Status Report - Week of 15 Sept 14

[SMoss 2101]

 

Security.

This is the topic of this week’s status report. As we move forward with development on DayZ past 0.49 and into 0.50 this is one of our primary focuses. Throughout our Alpha and Beta phases the core engine that powers DayZ is created. During this process new engine functions are introduced, deprecated functions are removed, and the general nature of how a great deal of systems operate can completely change. Within normal closed development this would not be an issue, however developing DayZ in the open and updating the primary branch with any reliable frequency can leave us vulnerable at times.

Individuals focused on identifying, and exploiting vulnerabilities during the development process -will- find holes. No amount of closed testing within a time scale that allows us to update the primary branch with reliable frequency, and keep to our target of a two to three year development cycle will stop this. However, Early Access does offer us an unparalleled opportunity to identify, and address potential vulnerabilities with how DayZ functions prior to the 1.0 that traditionally we would never have. Vigilance as these vulnerabilities are identified, and addressing them is critical to the stability of DayZ 1.0, and will serve to make the final product that much more of an enjoyable experience.

That said, over the next month these are our security goals.

• Purge of the stable branch hive
  • The intent here is to purge existing large volume magazines and legacy items from the economy
• Working with BattlEye to deploy a new, more comprehensive method of detection
• Closer collaboration between our internal hacks/exploit team and VAC
• Addressing at an engine level current methods of rapid player position updates
• Rolling out private shards for player rented servers with our game server provider partners
  • Private shard servers will offer the additional protection of server administrator level bans, password protection for private shard servers, and whitelist support

As 0.49 rolls out to stable branch today, the most obvious change with this update (aside from the stable hive purge) is the move of the initial persistence feature for rented DayZ servers to an opt-in selection with each game server provider. Given that consumer data, and player storage is such a valuable and key feature to DayZ, and still very early we want to ensure that the system is a physical choice each game server administrator makes. While this system is refined, each game server provider operates a last known good fail-safe for servers opting in to persistence that will restore the storage from the last successful startup in the event of any unforeseen failure. Moving forward into 0.50, we intend to move persistence from this opt in system to all stable branch servers.

- Brian Hicks / Producer

 

Chris / Lead Artist

"Character Art:

Since my last report, we wrapped up on bugfixing some of the character art (for now anyways) and began working on medical scrubs, a prison uniform, and some new women’s clothing. Yes, soon you will be able to don a skirt as you mow down zombies, fulfilling that weird fantasy we all have.  Work continues on the new civilian zombie and so far it’s looking quite nice. I’m looking forward to getting some feedback from the fans about him.

 

Vehicles:

The base vehicle model will be finished this week and we have begun working on the various parts which players will need to find in order to repair and maintain a working vehicle.

 

Weapons:

We’re polishing up the AKS74U and the SVD of old, since we’re closing in on a centralized economy to regulate the number of them on the map.  The MP133 and Lever action are waiting on sounds. A new weapon you can expect in the not-to-distant future is a Steyr AUG. One of my favorites."

 

Standup Notes for the week of 15 Sept 14

Art:

• Prison uniform
• Medical Scrubs
• Female clothing
• AKS74U and SVD polishing
• Steyr AUG model
• Civilian Airfield structures
• Leather craft able items
• Vehicle components

Design:

• Bugfixing
• Vehicle component & servicing design
• Implementation of waterproof containers
• Design on snares/traps
• Implementation of drowning on player
• Implementation of prototype wildlife trap

Animation:

• Various reload animations polishing
• Rifle aim walks in progress
• MP133 reload animations
• Zombie movement design & prototyping
• Motion capture session
• MP133 reload config

Programming:

• Bugfixing
• Server/Client crash triage
• Door reimplementation & bugfixing
• Game control redesign implementation
• Remote player movement enhancements
• Security triage
• Security on player location updates
• Zombie behavior & AI
• Sound-over-network enhancements & optimization
• Player respawn/connecting fixes

[Guest]

Steyr AUG.

Holy. Shit.

[seifeler 52]

 

Twitter / Hicks: In this weeks status report I will be talking security, and private shards.  

 

Thank you for the update on Security! But what about the promised info about Private Shards?

 

I understand you have the goal to release Private Shards over the next month?

Can you be a little more specific about the admin features and the ETA?

 

 

 

[Reddit] eugenharton: 5. Private shards tech is ready, we will do a test and hopefuly can open the option to the public with the stable update. (Aug 27)

Edited September 17, 2014 by Kassander

[GonzaNKetchup 10]

Im starting to think that have a functional car will be insanely fun! lots of parts involved, for sure. sweet! that's how it should be!
So, today probably will be 0.49, and persistance will be on stable when 0.50 hits? or did  I read super bad ?

