Jamz

Another thread on this? You guys are like some kind of wierd cult.

I really don't understand why you continue to compare a single game against a collection of games each time. Each game there is different and none similar to DayZ SA. You have not even mentioned the most obvious game to compare against DayZ, Skyrim. The benefit of using the Arma2 engine in the first place was that it was a military simulator, which gives a very authentic feel to the gameplay experience itself from combat to exploration which none of the other titles you mentioned can. In fact most of them have a very cartoony or arcady feel to them. I believe the Arma2 engine was picked because the guy in charge was ex army himself and wanted to get across a very specific atmosphere, one which no other game I've played does and he succeeded (I've played all the ones you've listed except Everquest Next which isnt even out yet and The Division). I really think your problem is with the type of game DayZ is rather than specifically the engine to be quite honest.

Exploring, stalking, surviving...

I'm looking forward to the FPV server option coming in, it can't happen soon enough IMO. I fully understand why people dislike a mixed view server so much and I sympathise.. I hope there are enough players to fill the FPV servers up.

This thread is certainly more amusing than the other one now, carry on :)

I've had this happen to me several times when looking for a nightime server, just switch through a few more servers and you might get it back. I assume the information gets lost somewhere but it can be found again, thats also happened to me. You have to log immediately when you spawn fresh again though I think, without playing the new guy.

No we didn't. We paid £20 for an ongoing alpha version of a game which will become a triple A game, not £40 for an unfinished Triple A game. It's actually a bargain.

This happens every time it's discussed, which is probably why most people don't bother anymore - It just becomes pointless bickering which nobody pays any attention to.

I'm guessing a lot of people in this thread never played the mod ;) if you did and followed the SA development, you'd know exactly what to expect from the SA alpha. It will consistantly improve as time goes by, at the moment it's just a foundation. If you don't like the engine then you brought the wrong game.

Personally, I'm waiting for the update when they add exploding barrels.

I think in a game with a map this size, 95% enterable buildings, Zombie AI in action alongside players etc, the graphics look incredibly atmospheric. As for destructable scenery... really? Maybe cutting down trees with an axe I guess, but fences...? None of the doors in the game can be locked so why would you want to axe your way into a building, potentially alerting nearby unfriendlies? I think some players maybe should give it time before regretting their purchase.

I gave up not aggroing them, in town if you aggro one any others close by seem to join in. I lure them to an open space and then deal with them, it's very quick and easy now (especially with an axe). I have noticed though that they are less aware at night, you can approach them from behind when crouched and I don't think they can go up stairs yet - at least they've never followed me up. You can lose them by breaking LOS but it's more difficult than it was. Basically, they are much less of a threat than in the mod, but more fun to bash!

I think I'd prefer some way of monitoring a characters progress, rather than an abilities boost. But if any improvements were so negligable that they were almost imperceptable then perhaps... but I'm still not really sure I like the idea of having a players performance increased for them over the time they are alive, it doesn't really fit the game for me.

I think it's more about your in game value to yourself, rather than to others. A way for people to want to keep their present guy (or girl) alive rather than to just say wtf and start over. A way to encourage self preservation in an environment where a single life has no real value, if you like. That human instinct to survive operates when all hope is almost gone and one faces an ultimate end - a situation a computer game could never simulate. an artificial reason to survive might be able to just enhance that degree of adrenaline fueled desperation.

Merry Christmas, survivors!

Well not quite, to suggest that the game is more interesting in FPV for instance is your opinion, completely based on your own set of preferences. To assume that your particular preferences align to any degree with everyone elses does not validate it, because this is not the case. I believe that the players choice in this matter is really a parallel point to the exploit one but also as important and as you know from the other thread I want to see it solved, just without the complete removal of TPV. I just don't see it's necessary with the introduction of FPV only servers and haven't heard any logical reasoning to the contrary.

That is your opinion, others may have the opinion that the game is more interesting in 3rd. There really is no point in trying to quantify reasons that TPV is better than FPV because people will always want to play the view they prefer, the only argument here is exploiting TPV and that can be eliminated by introducing FPV only servers so the rest of us don't have to lose the TPV option.

I think the new zombies have the potential to become a real threat to the player. Other than greater numbers, the next thing I would like to see is Roaming. They should be diffusing about the map randomly, with them perhaps being drawn more towards built up areas when they get close to them to represent any lingering subconcious memory or instinct. I'd like to feel nervous about looting a house for too long in case a zombie wandered inside without even knowing I was there.

Another one here for splitting the servers to locked first or third person. It makes the most sense to me and I don't see any drawbacks to it really, everyone will be happy perhaps? After that 100+ page FPV vs TPV 'discussion' thread months ago, I see no way of coming to a mutual agreement about TPV's removal or not...

Out of those options, I would think the time survived, accuracy and kilometers walked ones would be good starting points. Time survived would have to be only while in game, so as the SA gets more difficult to survive in it becomes meaningful. Accuracy can reflect how calm the player is under stress and adrenaline boosted situations and kilometers walked might give an idea of how active the character has been (ie not just hiding in the woods). Humanity I think will potentially be added in some form, but it has to be carefully considered to avoid exploitation.

And of course at the end of the film, it's inevitably the zombies which are the biggest threat, as always. There is no kill on sight either, the bandits raid the mall because they want it for themselves, not so they can kill any humans inside for fun. All the killing in that film has reason behind it.

You should check out Dawn Of The Dead (George Romero, 1978)

Well, the fact is that the KOS playstyle is a little unique. It self perpetuates and spreads from player to player willingly or unwillingly. It's the only playstyle that requires another player to be involved and forces them to address it. This is why it needs to be considered differently to any other. No one wants a mechanic build into the game to tell you who you can or can't shoot or how you can interact with other players, but some of us are interested in finding a reason to not KOS, a benefit to holding fire, just for a while sometimes. Something that doesn't negatively affect the KOS playstyle either - nobody wants to temper your psychotic tendancies, so you don't have to worry about that, it's not the way of DayZ :) I don't think anyone would play DayZ if they didn't like PvP, but there is a little more to the game than that. You just have to dig deeper.

Actually this is the exact issue behind KOS, the fact that it's actually a simulated survival situation and therefore a contradiction in terms. If the situation were real people would not KOS, but this can never be the way in a complete sandbox FFA PVP game, unless something is done to accomodate alternate playstyles. No one has a problem with KOS per se, but rather its effect at the moment on other playstyles.

I quite like that although its a bit implausable. It could improve over time slowly, then reset if you kill a player and it would be useful to a player trying to avoid conflict.