[2022] Screamers during the new lvl 5 mission POIs

Screamers don't attract screamers unless the activity level has already passed over the threshold for another screamer.

When you take actions, such as shooting your gun off, you build up 'Activity' in the chunk you're in. This activity level builds up to 100% and decays over time.

When you pass 50% activity decays more slowly. At 80% activity stops decaying briefly making it much easier to hit 100% if you're still doing things, then rapidly falls down a short bit later into sub 80% territory.

The part relevant to this thread is that when it hits 100%, it spawns a screamer and instantly resets the value to 0%.

If you reach 100% again, it spawns another screamer; But there's a delay between screamer spawns. If you meet 100% two or more times in rapid succession, then the second/third/etc screamer is waiting in the spawning pool temporarily- And can be called up by the first screamer that spawned if she gets to scream.


Also, Screamers will not scream to summon more zombies unless they SEE the player. It doesn't matter what they hear. Hearing you will just attract them to your exact location, but they will not scream and summon new zombies without visually confirming the player is there.

Originally posted by ElDudorino: 100% doesn't necessarily spawn a screamer. It prompts a behind-the-scenes dice roll to see if a screamer will come, and drops back to 0% heat regardless of whether or not one is spawned.

Anyway, in the skyscrapers I've never had much of an issue with ground-level zombies once I'm a few floors up. The entry into the building is always the hardest part, where you deal with the outside zombies, deal with the first-floor sleepers, and then deal with the outside zombies who were attracted during that time. But then when I move up the problem largely disappears. This is without feral sense, but WITH increased city spawns.

Hrm, The first bit is news to me... I've never had it NOT spawn a screamer if it hit 100%, and I've spawned a good 50-100+ screamers in testing activity over the years. I suppose it could have happened during regular gameplay without me noticing? But I'd suspect some other reason for it not spawning before I'd have concluded it has a chance to not spawn.