What the Standalone needs - atmosphere (Namalsk)

[indian_crowe (DayZ) 8]

As soon as i loaded the latest map Namalsk, and listened to the sounds, i knew exactly that was what DayZ should have been in the first place. The wind pushing through the pines, giving off a haunted whistling, the cries of those perishing to the undead somewhere in the distance, all adding to the desperation that the apocalypse has brought about. The rusted, crashed and abandoned choppers on the sides of the hills. The snow, crunching beneath feet, tunnels preserved by the cold, and untouched by all but the scientists who passed away in the Namalsk campaign.

I would love to see the same things implemented into Cherno and other maps, haunting cries (the fact that it is an apocalypse sinks in better), a longer soundtrack (the Namalsk one is pretty good if they did change it?) louder wind in the pines and maybe a bit of different weather every now and then, having it snow in winter would be so good.

What would you guys like to see implemented from Namalsk into Cherno?

Edit: it would also be awesome to be able to make your guy scream or shout (ingame so its clearer), that would be fair creepy

[Welch (DayZ) 756]

I heard Namalsk was the best and most realistic.

I'm a Vanilla guy myself. I won't download the other maps because those're all about fighting and not survival, but I hear this is different.

[indian_crowe (DayZ) 8]

yep, you right. i guess its mostly about surviving the environment until you find warmer clothes or heatpacks and fires, and they are the most sought after thing, food and water following. i definitely recommend trying this one, its the closest anyone has come to giving day z a real post apocalyptic feel. really creepy.

[dustylion@gmail.com 14]

yep, you right. i guess its mostly about surviving the environment until you find warmer clothes or heatpacks and fires, and they are the most sought after thing, food and water following. i definitely recommend trying this one, its the closest anyone has come to giving day z a real post apocalyptic feel. really creepy.

I love the atmosphere except for the kid crying "help!" don't get my wrong first time I heard it was in Vorkuta and I had instant flashbacks to Metro 2033, but after hearing it like 10 times it started to get old, maybe make it much less common.

[indian_crowe (DayZ) 8]

maybe make it much less common.

i knew i recognized it from somewhere! but yeah, they need a more vast variety played only on occassions

[Mayuyu 411]

I also agree, there's an old video of an early mod for ARMA II with zamblies, the noises they make are far better than the DayZ one and it gives it a lot of atmosphere too. The zombies are creepy and it's almost sad to see humans like that. Which is good! DayZ zombies need working on.

I'm really excited to play Namalsk, I love snow and from what you've said it's very interesting, thanks!

[indian_crowe (DayZ) 8]

I also agree, there's an old video of an early mod for ARMA II with zamblies, the noises they make are far better than the DayZ one and it gives it a lot of atmosphere too. The zombies are creepy and it's almost sad to see humans like that. Which is good! DayZ zombies need working on.

wow. those zombies...why arent they used in day z....they move so much more zombie-like, and DO sound better!!! what was rocket thinking not using them?!?!

and yeah, definitely get on it mate, so worth it. really hope you enjoy! i play on US 1177 so if you jump on there you might see me :D

[hdmidone 7]

Well I wouldn't like the distant screams of torture but. I mean the wind and such would be great. Like I mean let's say you have a game night and play dayz for 5 hrs, ask yourself do you want to be listening to screams and the gargling of zombies? I personally wouldn't and I like that dayz isn't taking the game down the more horrorish way but they are focusing the game on more of the survival like aspects.

Edited October 27, 2012 by hdmidone

[indian_crowe (DayZ) 8]

dayz isn't taking the game down the more horrorish way but they are focusing the game on more of the survival like aspects.

if there were screams of survivors or randoms running from zombies or getting eaten, say every 10 minutes it would add to the survival side. because lets face it, the game is made for the player to survive the zombie apocalypse and it definitely adds to the feel of it. zombies ARE supposed to be scary though!

[Emre (DayZ) 6]

Wow, those zombies in the video are great. It's like it's a different game. Standalone version should look like that.

[starwarsfan@gmx.de 450]

zombies ARE supposed to be scary though!

I never found zombies to be particularly scary and I certainly wouldn't be running around screaming in a zombie apocalypse, that's the worst thing you could be doing.

I have to agree that the Zombies in that Video actually look good, but we're dealing with so called 'Infected' in DayZ and not the reanimated dead. But the animations of the 'infected' will be much better in the standalone, they're making completly new ones for that.

[tommes 331]

Ambient sounds should be used very very carefully!

