Monthly Archives: July 2014

8.8 dedicated only hotfix! 07.24.14

Howdy Survivalists,
We fixed a bug in the dedicated server only build (app id 294420) that did not allow any explosion. For being compatible with all other builds we did not change the version number but kept it at 8.8 b1. We would like to ask all server providers to update their servers.

8.8 hotfix, Pimp news and Alpha 9 07.23.14

Bonjour Survivalists,
We have an Alpha 8.8 patch out for you that fixes the steam ID spoofing or account hijacking bug. To check out the rest of the Pimps News and what’s coming in Alpha 9 read on.

7 Days on Youtube
The popular YouTube Channel “The Achievement Hunters” under the “Rooster Teeth” umbrella are doing a series on 7 Days to Die! Head on over to one of the first 2 videos and thumbs up it to show your support if you’d like to see a regular series by these hilarious guys.
Let’s Play 7 Days to Die Part 1
Let’s Play 7 Days to Die Part 2

Alpha 9 Status
Ok now for the news you’ve all been waiting for. The word on the street is that the Pimps have decided to accelerate their Alpha 9 schedule shuffling a few features around moving some things forward and a few things back to post Alpha 9 to get you guys a kick ass new build sooner. If all goes well you’ll get it as soon as August 8th. Here are the planned features going in.

  • Randomly Generated Infinite Worlds which include all biomes types with custom elevations, lakes, natural deeper rivers, curvy roads, random locations, and a procedurally generated centralized wasteland city with some never before seen locations!
  • A kickass new AAA GUI with all new art including belt, backpack, character screen, map, friends list, new minimalist compass and player stats. The GUI also includes added functionality including our new data driven in game map system with fog of war, a searchable recipe list and friend compass tracking
  • New leg sprain, leg fracture, leg break and dysentery de-buff systems
  • Under water effects and drowning system
  • World improvements including decorations adhering to the terrain to altering what is found out and about while scavenging. All major prefabs have been given a container overhaul. We thinned out the cabinets and other things that can hold loot, but increased the odds that things will be found within them. This has the dual benefit of making longer scavenging ventures more profitable while not spreading too much more loot into the world as a whole.
  • And lastly if time permits watch out for our new Gore block system where zombie bodies decompose into bloody piles that stack up and can work in the zombies favor.

Pure Pings Prize giveaway
Our friends over at Pure Pings are running a giveaway! Follow the link below to enter a chance to win a free 7 days to die key and server bundle!
Pure Pings Giveaway

Mac and Linux Versions
In a final note regarding the Linux and Mac versions. The truth is we need more time to improve the Mac version and to get the Linux version fully working. For now we have looked into alternatives for those of you running either of these systems and have come up with a couple ways in which you can still enjoy the game by running Windows on your machine Bootcamp for Mac and Wine for Linux. Here’s how you do it.

Bootcamp on Mac
Bootcamp is a simple and easy way to run Windows alongside your OSX. You are required to have a copy of Windows in order to install.

Before installing Bootcamp or Windows, please ensure that there are no pending updates for your machine. This can be done by following these steps:
1. Go to Apple’s Boot Camp support page (http://www.apple.com/support/bootcamp/) to see if updates are available for your model. Download and install if necessary.
2. Click the Apple menu, then Software Update… to install any updates for your system.
3. Restart your computer if prompted. After restarting, check for software updates again until no new ones are available.

Since Bootcamp is going to be changing your HDD configuration a bit, you will want to backup anything you might be afraid to lose. The chances are slim, but they are real, so better safe than sorry.

Next, you need to run the Bootcamp Assistant. This can be done by going into the Finder, click Applications, then Utilities. Within the Utilities folder, you’ll find the Bootcamp Assistant.
After clicking Continue, you will likely be asked if you want to install Windows Support Software for your Mac. Since you’ve come this far, you will need to do so.
The next thing that’s going to happen will be driver downloads so that your new Windows install will be able to talk to the hardware in your Mac. You need to either burn these files to a disc or save them to a thumbdrive.

Next up is partitioning your HDD. Unless you plan on using a bunch of Windows programs, you’re only going to need about 25GB of space partitioned for Windows (16GB for the OS, some spare in case of more stuff).
Your Mac will take and partition this off at this point. This will take some time, so don’t worry about it.

