Status Report - 07 Jun 2016

[SMoss 2101]

Afternoon Survivors,

Another status report tuesday comes around, this time with Brian, Mirek, and Viktor giving us a bit of info on subjects such as the new player controller, new server browser, connection and inventory issues, and an update on blocker/prio issues for 0.60 going live on Stable branch.

 

Contents This Week

• Dev Update/Hicks
• Dev Update/Mirek
• Dev Update/Viktor
• Community Spotlight

 

Dev Update/Hicks

Greetings Survivors,

Its that time again - so lets take a look at last weeks blockers on 0.60 experimental, talk about their status - and outline the current priority issues on the road to 0.60 stable branch.

- Characters prevented from logging in once connected: Fixed
- Client stuck on black screen after launching PC in some configurations: Fixed
- Weapon Attachments twitching randomly out of sync with weapon and player hands: Fixed
- Clearing weapon chamber deletes the chambered round: Fixed
- Known issues with "infinite ammo": Fixed
- Known causes of server crashes: Approximately 75% resolved - remaining issues are under investigation
- Server Memory Usage issues: In progress
- Restock values affecting global economy: Fix in testing

The last entry specifically is one part of the ongoing development of DayZ's Central Economy that those who like to dig into those values might enjoy knowing a bit more about. The CLE for DayZ is an interestingly complex tool that manages over 3 million potential spawn points, covers all potential tag and category classifications for items, and structures, is dynamic enough to be adapted to new maps for mod authors in the future, in some cases monitors items not only in the gamespace but also within player camps and player inventories. Each item in DayZ has its own values configured dynamically within this tool covering:

- Minimum Amount: Bottom end point in which the system will begin respawning once quantities drop below
- Nominal Amount: Targeted operating value in which items respawning at the minimum point will respawn to
- Lifetime: Duration the item can be persisting in the world before being cleaned up to free up space for new items
- Restock: Value used for rare/controlled items to ensure that if they fall below the minimum they do not respawn in bulk and allow loot cycling of rare items
- Tiering: Regions of the world in which these items are allowed to respawn
- And quite a bit more

The CLE is an integral component in DayZ gameplay, and has evolved throughout the Early Access period thanks to us being able to observe raw data from the Experimental and Stable branch servers. DayZ Mod had a very basic, rudimentary trigger based spawning controlled via script and having to populate no more than around 10,000 potential points - only spawning within proximity to players. DayZ spawns globally, and has evolved to allow more and more precise and complex control over when/where/how much/etc and we continue to iterate upon it, constantly trying to find that right point in which we offer a struggle to survive, without allowing abuse or making the experience *too* punishing. For .60 we're hoping to have the restock values functioning properly for the first time on controlled high end military gear, and pending testing on experimental branch we'll see if this value will function properly enough to allow us to use it for the entire economy - potentially creating points of shortage / supply & demand rotating throughout the servers life. As always, testing and iteration will tell - but Peter and I both are very excited about the possibility here.

0.60 Build Milestone Goals:

- New Renderer: Implemented
- Randomized Attachments & ItemsRandom: Implemented
- New Reload Mechanics: Implemented / Iteration on jamming mechanics in test
- 60 Player-per-instance: Implemented and pending final call on server performance

- Brian Hicks / Creative Director

 

Dev Update/Mirek

As you know, we spent more than a week on fixing connection issues. Very big amount of connection requests revealed some issues, which were there from the beginning, so at least it gave us opportunity to find and fix them. Now all the team members assigned to connection issues are back on their long term tasks.

A lot of fixes were made in weapon and inventory system and we've also fixed server memory leaks, which have led to lower server performance after few hours from the server restart (should be released today). Probably last thing, which is blocker on our side for the stable release, is the most common server crash, so we hope we will fix it as soon as possible.

Team members are also still working on features for 0.61 like login queue and the new server browser.

We're preparing a new feature for the main menu, where you will be able to list and select one of your characters which exists on different shards and connect to the server without opening server browser (I hope we will show you prototype soon).

- Miroslav Maněna / Lead Gameplay Programmer

 

Dev Update/Viktor

Several different animations are in progress at the moment. Quite soon we should have new anims for infected when in idle. This will improve a bit how infected look and move in the world by giving them some variety. They will have four different idle poses with its own set of idles and moves. Also more animations when infected attack doors are being created. They will use different body parts when smashing doors - hands, feets, shoulders and of course head.

