The PACK Subsistence PvE-P Server
Subsistence is a sandbox, first person, solo or co-op, PvE/PvP open-world survival game. Struggle to build a base and gear-up in the hostile environment. Defend yourself from wildlife and AI hunters (who also build bases in the world). Progress your base technology for advanced item crafting and upgrades.
* Singleplayer, Co-op and Multiplayer PvE sandbox experience. * Crafting mechanics. * Dynamic base building. * Dynamic seasons and weather systems. * Weapon upgrade system. * Mining and refining of ores. * AI Hunters (with AI base building). * Farming. * Animal husbandry. * Food cooking mechanics. * World day-night cycle. * Temperature change based on time-of-day and altitude. * Character hunger/thirst/strength mechanics. * Character clothing system. * System for inviting/removing players to access bases. * Central power system for bases (base items require power to function). * Npc enemy leveling system.
Wiped 3-15-2021 No attacks till April 24th. 2021. Revenge attacks will be initiated on May 23rd. They will last for 30 days, then be dropped back to Random for 30 days. Wash, Rinse, Repeat! Difficulty = Normal Days per year: = 24 Day: = Please check upon reaching the join screen. Hunters: = see above Hunter Attacks: = see above PvP Damage: = Disabled PvP Base Damage: = Disabled Access to Other Players Base: = Disabled Version: = Alpha 56
A new high-tier rifle can now be crafted at the workbench. The LA Rifle uses the same 7.62mm cartridges as the existing rifle, but deals slightly more damage. However, this is at the penalty of a slower fire-rate due to the lever action between each shot. So it is a more powerful and cost-effective weapon, so long as the shots are accurate. The LA Rifle can also load a new ammo type (which the basic Rifle cannot), please see later in the patch notes for details.
I've finally taken some time to work on the night-time visuals and added a dynamic moon cycle. This isn't a total nerf to the darkness of nights. The moon moves through its own cycles (currently set to 8 days), and the light emitted is dictated by its fullness. So there will still be many near pitch black nights. It is also tied in with the weather system, such that if the skies are overcast, this will deprive players of brighter lit moony nights. I considered tying it in with months/seasons also, but given the adjustable nature of the seasons, I thought best to leave it as a separate system.
Previously when base items were destroyed, they would simply disappear with a destruction sound. I've now added individual destructible meshes for almost all pieces. Now during attacks/raids, building pieces will explode/collapse and glass will shatter into physics-based pieces. I think this greatly helps immersion during game play.
You can checkout a short video of the new destruction in action here (where I detonate a BCU on my own base): YouTube™ Video: Subsistence - Destruction Physics and Structural Integrity (Testing)
Sometimes during clear nights, the northern lights will be visible and light-up the sky. This is not something that will happen every night and the intensity will vary across nights when they are visible. As with the moonlight, storm fronts will obscure their visibility and their intensity will be muted by overcast skies. I think this adds some cool diversity to the world over the passing of time.
I have made some substantial performance improvements (for worlds that are highly populated with buildings and many light sources). I will explain the technical changes below (for those interested):
One of the most expensive performance costs are individual light sources. In densely populated profiles there may be hundreds of individual light sources dotted around the map, all casting rays and dynamic shadow cascades. Many have overlapping cascades (which can be extremely expensive). I've added an LOD system to drastically reduce the number of light sources required to render the same scene.
Far distant lights (in close proximity to one another) will now cluster into a single source (reducing the expense of ray casting and overlapping cascades).
Lights that are overpowered by another light (meaning they would not be visible anyway) are now disabled.
Lights that are entirely outside of the current view are disabled completely.
There may be some quirks with this new system, and I will continue to make tweaks moving forward. However the performance increase is huge and should benefit many players.
Another big performance improvement: Previously all buildables would "Tick" with the game engine, meaning each frame they run some logic to check if they needed to do something. When there are many 10's of thousands of buildables placed in the world, this can add a lot of performance cost. In Alpha 56, buildables are now put to "sleep" when no events are occuring for them, and wake up only when needed. This takes a lot of pressure off the CPU and will allow further scaling of the game.
A new clothing item can now be crafted from the default player crafting menu. The shirt is an alternative to the existing high-tier t-shirt. However it's properties are slightly different, whereby it offers slightly more warmth at the penalty of slightly less damage protection. So it is a good option for early spring and late fall.
I've always found it very jarring to see bare arms in the first person view when my character is wearing long sleeved clothing. This was especially awkward to see during winter and blizzards. I've now modeled first person versions of all of the long sleeved clothing items, which I feel helps a lot with feeling continuity with your character.
I have now prevented BCU Crackers and Breaching Charges being placed on player BCUs (when the server has PvP base damage disabled). In addition to this, you can no longer extend the placement range of either item, avoiding the exploit of players placing BCU Crackers by extending their reach through windows etc.