Once the partitioning is complete, you can now install Windows by inserting your install disc into the disc drive. Your computer will restart and you’ll now be able to follow the Windows installation normally.
When it asks if you want a typical or custom installation, always click custom and point to the hard drive partition labeled BOOTCAMP. If you don’t, you’re going to lose OSX and all information on your machine.
You’ll select that partition and have to format it. This is done by clicking Drive Options(Advanced) then Format. Windows takes some time to install, so again, relax for a bit.

Once the installation is complete, simply remove the Windows install disc (either by pressing the eject button on your disc drive or navigating to My Computer, right clicking the disc drive and click Eject) and insert the drivers media you prepared earlier.
To install the drivers, you just need to open the media that you inserted and double click setup.exe. Let it run its course, restart the computer and you’ll be good to go.

To choose which OS to start (you’ll always boot into OSX by default) hold the Option key while booting to select which OS to use.

When you’re done, download Steam, log in, download 7DtD and start playing.
Wine on Linux
Step 1: Update System Files.

Step 2: Use the “Ubuntu Software Center” and download PlayOnLinux (once the packages have been selected, you may need to click on install packages)

Step 3: Run PlayOnLinux

Inside “PlayOnLinux”

Step 4: Install New Listed Program

Step 5: Install Steam

Step 6: Highlight Your newly created shortcut, and select the configure cog on the Play on Linux panel.

Step 7: Click on The Wine Tab, and select configure. Under the “Graphics Tab” check Automatically Capture the mouse in fullscreen. And Then Apply. There should be only the first 3 boxes Checked in that tab, the last one should remain unchecked. Click Okay.

Step 8: Press the “Windows Reboot” icon, and your virtual machine will update changes.

Step 9: Exit the configuration window, and run PlayOnLinux “Steam”
Step 10: Wait for the updates to update

From Steam:

Step 11: Login and Download Game (Note: if you use any special characters in your name and password, you may need to write the login information using a notepad program (gEdit, etc) and copy/ paste into the login field)

Step 12: Once downloaded, double click game, and VCredist2010 should start downloading. If it doesn’t click “Play game”, and it will download for you. Game should “fail to start”; (if VCredist2010 still doesn’t down load, you can right click 7dtd and select properties, then, select “Browse Local Files” and select “_CommonRedist” file and navigate till you find the executable.)
Step 13: Double Click Game again, and this time select “Install 32 Bit”,
Step 14: Double Click Game Again, and “Play Game”
Step 15: Play game.

Alpha 8.7 hits the streets! 07.09.14

Guten Morgen Survivalists,
Alpha 8.7 is out with many new additions, improvements and requested fixes including: New anti-cheat strategies with VAC enabled anti cheat integration, our new standalone Dedicated Server, new upgradable wood fort spikes, a heap of loot tuning, a ton of the most annoying player requested bug fixes and much, much more.

Note: If you want to try 8.7 make sure not to load your 8.6 save game as it might get corrupted. It might be fine but always back up your save. For best results start a new game with 8.7.

We’ve decided from now on to always make the last stable build available to re download so here’s how you do it.

1. Open your steam client.
2. Click on Games/View Games Library
3. Right click ‘7 Days to Die’ and select properties
4. From the new popup dialogue box select the ‘BETAS’ Tab
5. Under ‘Select the beta you would like to opt into’ – select ‘Alpha 8.6 Stable’
6. The game will then update and download Alpha 8.6
7. Switching back to the latest version is as easy as repeating steps 1-4 and on step 5 choose the option ‘None – Opt out of all Beta Programs’ and you’ll revert to the latest version

And for your detailed oriented folks here is a complete list of new Alpha 8.7 Release Notes. So check it out now funk soul brother!

