After 8 months of no updates, we finally reveal Zombie Master 2's new features!

Posted by violentdev on Dec 26th, 2011

Before we begin, we'd like to apologize for our lack of updates. All of us have been pretty busy with our lives but we manage to work on Zombie Master 2 when we can.

Zombies

Client-side animation

Much like Team Fortress 2's animation system, all animation is processed by the client. This allows for smoother animation and requires little data from the server.

Navigation

NPCs are now able to reroute accordingly to their needs as well as utilize navigational meshes. If NPC A were to be blocked by NPC B, NPC A will disable any collisions with NPC B and ingore NPC B for the time being. If the NPC was in a crowded area, it will try to line up with the other NPCs. If the NPC were blocked by props, the NPC would check if the prop was small enough to be pushed away. After analyzing the blocker entity, the NPC will generate a number of paths until it finds one suitable for navigation.

Networking

By default NPCs transmit data the client doesn't necessarily need. If there were several zombies transmitting this data, it would take a toll on networking. Because of this, certain data transmissions were disabled as well as limited data sizes.

Default HL2 Zombie Networking ( 50 Zombies )

( 50 Zombies )

New Zombie Networking ( 50 Zombies )

( 50 Zombies )

Senses and Priorities

Several modifications and improvements have been made to the AI such as better player awareness and organized combat states. Zombies are only concerned with two things, the Zombie Master's orders and the players.

Entities

trigger_win : A trigger volume that only lets survivors within it win.

logic_zmtimer : An easy to use, fully customizable timer that also has HUD display (mm:ss)

trigger_explosionblock : A trigger volume that stops ZM explosions and/or game explosions from occuring.

info_weaponspawn : Spawns a random weapon of any category of your choosing.

func_zmclip : Blocks ZM movement.

info_player_deathmatch : Added a keyvalue "hasFlashlight" to determine whether the player spawns with a flashlight or not.

info_zombiespawn : Added a keyvalue "nodeless" to active nodeless spawning.

Weapons

New Weapons

Custom Weapons

Mappers are now able to add their own weapons to the maps by changing a weapon's keyvalues and compiling the map with the custom weapon content. Shown here is a custom weapon set up to behave like the AR2 from Half-life 2.

Gameplay/Other

Network LOD : If the client is beyond the transmitting entity's reach, no data will be sent unless the entity is within the client's POV.

Max Renderable Distance : Determines what renders in the client's POV.

Sudden Death : When the alive survivor count drops to a low number, the ZM is rewarded 2.0x resources. This helps increase the difficulty of the game and keeps rounds moving nicely.

Shadows : Added POV check, uncapped depth map resolution, adjusted shadow filtering, fixed translucent depth mapping.

Weapon Effects : Gun smoke, bleedout, and directional damage forces for melee weapons.

We are still looking for organic artists! We will be revealing more in a couple of weeks, so stay tuned!

Happy Holidays,

From the ZM2 Development Team