• Fixed a vulnerability related to eMudhra digital certificate validation
  
• Added JRE integrity checks to detect modifications to the Java Runtime Environment. Detected alterations will be indicated in the version watermark
  
• Updated third-party software licence acknowledgements in the credits and licence documentation

Hello again, Survivors!

We have news on the upcoming 42.22 Update, available for testing now on our new Pre-Release branch, which replaces the Unstable branch for early testing. Yes, we changed the branch name, as it was causing some confusion among players, especially given the (long) history of Unstable in Build 42.

What does this mean to you? For the average player, absolutely nothing. We recommend you keep on enjoying Project Zomboid on the default Stable branch, currently 42.21, while pre-release goes through final vetting.

If, however, you are a modder, a multiplayer server admin or just the brave, testing-friendly type who is willing to test and break things before they go live to the broader public, then you can opt-in to the Pre-Release.

1. Back up any Project Zomboid save games you want to come back to, just in case.
2. Right-click Project Zomboid in your Steam Library.
3. Select “Properties”.
4. Under “Game Versions & Betas” select “Pre-Release”

Going forward, we’ll be releasing builds into the Pre-Release branch before they go forward to the Stable branch (barring urgent hotfixes that may need to go directly to Stable). The goal here is to identify any issues that need to be addressed, while also allowing server admins and modders a chance to look under the hood for upcoming changes. We plan on keeping a build in the Pre-Release branch for at least one week before it moves to the Stable branch.

We really want to stress though; don’t move your long-term singleplayer save over to the Pre-Release branch unless you have backed up that save! We cannot guarantee that the save will work and/or you will be able to use it in the final release, which will come after Pre-Release testing is complete.

In summary, the cycle for a new update is:

New update released -> deployed to Pre-Release branch -> Tested, one week minimum -> deployed to Stable branch.

If, during Pre-Release testing, bugs are discovered that would benefit from another revision of the update, we’ll do that, and keep you in the loop if it happens via our community channels (our forums[theindiestone.com], Reddit and Discord[discord.gg] primarily).

But what’s actually in this new update?

The top-line items for Build 42.22 on the Pre-Release branch are:

Ladders: The first “rung” of implementation is in for ladders! In 42.22 you will be able to interact with placed ladders on the map, using the (E) key. So you can be a little less fearful around empty pools now, and finally take in the view from the top floor of the Rosewood Fire Station!

Given the number of ladders across Knox Country, we’re counting on intrepid Pre-Release explorers to climb up (and down) every one to make sure every rung is sturdy and every side-rail is secure. Good luck!

Crowbars: A much requested feature, you can now use crowbars for more than just braining zombies and collecting window frames and flooring! Crowbars can now be utilised via the right mouse click menu to force open locked windows, doors, garage doors and gates. While not everything can be forced - security doors and jail cell doors are made of stronger stuff - intrepid survivors now have a great reason to keep a crowbar handy.

And for all you Burglars out there, a bonus; you’re going to be handier (and quieter) with a crowbar than the average survivor. Strength will help you too, just like it does when previously opening jammed windows, while weaker characters will struggle more. Be advised that the more times you fail in forcing a door, the higher chance you may cause some damage to your crowbar.

There’s plenty more going on in 42.22 beyond ladders and crowbars! We’ve also been busy fine-tuning existing systems, addressing player feedback and squashing bugs across both singleplayer and multiplayer. Here are some of the highlights:

General Gameplay

• Trees: Polished XXL tree rendering while driving, aiming to improve visibility without sacrificing the beautiful foliage of Knox Country.

• Pushing: Characters can now push while both hands are full of encumbering items, though doing so means dropping items that would otherwise prevent them from pushing.

• Sleep: Characters will now be unable to sleep if a Bad Smell moodle is present.

• Ammo Boxes: You can now open ammo boxes while walking, as many of you have requested!

• Animal Fixes: Addressed several issues causing untimely animal deaths, including animals dying when their cell unloads, rabbit kits starving because their mothers weren't producing milk, and chickens disappearing from full hutches.

Multiplayer

• Character Duplication: Fixes for the duplicate/doppelganger/cloned character bug.

• PvP Damage: Moved damage calculations server-side to address issues where damage was not being applied correctly.

• Stability: Fixed crashes that could occur when characters left a chunk while chickens were in the nest box, and improved the performance of server backup creation.

• Trailers: A number of fixes for trailer behaviour and physics.

• Map Knowledge: Fixed the "All Known on Start" sandbox option, and an issue that prevented notes made on map items from saving.

• And Much More: Additional multiplayer fixes and improvements.

These are just some of the highlights of 42.22. There are plenty more tweaks, fixes and improvements, along with updated anti-cheat measures. Check out the full update notes on our forums[theindiestone.com].

If you’re happy to poke, prod and generally test Build 42.22, we’d appreciate you updating your client via the new Pre-release branch. Your feedback and bug reports are welcome HERE[theindiestone.com]!

Everyone else - hold tight! Once we’ve kicked the tires here, we’ll be rolling out 42.22 to Stable soon.

- The Indie Stone

The Block of Italicised Text would like to direct your attention to the PZ Wiki[pzwiki.net] should you feel like editing or amending something. You can also find us on Bluesky[bsky.app], Discord[discord.gg], Reddit, Mastodon[mastodon.social] and our Forums[theindiestone.com]. If you fancy, sign up to receive PZ blogs like this in your email right here[projectzomboid.com].

As always, discussions regarding this update can be found pinned to the Project Zomboid Discussions Forums here.