joikd

Well, I decided to be reckless yesterday, and went northeast yelling at a player in a tractor to stop, and tearing up zeds with my Mk 48 instead of sneaking around. I never could catch up with the tractor, but the zed massacre was very satisfying!!! I ended up at the northeast airfield, and was sniped while I was in the tower--good shot to you. So, there goes my 129 day old character (didn't play for some of that time). I never found a friggin' tent all that time! Anyway, any of you server regulars feel like running with a partner? It would be cool to get a group together. However you want to roll is fine by me--sneak, go loud, tactical, reckless, bandit, hero, etc. I've just have enough of the whole loner thing. I usually play in the afternoon/evenings during the week, and during the day on the weekends (all PST).

Some of you may have noticed that I changed the time one hour. The time changed for me in California and I wanted to get that hour of daylight back in the afternoon in-game. Sorry to you morning players--more darkness for you.

I gave the server another restart. Did you happen to have a saved vehicle that disappeared? Let me know if it is fixed. If not, maybe some people are hoarding--have to find their camps.

Glad you like it, Spiff! Worsin, my understanding is that Ultra AI does nothing for DayZ.

I don't even know!. I'm in the middle of switching out components and doing a re-install.

Yeah. Overkill, I know. :) But, I wanted something that would last a while since switching out components isn't really cost effective with a colo setup. Part of the reason for the RAMdrive was to increase the lifespan of the SSD. Fun? Not really. I just want control. Using a host was definitely not fun, though. I will never do that again. The fun will begin if I go to a private hive.

Well, that sure didn't take long. Damn server has only been up one day. Any items that are not legit DayZ items need to be "lost" by legit players. For your protection--don't even pick them up at all (tough if they're in a pack, I know).

My server will not load with the edited difficulties in the cfgdayz.ArmA2OAProfile. Can someone explain to me the mess that is the cfgdayzDEFAULT server file that we download? It has multiple duplicate files and folders like four deep. If you follow the "welcome" e-mail exactly, there is no arma2.cfg or server.cfg files in the location specified. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Well, I have been at this for hours with no luck. After setting up DayZ multiple times per the DayZ e-mail, I have yet to actually successfully run one of the aram exe files. Using a batch file to start the server results in a quick command prompt open and close--it is completely blank. Adding "pause" to the batch file showed no errors--it shows the bat parameters, pause, then closes when I hit a key. Directly double clicking on any of the arma executables does nothing. With the Task Manager open on Processes, when any of the above is tried, arma never shows up at all. I have an exact back-up of the ArmA2OA folder at home, and double-clicking on any of the arma executables does something. This leads me to believe it is an RDP issue. The server only has one account, Administrator, which is what I am using. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Dawned on me to check the event viewer. It showed an app error. Google revealed that directx needed to be updated. Guess the error doesn't appear over RDP. After updating directx all is well. Lesson learned.

