What Happened with Build 42?

[Astro]

I read like a year ago this was supposed to be a NPC update and was kinda excited when I saw the update in the launcher so I dove in.
There's only chickens and some other animals but no NPCs, factions or quests? Huh?

The new parts of the map are pretty cool which is nice. I appreciate all the new decorations in the few places I've explored. I was told there is a new skyscraper which sounds great.

I see there's like 3 new weird crafting skills and a bunch of new items associated with it which ties into the animals. Sadly, after consulting a wiki (because nothing is really adequately explained in-game for how long leveling any of these will take), almost nothing looks useful and the loot tables have been diluted to accompany this change in itemization. Useful items like skillbooks for example are very difficult to come by now even though I'm using the same apoc settings as before. Many of my friends with 500+ hours have said to basically ignore the system. If that's the case, what's the point of crafting and spending dev time on it?

Muscle strain feels horrible. I guess they wanted to nerf melee combat and give support for guns but I don't really see the point in this. Why not just melee alone, a system most people seemed to actually enjoy, and buff the guns like several B41 mods had? Even after doing so its clear stamina was drastically nerfed where melee attacks now require far less before becoming exhausted. I am once again told to alter the system in the options. But why do I have to, and why bother wasting dev time on it then? Isn't the point of larger updates to add things players want to enjoy, not add in new tickboxes to uncheck because the content or gameplay changes aren't enjoyable?

Why can't I dismantle anything for XP? Some here have said for multiplayer reasons, that makes sense, but from the steam numbers and server tracker numbers it seems like a small (<=5%) of the playerbase plays on public servers. So why have it default instead of it as an option for server owners to use? Its annoying finding this out mid-playthrough after time was already devoted to a run. This seems easy to change.

Very disappointed overall outside of the new map locations. So what the hell happened?

[namorufa]

Originally posted by WarGreymon:

Well we got basements that no one will explore because everything is pitch dark now.

You should, there are many fancy items down there. Flashlights and lighters not existing in your universe?

[Puppers]

Originally posted by WarGreymon:

Well we got basements that no one will explore because everything is pitch dark now.

I explore them all the time and im doing 6 month and 12 month later runs and with and without cats eyes. Like a lot of things in pz now, you just need to be properly geared up to explore certain places. You can even bind a key to flash light

[xTRACKERx]

no problems with patch dark... never heard of a flashlight or a candle ? is it always as bright as day in your cellar when there is no light source?...that's called atmosphere !
whats the problem..And you haven't noticed that there are also light switches in cellars that you can use for the first few days, have you?
this game is not about "running around and just shooting zombies".

[DivineEvil]

Originally posted by WarGreymon:

Well we got basements that no one will explore because everything is pitch dark now.

Oh and here am I, who haven't missed a chance to explore every single basement. Actually I have found my first generator in the storage unit underneath the cafe/bar building in West Point.

[Valchrist]

The 'you can't dismantle things for XP because of the multiplayer' thing doesn't stick with me. You don't get tailoring XP for tearing clothes anymore. It was never a problem that zombies were all getting stripped naked for their clothing. Barely anyone ever interacted with that mechanic, especialy online. Thus, there was a different reason for the change.

But its' crazy how many previously working systems are broken in B42, while the new system has horrible game-breaking bugs. Broken parts of the map which just lock you in place, animals that duplicate infinitely and make the game unplayable in seconds, basements where 90% of the new crafting tools spawn but which are unable to connect to a generator...
Equipping at least on certain item just perma-breaks your save.

The devs even said they knew about the animal duplication issue, so they apparently just decided to release it with the game-breaking bug... but not warn anyone.

Batteries, both car and normal batteries, propane tanks, even sacks of gravel now continuously deplete. Sauce pans can't be boiled. Towels get 'depleted' and bug out. I am unable to make soup. And many many more.

[fatburner]

They spent a lot of time making magazines and books pretty much unique, even tho it only has a fringe effect on gameplay. Meanwhile you cant throw zeds out of windows, they still use mannequin as scarecrow placeholder and picking up a generator makes it disappear :) But its ok! its not a big deal

[Meriwether]

Originally posted by WarGreymon:

Well we got basements that no one will explore because everything is pitch dark now.

Yeah, light is too hard to find now. There's like.. one candle on the whole map, no other sources to be found...

[[Censored]]

it is an npc update - for the modders - the animals are the framework for that - let the modders work too - youll have your npcs - now the best modders will be sniped for 43 - just like they were for 42..... ya see how this is working?

[Death]

Originally posted by Meriwether:

Originally posted by WarGreymon:

Well we got basements that no one will explore because everything is pitch dark now.

Yeah, light is too hard to find now. There's like.. one candle on the whole map, no other sources to be found...

That's nonsense. I found multiple flashlights on day one in my playthrough. RNG is going to RNG.

[xTRACKERx]

its just the same "i cant find EVERYTHING I WANT" on day one bs.. as usual. not his type of game..
patience is the key in PZ.. first few days i thouight holy cow.. how should i make it? i found nothing. day 27 i got plenty of stuff.. more than i need anyway.
different generators, massive amount of light sources, candles, flashlights, lighters, tools, gas and batteries and the generator book.
but the thing is: you have to search. dont know what this type of guys are doing the whole time..

the only type of item i did NOT found in a good amount are WEAPONS and AMMO. i have the gun from the start and one shotgun^^ looted half of westpoint but i don't like using firearms anyway because they do more harm than good (noise is still a thing)... so i don't care.

[Goldtooth™]

Originally posted by Astro:

Originally posted by Nordil(Hun):

Because it was not supposed to be an NPC update.
You can check on TIS-s site, or among the many many thursdoids the roadmap, where it was stated that B42 is not going to be an NPC update.

I do not follow these because I am a rather casual player. That's extremely disappointing, I've looked at what you suggested now and there seems to be no timeline or mention of adding any mid or late-game progression/content in either the "next" b42 update (???) or in b43.

??? You read what and got the impression it was the NPC update? Reddit posts?

[Rincewind]

So many don´t understand the game... You want specific loot ? Go to specific locations... simple like that...

[Quill]

What? Got bored of baiting on Warhammer discussion pages?

[✚ Mariel ✚]

We have NPCs at home.
points to superb survivors mod

[Shadowfox]

oh so you choose to read one thing a year ago and nothing else until now lmao good job