bfisher

I only played a few minutes. Other than some initial server problems, I didn't notice anything really any worse (or better) than before. I did spawn right on top of some Tactical Bacon. So that was kind of nice.

You should try meditation or something to relax.

I assumed other people might be curious about what we are talking about. ;) I guess "fast track" would be an appropriate description. At least in the sense of getting something in front of the end user /client as quickly as possible, even if it's not finished. My expertise isn't in game development, but I assume that there are a couple of different tracks being worked on here. "Infrastructure" i.e. server hives, account management, security and whatnot. The game "engine" which would be the underling physics, collision detection, zombie AI so on and so forth. And "content", or basically the models, textures, sounds and animations for items in-game. Which is basically why they can keep adding new weapons and clothes while someone else works on the stickier problem of player characters warping through the floor. At least until the number of objects is too high or some complex model has a poorly optimized architecture and the engine or underlying infrastructure can't handle it. Which is what I assumed just happened. Just my WAG.

Yes, I do know about Scrum (not all caps...it's not an acronym). It's a form of Agile project management. I would hardly call it "unconventional". Agile is probably the most common methodology after "Waterfall". Also, it's not really used to "fast track" projects. It's a more iterative approach that allows more flexibility in a dynamic and uncertain environment. Which is not inconsistent with BI's approach of delivering the standalone alpha as a "minimum viable product" with each iteration (or "sprint") delivering more content and functionality. Which is not to say that it is unstructured or not subject to spiraling out of control. In fact, in many ways it requires even more discipline. How frequent are the sprints? Who is the "scrummaster" (Rocket?) For that matter, is Scrum or Agile the best methodology if the underlying network infrastructure and architecture is incomplete?

Well, it's not really "from scratch", is it? I don't want to be another person complaining about the quality of the game, because I like it and want it to succeed. But quite frankly, if you don't want people to bitch and moan, don't release a half-built game. Just because you call it an "alpha" and put a disclaimer splash screen doesn't stop people from bitching. I work in software project management, and this kind of feels like an out of control project to me. Missed deadlines. Vague road map. Project phases merging together (I.e. end user testing in an open "alpha" while still working on the underlying infrastructure while adding new content) Non-reducible errors (i.e. new updates break stuff that used to work in previous updates). You know what I didn't see in the video above? Anything on the few whiteboards in the room. No lists of bugs or features. No Kanban charts. No Gantt charts. No sketched out pseudo-code. What it does feel like to me is what I see in startups where they just get a bunch of "really smart developers" in a room and have them cowboy code a bunch of stuff as they think of it.

I don't understand what people can't grasp about this game. What part of "trust no one" or "stay hidden" do people not understand? KoS is not a bug, it's a feature. You know what I did yesterday? I spent an hour in a factory attic in Electro just hiding out and eating and drinking rainwater because all I heard was zombie noises and sporadic gunfire.

People keep using the term "balanced" disparagingly. I do not think this term means what they think it means. "Balanced" is a good thing because it doesn't force players to adopt a single play style. For example, if everyone had an AS50 .50 cal anti material rifle like the mod, the entire game would consist of walking around until you got your head blown off by some dot 1000m away. Balance would provide realistic disadvantages to carrying a 40 lb weapon or make them suitably rare.

We see you

No. Because an "alpha" is typically used for internal testing and not released to the general public. Really, DayZ standalone is a poorly tested open "beta".

Every city is empty. Until it isn't. Zelenogorsk used to be pretty well traveled in the Mod. Mostly from Kamenka and Kamarova new spawns making their way up to NWAF to become men.

So the other day, I'm walking along the coast between Cherno and Electro, just sort of seeing if I can find other people to run into (full server). I'm a bit west of Pik Kozlova near the tree line, trying to determine whether a shape on the top of the mountain is a person or a bush, when suddenly I hear this voice behind me screaming "don't shoot!" Turns out it's just some starving new spawn in a motorcycle helmet and a Mosin on his back (which I assume has no bullets for obvious reasons). My SKS is always at the ready so I ease him back a bit, least he does something crazy. He says he's really hungry and wasn't able to find anything to eat in Berezino or Electro. I'm in a generous mood so I toss (that is to say, place on the ground and wait 4 minutes for it to materialize) a can of beans. He asks if I have a can opener. I lie and tell him "no". He thanks me and runs on his way back towards Cherno. I keep an eye on him through my crappy PU scope and after about half a click, he turns and runs back. He just realized that cans can be opened with axes, so I oblige him. Again, he takes the can of beans and proceeds on his way. While I feel all warm and fuzzy about my good deed, I really don't like that some player was able to get the drop on me. And while he seemed harmless, there's no way I'm handing him, or even letting someone know I have an incredibly rare and valuable can opener. And there is absolutely no way in hell I would have given him any Mosin ammo (I like to keep various calibers for trading or if I need to switch weapons). Ax seems safer as I it can go from opening cans to opening skulls if the need arises. In any event, it was nice having a player interaction that doesn't involve blasting away at shapes 100 yards away.

