mr_chabowski@live.co.uk

Has everyone just forgotten that DayZ was conceived as a SURVIVAL game? The fact that it happens to have zombies isn't really all that important to the original concept. Zeds aren't the focus. They're the sprinkles on a roguelike survival cake. If Rocket, back in the day, had put flying monkeys. Would you now be so fixated on the flying monkeys that you miss the point of the game? Probably not. Zombies turn people into zombies. It's what they do.

I'll always feel that character background would impede the player's ability to project themselves onto their avatar. I suppose it depends what kind of storytelling the BI guys go for. The way I see it, though there are many ways to become sucked into gameplay, the simplest are; engaging, character-driven stories and non-imposing, blank-canvas ambiguity. DayZ currently goes whole-hog for the latter. I just don't see how the two could mix effectively without either one damaging the effectiveness of the other. The amnesiac idea sounds cool, but after adventuring, when you find your "clues" and "the truth", doesn't that render any self-discovery made during that time (player created story/character) null and void? As soon as "background" starts interfering with spawns and starting gear, my response becomes "NONONONONONONO"

Well at least some folks seem to realise that eating beans and drinking Pepsi is NOT survival. ^_^ "Hurr-Durr, plae Waistland" :facepalm:

I don't understand why people are being so rude here. It sounds like folks are stuck in the PvP/PvE "videogame" mindset and completely overlooking the fact that DayZmod has barely even touched on "survival" aspects. O/T. I think we can safely assume that the Zeds are here to stay. They're pretty much the main features of DayZ. With SA, it's looking like the nature of the game will shift quite a bit away from fighting Zeds or fighting players, towards fighting tooth and nail against the environment and fighting for your life. Plus zombies everywhere and everyone is trying to kill you. The survival elements WILL be expanded upon, to create a much greater challenge. But zombies and other players will always be there as just another threat to contend with. At least, that's the way I hope it turns out. Wait and see what Rocket and the guys have in store, I suppose. EDIT: I'm guessing folks currently just see looting / scavenging as a means to an end. They're really gearing up for combat. Ideally, for SA, any and all combat will be background fluff to the REAL fight, for survival.

My main disagreement with the idea comes from the fact that a "Zombie Apocalypse Trading Post" set up in the wilderness, as OP described, would have been built AFTER the outbreak. Everything else in the map is as it was pre-apocalypse. (albeit slightly dilapidated) Not only would it not be in keeping with the abandoned theme of the map, the fact that ANY building can potentially fill that role would make it a pointless addition. More variety in the forested and outlying areas of the map (buildings AND landscape) would definitely be welcome, however, that's for a different topic, methinks.

I can already picture all the folks sitting Ghillied up on "Library-Hill" in Elektro.

I usually have no problem with folks looting themselves. IMO skipping the first while after spawn is their loss. That said, I think a mixture of some ideas here could provide a nice little solution without too much gameyness. Instead of bodies insta-rotting, which takes random "stumble-upons" out of the picture, or disallowing access to your own corspe, which you could easily bypass with a buddy to hand you stuff, your body should stay in the server for a pre-set time, but force-rot when you come within ~500 metres of it. If a partner was with you when you died and wants to take all he can carry, that's fine. Anyone else would do the same upon finding a random corpse, so it's no big deal. It's very unlikely they'd get everything. And if you go back, the body will be gone. Zeds attracted to bodies would be cool, but again, it reduces the chances of lucky "stumble-upons" after the fact. It's better for scavenge/salvage gameplay if most gear can outlive its owner. Disease mechanics in SA will make looting bodies a HUGE risk, so taking the chance has to still be tempting.

That's exactly the point. In DayZ, PLAYERS decide what does or doesn't hold value. I seriously doubt Rocket would create an in-game monetary system, considering his view that he's giving players the tools to do such things themselves.

Players have ABSOLUTE control over item value. There is no economy. g000gle translation: NO

I'd probably have to hold off. Not because I don't want to be a part of alpha, but because I'm feckin' skint. :P The only thing a higher price-tag guarantees you is an alpha full of rich kids.

Item condition and degradation is confirmed, but the effects of damaged gear and poor maintenance, for the most part, are still unknown. Reloading spent cartridges is more of a sport-shooter / firing range thing. Not common outside the US, AFAIK. I'd guess fresh ammo would be more common than loose primers and powder in the Chernarus setting. But I'm sure somebody knows better. @ leon. And shoes don't wear out after a few days, needing replaced. But that's pretty much confirmed to be a feature of SA. Accelerated wear and tear, for the chance to increase micro-managment / gear maintenance opportunities is a necessary evil.

