rpatto92@hotmail.com

I was watching this video critical of DayZ, and when mentioned I got thinking about the end game, this is what I came up with. Now, I'll just premise this by saying: I'm almost certain some of these ideas have been discussed before in passing and my take on it may or may not be that far removed from the someone else's suggestion but I have quite a particular view, which I will attempt to explain bellow. (that said, I did a few searches and couldn't really find anything that address this quite so specifically or vaguely even) The video mentioned above hits on a commonly held idea, that DayZ has no end game and I think it's worth some debate. I'm yet to hear a definitive proposal or compelling solution, that isn't either game ending objective state (which this could be) or distorting DayZ into raiding simulator MMO RPG 2045. The game needs a long term broad survival goal that isn't simply not dying and or loosing all your stuff. (don't know how many times I've heard this) //begin Doomsday or Day Zero: Rough idea: A literal death clock that ends server progress, kinda i.e a nuclear melt down at a power plant or strike rendering Chernarus completely undead. (feel like you've heard this before, #MeToo) Summary: Basically, there's a fixed point in the map that has the potential to significantly impact the environment (radiation), should certain conditions be met, whether because of neglected by players or intentionally or unintentional triggered. It could be a nuclear power plant, undetonated nuclear bomb, chemical plant, intercontinental ballistic missile silo, nuclear waste dump etc.. (if say a power plant, it could be used as a source of power, as was my initial idea) This source of radiation is monitored by Dead Hand monitoring stations across the map. Players are alerted to changes at the site, by several unintrusive means, radio, at the station, etc.. Once an incident occurs warnings are issued and a number of effects begin unfold across Chernarus, mainly increased difficulty in surviving. However, I imagine there being several distinct stages \/outlined bellow\/ with increasing severity. I personally think it would be most interesting if surviving became so hindered that only those with radiation gear could survive, dooming fresh spawns unless aided by equipped players; with the intention of creating a true finality to death at this stage of melt down. Beyond this point, the Dead Hand could be triggered dooming the server with a silent count down to demise or the game could shift into a bonus mode also outline bellow or just remain at this critical third stage perpetually. (depending upon server options) Server Options: I would prefer that such a system be entirely optional at the server level and fully adjustable, for things like: time intervals, severity and progression. (maybe, the admin doesn't want radiation to be unplayable after a certain point or maybe they do or perhaps you'd want the game state to only progress up-to a certain point) To be more specific: I envision this being a constant in the DayZ world, not an objective to either achieve or prevent once or periodically as a pseudo-raid. It isn't a literal clock that pops up warning of impending doom, it should be subtly implement and unintrusive. This system should also have broad reaching effects on both the player, and environment and so too must the players, and environment impact the state of this system via: player interaction, weather, seasons and zombies. How does the player know of their impending doom? There should be several indications, but no intrusive ui elements with an ominous count down. Instead opting for: power shortages/black outs, radio broadcast alerts, environmental radiation hindering survival, rad meters, physical observable damage at the nuclear power plant and on site stations/monitors of melt down progress. Game State Progress: all clear - melt down imminent - various stages of melt down - dead hand All Clear Power is on, and no detrimental effects. Melt Down Imminent Black outs, radio alerts, air raid sirens, fire or smoke at the plant, and monitoring stations issuing alerts. Melt Down Power shuts off completely, updated radio alerts, map wide intermittent sirens, detectable environmental radioactivity, visible damage at the plant, updated monitoring station information. (The alerts below would signify the severity but the impact of the melt down should progress incrementally between stages, not suddenly at each juncture) Alert Stage 1' Plant and immediate vicinity deadly without protection. Alert Stage 2' Map wide radioactivity severely hindering survival, especially for fresh spawns Alert Stage 3' Protection from radiation is needed whilst outdoors. Fresh spawns require immediate attention for radiation poisoning (effectively, making death truly permanent, unless assisted by other players) Dead Hand Radiation triggers a silent count down to the cold war era nuclear response deterrents, known as "Dead Hand" Monitoring stations can be disabled or melt down stopped. Bonus Battle Royal Mode? Perhaps, this system if allowed to progress could trigger the start of a Battle Royal mode. Foreign military jets and artillery strike monitoring stations to prevent nuclear annihilation. Gas is deployed to kill enemy combatants and destroy zombie threat (perhaps this backfires and increase the zombie threat) Like with other Battle Royals, it's at this point that players are forced together, randomly towards one of a dozens or so monitoring stations for the final freestyle battle to survive the dead hand.

So there is a potential issue with having always open mics. Not everyone wants their private conversation heard in-game but besides, it's probably not going to fix the specific issue you outlined; things can always be circumvented. However, it would be a nice addition to the server options and good if it were a choice.

