MrAerospace

What we players see for the moment is a lot of the PvP assets being pushed into the game. I assume it's because it's an already well established area of development, meaning that it takes hardly any resources to implement items and weapons into the stable branch. While the community sees this and draws their own conclusions from it (PvP'ers are rejoicing, while survivalists despair), there's a ton of programming going on behind the scenes, which unfortunately takes programmers away from developing the more complex areas, such as survival. -*--% No, shut up all you crybaby weakling survivalist tree hugging hippies. Survival isn't about staying alive, it's about the guy who is fastest at blowing his load...of ammo...into the face of other players. I just wanna be the guy with the biggest d...erringer. Give me all the guns and all the ammo, and we'll see just how strong community, cholera and cold weather really are when I shoot them all in the face, and then repetitively spawn kill them until they go away and leave my definition of fun alone. I mean come on, you can't tell me DayZ isn't fun for you when I'm not killing you. What do you want meaningful objectives for anyway? They're just a means to your end at my hands. Nothing will threaten my manhood...AAARRRRRGGGG! -#-^- Wow, that's a pretty darn good parallel you make right there, pilgrim. But, let's hope the community are just in hiding while the anti-socialists have their day. The day will come when we'll get a server wipe that will decidedly put us all on a level playing field where no one seems to have ammo, and mindless aggression gets you eaten first. I have to disagree with your third point though. 'Wilderness' doesn't need to be large to be effective, it just needs to be secluded. Right now, with how open forests are and zero restrictions for movement or line of sight, the only way to do that is with vast areas. I've camped in outback Australia and in a tiny forest plot in rural Normandy, and I felt more secluded in a tiny 50m x 50m plot than I did literally 1000's of miles away from civilization. This is the kind of thing DayZ needs to replicate; thousands of small pockets of secluded forestry.

Well, then perhaps unlimited lives is part of the problem? Also why is locking a player out of a server for a cooldown period out of the question? It prevents an unfair advantage (that of constant respawns), and if the only issues is about playing with friends, then the rest of a squad can still migrate to their friend's new server. But, to get back on topic, I agree with you that loot locking.is a clumsy way to achieve the OP's goal.

Two very important hitboxes weren't mentioned. The character's hands and feet. Seriously, I couldn't care less if I broke my arm, If I can't stand up, or lose all dexterity to the point where I cannot fire a gun or open a door, I'm very much screwed.

It is a problem! A character's life has to be more important than his loot, and that is simply not the case when death is just a minor set-back. When suicide is the cure for everything from Cholera to a Cherno spawn, then the game ain't doing the job of getting 'survival' right.

It is a nice idea, but its an inelegant one that can simply be bypassed by swapping gear between players, for example: Two players, Player A and Player B Player A has loot A, Player B has loot B Player A dies. loot A is now locked from Player A Player B takes loot A Player A takes loot B. It also doesn't solve the issue of players re-spawning and entering into the same firefight they just died in. I'd suggest a more encompassing method is to have death (and switching servers) cause players to be locked out from the specific server they died in/left for 24 hours. (Or a number significantly high enough to prevent any chance of either issue happening)

Not quite in the same vein, but when I went on another musical virtuoso bender, I knew this link was going to be interesting, but the moment I realised what I was listening to, my mind snapped straight to DayZ Inventory troubles.

Weapon optics are extreme precision tools. I don't even like the fact that a player can mount a pristine scope and fire straight without testing and zeroing it in first. So, while it is good for a laugh, it's absolutely impractical to have a coke can sight, at 30m you're better with standard iron sights. However, the concealed weapon in a book is actually a really cool and inventive way for books to have a purpose. It would be great if you got held up, and then instead of stealing your weapon, they ignore your innocuous book.

