Long Term Effects

[LittleKachowski]

I've played this game for a long time, and I love it to death, but I haven't really been serious about living for extended periods of time. I'm wondering if there's a list of things that happen over time, including the little things.

I'm aware of water and power shutoff, that much is obvious and I can deal with that. Also I know that players get acclimated with zombies and slowly get braver about them.

Erosion also happens but I'm not sure if that's purely cosmetic.

I've heard that zombies degrade over time, but I'm unaware of the legitimacy of this. Obviously, with certain settings houses will be broken into by wandering zombies, but that's more of a soft feature.

I'm just looking to be informed by everything that changes over the course of a year. Thank you!

[Chad1776]

The zombies do degrade over time but the ones that respawn are back to there original strength. Errosion is basically cosmetic only really affecting the dirt roads on the map becoming overgrown and hard to drive through the trees Other than that theres the obivious food running out and farming , foraging, fishing and trapping becoming nessecary. Food preservation and keeping warm becomes important for survival through winter. Thats all i can think of off the top my head.

[WillieSea]

Rather than rain, you can get snow in the winter, with snow covered ground. Priorities change so that you are more interested in trying to stay warm. And food is not growing much, foraging is also less effective. You can think of winter as the true test of difficulty. Did you work like an ant, preparing for winter? Or did you goof around like the grasshopper, and died when winter hit?

[𝔗𝔢𝔞 ❀]

I'm finding trees grow quite quickly now. Noticed it before the second month.

[WillieSea]

Tree growth is called 'Erosion' in the settings. It is made very fast in the game modes to showcase to players that the world changes. Since most people do not live more than a few weeks.

I my sandbox, I turn the erosion speed so a tree is not full grown in a few months.

[Kurogo]

Zombies don't degrade over time. The random spawns remain until they are killed again, and their stats don't change.

Other things though, depending on your choices, you can gain/lose weight, and tv/cb/radio transmissions cease.

[Meat Machine]

Erosion: Trees and bushes will begin to spawn, and spread to some areas where they don't initially grow. Vines grow across windows, which obscures vision in and out of buildings. Dirt roads become narrower from new trees and bushes. The world in general becomes more environmentally crowded, reducing vision and mobility over time - yours, and that of the horde. Looting and travelling become a lot riskier in unknown territory, but the natural cover can make slipping through hordes and misdirection much more managable (though not necessarily easier). Wood becomes a slowly-replenishable resource around urban areas, after stripping and using the last of the furniture.

Degredation: Zombies that have spawned in previously will become weaker and slower over time. Their clothes will become bloody and dirty if they aren't already. Bloody and dirty clothes which, when ripped, provide mostly Dirty Rags instead of Ripped Sheets. Your supply of useful fabric is also dependent on your water supply which you need to clean with. Newly-spawned zombies will still be "fresh", and will retain their strength, speed, and sometimes, cleaner clothes.

Seasonal changes: The seasons affect the world quite substantially. Spring provides abundant foraging, fishing, and trapping; winter makes it impossible to forage and farm for food, while also severely reducing fish, insects, and trapping animals. Rain is common in summer, and snow in winter; storms can make it almost impossible to see and hear around you outside, and make even short journeys a danger due to freezing conditions and wetness. Winter, especially on harder settings, turns the world into an absolute wasteland. Those that don't stockpile for winter - or those that choose to spawn into it - will have to scavenge through the most dangerous conditions just to survive.

Population: Zombie populations will slowly refresh themselves over time in areas that you aren't keeping yourself present in, as well as grow towards the "peak multiplier". Meta-events and loud player actions will stir the pot, moving populations around the map. Cognition, memory, group rally settings, etc. can mean the difference between a gunshot attracting a small gang of nearby loiters, or calling the dinner bell for half the surrounding county. If you find that the game is growing too easy over time, a few simple tweaks to zombie population and behavior settings, as well as meta event options, will ensure that safety is only a momentary matter.