Nope the more I read the more it sounds like people are suggesting things leaning ever more towards; point based progression based skill tree's and that not what I want for DayZ and it's not what Rocket meant by unique skills to players. From the very beginning Rocket has said the closest thing to a skill system would be the actual player (as in you the person controlling the character sitting in front of the computer, not Avatar itself) would learn some of the complex nature of the features in game and that there would be so much that the player would need to focus on one aspect over others. In other words the game would have so mush content that it's very difficult to learn everything. An Examples would be: having to learn all of the crafting recipes, knowing what attachments and ammo types scan be used with which guns, reading the Russian signs, knowing the starting sequence for helicopters, knowing the correct drugs to give someone for their ailment and generally knowing which items and parts are compatible. Perhaps you can apply this same logic to gutting animals; knowing which parts are safe to eat and using the correct materials and items to prepare them. Also acquiring the correct set of tools to repair a car, using the correct parts, oil, fuels, finding the keys or learning which wires you need to cross to hot-wire the car. The complexity of the game itself would be a its own leveling system; the players who can best figure out all the systems and specialise in various parts would benefit most.

This is all true but if you face a situation such as this and it comes down to having empathy for others and concern for your own well-being; yourself and any of your family and friends would come before a strangers well-being.

They could always design completely new assets; why should they use old Arma 2 vehicles. How about adding a civilian ambulance.

It's already been stated that the equivalent and closest thing you'll get to progressive skills in dayz is finding better gear, learning about the game and maintaining your characters health/fitness/nutrition.

Th engine may be old but it's being rebuilt anyway; so what some people are saying is irrelevant. Dean said in a resent video that they've already redesigned some animals: from rats to dear and it just may take some time to implement these new assets. In other words it's certainly a goal but it's a feature that can wait over some more important additions.

NO XP

I kinda like where you are going with this idea; if you were to be beat to death in hand to hand combat, there'd be a moment were you were helpless to save yourself but still alive to witness the end. Though I also like the idea of the screen just blacking out if you ever get head-shoted because there are some situations were dying slowly and waiting for the end isn't possible. I think have a contrast between helplessly being killed and instant death; would really strike a core with people.

Elaborate.

Yer that's kind of the point; to make it so you really have something to lose if you venture into the instance north of chernarus. It's suppose to be a challenge; were only the largest teams who can cooperate an maintain their base and the safety of their teammates who may be offline whilst they're on. Meaning to really maximize the chance of being a successful; you'd need to branch out, bringing more people into your fold and establish a solid population to support you base. If you put something that decisive on the table; it would really help forge large strong survivor groups unlike anything you'll have seen in any other game. Plus you don't need to travel into the instance (which is the only place this "perma-life" has an affect) it's a choice but it would be the Ultimate End Game challenge to try and survive there and you'd be missing out.

I know it's a lot of information but if you don't have the time to read it all; at-least take the time to leave me your own suggestions for "End Game" in DayZ.

I know it's a lot of information but if you don't have the time to read it all; at-least take the time to leave me your own suggestions for "End Game" in DayZ.

END GAME I'm surprised no-one has touched this topic yet; no turn up's, under "End Game" as a search term. Question First of all: Tell me what you think the end game IS for DayZ?Also tell me what you think it should become?Analysis of the existing state of the Mod Currently what is "End Game": Gearing up PvPPvZForming groupsFinding a vehicle: land, sea, air..etc Traveling back and forth from various hot spotsSetting up a camp and hoarding lootAs these represent the current state of the "End Game"; anything that can be done to prolong these experiences will enhance the game. Perhaps making DayZ more difficult, complex and adding more content will do just that. Consequences of the existing state of the "End Game" What did we learn from mod's: All of the above is far too easy to achieve The map and loot are fairly predictable Hidden camps are easily discovered All spawns are well knownPermanent death is negated; when part of a big groupPeople quickly get bored and resort to killing fresh spawnsRocket is already addressing some of these concerns; such as: less predictable loot spawns, giving players more to do, expanding the map and making it harder to hoard loot by virtue of items being of limited supply. Not much has been said about vehicle spawns but I can only assume; they'll be less predictable just like loot. Though most things appear to be covered; many of these measures are temporary solutions. To permanently resolve some of thee issues activities will have to be added to the established "End Game" as well more solid solutions. For instance people will eventually discover all that there is to the new map and discovering camps won't be so difficult as well as knowing the best places for loot. What do I suggest be done about this What measures can be taken to more permanently resolve these issues: They can regularly adjust the loot tables and placementOpen up a significant portion of land above northern parts of the existing map and procedurally generated whole sections after every data base resetProcedurally generate different events (log cabins, air drops, destroyed camps)(car, plane, helicopter and boat crashes/pile ups) around the map again after every data base resetI hope you took the time to read as mush as you could; I realise it was a lot of information but please leave me a comment with your suggestion for END GAME. I know this thread was mostly an Analysis and less of a suggestion but that's because it as much about what you think of "End Game" should be; as it is what I think. I do however have a more broad suggestion; of an absolute "End Game" which would be more enduring and provide more player interactions than the standard cycle of game-play you've come to expect from the DayZ Mod. Link to other suggestion: http://dayzmod.com/forum/index.php?/topic/145644-ultimateend-game/

