Claytonaj

By 'elect' I just mean that the players would decide amongst themselves who's going to hold on to the medic gear for that play session (or that week, or indefinitely), and take on the responsibility that brings with it (being the person with all the bandages! Having to patch others up). There's nothing to stop any of the players holding full item stacks (lone players do not miss out at all), but chances are they don't have that many bandages, only 1 or 2, which would still take up a whole slot, so it would make sense to collectivise the bandages in one person's pack, to save space, especially if slots were reduced in number.

Apologies if I seemed to dismiss your idea. I did read the OP, and I understand what you're trying to achieve. I am all for reducing the toolbelt space, as you suggest, but the packs are just too much of a contrivance for me. IMO it would be better and more believable/authentic/realistic to simply allow the stacking of some items. This way, if you play as a group you might well have a designated 'medic' or 'mechanic' (i.e. someone who's job it is to hold certain kinds of stackable items) to take advantage of economies of scale, and to improve organisation. For example, say you were in a group of 5, instead of everyone carrying 2 bandages (stacked to take up one slot in each pack), one player is elected 'medic' and carries 10 bandages in 2 stacks of 5, freeing up everyone else to carry other things. The 'medic' would then become better/quicker at administering aid with practice, and their playstyle would adapt to suit the role; or they would volunteer to be the medic if they felt they already had an aptitude or the right temperament. This makes teamwork/role-taking obviously worthwhile. It would not require a specialist medpack, but would achieve the same result. (I keep using the example of medic, but I'm imagining the same could be done with knives or certain tools, or needles etc., wherever it is deemed appropriate.) I hope this is little more constructive (in suggesting an alternative) than merely critical :)

While I agree entirely with the OP, I have to ask, did you use the search before making this thread? You might've found this previous thread if you did. The words 'hoisted' and 'petard' come to mind... :P

Improvise (v.) To create spontaneously or without preparation. To produce or make (something) from whatever is available. (Oxford English Dictionary) If I was trying to survive and I found a backpack that was originally intended to carry medical supplies I might use it instead to carry other things (food, water, tools, etc.). This would be improvisation (making use of what is available). Actors and musicians are often gifted improvisers, and creative thinkers, so yes these skills might help them to survive since they can be turned to uses other than making music or performing theatre. (This is not to say they would be the best at surviving, just that they possess some potentially useful abilities.)

I'm with Twonk on this. Finding various tools around the place that would allow you to specialise, given a small enough toolbelt (i.e. forcing the choice), is a good idea. The idea of specialist 'packs' being found is too contrived for me. A medpack (for instance) will provide extra space but only for medical items? In my experience you can put whatever 'type' of item you like in a bag, space permitting (irrespective of its original intended use). Your suggestion limits improvisation in this respect, which would be a key skill in a survival situation (and one that I would like to be rewarded for in the game, since I have good improvisational skills IRL :D ).

Here.

Do you think, if you found a wild horse, you could just saddle-up and ride it?

Thanks for the videos! Got a bit of feedback for you: In the first vid the gongs worked especially well I thought at around 10 mins in. And the other bits that played in periodically after that seemed to feel right as you wandered around the city. Both Lonely Traveller and the Crash Site fitted the second video really well. On the Run didn't do it for me (at ~7 mins) simply because nothing happened to warrant that sense of terror and panic. Perhaps it would be more effective at night? When you can't see anything apart from what's in your torch beam (though I'm not sure who uses the torch all that much..). The gongs at the end of the second video weren't as well placed for me, in the rural setting, but maybe that's just me. Hope this is helpful in some small way! :D

The suggestion to drink from the ocean made me think about other, perhaps more plausible, ways to try to rehydrate in extreme circumstances. 1. Drinking milk from cows, goats and/or sheep. 2. Drinking blood direct from an animal (Word for the day: 'Hematophagy'). 3. Drinking urine (preferably your own). In the first two cases disease would come in to play, though you could heat milk to pasteurise it. If you were desperate, you might just risk it. As for drinking piss, it's apparently debatable whether it would worsen your problems given that it contains salt, but there are documented cases where it has prolonged life in survival situations (see 'Urophagia' in Wikipedia).

The more gear you have, the bigger target you are. The longer you're in the game, the closer you are to your death. You want to have your cake and eat it too. DayZ isn't really that kind of game.

I think you mean hypernatraemia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypernatremia :D

You would need to re-condense the water into another container (i.e. distillation, not just boiling alone), unless you can drink steam?

"Water, water, everywhere, And all the boards did shrink; Water, water, everywhere, Nor any drop to drink." Rime of the Ancient Mariner. Seems aposite. (And if anyone's wondering/or gives a shit, it is 'Rime' not 'Rhyme' :) )

Given that everyone apart from a few survivors is dead, who exactly would be transmitting this radio signal? That is, unless Lazlow Jones has managed to survive...

Yes, yes and yes. No to rocks killing with one hit, though. Knock down, stun, unconscious perhaps. Also, if you can throw a rock, or use it to bludgeon with, why not a can of beans or a torch? In a fight to the death these could be lethal items in anyone's hands, especially the burly man I seem to be in DayZ (not IRL, I hasten to add :) ).

Can each server have a football (that's association/soccer/real football :D ) which cannot be picked up, but kicked around and competed over. We could also then play a game of five-a-side. The ball would be deflated by shooting it, only to respawn somewhere else on the map. This is a silly suggestion, and I may be pilloried for it, but I still like the idea! It's not too far-fetched, is it? Zombies for goalposts, anyone?

Minefields would be an utter nightmare. And not in a good way!

Don't even need to click the link to know it's Yakety Sax... I like your newer compositions Soapmak3r (or should I call you John?). I await your YT vid with interest.

Thanks for sharing. Keep it up, as long as you feel inspired! I'd like to hear more. How about something that starts hopeful but turns quickly to despair, becomes increasingly desperate, then ends suddenly. This would encapsulate a number of my lives in DayZ. :)

A paper map would get wet in rain, and also become ragged with time and use, eventually rendering it useless. I like this idea.

In Cherno try running through the walled back-yards between buildings. This generally shakes them.

I was looking to see if anyone had suggested packs of dogs, and sure enough.. That would be a great addition. Could also see the introduction of rabies. Dragula, I read the rest of your post and it has to be my favourite post yet on this forum. Brilliant. "if you run you die." I would love if this kind of visceral testimony could be found in the game, written in a journal found in a dead man's pocket...

And a ban on smoking in public places.

I know it's different for everyone, and beautiful for that, but to me DayZ is not about instant gratification. You get out what you put in, although you really can't count on anything to work out right in the end. You often have to endure a lot that doesn't seem 'fun' (the word makes me cringe), but because the lows are low, the highs are so much higher. Those 2 hours you spent trying to find your friend to no avail are now in the bank, and the next time you find him in 10 minutes flat it'll be all the sweeter. :D

Learn the terrain! Have a permanent map and compass in your head. You spawn on the coast, there are always landmarks to navigate by. If its evening you can use the stars. Start thinking like a survivor. If you can't do these things (or much worse: you don't want to) then you will die alone, lost, shivering and hungry.