Roshi (DayZ)

A key idea is that wounds/bandages/splints etc. show up in the inventory screen on the survivor as shown below: ­­ When you first sustain a wound, the clothing could look bloodied and damaged (and might later need to be repaired or replaced): You could apply compression to slow blood loss, but you would then need to make a decision as to how to address the wound. Your options could include: - irrigating (with sterile saline ideally or with boiled or sterilized water or, if you want to risk it, unsterilized water) which would affect the chance of a wound developing an infection; - bandaging (which would work alone for more minor cuts) or - suturing for deeper wounds (with a sterile suture kit, a suture needle and alcohol/disinfectant, or a needle and thread – again with left-to-right increasing risk of infection). - prophylactic antibiotics. You could move the cursor over the wound to get more contextual information to decide what to do – e.g. “This wound looks shallow”, “This wound is bleeding profusely” or “There is debris in this wound”. This approach would allow you to see the state of healing wounds by running the mouse over the wounded area. For example, placing the mouse over the bandage on the left arm might give a message “This bandage looks clean”, indicating that the wound is healing and doesn’t require further attention (yet). However, the wound on the right thigh looks different and moving the cursor over the wound gives you: (NOTE that the bandage has some visual evidence of pus and bloody ooze). This would suggest that further attention is required – antibiotics, debridement (cleaning up with a scalpel and tweezers), irrigating the wound. And the same wound may require re-bandaging. If a bandage looks clean for a period of time, the player could remove the bandage (via context menu with cursor over the bandage) and examine the wound with again the mouse cursor – a healed wound could display a message such as “This wound looks healed”, after which it disappears. It would be great to be able to perform these minor interventions in the inventory screen by dragging the item you want to use over the wound to give you a context menu (e.g. dragging a bag of saline or a water bottle over the wound and being given the option “Wash out wound”). A similar mechanic could apply to sprained ankles and broken bones, and using sports tape (or duct tape) or splints, respectively. A decent pain mechanic would also be good – where you have to manage your pain levels while performing procedures on yourself (e.g. a hit of morphine before reducing and splinting a fracture or morphine or local anaesthetic before suturing a wound). This could be accomplished by visual effects – e.g. a pulsing red overlay on the screen – and a reduced chance of success with the procedure. Passing out would also be a possibility. As an aside, I think players should be able to use blood bags or saline bags on themselves. IV line placement should be performed first in any situation (treating self or others) and then the bags attached to the line (rather than the current system of attach the IV line to the bag and then use the combined IV/bag on the player). Each intervention could have a chance of success (basically a dice role) – I think you should get better with practice and that this should be reflected as an increasing chance of success. For part 2: Emergency care for other players: http://forums.dayzgame.com/index.php?/topic/161874-medical-system-for-dayz-part-2-emergency-care-for-other-players/

Hi so the idea is to improve lighting so that even during the day, the inside of houses and buildings are appropriately shadowed. With shafts of light from windows and other openings. - this would give additional purpose to light sources such as flashlights, weapon lights. - it would make looting just a little more difficult. Would be great if zombies eventually spawned in buildings too - would add a wee horror element to the game and make looting a slightly more cautious experience. I appreciate that the devs have just been aiming for parity from the renderer/lighting side of the engine and are focusing on other areas such as sound, but I think this would be a nice touch for a bit later in development. Chur, Roshi.

I'm definitely against an xp system. I think doing activities in a goal-directed fashion should make you better at them (an authentic approach to motor skill learning). Other possible means of deterring a grinding system that don't introduce a game system feel include: 1) Diminishing returns over the long term - early phases of practice get you more returns than later phases - but you still get small gains. Metaphorically picking the low hanging fruit. This means grinding gets less and less rewarding. 2) Periodic diminishing returns - you get benefit from bouts of practice but if you keep plugging away in a single session you get minimal additional gains. 3) Practicing the skill has a cost in terms of resources. I know the devs have said they're against soft skills affecting things like shooting but to me subtle improvements in weapon handling make sense but you'd have to burn through a lot of rounds to get the gains. Make it weapon or weapon class specific. And if ammo is rare you're going to have to decide if practice without a live target is worth it. Also you'd attract attention if you were shooting empty cans of beans. These examples are based on aspects of real-world skill learning. All three could be reasonably implemented in my mind.

This absolutely. Otherwise all you see is a closed backpack. Makes you think about where you place items - easy access in pockets, vests etc. Also reckon you shouldn't be able to hot key back pack items. That and the previously suggested separate pockets in trousers, vests etc. Would make the whole inventory system that much better...

Agreed EmuThreat - I'm a long term fan of the hard core approach to DayZ with as few 'game features' as possible but soft skills seemed like an appropriate way to give that specific character purpose beyond their kit but without feeling too much like a barrier between myself and the world. This does seem like a step off the righteous path...

It would add a lot to the world if the edges of buildings (and other items) lost their unnaturally sharp corners. Given all the other beautiful detailing going into the towns and villages in Chernorus I think this would be worth the effort.

