Days To Die for you, a newbie player.
Right, so here are my various Alpha 16 (on Linux) findings so far:
Needed to do the -force-glcore launch option to fix the purple water problem.
Playing as a long term player of the Alpha 15 game, I quite like the re-balancing of various things, but it is definitely harder. If I hadn't played all the previous hours, I'd have found it very punishing as a new player. Hell, I'm finding it punishing as an experienced player.
You clear out a building of sleepers, loot the place, make it into your base (drop sleeping bag inside), and live there for a few days. Then you find a better place to have a base, so you pack up some of your kit, take it to the new base. Return to the old base, next morning, and BAM it is full of sleepers again. This suggests to me that every visit to a building in the new Alpha 16 and it gets repopulated with sleepers. I mean, it's okay, but verges on unrealistic for me.
Out and about - In the first few game-days of play, I'm seeing dogs, wolves, vultures, and bears. As well as lots more of the regular zombies. As an experienced player, I am used to scanning around, listening for zombies, but this is a lot more populated with zombies than it used to be. And wolves, dogs, bears, vultures can easily be lethal. In my Alpha 15 play-through, I don't think I faced a dog until about 3 game-weeks into the game. And then, it was a single one, and I got killed. Now, I'm wandering around A16, very early in the game, with low spec skills and equipment, seeing dogs and wolves in the distance and high-tailing it in the other direction.
I got to the edge of a town in A16 play, approx game-day 4, and after sniffing around 2 buildings. Unmistakable dog barks very close by. Decide I'm going to quit my search for items, because I don't want to become this dog's dinner. The problem with dogs, wolves and bears (and probably some other new zombies/enemies) - They are fast. As you're running away, they can keep up with you. Often, dogs chase you down in packs, so you have to face more than one in combat.
In combat, the dynamic is very much along the lines of - you don't want to get hit *at all*. You can get infected by a hit (and die of infection, later) and if you haven't got suitable pills, then you've got a big problem. Then, the hit might start you bleeding to death unless you have a bandage ready (and can use it while being chased or fighting). Very hard to craft a bandage and apply it with 3 dogs at your heels. Finally the other big reason why you don't want any hits at all - Because those hits stun you (yes, nice and realistic) - and you can be in the situation that you get hit once, stunned, and then again and again and dead.
In my A15 play-through, I didn't know anything about what to craft, how to craft, what I need to do first, all those type of questions. Not to mention thinking about where to put a base, how to build one effectively, etc. This time round if I was a new player, it would be very hard to cope with the hazards and try to pick up all the stuff at the same time.
Also, another little detail - The game has this built-in cheat mechanic. The cheat is - Dig down very deep, and during the night when the zombies go feral and sense you and go running towards your hiding place - If you're deep underground, then you're okay. They can't get to you. I'm trying to avoid doing this, as I consider it cheating. When I'm playing I am specifically thinking about how to build and defend a base *above ground*.
Various people complain about the zombies' unrealistic ability to bash constantly at the walls of buildings, and slowly knock them down without taking any damage for doing so. It is pretty unrealistic, but it does give you something to try to counter. Literally, if you build a tower, out of reach of zombies, and feral night comes along... They turn up and break through the base of the tower and the whole tower comes down. Unrealistic, but also leads to strategic ideas of how you handle it.
Unlike "rcrit" playing A16, I found the FIRST 7 day feral night was verging on extreme. I had about 17 zombies attack my base, running around. There were dogs and wolves in the group. I ran out of arrows (had about 90 of them). Spider-zombie came as well and climbed up the building wall. This was the FIRST Feral Night, not the TENTH one. As an experienced player, I did survive the night, but then I did apply all my experience from 200+ hours of play on A15. Also, I managed to avoid having the base decimated in the attack too (by taking out the zombies before they got the chance to do it. Can't say I'm looking forward to the second Feral night (game-day 14 evening). Joking... probably get 10 policemen attacking (hard zombies!).
I'm happy with the game - but Alpha 16 reminds me of FTL - the Normal setting is proper Hard. Beginner players might be tempted to modify the default settings, to make their game easier.
Finishing off with this: In A16, I have died about 6 times so far (playing about 10 hours). A couple of times, I was being deliberately risk-taking for kicks. And, since I was so early in the game, I just decided to restart (a brand new map). But the last 8 game-days of play I've been killed once, and needed to go off hunting for my backpack.
