Finalised List To Open Beta

[burridgedan]

I want to open a discussion about what should be considered complete and in place for a v1.0.0 release. This is not only to avoid feature creep-in but also get a general sense of what people consider complete enough to launch the server in a public state. At the moment I consider the server in an Alpha state (v0.0.x) but I feel as though with a few more things we could consider moving to a Beta stage (v0.x.x). Since the development of code is open source now, why not make this an open community discussion as well.

The first thing I want to know is; should we remove the server password when we hit the beta stage, hosting an open beta and spreading the word more widely?

Secondly, we need to have a finalised list of features required to open publically (whether beta or v1.0.0). This list should be achievable in a good timeframe, while also considering all the core features the gamemode requires to be considered publically playable by everyone.

Things that are in place:

• Mapping (including interiors)
• Scavenging system
• Loot tables
• Items
• Fuel
• Ability to create a faction*
• Time and weather
• Hunger, thirst and disease (or infection, call it whatever really )
• Character menu and creation
• Inventory

*I would like to expand it a little bit as at the moment you can create a faction but that's it, it has no other use in game currently.

Things that I personally still feel are needed/are being worked on currently (that I can recall off the top of my head):

• Tutorial
• Skills/stats and levels (Vinnie is currently working on this)
• Radio item and chat command
• Finalise admin commands and permissions
• Lore (and someone to step into the lead lore master role)

There's probably more things that will be needed but I'm drawing a blank right now, it's been a busy day at work!

Finally, I need to work with Boone and Oynx at some point soon to determine how we want to split the admin team and whether we want seperate in game and community admins or whether we just have a community admin role (and trial community admin of course) to cover server, discord and forums etc.

[Vinnie]

I would remove pwd and go beta once the minimum viable stuff above is in place as a lot of playtesting/player feedback/balancing needs to happen before 1.0.0 declaration could even be considered.
Personally for 1.0.0 i would want the above features to be relatively polished and for the next set of the more ambitious features to be implemented at a beta stage so to speak. (Meaning quests, gang zones, world events, etc).

[burridgedan]

One of the biggest tasks I have to consider is NPC zombies. I have started work on them but there’s still some behaviour I’m not happy with. I would like to try and resolve them before heading into beta I think as they might end up a core part of the gameplay. Even more so given people are less inclined to play as a zombie. However, maybe with the right perks and balancing that could be addressed.

[Vinnie]

Even more so given people are less inclined to play as a zombie. However, maybe with the right perks and balancing that could be addressed.

When i finish my first go-over on the zed skills, our zombie players will have more power and toys to play with than tyrants did back in the day, so i think zombies might become a lot more popular this time around.

[AMorretti]

"The first thing I want to know is; should we remove the server password when we hit the beta stage, hosting an open beta and spreading the word more widely?"

I think if we drop the server password it invites randoms to cause chaos but I don't know how much of that runs rampant nowadays given the state of sa-mp. I think we would need admin commands sorted out before this happens so if troublemakers do arrive they can be dealt with swiftly.

I think a tutorial would give players a better understanding of the roles and what they are. When I first started playing zo-rp ages ago there was no tutorial from what I remember and was just thrown right into it. This could help incentivise players to go zombie if they realize it comes with x y and z for perks.

Tutorial to me would be

• Lore

• Classes

• Systems (food/thirst/infection/fuel/scavenging)

• Factions

I think this brief introduction would give people that understanding they need before they join. Additionally some of these things could be quite fun to figure out once you get going, so I'm not fully sure how to go about this.

Inspiration for skills/stats I'm pulling from other roleplay servers and zomboid. I think it would be sick to have per say a mechanic skill/job that develops over time, the more mechanic skill you have the less materials you use.

• Weaponsmith for weapons

• First aid for healing

• Farmer for food

Probably more so jobs but can be turned into skills

[burridgedan]

My plan is to do a wipe on factions and characters once we enter beta and unlock the server. Opening during beta makes the most sense seeing the replies above and also further thinking from myself. The reason for the wipe is so that people start on a level playing field given that we have thus far been playing without rules etc. Once we go passwordless there will be server rules in place so proper play will be expected.

Given Vinnie's work with perks and stats I am not making NPC zombies critical to opening up the server but I still would like to work on them in the background as they will still have a use.

The next patch which will hopefully be dropping this weekend will have the first round of perks and stats that Vinnie has been working on. Then, there's just some fine tuning and adding any final features, tweaks, lore, rules, and fixes and we should be good to go passwordless.

If anyone has ideas for the world lore (background, virus origins etc.) then please post it in the "In Character" board.