DayZ is not supposed to be some horror flick. Sounds of crying children should only be where children are crying. That would be side chat.

The wind sound is great. Adds to the immersion an is plausible. The children not.

[terrvik 2409]

Ambient sounds should be used very very carefully!

DayZ is not supposed to be some horror flick. Sounds of crying children should only be where children are crying. That would be side chat.

The wind sound is great. Adds to the immersion an is plausible. The children not.

The one thing destroying the immersion is side chat. It has to be removed! Otherwise, the few hours I played on Namalsk was great immersion wise but that damn side chat...

[Lights Out 141]

I agree with everything that has been said. Ambient noises do set the mood but you must be careful, ambient noise that don't hold true to the game will become annoying, mundane and out of place quickly. Nature noises will work. Wind, animals (if they're actually animals in the area; animals can also make footsteps as they move around/you startle them adding to quick scares in the woods), zombies (if they're are actually zombies in the area), running water if they're streams/rivers, bird chirping, thunder, crickets at night, etc. etc.

When adding ambient noise such as screaming, you can mess it up VERY quick, actually probably mess it up immediately. We're going to get use to the sound. After hearing screams after a while and knowing it's the same thing, it's going to become annoying as well as break immersion. Even if it's a different scream, when you hear it, it only makes sense you should be able to track down the source of the sound. This is why that type of ambiance won't work. Maybe you can almost force a player scream when they are being attacked and eaten alive but that is as far as it can go and still make sense.

This game isn't exactly a horror game per say so you don't need all this horror-esque sounds. The horror aspect of this game comes more from the eerie silence. That fear stems from the tension of never feeling safe whether it be from zombies, players, not knowing if you're alone, unsure if you'll make it through the day etc. etc. The silence is what is going to make you paranoid.

Edited October 27, 2012 by Lights Out

[hawc 63]

I heard Namalsk was the best and most realistic.

I'm a Vanilla guy myself. I won't download the other maps because those're all about fighting and not survival, but I hear this is different.

Namalsk has too many military spawns, so the first thing you get is a m14 or m16acog with tons of mags.

[tommes 331]

The one thing destroying the immersion is side chat. It has to be removed! Otherwise, the few hours I played on Namalsk was great immersion wise but that damn side chat...

You can turn down VON in audi settings. Silence! :)

Namalsk has too many military spawns, so the first thing you get is a m14 or m16acog with tons of mags.

You need those to get beans!

[terrvik 2409]

You can turn down VON in audi settings. Silence! :)

Yes, I know. I mean that the ability to communicate with the whole map ruins the immersion. Seeing a guy getting killed and telling the rest of the server the position of someone and such. It's stupid and must be removed. :)

[indian_crowe (DayZ) 8]

I never found zombies to be particularly scary and I certainly wouldn't be running around screaming in a zombie apocalypse, that's the worst thing you could be doing.

pretty sure it would be freaky if you had a blood smothered, veiny infected person try to eat you. take the resident evil movies for example!

and to the screaming - nor would i. but if you were running round the woods and suddenly started hearing screaming coming from different directions i would be pretty freaked! could be used as an intimidation or warding tecnique. i dont know, jsut came to mind

[indian_crowe (DayZ) 8]

This game isn't exactly a horror game per say so you don't need all this horror-esque sounds. The horror aspect of this game comes more from the eerie silence. That fear stems from the tension of never feeling safe whether it be from zombies, players, not knowing if you're alone, unsure if you'll make it through the day etc. etc. The silence is what is going to make you paranoid.

i definitely see what your pointing at, and in hindsight it is right. but i still think it was good having a scream and a gunshot echoing through the hills. if only it happened once every half our or so, and there was a wide variety. maybe if they could make guns echo in certain places like between valleys. and screams from survivors getting eaten (they do) are louder.

[xx_fr0st-w0lf_xx 53]

I want the standalone to come with namalsk, its the only reason I play dayz.

In 5 hours of playing I had more fun on namalsk the 24 hours on chern.

Everything about the map is superior, and out of the 13 players I met today 10 didnt shoot on sight and 9 were actually friendly.

This map is superior to the others in every way not to mention you actually use the temperature.

[indian_crowe (DayZ) 8]

This map is superior to the others in every way not to mention you actually use the temperature.

definitely agree with you on that.

[BwobBwub 660]

Doesnt namalsk have creepy children noises in the background?

[indian_crowe (DayZ) 8]

Doesnt namalsk have creepy children noises in the background?

yup, that one reason i like it :D eerie