Evening all.
NOW
We released 41.77 into the stable beta last week, which fixed up linux servers and also improved client to server connections by preferring a direct connection to the server.
It was mission successful in most regards, but a minority of users still had issues connecting – which we have been addressing over the past few days via hotfixes in the Unstable beta.
If you were one of the frustrated souls impacted by this, then let us know if you are still suffering on Unstable (hopefully not) on this thread on the Steam Board.
Our current plan is to get these final people back on board the connection train, then move onto releasing the final 41 patch into the freshly vacated Unstable beta next week.
We’ve now locked coder submissions to this patch (necessary fixes aside) and the final changelist looks like this.
LATER
We’ve blogged a bunch of stuff that we’re working towards getting into 42 now, but this week we thought it also worth mentioning that work has re-begun on the fire revamp.
The fire revamp is something that got a lot of coverage in ‘doids around two years ago, so it probably predates the knowledge of a fair few readers who have come on board in more recent times during B41’s MP launch and consequent hi-jinks.
Work on revamped fire had to be put to one side in favour of bolstering the Multiplayer code team, and ever since then it has been sitting on a dusty shelf and getting a little stale.
The tldr of it when last we left it runs as follows:
- A realistic spread of fire, with combustible materials that make sense.
- A system that takes into account temperature, material types, weight, volume, surface area, heating energy, cooling energy etc
- A set-up on both a solo map and an MP network that means that the game can ‘remember’ what is going on in terms of a spreading fire when players leave the area.
- Fire spread that uses the direction and speed of the wind, with in-game rain helping with fires being put out.
- Improved effects and visuals.
So what now? Well a nice chap called Denis is brushing off the unfinished work – and has brought it all up to date with the codebase two years later. This task is now complete, and this video shows a quick summary of where we got to.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQ5lelATE_A
So where does this leave us? Well it doesn’t make it a confirmed 42 feature, we are already going to be packing a LOT in, but it does make its inclusion more likely.
We want to improve the visuals still (we are still not happy with whether it fits the game scene), and we want Denis to take his time getting to grips with the codebase and what can be done with the system still. Likewise we’ll be working on new anims for zeds and players who have caught fire, and the sound team will be providing all manner of sizzle noises.
So this is basically us waving a flag at you to say that we hadn’t forgotten all this cool shit, and it’s back off the shelf and receiving some active love and attention for later on down the line.
WELCOME KIRRUS!
The team would like to officially welcome Kirrus to the TIS locker-room! Kirrus has been a long-term contributor, helper and ‘cool head in troubled times’ throughout the history of Project Zomboid – but has never been officially on the team.
He’s now a full time member of the gang, and our new Sys Admin. Big Spiffo hug incoming!
This week’s office space from Sr.Cannoli. A changelist of all our pre-release and post-release patches since the 41 beta began can be found here. The Block of Italicised Text would like to direct your attention to the PZ Wiki should you feel like editing or amending something, and the PZ Mailing List that can send you update notifications once builds get released. We also live on Twitter right here! Our Discord is open for chat and hijinks too. Experienced games dev and want to work with us, especially if you’re an Animations Engineer as Christ alive that would be handy? Details here.
