Hello!
In case you don't know, right now Unturned is going through a massive overhaul for optimizations, dedicated servers on the steam server list, VAC, workshop and overall better networking which isn't currently on the public branch.
The last few days I've been working on polishing existing features as well as the introduction of the resource and spawn table tools:
-You can now build up loot tables for your levels by adding a table, creating tiers for it and then assigning items to the tiers. You completely control the percentage chances of each tier per spawn, and can then place nodes representing tables around the level!
-You can import trees into the terrain tool and generate them onto the terrain automatically checking to make sure they aren't in places they shouldn't be. The physics are also in place to allow you to actually fell a tree when you chop it! Currently the trees need optimizing for the 64km² map, but I'll do that over the next few days.
-It's now possible to create maps as small as 500x500 meters which will allow groups to create clan headquarters, or even a stronghold base!
-Items can have a "quality" attribute applied to them that represents their current wear and tear. A rotten fruit, for example, would now just be a normal fruit with a low quality value, or an ax could eventually become so battle-scarred that it needs maintenance. This will allow a repairing skill to be implemented. (More below.)
-All of the level related files take up a fraction of the size, however this upgrade still needs to be done to player data.
-I built a new tool directly into Unity that creates OSX/Windows builds, splits out the shared content and uploads to Steamworks. This should bring patch times down significantly from ~30 minutes to ~5 and reduce bandwidth for Valve! (Since files used in Windows and OSX are now put together.)
The rest of the changes aren't very interesting, so I would like to bring up a topic for discussion: character specialties:
Character specialties will allow each character you create to have a unique skill tree that nobody else can perform. A mechanic, for example, would be significantly better at repairing items. They could also lend special abilities such as doctors using medical supplies on other players for increased healing, or chefs being able to craft proper meals rather than eating individual ingredients.
In my opinion this will make PvE more fun, increase replayability and reduce kill on sight mentality because there is a reason to take people hostage. What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments!
The editor related things are so close to completion that the next few days I shall focus solely on them, such as the aforementioned tree optimizations. You can expect more news on Wednesday, and perhaps a video of the editor in action!
You may have noticed a small patch to 2.0 last night, it was a few fixes to help prevent some cheats.
Thanks for reading!