[2021] [0.10 BETA] Where did zones go?

Not a dumb question at all! Zones are no longer a thing. Instead, you have two options:
-Place a 'storehouse' room and edit the room's item specifications to what you want.
-Place a room and add the 'storage' room function. This can be added to any room. In fact, any of the room functions can be mixed and matched to suit your needs.
Fair warning, there are several nasty bugs with rooms that I'm fixing right now. So, apologies if you encounter some issues as there are a few. I've also got it on my list to add priorities for these various room functions, but I need to clean up the UI and such first.

Originally posted by Vince:

Originally posted by Sleipnir: Not a dumb question at all! Zones are no longer a thing. Instead, you have two options:
-Place a 'storehouse' room and edit the room's item specifications to what you want.
-Place a room and add the 'storage' room function. This can be added to any room. In fact, any of the room functions can be mixed and matched to suit your needs.
Fair warning, there are several nasty bugs with rooms that I'm fixing right now. So, apologies if you encounter some issues as there are a few. I've also got it on my list to add priorities for these various room functions, but I need to clean up the UI and such first.

why did you decide to take it out - out of interest

Well, they're not truly removed, they're part of the rooms system and are called Stockpiles now. I had always wanted to make zones more robust (i.e., let players assign names, owners, room functions, specific items, item categories, etc) and it made sense to combine them with rooms. This gives players way more control over how settlers manage items. Once I have added in the priority stuff (coming in before the end of beta), it'll be a powerful tool for managing your colony. Plus, I've got a system in the works to let players create their own room templates to put into the toolbar. These would let you overwrite and customize room configurations, and have them saved out in between settlements. If players wanted, they could literally recreate the old zone toolbar buttons by creating room templates for each item category type (i.e., resource storage room, raw food storage room, etc.)

If you're looking to quickly place down an area for settlers to put items, you can easily just select the Storage room and place that down. All your settlers with carrying enabled should auto-join the room, and it should have all item categories on by default. Then, if you want to customize what's brought there, just open up the room edit screen and change the item categories or specific items you want in there.

The room system is very complex because of its flexibility and array of tools and can be quite overwhelming. I think once I've polished these windows and added some helper tutorial stuff, it'll be pretty easy to learn. Right now it's in that awkward teen phase.