codeX*

Like the most: - Zero hackers (that I've noticed). This was my biggest complaint about the mod. - Weapon customization. - Item damage. (Although more items should be found from fresh loot spawns in pristine or worn condition. Most 'badly damaged' items are simply thrown away in real life.) - Huge potential for improvement. Hate the most (I realize most of these will be addressed in the future): - Running 2-3 kilometers only to be reset back to near where I started, but having all controls locked up so I have to Alt-F4 and restart. This happens frequently even on the latest build and is incredibly frustrating. I think it *may* be some sort of anti-cheat detection thinking I've run too far too fast than legally allowed, but I'm simply running long distance without stopping for any reasons. - No respawns. This either means long runs to find any loot, or server hopping. - Almost no weapon variety. - Firearms are "all-or-none" - either you have a very good CQ rifle or high-end sniper (with Long Range scope), or you have a freaking shovel. Definitely need more civilian weapon spawns, especially of the 'starter' firearm variety: Ruger 10/22 and double barrel shotgun are a good start. - No vehicles. Once you're used to making your priority in the mod to find a toolbox, tire, and jerry can to get an ATV moving, running everywhere all the time is incredibly painful. - No tents. This limits reasons to continue finding loot once you've got a good loadout, plus makes respawning more of a pain. - Users ghosting and server hopping, as this seems to be much more frequent than in the mod. - Health/Blood/Hunger/Thirst UI. I prefer the numbers system of the mod.. it makes more sense for what % of a value do you currently feel than waiting for a text message to tell me something vague. As for DayZ in general: What I like: - While the vast majority of the time could be called a running simulator, the 1% of the ultra-high intensity gameplay makes it all worth it. - It's the closest thing we currently have to an open world military simulator. I worked as a software engineer for 7 years on a US Army military simulations system for ground vehicle and RWA (helicopter) training systems. We had thousands of small arms very accurately modeled in both appearance and functionality, and the simulator played very much like DayZ without the looting and zombies. However, PvP was very similar, except the variety in weapons made it extremely fun. - It's not an unrealistic arcade-style shooter like CoD/BF. What I hate: - Melee sucks. Don't force a gimped system when it's clear the engine was designed around firearms. Users should be able to find starter firearms and ammo within 5-10 minutes of playing, and that's simply not the case right now. Here's to hoping the Ruger 10/22 and double barrel shotgun and ammo for both will be found almost as frequently as rotten fruit and burlap sacks. - The public hive. While the idea of the public hive is noble, in reality it has huge disadvantages. It causes significant lag when items are dropped as your current gear 'snapshot' needs to be saved to the hive and the hive has to populate dropped gear to the server. Also, and more importantly, it enables server hopping to re-loot high value areas, along with making ghosting a huge exploit in sneaking up on an enemy's location. I'm looking forward to private hives that play with the default server configuration, but don't have/allow the massive downsides that the public hive system enables. - The animations, while done reasonably well, are too slow for realistic situations. If I'm in a hurry, I'm climbing ladders and vaulting fences MUCH faster than the game's animations. Same for the kneel, prone, stand transitions, or the shift to sprint from standing or jogging, or raising/lowering a weapon. Work needs to be done to speed up these things so they don't feel so clunky in a firefight. - In the mod, some ballistics differences between weapons still needed a lot of work. Also, there is a huge difference in a shooter's ability to fire accurately at medium/long range if they can rest the fore-end of the stock on a fixed object. This doesn't necessarily have to be a bipod.

I've personally seen and shot steel core 7.62x39 rounds.. they exist as well. Standard ball ammo in 5.56x45 and 7.62x39, the 5.56x45 will penetrate further at most ranges due to much higher velocity and smaller surface area.

