ZM Industries Update Log

[McViolent]

Just to keep the other threads tidy, I started this thread only for posting ZMI news. This thread isn't just for my updates, it's for the ZMI Team's updates, so keep that in mind.

[McViolent]

March 13, 2009 ( 2:21 AM )
I've gotten most of the round-based game play appears to be working, though I need to finish the switching of the role of ZM. I've gotten the ZM Resources working to, though I've barely set up anything to use it with. Aside from the ZM related updates, I've been dealing with a bit of annoyance with the OB set up. Apparently Valve forgot to include some resources and left the bare open source OB mod looking like a pile of glitched out shit. I fixed most of that bullshit, though you can't not change your name thanks to Valve. So if you want to change your name, do it through the Steam Community settings. So yeah, I'm pondering about going to sleep.
-Tanner God Damn Bondivich

[McViolent]

March 15, 2009 ( 5:13 pm )
I am now dealing with the zombie spawning entities right now. So far I've gotten the zombie spawn to spawn a zombie exactly where it is whenever I click it. Now I need it to render only to the ZM, Spawn it to it's own nodes, and I have to create the spawn menu.

Now how the spawn menu will probably work, is by letting the player class keep track of a handle that knows what the current spawn is. Meaning, the mod will know where to spawn the zombies. The Queue log will just be a collection of images that will change depending on what is taking up that queue. So if I want a shamble, the queue box will show a shamble. Basically how the original Spawn menu will play out. Then again, a new menu might be in order.

Aside from that, I am working on the Banshee NPC. It's working the way I want it to though I haven't gotten it to hang from ceilings and such. The NPC navigation is somewhat better than ZM's though I figured that was because of the OB.

Before I end this update, if anyone has any ideas for a better spawn menu: Design a sketch of your idea, explain it, and personal message it to me.
-Tanner God Damn Bondivich

[McViolent]

March 24, 2009 ( 10:02 pm )
Sorry for the lack of updates. As much as I hate to say this but my PC is still crapping out on me. I've been spending hours on end trying to fix it and if you ask why don't I just reinstall windows, I just don't want to deal with the moving the massive data around and shit.

Aside from that, to show I've been a bit productive in terms of ZMI development, I've been writing with theories down on how some of the core features will be coded, and I am just about to review some of the applications for the ZMI Team, just to note: There were a lot of private applications through personal messaging as well, so there is more than five apps.

Thanks for reading,
-Tanner God Damn Bondivich

[McViolent]

March 29, 2009 ( 1:58 pm )
I've finally got my PC working back to normal again and may I say it works better than ever. So I got to work on ZMI. Though since a lot of people want a build of it soon, I've been refining the game rules a bit so it would be more playable. Apart from that, I've been working on the zombie spawner a bit more, and it's coming along nicely.

Screenshot:



Thanks for reading,
-Tanner God Damn Bondivich

[McViolent]

April 17, 2009 ( 3:45 pm )
This update won't be anything special but it will definitely help the game play out. I've been popping on and off of the project to optimize the network bandwidth. These optimizations came straightly from Athena. These optimizations shave off lag by little to a lot. Yes, I haven't exactly gotten the most accurate results from the optimizations but I hope that I will be able to set up some sort of graph showing the comparisons of the before and after optimizations.

Thanks for reading,
-Tanner God Damn Bondivich

[McViolent]

April 21, 2009 ( 9:27 pm )
I've experienced some problems with my PC. Whilist performing a chkdsk, my PC froze causing some information to wiped out from my hard drive. Though at the moment, it appears that the ZMI source code maybe been fine though Athena and the rest of my personal data has been corrupted. Not just that, the PC that I've been using as my work environment has finally died out on me. Due to these unforeseen consequences, I will be trying to get a new PC. In the mean while, I will be using other PCs to check the Team Sign-ups and I suggest for the current team members to try to start working with out me.

I am sorry,
-Tanner Bondivich

[McViolent]

April 22, 2009 ( 7:41 pm )
After what seems to be hours of work, I got my faulty PC working better than ever! Funnily enough, I saved Athena along with my personal information as well. I can get back to work again.

