Hello train drivers! It was a long break without updates, but since the update is anniversary, I decided to do a lot of work and implement many major improvements and changes to existing mechanics at once. Unfortunately, not all innovations announced in the news will appear in the update. I decided to postpone the introduction of a split locomotive with the ability to connect wagons until the next updates, as I faced serious technical difficulties and this threatened to stretch the update for several more months. Nevertheless, there are many innovations and they are very significant.
Advanced save system
Despite the fact that the work on the save system is not visually visible to the player, a significant part of the time was devoted to this, since the previous system was extremely crude and did not allow saving changes to any little things in all locations, after the improvement in the game, any changes are saved up to the thrown item, which will always lie where the player once left it. Now almost all changes in each location are saved, except for broken glass, open or destroyed doors, but over time they will also be saved.
Since the old save is no longer compatible with the new version of the game, a save was created behind the tunnel with a train full of resources so that players who do not want to go through the game from the beginning could continue playing in new locations. The save can be downloaded from the link below.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VD8lMscSfHDqH7qUAeueRkGey4Up_vsq/view?usp=sharing
New locations
In this update, I decided to implement two new locations at once. Since it was not uncommon for me to be offered to make intermediate locations where there would be almost no places to explore, so that players could just go and enjoy nature, I decided to immediately implement this. The first of the two locations is virtually entirely a forest location with a small but interesting area to explore, otherwise it will be a great area for fishing and hunting when implemented in the game. The second location took me most of the development time, since I wanted to create a distinctive situation from the previous locations with new nuances in the gameplay and at the moment, I hope I succeeded. Unfortunately, the new location will not work as I intended for now, as new types of zombies should appear in it, but this will only happen after the zombie redesign.
Improved interior models
Since the game is gradually removing the low-poly cartoon objects of the release version and being replaced by more realistic ones, in this update it was decided to take time to completely replace the interior objects and add new details to increase the detail and realism of the interiors. At the moment, there are almost no cartoon models left in the game and they will be completely removed after the zombie redesign, which will finally bring the game to the planned visual style.
Optimization of train building elements
Work was carried out to optimize the textures of the train structural elements in order to make the textures universal for a large number of train parts. In addition to improving performance, this makes it possible to create almost limitless options for such elements without loss of performance, but this creates rich opportunities for replacing cladding materials and repainting elements of the interior and exterior of the train. Unfortunately, the expressiveness of the buildings is somewhat lost with this method, which I do not really like and I will think about how to get around it in the future. Also removed the rear wall elements that overloaded the construction menu, now the outer walls are suitable for the side and rear parts of the cars.
Robot assistant
Due to the specifics of the new locations, I nevertheless decided to implement the long-planned assistant robot already in this update. True, in this release it will have very limited functionality, in the form of the ability to place carrying bags on the robot, which will allow transporting a large amount of mined loot. In the future, the robot's functionality will be seriously improved, for example, the placement of turrets, searchlights, medical stations, etc. So the robot will need to charge the batteries, repair and develop its improvements.
Automation of production on workbenches
To automate and improve production on workbenches has long been asking for in the game. Workbenches are now split into fully automatic workbenches, which do not require the presence of the player, and workbenches in which the player still has to be at the workbench. But all workbenches can be queued in the production of items and even move away from the non-automatic workbench during production, which will simply pause production and resume as soon as the player activates the workbench again.
Delayed improvements
Also in this update, a lot of work was done on a separate locomotive and carriages and the ability to pick up carriages during the game. But unfortunately, in the process of testing the new system, multiple technical difficulties were identified, the solution of which threatened to stretch the update for a month or more, so it was decided to postpone the implementation of this feature until the next updates.
In particular, a system for changing wall panels in the interior of the train was developed, but it was also decided to postpone this feature until future updates, so as not to delay the already stretched update.
CHANGE LOG
Improvements
- Optimized elements of the construction of wagons.
- Optimized materials of train structural elements, this slightly worsened their appearance, but will significantly improve performance, especially with a dense building of a large number of cars.
- Added a frame limiter, which should reduce the load on the video card in case the limitation does not occur automatically.
- Added possibility to swap items between inventory-belt or belt-belt.
- Pickuped items now will be autoamtically stacked on the same items in the belt slot if possible.
- Recipe in workbench window now updated when you drag resource from belt to backpack.
- Added the ability to customize mouse keys and keys for switching quick slots.
- Added robot assistant.
- Added an engineer workbench to create additional robot mechanisms.
- Added a charcoal barrel for making charcoal.
- Added a weapon workbench for creating simple explosives, as in the future it will be possible to create cartridges and other types of explosives.
- The method of obtaining clean water from dirty water has been revised and complicated.
- Zombies turn their heads when the player approaches.
Corrected mistakes
- Weight of backpack properly updated when item moved from belt to world.
- Fixed weight for dirty water bottle.
- Fixed a bug where it was possible to increase the number of items through a set of zeros.
- Fixed a bug when opening the hood and trunk of a minivan.
- Fixed a bug in which the text description of an item on the floor would get stuck after activating the game menu.
- Fixed a bug where, after closing the inventory, an open notebook would freeze on the screen without the ability to close it.
- Removed the glow of red dots on the walls in the tunnel.
- Fixed a bug in which it was possible to disassemble a cabinet under the stairs with loot.
- Fixed a bug in which it was possible, separately from the inventory, to close the cabinet door under the stairs.
Plans for the next updates
- Since there were many graphical improvements in the 10 version of the update, players will face a deterioration in the optimization of the game, so the 11 version of the update will be devoted to a small improvement in the optimization of the game.
- 12 The version will be devoted to the introduction of the mechanics of a separate locomotive and cars, the ability to change wall panels in the interior and the introduction of more new elements for the construction of cars.
- 13 The version will be about zombie redesign and AI rework. It is also likely that a zombie repulsion system will be introduced, as a result of which there will be a chance to drop zombies with a strong blow or a shot from large caliber firearms.
