daringd

Megalodon was boss.... There are a couple of more realistic reasons I can think of that might make for interesting variations on the theme 1. A fission reactor that is completely fine, but shut down and not giving off radiation, providing a reason there might be need for a nearby Uranium enrichment plant (also intact and fine) but this gives us a reason there might be a convoy removing waste from the site to a dump location that crashed nearby due to whatever was happening at the time, I think it would be too much to have an entire power plant be the source of radiation, as that would just be too big an area, and the reason for it being there? well it has to be somewhere, but... it would not really be something you would find on an island. 2. Plane crash, super easy and there is aloready one on the island. A lot of you may not realise that some civilian aircraft (such as thew boeing 747-100) use depleted uranium as counter weights, so if one of these were to crash it would give us a reason to have low levels of radiation, though someone should do a bit more research to find out a little more about the implications of something like this. 3. My favourite reason, the use of tactical nuclear weapons (as opposed to strategic nuclear weapons), or the accidental use of them, this would cause a much smaller area to have been affected and would produce higher levels of radiation than DU, though once again, more research would have to be done to learn more of what would be a realistic area of destruction. I'm sure that we could find a reason for radiation areas, or area, if we really want it in game.

Chris Torchia (creator of the new SKS model and Bayonet) Tweeted a few days ago that he is pushing for updated map making tools... Thanks to Torinx who spotted this and forwarded it to me "hey Lado! I made the bayo and the sks models|BTW, I've been trying to push for some updated map tools for you :)" Might be worth a follow.

You get beans just for that, it's better than my imagined reason.

it's mind games I've thought that too a lot, but then i look at my watch and realise I've been playing for five hours and need to get ready for work... I'm not sure I like that it's land locked, with the big weird open plains, when I reach the end of the map I make up my own story in my head that Chernarus is a Twilight Zone esque experiment conducted by aliens on Humans to understand their behaviour, and that they reconstructed a part of the world the puny humans could never leave, which is really not far from the truth, if you consider BIS aliens and the players human (I know that last part is a stretch...)

take it easy, and steady on the sarcasm there dude :P I don't want to burst your bubble but I'll take some pleasure from it anyway. They have not changed the size of the Chernarus map, that is not my opinion, it is just a fact, the old Chernarus and the new Chernarus+ maps are exactly the same size, for the reasons I stated. Chernarus was set up with a terrain grid size of 2048x2048, with each tile at 7.5 metres, which gives you a total size of 15.36km up and across, that's how big Chernarus is, the settings are exactly the same for Chernarus+ I have checked it myself, they categorically did not made the map bigger. Fact. I'm not usually in the habit of saying something unless I have good reason or evidence to back it up.

Endless maps won't happen, I can promise you that, the engine just doesn't work that way, and the space in defiantly not reserved for future expansion, again the engine doesn't work that way. Each map is based on a grid and tile size and is constrained to certain settings you chose at the very start of development, you can't change these settings without disrupting the entire map. Also, I saw a post ages ago that talked about different zones accessible by having special gear here, it's the first time I remember reading a post that brought up this topic, and it didn't seem to get much traction, but for some reason now the same idea seems to be picking up steam, I hope it works too, I like it.

For anyone following the progress of this, we had more luck on reddit and seem to have found someone who can confirm that the editing forum is now an idea being played with, plus the chance to get a couple of releated questions answered directly from "the guys". reddit post It will be interesting to see what happens from here on out.

