S3V3N

I have to say - this community is the best! I know I have frequent fits o' rage when I get a one line reply that involves "Call of Duty" to something I have been thinking and writing about for hours. Yet, there is another side to the medal. People who do reply sincerely show their love for the game with every post they make! And I'm really trying to understand other positions and re-judge my own. We bang heads, because we are having difficulties accepting change that may make things worse, not better. We argue on extreme positions, because of the freedom Dayz grants the players. We are trying to survive on these forums just like in the game and the famous "one-line-replies" are like a headshot from in-game item farmers. They come surprising, but not unexpected. Keep up the headbanging, we will reach common ground or die trying !

I see. I knew you were just hiding your true genius and waiting to be provoked :) I'm sure, if you actually made the effort you could come up with some better ideas than me. The problem with you is just that you are afraid to try, because it may turn out someone comes along and smart asses you, like you did me. Do yourself a favor and try. Life will get better and the self-loathing will stop. We both love the game, we can argue all day who loves it more: the guy who dismisses all ideas and conserves his time. Or the guy who has a lot of stupid ideas and tries to learn from being stupid at the onset. Ask that your Rabbi the next time you meet. Shalom.

Please add items you think will surive the apocalypse and be needed. Explain how they will be used. You can criticise, but also try to add something constructive to the thread, too. If you don't know any items from the top of your head, try to think about items you would want removed/replaced.

See? They only have one purpose ;) We need items with real purpose and creative ways to use.

Yes, I really don't like teachers, because most of them sucked. I do have three university diplomas and speak four languages, if that makes you feel more comfy among us intellectuals ^^ It doesn't matter. I think the common understanding is that there have to be tools to make that story, whether is is a kind of endgame scenario (which I thought about and dismissed, because it creates an actual final goal to the game), or if it is only about communications and interaction in general. The fragfest must stop, the farming must end. It is very well possible that there will be factions emerging from within the game, but they will go through a lot or external processes and getting organized on teamspeak, etc. before they can actually take action. That's what I don't like, because it seems to me there are easy ways to fix that. blackboards, graffiti, a piece of paper in the bank and numbered lockers at the hotel - all of that can be used to leave a message. None of it seems difficult to create. Running around and looking for better loot doesn't cut it for me, on the long run. The exploration of the map is over after 1-2 weeks and then you are left with what? I still haven't found out. My game is the same like it was 2 days ago. I evade other players and find nothing new of interest. You may be right about one thing - items can create factions, we don't need factions to be build in, but it will still mean a butthurt of pain to the people, who are actually organizing them. I wanted something a little bit more accessible, but I guess it will all have to happen on external forums. If we want items to create factions there has to be a moral system like in real life. If that means the players ingame will have to go crazy or develop unhealthy addictions to cope with countless murders they committed, idk. But something needs to be in place to make sure the players can develop a post-apocalyptic society with different shades of grey and not only bandits and civilians. Since items will create factions, I suggest placing more items that make sense and removing some of the ones that are least popular. The problem is surely that one item takes the same amount of ram as do 50 of the same items, but when you keep adding more and more it will slow things down to extremes. So there has to be a finite number of items. Those should make development of more varied stories possible.

Ah, someone who walks into the right direction :) That's weird, I never find the M4, only the stupid m16. Be prepared for some PvP when you are up in the area. At chopper wrecks please be more careful than I was ;)

Sandy, you're funny.You just argue against anything I have to say, right? Now you are even pro AI, lol. Change your mind often? No, i have not seen or ever heard of Zeus mod, but if you have any idea of game design you will know that the AI is always one of the biggest problems. The true question is does Dayz need more AI, not if it is possible to make it slightly better. AI will always suck, unless it is a zombie or flies a plane. If Rocket and the developers of this game thought it would be enough to hand you guns and beans, they would surely have stopped thinking about further developments half a year ago. Believe it or not, but I am learning with every mistake I make, and I admit I made quite a few in judgement of the game. I still have to play more, since I'm only one week old, in total. However, my mind and imagination is wildly at work and I will never dismiss an idea, until it is utterly destroyed and made pointless by a number of valid arguments. I like to hear both sides of an argument, but so far, I have seen zero thought going into discussion from players like you and all those "you just want another COD" babies. I'd like you to make better suggestions than to say "leave everything as it is" and rain shit on everyone, who actually does care about the future of the game. It is in Alpha and due to change. Whatever it is you care about now, will most likely not make up the entire experience when the game goes gold. Be prepared for change, whether you like it or not.

actually, forget it... there simply won't be more NPCs. If you ever played Arma II you know the AI feels quite mechanic. It fits well with zombies, which is why DayZ is so good. What is not so good about it is the lack of discussion for new features. Game Developers must love this situation. They spawn a few items and everyone says: go make your own game. It's like giving scissors to babies and telling them to run.