Right, so here are my various Alpha 16 (on Linux) findings so far:
Needed to do the -force-glcore launch option to fix the purple water problem.
Playing as a long term player of the Alpha 15 game, I quite like the re-balancing of various things, but it is definitely harder. If I hadn't played all the previous hours, I'd have found it very punishing as a new player. Hell, I'm finding it punishing as an experienced player.
You clear out a building of sleepers, loot the place, make it into your base (drop sleeping bag inside), and live there for a few days. Then you find a better place to have a base, so you pack up some of your kit, take it to the new base. Return to the old base, next morning, and BAM it is full of sleepers again. This suggests to me that every visit to a building in the new Alpha 16 and it gets repopulated with sleepers. I mean, it's okay, but verges on unrealistic for me.
Out and about - In the first few game-days of play, I'm seeing dogs, wolves, vultures, and bears. As well as lots more of the regular zombies. As an experienced player, I am used to scanning around, listening for zombies, but this is a lot more populated with zombies than it used to be. And wolves, dogs, bears, vultures can easily be lethal. In my Alpha 15 play-through, I don't think I faced a dog until about 3 game-weeks into the game. And then, it was a single one, and I got killed. Now, I'm wandering around A16, very early in the game, with low spec skills and equipment, seeing dogs and wolves in the distance and high-tailing it in the other direction.
I got to the edge of a town in A16 play, approx game-day 4, and after sniffing around 2 buildings. Unmistakable dog barks very close by. Decide I'm going to quit my search for items, because I don't want to become this dog's dinner. The problem with dogs, wolves and bears (and probably some other new zombies/enemies) - They are fast. As you're running away, they can keep up with you. Often, dogs chase you down in packs, so you have to face more than one in combat.
In combat, the dynamic is very much along the lines of - you don't want to get hit *at all*. You can get infected by a hit (and die of infection, later) and if you haven't got suitable pills, then you've got a big problem. Then, the hit might start you bleeding to death unless you have a bandage ready (and can use it while being chased or fighting). Very hard to craft a bandage and apply it with 3 dogs at your heels. Finally the other big reason why you don't want any hits at all - Because those hits stun you (yes, nice and realistic) - and you can be in the situation that you get hit once, stunned, and then again and again and dead.
In my A15 play-through, I didn't know anything about what to craft, how to craft, what I need to do first, all those type of questions. Not to mention thinking about where to put a base, how to build one effectively, etc. This time round if I was a new player, it would be very hard to cope with the hazards and try to pick up all the stuff at the same time.
Also, another little detail - The game has this built-in cheat mechanic. The cheat is - Dig down very deep, and during the night when the zombies go feral and sense you and go running towards your hiding place - If you're deep underground, then you're okay. They can't get to you. I'm trying to avoid doing this, as I consider it cheating. When I'm playing I am specifically thinking about how to build and defend a base *above ground*.
Various people complain about the zombies' unrealistic ability to bash constantly at the walls of buildings, and slowly knock them down without taking any damage for doing so. It is pretty unrealistic, but it does give you something to try to counter. Literally, if you build a tower, out of reach of zombies, and feral night comes along... They turn up and break through the base of the tower and the whole tower comes down. Unrealistic, but also leads to strategic ideas of how you handle it.
Unlike "rcrit" playing A16, I found the FIRST 7 day feral night was verging on extreme. I had about 17 zombies attack my base, running around. There were dogs and wolves in the group. I ran out of arrows (had about 90 of them). Spider-zombie came as well and climbed up the building wall. This was the FIRST Feral Night, not the TENTH one. As an experienced player, I did survive the night, but then I did apply all my experience from 200+ hours of play on A15. Also, I managed to avoid having the base decimated in the attack too (by taking out the zombies before they got the chance to do it. Can't say I'm looking forward to the second Feral night (game-day 14 evening). Joking... probably get 10 policemen attacking (hard zombies!).
I'm happy with the game - but Alpha 16 reminds me of FTL - the Normal setting is proper Hard. Beginner players might be tempted to modify the default settings, to make their game easier.
Finishing off with this: In A16, I have died about 6 times so far (playing about 10 hours). A couple of times, I was being deliberately risk-taking for kicks. And, since I was so early in the game, I just decided to restart (a brand new map). But the last 8 game-days of play I've been killed once, and needed to go off hunting for my backpack.
This one isn't a spoiler: This game is very addictive!
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