Huh didn't notice anything about this specially but if that's the case - happy man.

Ps I take the view that the medical system should be pretty unforgiving. If you know what to do, then it might work. If you don't, you don't fix the patient. If you are doing chest compressions on a penetrating chest wound and they have a tension pneumothorax, they won't get better. You need to whack in a big needle to relieve the trapped air (and then a chest drain which makes this unlikely to be implemented in game). Dayz to me should reward realworld knowledge in all areas, rather than having a character that learns skills. Open to a degree of soft skills to accommodate motor performance learning (even suggested the concept in the forums a couple of years back), but not read a book and then perform type stuff (unless the book is a reference the player actually has to read). That's just my opinion though and I recognise the devs have to please the bulk of their players (by giving them what they want, not what they ask for).

As another real world doc who sees the potential of this side of dayz, I'm happy to see this discussion re-dredged. I put up a couple of threads earlier in the stand alone development (treating yourself and treating others). I'll try to find the links again and repost here. They even had pictures :) I'd rework some of the ideas I posted then having done some more intensive care/resuscitation work since. I think you could definitely have a basic and more advanced system without resorting to full simulation (although from my perspective that would be pretty badass). Anyway the only suggestion I'd like to contribute here is an IO (intraosseous) set which basically is an alternative to an iv Luer that doesn't require much skill to use. It's essentially a battery powered drill with a needle that you bore into a bone (usually shin but could be elbow or sternum) that gives you quick, reliable iv access. Would be cool kit for a squad medic. Takes a while to get good with IVs, and it's trickier in patients who are hypovolaemic (due to dehydration or haemorrhage say). IO - bang, access. Oh that and a portable ultrasound :)

Bleeding from zombies too would be great.

Yeah but what about changing a magazine 15% faster, or drawing your pistol 15% faster? I'd like to see the occasional fumble mechanic - say when trying to reload, draw a weapon or get an item from your webbing, when lighting a fire with matches, or other meaningful tasks. That adds another non-trivial and non-intrusive way of implementing soft skills - then you have: increasing yield, increasing speed and decreasing fumbles.

Blood on clothes could be cool too... Happy to hear about improved water :)

Disclaimer: I realise that a few threads have suggested ideas for the edge of the map, but I think none have really worked out. With vehicles (and aircraft) becoming an increasingly important part of the game, and the tendency for people to park them off map when they log out, then this is probably a good time to renew the discussion. I really want to trawl the community for ideas that the devs can draw from to fix the edge of the map. I'm sure they have already thought (and perhaps argued) about this issue. I think that multiple forms of 'barrier' should be used to preserve the sense of being in a fairly realistic piece of country and prevent jarring encounters with the edge of the world. Previous suggestions that have been posted include - making Chernarus an island, having a range of tall mountains and an invisible barrier around the map. My suggestions (not claiming originality on all of these): - make the edge of the map jagged rather than clean, straight lines. - use a mix of 'barriers' to keep it interesting. - hills, rock-formations, cliffs and sure, even mountains in some areas. - roads leading off-map - blocked by a combination of road blocks, barriers, mines (perhaps with warning signs), rock-falls, etc. - use of radiation (say that in their desperation to stop spread of the virus, governments used nukes or some such) or biological toxicity (as the devs have discussed for the new military area in the north). - for aircraft - this is trickier - perhaps SAM missiles (the lore could be automated SAM launchers essentially left to their own devices) - maybe an audio cue of a missile lock warning might do the trick, followed by a missile strike if people push too far. I imagine that a fringe of low-detail wilderness around the edge of the map would be useful so that people in aircraft don't see an endless sea of surface. - increasingly stormy seas, or sea mines for those trying to leave the map by sea. I'd hope for a boundary that feels like you are both trapped in the play area for the duration, but also are part of a larger world that you just can't access. This would stop metagaming by parking vehicles off map as well as getting rid of the jarring experience of suddenly coming to boundless emptiness. Cheers.

Really like this set of ideas as a whole and think it would add to the dayz vibe. Nice work on the images. Only thing from your image I'm not big on is ACOG on Mosin. Well done though.

1) Is Oculus compatibility still a priority? 2) Is improved water (streams, ponds etc) a long-term priority for the new renderer (I know you are aiming for parity in the first instance). Would add a lot to the feel of Chernarus.

Really two linked suggestions: 1) Get rid of the messages bottom left regarding players losing connection or logging on. 2) Get rid of the player list (default 'P'). The first is issue is immersion breaking. The second allows you to keep tabs on the number of players on the server and allows you to adapt your tactics based on the probability of running into other players.

Yeah some more overgrowth would add some good ambience. Nothing too crazy. Although I got to say the map design guys are doing an awesome job. I keep stumbling on little unique features in the middle of nowhere which make the new cherno look pretty damn good

Graveyard?

