Builds 35–36 · TEMO, Headhunter & gunplay
Beta 35: Special Delivery
Your delivery is here. Unfortunately, it has a pulse problem.
Beta 36 is available for Windows, Linux and macOS. This post covers everything new since our Beta 34 news post: a suspicious delivery in the car park, a seventh perk, a much more physical feel to firing, and two weapon balance changes. There is also a first look at the story scenes we are still working on.
TEMO: more for a deader you
A TEMO lorry now sits on the car park apron, outside the gate and perimeter walls. Its repaired lettering reads TEMO, the rear shutter is open, and the cargo bay is empty. Well, until your next budget zombie delivery arrives.
Ordinary Employees can spawn inside the lorry, walk out through the back, drop onto the tarmac and head for a breach. These are part of the normal round, rather than an extra horde on top. The truck sits farther back from the entrance so the gate has room to breathe.
Introducing Headhunter Programme
Our seventh vending-machine perk costs 7,500 points. Find the blue Headhunter Programme cabinet on the main car park ground floor. It unlocks aim assistance while aiming down sights, focuses on an eligible visible zombie's head, and marks the target for you.
Headshot hits and kills pay 1.5× points with the perk. An ordinary nonlethal head hit pays 15 instead of 10; the combined hit-and-kill reward for a normal headshot kill rises from 100 to 150. Commission still doubles those rewards. This is a points bonus; it does not add another headshot damage multiplier.
Like the other perks, it is a one-time purchase for each survivor and stays with you through a respawn. Online rewards use the same perk ownership and headshot rules as solo play.
More kick. Less laser pointer.
Gunfire now produces stronger upward recoil and a small, random pull left or right. The camera and the weapon in your hands both react. Compared with Beta 34, most guns have 50% more recoil; the Sales Rifle has roughly twice its old kick.
Keep firing from the hip and the crosshair opens up. Shots spread inside the area it shows, so the widening crosshair has a real effect on where bullets go. Aiming down sights still has bloom, but at 30% of the hip-fire spread. Let off the trigger and it tightens again.
Sustained fire also reduces Headhunter's aim-assist strength, down to 20% at maximum firing pressure. Pausing lets it recover. Short, deliberate bursts are easier to keep on target.
Two tools, new trade-offs
| Weapon | Beta 34 | Beta 36 |
|---|---|---|
| Crossbow reload | 1.82 seconds | 0.91 seconds; half the original reload, with matching sound |
| IT Hard Reset ammo | 15 loaded + 105 reserve | 10 loaded + 70 reserve — one third less |
| IT Hard Reset aiming | ADS available | Hip fire only |
Weapon damage and firing intervals are unchanged by this tuning pass. The game database has the current weapon and perk details.
Coming together: the story scenes
The story intro and pre-game comic scenes are under development. They are switched off in Beta 36 while we keep working on them, so the logo and flashing-lights warning lead to the menu, and starting a match takes you straight to loading.
Here are four work-in-progress frames rendered by the game's comic player. Browse the carousel for a sneak peek, and keep an eye out for these scenes in a future update.
Under development · disabled in Beta 36
Before the outbreak
A glimpse of the story opening.
Around the website
Since the last post, the site has gained a brighter promotional hero, refreshed zombie and vending-machine artwork, clearer slate-coloured panels, and a gallery of in-engine screenshots and clips. The perk listings now include Headhunter, and the weapon entries reflect this build.
Get Beta 36
Download from the website or itch.io. Windows builds are signed by TSMW Development Ltd. Both outlets use the same beta access key. Update together before your next co-op shift.