Project Zomboid 42.X - Code Analysis & Mod Development

This repository contains AI-assisted code analysis documentation and mod development tooling for Project Zomboid 42.X. The primary purpose is to enable accurate, code-based documentation of game mechanics and to support the creation of mods backed by verified game logic rather than community speculation.

Note: The game source files (zombie/, media/) and reference mods (notmymods/) are not included in this repository. They must be present locally (e.g., from a game installation) and are excluded via .gitignore. Their content may change as examples are updated.

Tech Stack

• Java — Core game engine source files (zombie/ directory, local only)
• Lua — Game scripting, UI, server logic, and item definitions (media/ directory, local only)
• Python 3 — Mod deployment tooling (deploy_mod.py)
• Markdown — Analysis documentation (claudeDocs/, cursorDocs/)
• Claude Code (AI) — Primary agent for code analysis and documentation
• Cursor (AI) — Secondary agent for additional analysis and peer review

Directory Structure

The following directories are tracked in this repository:

claudeDocs/      Technical analysis documents authored by Claude
cursorDocs/      Technical analysis documents authored by Cursor
mymods/          Mod projects under development
modPlans/        Planning documents for mod development

The following directories must be present locally but are excluded from version control (see .gitignore):

zombie/          Java source files for the game engine (from game installation)
media/           Lua scripts, configurations, translations, and game data (from game installation)
notmymods/       Reference mods used as examples (third-party, not authored here)

Analysis Focus Areas

• Farming Systems — Plant growth, disease, fertilizer mechanics, water management
• Fishing Mechanics — Fish species, environmental factors, skill progression
• Game Balance — Risk-reward systems, player progression
• Mod Feasibility — Evaluating and planning new mod implementations

Key Findings (v42.11.0)

• Overwatering System: Completely disabled — all waterNeededMax values are commented out in game files
• Fertilizer System: Active with a 3-tier risk model (1 application = beneficial, 2+ = growth penalty, 3+ = cursed status)
• Wiki Accuracy: Community wikis frequently contain outdated or incorrect information; this project cross-references against actual source code

Mod Deployment

Mods are developed in mymods/ and deployed to the local Project Zomboid installation using the included script.

python deploy_mod.py <ModName>

Paths for the development and local mods directories are configured in config.txt.

Documentation Standards

All analysis documents in claudeDocs/ follow these conventions:

• File references and line numbers for every claim
• Code snippets from the actual game files
• Clear distinction between active and disabled systems
• Version noted as 42.11.0
• Creation and update dates included in each document