Your name on the player list is largely irrelevant because in game there is no way of knowing who another player is without talking to them. The argument about clans needing the player list to spread their fame (mentioned earlier) seems a bit weak for this reason as well. The player list lets you know the number of players and, sure if you aren't using TS or Skype, if you're buddies are on. I get it for private servers - that makes sense. As for getting rid of side chat - that was one of the best things the devs did IMO. Sure it's a game but there is a continuum of game features that can be implemented (or not) depending on the desired experience. I'd hate to see them go towards more 'gamey' features personally. You could use the argument "it's a game not a sim so add gamey features, not this realism stuff" to argue for things like a points system for killing other players. There are plenty of games that fill that niche, including the dayz clones. Dayz has something special because it doesn't go that way. By the by, I've had plenty of good (if cautious) interactions with other players as well as some good firefights. The fact that the game doesn't force you one way or the other is what makes interaction with other players interesting. I think the reason for so much PVP is more to do with imbalance in game features during development that make it one of the main things people do for fun. Add in zombies with good mechanics and get the survivalist stuff right and hopefully we'll see other players as potential allies as well as potential threats. Yeah Kirby I get where you're coming from but I still don't think that argument is completely coherent - zombies and survival elements are key foundations of the game so of course everyone is going to have strong feelings about them and will make a lot of fuss. We're talking about a relatively minor design feature here really so it wouldn't be a surprise if no one's brought it up before. It may be that they keep the player list in - that's certainly not a game breaker for me - but I personally feel is an area where less is more. I totally get it that other people won't agree and that's cool, but I want to argue my corner.

I appreciate why you like the player list. I don't know why you're sure that you're speaking for the majority.Edit: It may not have been raised as an idea because know one has thought about it. I'm trying to find ideas that are new (not the endless rehashing that you see in this forum) to discuss so I check that someone else hasn't suggested it before before posting. Besides there are plenty of ideas that have been integrated into dayz that go against traditional game design, and that were not the most popular choice, that make it the game it is. They aren't always user friendly. IMHO the things that move dayz away from wall-to-wall PVP make the encounters with other players all the more memorable and intense. I think that not knowing if there are a ton of players on the server would make you play as if there were and would heighten the experience.

Precisely. For the record I have no problem with seeing who's on the server when you choose a server to join.

I've thought about this a fair bit and how to implement it. My best stab is: 1) You sleep when you log out. 2) You can set up a shelter (e.g. tarp & sleeping bag, survival shelter, tent) as part of your camp. 3) You recuperate (heal your character from wounds, broken bones and illness) in proportion to the amount of real time you spend out of the game (multiplied by time acceleration) up to a maximum (say somewhere in the 12-16 hours range for arguments sake). 4) If you rough it, you don't recuperate as well and are more susceptible to developing illness. 5) Having a lit fire nearby and a full stomach on logout could improve recuperation further. I think this would add an additional survival element without being too complicated. If necessary you can log out a way from you home base and just take the hit to your players condition, or you could take a few minutes to throw together a temporary shelter in some nearby scrub, or you may have made space in your pack for your tarp and sleeping bag, or bivvy bag so that you just set up and log out. The main reasons for this kind of mechanic in my mind is to increase the importance of some kind of camp (not just barrel stashes for gear). I truly think that having a camp that is valuable in multiple ways (gear storage, a place to return to to log out, a site for home made, difficult to transport kit such as meat drying racks) will add a lot to Dayz. BTW it seems likely small, well hidden camps are probably always going to be favoured over larger bases (as per recent concept art) in this game just because it will be hard to sustain enough online presence to defend them from raiders. Concealment will always be safer that walls.

I suggested something similar ages ago - with a forklift so you could then use as a gate to a base. A couple of construction vehicles late in development (and maybe even using those cranes to shift construction material) would be cool for more serious base-building later in development. Not holding my breath though.

Disclaimer: 1) I know slings have been discussed before, but I don't think quite in this context. So: 1) Just as you can have a pistol holster on the plate carrier, how about an optional 2nd primary weapon sling that attaches to the plate carrier; and/or have some vests with a built in sling for a second primary, perhaps at the expense of pocket capacity. 2) Thinking for M4, AKSU, MP5, UMP, and shotties. 3) The weight/fatigue system if properly implemented should limit ridiculousness. 4) Perhaps penalise crawling in someway with a second primary on the front of your chest. 5) Would be great from the perspective of climbing ladders, using your hands without dropping the 2nd weapon in your hands. 6) Perhaps a speed advantage for getting this second primary in and out of your hands, but slow to disconnect from the sling to drop the weapon or give it to a buddy. PS I still don't understand why vests (and other 'container' clothing aren't partitioned into pockets. Makes a lot of sense. Also it would be great if you were unable to access items in your back pack from the quick bar - only items in the 'golden triangle' of anterior trunk, arms and legs would make sense (but that's by the by). Thoughts, feelings?

Right to keep it simple - point form: - first - punching should eventually hurt your hands, with a chance of sustaining a fracture (e.g. boxer's fracture - shaft of 5th metacarpal). - gloves can offer you some protection, as footwear does for running. - knuckle-dusters prevent this altogether, and of course beef up damage. - you can use rags as hand wraps to bind up your knuckles and give you a poor-man's protection.