New player controller is comming together quite nicely. We are still in process of setting up a proper camera behavior which would reflect different situations and stances the player character can be in. As new features are available for the new player controller we are adjusting animations so they are ready for implementation for instance looking around poses which are related to the camera.

Extended reload animation sets are being finished for last few guns. But just right after that we will start on the new jamming animations for all weapons. At the same time attaching wheels and vehicle doors is being created for hatchback. Since different vehicles have different sizes we will need to find an elegant way how to use this animations without any major clipping issues. Last part of player which is being worked on right now is wounded character. The animations for linmping crouch with rifle in hands is still in progress since it is 16 animations to cover all speeds and directions.

- Viktor Kostik / Lead Animator

 

Community Spotlight

Like in our last status report, we have some more 0.60 footage on tap for you all. This time around we have ItsNaterHD and a couple of his friends showing us how they take care of both friendly as well as hostile encounters:

If only I would be so lucky that another player would hand over a fully functional car...

In case you haven't had a look at ItsNaterHD's stuff before, it'll be a good time to do so. His channel library is chock-full of great DayZ content. If interested, you can follow him via his Twitch and Twitter accounts as well.

 

Don't forget that we have a brand spanking new Feedback Tracker which you can use to help us out by filing all the bugs you come across as development moves on. Again, thanks so much to those of you who have already taken the time to help file bugs from Experimental as well as Stable branch!!!

Header image credit: Jarek_Skvarek

- SMoss / Community Manager

[odin_lowe 3686]

Very nice!! Interesting to see the new login process when selecting a specific "character" connected to a certain hive. (private hive server, public servers) 

This seems very useful to me and interactive.

Keep it up devs!! This is looking good! Cheers! ;) 

[Gobbokirk 546]

Sounds like its going in the right direction :)

[VVarhead 185]

I absolutely love that you focus on weapon-handling aswell.

Jamming is a feature I'd really like to see. Will we see advanced weapons control like some brilliant poster on here made a picture about? We already have manual bolt-handling, but I would love to have a safety in DayZ as it makes sense, I've had a lot of negligent discharges in DayZ. 

[Yutah 0]

Good job! New renderer is awesome!

Also I want ask you if there any control scheme and interface simplification planned in future? Maybe gamepad support? It would be so cool to play this game from couch! Thanks!

Edited June 7, 2016 by Yutah

[bingo_fuel 205]

2 hours ago, SMoss said:

- Minimum Amount: Bottom end point in which the system will begin respawning once quantities drop below
- Nominal Amount: Targeted operating value in which items respawning at the minimum point will respawn to
- Lifetime: Duration the item can be persisting in the world before being cleaned up to free up space for new items
- Restock: Value used for rare/controlled items to ensure that if they fall below the minimum they do not respawn in bulk and allow loot cycling of rare items
- Tiering: Regions of the world in which these items are allowed to respawn
- And quite a bit more

Thank you for the SR. It's always interesting to get an update on the status of development.

I have one further question regarding the CLE: Does the CLE also clean up items that are picked up and dropped again? Or is another component responsible for this cleanup? And what component is responsible for the "camp/vehicle" cleanup? Also the CLE?

[☣BioHaze☣ 7337]

Thanks devs/all!!

I really like seeing how loot balancing is coming along, it looks like you are on the right track there.

Of course I'm DYING to meet my new infected friends!

[idie 57]

I'm losing my latin guys...

I know from the very beginning that this game is going to be one of the best game ever created, I said that to my friend even when they were like "nah, dev time is too long, this will never end blablabla", I've always remained positive about your job.

I have to say that this 0.60 version is... !:;,ù*$^#{[#\|\^@`\]\]

Can't wait to see what you are going to do in the future especially on the player controler's side.

I love this status report, Keep up your good work guys, I really appreciate it.

Cya :)

 

 

[AmazingAussie 38]

What does "ItemsRandom" mean?

[yimmasabi 1]

Graphics are really awesome. FPS is also good while i am setting the most options to the very high.

Not only engine but also there are good improvements on map too.  I feel like i am getting wet on rain, i feel mud on my legs, smell of mountains. Good job guys.

