Zombie spawn rate vs server settings.

[DXWarlock]

After many months (over a few years on and off running a private server) of just 'accepting' it. Thought I would ask if anyone knows the answer to this.

I have my server setup for:
520 zombies in world.
Max 100 Wild
Max 400 Exterior
Max 20 interior
10% Interior Pawn Spawning Probability
90% Exterior Pawn Spawning Probability
Exterior Pawn Amount Modifier: 6.0
Exterior Pawn Spawning Check Time (Seconds): 0.0
And my server is limited to one sector with the custom map option.

[These settings trying to get more zombies wandering towns/cities/village areas]

We do not see nearly 500 zombies, not even close while playing. Entire cities/towns (exterior pawns) can be a ghost town. At times we will see clumps of 5-10(ish) zombies, even maybe a few of those in the big town. But not 400 of them scattered around the towns.
if I understand how it works correctly:
The zombies spawn at some radius around active players as they move.
Exterior pawns are outside buildings/in towns.
Interior is inside buildings, and wild is outside of towns.

I feel we would see MANY more zombies than we do.

Flying around as admin as 3 people are online. I roughly guess/surmise there is maybe 100 zombies total (exterior, and wild off in the distance) around them on a good day, some days I cannot find more than a handful around any player for a good distance (flying around in a spiral far enough away the players name does not show on drone hud anymore).

Is there some different settings I should use, or some explanation I am not aware of for the huge discrepancy of setting vs in game amount?

[Deathwhisper]

Hello :)

ill start with the Standard parameters and try to explain. Iam not sure about some values, but ill give it a try anyways :D

[SCUM]
MaxAllowedAnimalsInWorld=40                        
MaxAllowedBirdsInworld=15                            
MaxAllowedZombiesInWorld=64
MaxAllowedWildPawnsInWorld=64
MaxAllowedExteriorPawnsInWorld=64
MaxAllowedInteriorPawnsInWorld=64
MaxAllowedSentriesInWorld=-1
ExteriorPawnAmountModifier=1.0
InteriorPawnAmountModifier=1.0
WildPawnAmountModifier=1.0
ExteriorPawnSpawningCheckTimeInSeconds=0.0
InteriorPawnSpawningCheckTimeInSeconds=0.0
WildPawnSpawningCheckTimeInSeconds=300.0
ExteriorPawnSpawningProbability=50.0
InteriorPawnSpawningProbability=30.0
ExteriorSpawnerGroupCooldownTime=1800.0
InteriorSpawnerGroupCooldownTime=900.0
AllowSectorRespawn=1
AllowShelterRespawn=1
AllowSquadmateRespawn=1
HideKillNotification=0
EnableLockedLootContainers=1
LockProtectionDamageMultiplier=1.0

The "Max" allowed are per player if i am not wrong about it. So there is not even such a high value needed to make Puppets appear. Amount modifier is what realy matters. The higher this value, the more puppets will spawn per spawner. Ill give you a example of how i did it and how iam using it normally:

[SCUM]
MaxAllowedAnimalsInWorld=40
MaxAllowedBirdsInworld=15
MaxAllowedZombiesInWorld=128
MaxAllowedWildPawnsInWorld=128
MaxAllowedExteriorPawnsInWorld=128
MaxAllowedInteriorPawnsInWorld=78
MaxAllowedSentriesInWorld=-1
ExteriorPawnAmountModifier=6.0
InteriorPawnAmountModifier=2.0
WildPawnAmountModifier=5.0
ExteriorPawnSpawningCheckTimeInSeconds=0.0
InteriorPawnSpawningCheckTimeInSeconds=0.0
WildPawnSpawningCheckTimeInSeconds=180.0
ExteriorPawnSpawningProbability=75.0
InteriorPawnSpawningProbability=45.0
ExteriorSpawnerGroupCooldownTime=1800.0
InteriorSpawnerGroupCooldownTime=900.0
AllowSectorRespawn=1
AllowShelterRespawn=1
AllowSquadmateRespawn=1
HideKillNotification=0
EnableLockedLootContainers=1
LockProtectionDamageMultiplier=1.0

This way i never did too much pressure on the system. 128 is a lot of puppets and with the higher set spawner modifier they will spawn and it will not be easy. The good thing on this setting always was that it never had a heavy impact on FPS or the like.

The check time deactivates the spawners. It seems like as soon as a player joins, the timer will tick again. But im still testing about how it is impacting at a large. It can give a good amount of Time bevore overrun by puppets. 300 Seconds is a good way to ensure a good start i think.

[marktkm]

Here's a repost from another thread. Hope it helps.

Originally posted by marktkm:

You might check these settings. Exact numbers will depend on what you are looking for.

MaxAllowedZombiesInWorld=64

This one changes the total allowed to be spawned map wide at one time. Once reached no more will spawn. This doesn't control how many will spawn in a particular spot, however.

ExteriorPawnSpawningProbability=50.0
InteriorPawnSpawningProbability=30.0

These two are the odds (in percentages) that a puppet will spawn in a given area as you pass through. Raise them to make it more likely.

ExteriorSpawnerGroupCooldownTime=120
InteriorSpawnerGroupCooldownTime=120

These two control the amount of time a spawner will be inactive after being triggered. (Not sure if it's after the spawner runs it's probability calculation or after it actually spawns a puppet.)

ExteriorPawnAmountModifier=1.0 <- Outside buildings
InteriorPawnAmountModifier=1.0 <- Inside buildings
WildPawnAmountModifier=1.0 <- In between POI's and towns/villages

Assuming a spawner does spawn a puppet, these will be used as multipliers. If you change one of them to 2.0 and 2 puppets spawn in the area they cover those 2 puppets will be 4. (Be careful. The 'Exterior' setting also controls the puppets in bunkers.)

Hope this helps.