I have no idea how to make multiple attachments with this uploader, so I have to make a new post. (<<Edit>> okay I got it now, will use it better in the future) Here is a doodle I made in the evening. I call this "A good day to die" Just as any other. At least he dies in honor - or maybe he can get away? Who knows, maybe if the server crashes ;)

Okay, I guess I said what I wanted to. Here is a pretty picture for everyone: http://dayzmod.com/f...t&attach_id=881 http://dayzmod.com/f...d/page__st__120 (and no, Faction items would only be accessible to the factions, until that particular mission ends; then they become common map items and can be stolen, etc. So other players would see the wrecked convoy but perform no actions there. Factions don't have to play the missions, they can also just use the organisation and suborganisation they provide. However, missions function as tools to make new stories with them and their items.) Let's just wait and see what the team comes up with and how well it works.

I felt in the mood to paint something, since otherwise I would just hang around in Beresino ;) Long live the graphics tablet ^^

Scripted events is something entirely different from what I suggested. I tried to point out that these missions (that are tied in with factions) are merely starting points that make the entire sandbox situation more open to development. They provide the priming for further development. To call them scripted events is the same like calling the zombies and guns that spawn scripted events. In fact, everything in a game is a scripted event, so it makes no sense. In the mission I described is one scripted event - the airdrop, but those would be really rare and a milestone for your group. You don't level up, you don't get more blood, you simply add another point of interest to the map that wasn't there before (the military base). I should have written an example mission for any of the other factions instead, but you probably would have still insist they are scripted. What you do is block all and any further development of the mod, because you are content with the scripted events that are currently in it. The real stories develop after theses missions, because every faction has their own agenda - and there are still the free agents who add a wildcard to the game. Also, I didn't know about Rocket's suggestion and suggested basically the same thing in another thread, namely to give players who want to trade the option to wear a safety vest and be recognizable to other players, who want to trade. That suggestion is not far from coloured armbands, but it won't work, as was proven in the thread. Think for yourself, don't let Rocket do all the work, he can work with our suggestions and we have to give him a little help here. What I say over and over is that these factons are free for people to join, but there is no imminent need to join a faction or change your current organisation (external servers, skype, etc). HOWEVER, in my suggestion there IS the option not to use external factors. Somebody who isn't in a faction is more likely to get hunted, but this may keep the free agents from shooting everyone and caring more about their own survival. If you can't see far enough in the future, you don't recognize there will be some far overpowered players+groups (which is already starting to show). That is, because the game currently only rewards bandit gameplay. You could say it is scripted to support bandits. What EVERYONE fails to see is that introducing Factions and Season Servers will make the game HARDER and not easier. It will make survival much more difficult for those who want to organise themselves out of the factions. At the same time the factions have their own agenda and will mostly leave smaller player groups alone, because they don't bother about petty criminals, given the situation they are in. If you still don't get it, IDK. Maybe I will have to make a drawing...

I am not sure if there is a topic for this yet. It's more or a request, rly. I'd really like to know who killed me! Maybe it is a deliberate move not to show it, since you wouldn't know in real life, but then again there isn't anywhere near that much killiing in RL ;) So I would like to see who killed me, because a) I would remember, and B) I would be faster next time and know who to look out for.

What we have at the moment is organized as if we were playing Counter Strike - all are external solutions that require servers and lots of people who have too much time, or are simply very dedicated. It's not revolutionary or novel, like the rest of DayZ. What I suggest is a solution that works entirely ingame and is not a makeshift solution. It is persistent, and doesn't rely on external servers/forums/Skype. DayZ is a world after a zombie apocalypse. It strives for realism - why then would I want to go out of the game and join some external forum? It breaks the fourth wall and is totally superfluent when there can be mechanisms that are truly native to the game and build into it.

How come Six Launcher doesn't patch it? Will that happen when the servers run it, or how does it work? Sry, it's the first time I update with it :)

This reply shows you are a teacher, not a writer. Teachers know how to repeat things, writers invent them. You will never find true story developing out of thin air with the current DayZ setting. The reason why nothing is created in game (only destroyed), is because there is abolutely no incense in doing so. You don't benefit from trying to organize anything, you benefit only from PvP and organizing bigger looting raids. If anything, the only part of the game that is developed at the moment is bandit gameplay. Everything weighs heavily towards it, and that is what I am trying to counteract with factions and the season server idea you had.

