It’s hard to believe that Project Zomboid is going to be thirteen years old soon, as it was released on November 8, 2013. But this highly successful and highly loved survival game, just like wine, is still getting better with age. And the developers have dropped more information on their upcoming Update 42.

Some of the goals that Indie Stone has in store are to provide for servers to be able to run indefinitely without the need for unrealistic loot respawns or server wipes. They also want players to experience life well into the Alexandria years and even further into the post-apocalyptic world, which is a bit different from the early game chaos.

At this point, it has been 30 years since the apocalypse, so making new characters that have pre-apocalypse professions doesn’t really make sense. But they want to provide more community cooperation in multiplayer games, allowing players more extensive crafting and building options and even encouraging trade among players. To do this, they will be reshaping how the Skills and XP systems work, making it tougher for players to become masters of all and to focus more on certain skills to master.

It is no secret that the awesome modding community has kept Zomboid strong and has influenced some of the additions and features of the game. So, they want to design more systems that will allow modders to go wild, and they can’t wait to see what the community comes up with.

One of the most needed of the post-apocalyptic professions out there must be blacksmithing. Blacksmiths will allow players to work with metal and provide the ability to craft many items that are not obtainable outside of looting in the current game. Some of the earliest tools they will have at their disposal will be the primitive forge and primitive furnace, which will allow the production of simple iron implements such as nails and the tools needed for more advanced metal work.

The second tier is more medieval-ish with a more advanced furnace, requiring some stonemasonry work. There will also be a proper blacksmith’s anvil and even a quenching bucket. There are also more advanced versions of these tools that can be found around the world.

Next on the list is pottery and stone working, working with clay and stone, that will allow for the development of more building options such as stronger full-sized walls, along with more decorative items and even allowing for roofs, and even walking paths to allow player-built communities to feel real.

Now the last profession they have spilled some of the beans on is Brewer, which will have numerous valuable things to bring to the community, such as alcoholic drinks that will allow survivors to mellow out a bit, as well as some more food-related issues, such as making vinegar to allow the pickling and possibly canning of foods.

A few other things that Update 42 is going to bring are not only the ability to build high into the sky but also the ability to go beneath the surface and explore basements, bunkers, and mancaves that are under the ground. There will be permanent ones that are assigned to specific locations on the map, but they are also making randomized ones, as they already have 119 of these types of sites designed.

Looted homes are also going to make an appearance. As you explore the world, you will find desolate houses that have already been ransacked, with all manner of items strewn about and even graffiti covering the walls. As of now, they have set it up, so there is a random chance for homes, stores, and businesses to be looted.

There will also be some fun new items, such as the Military Manpack Radio, which works when worn and will also provide other radio uses. New fluid containers, such as canteens, will have custom scripts. And procedural textures, like how clothes work now. And even the possibility of backpack sprayers that may help with farming irrigation but might also allow for a flamethrower in the future.

Sound effects will be seeing some improvements, such as more player sounds such as grunting, exhaustion, climbing walls, and even some more dynamic music systems that will change depending on what you are doing or areas you are exploring, and with over 50 music tracks, it shouldn’t get dull anytime soon.

And lastly, since the modders are a huge part of what makes Project Zomboid a huge success, they are working on overhauling the modding UI, allowing mods, and map orders. You will even be able to share your presets with friends, so they can also download them, and if you are missing a mod, it will flag it and provide you with a link to get the mod.

A release date has not yet been provided for when Update 42 is due to release, and I, for one, can’t wait for it to drop and get some more Zomboid action in and see if I can build a thriving community.

So, what are your plans for the upcoming update? What profession are you interested in? Let me know in the comments below.