Would you please add those easy things ;

- remove listing servers automatically, so i can choice favorites

- add  server filter for current version, 1st/3rd person , public/private  

- add time sort to the history of servers

- remove view of player in inventory mode 

- add number of days survived and some other stats like kills etc. to the player list

- improve texture of walls and floors of buildings

Very Good Job and Thanks

Edited June 8, 2016 by yimmasabi

[Irish. 4886]

Eventually we are going to need a class of infected that are actually faster than players.. a rare class of them, perhaps used to populate military areas? 

 

Something needs to be done about just running away from every infected you see.. there should at least be one every now and then that out runs YOU. 

[Coheed_IV 381]

1 hour ago, lrishjake said:

Eventually we are going to need a class of infected that are actually faster than players.. a rare class of them, perhaps used to populate military areas? 

 

Something needs to be done about just running away from every infected you see.. there should at least be one every now and then that out runs YOU. 

I remember them saying, that infected will have a stamina system, as well as the player. This was like a year ago, but hopefully it's still part of the plans, it would add a lot of variety to every encounter. So much is blocked by the new player controller. Hopefully Enfusion can have different configurations of stamina for different infected. 

Edited June 8, 2016 by Coheed_IV
More

[St. Jimmy 1631]

41 minutes ago, Coheed_IV said:

I remember them saying, that infected will have a stamina system, as well as the player. This was like a year ago, but hopefully it's still part of the plans, it would add a lot of variety to every encounter. So much is blocked by the new player controller. Hopefully Enfusion can have different configurations of stamina for different infected. 

I don't like the idea of stamina with infected. Players only should've the stamina so zombies can catch you. And I wouldn't mind faster infected like Irishjake said. No point to make them even easier.

Also zombies have 99,99% of the time less equipment on them than an average player, so both having stamina would be totally pointless.

[VVarhead 185]

There was a patch not too long ago where zombies would outrun players and also zombies spawned near you whenever you fired a shot.

That was kinda comical. I don't think infected should be faster, but every military base should be populated by a lot of "military" infected with plate carriers (extensive protection) and ballistic helmets.

You guys just don't seem to remember the days where shooting in a large city equaled instant DEATH because zombies were just more plentiful. Once we get more Zs, the problem will fix itself.

Edited June 8, 2016 by VVarhead

[Irish. 4886]

13 hours ago, Coheed_IV said:

I remember them saying, that infected will have a stamina system, as well as the player. This was like a year ago, but hopefully it's still part of the plans, it would add a lot of variety to every encounter. So much is blocked by the new player controller. Hopefully Enfusion can have different configurations of stamina for different infected. 

We have a stamina system of sorts with them currently.. they slow down after a certain distance/time.

12 hours ago, St. Jimmy said:

I don't like the idea of stamina with infected. Players only should've the stamina so zombies can catch you. And I wouldn't mind faster infected like Irishjake said. No point to make them even easier.

Also zombies have 99,99% of the time less equipment on them than an average player, so both having stamina would be totally pointless.

They do already have that little stamina esque system in place where they slow down after a bit of chasing you... but I agree with you on the weight issue.. they should really blow past you if your laden down with gear once that weight system is put in place they talked about. Also.. just remembered the fact that at some point here soon they will slow the player movement down on sprinting like they said.. so maybe then we will by default get "faster" infected?

[Gromorontal 0]

Hello Bohemia Interactive! During playing i'm noticed that when you kick with hands any kind of metallic object you probably can see the sparks coming from it. (Look at the screenshot) And also you can see the tin bug, nevermind, it's just a little bug, you fix it with just game restart. 

Edited June 9, 2016 by Gromorontal

[Nebulae3 422]

The server quality is a major part of server performance even though experimental servers have noticeable lag pockets with desync issues in 0.60, but a lot better compare to 0.59 stable patch. My experience that private hives

performance are usually better compare to public server hives. It helped a lot when the new renderer for pc used their GPU more compare to their overall cpu usage in 0.60 - which is why we`ve a major FPS performance bost compare to 0.59 stable branch patch.  

Lastly I hope we have at least 60 player instances minimum on this map, because it feels empty with 50/50, unforutnately.

 

Edited June 10, 2016 by ori42

[koffeekage 322]

can we have assignments on EXP to expedite the trouble shooting process? what mechanics should we be testing to ensure proper functionality? thanks for the status update, keep on keep'n on.