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Perfect Ten: Why we need more post-apocalyptic MMOs
With the recent re-release of the 1988 classic RPG Wasteland and the development progress of Wasteland 2, my mind's swimming in post-apocalyptic wonderment these days. Aside from those titles and the insanely popular Fallout series, post-apoc hasn't proven to be as popular a setting for games as it is in, say, film, TV, and novels. And when it comes to MMOs, the only major effort that's been made to produce a similar title has been limited to Fallen Earth (and in a lesser sense, Defiance and Xsyon). Now, I love me some Fallen Earth, especially as of late, but every time I log in it makes me think of just how rich and fertile this setting is for MMO studios. Considering just how rampant fantasy titles are, I feel strongly that devs need to be exploring outside this well-trod path to other genres, and the post-apocalypse is a perfect place to start. Here are my reasons that we need more post-apoc MMOs, and no, I'm not going to list "rampant prostitution and drug use" because that would also apply to a Los Angeles MMO.
DayZ footage may upset YouTube comment experts
Heads up, DayZ fans, creator Dean "Rocket" Hall has posted a new eight-minute video showcasing the current state of the zombie sandbox's pre-alpha build. As the video's disclaimer notes, the footage "may deeply trouble experts who post YouTube comments. It has not been approved by marketing and contains disturbing scenes such as poor FPS, floating loot, bad lighting, placeholder sounds, and many more bugs that obviously never occur in game development and therefore the project is completely doomed." Assuming you can get past all those gory details, you'll see some up-close-and-personal zombie killin' as well as exploration elements. "Our focus is on getting the alpha out, Hall says, "which means focusing on multiplayer [server] performance." Click past the cut to watch the clip.
Tenacious bugs, optimization woes continue to delay DayZ
People have been killing zombies in Arma 2 mod DayZ for years, yet the game's long-awaited standalone client remains in development limbo. The culprit? Bugs and code optimization. "We think we need a minimum of 15 [server side] FPS [with] 50 players, 2000 zombies, and 25000 loot items," explained designer Dean Hall in a recent Reddit post. "Our latest tests have all shown some runaway systems in the code we have to tidy up. The variable synchronization system that was developed for work with the network bubble, is checking the variables very often. We're optimizing this. Also, there are many string comparisons." It goes on like that for a few more sentences, but the key takeaway here is that there are very real, technical hurdles that must be leapt before the game can hit retail. Despite this refreshing level of transparency, Hall refuses to assign a release window to the standalone version of DayZ. "If I start saying 'oh it won't be out then' people start asking me about the day after, and the day after," said Hall. "So it just encourages people to keep asking me when it is, and the "announced date" would be when I go 'yeah, it could be out then'." Edit: This piece has been altered to specify that the "15 FPS" mentioned in Hall's message was not referring to the framerate players will see in game, but was instead referring to server side FPS.
DayZ still not ready for release
You can't really call what's happening to DayZ a series of delayz, since the game haz never formally announced a release date. But a lot of potential playerz are still waiting patiently for the standalone version to see the light of day. Lead developer Dean Hall took to Reddit recently to respond to player questionz regarding the long-awaited standalone and explain why the game still isn't out. In short, it isn't the game itself; it's the strain of keeping the game going around a large enough number of people. According to Hall, the big element holding the game back iz the continued work on ensuring client stability and framerate with a large enough number of playerz and zombiez. Hall cites 15 FPS az a bare minimum for the game to function, something that haz yet to be achieved even with existing optimizationz. Not that thiz will assuage those looking forward to playing the standalone version of the zombie survival simulator, but at least it clearz up the reasons for the wait.
DayZ standalone shows up on Steam database
DayZ standalone has appeared on the Steam database, with its creator confirming that development is on "the final lap." Escapist noted that an entry for "DayZ Early Access" showed up yesterday on the Steam Database for the USA territory. The title was delayed last August when the team was waiting for the core network architecture to be put into place. Joystiq contacted Lead Designer Dean Hall, who said that the game is nearing its final stretch to an alpha test. "All I can say is that progress has been very good," Hall said. "We're a mix of nervous and excited. And as I'd stated on my twitter when I announced my break from social media/updates, we are on the final lap. Part of the final process involves the actual administration of the release, which is actually surprisingly complex and time-consuming. So, to confirm, there is no release date announcement and we're 100 percent focused on getting the alpha out the door."
