voxframe

I have never tried playing with the radios before. Is there a basic "common" channel that everyone uses? I'd hate to spend a ton of effort to use one, only to find out everyone is on the wrong channel. Also what is the battery drain like on these things? Can I just leave it on all the time?

I would report this as a bug directly to the devs. You've outlined the issue very well, and it's a black and white issue to reproduce. Should be easy for them to see and take action on it.

I guess this is related more to what kind of audio setup you're running. I run two large studio monitors as well as a lightweight headset when playing. Usually I keep the headset running fairly low, but the monitors are cranked up quite high and with a lot of low level EQ. This produces a really nice effect of being able to hear very small high noises clearly in the headset, but also to "feel" the ambiance and lower impact noises due to the monitors. ... This does produce a secondary effect that has caught me several times off guard in DayZ and Arma. Sneaking around for most of the time, paying attention to every detail, I find myself turning up the sound frequently. Then I decide to pull out a shotgun or rifle and let it rip, without thinking about the sound level, nearly blowing my headset off in the process. Which does of course, fit beautifully into the immersion aspect of the game. A gun is loud! (duh) So it makes sense that it has a slight spook/jump factor when actually used after a day of quiet stalking. The net effect is usually a handful of startled "Holy shit!"s from myself and anyone nearby lol. That said, anyone else run a "non-standard" audio rig? Anyone else scare the shit out of themselves in a similar way? (Just a humorous topic... Nothing serious)

Gotta agree with a lot of this. I've been playing for must be almost 2 years now. The speed and quality of the development work is way behind that of a "normal" game. DayZ/BI has the budget and staff to make this work, but it always seems as if DayZ is just a back-burner project meant to keep some people busy in the office. I work in development and system administration, and this really isn't how a "project" of this scope should progress. The rate of things over the past 2 years pretty much drives the game to one of two clear outcomes, it will never make it to RC/Release before the game is vastly surpassed by others. (It's great that a new game was made for PlayStation2, but you wasted so much time in development that the platform itself is obsolete.) ... Or it simply will die before hitting RC/Release. I see this as the most likely fate of the game. At the current dev rate, we won't see BETA for another 2 years, RC in 3-4? The game will be far EOL by then. I hate posting rants, I really would like to contribute more in a positive manner... But I can't because the devs don't interact well with the community in general, and the progress is so shrouded and oddly non-progressive that we can't follow/help properly. I've said it dozens of times. I wish the devs would be a lot more specific as to what/why they are testing "X" and then we as a community would also know what to look for or what to test. I understand wanting your userbase to test "blindly" to see how things affect the overall dynamics of the game, but that's honestly something you tackle at BETA, not ALPHA. Alpha, you build the system and make sure it doesn't completely hose the game. Build your solid foundation. Then BETA you start tweaking the variables and bug fixing. You don't run mass dynamics/psych experiments in ALPHA. (All of this would be solved with better dev communication and interaction. (And a load more transparency). That's another thing with ALPHA/BETA testing... As a development company, you need to be very clearly transparent with your customers (US!). It needs improvement guys.

I have to agree with this as well. The damage systems etc are nice... But whoever is creating content or steering that group needs to take a break from the guns, and even weapons in general. Survival and crafting are coming along quite well, but it would be much nicer to see more content and focus in that area than the damned guns all the time. I also have to agree that the damage system is somewhat wasteful if there isn't a break from the gun fetish. It's getting laughable when the updates look like "We have a stove, but it's still insta-burning! ... Oh but we have this rifle, that handgun, new scopes, mags, and are working on the ballistics system". In my mind, the guns are done. Stop wasting dev time on them for now. The inventory is more than adequate for testing/beta purposes, so please move away from the firearms until the game moves to beta at the very least. Another +1 on the videos. Status reports are great, but also require more in depth info than just a pile of youtube videos. We have enough comic relief in here from other users, we don't really need shoutouts from the devs. A bullet list with actual dev tasks and issues would be worth far more than some fun videos. I realize it's hard to post news when there really is no news. But followups are nice with some perhaps in depth info as to what's going on behind the scenes. It's nice that you're working on "X" system, but maybe outline some of the challenges involved. "X doesn't work right now because this counter isn't incrementing as it should due to a desync issue etc." (I must admit, you guys are doing this somewhat... but more would be great. We're not afraid of tech talk, otherwise we wouldn't be here in Alpha stage testing).