Also, I had to do some extra work on ZMI. Apparently some of the source code of it was erased though not parts that I would edit.  So ZMI is fixed, Athena is Fixed, My Pc Is fixed.

Thanks for reading my cool story,
-Tanner Brodivich

[McViolent]

May 20, 2009 ( 10:31 pm )
2.80 ghz Intel Pentium Duo Core, Two Gigs Corsair, 500 watt Power Supply, LightScribe Dvd/CD Read/Write, 180 gig hard drive(Placeholder), multicard reader, 8 Channel HD Sound Card, Some crappy Geforce 8500 that was OCed by menufactuer
and Hash Brownies

And a heavily modified version of windows that comes with all the SDKs and Redistributives that I'll ever need for development.

,Peace
Tanner Bondivich

[Notary]

May 21, 2009

I'm working on a new gameplay style, I call it "Catch the special". Zombie master has a couple of special zombies - "masterminds". He has to keep them alive for a certain amount of time while survivors should kill them all before timer expires.

I will probably include:

- traps to kill masterminds fast.
- ability to spawn fake masterminds.

Zombie master lacks moments of close combat indoors. You already know how annoying it is to order your zombies inside buildings, most zombie master maps are outdoors. To make the fighting situations more variable I'm improving system that spawns zombies without zombie master in certain areas. You may already have seen it in zm_red_ horror and zm_cleanup. Once a player enters a certain area a pack of scripts starts working. Usually it is places that are hard for zm to navigate in like rooms, apartment blocks, tiny hallways, laboratories, all kinds of cramped places. The system checks out whether there is someone inside the area, spawns zombies and gives them a path, cleans the area if survivors left it for a long time. If a zombie dies a new one comes after a while (considering there is someone isnide this area).

While there is no playable build of ZMI I'm testing maps in zm 1.2.1. Once I finish general layout of the map there'll be some job for build testers.

I would like all members of the current ZMI team to have an access to build testing subforum. We could organise map testings here while we do not have our own forum.

[Notary]

June 3, 2009

When I get bored from mapping I make textures. This may give you a little idea about environment of the "cath the special" map.

[Notary]

June 6, 2009

Wellcome /dev/null to the ZMI team!

[Notary]

June 12, 2009

ZM Industries media page is launched! Any media updates will be posted in this thread and then I copy them to the media page. You may discuss our media at ZMI update discussion thread.

Right now we can show mapping progress mostly. Modeller is what we mostly need right now so that's your chance to apply.

I'm busy with exams right now but I'll try to review some of the applications.

[Notary]

June 25, 2009

Wellcome Klems, our new level designer, to the team!

[Notary]

June 27, 2009

Wellcome ZMI playtesters! If you found yourself on the list below PM me your steam names and I will invite you to the testing group. I’m closing playtester signup thread. In case we need a couple more people I may re-open it but I beleive the chances are low.

Edit: by steam ids I meant steam names, sorry for confusion

I recommend you to resist from discussing the list below or making angry comments about someone you dislike on that list as well as pming me asking to be a playtester, signup is closed.

1)     Worbat
2)   Unknown
3)   Alters
4)   Nedstar
5)   Major_Casualtie
6)   MOSH_PO_TAY_TO
7)   ZERO
8 )   -Rusty-
9)   Cmndro
10)   Marphy Black
11)   OneTooManyZombies
12)   AndyTheGeeky
13)   Marauder[UK]
14)   Charles445
15)   Uninvincible
16)   Goatfetus

Nedstar and Cmndro were helping me with organising and hosting map testings on their servers in the past and they were doing their job well so they are amongst playtesters without application.

[Notary]

June 28, 2009

With ZERO being amongst playtesters we've got a 3d artist. Media page is updated.

[worbat]

15 August 2009[/u]

The revolution has begun brothers, with the return of our true leader /dev/null who is still 100% with us progress has started, once again and this ball this time will not stop rolling. If you have previously submitted to help with ZMI and where accepted you will either be expected to be commited to the mod and show some form of proof of work, or be evicted.
Some of you have already been spoken to, others not.

Remember praise to the emperor for with his blessing anything is possible!

Signed
- Worbat, Necromancer