Not all 7.62 rounds are the same. That's simply the diameter of the bullet at the widest point, but tells you nothing about the bullet's weight, length, shape, or the amount (and burn rate) of the powder behind it. All rounds are also dependent on barrel length and twist rate. To a certain degree, the longer the barrel, the more velocity the round will have before exiting the muzzle. The M1 Garand/1903 Springfield uses a a 7.62 round, but it's a .30-06 or 7.62x63 cartridge. Actual bullet weight varies from 150-220 grains in common ammunition. The Mosin/SVT40/Dragunov uses a 7.62 round, but it's a 7.62x54R cartridge. Actual bullet weight varies from 147-203 grains in common ammunition. The .308 win is a 7.62 round very similar to the NATO 7.62x51 round. Actual bullet weight varies from 150-180 grains in common ammunition. The NATO 7.62 is a 7.62x51 round very similar to the .308 Win. Actual bullet weight varies from 147-175 grains in common ammution. The AK/SKS uses a 7.62 round, but it's the shorter 7.62x39R cartridge. Actual bullet weight varries from 122-154 grains in common ammunition. The new and speciailized AR15 .300 AAC Blackout (.300 BLK) uses a 7.62 round, but it's a 7.62x35 cartridge. Actual bullet weight varies from 120-225 grains in common ammunition. There are many more less common 7.62 cartridges than those listed above. What's a grain? A unit of mass measurement. 100 grains is about equal to 6.5 grams or 0.23 ounces. The heavier the bullet, the slower it will fire from the same powder charge and barrel length, but it also requires a higher minimum twist rate of the barrel rifling to stabilize. Also, heavier bullets are less affected by air resistance and wind, so they don't lose velocity as quickly as lighter bullets. However, due to traveling slower initially, they have a more pronounced trajectory and more 'bullet drop' than lighter bullets. One important factor in handguns and submachine guns is ensuring the bullet will not transition from supersonic to sub-sonic velocity during flight, as this drastically destabilizes the round. Heavier rounds will be used in suppressed firearms to have an initial velocity just below supersonic (1,126 ft/sec at 68*F at sea level) so that they will remain stable without crossing that velocity level, but also to avoid the supersonic crack that all rounds fired above 1,126 ft/sec will have. This is why supersonic .22LR ammo is significantly louder than subsonic .22LR ammo, which can be done with nearly the same powder charge just by changing the bullet weight from 38-40 grains to 60 grains. It's also why non-suppressed .300 BLK uses a lighter bullet for long range accuracy at much higher muzzle velocity (125 grains at 2,200 ft/sec) while suppressed .300 BLK use heavier rounds at just below the speed of sound (220 grains at 1,000 ft/sec). That said, those 6x 7.62 cartridges above all have drastically different cartridge sizes and weight, muzzle velocity, muzzle energy, and ballistics, along with other characteristics (like sound signature, effect of different barrel lengths and twist rates). It's why I'd much prefer to be shot by an AK47 round (7.62x39 cartridge) than a M1 Garand (7.62x63 cartridge). The M1 Garand's round has nearly twice the muzzle energy, and the heavier round will retain this higher energy for a longer range and be less affected by wind and air resistance. This is why the AK/SKS round is never considered a 'sniper' cartridge even if you put a scope on the weapon. The .30-06 is a heavier round that is also fired faster, so it also has a much flatter trajectory, making it easier to accurately hit the target at any range. All these factors do not discuss the inherent accuracy resulting from the quality of the barrel, which is the most important factor in accuracy. AK/SKS barrels are not known for accuracy.

Um.. more like the next update is going to contain zero snipers, a shotgun (finally to be able to use all the ammo we come across), a starter semi-auto rifle (Ruger) that will hopefully be quite common in residential buildings so we can avoid the terribly clunky melee system, a semi-auto fixed magazine rifle (SKS), and a full-auto rifle with detachable magazines using the same 7.62x39R ammo as the SKS (AK47). Please tell me which of these 4 weapons are "snipers"? The AK and SKS are not inherently accurate at long range compared to virtually any bolt-action hunting rifle or even the M4/M16/AR15 platform - they weren't designed to be either.

I'm a software engineer on a major franchise that has a history on both PC and consoles. There is *zero* chance of any value purchased in PC, XBoxOne, or PS4 applying to another platform. This isn't due to the developer. It's because Microsoft and Sony want their cut for another purchase of a game on their platform. PC development is very cost effective. Console development has licensing and contract regulations, along with certification fees deep into 5 figures for each patch that makes them not cost effective for smaller developers. If you can't tell, I'm not a fan of the console development process due to MS/Sony policies in comparison to PC development.

You're completely miscategorizing private hive servers. Nothing prevents a private hive from having 'default' public hive settings, except completely eliminating the issues of ghosting and server hopping, and drastically reducing performance issues with the public hive, like how long it can take for dropped items to spawn at your feet. While I like the public hive setup for casual and moderate gamers, I'm sure there are many who would prefer a more realistic situation of a private hive - everyone who plays there, earned all their gear there - no exceptions. It's no different than Counter-Strike servers that tracked progress and had a sense of community a decade ago. If a private hive server permanently goes down, so what? How is that different than some random death anywhere? You start over. If it's full/busy, either wait, which doesn't take that long in 40-player servers, or either start up another character in a private hive as an alternate, or play general public hive anywhere. Just because you don't like the idea, why bash his? The public hive isn't going away, so you're free to continue playing there while he plays on a private hive at no negative effect to you.

