Update 2.1.6.0

Zumbi Blocks - version 2.1.6.0

Donations:

I'll start this update with a request for financial support. The game is made by a single developer, and I'd be very grateful if those who have been enjoying the game could donate any small amount.

I'll add your name to the game's credits for donations of at least $1 (USD).

I'm providing donation options via Stripe and PIX (Brazil only). Both methods are accessible from the game's main menu.

Stripe: https://donate.stripe.com/8x29ATeIeeB21KD97lejK00

PIX (random key): ca9fa906-7452-4c05-a2a4-85e876d2b54a

Important:

For those who don't know, the game is planned to have a paid release at some point. Donations at this stage are completely voluntary and are meant only to support the developer.

I can't offer any in-game advantages or access to the paid version in exchange for donations, as Steam prohibits these types of off-platform transactions.

You'll always be able to play the Open Alpha version for free, as it will continue to be maintained and updated alongside the paid release, although with less content.

While we are at it:

Follow the game's new instagram page:

https://www.instagram.com/zumbiblocks2/

Now for the update:

In July's new update, I made changes to several game features:

• Localization

• Melee weapons and mechanics

• Zumbie gore / dismemberment

• Particles and blood effects

• Inventory system and controls

• First-person view and animations

Localization and AI usage:

In this version of the game, I started adding support for more languages, and I'll continue adding more in future updates. The languages added were Korean, Chinese, and Russian.

Some of this new localization is fan-made, but most of it is AI-generated. I intend to use AI tastefully, as it's a great tool for accelerating development.

As a way to address potential localization issues, I've added a dedicated Discord forum where players can report translation mistakes and other localization problems they encounter while playing. This will help me identify and fix issues with the community's help.

You can report any localization-related issue, including incorrect translations, missing characters, bad font support or missing characters, poor readability, or visual bugs.

Main gameplay changes:

Changes to the melee system include four new melee weapons, one of which can only be unlocked by completing a new challenge. It also introduces a combo system with several new animations.

I added a dismemberment system, allowing gunshots and melee attacks to sever zombie arms, legs, and heads.

Along with that come improvements to blood effects and most other particle effects, as well as optimizations to these and other particle effects.

The inventory has been visually updated, and you can now equip two primary weapons. The grenade, food, and medicine slots have also been merged into several multi-purpose slots, which can be accessed through a radial menu.

The inventory size and item dimensions have been completely reworked. There's also a new challenge that unlocks additional inventory space.

The first-person view has received several improvements to fix many visual glitches and animation issues, with specific improvements to animations of the female character.

The complete list of changes can be found below.

Full update notes:

Localization:

. Added font support to the new languages, and several more languages that will be added later

. Fixed Russian font support that was lost in the previous update

. Fixed some UI elements that were not being properly updated when language was changed

. Fixed some UI elements that were not being translated at all

Melee improvements:

. Added 4 new melee weapons

. The Katana is unlocked through a new challenge

. The Reaper Scythe can be dropped after killing the Reaper

. The other two are regular Tier 3 weapons

. Improved precision of melee attack impact detection

Melee improvements:

. Changed melee controls entirely

. F-key attacks are all push attacks, except for the Trench Shotgun

. Pushing physics will be improved in later updates

. Left and right mouse buttons now perform different attacks

Melee improvements:

. Only throwables, like the Cleaver, can be aimed

. Melee weapons now have attack variations and combos

. Combos are performed by alternating left and right clicks

. Combos need some stamina to work

Melee improvements:

. Some old animations have been improved

. Melee game feel has been improved with hitstop on impact, for example

. Melee weapon stats have been expanded to try and add more variation

Melee improvements:

. Item description tab has been changed to reflect the new stats

. Different attacks now consume different amounts of stamina

. Different weapons can hit different numbers of zumbies at once

. Some of them can chop off limbs while others can't

Gore:

. Added limb dismemberment when zumbies die, for visual impact

. Zombies can lose their heads, arms and legs

. Dismemberment spawns fleshy bits and physical limb pieces

. Explosions can remove multiple limbs at once

Gore:

. It doesn't happen while the zumbie is still alive, and is not applied to bosses either

. It depends on the weapon's damage, and where it hits

. Dismembered zombie 3D models are generated at runtime

. Runtime generation is consuming more RAM than it should, but it can be easily optimized later

Inventory refactor:

. Inventory and equipment screen have been fully overhauled

. Item tiers are now identified with different colors

. Inventory grid size and item sizes have changed completely

Inventory refactor:

. Equipment now allows for two main guns

. Equipment now has several multi-purpose slots for throwables and consumables

. These items are now selected using the "item wheel", by holding "5"

Inventory refactor:

. Added a generic backpack to the player's model, and changed where guns are attached

. Added simple physics to guns hanging from your backpack

. Full storage space is unlocked through a new challenge and perk

. All ten item slots cannot be unlocked yet

Inventory refactor:

. Added "quick-equip" on shift-click

. Added quick crafting of 5x the amount of items

. Added tooltip for alternating interaction with "Alt"

Inventory refactor:

. Refactored code that handled attaching items to holsters and hands

. This can fix bugs with online synchronization of equipped items on the game lobby

. This fixes some visual glitches and allows more animation variety

First person view improvements:

. Character legs are now visible in first person

. Equipped items now become invisible and won't obstruct your view

. Same problem was fixed when you're next to walls in third person

. Custom camera movement was added to improve the view when rolling and climbing

First person view improvements:

. Custom animation tweaks were added to improve female animations

. Fixed camera positioning so your aim no longer shifts when transitioning from hip fire to ADS in first person

. Other changes were made to reduce awkward camera movement in first person view

First person view improvements:

. Some melee attacks have alternative animations for better first person visibility

. Made small improvements to magazine insertion animations

. Changed interaction animation in first person

Particle effects improvements:

. Replaced most 3D particles with 2D versions

. 3D particles replaced because they were previously crashing the game on some PCs

. Added different blood particles, and gushing blood effect from severed limbs

Other changes:

. Added a particle manager that optimizes the usage of common particle effects like smoke, explosions, and blood

. Also optimized some other effects like muzzle flashes and ammo casings

. Added map zooming using + and -

Other changes:

. Changed how item selection works so it won't get canceled so often

. Rebalanced crafting and recycling materials

. Buffed explosive damage

Bug fixes:

. Many small visual glitches and bad animations were fixed in first person view

. Fixed visual glitch when reloading the American Predator right after shooting it

. Square shaped items can't be rotated anymore in the inventory

. Fixed accidental shooting after buying a loadout

. Fixed item stats tab being shown at inconvenient times

. Fixed SFX slider changing environment sound volume too

. Fixed throwables persisting after the player who threw them has disconnected

. Fixed bad shoulder rigging on Combat Zumbie

. Fixed some broken zombie hitboxes