oktyabr

I can respect your opinion on this even if I can't imagine the reason. In my opinion there are many things already "bound" to keys/actions in this mod and if there is one thing you *should* be able to do, automatically without touching a single key, is looking at someone long enough to recognize them as someone you have met before or not. In a perfect world DayZ characters would be so varied that you would never see the same skin/avatar combination twice. If it were that perfect world you certainly wouldn't expect someone to use a button to recognize you, would you? Instead we have a handful of similar skins and name tags. Seeing a name tag isn't perfect but in my opinion it's better than nothing. So what can be done to improve upon it's use? Here is my suggestion in detail: The current state of "name tags" (plates, whatever) is that easy servers have them enabled and hardcore servers have them disabled. On an easy server that means that sometimes you can spot players 100+m away, in the dark, in the woods, even in buildings. Not a good thing. On a hardcore server you have absolutely no way of telling one player from another with what is provided to you in the game beyond maybe a complex com session "Hey, if that's you spin around in circle a couple of times or something...", etc. So, in effect, the current name tag system is pretty much useless in DayZ. Disable it in the DayZ code, hard-coded, so it's removed on all servers for everyone. Next, substitute something that works better. rocket says that the UI considerations seem to be considerable but not *impossible* and I would think surely easier to implement than Wii-style character customizations. First, remove the name tags as part of the UI overlay. Make the replacement a level of transparency based on light - range so in utter darkness they need to be standing close to you and in the light of a flare, chemlight, whatever to appear. In daylight you see them at a greater distance but not the current neon-green... something more subtle. Second is more range specific. Some games won't show you a name tag until you have looked at a player for X amount of seconds and some go further to make this time based on distance, which would work in this case. Too far out you don't get to tell who it is at all. Range specific option: Make name tags appear in the 3D sense rather than as a part of the 2D UI, scaled to the distance. Someone at maximum "recognizable" distance would have their name tag appear very tiny and hard to read. The closer they are the larger the font and the easier it is to read. This makes binoculars (or a rifle scope) usable for recognition as well and might be the most "realistic" solution even though no one likes names floating around. Also removing nametags from the 2D UI and implementing a solution in the 3D space should help in doing away with spotting characters hidden in brush or inside buildings as well. Player is moving through brush and you can't see all of them you can't see all of the name tag either. Lastly, and more complex, only show the name tags when viewed directly head on. No name tags at all in the periphery of your vision.

OH NOOOOS! Does this mean we will have leg braces to slow us down but pistol grip double barrel shotties to make up for it?

I don't see the need to complicate things with that much extra coding to even make it an option. My suggestion: Make name tags showing up hard-coded into the mod but only at short range, perhaps 25m in daylight, 5m in darkness. Leave it up to the player to remember what they will about previous encounters.

This could almost be a suggestion thread but the title would sooner or later get it into trouble... (and still might). That said this idea intrigues me: "Make more of the medical aspects of the game assistance-dependent. No more fixing your broken leg with a jab of a morphine syringe.' I actually like this idea. It would certainly have a HUGE impact on player interaction and I am curious how it would end up. Maybe replace the solo "morphine broken leg fix" with a "splint other players broken leg" option. And realistically limit long distance cross country running after that point as well.

OP got his response from the lead dev (feel VERY lucky). Closed before it turns further into a fun filled flame fest.

Actually rocket has said "They are not dead." so they aren't the conventional "undead" sort of zombies.

Currently there are only two types of DayZ players and forum posters: good alpha testers and bad alpha testers. Everyone posting on these forums *should* ask themselves which one of those two they are. It's an open alpha and everyone (well, at least a fraction of the players) has something to say on these forums. Maybe once this mod hits "beta" there will be a closed forum just for serious testers but for now opening another forum section to the public is just creating a new place for the same discussions.

Hmmm... so many bandit/survivor posts suggests this mod isn't hard enough yet. It should be hard enough that encountering a random player should equal potential teammate first, not potential target. Maybe 3000 zombies on each server with at least 1000 of them scattered around in the wilderness will help?

