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How 'feel' trumps realism in H1Z1's weapon design
H1Z1 Senior Game Designer Jimmy Whisenhunt has penned another dev blog about SOE's inbound survival sandbox, this one aimed at weapon design, starting with the modeling and rigging process. Animation design in particular, he says, is critical. "A huge part of the tuning process that is commonly overlooked in FPS game development is how a weapon reacts to in-game actions," Whisenhunt explains. "Design and Animation have to be in lock-step for a successful feel in combat; we need to have the same vision to ensure a solid experience for the player." He also discusses recoil and shooting mechanics and how "feel" can trump realism. "We've mentioned in the past that we want to avoid tuning and creating things simply because they 'that's the way it is in real life,' which means I get to take to take a realistic ballistic and weapon recoil feel and make it feel satisfying and fun. Typically the gravity of projectiles in real life doesn't fit the intended play experience we seek out. After all, the weapon feel and functionality has to fit our world design as well as Zombie and Player combat." The full dev blog is on the official site. We took a look at H1Z1's art and lighting effects last week.
How graphics will help H1Z1 set a creepy mood
Do you care a whole lot about graphical fidelity when you're running away from shooting zombies in the face with a sawed-off shotgun? Fabulous; we have just the video for you. SOE has just posted a Q&A video featuring H1Z1 Art Director Bill Yeatts, who fields player-submitted questions about the upcoming zombie-survival-sandbox's graphics. Yeatts explains how SOE chose H1Z1's art style, how that art style will evolve as early access approaches, and just how he plans to make the game look and feel really scary (obviously, a zombie plague isn't terrifying enough). Enjoy the dev spotlight below.
Dead Giveaway finishes dead last
With the Halloween season rapidly approaching, a game featuring zombies just might be seasonally apropos. Dead Giveaway is a free game (with in-app purchases) for iOS 6 or later, universally available but optimized for iPhone 5. Initially, I didn't think the game would be something I'd like, mostly because I thought it was a cheap shot. A game where I have to beat zombies by answering questions? It didn't feel exciting or like a pastime, both of which I think are key for a quality game. As it turned out, I ended up not liking the game, but for very different reasons. Dead Giveaway has a lot of potential, but in my option it needs some heavy tweaking. The format of the game is relatively simple. You are supposedly captured by a group of zombies, who have decided to show mercy (and because they aren't yet hungry for human flesh) by having type an answer after being shown three clues. The idea is if you win, you don't get eaten. For every correct answer, you win coins, which can purchase hints or extra clues. The graphics are clever - the clues appear on little TV screens, connected by rotted wooden boards. Your zombie host even has a suit and tie, in keeping with the game show feel. When you get an answer right, you get another little tidbit about the answer, almost as if the host is making small talk with you, and occasionally he will interject corny comments via little pop-up windows. These things were fun and lighthearted, and I appreciated them. However, the main structure of the game was a problem. First off, as mentioned I believe the point of the game was to avoid being "eaten" by the zombies, if you win. That is just the point: I am still not at all certain how one "wins" this game, or if the game even has a point at all. I got to level 47 and still had no idea what exactly I was doing. As I got correct answers, the coin bank would increase, but this would have made more sense if, for example, I had to win a certain level of coins to have something happen. The game felt a little pointless in this regard, as though I would just be guessing answers indefinitely for no apparent purpose. Besides, I think after nearly fifty levels something ought to happen. Where are all the zombies threatening to eat me, for example? Second, the clues vary in their clarity and thoughtfulness. As an example, my clues on the very first level, were "Is a millionaire," "Pow," and "Wears a cape." The fourth clue was unavailable until I spent ten coins to "buy" it (more on this later). I ended up having to both Google the clues as well as buy the clue to get the right answer, which was Batman. Now, I am not the most pop-culture savvy. I freely admit that. I do wonder how clearly these clues say "Batman." All I knew was that it could be a superhero, which is why I initially picked Superman. For that, I was rewarded by losing a coin in what I would be paid for my right answer. In fact, I ended up having to Google on almost every level because the clues just were not ringing any bells. This is the hardest part of this review, because I admit I am largely unfamiliar with certain contemporary music stars, movies, and other cultural paraphernalia. My ignorance of these things certainly made the clues more difficult for me. Yet, to have to Google nearly every level because the clues are either very vague or unreasonably obscure ends up making the game a lot less fun. Something else should be said about using the coins. I have no problem with features like this in themselves. I do have a huge problem when playing a supposedly free app essentially hinges on purchasing fake money to use in-game. This is precisely what happened with me on my very first level. Because I could not figure out the right answer, I ended up having to buy the fourth clue – but the player is not given any coins to start with! So in order to simply progress to the next level (even just skipping the question costs 100 coins), I had to spend US$0.99 on a pack of 500 coins. Also, the fact that players are awarded coins for every right answer felt a bit pointless too because I ended up having to buy a lot of those fourth clues. Even the option of buying a hint (blank lines are shown spelling out the answer, and for every 25 coins you spend you get one letter) was too expensive if used very often. So, after nearly an hour of game play, almost fifty levels, and a dollar of my money, I ended up dissatisfied, confused, and scratching my head. I don't expect a game to have breathtaking graphics or be insultingly easy to win. I don't expect to spend absolutely no money on it, at least if I am very committed to playing. I don't expect software developers to be unprecedentedly creative. I do expect games to have a clear goal, and to not have to spend money (real or fake) to simply graduate from the first level. I do not like coming to the end of a game and wondering exactly what happened, or spending fifty levels not even sure if it has a point. The game has clear potential: humor is used appropriately and thoughtfully. Some of the facts given are genuinely interesting. The basic idea of a trivia game is a lot of fun. There were too many issues with Dead Giveaway for it to be truly enjoyable and fun. I do hope the developers will stretch their minds and ideas to create a game, with zombies or without, that will be enriching and pleasant without breaking the bank or the clock.