DayZ standalone in Steam database, Hall says progress 'very good'
DayZ standalone is showing signs of (re)animation, with "DayZ Early Access" popping up in the Steam Database. The Escapist took note of the entry, and pointed out the entry is marked for the USA territory. "Amazing how quickly the internet picks up on things isn't it," said DayZ lead and creator Dean Hall when we asked him for clarification this morning. "All I can say is that progress has been very good, we're a mix of nervous and excited. And as I'd stated on my twitter when I announced my break from social media/updates, we are on the final lap. Part of the final process involves the actual administration of the release, which is actually surprisingly complex and time-consuming." Hall previously told us at Gamescom that the team was waiting on the "core network architecture" to complete and then DayZ standalone would be ready for "go time." Hall concluded, "So, to confirm, there is no release date announcement and we're 100 percent focused on getting the alpha out the door."
Latest DayZ video blog touches on usability, optimization
If you've got an extra 20 minutes -- and you're a DayZ fan -- Dean Hall's latest video dev blog is worth a look. Hall starts off with usability changes, and he shows off the new UI along with various context-sensitive improvements and functionality. He also talks a bit about DayZ's work-in-progress animations, its reloading mechanics, and a few other bits and bobs related to the standalone sandbox survival sim's ongoing development. Hall also touches on the network optimization delays that he mentioned at Gamescom. "In order to make our alpha period worthwhile, we want to release with this network bubble, which is the last task remaining before [the alpha]," he explained. Hall goes on to say that the task is currently being overseen by Bohemia Interactive co-founder Ondrej Spanel. Spanel is Bohemia's most senior programmer and is also responsible for co-designing the engine that led to Operation Flashpoint, the Arma series, and of course DayZ. We've embedded Hall's dev blog video after the cut.
DayZ September dev blog teases new zombie AI and item degradation
DayZ creator Dean Hall's September dev blog detailed changes to the game's inventory, player interaction, item damage, and teased upcoming changes to zombie AI. The entire video is more than 20 minutes long and is stuffed full of information for DayZ fans, but here are a few highlights: In the dev blog, Hall revealed that the AI for the DayZ standalone release would be written entirely from scratch, and is no longer based on the ArmA 2 AI. "The proposal I came up with was that zombies will chase players and avoid collision," Hall said. "The zombies will only pathfind for a short distance in front of them, and otherwise, they'll avoid collision." Hall stated more details regarding zombie AI are coming in a future dev blog. Hall also demonstrated several ways he hopes to reduce the "kill on sight mentality" that currently permeates the DayZ experience, one of which is to have loot take weapon damage. This means if you shoot another player to take their stuff, whatever you hit with your bullet will be damaged. You can watch Hall demonstrate this when he shoots another player in the chest, which not only ruins their clothing, but all the items carried by that clothing. Even after the zombie apocalypse, you still have to worry about keeping your clothes nice.
Gamescom 2013: DayZ standalone delayed, Hall not worried
DayZ creator Dean Hall told Joystiq that the standalone version of his ultra-popular zombie sandbox mod no longer has a release window. "The awkward thing is the only thing we're waiting on is the core network architecture," Hall said, speaking at this week's Gamescom. "That's the kind of thing only a few people can work on. It's very specialized. It's like, you can't throw more pilots at a plane. You put a thousand pilots in a plane, it's not going to fly any faster." Hall said that art, animation, and design work is ongoing while the network architecture is being ironed out. He also touched on the high expectations for what started as an Arma 2 mod. "If most of the community who maybe thought DayZ was cool a year ago now they think it's lame, I think that's probably good for us," Hall explained. "We don't need to sell that many copies to break even. We want to be a hardcore game and I think if we make a good game people will come back."