This is it. Join a server that has been up for a few hours and there's no decent gear or zombies for miles. Thus, pretty much forced to server hop. I'd prefer zombie/loot spawns to be the focus providing that it's not a long task to implement. Since it was done fairly well in DayZ mod, I can't imagine it'd be that difficult to do. I've put over 50 hours into the game now, and I've had virtually no issues with server stability or crashes. I have had my gear wiped twice, but I'm pretty sure that was due to the DDoS attack on the hive. The current game is quite stable and plays well, so I'd prefer that they focus the effort on providing the content and fixes that are the "low hanging fruit." As in, add/fix the issues that require the least amount of work. More weapons (at least some .22LR entry level pistols/rifles, a 12g shotgun or two, the AK47, 9mm submachine guns, 5.56/7.62 machineguns) would fall into the 'easy/quick' to implement category, especially if the weapon models are already available. There's a huge gap in entry level weapons right now. Either you have a shovel or axe, or you've got the M4 (ideal CQC) or Mosin (ideal sniper). There's no entry or middle ground at all. I'd also prefer some persistence on our favorite servers - tents. ..and although this would likely not fall into 'low-hanging fruit' to get the dynamics and work to fix them up - vehicles. After having them in the mod, running everywhere is ridiculously painful. Combat logging should be an easy fix.. just require a ~30 second "wait time" before the player physically leaves the server, even if they Alt-F4 out of the client. The user can't log into another server for at least a couple minutes after a combat log so that the hive has proper resolution of their gear in the event of a death after logging. This wait time cannot be canceled so a player can't start a combat log then come back in an effort to bait the attacking player. An announcement to nearby players that a combat logging is taking place should also be made so they can move in for the kill.

Well said. I'd also love to see the .22LR implemented realistically from various barrel lengths (16" barrel will have higher velocity & energy than a 5" barrel for the same cartridge), and also agree that it's not an immediate stopping/killing round - most frequently, it'll be used as a deterrent for other players. No one wants multiple holes punched into you that you'll have to repair. While I'd rather be carrying a 5.56 or 7.62 rifle or a 9mm/.45 pistol, I'd MUCH rather be carrying a .22LR pistol or rifle over a pipe wrench or axe. Currently, the M4 is non-existant in residential areas and the Mosin is fairly rare. Having a plethora of variety in entry level .22LR firearms would be a huge plus not just for me, but for any new player to the game.

This game is currently missing entry-level pistols and rifles, and the .22LR brings that to the table, especially in civilian form. Also, even though Chernarus is eastern bloc, limiting guns and accessories to what was available in that locale is a huge mistake - it's not like we have anywhere else to play. Plus, Chernarus to most players is just some random zombie world. An excellent point for implementing the .22LR is that it's extremely inexpensive and low-weight cartridge compared to other rifle rounds. A 550-round bulk box is around $20 and weighs only a couple pounds. at roughly a 3"x3"x3" cube. It should be very common in civilian houses, and would be a fall-back weapon where ammo is plentiful. Everyone should have access to it relatively easily to reduce the need for DayZ's clunky melee system. Given the bullet drop and loss in velocity/energy over very short distances, especially in short barrels, the .22LR is a short range weapon (not very useful or easy to use at 150+ yards, especially in moderate wind). Here's the short list of .22LR firearms and accessories I'd like to see: Ruger 10/22 (both in blued and stainless base model receivers/barrels) Ruger 10/22 Charger (simply a Ruger 10/22 with pistol stock and 10" bull barrel) - These two should spawn separately, but can be configured as the other by finding the appropriate stock and barrel: - Stock cusomization: Sporter stock, folding stock, Charger pistol stock, bullpup stock, adjustable stock (Bell & Carlson Odyssey for example), Ruger SR-22 "AR-style", etc. - Barrel options: Sporter, Bull, Bull Fluted, 10", 16", 20" versions, 1:16", 1:9" twist rates (1:16" is standard for std/high velocity ammo, 1:9" is needed to stabilize the 60gr subsonic ammo), integrally-suppressed 16", threaded & non-threaded versions. - They both use the Ruger 10/22 10-round magazine and Ruger BX-25 25-round magazine. - Bipods are useful, as are red dot and small scopes. Ruger MKIII pistol. I own a highly customized one that has virtually *zero* recoil because it weighs more than my Glocks and HKs and uses a compensator. it's also a bigger handgun than a Desert Eagle .50. - Also integrated suppressor version available. - Volthane grip for stability. - Compensator to reduce recoil to virtually zero. Ruger 77/22 bolt action rifle. Also highly common/popular. CZ 512 semi-auto rifle. CZ 455 bolt action rifle. Henry lever action rifle. Henry AR-7 survival rifle. Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22 semi-auto rifle. Very similar to AR-15 in appearance and can be customized like one (grip, stock, rails, etc). Smith & Wesson 617 10-round revolver Smith & Wesson M41 (perhaps the finest .22LR handgun - used in competition shooting) Anschutz 22 bolt-action rifle (perhaps the finest .22LR rifle - used in competition shooting) Walther P22 pistol. (Very common) Winchester 190 (Very common & inexpensive, and uses a 16-round tubular magazine) (Other than the S&W 15-22, I'm omitting the .22LR clones that are copies of other guns, such as the Umarex MP5 models.) There are a lot of comments regarding the .22LR's lethality. No, it's not a .50BMG. It's not a 5.56x45. It's not even a .22 Magnum. However, it has been used for killing with either proper shot placement on unarmored targets or by punching multiple holes in someone. Can a headshot kill? Given a high deflection angle at close enough rage, headwear, along with bone thickness at entry point (eye, throat, mouth, temple), absolutely. Will it always kill with a headshot? Hell no. Frequently, at low deflection angles, it will ricochet off the skull. The ammo should be plentiful. The purpose of the .22LR weapons would be to provide civilian weapons that are easily found in residential areas as either starter weapons or for those looking for a challenge.

