Status Report - 26 Nov 2015

[SMoss 2101]

Greetings Survivors!

We're going to mostly cover Status Updates on the critical engine work this Status Report - as well, we'll talk a bit about infected spawning changes, and our current goals for .59 experimental builds.

We've been hard at work on resolving issues with both server performance, player position desync, and problems plaguing dual core CPU users. We've been testing out several different builds, both with profiling running and without to try and nail down the root cause of the issue. Those participating in testing and reporting from experimental branch are *greatly* appreciated.

.59 Exp Critical Must-Fixes

- Player Position Desync (Potential fixes being pushed to exp tonight)
- Poor Server Performance (Potential fixes being pushed to exp tonight)
- Local (Visual) Item Duplication (Potential fixes being pushed to exp tonight)
- Dual Core bugfixing
- Standing/Frozen Corpses

That said - we mentioned in previous Status Reports potential changes to how infected are spawned in DayZ. Historically, throughout the entirety of the project we have spawned our infected globally - distributed evenly across the whole of Chernarus. Now while this resolved the previous metagaming vulnerability that DayZ Mod suffered from - it led to the infected being -way- too spread out. Internally we've recently settled on a hybrid system - entirely not dependant on the original trigger system used by DayZ Mod. Instead relying on the same tech that runs the dynamic events and spawns - allowing us to (in addition to globally spawning a specific number of infected) dynamically spawn large amounts of infected around cities/villages/bases/etc that players congrate to.

Pairing this dynamic spawning method with the existing global spawning of infected means players shouldn't be able to sight into a location and identify it as "free of players" because it does not have any infected - HOWEVER, it will also allow for an overwhelming feeling of constantly having to fight off the attention of large numbers of infected in high-traffic areas such as Chernogorsk, Berezino, Zelenogorsk, or so on.
We're expecting this to hopefully be one of the first changes within the begining of the new year.

In addition to this - regional loot control is being prepared for internal testing. CLE functionality is present, and the designers are now working with a fairly versatile new tool allowing them to set location types, regional areas, and even more - with rapid flexability. In addition to allowing us even more precise control over the in-game economy, this should also be a huge tool for mod authors.



Now lets take a look at the current status of some of the major engine changes under way:

Renderer:

Completed

- Post Processes
- HDR

Current Focus

- Multithreaded Optimizations
- Ocean/Ponds Rendering
- New UI changes to support DX 11

Physics:

Completed in November

- Helicopter Support
- Small Object Interaction

Current Focus

- New Character Controller support

Next Up

- Physical Doors support
- Manipulating bodies (Dead/Unconscious)

Animation System/Player Controller:

Completed Recently

- Improved Handling of Animation Events
- Animation Groups/Sets

Current Focus

- Improved Animation Graph Nodes
- Adding Subgraphs/Conditional Nodes
- Polishing Animation Graph for Player
- Implementing User Actions (Drinking, Eating, Medical)
- Adding Gestures to new Sys

Next Up

- Inverse IK for Feet/Hands
- Sync of Animation Loops
- Rewrite of functionality for additive and override animations
- Improving Vehicles w/ Additional Animations (Turning, Reacting to Speed, etc)


Lastly, I'd like to leave you all with two little gems from Lead Designer Peter Nespesny, and Lead Animator Viktor Kostik.

 

- Brian Hicks / Lead Producer

[Espa 711]

Extremely happy to hear about the fixes and changes slated for exp into stable.

 

Especially about the design for the infected! SO excited for this change! This is exactly what will bring this game into a more realistic horror simulation game in which the infected are often times more scary than the other people you may find. 

[joe_mcentire 2074]

already mentioned on reddit:

 

interactive environment or "small" object interaction - that's quite superb to say the least and also its implications: base-building or barricading utilizing all sorts of objects such as tables or chairs.

i suppose this would also apply for player-characters or npcs: a bull running down a fence is coming to my mind e.g.

 

aren't the additional physics applied on these small objects straining the server-performance more in some way?

 

also an important question: will this affect loot as well?

Edited November 26, 2015 by joe_mcentire

[☣BioHaze☣ 7337]

Great report!