H1Z1 takes out starting axe based on player feedback
This past month's conventions and player hands-on have been influential to the development of H1Z1, according to a new post today by Senior Game Designer Jimmy Whisenhunt. "After much discussion and some debate, we decided to make several targeted and deliberate changes to how the player will be dropped into our world," Whisenhunt wrote. "One of the biggest changes we've made is to the starting equipment your character spawns into our apocalypse ridden world with. Being a massive sandbox MMO without XP patting you on the back, progression mechanics have to feel solid and early game combat needed to be more challenging." The biggest change revolves around the removal of the starting axe in order to get players more involved in crafting, exploration, and combat paths. Instead, players will fight with their fists, which can actually trigger combos if done right. Another significant change is the decision to spawn weapons on top of counters and crafting items inside of objects so that finding weapons on the fly is easier to do.
PAX Prime 2014: Going on a deer hunt in H1Z1
The time was just before dawn, with colors muted by the limited light. I silently roamed through fog banks, looking for a quarry in the woods and finding none. It was my first time playing H1Z1, and I had no other purpose than to find something living (or unliving) and end it with my hefty axe. Suddenly I spotted it: the flash of a white tail as a deer sprinted away from me through the brush. I pressed down the sprint button and went after it, chewing through my stamina and cursing my lack of four legs or gasoline-powered wheels. The deer led me on a grim chase through the mostly silent woodland. At one point, a wolf appeared out from behind a tree and sprinted after the doe as well, although it couldn't catch up and eventually became disheartened (or glitched out). Yes, I felt both gruesome and silly spending my moments at the demo booth trying to kill Bambi, but I needed to know if I would be able to survive in this environment. One wrong move and I was upon the prey, bringing it down with a sickening thud. Continuing to hack away at the carcass with my axe found me rewarded with more crafting materials and a dented conscience. Stricken, I wandered away and roamed up a hill, only to encounter a strange solitary sign with a skull on it. "That marks the border of the game," a nearby developer told me while another dev professed amazement that he had never seen such signs before. "If you go past here, you'll die," the first dev cautioned. Maybe I deserve to die. If chopping through a tender critter is what it takes to survive in this new world, is that worth the cost? I put down the controls and walked away, innocent no longer.
PAX Prime 2014: H1Z1's bears will end you
In most MMOs, bears are chunky cannon fodder: good for lowbie XP and a sad scrap of a pelt as loot. In H1Z1, bears are possibly more terrifying than zombies and gankers combined. At PAX Prime this weekend, Senior Game Designer Jimmy Whisenhunt explained that in this game, a bear attacked will run you down as fast as it does in nature and make a plaything of your skull. It's a good thing that they're relatively rare and give a warning roar before charging, otherwise the zombies would be coming to you for help. Expanding the role of nature is essential to the immersion of H1Z1's survival aspect. Wolves, deer, and bear roam the countryside, getting into the occasional tiff with each other and the undead. They're useful if you can take them down quickly, since the harsh elements (such as rain and snow) will soon be programmed to degrade your well-being and those animal pelts could be made into clothes. Whisenhunt walked us through the four essential stats to staying alive in this world. Stamina is for sprinting and attacks, and while it regenerates quickly, neglecting it will ensure your body will draw from your hydration and energy levels instead. Your health is also constantly ticking down and replenished by the food and water you drink, meaning that you'll always need to be looking for more to scarf up and quaff in your journeys. Stashing your food in your backpack is a good option, although the team is still tinkering with the style of inventory to make the limited storage another survival factor. When H1Z1 goes into early access later this year, there will be one "vanilla" server on which no punches will be pulled (this is doubly true as all players will start with only their fists as weapons). Other types of servers, such as player-only or PvE rulesets, are possibilities once the team assesses how players are engaging the game in beta.
