What it adds
STW/Zombies independently scans populated-looking areas, selects a smaller infected-zone set, and assigns one or more hive candidates according to population. Hives are activated only when players approach them.
Controlled population
The mod-owned wave profile is configured for four zombies per initial hive group: three Shamblers and one Sprinter.
Dynamic activation
Zone state remains lightweight until a player enters the activation radius. Distant hives and their tracked zombies are unloaded.
Persistent clearing
Destroying a hive marks its zone cleared. A genuinely cleared zone is not regenerated during later visits.
For players
There is no player-side setup. Approach an infected-zone marker to activate its hive. The hive may remain visible and destructible while the initial wave is active.
Server setup
- Install and enable STW/Zombies on the server.
- Start the intended scenario and map.
- Players will see infected areas appear as they approach populated locations.
- Use the server’s normal mod-management process when changing the mod or its settings.
Configuration
Values are validated when loaded. Lower the global hive budget if the map has too many infected locations.
| Setting | Default | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
maximumTotalHives | 16 | Global cap for selected hive allocations. |
maximumHivesPerZone | 1 | Maximum hives assigned to one populated zone. |
zombiesPerHive | 4 | Initial zombie count configured for each hive. |
zoneActivationDistance | 300 m | Distance at which a dormant infected zone activates. |
zoneDeactivationDistance | 450 m | Distance beyond which an active zone may unload. |
zombieCleanupDistance | 500 m | Distance used for stale zombie cleanup. |
markerZoomThreshold | 1.5 | Minimum map zoom at which infected markers are shown. Zero disables zoom filtering. |
showInfectedMarkers | true | Shows or hides infected-zone map markers. |
zombieZoneEerieWeatherEnabled | true | Enables gradual eerie wind, fog, clouds, optional rain, and lightning near active zones. |
zombieZoneEerieWeatherTransitionSeconds | 45 | Transition duration when entering or leaving eerie weather. |
zombieZoneEerieRainProbability | 0.35 | Chance of applying the configured storm weather state when entering a zone. |
zombieZoneEerieLightningProbability | 0.20 | Chance of a lightning flash attempt during each cooldown period. |
maximumTotalHives first. Keep one hive per zone unless testing demonstrates that a larger population is appropriate.Stop the server before changing settings. New values are applied when the server starts again.
Soft dependencies
These mods are optional soft dependencies. STW/Zombies remains usable without them, but they provide the weather-state content and visual atmosphere used by the optional eerie weather feature. Install them on the server and clients when enabling that feature, and verify the configured weather state is available in the scenario.
| Mod | MOD ID | Workshop page | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atmospheric Weather Mod | 64ED6553B8AF6B62 | Workshop page | Atmospheric weather states, including cloud, rain, fog, and storm conditions. |
| EO HDR 10 | 697D645290BC3D70 | Workshop page | Optional HDR and lighting presentation for a darker, more dramatic atmosphere. |
Neither mod is a hard code dependency. If a soft dependency or its configured weather state is unavailable, the zombie system continues with its own wind and fog controls.
For administrators
The mod automatically chooses a limited number of populated areas. Larger populated areas are more likely to receive infected activity, while distant areas remain unloaded to reduce server activity.
If the server needs fewer infected areas, lower the mod’s overall infected-zone limit. Keep one hive per area for a restrained experience. Changes should be made while the server is stopped and take effect on the next start.
Map markers can be enabled or disabled, and their visibility can be adjusted by map zoom. No player-side configuration is required.
