The Indie Stone published on November 24th, “Project ZomboidWe have released new information on Build 42, the next major update for “. In addition to the newly implemented in-game mechanics, some new crafting items are also introduced.
“Project Zomboid” is an open-world survival game with a diagonal top-down perspective. The story is set in the fictional “Knox Country” in Kentucky, USA, where a zombie outbreak has occurred. The number of zombies roaming the field increases day by day, and lifelines (water and electricity) are gradually cut off. In these situations, the player’s goal is to survive as the fear of death approaches.
Please note that this game does not have a goal to reach or a survival period in the game system. As the message that appears at the start of play states, “This is the story of how you die,” it is a free-spirited and hardcore survival game where the player’s death means the ending.
What was announced this time is the new elements scheduled to be implemented in the next major update of this game, Build 42, and their development status. First, an element scheduled to be implemented was the addition of door opening/closing animation, and a test video of it was released. In the current version of this game, Build 41, when you interact with a door, the open/close state is instantly switched. It seems that this specification will be abolished in Build 42, and an animation of the door opening/closing will be added.
Although the changes may seem modest at first glance, they will have a significant impact on gameplay. When exploring a house, there was a safety check technique that involved opening and closing the door momentarily to check if there were zombies lurking inside. In Build 42, which adds animations, this method will no longer be possible, so players’ exploration will be even more tense than before.
In addition, an outline of the newly added crafting element “Blacksmithing” has been unveiled. Build 42 adds material items such as iron ore that can be obtained through foraging and coke that can be crafted from coal. It appears that players will be able to use these items to smelt/cast iron and steel. In addition, workbench items such as primitive blast furnaces, kilns, bellows, anvils, and whetstones necessary for the blacksmithing process will also be added. Graphics have been released for equipment that will eventually be craftable, such as machetes, swords, iron spear points, and spiked clubs.
The concept of Build 42’s crafting system is that you can start from scratch in any forest in the game, and blacksmithing is one of them. It looks like Build 42 will offer a richer variety of play styles to enjoy.
In addition, a system for transferring/mixing liquid items in the game to another container is also introduced. With liquid transfer, it seems possible to mix multiple colors of hair dye, which is an item that can change the character’s hair color, and make more detailed adjustments to the hair color. A video of how it is actually mixed with other colors has been released. This may be a welcome new feature for players who want to enjoy this game in multiplayer mode and place emphasis on the individuality of their characters. We are also adjusting the installation specifications for equipment, including the gauntlets and shin guards that can be crafted using the blacksmith mentioned above. It has been suggested that items such as helmets and masks may slightly impair hearing and vision in the future.
On the system side, there are plans to implement a UI optimized for playing at 4K resolution, and to add settings for the amount of gasoline stored at gas stations in sandbox mode. The amount of gasoline stored can be set to a maximum of infinite, and it seems that it is also possible to set the probability of spawning in a depleted state from the start of the game. In addition, some of the adjustment status of the “moaning” voice when the player takes an action, which was previously announced, has been released (related article).There were concerns that the test environment at the time of the announcement would resemble a “tennis rally” with lots of loud voices, but the test environment was released this time.movieIt looks very natural, and it shows that he is steadily improving his technique.
Lastly, a cityscape reminiscent of the Wild West era was unveiled as a new location scheduled to be added to the world map. Characterized by its unasphalted streets and old-fashioned architecture, it seems like it would be a perfect location to find equipment and tools used in blacksmithing.
These are the new elements of the next major update Build 42 that was announced this time. “Project Zomboid” has been continuously updated since its release on November 8, 2013, and as of this writing, Steam user reviews have received 94% positive reviews out of 190,806, giving it a “very positive rating.” has achieved the status of Even now, 10 years after the start of early access distribution, the number of concurrently connected players is still over 30,000 at peak hours every day (SteamDB）。『7 Days to DieIt can be said that it is a popular zombie survival game along with “.
Build 42 will be the first major update since December 2021, when Build 41 was released, and major changes are expected for the entire game. We look forward to future announcements regarding the status of development and when updates will be distributed.
“Project Zomboid” is available on PC (Steam) is now available for early access. It’s on sale for 33% off at 1,541 yen until November 29th at the Steam Autumn Sale currently being held.
