Dig a hole

[Warcrimes McGee]

The title says it all. I want to know if I can survive the night 7 hordes by simply digging a hole straight down and putting a block over the top. When I first started playing back in Alpha 4 or 5, it worked well. But this is Alpha 14 and I'm not sure if that still works or not. I've heard that zombies still can't dig directly down yet, but I don't know if that's completely true or just dated information. I'm currently about to be on night 21.

The reason why I want to do this? I'm wasting way too much time repairing ♥♥♥♥ after the night 7 hordes and it's annoying. I currently live in what used to be a burned out house which I fully repaired and then added a layer of cobblestone blocks around the walls, as well as three or four layers of wood spikes (I was very disappointed to find that the wood spikes no longer stop zombies like they did in the older versions, they simply pass right through and get damaged). I tried to build a trench around my house, but it takes forever so I only got it four blocks deep and one block wide. I'm going to expand the trench sometime, but that won't be for awhile. Right now, I just want an easy way to get through night 7 that doesn't involve wasting half my days repairing the damage and gathering needed materials to repair said damage, and also one that preferably does not involve dying.

Though right now I'm starting to think it might be worth it just to go out somewhere and take the hit just so I won't have to waste so much time throughout the week. I really want to go out and explore, but I don't get to do much of that because I spend so much time out of the week repairing the damage from the previous seventh night and then trying to prepare for the next one.

[Chip Patton]

Originally posted by Lord Trousersnake:

The title says it all. I want to know if I can survive the night 7 hordes by simply digging a hole straight down and putting a block over the top. When I first started playing back in Alpha 4 or 5, it worked well. But this is Alpha 14 and I'm not sure if that still works or not. I've heard that zombies still can't dig directly down yet, but I don't know if that's completely true or just dated information. I'm currently about to be on night 21. The reason why I want to do this? I'm wasting way too much time repairing ♥♥♥♥ after the night 7 hordes and it's annoying. I currently live in what used to be a burned out house which I fully repaired and then added a layer of cobblestone blocks around the walls, as well as three or four layers of wood spikes (I was very disappointed to find that the wood spikes no longer stop zombies like they did in the older versions, they simply pass right through and get damaged). I tried to build a trench around my house, but it takes forever so I only got it four blocks deep and one block wide. I'm going to expand the trench sometime, but that won't be for awhile. Right now, I just want an easy way to get through night 7 that doesn't involve wasting half my days repairing the damage and gathering needed materials to repair said damage, and also one that preferably does not involve dying. Though right now I'm starting to think it might be worth it just to go out somewhere and take the hit just so I won't have to waste so much time throughout the week. I really want to go out and explore, but I don't get to do much of that because I spend so much time out of the week repairing the damage from the previous seventh night and then trying to prepare for the next one.

No, it is now a death trap. When the 7-day horde spawns it spawns a distance from the player and will actively seek out that player. If you are under-ground they will dig to you even at bedrock, and if there are 100 of them, it is quite quick.

So putting that single block on top, you're a dead player.

[Kieme(ITA)]

Originally posted by Chip Patton:

Originally posted by Lord Trousersnake:

The title says it all. I want to know if I can survive the night 7 hordes by simply digging a hole straight down and putting a block over the top. When I first started playing back in Alpha 4 or 5, it worked well. But this is Alpha 14 and I'm not sure if that still works or not. I've heard that zombies still can't dig directly down yet, but I don't know if that's completely true or just dated information. I'm currently about to be on night 21. The reason why I want to do this? I'm wasting way too much time repairing ♥♥♥♥ after the night 7 hordes and it's annoying. I currently live in what used to be a burned out house which I fully repaired and then added a layer of cobblestone blocks around the walls, as well as three or four layers of wood spikes (I was very disappointed to find that the wood spikes no longer stop zombies like they did in the older versions, they simply pass right through and get damaged). I tried to build a trench around my house, but it takes forever so I only got it four blocks deep and one block wide. I'm going to expand the trench sometime, but that won't be for awhile. Right now, I just want an easy way to get through night 7 that doesn't involve wasting half my days repairing the damage and gathering needed materials to repair said damage, and also one that preferably does not involve dying. Though right now I'm starting to think it might be worth it just to go out somewhere and take the hit just so I won't have to waste so much time throughout the week. I really want to go out and explore, but I don't get to do much of that because I spend so much time out of the week repairing the damage from the previous seventh night and then trying to prepare for the next one.

