V3.0 "Dead Hot Summer" Release Notes
V3.0 'Dead Hot Summer' introduces 150 sandbox customization options and the Item Magnitude system for boosted gear stats, alongside 60+ new POIs and a customizable crosshair system.
Key Changes
- 1150 new Sandbox customization options for total control over survival rules
- 2Item Magnitude system adds boosted stats (orange stars) to looted weapons and tools
- 360+ new Points of Interest added, including the Tier 5 Champions Coliseum
- 4New Combine Station allows merging item attributes and alternative repairs
- 5Sign-Tech system overhauls environmental signage across all POIs
- 6New M60 Turret added for late-game base defense using .762 ammo
- 7Fully customizable crosshair system (scale, opacity, color)
- 8Redesigned Main Menu UI with a darker aesthetic
- 9Progressive quality levels (1-6) introduced for most item mods
- 10Massive XUi framework overhaul for improved modding and performance
All Changes
🎮Sandbox & Presets(13)
- newSandbox System: Introduced 150 sandbox customization options for fine-tuning the survival experience
- newSandbox Presets: Added ability to create, name, and share custom sandbox presets
- newUndead Matinee: New 'Undead Matinee' preset: Melee-focused, vintage movie style with slow zombies and scarce ammo
- newMadmole’s Mayhem: New 'Madmole’s Mayhem' preset: Harsher penalties, item loss on death, and constant pressure
- newAlmost Creative Mode: New 'Almost Creative Mode' preset: Survival experience with minimal difficulty
- newBite Club: New 'Bite Club' preset: Hardcore perma-death mode
- newLegacy Survival: New 'Legacy Survival' preset: 2014-style old-school survival mechanics
- new7 Days Later: New '7 Days Later' preset: Fast-moving chaotic zombie hordes
- newCaveman’s Life: New 'Caveman’s Life' preset: Primitive tool-only survival
- newDumpster Diver: New 'Dumpster Diver' preset: Focus on scavenging and hoarding
- newDying World: New 'Dying World' preset: Rapidly fading resources
- newDisaster Film: New 'Disaster Film' preset: High frequency of catastrophes
- newChibi Mode: New 'Chibi Mode' preset: Small, fast zombies and increased player speed
🛠️Item Systems(6)
- newItem Magnitude: Introduced Item Magnitude system providing boosted stats (orange stars) on looted gear
- newItem Mods: Added progressive quality levels (1-6) for armor, tool, vehicle, weapon, and workstation mods
- newCombine Station: Introduced the Combine Station to merge item attributes and perform repairs
- newRepair System: Added Permanent Repair Degradation settings ranging from 5% to 25% of max durability
- newDeath Penalty: Added Death Degradation options for durability loss or permanent max durability loss upon death
- changeTraders: Traders now carry Magnitude-enhanced equipment with special boosted stats
🌍World & POIs(5)
- newPOIs: Added 60+ new Points of Interest (POIs) to the world
- newChampions Coliseum: New Tier 5 POI: Champions Coliseum (soccer_stadium_01)
- newTier 4 POIs: New Tier 4 POIs: Ironwood Paper Mill, Beanthere Coffee Company, ChemTech Distribution Center, and more
- newSign-Tech: Introduced Sign-Tech system with hundreds of new environmental signs and layer warping/masking tools
- newRandom World Generation: Added 2 new RWG tile variants for 100x100 commercial and industrial POIs
🔫Weapons & Equipment(2)
- newM60 Turret: Added the M60 Turret for late-game horde defense, utilizing .762 ammo
- newBeachwear Pack: Released the Beachwear Pack cosmetic DLC featuring tropical-themed outfits
🖥️UI & Customization(2)
- changeMain Menu: Redesigned the Main Menu with a darker post-apocalyptic aesthetic
- newCrosshair System: Introduced a customizable crosshair system with scale, opacity, and color adjustments
💻Technical & Modding(6)
- changeXUi Framework: Massive internal overhaul of the XUi framework and code cleanup
- changeLocalization: Renamed 'Localization.txt' to 'Localization.csv' for better spreadsheet tool compatibility
- changeWebDashboard: Integrated WebDashboard code with core game code
- changeentitygroups.xml: Converted entitygroups.xml format back to proper XML elements
- changeFile Structure: Renamed 'controls.xml' to 'templates.xml' and 'XUi' folder to 'XUi_InGame'
- changeServer Configuration: Replaced legacy serverconfig.xml properties with the new SandboxCode property
Summary
The Sandbox Revolution
Version 3.0, titled 'Dead Hot Summer,' focuses on player agency by introducing 150 sandbox customization options. Players can now fine-tune everything from zombie digging and XP multipliers to specific resource abundance. This update includes several official presets like 'Undead Matinee' and 'Bite Club,' while allowing players to create and share their own custom survival rulesets.
Item Magnitude & Progression
The new Item Magnitude system introduces boosted stats (marked with orange stars) for looted weapons, tools, and workstation mods. To complement this, a new Combine Station allows survivors to merge items to increase their power or perform repairs. Additionally, gear mods now feature progressive quality levels (1-6), providing scaling bonuses such as increased damage or efficiency.
World Overhaul & POIs
The world has been expanded with over 60 new Points of Interest, including the Tier 5 'Champions Coliseum' and various Tier 4 industrial and military sites. A new 'Sign-Tech' system has been implemented to overhaul environmental signage across the wasteland, improving immersion and readability.
UI and Technical Updates
Survivors will find a redesigned Main Menu and a fully customizable crosshair system. For the modding community, the XUi framework has received a massive internal overhaul, and the localization system has transitioned to a .csv format for better compatibility.