Nether gives unique twist to post-apocalyptic survival
Stop us if you've heard this game before: It's some time after the apocalypse, and you're one of the final survivors scrounging about for parts and gear to carve out a niche of safety. While that might sound like every zombie survival game that's come out in the wake of DayZ, Nether is eschewing zombies for something more insidious -- and interesting. The titular creatures are mutants that hunt by sound and teleport around, requiring players to adopt new strategies as they try to make it. The newly announced Nether is a persistent MMOish (well, 64 players per server) game where players explore West Chicago in the hopes of finding that one weapon or crate of goods that's needed to survive another night. Or you could just go to Chicago right now in real life and do the same thing. Phosphor Games Creative Director Chip Sineni says his title won't be the same-old zombiethon: "Our focus is to veer away from some of the 'traditional' survival-horror offerings in order to provide something new for the genre, with a great urban setting, a different type of story and an experience that excites us as fans and will be something definitely fresh and new for gamers." Nether is in alpha testing with an eye on a fall 2013 release for the PC and is currently accepting beta signups. You can check out its reveal trailer after the jump!
Hands-on: Infestation: Survivor Stories, aka War Z, is worse than actually being killed by zombies
If there's one thing we know about the games industry, it's that no success goes uncopied. World of Warcraft breaks a million subscribers, everyone starts building WoW-like MMOs. Minecraft showers its creator with enough money to buy his home country, voxel-based crafting games fall like rain. It's just how things go. It should come as no surprise, then, that some studio somewhere would attempt to piggyback on the success of DayZ, Dean Hall's ridiculously popular mod for Arma II. The title, which drops players into a dangerous, zombie-filled open world and challenges them to survive, resonated so immensely with gamers that a clone wasn't so much probable as it was inevitable. But Infestation: Survivor Stories, formerly known as The War Z, is more than just a clone of DayZ. It is a charmless, cynical, and craven rip-off packaged with one of the most sinister microtransaction models ever implemented into a game, and it's developed by a company that has on multiple occasions proven itself to be only shades away from a dedicated fraud factory.
DayZ studio hacked, encrypted passwords downloaded
DayZ developer Bohemia Interactive was struck by hackers today, resulting in the illegal download of player usernames, emails addresses, and passwords. Bohemia posted a letter stating that while the passwords were stolen, their encryption should protect players from the hackers using them. Even so, Bohemia has reset all of the passwords in its database, requiring players to register for a new password in order to access the studio's website and forums. The good news is that credit card info is safe. "We would like to reassure everyone that no other information such as credit card details is stored by us and thus was not at any risk from this illegal breach," Bohemia stated.
Standalone DayZ looks to be taking cues from EVE Online
When you actually build a simulation of the post-zombie landscape, where do you look for inspiration about what happens next? To the stars, according to DayZ's Dean Hall. In a recent interview, Hall discusses the ways that EVE Online creates a persistent world fueled primarily by player interactions and backstabbing, which he sees as the future of the standalone DayZ. Not just in the case of survivors turning on one another, but in the ability to actually create safe regions through the world carved out by player ingenuity. Hall discusses the possibility of allowing not just player-owned structures but long-term landscape changes, hollowing out bunkers and setting up security systems. The game isn't there yet, but he also mentions that watching The War Z's launch and subsequent burn in some ways helped fuel the development team's commitment to the original vision. It's an interesting look at a game that isn't out there yet, but promises to add more than simply surviving the hordes of mindless undead.
Garry's Mod creator launches Rust in free alpha; think DayZ, STALKER [Update]
Garry Newman's new game is a departure from his breakout creation, Garry's Mod, but it's still slightly familiar. Rust is a survival game that started off as a DayZ clone and transitioned into a STALKER-inspired world where players build their own buildings and defenses – and they can play however they want. "So what's to stop you from going around killing anyone you want and taking their shit and becoming more powerful?" Newman asks. "Nothing. What's stopping it from becoming a PVP killfest? You. Our job should be to give the players the tools they need. If you're sick of getting killed – start a town. Build town walls. Give all the town members red clothes. Put warning signs up outside the town. Set up trip wires and alarms. Watch each other's back." Rust is in alpha now, accessible here – just type in any series of numbers until the "Next" button appears in the right-hand corner of the registration box. Newman and his studio, Facepunch, are working on implementing their own assets in the game and fixing bugs, so it's still early in development. Update: The alpha is closed, for now, so put down your keyboards and take a deep breath. Keep an eye out for updates on the Rust forums.