 

That impaling on pitchfork animation is totallys brutals!

 

I'm enjoy an extra helping of Experimental for thanksgiving and so far it's as smooth and sweet as candied yams!

 

Super thankful for your efforts, devs!

 

 

 

 Those participating in testing and reporting from experimental branch are *greatly* appreciated.

 

We love your SCIENCE parts.  :wub:

Edited November 26, 2015 by BioHaze

[sausagekingofchicago 4711]

In addition to this - regional loot control is being prepared for internal testing. CLE functionality is present, and the designers are now working with a fairly versatile new tool allowing them to set location types, regional areas, and even more - with rapid flexability. In addition to allowing us even more precise control over the in-game economy, this should also be a huge tool for mod authors.

 

Very excited about the possibilities here.

[igor-vk 909]

I didn't understand quite well, are all these things planned for 0.59 build?

Edited November 26, 2015 by igor-vk

[sausagekingofchicago 4711]

I didn't understand quite well, are all these things planned for 0.59 build?

 

The SR's are usually just an overview of what they're working on, not what is coming right away.   We might not see the fruits of all of this until the big engine merges happen.

[CommandoKain 15]

In regaurds to Small Object Manipulation. I would !LOVE!  to be able to move furniture in the houses to block doors and make baricades with.

[St. Jimmy 1631]

First reaction to the Small Object Interaction: R.I.P. fps :D Looks freaking great!

Edited November 26, 2015 by St. Jimmy

[joe_mcentire 2074]

In regaurds to Small Object Manipulation. I would !LOVE!  to be able to move furniture in the houses to block doors and make baricades with.

physical door support

[Konfucious K 183]

I'm starting to learn C++ because of this game - just loving the direction it's being developed. Infected are starting to sound more cohesive every month.

 

But you really caught me out with the small object manipulation. i don't know why but I had never considered using a vehicle to smash barricades in this game. Those V3S's and Buses will become quite a valued commodity!

 

Keep up the great work everyone!

[odin_lowe 3686]

Great report!! Looking forward to see what's coming up next!

:thumbsup:

 

Keep it up fellas!

[Thumper1999 48]

This looks awesome cant wait until the next update :)

[BAHADIR 124]

Nice work, this patch will be great. How about Loot spawns ??

[Bororm 1156]

Pairing this dynamic spawning method with the existing global spawning of infected means players shouldn't be able to sight into a location and identify it as "free of players" because it does not have any infected

 

Instead the opposite is going to be true.  More zombies in an area=players there.

[ColdAtrophy 1850]

Did anyone else have a whole body cringe when the model impales itself with a pitchfork? 

[DemonGroover 8836]

I can think of quicker ways to die than death by pitchfork.....looks painful

[emuthreat 2837]

In regaurds to Small Object Manipulation. I would !LOVE!  to be able to move furniture in the houses to block doors and make baricades with.

*Pushes couch against door, feeling safe, sits down on couch and cracks a can of kvass, dies from a shotgun blast through the door.

 

It would be great if server performance and desync are back under control, so I can actually submit a specific bug report, rather than just guess as to why things randomly don't work.

[dedoolb 157]

Death by pitchfork? That was totally uncalled for, fucking brutal. Yes!

 

Not an ounce of fat on that status report! Wow

 

Like everyone else, small object manipulation caught me off guard. So many possibilities!

 

\m/

[Sperglord 76]

Great news, small object interaction looks amazing

[stinkenheim 249]

Instead the opposite is going to be true.  More zombies in an area=players there.

 

There will always be issues with zeds giving away player proximity. In previous patches zeds would only start moving if  a player was within 500m of them so if you scoped into a town and saw stationary zeds it was clear, if they started moving it was because someone had come in, you could even follow the direction of the layers by the way the zeds activated. I know that from the rocks in Novo you can see Cernaya Polana as well so you could use the zeds in both towns to nail down positions of players quite accurately.

I don't think there will ever be a way around this, having vast numbers of zeds spawned in all the time will kill performance and likewise having zeds constantly moving even when no one is around will kill performance. Sometimes compromises have to be made.

