This article is the latest installment of my series on information and tips for the Alpha 16 version of 7 Days to Die. This one will address some aspects about the new towns in Alpha 16.

As players know, there is the single predesigned game map, Navezgane, and the various unique random generated maps to play on. Alpha 16 expanded the Navezgane map to include a variety of new locations. The system for generating the random gen maps was updated with a new socket system for generating towns and a new system for calculating roads. This has resulted in a new style of towns. Previously, the random gen towns were square shaped, flat, and limited in the buildings they spawned. The new system creates towns which are more organic in shape, have a wider variety of possible buildings, are more individually distinct, and fit more with the terrain.

This helps make the towns more individually interesting and adds value to exploring and looting numerous towns, since they vary in what they have. It can also be fun to find the many new buildings in town which are either new or previously only existed in Navezgane.

The new road system seems to (for the most part) work a bit better for generating the road paths. Though there are still some things to work out, and in a few instances, it has generated roads that either turn into a ramp in the air or sink down into assortment of canyons in the ground. While they’re interesting to see, you don’t want to drive your minibike into them.

One of the new types of buildings added were the skyscraper/construction buildings. They are large, multi-floor buildings that act as mini game dungeons in the game. Players can venture into them, try to find their way through the puzzle of the building, find their way to the top, attempt to find the treasures that may lie in it, and battle zombies, traps, and heights. If you want to make it to the top, you’ll want to bring some decent weapons for the zombies, some tools to be able to get through some obstacles, a fair amount of first aid kits and splints for when you get injured, and possibly some wood frames if you don’t want to make some very risky jumps. Sometimes, the way to the next floor is through the stairs, sometimes you need to weave your way though rooms and through odd openings to find your path, and sometimes you need to go on the outside edge to progress. Also, you can’t always trust the floors, and even if you make it to the roof, you aren’t necessarily safe.

Furthermore, the game has also added two new features: long distance view for towns and sleeper zombies.

Previously, Alpha 15 had added a system that would give you a view of the terrain in the distance. Alpha 16 has expanded this view to generated structures. Now when you are exploring, you can see the towns in the distance when you get close enough to them, and that makes it somewhat easier to find them.

The sleeper zombies are zombies that are spawned in a dormant state within buildings and are awoken when alerted. Previously, zombies would spawn out on the street and once you killed them off you were largely free to loot a town for a while. With this new feature, this adds a new layer of challenge to trying to loot buildings. Though it is possible to occasionally get the jump on the sleeper zombies. If you notice them quick enough and quickly hit them or shoot them in the head with a strong enough weapon, then you may be able to kill them before they can react. Also, after some time playing, you can get a general sense of where they tend to spawn. Though it still changes the overall feel of a town.