Agreed. DayZ is one of the games that I must say has one of the more "open" methods of playing that I've ever seen. Most any "sandbox" style game still follows along a certain line for the most part. But DayZ is pretty much anything-goes. DayZ is one of the first multiplayer sandbox games that I have seen where the "vice gets cranked tight" on the players. Most sandbox games you could almost sit idle and nothing is really going to happen to you. DayZ has threats from every angle, and they are all various ones. -Self Inflicted/controlled (Hunger/Disease/Health/Stamina) -AI generated (Zombies, animals, explosions, environment) -Player generated (Other players attacking, or even helping you) Add onto those, when it comes to other players, you don't know what they are going to do, and they can do anything. Including completely fuck you over. This keeps the pressure and tension going throughout the entire game from end to end. Which is something that can't be said for most games. And as a result, players who pressed to the max like that, will do "unpredictable" things. As I said, I've been the hero, I've been the asshole, I've been the wacko... I've been the farmer and I've been the theif. There is no one way to play DayZ :-)

I can actually say too, that since that incident, which dates back a few months, I haven't KoSed since or pulled any other bullshit. (Excluding shooting clan leader in the head during my "Exit"). That particular experience, and a couple right after left a really bad taste when it came to joining up on a few clans. Seems that "rule" is a little more popular than people think. There are many ways to play the game. I've been the nice guy, I've been the douchebag, I've been the guy running around in his boxers blasting "walking on sunshine" on VON. Spent nearly a week looting up, only to have a friend in game take a shovel to me last night and run off with my gear. Karma and DayZ have an interesting relationship.

I'm the poster. And sadly I'll agree with you. Wasn't my decision, and at the time the clan's rules were quite clear about it. And if I didn't do it, the guy next to me would have anyway without at least packing some stuff for him to reclaim quickly. *NOTE* I'm no longer with that clan, for reasons like this and more. (I hated the admin and politics and BS) Certainly not my proudest moment. But it goes to show that some of the best gameplay can come from anyone regardless of their age. I always help out anyone who's fresh in the game, and anyone can roll with me and my current crew if they're respectful, even if they are squeaky lol!

Yep... Came here to laugh but sadly it's all too true. Some of the best gameplay I've had on DayZ has been running into random squeakers (LOL Sorry dudes!). Lately most of my interactions with other players has always resulted in nothing more than KOSing, hacking, or general bullshit bullying/mouthing-off until they get shot. Or straight up gang rape by clans. Had a similar experience a few months ago with some kid at the police station in Elektro. Myself and 2 other clan members came across this random kid while we were all being pegged down by another clan that had us flanked from all sides. Decided, against the screaming of other team members on TS, to give the kid a gun. Little booger held down the fort with us for like half an hour until we managed to get around these guys and drop them. Was one of my most memorable firefights. I was sure we weren't going to live. Unfortunately, our team has a pretty strict "no kids" rule. So I knew what was coming. I figured it might as well be me to do it... Packed a bag with some cans, and drinks, tossed it in one of the sheds out back. Team leader cuffed the kid. "There's a bag in that shed with some food and supplies if you manage to..." "Huh? Why?" He asked quickly confused... But it was too late. "Sorry" - And I pulled the trigger. "Hope you're fucking happy. Let's go" I grunted.

That's something I'll agree on as well. Give a better chance or longer time to revive someone. Perhaps a timer of 5 minutes regardless of your final state to try and bring you back. Perhaps it will not be successful because your health is -200, and the best treatment can only deliver 150 health (Completely made up numbers, just trying to make a point). I notice it's too quick to render "You are dead". Unless your head is blown clean off, you should never hit that point unless you've been bleeding heavily for a set time. Gunshot wound to the chest should not even deliver that. Give a slight (very slight) chance where someone can do some serious medical work and bring you back. Currently it's pretty worthless to do any "medic" effort because death is just too easy.

