Status Report: Week of 28 July 2014

[SmashT 10907]

 

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

Mirek / Lead Gameplay Programmer

"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."

Chris / Lead Artist

"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.

 

I look forward to sharing more with you in the coming weeks."

 

Peter / Lead Designer

"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!

 

Viktor / Lead Animator

"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."

 

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 on 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

 

http://dayz.com/blog/status-report-week-of-28-july-2014

[Shrub Rocketeer ™ 879]

nice one is great to see what is happen and have the news

[automatic9 22]

nice one is great to see what is happen and have the news

I couldn't have said it better myself, friend!

[hoik 415]

"New character stances"

 

Well that sounds interesting! (Assuming this doesn't mean new gestures...)

 

PS: Love that tent! Can you close up the front door flap?

Edited July 30, 2014 by Hoik

[kriecher 17]

Ahh finally some nice progress on stable. Looking forward to test the shit out of it :)

[Jake295 0]

Where the hell is my bicycle??

[basinox 300]

Where the hell is my bicycle??

Well where did you park it last time? Maybe you should look there?

[hoik 415]

What does this mean?

 

"Work to support PAX Prime / Astro collaboration"

[Agilov 133]

What does this mean?

 

"Work to support PAX Prime / Astro collaboration"

As far as I know, PAX is some kind of gaming convention. Maybe they want to give them financial support?!

[hoik 415]

Hmm, yeah I know of PAX, but how does this integrate into the art departments to do list?

[commanderbash 102]

Non lethal weapon models

 

 

OMG! so pumped!!!

[airborneguy 93]

Not too impressed since they have yet to fix the main issues

[basinox 300]

Not too impressed since they have yet to fix the main issues

 

sorry, they cant fix your mood. They tried but after a while just took your money and left

[leviski 2152]

Pretty nice picture, I really hope we can get some more roleplay provided for us in the future.

[just_sauce 4]

Can you lock these tents? If yes THIS IS AWESOME!

If no then well...IT 'S STILL AWESOME!

[Greaves 131]

Can you lock these tents? If yes THIS IS AWESOME!

If no then well...IT 'S STILL AWESOME!

 

Even if you could, wouldn't you simply be able to cut trough the fabric and still get in?

 

OT: Thanks for the update :)

Edited August 4, 2014 by Greaves

[C0bbler 17]

This sort of communication is long overdue. So good to see.

[lol2k345 7]

Tents are fine and dandy, been waiting for persistent storage, now focus on getting that working, then vehicles, then lockable servers with forced private hives. Then boar models :)

[basinox 300]

Tents are fine and dandy, been waiting for persistent storage, now focus on getting that working, then vehicles, then lockable servers with forced private hives. Then boar models :)

 

You never learned the difference between an artist and a programmer, did you?

[nettles 396]

Oh man, less-than-lethal? Are you kidding me? Oh I am stoked please oh please let it be a high-powered beanbag launcher, a tazer, or rubber bullets, giddy giddy giddy

[lol2k345 7]

You never learned the difference between an artist and a programmer, did you?

 

I was anticipating this reply, because there are a lot of you out there.

 

I once knew a guy that I played the original neverwinter nights with a long long time ago. Back then we only played roleplaying games when it came to these kind of games, no WoW or other grind games like that, not intelligent enough, too...commercial and obvious. Anyway, since the module we played on died because of soddy leadership that lead to impeachment, he decided to make his own module. We were all very eager to see a playable version so we could get going again, since we all loved the game and the roleplaying where we all came from, and he was a great DM. This guy was a programmer by profession by the way. Turned out he was a terrible organizer, he spent more time thinking about new cool features to implement, and artwork instead of working on the game core, not realizing that it were the players that made the server tick. The community, and the fact that not everything had to be supported by the game mechanics to begin with, or at all, took a back seat in the development phase. He never finished the module to my knowledge, at least in such a way that he could ever launch it to the public... But! he had a lot of cool ideas, scripts and visuals. Every year, for many years we asked him when it was going to be released, each time he said soon, or next week. 

 

The point of this story is this; If you already have a big community, and you came from the same place (being the dayz mod in this case), why not spend your resources on replicating the success factors as soon as possible, making it stable and as much like the original as possible, then improve on that once you're back to 0. You could release the game faster, making more money, and you could (god forbid) do a bohemia and waste time on making useless DLCs that allow some players to have more fun than others instead of fixing bugs, all you want, because money ;)

 

I might be wrong tho, but with little communication from the developers and all these "OK" but totally useless jingles popping up inside the game (like a vertical frying pan on a butane burner), you want to remind someone that this is not whats important right now.

 

Anyway, all of this doesn't matter anymore, as I can now see communication by the developers, and that exactly what has been missing out of those success factors that made the mod, are the next features to be added in :)

 

Oh, and, no need to throw in the good old "but its alpha" card. Did the mod ever pass beta? Developers will play the alpha/beta card as long as they can to still the masses, you already paid for the game so why take their side? You just gotta keep demanding and complaining and hope that the majority of the community agrees with you and not the other guy that would rather have pretty pigs than functionality that makes the game more interesting, because the minute people stop doing that, you'll never see another full release again without all the easy solutions.

 

Just a couple of cents.

[Elle 562]

 

Just a couple of cents.

you should have kept em in your pocket. first off, this isn't the mod, you want to play the mod go help yourself. secondly, it REALLY is in alpha (get over it or go play something else). thirdly, like you have already been told, the artists are not the programmers, HUGE difference and in reality even a coder can toss up a wireframe every now and then (as in your example). fourthly, its only been in alpha for 8 months when we were told at the very beginning it would take a year at least to get to beta so patience is mandatory at this stage. if all you have are demands and complaints then you have nothing and personally I find it more than a little rude to be bitching about someone else's hard work when they aren't even finished with it.