I'm with Grimey here, what is the point of "perma-death" if you can cure yourself of death by running back to your own corpse. It's just as bad if you can kill the person who just killed you. Body despawn should occur randomly, preferably as a result of zombies discovering and then feeding on the corpse. Loot would be close to totally ruined by the feeding frenzy, thus leaving players with very little probability of recovering anything at all, save for a few solid items like tins and protector cases

The DayZ environment needs to have so many effects to game-play that it encourages players to think critically and change their behaviour in response. Ignoring the rain and continuing the same pattern of running around and looting needs to be seriously detrimental, not just to your character's health, but everything else as well, all your inventory; weapons, clothing, food, ammunition, etc. Just adding more ways to waterproof stuff will inevitably lead to less behavioural changes, so I'm completely against having too much waterproofed gear.

I'm all for some logic with the shoulder slots. Being able to craft a sling using rope, rags, or (if they're added) even belts. I would love to see the melee slot behave the same way too, or at least prevent melee weapons from being 'shouldered' without a backpack to hold it.

It'd be interesting to see what kind of shenanigans would occur if a few banks existed around Chernarus where players could legitimately keep themselves safe behind those bullet-proof windows.

Exactly my thoughts. Why impose illogical artificial limits? There's so many other ways in which small containers could be of value to players, to the point where having a TARDIS style inventory is really unnecessary. For example, what if containers had both a quick select view and a full view: - Quick select view allows players to select only a few items from within a container. One item per slot (like the hotkeys). Slots are independent of actual size. - Full view (name on the tin). Same old inventory tetris game, except it now has an added time delay for access. - Done this way, it would be faster and more efficient to place items inside small containers displayed in the quick select menu than finding it loose at the bottom of a container. Think of it like managing files and folders on your computer.

Yep, post-apocalyptic economy boils down to bartering between two or more people with differing needs.

I can only imagine all the players re-enacting Zombieland scenes. If there's a carnival, then add in a single twinkie, and a banjo to the CLE, and a bonus squeak sound whenever a clown mask is hit with a sledgehammer. It's not a bad idea, but I think it'll be up to modders to create it.

I only meant that in a strictly business sense. If a project is not meeting its outcomes, then businesses tend to can that project fairly quickly. No-one can know the outcome before the event occurs. Please don't get me wrong, I am very much in support of this initiative. I understand that PvP game-play is important to get balanced, and right now, you have a perfect opportunity to iron out the creases before PvE gets involved. Even if I tend to avoid this aspect of the game, for you to be trying to fine-tune it with the help of the more combat experienced players is inevitably going to work to everyone's benefit. The fact you are doing this in your free time only highlights the incredible dedication you show to the DayZ community.

Wow, that's impressive! I didn't say vehicle wire is completely useless, and you've proven that for certain. I just think that there needs to be an in-game balance between easy to scavenge/makeshift items, over more dedicated/purpose built ones. If for example, players were able to find different wires then they should have different properties for different uses. For example using different types of wire in snares should alter things like: 1) Chance of snaring an animal, (dependent on visibility) 2) Chance of an animal escaping, (dependent on flexibility and strength) and 3) Damage caused to trap. (dependent on strength)

If this first event creates new/better outcomes, ideas and directions for the Dev's, then surely it won't be considered a waste of time, and they'll expand the scope to different areas of the game. I'd expect there's enough variety for pretty much any category you like; hermits, medics, zombie hunters, hikers, vehicle mechanics, drivers, pilots, engineers, farmers. It's almost endless.

Well, yes! :D There's a reason we invented them IRL...they are a safe source of water, and that needs to be reflected in DayZ. However, the advantage of a pump could be balanced out with a lot of disadvantages too. - Cancelling actions should not provide any benefits. It's an exploit that applies to pretty much every animation in game. - Make pumps fallible, repairable and replaceable: Pumps have conditions like other items; pristine, worn, damaged, ruined. Having a complex system where understanding how pumps and their parts work, how to repair them using looted or makeshift parts, or just simply using brute force, using a crowbar, axe or sledgehammer to remove the concrete top and using a rope and bucket to collect water instead. It would add a great additional mini-game for players to accomplish. - Make more than just the one type of well. Bucket wells, rotary pumps, rope pumps and fountains (there are spring and gravity fed fountains that will continue to function long after humans are gone. Each of these having their own unique issues/problems to solve. - Make them much more exposed and dangerous to take water from. Many old villages are built around a community well or fountain, which are often found in the middle of the town square, with very little cover to hide behind. - Make the output of pumps much less reliable. Drinking or filling bottles directly from pumps gets you soaked and collects ridiculously small amounts of water, using pre-existing basins or finding a bucket first would be better. - Make pumping water an actual task. Spamming a button like a QTE is a pretty darn good simulation of what actual pumping feels like. Have a constantly lowering water level, that needs to get above a certain point before the water actually flows.

