Zombie Panic News: [ January 5th, 2005 :: Posted by Twilight ] ZP:Source Update: This is just a quick heads-up to everyone to let them know that ZP is still alive (Well, in a sense, given that we're a zombie mod...) and kicking. The past few weeks have been busy for me and quite a few of you, I'm sure, due to the holidays and the transistion over to ZP:Source. Just a quick summary of where we're at: We're waiting on the HL2DM SDK to be released before we do any code for ZP:Source. The reason for this is that while there is a multiplayer portion of the SDK for HL2 that is already out, it is very bare-bones, functionality wise. It essentially gives you networking code and that's about it. Most of the basic things we'd want, like a scoreboard/player list, icons showing who killed whom, teams, even a menu to pick which team you want to join, are mostly missing. When the SDK for HL1 came out, it's multiplayer portion of the SDK was HLDM. Basically, if you took the MP SDK and compiled it with no changes, you got HLDM. You modified it from there. If you take the MP SDK we have right now and compile it, you have bizarre buggy physics, 2 or 3 weapons, and that's about it. Valve has said that they are releasing the HL2DM SDK soon, which means we'd be starting with HL2DM as our skeleton/framework, which means we wouldn't have to reinvent the wheel on many things. If we started with what we have now, we'd have to spend a lot of time coding in things you'd get free with the HL2DM SDK. Anyway, as soon as that is released, Rhone will be diving into the code headfirst, and since he already has a lot of experience with what needs to be altered to make ZP work from DM, we should be able to have a PT playable version ready in a couple of weeks after the HL2DM SDK comes out, if not sooner. It will be rough, of course, like the first few versions of HL1 ZP were (Although perhaps with less telefragging, eh?), but it can be tested and we will start adding and fixing things from there. Rhone also just recently moved to California for a new programming job, and so that's shaken things up a bit, although he says he'll just work days and code at night (The only difference is that he'll be paid for the coding during the day) However, there are still things we can do in the meantime. First of all, I'm going to send a final list of 0.91d bugs to Rhone to fix up, and then after he fixes them up, we'll do some PTing to make sure it's all good and solid, and then get the Linux Server files ready, and do a final HL1 ZP release. As for ZP:Source (Which we'll probably be calling just Zombie Panic when we move over, and the old one HL1 ZP), we can still work on models, sound effects, maps, and so forth. I apologize for the lack of communication on this and other things, and I'll try to keep everyone more up to date in the future. We could really use Source maps to start testing ZP on once get it over to the HL2 engine, so feel free to submit a map or two, or simply port over a HL1 ZP map you have. We would just be testing on these maps, so they don't have to be perfect, but of course if they're of sufficient quality, they would be considered for the first release. We also could use more ZP servers, since the ones we have seem to be filled up most of the time. We just don't have that many. Thanks so much for everyone's dedication and support. Please keep letting people know about ZP and posting ideas and suggestions in the forums. -Twilight PS I checked the stats on HL2files.com a few days ago, and the ZP 0.91a client was download almost 3000 times last week on that mirror alone. Just an interesting ZP fact. [ December 17th, 2004 :: Posted by Twilight ] ZP:Source Media Update: The ZP team is proud to present some new media this week, in the form of two pieces of concept art, and screens of a work in progress ZP:S map by Supernorn. Check it out below! The ZP team is also looking for a skilled texture artist. If you're interested, contact [email protected] with some examples of previous work. -Supernorn [ December 4th, 2004 :: Posted by Twilight ] Screenshot of a ZP:Source map We're working on porting over maps for ZP:S, and Rhone is starting to look over the SDK, so things are being worked on. In the mean time, here is a work in progress from Paladin, a screen from his Source version of ZP_Industry: Twilight [ November 14th, 2004 :: Posted by Twilight ] New Client/Server patch for ZP - 0.91d There is a new patch for Zombie Panic. Both servers and normal players should download this patch. The changelog is listed below: Zombie Panic! v 0.91d Changelog - SVAR "mp_startdelay" added (Default is "20"). This sets the number of seconds until the round starts once there is more than 1 person on the server. (This was already in last version, but we're documenting it in this one.) - Crowbar damage upped to 35 from 10 - Shotgun damage lowered from 200 damage (10 per pellet with 20 pellets total) to 140 damage (7 per pellet with 20 pellets total) - Fixed Satchel duplication bug. - Fixed Weaponstay "feature". - Fixed ammo selector text from "9mm" to ".45 cal" - New versions of: - zp_clubzombo - zp_eastside - zp_thelabs - zp_town - zp_paranoid - New map: zp_rhs22 (Rhinehold Street 22 - Haunted House. Thanks Toni Hiltunen aka. tnoh!) - Zombie model altered - Survivor model gets his backpack (Thanks Clashen, even though it was a quick fix!) - Survivor now drops the backpack instead of the HL weapon cannister - The 100 round ammo box for the M-16 is no longer the backpack (This was a model mess up). - Portions of Zyndrome's Pack-O-Rama(Thanks Zyndrome!): - New HUD-font for numbers. - New Crosshairs for Handgun, .357, Shotgun and Colt 556AR. - New Voice Communications icon. - Bullet-casing sounds (when they hit the ground). Thanks everyone for playing ZP, and keep spreading the word! -Twilight and Rhone Check files page for download.. [ Playtesters :: Posted by Kezei ] Hey everyone, As of this weekends Playtest, a number of inactive playtesters have been removed from our PT list. At this point in time, Zombie Panic is searching for a few more Playtesters, who will be selected based on a number of things such as attitude towards the mod and people. We are looking for active members of the community whom in which enjoy the game. We will contact you, please Do not PM myself, or any other members of the dev team, as your message will be ignored. Regards, Kezei PT Lead