I've added logic to detect players using speed hacks on dedicated servers (and kick them).
Some players reported a physics exploit, allowing players on servers to defy gravity. This should now be patched. Hackers are an unfortunate reality, but something I'm always looking to patch/prevent as I continue development, so I appreciate the reports.
Previously server admins could only ban players if they were logged onto the server. You can now use the console to ban players using their Steam id (which is the numeric value in the url of their Steam profile). Type "help" in the console to view the available admin commands.
Once banned, you should see them listed under the Banned list in the server info UI (where you can choose to unban them).
There is now a new ore type that can be found while exploring the cave systems. Phosphate ore is somewhat rare, and can be processed into Phosphorus in the refinery. Each piece of Phosphate Ore yields 3 Phosphorus once processed.
Phosphorus can be used to craft incendiary rifle rounds. These can only be used with the new LA Rifle (press Left-Alt to switch between ammo types). Incendiary rounds deal the same initial damage as their standard counterparts, however will catch the target on fire for around 10 seconds, dealing continuous damage over that time. Jumping into water will extinguish the fire.
When splitting stacks, rather than having to right click on the item, you can now simply hold the shift key (or whatever you have bound to your sprint) and right click to split singles into another stack.
Clients of network games were displaying an incorrect warmth reading when near heating sources. It was either showing 100% or nothing. It was also leading to an incorrect reading on the current world temperature (which displays at top left). This is now fixed.
Strength Boosts can be found under the default medicinal craft menu. These items will increase the player's physical strength by 1.5x for 3 minutes. This increases the speed of harvesting resources (chopping trees, ores, etc), melee damage caused to base items (breaking down doors, etc) and damage to humans and animals. This can be useful for a burst of wood harvesting, or breaking into bases. A status icon will display on the right side of the hud indicating when the boost is active. The damage incurred to the tool will also increase to match the increased damage dealt.
Previously the Adrenaline boost would simply replenish your stamina, but then (depending on your health stats) would immediately start dropping again. Now the Adrenaline Boost will provide unlimited stamina for 3 minutes, regardless of your character's physical condition. A status icon will show on the right while it is active.
It's never been very clear that players can level-up their max health and stamina overtime by eating better quality foods. I've added an in-game tip to highlight this mechanic for new players. It's also not obvious that players' protein levels drop faster if the player is cold. So I've also added a contextual tip to explain this. Players are issued a free heat pack when respawned during winter time. However this is not obvious and often leads to a death loop trying to get back to safety. I've added a one-time prompt to highlight this mechanic.
You no longer need to jump into frigid water to collect water or wash your hands from iceholes. Simply stand next to the ice hole and right click on your canteen to fill with water. Or click use to wash your hands.
I actually spent a full month this update working on a Structural Integrity system for base building. This restricts floating bases and ensures bases are structurally sound (or will otherwise collapse). The system is working well for the most part, however there are many loose ends that need tying up, and I didn't want to dedicate any further time to this one feature.
You can checkout this short video showing the feature in action (running on my dev build):
YouTube™ Video: Subsistence - Structural Integrity (dev build, work in progress)
The blue flashing highlights you see in the video are just for my dev environment, to visualize the SI calculations rippling throughout the structure. I plan to revisit and complete this feature in the future, but right now it's on hold. I welcome feedback from players on the eventual introduction of this feature.
Fixed a bug where the elevator could run off the tracks (and often being lost).
Previously players would be dropped into the world before it had finished initializing (sp) or being fully streamed in from the server (mp). This would lead the player to glitch about on geometry that hadn't fully loaded. Players will now get a waiting screen until the world is ready.
A full battery charge on Flashlight Attachments now lasts 16 minutes (real world time). Was previously 12 minutes.
Switched to new metallic materials for Double Barrel Shotgun Rifle.
Added weapon handling sounds when raising/lowering weapons to aim down sights.
Fixed ice hole clipping bug, that could result in falling under the world.
Fixed bug where players couldn't cancel and exit out of chat while sitting on ground or in a chair.
Fixed fishing line showing at weird angles if starting to fish while in 3rd person view.
Fixed character standing at weird angle if switching view while exiting an ice hole (thanks Freaky P ;))
Windows will now be destroyed if their wall frames are destroyed.
Fixed various buildable's pitch and roll not replicating to clients of net games.
Fixed bug where two weapons would show mounted in the work bench (one below the bench) for clients of net games.
Fixed animation glitch where players could sit while in a falling state.
Fixed clipping bug where players could glitch through geometry while sitting on sofas (sometimes leading to falling to their death).
Inventory item blue highlight flash will now interrupt a previous flash, so feels much more responsive when splitting/transfering items in quick succession.
Log files now capture when admins ban players.
