Update 0.4.7 has arrived - and so has Adrian Riggs. The fourth playable protagonist has entered the scene in this update. Play as Adrian for strong base stats in Strength and Endurance. This makes him exceptionally well suited to head-on melee confrontations. Unarmed melee combat makes a return too if you find yourself in a situation without a weapon… which might actually if you start playing in Lone Wolf mode.

Lone Wolf mode is the latest starting scenario, allowing you to start the game at a random location across the island. This traditional survival game start mode, will test players because there will be no immediate support from safe zones or NPCs to get you started.

The latest updates on optimisation includes all NPCs being transferred on to the newer (and better) system. With the new AI system fully in place and the old system removed, you can expect to see a reduction in lag spikes and general CPU improvements. Additionally, fixes to the map have made great strides in removing pesky lag spikes due to landscape loading in and out.

Looking for something a little different? Patch up a boat to have a talk with resident Treasure Hunter, Sasha, found offshore on an island. She’ll be looking for someone to help rediscover some secrets buried across the island.

Developer Comment:
It would be advisable to start a fresh game as some mechanics, craftables and items may be bugged or not be available if using out of date game save files.

New Playable Protagonist: Adrian

• Adrian Riggs, the fourth playable protagonist, is now available to play.
• Adrian is an expert in strength and endurance, making him the perfect candidate to excel using strong and fast melee attacks.
• Combine Adrian’s high strength and endurance base statistics with the new unarmed melee punching.

AI Updates

• All stationary NPCs have been replaced with new AIV4 counterparts. Various associated performance improvements.
• Implemented new AIV4 system for dynamically adding NPCs. System is now used by Hazmats guarding supply drops.
• Xiles have been removed from Hanouten church and been replaced with infected.
• Additional Xiles have been added to popular locations around the map.
• Xiles redeveloped using the new AIV4 system.
• All quests now spawn AIV4 enemies, instead of the old AIV3 ones.
• AIV4 humans can now use melee weapons.
• AIV4 humans can now use bows.
• Improved system for handling NPC combat barks.
• Arrows shot by NPCs now deal 30 damage to the player.
• Human NPCs can now be given specific patrol routes.
• NPCs belonging to the Xiles, Thanatos and Military are now all hostile towards the other factions.
• Fixed situation causing active nests not to spawn any Infected
• Fixed some vehicle impact effects with NPCs not always playing
• Fixed vehicles being able to impact despawned NPCs
• Fixed despawned NPCs performing vocal barks (especially if the player has driven a vehicle)
• Fixed deer not treating the player as hostile.
• Fixed issues preventing human NPCs from using radio towers.
• Fixed reinforcement tower at Lumber Yard not being usable for new NPCs.
• Fixed Eden Nadir Military soldier spawning at the lumberyard.
• Safezone guards moved on to the new AI system. Guards in towers can now shoot infected trying to get into the safezone.
• Fixed issues when starting dialog with NPCs causing the camera to be slightly offset.
• Fixed NPC interaction prompts sometimes getting stuck on the screen.
• Fixed circumstance causing NPCs to have unlimited melee range.
• Fixed default speech text appearing when performing takedowns on NPCs
• Fixed player's ability to stealth kill deactivated persistent NPCs who are unspawned.
• Fixed issue causing human NPCs to become partially inactive if unable to find suitable cover.
• Fixed any situations where it is possible to perform a stealth takedown on a non-hostile NPC.
• Fixed issue often preventing NPCs moving correctly when not rendered
• Fixed friendly NPCs being able to be killed.
• Fixed certain fish missing valid movement targets, which could lead to unexpected behaviour.
• Fixed issues preventing interactions with NPCs.
• Fixed some NPC saving/loading issues. This could cause Sen to appear in the safezone erroneously.
• Fixed issue with Margaret Tilly's name pop-up
• Fixed Margaret Tilly trade not working, likely instigating issues preventing interactions with other NPCs
• Fixed various NPC related errors occurring on start.

Added

• Added new start scenario "LoneWolf". Will spawn you at a random location around the map.
• Added a new interactive character: Sasha (Treasure Hunter). Visit them to start the first treasure hunt quest.
• Added Treasure Hunting system. Find all parts of the map to uncover the location of the treasure and then go dig it up.
• Added map in a bottle item. This item can wash up on any sea shore and can be opened to reveal map parts.
• Added new dialogue crafting recipe unlock event. This will now enable interactive NPCs to unlock crafting recipes for the player character.
• Added inspection mode allowing the player to view documents stored in the inventory.
• Added AI v4.0 Sharks to the oceans. Sharks are often indifferent to humans, but under the right conditions you might find yourself in trouble. Swim carefully!
• Added three additional shipwreck locations.
• Added church ruins back into the bayou.
• Added sleepable tents at Nadir farm safe-zone.
• Added random treasure map bottle spawns. Finding a bottle will give you the first part of a treasure map.
• Added ocean treasure chests.
• Added infected kill-zone around Liam's, preventing infected getting into the area while the player can not get their weapon out.
• Rowboats added to the ocean.
• Added experimental redwood tree platforms around the map. These may become craftable at a later date.
• Reimplemented melee with fists. Attacking without a weapon will cause the character to punch.
• Added ability to add doors to player built door frames.
• Remnant outfit is now available for Trystan and Adrian.
• T-Shirt & Shorts outfit is now available for Trystan and Adrian.
• FootBrawler Outfit added for all characters.
• Old Glory Baseball Bat added.
• Old Glory "FootBrawler" Skin added.
• Added new DLC outfits and crafting recipes.
• Founders pack DLC outfit and weapon have been added to the game, ready for unlock.
• Characters can now be unlocked via PlayJoE.gg website generated product keys.
• Webstore NOW LIVE