I've posted my idea before, but I am going to post it again in this standalone thread since I think it is such a huge game changer. It deals with something that seems to bother nobody else but me --magic, invisible leprechauns that go around and re-spawn loot and zombies before your very eyes over and over and over and over. How does this not bother everyone else? The only thing I would prioritize above this idea is hacking/exploit fixes. Let me begin by saying that I love DayZ, and am very thankful for this mod. My goal with this post is to propose a couple of ideas that I think would dramatically change DayZ for the better (much more authentic) without trying force (punish/reward) anyone/anything artificially. The ideas simply change the environment to a more authentic one given the zombie/survival apocalypse that is the setting for DayZ. Loot--current system: 1. Spawns only in structures (authentic only if zero re-spawns occur) 2. Spawns in the same exact locations (authentic only if zero re-spawns occur) 3. Spawns an unlimited number of times (completely ruins the authentic scarcity of resources that would be present in this situation--combined with #1 & #2, players can actually thrive instead of struggling to survive) The real culprit of the inauthenticity with loot in the current system is the unlimited re-spawning. But, just removing #3 would not work in the current system since there are not permanent players for each server (server loot must sustain much more than the 25, 30, 50, etc. number of players that the server allows simultaneously). Even if each server did have a permanent set of players, removing #3 completely would make for a setting where, eventually, all players would be reduced to crossbows, canteens, map, compass, matches, etc. (all of the unlimited items) since the initial loot piles would not be re-spawned. While this may be an authentic scenario, I do not think that this is Rocket is trying to accomplish. Reducing loot spawns, while creating a more playable scenario than removing them altogether, still leaves that inauthentic feel of magically reappearing loot in places that have already been completely scavenged--no authentic explanation of these re-spawns can be made. So, if #3 is necessary, how can the loot system be made more authentic while keeping #3? The answer is removing all structure spawning, and replacing it with air drops (maybe have structures continue to infrequently spawn a non-weapon item (can of beans, etc.). The authentic basis for this idea comes from a man who describes his experiences during the Yugoslav Wars of the 1990's when the Balkan city where he lived was surrounded and cut-off for a year (google "Selco" & "Balkan"). He credits US air drops with saving his life. Add zombies to Selco's experience, and you have something very close to DayZ. The aircraft making the drops in DayZ could originate from the regions to the north and west (south and east is ocean) of Chernarus, and either be random (time and location), somehow authentically influenced by players, or a combination of both. The aircraft would then fly across the map to its drop zone, make the drop, and fly back across, and off of the map. These air drops would create all kinds of interesting (and authentic) scenarios. Players desperate for supplies may rush recklessly to the drop zone to grab what they can before zombies and/or bandits arrive. A large, well-supplied group might secure the drop zone to try to take everything for themselves, and engage anything that comes near. A group with a functioning Huey could become extremely powerful, since they could use radar to locate incoming aircraft, and quickly travel to drop zones all over the map (not to mention its weapons). Who is making these air drops? It could be the same group that failed in its military missions (crashed choppers). The variety of weapons/ammo/supplies that are dropped is explained by the fact that this group is just scavenging, stealing, etc. whatever it can find to include in the air drops. Zombies--current system: 4. Spawn and remain (unless giving chase) only around structures (unauthentic--zero zombie threat in the wilderness (opposite of what one would expect)) 5. Re-spawn an unlimited amount of times (combined with #4 makes for a completely unauthentic experience--even if all 50 players banded together, they cannot keep a small town clear since the zombies just keep re-spawning forever right in front of their eyes) Just like loot, it is the re-spawning that makes the current zombie system unauthentic. And, just like loot, partially or completely removing zombie re-spawns still leaves a feeling of inauthenticity (either zombies still magically re-spawn by structures even if it has been cleared, or no zombies ever threaten a cleared area again). Again, we need an authentic solution that allows re-spawning (zombies this time). The answer is moving all zombie spawns/re-spawns to the north and west edges of the map, and have the zombies migrate in packs to the south and east across the map. The packs would change their migration path if it sees/hears players, aircraft, and/or vehicles (sprint toward any of these). If the ArmA engine could view these packs as a single unit (unless they are being viewed by a player--similar to the current system), then the packs could be large (25 packs with 40 zombies each = 1000 total zombies). The combination of both the loot and zombie ideas would also give an authentic risk/reward system regarding player location. The further north/west a player is located, the earlier the player can spot an aircraft on its way to making an air drop, which is a big advantage (reward). But, the threat of zombies is also increased the further north/west a player is located (risk). Conversely, the further south and east a player is located, the less chance they have of seeing/hearing an aircraft, but the less chance they have of facing zombies (zombies killed off as they migrate south and east).

Here's my issue with night: DayZ is about survival. So, unless I have NVG's, it would be a huge detriment to my survival to move around at night when there are zeds and, especially, other players that can, potentially, see me from a huge distance when I can't see them. Therefore, playing at night without NVG's is simply not in the spirit of DayZ, which is to survive. Playing on a server that is nearly empty is also not in the spirit of DayZ, so that rules out that argument. Since I have no NVG's I "sleep" at night in a safe place and wait for daylight to move around. Now if Rocket comes out and says that survival is not the goal...