Fixed bug where dedicated servers could get into a restart loop, and machine needing resetting to fix the issue. This was caused by the server attempting to compile shaders (which it never needs anyway).
For humans and animals on fire, the fire particle will now remain attached during ragdolling (previously would float at the death location).
Discord invite: https://discord.gg/zyy4jQs
Twitter: @playSubsistence
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/playsubsistence/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkQZ7vkTiqetTC0_8umY2Pg
Steam Forums: https://steamcommunity.com/app/418030/discussions/
Ice Holes, Fishing, and Winter Cave/Water Access: It is now possible to break through the surface ice on the frozen lakes (using an axe), allowing players to fish during the winter months or allowing Players to descend through ice holes, giving new access to water and cave locations throughout the winter. With the axe equipped, look at the ice until a progress wheel displays, then begin chopping. There is a vault mechanic for pulling yourself out from an ice hole while underwater. The game will reduce the rate of refreezing if a hole is being actively used, but it will eventually refreeze regardless. Fishing in the ice hole does not require casting with the rod. Simply approach the hole with an equipped rod (and tackle) and an action prompt will display to start fishing. *Be careful to carry an axe while exploring caves during winter, as you may need to break through the ice to exit the frozen lake on your return.
Seasonal Water Temperatures: New fairly large changes to water temperatures in the colder months have been added. The water will now get much colder than previously. The temperatures are colder across easy/normal/hardcore. Increased Temperature Penalty For Being Wet (Hardcore): In hardcore the temperature penalty is now -5.5°C (was previously -4°C). Easy and normal are unchanged at -2/-4°C respectively.
Beehives: During the summer months, bees will now build hives that can be harvested for honey. The hives are fairly rare(roughly 3 spawn per reset) and can be found attached to tree trunks. An axe or pickax(best option) can be used to harvest the hive to yield the honey. Beehives are not dangerous unless a player attempts to harvest the honey. Attacking a hive will unleash a deadly swarm of bees, so take stock of your current condition (and equipment) before attempting to harvest a hive.
Insect Repellent: Found in the default medical crafting menu. This (fairly cheap) item provides temporary protection from insect bites/stings (useful for harvesting honey). While active, a status icon will show on the right side of the hud. Currently the only insect threats are bee stings, however plans for mosquitos are on the roadmap (still not totally confirmed yet however).
Small animals now destroyed by live ammunition: Small animals (rabbits and chickens) can now be killed by a single shot of any live ammunition. However doing so will destroy the potential resource gains and leave you with a mangled corpse (and a satisfying "splat" effect). The only (current) use for mangled corpses is to allow it to decay into "rotten meat". *Bow-hunting and trapping will preserve the animal's resources for harvesting.
New Animal AI Pathing Update: The Dev has addressed the exploit of guiding predators into trees to attack them with an axe. With new pathing logic to allow them to negotiate trees while chasing prey.
Customizable Glow Sticks Colors: Players can now customize their glow sticks by choosing from a selection of colors. Simply click on your glow stick to display it's contextual item display (at the top of the hud). Then select from the color-picker to apply your color of choice. This should help teammates signal-to or identify one another, as well as offering additional visual customization.
Sitting on the Ground: Players can now choose to "take a load off" and sit down (without a chair). This should add some cool immersion while resting by a campfire. This action can be set/rebound in the in-game controls (the default key is "/").
Previously there was no change in the chances of catching a particular fish type across the months/seasons. Now, not only do different lake types yield different fish types, but the months/seasons dictate the population/chance of certain fish types (example: it is now rare to catch a salmon during the winter).
Catfish: Catfish can now be caught in the various ponds around the world (they do not reside in the larger lakes). They are less active during the colder months. They cannot be caught using fish traps, and require rod-fishing.
Pike: Pike can be found in all the lakes/ponds in the world. They remain highly active during the winter months, due to being predatory fish. They also cannot be caught using fish traps, and require rod-fishing.
Perch: Perch can be found in all ponds/lakes, however are more common in ponds. They provide slightly more protein than the existing "small fish". Perch can be caught in fish traps. They can be cooked whole, or harvested for fish oil.
Crayfish: Crayfish can now be found in the various lakes and ponds, by catching them in fish traps. They must be cooked on a fire before eating, or can cause infection. Crayfish are only small but are a good survival dietary supplement. They offer slightly more protein than small fish or perch (however do not yield fish oil).
NEW seasonal changes to the wild edibles in the world. During the colder months, blueberries will no longer be available, however rosehip berries will persist through the cold.
Rosehip Berries: These tart berries come with a small hydration penalty (effectively making winter a little more of a struggle), so make sure to melt plenty of snow and keep a couple of canteens on you.