Hall considering PS4 version of DayZ
How would a PlayStation 4 version of DayZ grab you? Mod creator Dean Hall is apparently considering it according to a blurb at Eurogamer. Hall outlines the differences between publishing on Sony's console vs. Microsoft's, the latter of which requires a hefty fee for each update as well as a pre-existing publisher relationship. Hall tells Eurogamer that he's definitely interested in both platforms but his focus is currently on the standalone PC version of his celebrated Arma 2 mod. "That's definitely something we'd look at, but we have to do the PC version first. Once we get the alpha out, that's a good time for us to run it up on a [PS4] dev kit and see what happens," he explained.
E3 2013: DayZ shows off its standalone gameplay
Do you like zombies? Wait, that's a silly question, don't answer that. They're horrible undead abominations, of course you don't like them. But do you like shooting them? If so, you'll be happy to see the brand-new footage of DayZ's standalone client just past the break, because this is a game all about shooting zombies. Also stabbing zombies, incinerating zombies, and generally making the world safe for everyone who wants to have a zombie-free living space. The video stretches for about 12 minutes, covering everything from inventory management to shooting zombies to combing houses for supplies. No word on whether or not the standalone game will include mechanics for fighting against a growing sense of survivalist paranoia or waiting things out at the Winchester, but you can still see what it's like to get your zombie-killing hat on.
Hall conquers Everest, talks DayZ's ownership and loss
Dean Hall has officially made it to the top of the world. The DayZ creator watched the sun rise from the summit of Mt. Everest on May 21st, according to a tweet released earlier today. Gamasutra recently asked Hall about his Arma zombie mod's phenomenal success, and he pointed to the design's ability to trigger psychological responses to both ownership and loss. "I think the big thing was that it was this finely-crafted mix of permadeath -- which gave you a sense of value, because you could lose something -- and ownership," Hall explained. "Because it's persistent, it means that it's going to be there tomorrow. I think those two things mixed together meant that you had these really valuable stories that came from it."
Hall takes a break from DayZ, pursues dream of climbing Everest
If you're anxiously waiting for Dean "Rocket" Hall's standalone version of his ultra-popular Arma 2 mod DayZ, you'll have to wait a little bit longer. Hall is currently climbing Mount Everest as part of a two-month vacation from his development duties on Bohemia Interactive's zombie-themed post-apocalyptic sandbox. "Although the timing is poor for my sabbatical, it is not something planned on a whim and involves non-refundable costs of up to $100k," Hall writes on the DayZ website. "This is going to take as long as it needs to," he continues. "We want to release our initial alpha under the architecture it needs to avoid hacking and security issues -- this is the only remaining task stopping us from releasing the alpha."
GDC 2013: Dean Hall on the pillars of DayZ's design
Dean Hall talks about DayZ as a scientist would a Petri dish gone grotesque. He knows perhaps what the game's strengths and appeal might be, knows why it hosts over 1.7 million players. Still, he meets the success with some bemusement, especially considering how notoriously difficult the mod is to install. Now Hall is working with Bohemia Interactive on a standalone DayZ title (to be released, he apologizes, "when it's ready"). In Hall's "Designing DayZ" lecture at GDC this week, the focus was on his philosophy in shaping the game.
DayZ's zombies are getting smarter -- and hungrier
Let us ask you a serious question: Do you like to read your dev blogs or watch them? Thanks to the Bohemia Interactive team, you can do both today! The devs have posted an article covering DayZ standalone's progress as well as a 21-minute video highlighting game footage. The team's been focusing on the inventory system, a non-traditional crafting system, zombie pathfinding, security improvements, a more complex health system, map expansion, and more sensible loot. Lead Developer Rocket urges patience as the team works to complete the standalone version: "We know that you want it released, and we know you want to know when this will be -- but we're 100% committed to making this a great game, and that means we are making sure to do things properly." You can watch the full dev diary video after the jump.