********************IMPORTANT UPDATE for 7/31/12******************** Well, guys and gals, I have some bad news. I am shutting US 602 down permanently on 7/31/12. I apologize to those of you that have tents setup right now, and also to those of you who have spent time repairing vehicles. There have just been too many problems with HFB (slow updates, screwed up settings, etc.), and this has been causing me much frustration as an admin and a player. I know that you other players have felt this as well. The cheap price that attracted me in the first place is just not worth the frustration. I only get an hour or two each day to play, and I want it to be the best that it can possibly be. Here's the good news: I am in the process of setting up my own server using my own hardware specifically chosen for DayZ, and using a colocation service (same as a dedicated server except it is my hardware that I send in). The server will use an SSD, 3570k CPU, and have 32GB of RAM. ArmA & DayZ will be on a RAMdrive. The server will also be on a dedicated 10mbps connection (not a shared connection like most other servers). Massive overkill for just one one DayZ server (there will not be multiple instances--just one)? Probably. But, at least I, and everyone who plays, will know that the server hardware is not causing any kind of lag/FPS issues. And, it will be nice to be able to update the server to new ArmA & DayZ patches right when they are released instead of waiting for days. Once the server is set up and running, I will make a thread. Feel free to continue playing on US 602 through 7/31 (I will continue updating it to the end), but do not setup any tents since you will just be losing them. Also, if you have any tents already setup, remember to get you stuff out by 7/31 (big-time sorry for your tent loss). joikd Survivors, bandits, loners, & clans--you are all welcome on US 602!!! DayZ is a brutal survival challenge. In the spirit of DayZ, US 602 does everything possible to keep it brutal. So, all of the difficulty settings are set to "off". Have confidence in making US 602 your home server. Pitch your tents & repair your vehicles--US 602 is not going anywhere. Two of us check US 602 on a regular basis (even at work), and give a 5 minute countdown if it needs to be shut down. US 602 will always be updated to the latest DayZ and ArmA patches ASAP along with the in-game host name to let you know it has been updated. Feel free to post any questions, issues, comments, etc. in this thread, or shoot me a PM. Server Name: US 602 Location: Los Angeles, CA Time Zone: GMT-7 Slots: 50 Contact: Myself on here 3rdPersonView = 0; armor = 0; autoAim = 0; autoGuideAT = 0; autoSpot = 0; cameraShake = 1; clockIndicator = 0; deathMessages = 0; enemyTag = 0; friendlyTag = 0; hud = 0; hudGroupInfo = 0; hudPerm = 0; hudWp = 0; hudWpPerm = 0; map = 0; netStats = 1; tracers = 0; ultraAI = 0; unlimitedSaves = 0; vonId = 0; weaponCursor = 0;

See OP post for news regarding the server shutting down permanently.

Server is back-up with HARDCORE difficulty settings again!!! Sorry for the delay.

Yes. Otherwise, if you don't stop it, it won't save (even gives an error message).

Saw your suggestion in the other thread--did not work for me. Everything is still enabled.

Recruit mode did not work for me. Everything is still enabled in-game even though it is disabled in the control panel.

Anyone figure out the difficulty settings issue in the control panel? First, they weren't sticking. Now they stick, but have no effect in-game (everything is enabled). A thread was started in the HFB forum last night, but their forum has disappeared.

Sorry guys. It's an HFB thing. When they yanked our ability to directly edit files, they put in place a system that, obviously, is not working. First, settings would not save. Then, they would save, but have no effect. There was discussion in their forum about it, but now their forum is MIA. I opened a ticket with "high" priority this morning. As it stands now, I won't be playing on it until things are fixed. I'll post back here as soon as things are back to HARDCORE!!!

I get that (my server is through HFB). But, HFB says that they had no choice--the folks at DayZ demanded it. So, if that is the case, it should be demanded of everyone, right? Or, are HFB server renters more likely to cheat than someone else?

Is this clamping down only affecting people who rent servers from the bigger hosting companies, or every last server? If there are going to be rules, then they should apply to everybody, or not exist.

Thanks for the info. about netstats. In my research I found nothing about it. If all it does is allow the server ID to be known, I will change it.

Wow! Thank you for this. Hopefully, one day I can refer to this. The DMR is my dream weapon--have never found one even after tons of trips to the barracks. To the DayZ gods--hear my prayer--I would gladly give up my FAL and 8 mags for a DMR. I have actually been carrying around 10 DMR mags in my backpack for the last couple of weeks in the hopes of finding one.

Very sorry to see you go. Your servers were actually my first taste of playing with expert settings, which inspired me to get my own "hardcore" server (was LA 5--now US 602). Maybe things will be different down the road, and you will feel like coming back. Take care.