That's my point. Sadly it was one of the reasons IIRC for not including player stamina in SA. I think slowing the pace of the game down and making players take their time to forage, scavenge and survive on the go (instead of running 2/3/4 marathons a day) would improve the experience. Certain things like grouping up after death or getting back to PvP would be more of a pain in the ass, but those aren't the gameplay elements everything else should be wrapping around. Far from it.

I don't think spawning with a bike is a good idea, but they should probably be more common. Bikes are all over the place IRL. If there was more of a cost to your stamina (or food/water needs) it would be more lifelike too. Really though, when on foot, you shouldn't be thinking of traversing the WHOLE area of the map. You should be changing your overall scope and pace depending on your current mode of transport. Personally, I think the game allows us to get around too quickly while walking. It makes the massive scale of Chernarus sort of trivial when you can run across it in 20 minutes.

What you're saying is, you have to be insane to kill someone? If that were the case, there wouldn't be a single convicted murderer in the world. They'd all be insane, thus unable to be held responsible for their actions. No. Insanity and killing do not necessarily go hand in hand. Feeling remorse will probably not cause hallucinations. Emotion is on the player side, not the avatar side. It wouldn't affect me since I'm a non-violent style player, but gameplay balances based on nothing but butthurt and made-up psychology shouldn't be part of DayZ. Let folks experience things the way they choose.

The animation cycles back when you've got a primary weapon equipped. "Drop your gun and put your hands behind your head." works like a charm. I think OP's idea is pretty good, on paper. Pretty much a "player-involved" surrender animation (Personally I'd have made it LCtrl and RCtrl though) But you have to remember, buttons are remappable, so it just won't work.

I'm no miracle-worker. :P You're obviously going to be somewhat limited unless the programs you use support more than just "Windows Default". You asked for a workaround, you got a workaround. If you're using Spotify, try this plugin. http://www.equalify.me/ It's an equalizer, but also allows output selection.

@ Freeaze I don't know about other media software, but you can change the sound output device for Windows Media Player. Set whatever you want ArmA sounds to play through as the "Default device" and change the playback device in WMP to something else. Right Click > Tools > Options : If you just want to have music in the background while you play your games, this should sort you out.

Seriously though. I'd like to see a Japanese-themed map. A built up metropolis, with rural areas and mountain ranges on the outskirts, would provide a lot of gameplay opportunities and a huge potential variety of scenery within a reasonably small space, without feeling too unnatural. That, and more road-signs that folks can't read.

China!

These leaderboard suggestions come up so often, I've lost the will to shoot them down. This'll do.

And rightly so. If it were up to me, you'd all be going to bed without any supper, too.

I think that would be a good addition, for gameplay, provided it's lore-friendly. When the "Super Hall Bros." tell us that Zeds can smell you on the air, it's gospel. I still firmly believe that Zeds should outpace a survivor, though. Unless maybe you're 100% healthy, well nourished / hydrated and not carrying anything.

If "G" pulled the pin without releasing the spoon and holding LMB released the spoon without throwing ("cook" + release to throw), that should cover the majority of grenade use, I reckon. To go further in-depth for grenade control, really you'd need to think about throw-power giving you lower accuracy but greater distance, topspin/backspin (to have slightly more control over roll when your spud hits the ground) and add rolling and underarm throwing.

But you won't turn down the reward of beans, for talking sense.

It's been a thought since WAY back. The problem is making a "snow-skin" for Chernarus. Snow drifts, snow on trees, icy ponds, winter foliage etc. They'd essentially have to remake the map AGAIN, which would take months, if not years. It's something which is more likely to happen when the time comes to make another map (specifically for DayZ), which isn't going to be any time soon. EDIT: Q: Will there be seasons within the game and expanded weather, snow and functional clothing? A: In order for us to do seasons properly we would have to create a new map, which we would love to do but it's a lot of work and how we do that, we did discuss at one point about possible DLC to fund quick development of maps or put it on a slow burner where it could take six months, it's really a balancing act of the cost and what else we can do with those resources. http://dayzmod.com/forum/index.php?/topic/116479-interview-with-matthew-lightfoot/page-3#entry1102050 ^ You can thank SmashT