Something...not that chill happened in Electro.

Fact of the matter is the game isn't "alpha". Alpha is typically an internal release first version used for testing. When Bohemia decided to release the "alpha" to the general public, the DayZ standalone became, at best, an open beta with frequent content releases. Here's the problem. They've already released the game to general public. So everyone who played the mod or heard about the mod or otherwise is interested in the game has probably already bought it; Rocket has already indicated he is checking out. At some point, it will no longer be financially viable for Bohemia to continue updating the game. I mean if it goes feature complete in 2-3 years time, how many people will still be playing it?

Well, there will be more zombies at some point. That was a major point of the Mod. But yeah, pretty much assume some sniper or gang of bandits is always watching you. Think "The Walking Dead" set in some failed post-Soviet state. Spotting another player should be infrequent and terrifying for at least one of you.

I met a guy dressed like a cowboy in Electro. I gave him a cowboy's death with my Magnum.

Not sure what is "fundamentally flawed". I guess maybe that DayZ can't really evolve. Sure, you can add vehicles and more weapons and other loot and even new villages. But at the end of the day, it's basically just a lot of roaming around Cherno, dealing with zombies and other players with no real purpose other than stay alive and collect as much shit as possible. Then again, maybe it needs no other purpose. Sort of like a metaphor for life itself.

I really like the idea of gangs of desperate, lootless noobs roaming the coast!

I didn't see anyone say this yet, but constantly use the ALT key to swivel your head around while you are moving. Use the "lean" keys to peer around corners and doors. Double clicking them locks you in the position. In fact, in urban areas, I often keep my character locked in that position with gun raised and move "tactically" through the town. Keep near cover or keep large objects and walls between you and potential sniper locations.

Can I get a heart attack if I drink too much soda?

I only saw the YouTube video of the clan that had a base set up and was running a bus up and down the coast collecting fresh spawn, driving them to their Thunderdome arena and making them fight to the death by the light of road flares.

This is called "the game working as it's supposed to". :D

I'd rather have the opposite. The ability to take scrap metal and machine it into AK parts like the TV show Vice showed them doing in the Philippines. The maximum level of "civilization" possible should be something like The Walking Dead. At best, survivors can patch some fences and build some barricades to create a perimeter to protect areas that have been cleared of zombies. Maybe grow some crops or keep some livestock. But players shouldn't be able to craft a Camaro. This shit ain't Sim City or Minecraft. Oh, also loot needs to respawn. Having loot only spawn on server restarts makes the game too predictable. You can just go to a server with 0 players early in the (real world) morning and load up in Balota and Cherno.in like 30 minutes.

About 52 minutes in: http://www.twitch.tv/sbiggstv/c/3714819

I quickly got bored with the Paramilitary Toxic Avenger look or the Payday Psycho Bandit outfit. Right now I have jeans, a green raincoat and a baseball hat. Also a hunting backpack and an SKS rifle. So really I look like a normal guy on a hunting trip.

Did you play the Mod? It very much IS The Sims (not Sim City). Even if there were no zombies or other players, you would need to constantly scavenge for food and drink and medical supplies to take care of your character's needs. Theoretically, you also had to worry about heat and cold as well, but I think that was mostly broken. With a weapon, hunting knife, matches, canteen and hatchet, you could survive off of wildlife and avoid players altogether if you so choose. The zombies are there to add an extra level of difficulty. So now not only do you have to survive the elements, you have to survive the hoards of infected. Throw in other players, and now you have either competition or cooperation for those scarce resources and defending against the undead. And clans of heavily armed death squads with silenced military weapons and night vision have been part of the game since the beginning. Learn how to hide. Or get better at making friends. I don't know if Rocket specifically wants "clans", but I'm pretty sure he wants to add incentives for players to trade and cooperate. My other big fear is that the game will be overrun with people who just don't get the game.