To all Zeverland Survivors:
Hey survivors,
A few weeks ago, we took a trip to Gamescom and talked about Zeverland with a lot of fellow developers and press. People were really into the cartoon art style, the freedom, the interactions, and the turn-into-a-zombie mechanic. They also gave us plenty of suggestions, which we're still chewing on.
The community has grown a lot lately, so welcome to everyone who just joined! In this Fireside Chat, we'll answer the questions we get asked most, and share some fun things we've been building.
1. When's the next test? Can we get a demo first?
@拉露: Conservative estimate: test 3 around Chinese New Year next year... better to plan for the worst.
@Kroh: Considering the rework, no marketing, no demo, no EA... my guess is the full release lands no earlier than late 2027.
@Clear Black: I played V Rising from its first EA build all the way to 1.0, and it basically became a different game. Zeverland could totally go EA soon and build it up bit by bit.
[Response]:
We hear you, loud and clear! Going to Gamescom and joining the Steam Survival Crafting Fest were both about getting Zeverland in front of more survivors and onto more wishlists. We'll keep showing up at events like these to bring more people in.
Now for the big one: the current plan is to open a Demo in Q1 2027. The exact timing may shift a little with development, but we'd love to have you all come play!
2. About servers
@Ethaniel: I run my own servers. Does the game support dedicated servers? How many players per server?
@save: The foundation is solid, but if this turns into an MMO I'm out... MMOs always come down to the same dailies, microtransactions and battle pass loop.
@genekill22: What happens to your base if you stop playing or take a break for a while?
[Response]:
There's still a lot of discussion out there about what kind of servers Zeverland will have, so let's say it again: Zeverland will have both official servers and private servers.
Private servers are hosted by us. Start one up, invite your friends, and live out the apocalypse behind closed doors.
If you'd rather have a lively apocalypse with plenty of other survivors around, hop onto an official server and share the same world with everyone.
Private server size is still being decided. Right now, we're thinking around 4 to 10 players.
3. About the cozy side of the apocalypse
@虫虫: Instruments and bands, game consoles you can play together, sitting down for a round of mahjong or cards in-game.
[Response]:
Funny you should mention it. We just put a band together. Have a listen and tell us what you think. Beyond instruments, we've also snuck a few fun surprises into weapon assembly. We'll keep that one under wraps until it's ready to show.
The Wishing Well: Messages in a Bottle
This one lined up exactly with our own design thinking.
@Kaijo: Outdoors, run real power lines on poles into a distribution box; indoors, keep it clean with no exposed wiring.
Character creation will keep getting more parts and styles, and more animations too.
@虫虫: We want the character creator: give us a vanity mirror and a wardrobe so we can change things later.
@DripDrapMcTaterClap: More beard styles. I want an apocalypse beard that looks like I haven't seen sunlight in six months.
@PhoenixGhost: It'd be hilarious if there were a secret area where the zombies all do the Thriller dance.
The horde gameplay we mentioned last time is still in the concept stage, and we've received some great ideas about hordes and the zombie side of things:
@心界: Sentinel zombies spawn at random points on the map every day. Once they find a shelter, they attack within 3 to 7 days, at a random scale from D to S, with difficulty based on territory level... The horde targets your territory flag, and players can set up defensive lines along the route in advance.
@叙利亚凶残大表哥: Hordes shouldn't attack while the player is offline, to stop griefers from leading hordes to other people's bases.
@InfectedRonin: Turning into a zombie would work great as a puzzle element in PVE dungeons or endgame zones: who carries the loot, who turns and uses the big arms to clear obstacles, who uses the jumping legs to open the way. The more people who turn, the less you can bring out.
@Fakira: Zombie players get their own quest line, and completing it grants a Zombie King mech for a limited time.
The Wishing Well is always open. Your wish might be the next one we pick.
Final Words
We read every discussion in the community, whether it's asking for updates, talking about the game, or reminiscing about the second test. Thank you for sticking with us. The team is still heads-down in development, and we'll keep sharing the interesting bits as they come. Oh, and our Gamescom vlog is in the works too. You'll see it soon. And don't forget to wishlist us!
— Quantum Quirks