Yes, and in real life nobody would kill me for no reason and without any hesitation. That is the reason why I would like to know. Though it is more out of curiosity, I guess. However, if a player just lives by farming (which is exactly what you describe), then others could form a group and start hunting him together.

Yes govno, but the military also has a command structure and deserters are shot and hunted. That takes one division by itself. It would be enough to raise the bar to make sure that only the most experienced players get to join the high tier factions, such as military (e.g. military equipment, 500+ zombie kills + 50 days survived); also there isn't only the military, but it will be the only faction that receives new items through air drops. It may also be possible that air support ends after a maturation period (they will be very rare anyway). Let's see how the military can hold up then and which other faction may take the upper hand and by which moral standards they will win. I'd really like to give the civilians more power, as in unique ways to track and direct zombies to use them against their enemies. That would only work by unque research trees (e.g. learn to create zombie bait), which is something that doesn't fit with Dayz. I think my original idea has to be modded towards player with skills such as "mechanic" or "medic" applying for military positions after they have proven their worth in the other factions. This is a WIP thread and missions and ideas are subject to change. You must try and see the mission I described as something as priming for future story. Everything can be stolen, ambushed and will be in flux. If you want stability you will have to work for it. If you want to roam around freely for only an hour a day, stay out of factions. The whole point of my suggestion is to gradually introduce new and believable elements, as there are plot points and turning points introduced in stories to keep things interesting. People with creative ideas will mix up the elements and create something completely unpredictable by me or anyone, now.

Here is how a mission could start for the military. Take note that I had to use some backstory to get the events started, but every item and piece of equipment you get during the mission will be unique and won't respawn. So, if anything goes wrong, or something is lost you will have to retrieve said item(s) from whoever stole/found it. Mission: Overseer Briefing: a) "There's a military drone that was on transport to the northern airfield. When the convoy struck problems we lost contact. Investigate the area and retrieve the drone." b ) you find: All vehicles of the transport have been disabled. Look for: 1) a mechanic to help build a new transport from spare parts and the remains of the convoy. 2) alternative means of transport Bring the Drone to HQ and refuel it (with grade A, high octane fuel!). c) Access the drone's control station and find out the password. The highest ranking officer had the password and keycard on him. He and some men made it to one of our radio stations and reported in, but contact was lost in the vicinity of ... (city). Find the squad and investigate what happened to them. d) Use the control station and fly the drone to ... (area). Report your findings to HQ If you find a heavily populated zombie zone Let the current group leader make the decision to arm the drone (search for rockets) Let the current group leader make the decision to take a contingent of soldier there and clean the area additional (+) If you find bandit camps in the vicinity make them your secondary objective. e) Establish a military outpost in the cleaned area and maintain it. Find a postman and send SITREP to the civilian populace about the new base. - Mission Accomplished - Military Base benefits = permanent ammo crate + storage zombie free military zone (no zombies spawn inside), safe place for vehicle repairs/modding vehicles. Military Base downsides = area around it is attractive to zombies, civilians/bandits approaching it are shot without warning Military Base benefits from future missions = upgrades to the base + new base items Extra: Equipment to build bases is delivered by airdrop, after successfull completion. Airdrops can be raided like everything else. Extra 2: the Password and keycard are a unique item. Whoever posesses it can use the drone. It can be stolen, as can the drone. Extra 3: There is only so few fuel available as to keep the drone in the air for the duration of the mission. You will be able to distill more high octane fuel, after you have done more missions and got the equipment.

IdThe thing about goals is - they are not persistant - factions are. I rarely play on the same server and was hoping to make things easier through factions. What you might have missed is: a) there is no need for anyone to join a faction, you can do the same things alone, just not as efficient. b ) factions create goals within themselves too, so there may be uprising or splinter groups that will organize their own agendas, even though they work under the cloak of a faction for a while. It may benefit players, but that doesn't mean they cannot abuse the system. c) player of the same faction are encouraged to work together rather than shoot each other. They are free to differ, but they have less reason to than now. What I proposed is nothing more than a mechanic that keeps things flowing and allows the higher tier player to find something more than loot in the game. Factions are my tool for story development. Combined with your season servers they would also be a stable entity on every server of the same season.