[lol2k345 7]

you should have kept em in your pocket. first off, this isn't the mod, you want to play the mod go help yourself. secondly, it REALLY is in alpha (get over it or go play something else). thirdly, like you have already been told, the artists are not the programmers, HUGE difference and in reality even a coder can toss up a wireframe every now and then (as in your example). fourthly, its only been in alpha for 8 months when we were told at the very beginning it would take a year at least to get to beta so patience is mandatory at this stage. if all you have are demands and complaints then you have nothing and personally I find it more than a little rude to be bitching about someone else's hard work when they aren't even finished with it.

 

Haha, if the point of an early access was to give players early access to a game, the game would be in beta. This is basically crowd funded and community developed. I feel I am entitled to my opinion just as much as any fan boy who is naive enough to think that not voicing his opinion and hoping not to be bent over is the right way to go. cents will be thrown around, and hopefully from more people than just me.

 

I see the point I'm trying to make is exceptionally difficult for some to comprehend, ill make a short list.

 

1. This is based on the mod, and that is why everyone is here and eager to see this succeed, so basically, this is the "mod", only we are paying for it as a standalone game now.

2. I know its in alpha, I REALLY never said that it wasn't. What I said was that we paid for a game we don't know the end product of and we don't really get information (until now) on whats being done with it.

3. I know very well what the difference between an aritst and a programmer is, the point was that from the get go, the focus should not be on pretty pigs, but the mechanics. Pay a few less artists for a few more programmer for example.

4. Still never said it wasn't alpha, I actually said it was, but not being naive I don't really believe developers when they cough up dates, they're never correct.(notice the "at least").

5. Personally I believe that I am entitled to my "demands" (which I would call suggestions as I am not in a position to demand anything, but call it what you want), complaints is a part of an alpha, hopefully makes things better, do you think that everything being done is great? To put it on the edge; would you just keep your mouth shut if you saw your beloved game being EA-fied before it even made beta? I mean, you paid for it, did you sign something that said "You are to shut up until the game is released"? Why have a forum then, to pamper the developers blindly? Should we only allow one view of things?

6. What you personally find rude, I work with every day. Where I work we have customers who pay and demand, but you are right, it would be lovely if I could do exactly what I wanted and the customer was not allowed to say anything about the process of what was being made, the cost or the end product. He paid for it, but it is rude, so its not allowed. Please. 

[basinox 300]

3. I know very well what the difference between an aritst and a programmer is, the point was that from the get go, the focus should not be on pretty pigs, but the mechanics. Pay a few less artists for a few more programmer for example.

You do know that the pig is made by an entire different studio than your desired mechanics, right?

 

The animal studio isn't going to change their focus on servers or vehicles because that is not their job and isn't their field of expertise. Their job summarizes in:

• Programmers: Make realistic behavior for animals.
• Artists: Make Animals pretty like princess.

[Elle 562]

Haha, if the point of an early access was to give players early access to a game, the game would be in beta. This is basically crowd funded and community developed. I feel I am entitled to my opinion just as much as any fan boy who is naive enough to think that not voicing his opinion and hoping not to be bent over is the right way to go. cents will be thrown around, and hopefully from more people than just me.

 

I see the point I'm trying to make is exceptionally difficult for some to comprehend, ill make a short list.

 

1. This is based on the mod, and that is why everyone is here and eager to see this succeed, so basically, this is the "mod", only we are paying for it as a standalone game now.

2. I know its in alpha, I REALLY never said that it wasn't. What I said was that we paid for a game we don't know the end product of and we don't really get information (until now) on whats being done with it.

3. I know very well what the difference between an aritst and a programmer is, the point was that from the get go, the focus should not be on pretty pigs, but the mechanics. Pay a few less artists for a few more programmer for example.

4. Still never said it wasn't alpha, I actually said it was, but not being naive I don't really believe developers when they cough up dates, they're never correct.(notice the "at least").

5. Personally I believe that I am entitled to my "demands" (which I would call suggestions as I am not in a position to demand anything, but call it what you want), complaints is a part of an alpha, hopefully makes things better, do you think that everything being done is great? To put it on the edge; would you just keep your mouth shut if you saw your beloved game being EA-fied before it even made beta? I mean, you paid for it, did you sign something that said "You are to shut up until the game is released"? Why have a forum then, to pamper the developers blindly? Should we only allow one view of things?

6. What you personally find rude, I work with every day. Where I work we have customers who pay and demand, but you are right, it would be lovely if I could do exactly what I wanted and the customer was not allowed to say anything about the process of what was being made, the cost or the end product. He paid for it, but it is rude, so its not allowed. Please. 

first off, none of us bought a "game", we bought the right to assist in the alpha testing stage of this new product by Bohemia Interactive with the understanding that we will own a full copy of the game once its released. BI is making the game not the community, the community provides feedback (yes I know feedback can sometimes be negative but it should never be harassing as in nothing but complaints unless the product is complete shit in which case I am sure none of us would be here) and offers suggestions in a constructive manner. all you have offered is bitching and all you are entitled to is the finished product when it releases, no more no less. that fact that you even suggest that something shady is going on over at BI is just a little insulting to the devs and their company and I find it completely unreasonable. and lastly, this is not the fucking MOD