I like this one too! And maybe instead of "I survived DayZ" have hand written font cross out the 'd' in survived and add "tried to" before survive and above it, like a sloppy edit. After all does *anyone* actually survive DayZ?!?

Hopefully this mod will be tuned back again to where you won't be able to survive that long anyway. Your best hope for this suggestion is a separate database for each server or maybe a small group of servers. That way you can have a character on each database. This also means that you would NOT be able to play a character on more than one database, which would be a great thing ultimately. Play on one server until your friends can play, play on a different server with them with a different character.

Words like "carebears" and posts about not being one just tells me this mod isn't tough enough yet, not by a long shot. Someone on these forums once said they wanted DayZ to be so difficult with so many zed that when you finally run into another player it's greeted with a sigh of relief, not a gasp of panic. The only way you should be in a position to feel like you are surviving is through teamwork with the random stranger because lone wolfs should find themselves quickly eaten. Take away "NVG" for example and see how many try-hards turn into whine filled carebears themselves. Make the average server have 2000 or 3000 zombies (rocket said should be possible) and put half of them wandering around in the wilderness. See how many posts about "carebears" happen then! DayZ should ultimately be a tear factory, for bandit and survivor alike. The only ones that should be having fun collecting food and loot are the zombies. Moving to General Discussion since the OP does not actually contain a unique, constructive suggested change to the mod itself.

Accept the fact that you are all DOOMED. Not even going off line will protect you from suffering the ultimate fate in DayZ. Remember that this is NOT intended to be an "MMO" where your character can survive for weeks or even months. Want to stay alive and relatively healthy a *little* bit longer than the average? Play the game. You will die regardless.

I know you can drag the fallen in DayZ and carry them in OA. I wonder why the carry option isn't available in DayZ?

This thread has become kind of special for a few of us and I encourage others to do the same if they like but here is the deal: This is a "wish list" thread. It's like a letter to Santa rocket, between the poster and rocket. No responses or feedback are asked for or needed. If you would like to tell a poster you agree with their wish list a short note is all that is needed or maybe a +1 to their rep. This thread is NOT for debate or discussion on anyone's list or items on that list and it's certainly not for flaming and trolling. Unlike the rest of the suggestion forum, where I prefer to see a single thread dedicated to a single specific item (with a specific title dammit!) your wish list post here, in this thread, can contain as many thoughtful wishes as you desire. Use the "copy link address" on YOUR post number in this thread and include it in your signature file if you would like others to be able to read your letter to evil old santa rocket. ;)

rocket said this here:

No, I don't think so. I could be wrong but I remember checking my watch (in game) *once* to see how close it was to the bells ringing. Very close. Since the watch can tell you when the sun is transitioning from day to night with accuracy I would think that the church bells might also. Regardless I think it's a GREAT idea. If the bells aren't synced they should be and yes, they should attract zed.

I like this idea. Maybe macro it with a direct chat text that says "Hi" or something with the gesture of raising an open hand like waving. For tactical use there are several more that could be handy as well but the biggest hurdle would likely be the extra animations that would be needed.

I'm not fond of the finding firewood idea either, especially in it's current state where you must leave the forest to find wood. A hatchet idea would only be of value IF it can be used as a melee weapon as well? Otherwise the threads about "a zombie eating me when I run out of bullets but I can't hit it in the head with my hatchet" are just lurking over the horizon. My suggestions: Improve campfire placement, include inside buildings. Eliminate need for wood, make more matches/flint/lighters etc. No potential melee weapons unless they can be used as such.

Save at your tent full of good loot then go out hunting. Raid on survivors backfires and you are afraid of getting shot. Log off, log back on back at tent. See how that could be a problem?

It's part of the Arma II core game. There might be a way to suppress it but do you actually feel this should be a priority at this point? There are only two kinds of DayZ players: good alpha testers and bad alpha testers. Which one are you?