This game is slowly getting there. The loot-tier system is putting players to work to get their 'fun'. But, I'm concerned it's going to cause a large inland black hole, where players are just immediately sucked inwards and disappear over the event horizon somewhere near Stary. It could make the game worse. If every fresh spawn heads to the North East, then there'll be less interaction of any kind on the coast. There's gotta be incentives for geared players to head back towards the coast, and without it, running into fresh-spawns with nothing to lose outweighs any reason to go back. I can't wait for zombies to be brought back though. The return of these savages will herald the return of civilised behaviour too. Well, it'll cut down the KoS for most players...actually, I think it'll rapidly lead to server hoppers rising to power, as they'll become the only ones able to ignore the need for caution, stealth and ammo conservation. Wait until you hear the complaints pour in when that happens!

These guys are running a business. Let's not immediately jump to conclusions simply over the use of the word "combat." They are professionals, know what they're doing and will be walking into this project with specific goals and outcomes in mind. If this new method of community involvement doesn't prove to be fruitful, then that's that. It's not something to get upset about before it even happens. Besides, who better to discuss combat related issues and questions than players who rack up countless hours in DayZ combat? You really think they wanna a pacifist's insight into violence? So long as it's not 15mins of players complaining about lag or desync, it might actually lead to better/new outcomes for the game, and then we all benefit. So here's to hoping and waiting.

Oh, yeah....oops! It's still a solid cable though, It wouldn't exactly make a great snare or trip wire. There are a hell of a lot of uses for things like that though.

Solid tripwire and electrical wire are two very different things. There are only a few useful wires in a vehicle that would be of any use as tripwire and I can tell you now, they are not easy to remove, even from vehicles that have been completely gutted or ruined. There's the accelerator cable and the bonnet and boot releases...and that's pretty much it for solid wire, and they have to be pretty solid too to carry the tension's they do...you'd be surprised just how much LARGER they are over tripwires. As for electrical cable, well, if you're willing to rip out the wiring loom, cut off the outer wire cover, unravel it all and then pull out the wire you want (hoping for length, gauge and condition) and you might have something to go with your 12V DC supply. Try using that with a 120/240V AC generator and expect some issues. As for electronics on those vehicle...are you kidding? The reason those vehicles are still of any operational value is precisely because they don't have electronics. Searching dead cars for useful parts though...that reminds me of this gem of a TV series, and is something that I would hope DayZ models itself upon!

That is a bit wishful. It takes a hell of a lot of effort to make a well and it ain't gonna happen with a shovel. You could have a mechanic to dig a hole beside a freshwater source however. Could make a good opportunity to avoid contaminated water.

Now there's an idea I could get behind, and it could really add to the coastal food supply for bambi's. Shellfish foraging; clams, mussels, snails, crabs, etc. (dependent on search location) - cooked / eaten raw / used as bait. - small chance of food poisoning, increasing with storage time, less so if stored correctly. - Poisoned shellfish could be recognised and discarded after cooking. - Although maybe using a "discard opened or discard closed" prompt for different shellfish could add difficulty to recognition. (get it wrong and you are eating only poisonous ones) You could also add seaweed to the foraging list too. - More than one type, different probabilities of getting poisoned.

The really big question is, how do you remove the vicinity bar so that players actually have to look for stuff, while still retaining the ease of use it provides? Specifically, access to your inventory, and the use of mouse-cursor controlled click and drag. The only answer I can come up with is that the player needs to actually see the loot and their inventory at the same time. That way players can use the normal controls to actually physically search for loot, and then switch to mouse control to grab the loot.