The number of players connected to a server should be an absolute secret (for increased paranoia)

[The number of players connected to a server should be an absolute secret (for increased paranoia)]

Sick idea. I think the servers would have to be balanced by Day Z automatically, though; ie: you "Join game" and it decides on its own what server to put you in. Maybe you can add your friend as a buddy, and opt to join whichever server he is on.

[Things that should reduce banditing]

the amount of them going around in-game is ridiculous

This is probably due in part to the duping bugs.

[Things that should reduce banditing]

The names of a player who kills another player is made known to the person killed. Players could post a bounty for the capture/killing of said bandit, with reward paid. Posters could be put on building walls, and deals struck (possible over radio or something if not face to face) etc.

This would most certainly encourage players to kill each other rather than cooperate.

I guess I picked the wrong title for this thread. It's a little misleading. A better one might be "Some things that I think would help even the balance between banditing and cooperative playing styles."

[Things that should reduce banditing]

Keep in mind, I am suggesting these changes as a bandit. I kill other players for fun.

Weapons being more rare wouldn't stop me shooting people. It would just take longer to gear up.

Agreed. The risk/reward gets even steeper for a bandit :]

So you're saying you expect to survive a .50 bullet to the chest? LOL.

The .50 caliber rifles should be taken out of the game. They are too powerful to bandits.

Thermal scopes are really hard to find.

Yes, they are hard to find. When someone has them, they have a ridiculous advantage over other players, especially if they pair it with a .50 caliber sniper rifle. Being hard to find just makes it an advantage over more players. I use it all the time, and I'm saying its way too overpowering.

[Things that should reduce banditing]

• Weapons are more rare
  
• There are no one-hit-kill sniper rifles
  
• There are no thermal scopes or thermal vision
  
• Quantified humanity level is not shown to the player, OR
  
• Quantified humanity level is shown to player as 0 when it is <= 0
  
• Number of murders and bandit kills are not shown to the player