Alright, so I played the mod off and on for over a year until I just couldn't take being hacked any longer. I'm a game developer (software engineer) for an established AAA franchise, and there are times where I wish I was working on a project like DayZ. :) Bought the standalone as soon as I found out it was available, and I have zero regrets. Sure, I've had characters wiped and have come across some alpha issues, but I'd trade these for a relatively hack-free society any day. The revamped inventory system is a massive plus. While I'm quite pleased with the status of the game at this point, along with the rapid release of patches that are solving big issues on a regular basis, here's what I'd like to see in the near future, and I'm well aware that some of them have already been announced as "early 2014" releases: - Zombie and loot respawns. Once all the military areas have been looted, users are forced to server hop. Zombies don't seem to currently "guard" loot like they did in the mod. - Melee. This needs work. I won't even attempt a fight with a zombie without an axe, because the others are simply awful at even making contact. - Tents. Essential for loot hunting and stashing gear for friends and post-death respawns. The beginning of establishing a 'base' on a server. - Vehicles. After always making a toolbox, wheel, and jerry can new-spawn priorities in the Mod to get an ATV moving, running on foot everywhere is currently painful. Not to mention the extra storage space makes a big difference in the usefulness of loot hunting. (Although current backpack stacking works to alleviate some of this issue. Please don't remove this "feature/bug" until after vehicles and/or tents are implemented.) - Weapon content. Off to a great start with customization of the M4, Mosin, and FNX, but this could be massive. I'm formerly a software engineer in US Army military simulations, and we had literally thousands of different small arms and variants available. The Mosin was an excellent choice. So is the Ruger 10/22. Other popular civilian rifles, such as the Remington 700 or semi-auto AR15, would be very welcome additions that won't require 'military' spawns. I look forward to the civilian-based Ruger 10/22 being available commonly along with .22LR ammo, especially because this is one of the most customized firearms in the US with full rifle, bullpup, and pistol stock versions available in both 10-round and 25-round magazines. The Ruger MKIII pistol would be an excellent companion addition. I'd love to see comparative realism in performance among firearms, while using the rarity of firearms and ammo to tune effectiveness/usefulness of particular weapons. Magazine capacity, rate of fire, recoil, barrel length and quality to determine muzzle velocity and inherent accuracy, barrel twist rate for stability of specific weight projectile, reload speed, deployment speed, maneuverability, sight picture, attachment points, size & weight, reliability - all variables to create true diversity among all weapons. Many firearms had versions for various calibers (Ruger Blackhawk, Remington 700, the AR platform, AK platform, the Glock frame, etc), so extract a huge variety of weapons by creating different caliber versions. There is a huge list of handgun, carbine, rifle, and shotgun calibers that have historical significance or are widely used in military, police, and civilian firearms, and variance in weapons would be welcomed for player combat and loot variety. Let's see this variety implemented. Ultimately, the loot hunt and customization of clothing and weapon loadout is what's going to keep users playing. Providing true depth and variety of firearms, not just in name but also functionality by 50+ base models that can be further customized, will be an added touch unavailable in any other game. Thanks for the hard work and timely updates - I plan to keep playing through the progress.