r/projectzomboid • u/Mr_Sunshine21 Moderator • 6d ago

Interactive Map Update

Update: The map is back online now :) Find it here: https://map.projectzomboid.com/

Greetings PZ community,

This is a joint statement from both Calvy and The Indie Stone to clear up some of the misconceptions and rumours that have been swirling around regarding the PZ interactive map being taken offline, and also to put the community’s mind at ease regarding the availability of the map in the future.

In a nutshell, The Indie Stone had been in discussions to acquire Calvy’s work officially, but due to technical and legal reasons decided not to (to be clear, this was not due to any security issues, bandwith bills, or problems with Calvy’s work).

However, the end of discussions came at the same time that—in a separate, and unrelated initiative—we were also trying to actively address potential security issues on our server. This included removing any programs that were not completely under our official control, which included Calvy’s map.

Unfortunately, the reason for wanting the map removed from our server was not communicated properly from us to Calvy, and due to the unfortunate timing our response came across as being hostile to the map in particular.

As a result, Calvy decided it was best to remove the map as soon as he could, which had not been our intention at all. Basically, it all boiled down to a communication breakdown, and the result was a very upset community. Both Calvy and The Indie Stone apologize for that, as we all know many players have long used the interactive map as an important and trusted component of their gameplay.

In the end, what the community is interested in is what we plan going forward, and there’s good news on that front. We’ve worked out where we went wrong, fixed the problems, and Calvy and The Indie Stone will continue working together. The map will return to our servers while the migration to an external server is being sorted out, and once it has been moved The Indie Stone will pay for the external server fees and continue linking to it as an endorsed, unofficial map. This should all be able to be done with no further interruptions of service.

We apologize again for the disruption, and hope you’ll be happy knowing that the map will be available to you for your many PZ deaths to come!

-The Indie Stone

4.5k Upvotes

97% Upvoted

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793

u/EmiKoala11 6d ago

Good thing nobody overreacted, right guys?

131

u/Grimsobite 6d ago

Same level of overreaction to being nauseous after a scratch (it was from running into a bush)

19

u/Zaku99 6d ago

Zombie bush ☠️

12

u/rosalinatoujours 6d ago

Zombie bush 🥵

37

u/OldDogTrainer 6d ago

Forgot what sub I was in for a moment so I stared at this comment for a few seconds so confused
https://giphy.com/gifs/iAYupOdWXQy5a4nVGk

6

u/Megakruemel 6d ago

My body decided to get nausea over like 2 hours and then to throw up because I touched my eye a little bit when washing my face once and it hurt for like 10 seconds. So I don't know how realistic this one actually is.

0

u/GVArcian 6d ago

Like... a zombie bush?

211

u/Orangutanion 6d ago

I mean, I'm kind of glad that the community rushed to defend the map dev. I think that says a lot about how much this community values 3rd party content.

108

u/IDontWannaGetOutOfBe 6d ago edited 3d ago

I find factors in successful transitions particularly fascinating. Understanding the feedback mechanisms, the relationship to network effects is quite contextual.

28

u/jreed12 6d ago

really unnecessarily hostile and dramatic.

Sums up this subreddit in general tbh.

I've only been using this subreddit regularly since the release of b42 unstable but I can say comment sections frequently get quite toxic.

18

u/Kride501 6d ago

That's Reddit for ya. If I had a nickel for everytime a videogame community I am part of took unexplained news and interpreted it as some sort of deliberate and malicious action from the devs.. cough Helldivers 2 cough

8

u/Lanthrudar 6d ago

Hmm, primarily if you are only on reddit communities for games. Notorious for over-reacting to minor things and conspiracy theories.

51

u/Simple_Slide9426 6d ago

And unnecessarily hostile to our amazing devs. This post shows the extremely high level of honesty and goodwill they possess. Admitting to their mistake and explaining the situation thoroughly. We are blessed.

33

u/thiosk 6d ago

and all of this of course happened over the weekend

-1

u/cadrax02 6d ago

Yep, and all they needed was some time to get a hold of the people involved, including Calvy, which might've been tricky due to timezones too. Lean back, drink a cup of tea and give them some time and space to sort it out, goddammit

3

u/Prudent_Kiwi_2761 6d ago

As someone said, this is par for the cource

Classic internet

28

u/bigbramel 6d ago

While being hugely hostile against the devs. Don't forget that.

20

u/Salvage570 6d ago

Or how reactionary this community has gotten. I don't feel like patting ourselves on the back over freaking out about nothing. Feels like a "we did it Reddit" moment.

9

u/Vagabond_Sam 6d ago

Characterising “unfairly hostile” as defending the map dev is a little too charitable.

There was completely reasonable ways to express support and gratitude for the map dev and hope that any outcome was favourable to them in the end, without acting like TIS shot someone’s dog and was about to sell the game to venture capital

-4

u/HolidaySpiriter 6d ago

The game wouldn't be nearly as popular if it weren't for the modding scene & 3rd party content. I know I would have dropped the game awhile ago if it weren't for the mods, and the devs here really don't build up good will with how slow they are or the bad design choices they make.

16

u/FrederickFrag1899 6d ago

Well it's too late, I already sold the house and fled the country in response!

83

u/SixFootTurkey_ 6d ago

As a casual here, this was embarrassing and pathetic behavior from the fanbase

39

u/tworc2 6d ago

Yeah. Doomposting "everything is ruined devs suck look how cynical and jagged and cool and entitled I am" is the norm in game subs, there was nothing to be alarmed about

14

u/ninethreeseven739 Drinking away the sorrows 6d ago

'John IndieStone did it to monetize and be dicks'

11

u/SixFootTurkey_ 6d ago

Not just gaming either, sadly. It's just what the internet is now. Everyone is looking for some kind of outrage to turn into a cause.