[pillock 850]

A few things spring to mind when looking at the small object manipulation video:

 

Firstly, it looks awesome! But, if you drive a vehicle such as that 4x4 Skoda thing into a lamppost with enough force to knock the lamppost over, it's unlikely you'll be using that vehicle again, except for spare parts, isn't it? On top of that, anyone in the vehicle at the time is going to be seriously injured. The "fun vs realism" argument is valid up to a point, but I think this is a bit too GTA for final implementation in DayZ. That said, the physics demonstrated in the video and possibilities it opens up are very exciting.

 

Related to this, I'm guessing that 'manipulation' of dead/unconscious bodies means that we'll be able to drag or carry them - either to pull an injured comrade out of harms way, or to hide the evidence of your having murdered someone? (This was mentioned a while ago as a design goal.) Would this apply to animals and infected as well as players? And if we can drag bodies, will we be able to drag heavy-ish objects, like the picnic tables in the video, or large pieces of trees you've cut down, large pieces of machinery, etc? Will we be able to push cars that have wheels but no working engine? Will it ever be possible to attach a rope to a vehicle and tow/drag stuff behind it?

 

I'm getting ahead of myself, probably, but decent, believable physics and the ability of players to manipulate and apply those physics to as wide a variety of in-game objects as possible can potentially bring the game a massive new level of immersion in the environment and gameplay value along with it - because that means players can improvise... with 'stuff'. And that's what a sandbox really is. Hoping the devs go to town on this aspect of the game!

[trueffel 5]

A few things spring to mind when looking at the small object manipulation video:

 

Firstly, it looks awesome! But, if you drive a vehicle such as that 4x4 Skoda thing into a lamppost with enough force to knock the lamppost over, it's unlikely you'll be using that vehicle again, except for spare parts, isn't it? On top of that, anyone in the vehicle at the time is going to be seriously injured. The "fun vs realism" argument is valid up to a point, but I think this is a bit too GTA for final implementation in DayZ. That said, the physics demonstrated in the video and possibilities it opens up are very exciting.

 

I´m pretty sure that the dev´s will consider that. Just look at the mechanic to reload a gun for realism. This should just be a demonstration how it will look like ingame. 

[VVarhead 185]

I hope the Small Object Interaction wont ruin the fps.. other than that I'm really excited.

 

Food is spawning in too high quantities as of right now in experimental, also soda cans almost spawn exclusively in industrial shacks

[blackberrygoo 1416]

A few things spring to mind when looking at the small object manipulation video:

Firstly, it looks awesome! But, if you drive a vehicle such as that 4x4 Skoda thing into a lamppost with enough force to knock the lamppost over, it's unlikely you'll be using that vehicle again, except for spare parts, isn't it? On top of that, anyone in the vehicle at the time is going to be seriously injured. The "fun vs realism" argument is valid up to a point, but I think this is a bit too GTA for final implementation in DayZ. That said, the physics demonstrated in the video and possibilities it opens up are very exciting.

Related to this, I'm guessing that 'manipulation' of dead/unconscious bodies means that we'll be able to drag or carry them - either to pull an injured comrade out of harms way, or to hide the evidence of your having murdered someone? (This was mentioned a while ago as a design goal.) Would this apply to animals and infected as well as players? And if we can drag bodies, will we be able to drag heavy-ish objects, like the picnic tables in the video, or large pieces of trees you've cut down, large pieces of machinery, etc? Will we be able to push cars that have wheels but no working engine? Will it ever be possible to attach a rope to a vehicle and tow/drag stuff behind it?

I'm getting ahead of myself, probably, but decent, believable physics and the ability of players to manipulate and apply those physics to as wide a variety of in-game objects as possible can potentially bring the game a massive new level of immersion in the environment and gameplay value along with it - because that means players can improvise... with 'stuff'. And that's what a sandbox really is. Hoping the devs go to town on this aspect of the game!

Lol, rocket himself stated a long time ago that they wanted to have car crashes damage players inside .. When this game is fully complete it will be amazing and have every suggestion anyone's suggested (worth having !) . This game stretches our patience but it's well worth it , we just have to keep implementing these good ideas and remind the devs that these things will make this game different from all the rest ...