Jamz

All I know is that since I started only using Gameservers hives, I've not had a character wipe. That's for two weeks, with 6+ wipes before that with random server joining...

I think this is what I was getting at with my post on page 7. I'd imagine that the problem, if you limit the camera's travel, could be making sure the camera view was useable at all times (I had some fun moments with the views on the first Resident Evil games where I was in such a position that the camera would only let me see my legs and part of a wall etc).

To be fair there are good arguments for and against both views, and a lot of posts from many different posters covering them in this thread and others. The only real issue here is how to remove the 'exploit' from third, if possible. Players do not have to justify their choice of view.

:thumbsup: I'd rather pick a worn olive raincoat than a pristine yellow raincoat.

I've been keeping up with this thread and it seems that the majority think the Fourth Wall type of fix is the way to go, so I hope that is considered. I think perhaps in the mean time pulling the third person camera in closer to the head as far as it can go without becoming a problem could be a good intrim measure. I'm not sure how easy that would be to impliment but I'm guessing it could be patched in quite easily. Regarding the balancing of the pve part of the game between the views, I don't think that's really something that should be considered at this early stage. Potentially it could lead to a slightly easier gearing up experience, but as that doesn't affect other players I don't see a problem.

You could make it so that first person is forced when wearing any mask/goggles. The option to remove them and go back to third would be there still and it might even encourage people to only use the items when necessary (ie. permenantly wearing a gas mask, despite no threat of gas, just for looks). This would not be applicable for half mask items such as medical respirators which would remain in third. I would be happy with that and perhaps people who have trouble with FPV from sickness would tolerate its temporary nature, also if people really wanted to see their masks in TPV perhaps they could be slung around the neck when not worn. To be honest, I think I'd like to see switching between the two views encouraged a bit more.

I think a military simulator engine is the best for the degree of realism it lends to the game, in terms of environment. The things which seem not to fit at the moment (zombie behaviour, melee combat etc) are simply clunky as they have never really been done like this in a military sim engine before, but I have faith they will work out... other engines could handle the size, but not make it feel so real.

It could easily be ported onto the new generation of console and would look quite good (the pc I'm playing it on at the moment is less powerful and it runs 20-25 FPS on good settings, that's without console optimisation) but the big problem would be controls/functions. It would have to be very simplified I would imagine and lose something in transition.. the other problem is would console players want to play it and if they did how would it be? I don't think they would like the repetitive restarting and realistic feel of the game (I would imagine it would be FPV only for console) and it would turn 100% KOS very quickly. It wouldn't be possible to cross-platform imo.

It used to happen in the mod but they fixed it (pretty much) so have faith. I periodically lose mine, on my sixth now with only one of them actually killed and all of them bar the one killed had full kit, M4/Mosin,pistol,hunter backpack etc etc. You get used to it and as in the mod, the best part is starting from scratch.

Ideally I'd like both public hive and private servers. I hate server hopping and ghosting, but love having one persistant character who can change servers at will. A couple of benefits of the public hive are: Trading/medics - Within the hive players can request medic help to the server they are in trouble, on or meet with other players to trade in game items - even setting up trading posts on specific servers as in the mod. Events - There have been times in the past when events have been scheduled on specific servers and anyone was invited, even attempts to lock down and make safe areas of the map for a period of time. This sort of thing can only really work with the hive as servers have limited spaces and everyone who wanted to participate would have to start as a Bambi. The primary benefit for the hive I think is being able to meet up with people (or ruin peoples' day), it makes it as if we are all potentially on the same map.

When you get to 'healthy', it's relatively easy to stay there too with regular eating and drinking, I'm finding.

This and cost are the reasons I opted for a hybrid.

I'll be putting DayZ on a SSD hybrid drive this week, I wonder if this will have any effect on the smoothness of how it runs? Think I'll check my settings too after reading this thread..

Actually, he may have a point as some players pick the black character as his natural skin tone makes it more difficult to see him. Ideal for those wanting to KOS. Assuming he's not being racist, that is.

Well, the PS4 would be more than capable of running DayZ SA from its specs and judging from the fact that Planetside 2, War Thunder and Elder Scrolls Online are all planned for it, obviously the scale of Chernarus would not be an issue.

I would expect the SA to make it to consoles, but you would have to rebuy it as it would be a slightly different version.

Players will always be the biggest threat, in any game including pvp, because that's who it is aimed at. Zombies will become a much bigger threat as the alpha develops but not as much as the players - to a degree you can reduce the player threat by KOS but then the game could become less fun.

This is how I play, I find it interesting that the player has no idea they are being watched. Occasionally they seem to look around as if to spot me, maybe they can feel I'm out there but the thrill is not being detected. I never kill or harm them but it would be so easy.

Ah yes I thought I'd seen that before - I so rarely got NVG's in the mod that it had slipped my mind lol. Something like that though, maybe with an effect on hearing too for the gas masks ie you can hear a constant muffled breathing, perhaps the screen can fog up a little during exertion. What do you think?

I don't think you can really compare DayZ with WoT, but I know what you're saying here (I have over 12k battles in WoT myself). I would argue that 3rd person in WoT is there to make driving the tank easier and using the turret at the same time a playable function for combat, whereas in DayZ it's not just about combat but also a whole host of other actions/situations some of which benefit from the view. It's worth trying to save IMO.

I think this would be even more difficult than the periscope problem. Maybe combining a legit third person fix like the fourth wall and then perhaps reducing the FOV around the character, hazing the view in TPV too to simulate the dirty visor effect (I work in a lab IRL and experience this regularly through goggles and other headgear). Not sure exactly how the end result would appear though.

I think that's because it's supposed to be a police station and the top floor is the armoury. I've found M4's and parts in there before also, found a Mosin in there yesterday.

I'm beginning to think that splitting the hives will be the only option which is acceptable. But... I had thought about the possibility of another TPV mod which may help. I imagined a tighter view from the cam, maybe a couple of feet back from the right shoulder and eye level. Now the important part would be that the cam positioning would be locked in such a way in which it could not be exploited. Imagine an invisible 'box' behind the character where the camera is free to move about, but when the camera gets to a position where the characters eyes themselves cannot see (the edge of the box) it goes no further. For instance, if the player looked down so the camera would rise above eye level, it stops rising and as it hits the edge of the box it starts to pan down, looking at the the characters back and on to its feet (looking up is unaffected). If he looks right, the cam only moves out as far as his head is rather than swing out. The characters head itelf may have to fade from some angles as not to block the view. I think if something like this could be developed, it may reduce or even eliminate any exploitation of the cam itself. The trick would be making the whole thing seem natural I suppose.

I think it would be good for players to be able to create lean-to's in forests, which function as tents. The player would need an axe and some rope (or similar) to create it, and if found it could easily be destroyed.

Things will change in time. At the moment Chernarus is simply a gladiatorial arena with a few zombies chucked in for testing purposes. As the game continues to be patched and developed it will also be fleshed out and there will be more to it. As it is now, survival is simply way too easy but this will change and people will have to concentrate a bit more on just living in the environment, they will have less time to hunt players. When vehicles are implemented I suspect coastal survival on high pop servers to improve.