[JPWiser 251]

Awesome.. Can't wait to check this badboy out

[blackberrygoo 1416]

Steyr AUG.

Holy. Shit.

Just my thought ... More weapons(Svd AND steyr aug!) more talk about vehicles , persistence definitely coming to those server hosters that opt-in for it , centralized loot economy almost finished ... This is awesome ... We just need more talk of that "horticulture" that was supposed to come out with .49 experimental :/ ... Oh well we can only hope that we can randomly grow crops on .49 stable !!

[Deathlove 2280]

OMG YES IT LOOKS FREAKING AMAZING :o

 

 

This is an example of what one looks like for those that are not familiar but im definitely looking forward to this. I just never knew what the gun was called but iv seen them before a few times and even in The Walking Dead i believe.

 

Would go great with a police uniform look. I wounder if it will be modable? What do you guys think?

[epeenoire 82]

I think they won't use that "A1" model though you posted. Hopefully, they'll go for the "A3 SF" one that was designed for the Jagdkommando

Edited September 17, 2014 by EpeeNoire

[doctajones 123]

Really stoked for this.  The question is, will it come with rails or the classic integrated sight?

[GonzaNKetchup 10]

Guys and Girls, its this update 1 gig size??? Im not at home and a friend needs to know aprox how big it is (internet/download issues at his house) 

Thanks!

[Deathlove 2280]

I think they won't use that "A1" model though you posted. Hopefully, they'll go for the "A3 SF" one that was designed for the Jagdkommando

Naw its just one design i typed in Google. I just wanted to get a basic feel for what he was talking about for gun type.

[kichilron 8550]

OMG YES IT LOOKS FREAKING AMAZING :o

 

 

Merged

[Thaurus 38]

Yes Gonza, approx 920mb ik wad i think

[SmashT 10907]

Thank you for the update on Security! But what about the promised info about Private Shards?

 

I understand you have the goal to release Private Shards over the next month?

Can you be a little more specific about the admin features and the ETA?

[GonzaNKetchup 10]

Thanks Thaurus!!! you just won a Pizza!

[Legio23 82]

Dragunov and AKS74U for me !

[ChainReactor 922]

Another high-tech military assault rifle. Chain is sad. :(

[deniz0790 42]

Really enjoying these status updates guys ! 

 

keep it up :) provides a good feeling, not like some other early access games with other information politics  ;)

[seifeler 52]

 

Thank you!!! Much appreciated!!!

[igor-vk 909]

no MP133 in this update?? bah, not cool! I was looking forward to it. Im suprised with choice for next NATO rifle, I was hoping for G36. But AUG has quick changable barell. so it can be more than intersting!

[glasscharlie 6]

Another high-tech military assault rifle. Chain is sad. :(

Agreed! I know all these COD and BF fan boys want the AUG and SCAR and M60 and 50 cal snipers, but I hope that this is NOT the way DayZ is going. It's rural Russia (or Russia-esque) so having these NATO military guns makes no sense to me. (I know that particular militaries have these guns and that there IS a military presence in Chernarus, but 85% of the place is rural farm land/civilian making this influx of military grade weaponry head scratching for me.)

 

I know the Dev team is hard at work during this build with security (YES! Although I will miss killing these hackers..) and for future vehicles and server stability, but how about introducing more civilian items/weapons in the next updates. IE: 30.06 rifle - bolt or semi auto. .270 or a .243 hunting rifle. Glock 9m.  Or a Compound hunting bow . BRING BACK THE Enfield #Dinnerbell. different scopes Not just a "Long Range" but say a 2x or 4x fixed scope that is usable on multiple weapons since most guns have a universal scope mounting bracket on top (.22 and the CR75 carbine both have rails but no options for sights) Bi-Pods BACK on mosins and other sniper rifles! I'm unaware of why they were taken off, maybe someone complained that they were "too accurate" but I hope to see them return so I can hit my 1kilometer shots again. (I understand trying to keep a balanced playing field between people with good computers vs bad computers... but really, I'm scared if this "balance based" system continues it will hinder the potential of what this game could become. I'd like to see the "Half person @ 800 meters" thing go away and do a full render of said person at any and every distance. I feel it would add extensively to the realism, albeit with a drawback to crappy computers.)

 

I know DayZ isn't the game for everyone and it isn't trying to be either which is why I love it so much, so regardless of if my input is used or not I at least threw it out there. Been playing since before you could vault or roll in Vanilla mod and will continue to play until infinity.

[DemonGroover 8836]

How long until every male character is running around in a skirt?