*sigh* So Judopunch I'm not asking for them to begin working on tools for 'modders'. We all currently own the software we need, it's the DayZ game file, but I am guessing that the buldozer function has been disabled. All buldozer does is display. Updates for the game that steam downloads automatically each time they update, are also updating 'Buldozer' because it is one and the same thing as the game file. the actual editing tools are the same, and those of us that edit already have them, no need for anyone to 'work on' anything in the sense that you think. most terrains are geotypical, which means they conform to natural rules. The engine takes care of what steepness of hills can and can not be traversed, and most people who have the ability to make maps are also not completely without experience, and tends to be able to get around such seemingly impossible tasks as hill steepness. I have no idea what archery has to do with creating maps, but if I felt so inclined to work on a map that was designed for archers, I would go and learn about archery first to understand what elements should be included. Polygon limitation is more a consideration of model makers then terrain makers, though creating a terrain does have implications, we must add objects and trees, buildings, power lines and all the rest of it, but again, these are all things that you learn from experience, looking at what other people have done and learning from it, and you have just highlighted the need for the second thing I asked for: An editing forum where people can discuss exactly topics such as that to learn from each other and not rely on BIS to hold our hand. If you took a moment to go read over the Editing forums on the BIS website you would see exactly what I mean bout how resourceful the community is, and how many problems we solve on our own. Here you are beginning to expose how little about this you know, this would not affect functionality of the terrain in the slightest. If they changed something so big that it stopped a terrain working, they would have to re-make Chernarus all over again themselves, think about what you are suggesting. You are using that word again: release. No one is asking to be able to release anything, I don't know how many times I have had to repeat this to people who are not reading my posts. And where are you getting the idea that I want them to include my work or the work of anyone else in the final release? I think it would help if you explain back to us in you own words, exactly what it is you think I am asking for here... then we might be on something close to the same book, or page if we are super lucky. God Forbid someone makes a better game!! Though joking apart,again, what do you think I am asking for here? How does a map create a whole new game? The core mechanics of the game remain untouched, it is still Rocket's game... again, you've exposed yourself as someone who simply is not reading what is being said. Once again I will reiterate: No one is asking to release any mods for DayZ No one is asking to release any mods for DayZ No one is asking to release any mods for DayZ No one is asking for the BIS devs to create something they don't already have I would suggest you either go and educate yourself on this subject before you start making arguments based on information that you think you know. You clearly don't have a solid grasp of how terrains and models are made and applied to this game or others like it. Credit where credit is due, this is actually a good idea, well done. But once again, this kind of topic is the sort of thing that should be being discussed on dedicated editing forums, not just out in general discussion, it's resulting comments would be valuable to editors in the future and to that end, I would say that is argument enough for someone to create an editing forum structure so information like that doesn't become lost in the myriad posts on here. Call of DayZ?

Well, I did just mention about using the word Mod, though it's not my fault that people associate the word "mod" with game changing elements, but I see now what the problem is, if I could remove the "mod" tag, I would... I'm not really sure what you are getting at here, maybe you could elaborate? It seems fashionable to make snide comments and not really just come out and say what you mean, maybe that would help? For what reason exactly would BIS hire someone to do something they are clearly doing for free anyway? What are your comments doing to add to the subject of this thread? either you are for or against it, it might be more constructive to state your reasons for or against the suggestion, with a valid reason as you see it, and then stop posting, Just saying.

Thanks for the support Torinx, it's good to know some people do actually read the post properly! I just wish more people who don't agree with what I am saying would back up their opinion with real reasons instead of just chastising me for wanting to actually contribute to people's gaming enjoyment (for free).

Yep, bambies are a danger! a certain friend of mine has now been fully geared and taken down by a bambi fist or fire extinguisher attack on, I think, three occasions... keep your distance from them guys, they have nothing to lose.

I think when my play style is bandity, I tend to be the Bipolar Killer.... "I'm sorry for feeding you tincture... here, have this can opener and food, if you head to the tap over the road you can drink until you are sick... oh and have these charcoal tablets...." *bang* semi-on

I know they are offering money for the best mod, but I'm not interested in working on Arma 3, I don't really enjoy military games, DayZ is different and was one of the first games/mods to really inspire me. To me, working on Arma 3 would be wasting my time, and something that I would not get any kind of enjoyment from, especially not with the motivation being money... Thanks for bringing it to my attention though. And there is nothing wrong with being a strange guy :P

I never played any of those, but I agree, I personally did not like that people were changing the balance of the game and how it worked, those were true mods, but maps, models... it's more variety. I'm really pleased to see a few more people who can see the benefit of people being able to get an early start on things. I was thinking about how to solve the problem of finding a hub where people who want to create maps/models for DayZ can go to share information and discuss/help each other, if anyone has any suggestions about that? At least that way we are being active and not waiting for anyone, though I thought the forums on the DayZ site would have been a nice clean solution, I don't think that will happen just yet.

Yeah Agreed... The yes has to be good enough really. Though I am pretty sure the client side EXE we all have would be more than capable of doing the buldozer job, simply because there are no scripts being ran, it literally just displays the world s explained to it by either O2 or V3, I even tried running it as the buldozer, but to no avail. I'm going to carry on the way I am in the old engine, but begin setting up my file system to be the same as the DayZ setup, poke around as much as I can in all of the PBOs and so on and see what I can find out, the real problem is having a place to share that information with others, the editing forums are really more important than having the buldozer, though I'm sure a way will be found. I think the other issue might be that they don't want people sharing their findings of poking around in the local files because of hacking issues, and if that is indeed the case, than I really have no issue with that, you have to respect the need to protect against that. I think the biggest problem with this thread is that fact I included the 'mod' tag. I'm not sure terrain making is exactly modding as people understand it, so much as creating add-ons, though I understand they are under the mod heading, but when you say 'mod' people tend to think of things that add, remove, or change a core mechanic of the game, while Epoch would always be refered to as a DayZ mod, people always refer to other maps as simply 'maps', with the implication that they don't really change the core game-play elements. I also sincerely hope that no one else thought I was being selfish by starting this thread, I thought what I was asking would be in everyone's interest, not just my own, though I won't apologise for it.