SOE Live 2014: H1Z1 is a full-fledged survival experience
With an event like Zombie Prom, it was hard not to notice a certain undead theme at this year's SOE Live. That's all courtesy of the studio's upcoming apocalyptic survival game H1Z1. And thanks to plenty of panels, interviews, and the keynote, we learned even more about the game: The new sandbox is so much more than a zombie shooter; it's a full fledged survival experience. There were even opportunities for fans to nab some hands-on playtime. We had the chance to mix and mingle with Producer Steve George, Senior Game Designer Jimmy Whisenhunt, Art Director Bill Yeatts, Technical Director Tom Schenck, and Game Designer Adam Clegg to discuss where H1Z1 came from, where it is going, and how far it has gotten. Delve into the new air drops, the heat and temperature systems, and so much more. We've also embedded the full keynote panel for you.
SOE Live 2014 in pictures: H1Z1's Zombie Prom, a costume contest, and attendees galore
Every year there seems to be something different at SOE Live. IN 2013, there was the big reveal of the new EverQuest Next and the surprise announcement of Landmark, complete with sand art and champagne. This year, one popular festivity focused on another new title in development: H1Z1. Attendees got all dolled up and put on their best undead faces for a night of dancing at the Zombie Prom (those who preferred the living enjoyed a pool party). It was quite the evening, complete with a wedding proposal! But even as some things change, some stay the same. Friends and guildies meet up (or just plain meet!), games are played, tournaments are won, costumes are shown off, swag is collected, and folks have a good time geeking out with devs. There were also plenty of heart-warming moments, from stories of players helping players to actual weddings. If you weren't able to attend the festivities, or you just want a little pick-me-up as you come down from your convention high, here's a quick look at the weekend in pictures.
SOE Live 2014: Thursday keynote liveblog announces EQ and EQII expansions, more
Are you looking forward to getting a hint of what's to come for your favorite SOE games this next year? SOE Live's Thursday keynote has just kicked off, and SOE notables like John Smedley are taking the stage to give fans a hint of the announcements coming over the course of the weekend. We're here live to give you the scoop directly from the devs, and we'll be keeping this post updated as it progresses. You can also can watch the presentation streamed live below. Keynote announcements on Friday have all the juicy details, so don't miss them! Four awards for Player Studio: Highest creator - BeastBuster with over $25,000 to date; Most Prolific creator - Rollen; Most Improved Creator - Jerry "Rawl" Dechant; and Most inspirational - Neko Zero. Player Direct awards -- you can see all full-length film on the official site. H1Z1 is coming out on the PS4. The Play it Forward initiative is gamers helping others, in game or in life. Tournaments: Prize money on the line for participants. Dragon's Prophet is introducing a new system where you find and raise dragon hatchlings. EverQuest is introducing a new category to Player Studio. EQ working on a new advanced looting feature. EQ's next expansion is The Darkened Sea. EverQuest II's 10th anniversary in November, the 11th expansion Alter of Malice is launching on 11/11. New classes for EverQuest Next will be announced tomorrow. A touching video tribute to EQII's Ribbitribbit was presented. SOE encouraged support for AbleGamers, Gamers4Life, and Military Gamers.
H1Z1 graphics programmer hints at other weather types
SOE Graphics Programmer Ryan Favale is the target of a new H1Z1 video. In it, he discusses the games that he's playing, notable bugs, and his role on the upcoming zombie sandbox. Favale said that he's primarily working on the dynamic weather system. "That's my main job on H1Z1, to bring as many weather conditions and effects and environmental immersion as possible," Favale said. He teased the possibility of hurricanes, tornadoes, and dust storms, but didn't promise that they'd make them into the game. You can watch the video after the break.
SOE teases H1Z1's dynamic weather
We all know that the most important thing to your MMO immersions when you're neck-deep in zombies and dastardly corpse-looting player-killers is whether you can wear a t-shirt in a blizzard with impunity. Worry not, roleplay fiends, for SOE has today teased its dynamic weather system for upcoming survival MMO H1Z1 via a septet of screenshots that show the effect of changing seasons on the environment. Enjoy!
SOE Live player panels include support for military gamers
SOE Live posted its list of player panels today for its convention, with topics ranging from supporting military gamers to fansite management. The full list is as follows: Friday, August 15 11:00 am - 12:00 pm -– EQ2U & Dragon's Armory 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm –- Live Together, Die Alone: Surviving H1Z1 as a Group 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm –- Inter-Outfit Operations in PS2 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm –- Become Your Character: Tricks and Tips for Cosplay 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm –- Military Gamers: Taking Care of Each Other Saturday, August 16 10:00 am - 11:00 am -– Social Media/Steaming & Fansites 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm -– Effective Guild and League Management 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm –- Improving Your EverQuest 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm –- DCUO – Advanced Raid Tactics 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm –- The New Conglomerate 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm -– Hardcore Decorating in EQII 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm –- EQII Game Macros, ACT Triggers, and You!