I like the new direction of the blood bags etc. The medical items were seriously lacking attention. But that said, the spawning of these items also needs more attention. Blood types should be persistent across deaths, or perhaps across character appearance changes? If not, then it needs to be a lot easier to come across testing kits. They should be part of the 1st aid kit. That or create an "advanced" 1st aid kit (Paramedic bag??) that has everything needed for bloodwork A thru Z. The new interactions of the items are great, but actually getting the items and keeping them are a pain.

There is some kind of dup bug out there because I managed to do it to an entire backpack by accient at my camp. I don't know the steps to reproduce it, but I was just messing around trying to organize inventory in backpacks on the ground and suddenly "wtf... why do I already have this in my hands when the identical thing is on the ground".... Sure enough both were intact and usable. First time I've seen it in person. I'm sure it would be easy to reproduce unfortunately.

Good question. I myself am just coming back from a 3 month break. Got really pissed off with the mechanics and variables being all over the place and our entire clan fucked off for bigger and better things to do. I'm now peeking my head back into the game for the past week or so, and I like what I see. The latest 49-50 jump has been a bit unsettling though as I found 49 was finally stabilizing the dynamics of the game systems a little bit (OK they were probably rather OP, but decent). Now they seem to be very strict, and suddenly the tools you had to deal with them, are gone or broken. The rest of my clan isn't too convinced, so I'm playing the lone wolf/hermit role at the moment. Going to try my hand more at hunting and living off the land so to speak. (Was big on military on the first run, then big on medical/hero style on second run, now I'm on the 3rd). I must admit I'm a little frustrated that there are still a lot of useless items. Medical items as a big example. Lot of stuff still doesn't do anything, or have any effect, or no logical application. That does kinda bug me when tons of new stuff is coming out, but the basics that are already in place, don't work. I would really like to see the medical gear given a major facelift, as well as small things that you would assume to be able to work, doesn't. (I can open a can with a screwdriver but not a crowbar, but sledgehammer is good somehow). That's not a good example, but there are still things missing that I can't come up with. There should be lots more uses for rope and duct tape, matches as well, etc. I do recommend coming back, just to try it out for a week and see the progress. A lot has happened in the meantime, and I enjoy the game again. It's not at the level that I love yet, but it's making progress again. I just hope the dynamics introduced in 50 get sorted quickly.

I don't see a big problem with having lots of little hive branches etc, PROVIDED, they release the damn server files for the public to use on their own hosting companies. I think that alone would probably reduce some of of the issues with server hopping looting etc. I hate this shit with a lot of games only running with certain GSPs. I'm sure DayZ will go the way of Arma eventually, and you will be able to run your own servers, but I wish this would come a little faster. It's a real pissoff, when I have access to literally HUNDREDS of physical servers sitting in datacenters, and noooooo... I need to pay a damn GSP a grossly overpriced fee to have my own.

I wanna see someone youtube this IRL... I mean, we need to know realistically what would happen... So need to compare sledge hammer, with axe, screwdriver, hacksaw, etc...

Good point... I also addressed the thought of power in some other post ages ago... I'd love to see the idea of the main power grid be dynamic. -Shoot out transformers, building goes black. -Knock out a power station, city goes black. -Ability to repair power station. -Ability to take down those power lines we see so frequently in the woods. -Just the ability to turn the lights on or off in a house as well. I mean it looks like power has actually been considered for most cities. I think all of them have some form of major power line going through the woods. If it came to phones, they could be the same as the power situation, take out the power and you've taken out the phones. Call the place and you'll get a busy signal. Yeah it gets a little complicated, but not too difficult to implement. (LOL can you guess perhaps I'm a telecoms guy? I work as a Sysadmin for an ISP, and run a small local phone company...)