Official Alpha 8.7 Release Notes

Added

  • Added several new measures to deter cheaters including turning on Valve Anti Cheat and have begun processing cheaters. Servers have the option to run VAC true or false.
  • Added a new standalone Dedicated server software accessible to anyone who has purchased the game. You can find it in your steam client under Library/Tools/7 Days to Die Dedicated Server. Note: Client run coop will always be supported but Client run Dedicated servers will only be supported for a few weeks.. Server providers should run, test and migrate over to the new standalone server as soon as possible.
  • Added integrated NGUI 3 to the game in preparation for vector fonts in the next release.
  • Added new southwest adobe wall blocks and wedges in white, peach and tan wall. They also include variants with interior walls and trims
  • Added: Loot group “seeds” so as we add more plantable crops to the game it’s easy to implement them into the loot system
  • Added upgradable trunk tips and trunks
  • Added Drop Ceiling02 black ceiling for clubs and theaters
  • Added Ban now allows using steam ID to ban, does not require them to be on the server
  • Added If banned steam id is on the server it will kick them when banned
  • Added VAC Warning when joining a server with VAC Enabled

Changes

  • Changed: Removed ‘Suicide’ button
  • Changed: Chainsaws and augers are easier to find
  • Changed removed the suicide button in the normal game mode. It’s now a debug mode option only
  • Changed distribution of “low probability” ores like lead and potassium nitrate to occur more often in the ground
  • Changed the terrain textures now use the asset bundles
  • Changed moved some textures into external bundles. The dedi only build doesn’t include these textures now
  • Changed removed old block cacti
  • Changed stability glue of cloth so it’s more stable
  • Changed improved performance on dropped items (simpler collision checks)
  • Changed English.txt updating all new items
  • Changed Bush1 the green bush that yields sticks in the plains is now a bit bigger to allow it to be seen better
  • Changed removed old redundant “lit campfire” block id 856
  • Changed femur has durability and breaks
  • Changed increased durability of all wooden clubs
  • Changed increased chance of finding garbage in houses instead of hero loot containers
  • Changed increased chance to find empty jars than food in cupboards
  • Changed greater chance to find garbage on roads instead of backpacks
  • Changed added more deer and rabbits to the biomes but slowed the re-spawn delay significantly
  • Changed: Improved water art
  • Changed: over 96 blocks now drop scrap Iron when destroyed
  • Changed: Decreased lower cupboard and stove loot from 1-2 to 0 to 2 items
  • Changed: Increased spawn time for deer to re-spawn to approximately 8 days
  • Changed Sped up daytime zombie alerted approach speed

Bug Fixes

  • Fixed height collision on cacti
  • Fixed zombies descending on hills don’t pirouette anymore
  • Fixed Dogs should not clip through player
  • Fixed cactuses don’t do damage
  • Fixed can’t pick up some small rocks
  • Fixed Window01 white and window02 collision
  • Fixed bird nests and small trash being hard to loot
  • Fixed bug where ammo and gasoline get consumed from your inventory by other people in MP
  • Fixed bug when player is dehydrated and eats an item that lowers hydration further the stamina drain sound loops forever
  • Fixed sound fade in on planes
  • Fixed Can’t walk up a player placed dirt slope
  • Fixed bug where TNT explodes twices
  • Fixed placing a sleeping bag at some rotations allows half of it to be picked up
  • Fixed trigger radius of landmines we’re too small
  • Fixed in SP the DropOnQuit option was taken from the last MP game
  • Fixed a lot of sounds issues when joining dedicated server
  • Fixed Lumber Jack Digging, was broken
  • Fixed bug that trunk blocks were not destroyable
  • Fixed crash when flying in and out of police station
  • Fixed players and crates are not affected by View Distance
  • Fixed Terrain decoration on dead shrub so it doesn’t float on hills sometimes
  • Fixed Terrain decoration on trash so it doesn’t float on hills sometimes
  • Fixed pole blocks can now be burned for firewood
  • Fixed other player names render on top of the crafting tarp
  • Fixed bug where using water buckets you can break doors
  • Fixed BannedUntil wasn’t being properly checked against server time

ServerConfig.xml

  • Added a console “saveworld” command for dedis to be able to save the current state of a world
  • Added a simple Zombie Performance Limiter as a GamePref so server providers can set this limit manually setup the default to 60 Added: VACEnabled GamePref Valve Anti-Cheat defaults to enabled. This will start tracking for any trainers or cheats that a client might be using when playing on a VAC enabled server.