As we move forward over the next few months of DayZ development, we'll be trying additional methods of communicating what is new in the world of DayZ with the survivors of Chernarus. The "Status Report" is one of these methods, not a devblog but more aimed at providing the average survivor with a high level view of what is going on under the hood at DayZ, and giving DayZ Dev members the opportunity to speak on active areas of development.
This week will see the stable branch updated with version 0.47, build 124641. This update features the initial implementation of several key features for DayZ, and as such is the first of many steps to bring us closer to the reality of the struggle to survive that is, DayZ.
- Ragdoll for Zombies & Players
- Navmesh for Zombie Pathfinding
- Persistent items (disabled pending hotfix next week)
- Persistent storage (disabled pending hotfix next week)
- Loot respawning
- Initial redesign of player movement controls
- Initial firearms balancing pass
- Content additions
- Weapons
- Clothing
- Player models
- Crafting recipes
As always, a change log will be posted to the official forums, steam community, and a workplace-safe version to pastebin. This update features the initial implementation of many new systems, and can drastically change how players interact with the world. Testing on experimental branch will continue throughout Tuesday, and any critical issues discovered will be paired with existing data from this weekends experimental pass for a hot fix in the early weeks of August.
From the Team
This week, the team has completed several fixes aimed at the server optimizations published in last weeks experimental update. These optimizations also open the door for more server side performance enhancements. Additionally, arguably the biggest task was finally finishing the first iteration of loot persistence and respawning.
I look forward to sharing more with you in the coming weeks.
Mirek / Lead Gameplay Programmer
Since the time of our last dev blog, the art team has grown quite a bit, with the addition of four new artists and are seeing some great work coming from them so far.
Character Art" Many of you who have enjoyed the addition of the Gorka uniforms will be happy to hear that work is concluding on the new SMERSH vest. Its looking gorgeous and I can’t wait to show you some pictures of it. You may also have noticed the new heads we’ve been working on - we will be continuing to add these on a semi-regular basis until we feel there is enough diversity.
Many developers from the studio have volunteered their visage for the cause. We’ve also decided its about time to invest into another new zombie and you might be interested to learn DayZ producer, Brian Hicks, has stepped up and would like to be zombified. A firefighter uniform is next and surprise! Craftable bandanas which can be worn on your head and face.
Environment: We’re continuing to enrich the environment with signature models. We recently added a new WWII monument for the map makers to play with and we’re working on new civilian airport buildings. As well, our dynamically spawning crash sights are getting a facelift. We’ll be adding a newly renovated helicopter as well as a V3S command vehicle wreck for players to loot.
Animals: Our studio in Bratislava is wrapping up their work on the animals requested by our game designers. We will continue to add these new models into the game in the coming weeks and will soon direct the studio to undertake a project involving craftable clothes and player gear from harvested animal hides.
Weapons: Wow, we’re pushing out four new weapons this month. That must be some sort of record for us. With these items (as well as a Baikal MP133 and Rossi R93), we’ve completed the initial list of weapons the design team would like to have for alpha. That doesn't mean we’re done, however - we’ll just be thinking of what the next round should include. As well, we’re undertaking a project to fundamentally change how weapons handle in the game.
Chris / Lead Artist
As usual the design team has plenty of work to do and we love every bit of it.
Currently we are analyzing and discussing different aspects of game mechanics crucial for fluid feeling such as user action controls and player movement controls. The first iteration (movement controls) of which is available in the latest experimental and upcoming stable version for you to try out. To get most of the new direction set for movement controls it is important to bind Turbo for speed up to LShift key and remove sprint from double-tap W, aside from that you can just load actual default keybind preset from Configure>Controls>Assignments>Presets>DAYZ.
There was also work done on some initial balancing, the loot spawn tables were reorganized, refined and probabilities of spawning were tweaked, however we need to implement our robust central economy and loot respawning system first to be able to properly control loot spawning and it's distribution over the game world. Firearm dispersion was also tweaked to bring accuracy of weapons back to sensible levels and there will be more balancing passes done in the future which will address attachments and projectiles as well.
We've replaced the old wild boar, rabbit and cow with brand new ones and we are waiting additional models to be implemented in our deep forests as soon as possible to encourage trips exploring the wilderness and hunting.
In addition to the work described above we've also found time to address quite a few bugs and roll out fixes. For example: Items being properly removed once consumption action is complete; ensuring characters are unable to use actions while swimming or while on ladder; ensuring that magazines must be removed from a weapon to empty and ensuring you cannot tear clothing into rags if they contain items.
Last but not least, experimental branch now has the first of our tents/persistent containers as well as persistency of items so I'm looking forward to raiding your hideouts or tent towns... See you in Chernarus folks!
Peter / Lead Designer
We were very busy last week addressing bugs related to recently added gestures (Facepalm, Throat, Silence). Our animator "Johnny" is working hard to finalize new aimed moves with rifles. These should be ready for our next experimental update. We've also talked about surrender and restrained player animations. The result is in upcoming weeks more new animations will be created that will give player possibility to move while restrained.
Viktor / Lead Animator
Standup notes for the week of 28 July 2014
Programming:
- Navmesh diagnostics
- Client freezing on experimental
- Persistent items
- Persistent storage
- Network optimizations
- Deadly ladders
- Camera clipping
Animation:
- Work on upcoming animal types
- Implementation of new animal types
- New gestures
- New character stances
- Fishing animation
- Additional restrained state animations
- Camera clipping
Design:
- Implementation of new clothing items
- Implementation and scripts for new animal types
- Implementation and scripts for civilian camping tent
- Additions to the global loot table
- Additions to the animal spawn table
- Mechanics design
- Cleaning and optimization pass on loot tables
- Initial firearms balancing
- Bugfixing on dynamic server events
- Crafting recipes for leather items
- Configuration and implementation of CR 527
Art:
Completion of models for:
- CR 527
- PM 73 RAK
- IJ70-17A Makarov
- AK101
- EMT Uniform
- Craftable bandana
Ongoing work:
- models for additional animals
- Continuation of work on civilian airport objects
- Non lethal weapon models
- SMERSH vest
- Rossi R92
- Loading screens
- Work to support PAX Prime / Astro collaboration