Ok Judopunch I've been really patient, nice and polite with you up until now... Can you really say it's self centred to ask about something, prepare an argument FOR my case, but still be fully prepared for "No" to be the answer? I haven't stamped my feet like a child, I haven't demanded anything, I've shown complete respect in everything I have said, and I have made it clear in almost every post I have made that I just want to try and bring attention to the fact that people want to begin work on add-on content for the game, and that IN MY OPINION, it is important and may be worth some consideration to perhaps bring it a little further up the list of priorities. I've stated numerous times that I#m not asking for anyone to allow ánything in game and I also asked people to consider a reason that my proposal might be bad for the game v's good for the game. Is it self centred that I have spent more than 2000 hours working on a terrain that is not even half finished, and will probably another 3000 until it is finished, that I have done this for nothing other than the love of the game and wanting to create something people can enjoy? Oh, and not ask anyone to pay me for that time? Is it self centred to want to be able to deliver a really nice finished product ready for players when they allow new maps? and I at no point said "I want it right now" there are numerous quotes that back it up, if you read through my posts properly: and in may last post, which I won't bother to quote because it's directly above your post, I state that if rocket has said yes to this but left the details quite vague then there is probably a reason, which is good enough for me to leave this subject alone until I can find out more, perhaps by asking him directly in another of his AMAs or live sessions, I offer for the thread to be locked so it's not bumping other topics down. In what universe is any of this self centred? And now onto the next point Once again, have you actually read any of my posts? I state right at the start that I have been working on a terrain for 17 months, I also go into detail about the applications used to do that, and why i think it would be a good idea to be able to have a DayZ buldozer, if you can't grasp what I am saying then perhaps re read everything until you do and stop trolling this thread. I think you need to go stand in the corner and not come away until you have thought about what you have done. If you think i am being unfair on you, please, feel free to state your reasons why D

Well as much as I want to carry on pushing the issue, it looks like Rocket has answered in a round about way, (many thanks to Fox0rz) and maybe the place to stage this question is on one of his live streams, in an attempt to get him to elaborate, his lack of specifics leads me to believe that he might be being ambiguous for a reason, but I think this thread might have done what I set out to achieve, in a round about way, thanks all, any moderator reading this, feel free to lock it down :) (edit, strike through, the thread seems to have revived with new opinions worth knowing about) D

Once again Mr Caboose! (takes the tone of an impatient teacher) I see your angle dude, and I have a retort ready! I'm not angling for changing the mechanics of the game and I don't see Rocket sitting back and letting modders piss on his chips (chups if you're a kiwi). Lets set out some definitions here, assume every time I say Mod I mean terrain, new static object or scenery. Anything else, such as weapons, vehicles and other items that one might "use" in the game are as far as I can see, something that should be left purely to the DayZ team, since they are core elements and effect the balance of the game, though some may disagree with me of course, but that's ok. New maps, however, with custom buildings and scenery; are less likely to break the balance of the game. of course, a map with nothing but military loot spawns would be game breaking, or a map with no food and water spawning... but the point is that I'm not planning to make something that changes core elements of the game play, and if I did, BIS can just say no, you know?

Caboose, I fully agree with you, 110% I also am scared of game breaking features like shed loads of military gear and the like, NPC market places and all the rest. But again, now is too soon to allow mods, but not too soon to allow people to begin working on mods such as buildings and terrains, objects, scenery and such like. I'm pushing so hard because I'm a firm believer in Don't ask don't get, and at this point (although I said I don't care about the money they are making) I think we are past the point where we should be feeling sorry for the Dev team and their work load, there should be ample resource available at this stage to be working towards allowing a burgeoning editing community to find it's feet. lastly as a disclaimer, I don't feel we are entitled to this, but unless we push, we won't get.

Hey Gingatsu, I don't know what the DayZ dev team use, the tools available to the community is Oxygen 2, it's small but functions and does what you need it to, and I do like using it, though I cut my teeth in Maya, you can use Maya and convert, but I find it's actually easier for me at this stage to use Oxygen 2. I see your point about the amount of money BIS has made from the release of the Alpha in under two months, it's astonishing, and it does grate one to realise that money could be piled back into development, and hiring people or buying in resources, physics engines, all the trimmings, but that's not BIS, and I like them for it, they work in house. I don't care how much money they have made really, I just really want to have the time between now and when they open up for mods, to be working away.

