i have read through the suggestions and my additions are as follows:
as far as game storyline, players could spawn as survivors from a sunken rescue boat (which is why we start on the beach). this explains why we have almost nothing on our person except a flare and rag (these came from the boat). many have suggested players have former employment skills, and that can be done along with the manner of clothing we spawn with. no soldiers or police-too easy. we spawn thirsty from the swim through saltwater.
another idea is that along with the random chopper crashes, we can have ONE cargo plane crash. it can be anywhere on the map and it is up to the developers what loot would spawn, but this would increase the players' exploration vs just camping on the chopper crash areas. it would be fun to search the forests for a cargo plane while avoiding wolves.
with the many suggestions about the way zombies die, i think it can be that zombies die with a head shot, or a few torso shots just like they do now. the torso shots immobilize the zombie, letting it die slowly making noises and such. big creepiness factor there. this fits with the idea that they are infected humans more than traditional zombies.
and finally the "we need katana swords" argument. it isnt feasible to make these but since we have the machine shops in, players can take melee weapons like the machete and axes and hell even shovels to a shop and sharpen them to increase their effectiveness. call them "improved machete" and such.
another idea i had for the hay claws was to make it to where players could slowly drag the hay bales around and make small bases and such. the claw would wear down over use and break but it would make farms camp sites as well. not just in the forests.
these are some ideas i have had for awhile. thanks for reading.
-JP
SSG, US Army