No, it is now a death trap. When the 7-day horde spawns it spawns a distance from the player and will actively seek out that player. If you are under-ground they will dig to you even at bedrock, and if there are 100 of them, it is quite quick.

So putting that single block on top, you're a dead player.

still worth a try for the laugh

[Ninja-454]

I have a log cavern built, with a tunnel leading deep down, where I plan on relocation when I find it deep enough. Every 7th night, I go down that tunnel, take my ladder down, & continue digging deeper. For the most part, the horde never sees me, & the damage they do to my above-ground wall around my underground log cavern is minimal compared to when I actively attempt defense. I would suggest trying that out. Dig down diagonally for a good few blocks, maybe 20, then dig straight down, making a bit of a 3x3 block hole as you go, surround that hole with wood blocks, ladder down.
If you're intent on a surface structure, try making something really high up with spider legs branching a fair distance from the structure. It will offer stability should your main support pillars be destroyed. Keep in mind it will need to be fairly high up to avoid the cop zeds best as possible, multi-layered in case of a hit from the cop zeds, with multiple legs to offer more escape routes if everything should fail.

\
=\
==\
===\
-------[÷]
===/
==/
=/
/

Box being your base, lines down as support pillars, ramps (more than 2, mind you) being the "spider legs". Mid pillar (thin one) could have a ladder to your inner base.
So far, I typically have to fix only 9-13 wall blocks whenever I go topside after horde night if I go up quick for something, in regards to my personal strategy. Lesser if I don't go back up at all, being in the tunnel down before start of.

[Defiant Mercy]

All you have to do is dig a mine and go about 30 blocks down. Make it curved so you can get out easier.
Zombies will not sense you that far down but they will still spawn above you. When I play with friends I run up and piss the zombies off just for fun then run back down.
It won't work in the next alpha however. The zombies will start spawning in mines now.

You can easily have steel tools by night 7. So just work on farming trees, frames, etc.

[Ninja-454]

Diagram is sideways, tried standing it but it kept posting all clustered when I posted.
Keep in mind if you try the "spider box" method, or anyrhing new, such bases should be built respectively far away from your main base.
The legs should branch from each corner of the base as well, with possibly one from the mid section of your base for improved stability.
Top down view:
\ | /
-[÷]-
/ | \
Again, box being your house/base. All lines on the outsides being the legs, suggesting supports every so often under some legs, to further solidify.

[Warcrimes McGee]

Thanks for the tips guys. I've been out of the loop for awhile on this game.

[ghost-nl]

you can still survive at bedrock but keep in mind you need around 60 blocks above you,you can even run you forges at night on that depth not a problem.open up your map an in the left down corner you can see on what elevation you are.no go survive that hord night////

[Ninja-454]

Any other questions, sir? :3

[Graebeard]

I'm playing 14.7 with a base about 25 blocks below the suface. My enttryway is a ramp that puts it far enough away from my forges, so that when the 28 day horde showed up above me, they just screamed and died on the metal clad log spikes on the surface. I'm far from bedrock, BTW

[ttv/Hexyloops]

I don't understand the need to avoid the horde or not have them be an active threat to you, your forges, your loot, or even underground bunker. I have an underground bunker with a friend and a base above it. Each 7th night, we actively come out of our hole and take position to take them down. It's fun. I run forges all the time so it attracts endless waves of screamers.

Idk, I just think it's more fun when the horde are an acive threat and you are always on your toes non-stop. I guess it differs for everyone. I also have it set to 25 percent block durability. But even then, once you put concrete 50 pillars around your little base, it just becomes a cake walk.

I hope the new release makes the game much more challenging. I know we can download mods and make it insanely difficult but meh.

[MeDaDaddy]

Originally posted by Lord Trousersnake:

The title says it all. I want to know if I can survive the night 7 hordes by simply digging a hole straight down and putting a block over the top. When I first started playing back in Alpha 4 or 5, it worked well. But this is Alpha 14 and I'm not sure if that still works or not. I've heard that zombies still can't dig directly down yet, but I don't know if that's completely true or just dated information. I'm currently about to be on night 21.

