After The Collapse 0.8.1 Released
Here's the first update of the year! It's not as massive as you're used to because I had to extend my "vacations" (big quotation marks) for a couple weeks longer than anticipated. Anyway, I'm back and kicking and future patches will be much larger than this one.
As usual, I'm only going over the major new features and changes and you can find in the full change-log at the bottom of this very article.
[h2]Power Grid[/h2]
This is probably the major draw to this update and definitely one of the most frequently requested improvement. The power grid has been rewritten to work with multiple map layers. As such, it's now possible to transmit electricity from a layer to another.
I thought about adding a new construction dedicated to this task, but it was just simpler (code-wise) to add the functionality to power relays. Simply put, to move electricity from the surface to the underground (or the other way around), you just need to build 2 power relays at the exact same [X,Y] location, but each one on a different layer.
Additionally, the power relay menu got a makeover. It now allows you to change the relay's range which should make it easier for those who want to have separate or complex grids. It also indicates if it's connected to a relay in another layer.
Finally the "Power Grid" info panel shown in all relay, battery and generator menus now indicates the amount of power stored and total storage.
[h2]Survivors' Equipment[/h2]
Until now, new (and starting) survivors would spawn with a random selection of low tier weapons. While it's adequate, it's just not very fun. The game's engine is now able to associate a job and specific equipment. Simply put, cops will generally with a gun or a taser and a police vest, doctors will have a doctor vest, soldiers and mercs will get decent gear, and so on, and so forth.
Some professions come with no equipment at all and a few others are still using a random default selection. And note that the equipment spawn list for each profession still gives them a chance not to spawn with their "logical" piece of armor.
To reduce the incentive to "farm" the map and recruitment events just to gather decent equipment, people you expel or refuse entry to have a chance to bolster the ranks of a random AI faction (slightly increasing their manpower).
As I add more equipment and jobs I will continue to improve this feature.
[h2]Encyclopedia Articles[/h2]
I finished the work on the encyclopedia. The missing recipe category has been added. Items and crafting stations pages correctly link to the appropriate recipes. More importantly, I've added larger/longer articles to the Encyclopedia's main page.
Right now there's 3 main articles explaining the electrical grid, expeditions and the combat system. If enables, there's a forth article listing all the features included in the Halloween DLC.
The interesting part, at least for the veterans and modders, is that new articles can be added by mods. As such, it could be a great location for the more complex mods to add their own documentation instead of relying purely on their steam mod page.
[h2]New Content and Balance Changes[/h2]
One hour of additional ambient music has been added, doubling the total, courtesy of CO.AG (under CC-BY 4.0 license). They mix pretty well with the existing tracks, but I noticed a couple playing at a very low volume. I'll alter the sound levels if I deem it necessary after playing for a bit longer.
This version also comes with 3 new weapons, all of which are low tier melee weapons (crowbar, heavy pipe, hammer). They all have a high chance to incapacitate a target and offer small skill bonuses. They cannot be crafted, but are commonly found on survivors. In the same spirit, i've added 2 padded vests (armor) and 4 differently colored caps (headgear) which offer next to no protection and cannot be crafted but which survivors can spawn with.
To make the first tech choice a bit more meaningful, the "card playing table" no longer has a tech requirement, so it's no longer obligatory to pick carpentry first (and fast) before risking people to get very moody.
Last but not least (for the masochists), a difficulty setting has been added. It tells zombies that they are allowed to target walls when they can't find a better target. It's disabled by default.
[h2]Save Compatibility[/h2]
This is fully compatible with 0.8.0 save-games and mods. As usual, some minor changes/fixes will only apply on newly spawned agents but that's about it.
[h2]General Notes[/h2]
As I explained in the intro, this is a relatively small update, but at least, it completes a bunch of features I've promised since forever ago. Next updates will start focusing on the new expedition system, probably coupled with procedural map generation improvements.
Cheers!
[h2]Full Changelog[/h2]
As usual, I'm only going over the major new features and changes and you can find in the full change-log at the bottom of this very article.
[h2]Power Grid[/h2]
This is probably the major draw to this update and definitely one of the most frequently requested improvement. The power grid has been rewritten to work with multiple map layers. As such, it's now possible to transmit electricity from a layer to another.
I thought about adding a new construction dedicated to this task, but it was just simpler (code-wise) to add the functionality to power relays. Simply put, to move electricity from the surface to the underground (or the other way around), you just need to build 2 power relays at the exact same [X,Y] location, but each one on a different layer.
Additionally, the power relay menu got a makeover. It now allows you to change the relay's range which should make it easier for those who want to have separate or complex grids. It also indicates if it's connected to a relay in another layer.
Finally the "Power Grid" info panel shown in all relay, battery and generator menus now indicates the amount of power stored and total storage.
[h2]Survivors' Equipment[/h2]
Until now, new (and starting) survivors would spawn with a random selection of low tier weapons. While it's adequate, it's just not very fun. The game's engine is now able to associate a job and specific equipment. Simply put, cops will generally with a gun or a taser and a police vest, doctors will have a doctor vest, soldiers and mercs will get decent gear, and so on, and so forth.
Some professions come with no equipment at all and a few others are still using a random default selection. And note that the equipment spawn list for each profession still gives them a chance not to spawn with their "logical" piece of armor.
To reduce the incentive to "farm" the map and recruitment events just to gather decent equipment, people you expel or refuse entry to have a chance to bolster the ranks of a random AI faction (slightly increasing their manpower).