Wild Mushrooms: The cave systems now have a wild edible. Edible mushrooms can be found/picked, growing on cave rocks while exploring. They can safely be eaten raw. There currently aren't dedicated cooking recipes for mushrooms, but that will come in a future update.
Fish Steaks: This meat is now yielded from Bass, Pike and Catfish. It can safely be eaten raw, but much better cooked. It has slightly lower stats than salmon fillets.
Honey: Honey can be eaten raw and used in cooking recipes. Honey is currently the only food item providing a max-health/stamina boost in its raw form.
Honey-glazed Pork and Sauteed Vegetables: Pork chops now have a dedicated cooking recipe, coupled with honey and grown vegetables. This dish is the highest tier meal that can be cooked using the frying-pan (typically the baking pan is required for such stats-boosting recipes).
Curved, slanted glass walls: This new glass building piece provides a slanted wall option for the curved variant. It will attach to any curved foundation, ceiling and wall, and should offer new possibilities for some creative base designs.
Save/Load-Game Improvements: Since the launch of dedicated servers, extreme pressure was put on the previous save/load system. A new more robust (async) job-handling system has been added for the game to easily manage these large tasks. This is now polished and is implemented into the singleplayer mode. So if you had a HUGE profile that stopped being able to load, this should fix it. This should also alleviate the "frame-hitch" that can sometimes occur when the game saves during gameplay.
Harvesting Hitbox Updates: Previously it was common to hit a tree or resource node, see a hit effect/sound, but no progress would be attributed to the harvesting process, this has been addressed, so what you see/hear should align correctly with what is being harvested.
No-Build Zones: Many servers were having issues with players/teams building structures over cave entrances, preventing others on the server from accessing them. These are now no-build zones in these areas. Note: These no-build zones are not active in single player or player-hosted co-op games.
New Sounds for Opening Medical Crates: Medical and ammo crates now have their own unique (and more appropriate) sound when opening.
Fixed Server List Crash: The server list would sometimes crash the game while populating the list. The issue was caused by aggressive handling of sorting algorithms as server results come in. This has been fixed and is being watched.
Fixed Temperature Reading Errors In Hud: Many players reported inconsistencies with the temperature displayed top-left, their clothing stats and the time at which they may start taking damage from exposure. This should now be fixed. Fishing Rod Improved Controls: Previously, after striking and hooking a fish, if you pressed the reel-in key while the strike animation was still in motion, it would ignore the held-down keypress. Now you can hold the reel-in key during the strike animation, and it will begin reeling once complete.
Fixed Incorrect Animal State Showing In Animal Traps: Animals would sometimes show as alive when looking at them in a trap, but then were actually dead when accessing the trap. This is now fixed.
Updated Menu Map: The menu map has been updated with greater detail/density of foliage and trees.
Fixed Exploit Accessing Base Items Through Walls: There was an exploit whereby when first joining a populated server, it would take some time to stream all the buildables in, and it was possible to access base items through a wall. There are now additional server-side checks to ensure bases are protected from this exploit.
● Prevented audio, glitching in/out while the game world is in the process of loading in. Now audio will smoothly transition in when your boots hit the ground. ● Console now shows a welcome message, displaying the "help" command to list available commands. ● Fixed bug where mounted weapon could become misaligned when moving the workbench. ● Fixed bug/exploit where base items could be moved out of a base into another, without transferring it's connection from the original base. ● Added subtle dark gradient behind bottom-left hud messages (for better contrast/visibility). ● Prevented tossed items from sticking to base walls like Velcro (they should now drop to the floor as expected). ● Fixed "winter-warning" not showing when joining a server in winter. ● Added error message when attempting to join a server running a different alpha version. ● You can now press escape to exit out of confirm popups. ● Fixed bug where a confirm popup would get stuck on the screen, requiring a game restart. ● Fixed bug where clients of network games wouldn't recognize a clip-size upgrade on a weapon, resulting in them not being able to reload the weapon if it's clip was above the default clip-size count. ● Fixed rare bug where clams and sandstone nodes would disappear when swimming close to them. ● Fixed bat hanging animation not playing for clients of network games. ● Added brief fade from black when entering a profile or re-spawning after death. ● Fixed bug with food perish times, where a complete stack could disappear after just one of it's stack perishes. ● Added admin console command to disable all base lights on a server. This is a bit of band aid due to base lights having a performance cost if used excessively on servers with many structures, and players leaving all their base lights on when logging off. A true performance fix will come for this in the future. ● Strawberries and rosehips can now be used to bait small animal traps. ● Fixed bug where it was still possible to access enemy wood burners, even when the server was set to disallow access of other players base items. ● Fixed underwater gap in the fence line in the large eastern lake.
The Fence line around the Map.
Approximate location of Cougar Spawns
Approximate location of the Locked Boxes as of Oct. 2020