The reason why I want to do this? I'm wasting way too much time repairing ♥♥♥♥ after the night 7 hordes and it's annoying. I currently live in what used to be a burned out house which I fully repaired and then added a layer of cobblestone blocks around the walls, as well as three or four layers of wood spikes (I was very disappointed to find that the wood spikes no longer stop zombies like they did in the older versions, they simply pass right through and get damaged). I tried to build a trench around my house, but it takes forever so I only got it four blocks deep and one block wide. I'm going to expand the trench sometime, but that won't be for awhile. Right now, I just want an easy way to get through night 7 that doesn't involve wasting half my days repairing the damage and gathering needed materials to repair said damage, and also one that preferably does not involve dying.

Though right now I'm starting to think it might be worth it just to go out somewhere and take the hit just so I won't have to waste so much time throughout the week. I really want to go out and explore, but I don't get to do much of that because I spend so much time out of the week repairing the damage from the previous seventh night and then trying to prepare for the next one.

A lot of players play the nomad style (no fixed abode), using quick-to-place "bases" to battle the 7-day hordes.

Your issue with excessive repair times sounds as if your base is just too big & therefore high maintenance.

You don't necessarily have to adopt this playstyle in order to use the "base"-building technique though.

A couple of 3x3 or 5x5 (for extra leg room) cobblestone or adobe towers (with 5 or 6 spike layers) around 8 to 10m high can be thrown up easily in a half a day & don't need major repairs, since you'll be moving your toon on once everything nearby is looted, or is easy to maintain if staying since the structure is so small horizontally.

Day 7 to 21 you really only need 1 tower. The second is to retreat to once the first one falls down when the tougher zeds make an appearance. Iron reinforced wood is good too but is resource-hungry and takes more time to upgrade with the stone axe.

Concrete would be better, of course, for more protection but takes too long to dry ('cos the "base" is usually being built in the afternoon & evening of the horde day if playing nomadic.)

When you move on, you take enough adobe or cobble with you to throw up the next tower, or if staying have enough on hand for repairs.

A base with a large "footprint" is great if you are staying in one place or have others to help repair, but a pain in the rear to maintain unless you like that sort of thing, but it sounds as if you don't.

Having a stack of pipe bombs is good too :)

Originally posted by BROSEPH:

I don't understand the need to avoid the horde or not have them be an active threat to you, your forges, your loot, or even underground bunker. I have an underground bunker with a friend and a base above it. Each 7th night, we actively come out of our hole and take position to take them down. It's fun. I run forges all the time so it attracts endless waves of screamers.

Idk, I just think it's more fun when the horde are an acive threat and you are always on your toes non-stop. I guess it differs for everyone. I also have it set to 25 percent block durability. But even then, once you put concrete 50 pillars around your little base, it just becomes a cake walk.

I hope the new release makes the game much more challenging. I know we can download mods and make it insanely difficult but meh.

Yeah I agree; the Horde is there to fight and loot and have fun.

Coming up with new and improved base designs to facilitate the slaughter of zeds is tremendously fulfilling.

I too don't get why folks want to hide from it (in a survival game); may as well just turn the zeds off so none spawn *shrug*. But I concede their right to play the game however they wish, even if they are missing out on 1/3rd of the "survival horde crafting" game.

EDIT: Added stuff for clarity.

[SmallArchangel]

You can hide from the horde if you are 35 blocks away, but you can also run from them. I've done it.

I have a tunnel leading from my base for about 3km, and a feral horde night happened while I was digging it, and being on day 130 something I didn't realise until I heard the scream. So not wanting the zeds breaking into the tunnel, I legged it back to base, and there was no sign of the horde that night or the next morning. (The tunnel is at bedrock, which of course varies in depth according to the land height. It was at least 35 blocks when the horde spawned.)

[restarter]

survival rarely entails taking on hordes of any kind. i think the tactic that some folks are utilizing by avoiding the horde is totally plausible. i realize that this game has elements of tower defence, but realistically taking on hordes is just...well...suicidal. i personally like to pick them off while they get stuck on my traps but i get other folks desire not to deal with it at all.

hiding is usually the best defense

[SmallArchangel]

There are many ways to deal with a horde - or not. There is more than one way to survive in this game, that's why I love it. Everyone can play according to their own playstyle, whether it be stealth and avoidance, designing and building mega bases, or just dealing with hordes up close and personal, all guns blazing.

[SPlice]

My friend and I have a giant metal fortess with lights on the walls and murder holes and spikes all around. We run cement mixers and forges 24/7 and when the hords show up we blast them all bakc to hell with rockets and machine guns. I find it to be highly enjoyable. I also would like some sort of tunneling zombie that could persue you into the earth