END GAME If you're reading this, it's likely you might have read my other post about "End Game" were I discussed and analysed the current state of "End Game" in DayZ. If you haven't here's a link: http://dayzmod.com/forum/index.php?/topic/145645-end-game/ Main Proposal: If you have read all or most of what I wrote it's likely you clicked a linking bringing you here; in-which case you will have read one of my suggestions. That above the northern most part of Chernarus; I think the developers should add a portion which is entirely procedurally generated. This would serve as a place; that would be completely different every time the data base was reset for an individual server. The point of this being it would create a new experience each time it was reset and stop DayZ from becoming stagnant; were everyone knows of the best places to loot and find and hide camps or vehicles. So what's the point of a procedurally generated or "PG zone" part of the map other than just to keep game-play fresh? This procedurally generated concept was the first part in a much more grand goal for "End Game" content in DayZ. Well if the PG Zone was it's own instance; it would allow you to do things just not possible or things in gaming that might be considered sin or heresy. The part about sin and heresy is probably gonna rub some people up the wrong way but remember it provides an out-let for other pieces of "End Game" content not possible in the rest of the game..plus you could always stick to vanilla DayZ and leave it alone but I think you'd really be missing out. Description Lets describe the PG Zone: The PG Zone would be mostly barren; mostly made up of tree's, mountains, wildlife, maybe a log cabin or two, oh and of course wondering Zombies. The reasoning for this will become more apparent later. Possibilities that come with instancing: If the PG Zone were to be in it's own instance; the server no-long has to run all of the systems used in standard DayZ or render all of the towns and cities in the map. So this then leave you with a larger allocation of computing power in-which to do other things. Possible with instancing What things; might you ask: Well Rockets previously stated that building above ground bases in standard map might just not be viable; as well as some technical constraints it may put on other parts of the game, even with 200+ kilometer squared there will eventually not be enough space to build bases and the one's that do exist will be well known and easy to find. Now Rocket has proposed a solution which also involves instancing but in his solution bases would exist underground away from the majority of players. Which I might add is still possible even with my suggestion; the difference being with my suggestion of an instance multiple players could set up above ground bases with limited performance hits and more space to expand. The Ultiamte End Game The bit about sin and heresy Taking things that would be wrong for Chernarus but that are right for a separate instance: This is the Ultimate END GAME were only the biggest most hardcore team focused groups can survive. If you've read one of my previous posts you might have came across this before and I think rightly so most people hated it. Though by making that post, it exposed the weaknesses of my suggestion; which are remedied with the choice of of being able to enter or leave an instance. That suggestion being as oppose to perma-death; I suggest perma-life. Oh no not this again What is perma-life: Essentially it means your character exists in the world; even when your away from it. This being in the form of a sleeping bag, tent whatever the developers use to represent you sleeping. Oh an you can be killed. Criticism: I understand not everyone can play a game 24/7; in fact i know of no-one who can. But of course this is the point; which is exactly why I said most hardcore groups. This is precisely why I refer to it as the Ultimate END GAME because if your groups fails, it really is game over; so this represents the ultimate challenge for any well organised team. The Challenge The ability to travel to this place and set up base camp comes with it's own benefits and risks: What's stopping you from leaving base and logging off back in the the Chernarus instance; well nothing. Except unlike Origins: bases will not be impervious to all but any attacks excluding when you've left your front door open. Of course maybe there'd be a requirement to gain entry to a fortified base; like maybe some types of tools but the base wouldn't be completely safe and it'd need a team big enough to maintain it. Plus if you leave the base back to southern Chernarus; part of the design of the PG Zone would cause you to lose all information you have about the lay of the land, in the barren mountainous regions of Chernarus. This means someone on your team needs to volunteer to stay behind and sleep at the base; where they'd be vulnerable, in order to guide you back to it. Thank you if you've made it this far; please leave me a comment. An please don't dismiss all of my suggestions just because of the perma-life stuff. Because by having a place to set up camp above ground, that's new after every data base reset; would be a leap in the design of DayZ. So please don't dismiss it out of hand.