I really like both ideas, at least for their concept. I want to see more varied weather. Right now it's sunny or rainy. But not dangerously cold. I'd like to see some areas of the map be a lot harsher as far as cold goes. Could help to introduce yet more varied clothing etc. I also like the radiation idea. Perhaps not in that form itself, but maybe a small town/camp that is too toxic to approach without proper protection etc. How about tieing it into a story line of where the zombies actually CAME from? Crazy medical experiment camp went horribly wrong and created the zombies in the first place. Can't approach the place due to toxic/infected/whatever unless you have hazmat suit or whatever. Could add into the creepyness factor nicely.

I'd rather see some development with radios in the game. Not CDs per say. Houses all have radios in them, I'd like to see them actually working. Even if they only play some static, or random tunes, etc. Could be used to tie into the mountain transmitter site somehow. Perhaps people there can turn on or shut off the transmitter or do things that affect all the radios in the game. Would be kinda neat being up there and transmitting "over the air" and be heard throughout the game on the radios in the houses. Could absolutely be a massive creepyness factor. And could probably be tied into the voice chat very similarly to the way the walkietalkies are. Programming wise, it's probably pretty darn easy using the same voip system as the walkies use already. That said, I've suggested it before, I want to see the payphones/phones actually WORKING. Player can check number on phone and call it from another one. How creepy would that be in the middle of the night, random payphone on the road rining, who has the balls to walk out there and answer it, knowing there could be a sniper scope aimed right for it.

Just as long as they have their own servers and don't mix with the PC based ones... Keep the whiney squeakers on their own platform thank you very much. That, and provided it takes absolutely NOTHING away from the regular core PC development. Go buy a damn PC

Can anyone confirm the status of cooking (Gas stoves only) in 0.50? Currently cooking with a stove is broken in 0.49 and causes the meat to burn instantly. It works fine with a fireplace, but the camping stove always burns it instantly. (Anyone who says it works for them, I beg of you to actually try it, there are loads of posts of people having problems with it and a couple saying it's working fine, but I doubt they've actually tried it) I've tried just about every combination of this on 0.49 and no matter what, the meat goes from raw to burnt instantly. There isn't even a half second delay between the two, it goes instantly. Hoping this is fixed in 0.50, or at least when it goes over to stable. Cooking on a campfire is fun, but a pain cutting wood when axes are hard to find lately. (I've never seen axes take so much damage when cutting down a tree lol - I think that needs some tweaking)

*Must.... Contain... Touretts....* AH F**** S****C***** A*****!!! Ahem, sorry

Any word if this is fixed in the new stable? I can't get on to play for another good 24 hours :(

Exactly. I don't think the best/proper solution has been suggested yet. I'm not saying Spawn hubs is perhaps the best solution to this, and I don't enjoy putting something down without providing a better alternative, but even I can't think of a good alternative. All I know is it's a growing problem. One that will become a massive problem as more casual "regular" players come onboard. P.S. for those saying the game is all about meeting new friends as well, I agree, but let's face it, we want to play with our existing friends as well. Anyone who thinks it's not a big deal, look at the shitstorm ElderScrolls Online is dealing with in this regard. They completely fucked the dog with that megaserver mess.

Its great for space usage, but also not the best as you can't warm up on the stove. They should (And probably will) develop a propane heater as well. Lantern, stove, and heater - Yeah baby!

I should have been a little clearer in my post. I don't mean spending an hour suiciding or an hour running across the map. It's more that you can't do anything until you get a "basic" level of gear. So for a new spawn, they can't even TRY to go meet up with their friends until you stabilize your food/protection to a certain level. You can't even walk around a spawn town without a shit-ton of agro going after you, meanwhile you're weaponless. The actual burn to meet friends doesn't take too long (Let's say 15-20min max if it's a straight burn). But it's the extra crap that needs to be done before you can start the journey. All this to say, I don't HATE it, it's real game play, and some of my complaints may be Alpha related (Spawn in, and there's literally fuckall loot in the town, so you won't live to even run to the next town). But it teeters on the edge of being a fun challenge and "Ok this is getting annoying". I gave DayZ a break for about 3-4 months because it was getting to be completely unplayable between massive bugs and hackers, etc. Now that I'm back, it's looking better, but there are still some things like this that could use some looking into or ideas tossed around.