Take my idea for factions into consideration and combine it with the seasoned servers. It would work very well, I think and create unqiue scenarios on the different seasons. If you are in a military faction and join a different server, you will keep your rank and report to a different group (leader), but essentially things didn't change for you. As the server progresses so does the group and your rank within it. The only problem with my ranks is that at some point everyone would be General - unless the server resets, or there is a final goal to the game. Ah, sry, this may all be a bit yadda-yadda, without knowing the faction thread I am refering too. Both ideas together work great. Claytonj - are you a writer too by any chance? thread: http://dayzmod.com/f...matter-of-time/

Running Scared - you sound like you are growing vegetables, not like your playing the same game I do (organic, etc). There is no story, there are random encounters which produce short episodes of memorable moments. Story is something that has a beginning, a peak and an ending - which is absent in dayz. I agree that there should be story driven by players, but just like supermarkets are a tool to encourage exploration, there has to be a solid ground that allows for player-driven story to develop. That is something only a professional writer can bring to the game, because every good story adheres to a couple of ground principles. There are only the foundations for story in Dayz at the moment, but it needs more tools to write truly great and epic tales. This will also make the scope of experience wider and make every experience truly unique. How it can be done? Read here: http://dayzmod.com/f...matter-of-time/

As a game designer, gamejournalist and fellow writer you should learn not to judge things on first impression; at least not Dayz.My first impressions were pretty horrible, because I encountered some hackers the first rounds I played, and I thought the game was more about trying to team up than going solo and on the hunt. It is actually very easy to lose zombies, they pose the smallest thread in the game. They reset pathfinding indoors and when they are close to bushes/trees. Also climbing across fences and changing direction repeatedly works for me. You just have to dare to lie down and become invisible again at the right moment. Those are some heartbeat seconds sometimes, when you observe if the zombie is still following you. That being said, Rocket wrote that there was a bug concerning zombie hearing and it will be fixed in the next version. Don't expect it to become easier, but at least you won't have the occasional random zombie come running at you from a mile away. You can't use the flashlight or hunting knife to attack zombies, because it would be pointless. Survive for a number of consecutive days and you will learn a lot about yourself and your attention span. I learned some things playing this game that never surface in any other game. If you daydream in Dayz you are dead. If you don't plan, you are dead or will be in a forest at night without light, map or compass. There are some really tough nuts regarding the game, but the core of it is stable and works to great extend. You can't blame it for using the Real virtuality Engine (I think that's the name). It is build with that engine and the controls are already much less clumsy then they were in Arma. Now Arma 3 is coming out and it will finally have physics and probably a much better handling. So expect that for the final product and get used to what is available now. If you had played (more) vanilla Arma II you would know exactly which buildings you can enter and which not. I can spot them from half a mile away and know what is worth looting. Also don't forget the toilet houses can be opened ^^ Melee weapons are the crowbar and the axe. I use the axe to kill animals quietly and the crowbar to break hospital windows. I don't use melee weapons, unless I have to (and I never have to, because there are plenty of guns + crossbow)

Hi, I've been wondering- wouldn't it be acceptable to turn the churches and the surrounding areas into trade zones? I often pick up so much stuff I feel sorry to throw away in a place where nobody needs it. I also often curse, because it is impossible to find certain items where I need them. I guess it's part of what makes it interesting, but it can be quite a drag. The problem with my suggestion of churches it that probably some idiot is gonna camp and gun everyone down, who is outside the safe zone. My (more complicated suggestion) would be, to turn just one or two places into base camps that are gun free zones. Those places need to be completely walled in, like military camps. You leave your gun at the entrance and then you can proceed (you cannot enter with a gun, only with ammo and gear). If you leave you get back your weapon and carry your trade items. People could offer safe trade in the area, and I figure somehow profit from the trades made. Maybe "Protectors" get the best weapons available and can snipe anyone outside the zone, who tries to kill and steal in its vicinity. That would need some refined thought to work. I think some trade would be awesome, since it would also be a meeting place. "Hey, you are going to Vybor let's meet up" ~ stuff like that, which is now extremely rare and random. I mean - face it - most people are connected via Skype and Steam, if they play in groups. A true ingame solution would make things more interesting and keep people mixing with each other. I would digg it for sure! Post your thoughts on trade and trade zones. How could they work? Are they a good idea, if not why not? I'd really like to play more with other people in the game without organizing meeting place and conference calls on Skype.

The only important thing to me would be to know how long a server has been running, before I connect. Else I might disconnect in a safe spot and reconnect one some server that drops 200 zombies on my head, in the same location.