Don't call it laser tag: this is a real-life version of 'Left 4 Dead'
Every year we get another Call of Duty, but if you've given up hope waiting for a new Left 4 Dead, a Georgia-based company might have something a bit well, realer, to help tide you over. Blood, Guts 'n Glory [sic] is looking to take the aforementioned games off of your TV and put them in the real world with the help of slick Hollywood-style production and some high-tech weaponry this October. In Apocalyptic Infested Horror, teams battle against hordes of zombies played by actors or Kickstarter backers, while War-torn Fallujah Battlefield has you facing off against "insurgents." In terms of firepower, real weapons like the M4 assault rifle have been outfitted with infrared tech along the lines of what the military uses for training purposes, and the armaments apparently still sound like the real deal, have muzzle flash and require reloading. Authenticity above all, naturally. And thanks to a force feedback belt, you'll feel each attack you've sustained too.
H1Z1 releases E3 gameplay demo
Unless you were personally at E3, you didn't get to see the H1Z1 gameplay demo shown to the media, but SOE rectifies that injustice today with a new video in which Senior Designer Jimmy Whisenhunt walks viewers through a version of the same demo shown at the con. Clocking in at over 11 minutes, the video demonstrates resource acquisition, crafting, driving, scavenging, archery, dynamic weather, and more gameplay elements. You know -- killin' baddies, choppin' trees, just a day in the life of a dude with a rusty jeep and a zombie plague chasing him down.
H1Z1 working hard on Steam early access prep
SOE Technical Director Tom Schenck penned the first dev blog for H1Z1 yesterday, saying that the team is in overdrive preparing the title for its debut on Steam Early Access. However, in regard to a specific date as to when H1Z1 will be publicly available, Schenck wasn't sharing. Schenck said that the team is strongly focusing on getting the antagonists to look and play the part: "High priority on our Early Access feature list is polishing group behavior and tuning Emergent AI systems to the entire ecosystem. Our AI team is going nuts regulating interactions for all of the NPC characters in the game including zombies, deer, wolves, and more." Other stated priorities for the team right now include fine tuning melee combat, maxing out performance, and bug hunting.
Smedley plays H1Z1 on Steam, talks early access
John Smedley tells Reddit that he has played H1Z1 on Steam. "It's our first step toward early access launch," he writes, though the date is still up in the air. "We don't mean to be coy about the date," he says. "We just realized after that initial date it would be smarter to announce it after our feature list was complete. So expect to hear more on the date fairly soon." Smedley also mentions a few features that the dev team is currently working on, including bow crafting, "shooting a deer in the eye with the bow," and more. [Header image by H1Z1Jane via SOE]
E3 2014: Hands-on with H1Z1
I'm coughing. My head hurts. I'm tired, hungry, and thirsty. I'm not hearing things anymore, but when I close my eyes for too long, I feel disoriented. And this was before I got my hands on H1Z1! I'm sick at E3, but well enough to see through some spin while looking at a winner. If you're tired of hype, false promises, and pay-to-play alphas, come read between the lines with me as I recount the experience of my H1Z1 demo.
E3 2014: SOE's evil ways on display in this H1Z1 teaser
SOE has taken the wraps off "My Evil Ways," a new trailer for zombie sandbox H1Z1. The clip is comprised of gameplay footage and seems to endorse the kill-or-be-killed mentality that typically permeates apocalyptic fiction. View it in full after the break!
Parkour trumps tottering corpses in Dying Light E3 trailer
Zombies can't devour what they can't catch. As this Dying Light trailer demonstrates, parkour is to zombies as jetskis are to the docile manatee. [Image: WBIE]
H1Z1 floats possible server rulesets
A short Reddit post from SOE revealed a few possible server rulesets that the team has been discussing for H1Z1. While these aren't set in stone, it is an interesting peek into the possibilities of both official and player-run servers. The possible server rulesets include: Hardcore ruleset (wipes all ownership and recipes upon death) PvP vs. PvE Military weapons toggle Guns toggle (melee/bows only server) Roleplay (VOIP attracts zombies and other tidbits) World chat vs. area chat Hardcore ruleset #2: Starvation! (food and water consumption are much higher) Hardcore ruleset #3: Zombies and wolves are deadlier, faster, and hardier Base destructibility (easy, hard, not at all) SOE also indicated that it would be possible to create rulesets that mix-and-matched between these ideas.