As I add more equipment and jobs I will continue to improve this feature.
[h2]Encyclopedia Articles[/h2]
I finished the work on the encyclopedia. The missing recipe category has been added. Items and crafting stations pages correctly link to the appropriate recipes. More importantly, I've added larger/longer articles to the Encyclopedia's main page.
Right now there's 3 main articles explaining the electrical grid, expeditions and the combat system. If enables, there's a forth article listing all the features included in the Halloween DLC.
The interesting part, at least for the veterans and modders, is that new articles can be added by mods. As such, it could be a great location for the more complex mods to add their own documentation instead of relying purely on their steam mod page.
[h2]New Content and Balance Changes[/h2]
One hour of additional ambient music has been added, doubling the total, courtesy of CO.AG (under CC-BY 4.0 license). They mix pretty well with the existing tracks, but I noticed a couple playing at a very low volume. I'll alter the sound levels if I deem it necessary after playing for a bit longer.
This version also comes with 3 new weapons, all of which are low tier melee weapons (crowbar, heavy pipe, hammer). They all have a high chance to incapacitate a target and offer small skill bonuses. They cannot be crafted, but are commonly found on survivors. In the same spirit, i've added 2 padded vests (armor) and 4 differently colored caps (headgear) which offer next to no protection and cannot be crafted but which survivors can spawn with.
To make the first tech choice a bit more meaningful, the "card playing table" no longer has a tech requirement, so it's no longer obligatory to pick carpentry first (and fast) before risking people to get very moody.
Last but not least (for the masochists), a difficulty setting has been added. It tells zombies that they are allowed to target walls when they can't find a better target. It's disabled by default.
[h2]Save Compatibility[/h2]
This is fully compatible with 0.8.0 save-games and mods. As usual, some minor changes/fixes will only apply on newly spawned agents but that's about it.
[h2]General Notes[/h2]
As I explained in the intro, this is a relatively small update, but at least, it completes a bunch of features I've promised since forever ago. Next updates will start focusing on the new expedition system, probably coupled with procedural map generation improvements.
Cheers!
[h2]Full Changelog[/h2]
- AI: People are better at reacting to wounds; they will generally rush to the doctor instead of getting a meal (at least if there's something they can do about it).
- Balance: Visitors you refuse entry to have a chance to bolster the ranks of other factions instead
- Balance: The card table doesn't require the carpentry tech anymore (so it's no longer a tech you need to get first no matter what)
- Content: You can now place 2 power relays at the same position, but one on the surface and one underground, to transfer electricity from a layer to another
- Content: Power relays' range can be configured in their associated menu
- Content: Survivors generally spawn with armors or weaponry related to their profession (cop with police vest, construction worker with hard hat...)
- Content: Added difficulty setting allowing shamblers to attack walls if they cannot find an entry point or any other accessible target in your base
- Content: Sleeping bags and tribal beds can be upgraded to standard beds when you get the proper tech
- Content: Added crowbar, hammer and pipe to spawn & loot tables. Low tier weapons with bonus to skill and to incapacitate enemies
- Content: Added variety of mostly decorative caps (headgear with very minor armor protection)
- Content: Added two decorative armors (very minor armor protection)
- Engine: Rewrote the power/electrical grid manager. It is more CPU efficient, responsive and able to handle different layers
- Engine: Decoupled music from weather (ability to handle music playlists independently of weather patterns)
- Modding: Articles can be added to the encyclopedia, which can be a very practical way to document your mods (see data/encyclopedia/*)
- Modding: Base traits (those settlers/animals can spawn with, jobs included) can add specific items to their target. Applied once on spawn.
- Modding: Added CanAttackDoors (true) and CanAttackWalls (false) to npc files, telling if they are allowed to attack either target. Only useful on RaiderAI fueled npc. Won't impact turret behavior.
- Sound: Added 16 new background music tracks (one additional hour of music, doubling playtime before repeat), courtesy of CO.AG under CC-BY 4.0 license
- UI: Added confirmation box when banishing survivors or running self destruction sequence on robots
- UI: Added power storage information to power grid information panels
- UI: Overhauled the power relay menu (more info, configurable range, similar "look" to other power management menus)
- UI: Added Recipe category to Encyclopedia
- UI: The welcome screen of the encyclopedia has been overhauled to contain articles about the game: combat, electricity and expeditions so far. More to come.
- Fixed: Fire Crabs didn't get the intended health bonus, making them much less tanky than planned (will only work on crabs spawned after the update)
- Fixed: A few tutorial messages couldn't be translated
- Fixed: Robots and other "non sentient" agents would incorrectly try to check if they need to go to the hospital
- Fixed: Crash in the encyclopedia when trying to access information about a Tech if it's accessed from the main menu
- Fixed: Some typos in the game tips
- Fixed: Technologies were shown in the item section of the encyclopedia (despite having their own category already)
- Fixed: The non functional "Bandit Lair" setting (it's planned but not implemented yet) was visible in the difficulty settings
- Fixed: It wasn't possible to "just rotate" a furniture (you had to move it away once and then place it again)
- Fixed: In some scenarios, accessing the city map from the underground layer would incorrectly show your base being located in the top left corner
- Fixed: Shamblers and tribals would get a job-type trait which wasn't intended.
- Fixed: Using "OnTop" rendering for pieces of armors/headgear wouldn't always align properly (Modding issue)