[Chaingunfighter 917]

Agreed! I know all these COD and BF fan boys want the AUG and SCAR and M60 and 50 cal snipers, but I hope that this is NOT the way DayZ is going. It's rural Russia (or Russia-esque) so having these NATO military guns makes no sense to me. (I know that particular militaries have these guns and that there IS a military presence in Chernarus, but 85% of the place is rural farm land/civilian making this influx of military grade weaponry head scratching for me.)

 

I know the Dev team is hard at work during this build with security (YES! Although I will miss killing these hackers..) and for future vehicles and server stability, but how about introducing more civilian items/weapons in the next updates. IE: 30.06 rifle - bolt or semi auto. .270 or a .243 hunting rifle. Glock 9m.  Or a Compound hunting bow . BRING BACK THE Enfield #Dinnerbell. different scopes Not just a "Long Range" but say a 2x or 4x fixed scope that is usable on multiple weapons since most guns have a universal scope mounting bracket on top (.22 and the CR75 carbine both have rails but no options for sights) Bi-Pods BACK on mosins and other sniper rifles! I'm unaware of why they were taken off, maybe someone complained that they were "too accurate" but I hope to see them return so I can hit my 1kilometer shots again. (I understand trying to keep a balanced playing field between people with good computers vs bad computers... but really, I'm scared if this "balance based" system continues it will hinder the potential of what this game could become. I'd like to see the "Half person @ 800 meters" thing go away and do a full render of said person at any and every distance. I feel it would add extensively to the realism, albeit with a drawback to crappy computers.)

 

I know DayZ isn't the game for everyone and it isn't trying to be either which is why I love it so much, so regardless of if my input is used or not I at least threw it out there. Been playing since before you could vault or roll in Vanilla mod and will continue to play until infinity.

This shocking hyper influx of a whole two NATO ARs, both of which are very common on the international stage.

 

The AUG, FN SCAR, & M60 aren't even out of place, they're all used by quite a few foreign military forces, including Eastern European special operations, so there's no reason why we can't have a couple. 15% of the land being militarized is a lot larger than it sounds, and MOST "military" weapons we find are AKMs, AK-101s/AK-74s, and handguns.

 

The M4A1 and FNX-45 only spawn at heli crashes; you tend not to see them as much as you used to, so I fail to see the problem.

 

Also, we've got the Rossi R92 lever-action rifle, MP-133 pump-action shotgun, & some derringer confirmed, all of which are civilian weapons. The AKS-74U and SVD are extremely common in Eastern Europe. Not to mention the last rifle added was the CR-527, a hunting rifle. So why is having an AUG included in there such a bad thing? You can't act like they haven't been giving civilian stuff focus.

[basinox 300]

Agreed! I know all these COD and BF fan boys want the AUG and SCAR and M60 and 50 cal snipers, but I hope that this is NOT the way DayZ is going. It's rural Russia (or Russia-esque) so having these NATO military guns makes no sense to me. (I know that particular militaries have these guns and that there IS a military presence in Chernarus, but 85% of the place is rural farm land/civilian making this influx of military grade weaponry head scratching for me.)

 

I know the Dev team is hard at work during this build with security (YES! Although I will miss killing these hackers..) and for future vehicles and server stability, but how about introducing more civilian items/weapons in the next updates. IE: 30.06 rifle - bolt or semi auto. .270 or a .243 hunting rifle. Glock 9m.  Or a Compound hunting bow . BRING BACK THE Enfield #Dinnerbell. different scopes Not just a "Long Range" but say a 2x or 4x fixed scope that is usable on multiple weapons since most guns have a universal scope mounting bracket on top (.22 and the CR75 carbine both have rails but no options for sights) Bi-Pods BACK on mosins and other sniper rifles! I'm unaware of why they were taken off, maybe someone complained that they were "too accurate" but I hope to see them return so I can hit my 1kilometer shots again. (I understand trying to keep a balanced playing field between people with good computers vs bad computers... but really, I'm scared if this "balance based" system continues it will hinder the potential of what this game could become. I'd like to see the "Half person @ 800 meters" thing go away and do a full render of said person at any and every distance. I feel it would add extensively to the realism, albeit with a drawback to crappy computers.)

 

I know DayZ isn't the game for everyone and it isn't trying to be either which is why I love it so much, so regardless of if my input is used or not I at least threw it out there. Been playing since before you could vault or roll in Vanilla mod and will continue to play until infinity.

3 things:

Augs are used by a lot of armies in the area that chernarus is so it makes sense to find.

Enfield Wouldn't make sense.

And the bipod was removed from the mosin because it requires a rails to be attached and the mosin doesn't have a rails. They will probably add a bipod of rifles like the mosin in the future though.

[escobert 112]

Also there were foreign forces in the region to help fight the spread of the infection so there would be supplies and guns around.