Rework Zombie Spawn System

[mtadayz]

The aim is to rework the current zombie spawn system.

Instead of letting zombies spawn every 3 seconds or so, they'll spawn at designated points, with a variable (gameplayVariables["maxglobalzombies"]) determining how many zombies can exist per world, to avoid putting too much strain on both client and server.

My idea here is to let zombies spawn near lootpoints, to make them a bit more threatening (you want the loot, better find a way to avoid the zombies). Also, right now, when you crouch, zombies will instantly stop hunting you, and what's more, even if they do so much as touch you, nothing will happen as long as your visibility and audability value is 0. Perhaps a check to see if the zombie is within a certain distance to the Player (getDistanceBetweenPoints3D) might do the trick here.

Another problem is that zombies also will stop hunting you and go back to roaming mode when your audability value drops below a certain treshold.

The file that handles this is movement_zombies.lua, which can be found in handlers/zombies/client.

[1B0Y]

Few years ago (i'm talking DP days), there were a zombie system similar to this idea. It'd be good to check that out.

[ghost]

I was thinking about how the zombie spawning should work, so I made a worksheet with a few ideas on a possible behavior. If we're able to discuss this idea and mature it, I will start working towards making its implementation.

This layout would allow the control of the spawn positions, making possible to have crowded areas offering high risk-reward.
A more natural feeling when zombies don't appear out of nowhere in front of you or piled upon each other in vertical. It would also be possible to have them in places that make more sense.

Perhaps a spawnpoint should remember where its zombie was despawned, maybe it could also randomize a little the position on the next spawn to simulate natural roam, if that it doesn't cause any problems.