Hello everyone!

This one large update contains the long awaited Lobby System! The lobby uses the Steam Networking features, which means you do not need to port forward your ports when using it.



I have also tweaked Flatline some more, and adjusted the shop prices a bit, and added some quality of life features to Contagion, such as updating the Survivor AI. Some nasty server related issues has also been dealt with, such as getting "Host_Error" crashes, when it should just kick the player back to the Main Menu. Or if the map is missing, and the client would just crash down due to "texture information" being invalid, instead of showing "Map Missing".

A new Flatline map has also been added. This version of Stone Creek, is Christmas themed. It's a bit late, but never the less, it's a new change of scenery. Xmas version of Stone Creek was available back in 2013 and 2014, before it was changed back to the original theme.



Oh, and for the modders out there, I have included the official SMD compile files for survivors and weapons, so you can create custom content easier.

Workshop will also get a overhaul at a later time. At this moment, Workshop uses Steam Cloud, instead of SteamUGC. Once this change happens, clients will be able to download the workshop map & it's content when connecting to the server. The client will of course, be able to turn it off if they don't want to download workshop content from the servers. Old workshop content using Steam Cloud method will not be affected, however, they will be required to be updated to SteamUGC format to be able to be downloaded when joining the server, if content is missing.

You can read the whole changelog below!

Changelog

Engine

• Updated the maxplayers to be forced at 8 players on all modes except hunted (which supports 16 players)
• Updated Server connection retrieve netpackets, to check for lobby servers
• Updated Server connection, to use Steam's own networking protocols instead of normal IPv4 (will fallback to it if it fails)
• Updated Host_Error to only show "recursive error" if host_error_recursive is set to 1
• Fixed "connect" not showing the loading screen when executed
• Fixed where the game crashed instead of saying "Missing map"
• Fixed "developer" being an invalid command

Game

• Added Lobby System (Find & Create lobbies)
• Added where the flashlight state is saved on the guns, if they have a flashlight (resets on weapon drop)
• Added the missing "TargetID", when looking at fellow survivors (Shows name and health)
• Added the melee weapons banjo and guitar
• Added indications on the phone for teammates and Survivor/Turret AI locations on Flatline
• Added where you get increased money gain on higher difficulties on Flatline
• Added where the spectators can view everyone's health trough TargetID
• Updated the 3 new Escape achievements to allow solo play (removed 4 player criteria)
• Updated Survivor AI to only target enemies within their view cone, instead of doing 180° headshots
• Updated built barricades, so they can be picked up by the owner of the board
• Updated Flatline to only regenerate health after shop ends on Easy Mode
• Updated Flatline to only give melee weapons on hard and Extreme. (Gives sig and melee on Easy and Normal)
• Updated Flatline to show the current amount of money on the HUD when the shop opens up
• Updated Flatline shop prices for all guns & special items
• Updated Flatline scoreboard to show "MONEY" instead of "Zombies: 0 Riots: 0"
• Fixed a bug where if the player tried to buy an item, and the shop ended, it tries to buy an item again when going close to an shop_item entity
• Fixed Flatline printing the HUD info for all players, when it should be only pointed to the player who is trying to buy the item.
• Fixed the ammo pickup sound not playing
• Fixed achievements being broken
• Fixed where you get penalty for destroying already built barricades (not built by players) on Flatline
• Fixed where if you sprint and tap (+USE), it will break the buy timer
• Fixed "use" animation not playing when pressing on "prop_button"
• Fixed info_safezone not reading all survivors
• Fixed where the buy display would bug out when trying to buy something and looking away at the same time
• Fixed where the ESC key did not register when on loading screen
• Fixed where the Turret AI had a vendetta against cockroaches
• Fixed an exploit on barricades, where you can farm money (Flatline)
• Fixed melee weapons having inconsistent damage output against Infected

Maps

• Added cf_stonecreek
• Updated the nav mesh on Unionstation (Flatline)
• Updated Montclair and Barlowe weapon scripts
• Updated Harvest (Flatline), added purchasable turrets, and round saver
• Fixed Hunted version of Harvest not spawning players correctly
• Fixed Montclair (second part), where the zombie players didn't spawn near the gas station, and zombie AI not spawning at the correct areas
• Fixed Barlowe (first part), where the bank portion was way too hard, and has been tuned down a bit to be more fair
• Fixed an exploit on Pioneer Express (Hunted)
• Fixed an exploit on Harvest (Flatline)
• Fixed the nav on Harvest (Flatline)
• Fixed an exploit on Union Station (Flatline & Hunted)

SDK

• Added sourcefiles (SMD and QC) for compiling the weapons and survivors
- Note, I highly recommend using Crowbar, by ZeqMacaw, when compiling for Contagion