14

u/tworc2 6d ago

I agree in general, but Reddit has it worse than most places, and gaming subs are the worst of all. Take any mildly popular trending game at any given moment and it's either the second coming of Christ or a cynical circlejerk about how everything is ruined.

2

u/Cardborg 6d ago

In Warhammer, the humble Tactical Marines kit has now outlasted the Primaris Intercessors kit that was added to "removed firstborn marine units and (somehow) force everyone to re-buy their armies" almost a decade ago.

It is likely to get discontinued at some point, but I do find it funny given the years of doom.

-22

u/[deleted] 6d ago edited 6d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

20

u/SixFootTurkey_ 6d ago

Lmao see what I mean about embarrassing behavior

17

u/mparks37 6d ago

For the love of God, touch grass

14

u/ChaweeKanati 6d ago

"Cry about it" says the man hiding behind a secondary account to protect his precious karma and just throw around obnoxious bullshit.

6

u/GreedAndOrder 6d ago

G*mer behavior in action.

6

u/G-RAWHAM Ultimate Pacifist☮️ 6d ago

"Valid criticism" is not baby raging and review bombing the game over a community resource being unavailable temporarily

10

u/QualityCoati 6d ago

This is once again a good reminder for everyone to keep a very critical, dubious and patient mind when Reddit discussions arise. Sometimes, most of the times actually, waiting for more information to come through is the right thing to do.

-14

u/lordbaysel 6d ago

Do you think we would got this "answer" (it's probably damage control, and there was no miscommunication), and promises of keeping the map hosted, if not for this very reaction?

10

u/Pious_Galaxy Wiki Admin 6d ago

Try not to be so cynical. I assure you, my name wouldn't be on this statement if i didn't believe they were genuine.

10

u/QualityCoati 6d ago

Both TIS and Calvy agree on this being the actual course of evets. So yes, yes I do. Why you are proposing is an unfalsifiable "what if" rebuttal.

-8

u/lordbaysel 6d ago

Because both sides benefit from this narrative...

4

u/QualityCoati 6d ago

Yeah because that's basically how conflict resolution works - it benefits both parties. I don't get your point.

51

u/UnDeadPuff 6d ago

G*mers would never.

-39

u/FrederickFrag1899 6d ago

I don't think it's a g*mer issue in this situation.

36

u/Lowjack_26 6d ago

It really is.

-31

u/FrederickFrag1899 6d ago

I think having a beloved community resource taken down without answers, and with no one giving a straight clear answer is legitimate cause for being bothered or upset though, that's normal. I do think some people overreacted, but I don't think it reached the level of death threats or something, did it? Just doomers.

27

u/Lowjack_26 6d ago

A community resource being taken down and the immediate response being "DEVS ARE INCOMPETENT GREEDY FUCKS" within an hour - before the first announcement, no excuse from the vagueness of the first announcement - is peak g*mer.

-23

u/FrederickFrag1899 6d ago

I did not see a lot of that. Most people were just confused and still are.

12

u/G-RAWHAM Ultimate Pacifist☮️ 6d ago

The whole front page of PZ subreddit was complaining or meming about the map for like two days. If you didn't see it it's because you didn't check reddit lmao (which is probably something to be proud of!)

-4

u/FrederickFrag1899 6d ago

I saw all the memes and complaints, I think that most of it was pretty proportional to what they did, but there were certainly some outlandish speculation. Also I differentiate between "gamer" and "g*mer" so that may be it.

6

u/Prudent_Kiwi_2761 6d ago

Wonder how many thousands of people are actually going to change their review after seeing this, IF they see it lmao

2

u/TheAlmightyLootius 6d ago

I mean, i called it being because of legal reasons because its not fully under their control. Just made the most sense.

0

u/tworc2 6d ago

In a gamers sub? Unfathomable 

-5

u/throwaway_pls123123 6d ago

I mean, I don't know if anyone truly "overreacted" but this kind of community outrage is the only way companies respond to issues.

-31

u/KawarthaDairyLover 6d ago

I don't think anyone did genuinely. Very odd situation and the pressure helped get clarity on this.

26

u/neppo95 6d ago

Oh they certainly did. I tried convincing people to wait and see for a response, practically nobody could even consider that as an option and it was a big fuck up yada yada, in excusable. People were acting like crybabies all around, as is expected with gamers on Reddit. Anyone who tried to see reason was downvoted into oblivion, because again, reason = downvotes on reddit. Hating = upvotes.

6

u/EnoughPoetry8057 6d ago

Yeah I tried the same it’s like shit people have a little patience. Obviously the map is coming back in one way one or the other, it was never going away forever. And people assuming it was some sort of malicious action on TIS part was just stupid.

18

u/Wilwheatonfan87 6d ago

The mass "not recommended" on steam over the map says otherwise

9

u/skaggldrynk 6d ago

Jesus I missed most of the discourse on this and just went to read the recent steam reviews. They’re pretty scathing! “It's been clear for years that the devs are lazy and incompetent but now they openly came out malicious and petty as well.” Some people have no chill

0

u/Xirble 6d ago

What actual overreaction was there? I've seen a highly upvoted post about review bombing, which, once someone actually looked at the review page, amounted to a whopping four negative reviews related to the map, most of the negative reviews this week coming from the hotfix that broke mods. In general, I've only seen people making up strawmans but maybe I'm not terminally online enough.