Updated

• Integrated playjoe.gg API product activation and system checks to manage DLC.
DLC package purchases and generated product keys from playjoe.gg can now be claimed from the Store section in the Menu Menu.
• Embedded arrows and other pickup objects no longer block the camera.
• Spawn managers for quests now save their activation state.
• Various subtitle improvements.
• Updated scene elements around survivor camp to James Bell being obscured by heavy shadows at dawn during dialog.
• Updated start scenario selection screen
• Reduced the cost of diving outfit and equipment to more realistic pricing.
• Updated AO brightness to make shadows and night time lighter.
• Birds can now be burnt with any kind of fire, but will not give feathers or animal fat when butchering, only meat
• Exploding barrels will now cause a chain reaction with other explosives
• Stamina now drains immediately from melee attacks, instead of after the melee attack animation
• Weapon attacks can no longer be triggered while simultaneously looking at the STRV watch.
• Rented units will not charge rent 24hours from rent start. No more being recharged at midnight. (loaded save games from previous versions will still charge at midnight).
• Unarmed melee base damage reduced from 15 to 12.
• Melee attack speed now affected by character's strength
• Endurance now affects the amount of stamina used when swinging melee weapons (and fists).
• Strength now affects the amount of damage dealt my melee weapons (and fists)
• Updated collision on nests to block projectiles. This will stop situations where fire arrows can fly though the nest without hitting anything.
• Updated all first person character arms meshes.
• Some traders are now able to "always stock" certain items.
• Can no longer drop or recycle prison outfit, which would prevent progress in the starting quest.
• Slightly improved effectiveness of foliage cover for stealth.
• Improved weight painting around the neck for "The Widow Maker" outfit.
• Reduced clipping on "The Widow Maker" outfit.
• Improved material visuals on "The Widow Maker" outfit.
• Workbenches and player storage containers now display an icon when in range to use.

Fixes

• Fixed pickup arrows blocking other arrows and projectiles. Pickup items can no longer block projectiles.
• Fixed quest sending player to kill Sergeant Penner in the wrong location.
• Fixed fire arrows dropping to the floor before exploding, rather than on impact.
• Fixed digging not recognizing sand on beaches
• Fixed nests providing integrity multiple times after already being burned
• Fixed inactive nests providing integrity when being burned.
• Tentative fix for eyelashes on Sophia and Trystan having the incorrect materials applied on loaded save games.
• Fixed being able to clip through safes in first person to take items without opening
• Fixed floating tents in Nomad camp
• Fixed not being able to interact with items while underwater.
• Fixed the player still thinking they are swimming when mounting a horse in the water. (mounting animations are still a little funny).
• Fixed situation where player can be stuck in freelook mode after dialog
• Fixed player attacking when clicking on a message board while interacting with it
• Fixed issue where pickup items were not running command instructions if picked up via the vicinity search.
• Fixed issues with hooded outfits or hats not hiding the character’s hair in the model viewer.
• Fixed issue responsible for causing certain character components to not animate.
• Fixed nests not being able to be burned by Molotovs
• Fixed not being able to throw grenades/Molotov's/rocks etc.
• Fixed being able to trigger attacks while on a ladder
• Fixed not being able to add to player buildings after dying.
• Fixed hidden hair reshowing on character after changing perspective from third to first and back or after sleeping
• Fixed hair not disappearing for the character render in the inventory when wearing clothes that should hide the hair
• Fixed next grenade mesh missing from hand after throwing a grenade.
• Fixed changing perspective to third-person while running a melee attack causing some body parts not to reappear.

Optimisations

• All AI now using the AIV4 system and old system assets have been removed. New AI are significantly more performance friendly and will not spike when spawning.
• Added a new static NPC mode for some NPCs. This saves resources for NPCs who do not need to move.
• Major removal of legacy AI related assets. Most of these are invisible managers which used to handle old system.
• Improved performance for components relating to NPC movement.
• Improved LODs on sharks.
• Improved LODs on shipwrecks.
• Optimised waterfalls cull distances.
• Optimisations made on explosive barrels
• Regenerated all landscape tile LODs.
• Fixed FPS drop when turning the character in third person at specific places around the map.
• Fixed occasional issue causing performance to get progressively worse under some circumstances after shooting birds.
• Removal of several legacy item pools which no longer serve a purpose.
• Improved cost of weapon meshes on the CPU.
• Various mesh optimisations for shadows.
• Improved render range for some lights in Hanouten Safe Zone.
• Optimised loading of world tiles with foliage and landscape splines.
• Adjusted draw on world tiles from 300k units to 150k units to reduce memory consumption.