Yeah, I know, but what I am pushing for and trying to make a case for is the early availability of buldozer, no one needs to be releasing mods yet, but why not let us work on them? The DayZ dev team themselves want all the time they can have to perfect the game in alpha, at least a year to 18 months, and that is a lot of time for people to get to grips with the new system and find things out for ourselves... Can we at least agree that there is no harm or real reason not to let people begin working on things so we have the luxury of time that BIS have in working on their alpha? this is pretty much the basis of my point.

OK I understand what you are saying, and I agree, but the problem is that unless there is some one actively asking about it and for it, there is no awareness and therefore it slips down the priority list, and I don't really see a big problem with allowing people to begin working on things, even at this stage. It's not even like they need to prepare some special program to support it, they have everything they need because they are themselves using something to view models and terrain, and if it is a case of simply configuring V3 and O2, then... why not just spill the beans (did you see what I did there?) You'll have to forgive me for not wanting to let it go... I'm pretty sure the scripting will be exactly the same, i had a look at a bunch of the config files in the PBOs, everything seems completely normal, though I think the major differences will be anything that has been added in that wasn't there before, but the language will remain the same. Though I should imagine scripts will be limited to config files for models and terrains.

TEST_SUBJECT_83 - I'm really trying to be patient, but I want for someone to at least knowledge us and say something like "don't worry man, we get it! and we will get around to it" and also for the community at large to understand that creating content is not hand in hand with allowing it in game, we know they wont allow it for a long time... I just want them to know there are a lot of us out here who are serious about creating and want to do a good job! the zeal and passion is real, but the real point of all of this for me is just to raise the point, I really don't see the harm in giving us the ability to begin creating under the proviso it cant be released or used in DayZ until they allow, and I'm pushing it because the more time we have to work on things, the better those things will be. TheWeedMan - There really is not problem with copyright issues, they won't be putting in user created stuff to their own map, usually map makers make a map and include content other authors allow them to use, so there really is no problem, most model makers licence their stuff as free to use unless money is being made... D

Sorry to post twice in a row, but I needed to say this! I was just thinking over this again and I feel like I need to say this, I can't help myself but to check to see if people are reacting, I know it may seem obsessive to most people, but when it's a topic you really care about, it's really unavoidable... I don't want to alienate anyone Every opinion is valid even those that may disagree with my own, maybe you don't want to see people making new maps already, maybe you have a really great reason too, and that is valid and should be put forward, if nothing else, I may already have an answer or be able to add something that might make you change your mind, or at the least understand why I think it is important to give people the means to get working on projects of their own and I might understand why you disagree... as long as we all stay adult about it. the more I think about this the more I realise that an early start on this is for the better, and if we have a forum structure set up for people creating maps and models, we could also begin to discuss the limits of what we can do, for instance, I wouldn't be surprised if the won't allow anything that changes the core of the game, like heavy loot spawning, script changing, crazy base building and so on, but well made new models: houses, buildings, lamps, industrial stuff and so on, and well made maps can only be a good thing, the release of such new maps would have to be considered, of course, so as not to negate the hard work put in by the DayZ team updating Chernarus. D

OK, So let me address some worries, because a lot of people seem to think I want them to open up to modding right now, which I don't, in fact, the longer they wait to allow mods in, the better, as far as I can see. You don't need a locked down build to be able to let people get on with certain things in the background. And allowing people to begin working on terrains and/or models doesn't equate to allowing mods in game. Physics, graphics, new engine elements don't really affect the terrain or building models (at least in how they are built initially) so even with the game in it's current state, there is no problem in being able to get on with things. Also, I'm not just a one-off excited enthusiastic modder who has become excited about this recently, I've been working on a new terrain for almost 17 months now specifically with DayZ in mind, and it takes a long, long time to do something like this properly, but since the mod was released and I understood what changes have been made I realised to go any further we really do need a little help as said here: I couldn't have said it better myself. Judopunch & OMGWTFBBQ - I tried to include as many points as possible when I was writing this out, but sometimes it's easy to not be as clear as you thought you were... I know it will take time for them to allow mods through the gate, and that control is all theirs, I understand and respect that, and I'm not asking for them to allow anything as yet, the longer the better, BUT in that time we could be working on a lot of other content and getting it right, so when it comes time to open up to new maps and so on, we are ready. I'm also not asking to be supported in the traditional sense, the community can support it's self very well as proven time and again by the editing forums on the BIS website, but we DO need a few pointers to get started, and I'm not even demanding them right now, just for someone to say "we've noticed you and we get it". I'll continue to work on what I am doing with the old tech, but there is a part of me that knows I'm going to be re-doing a lot of it... D