Flashlight compatibility - Batteries, weapons, and more!

[Solitude 42]

Good evening everyone!

I know this is only my first post and I'm not gonna make a long introduction, I'll keep it short and sweet. I'm solitude, my real name is Jake.

Anyway, after playing DayZ for a while recently, I've noticed that the flashlight is both..

A) Unrealistic and infinitely-lasting.

B) Not compatible with any guns.

What I'm basically proposing here is that the flashlight (In the new DayZ standalone game) be completely reworked to work with more weapons, and function more as a flashlight really would. After all, if reality is the inspiration, you can't have a flashlight that has infinite battery life, can't be held with any weapon, and takes up both hands 100% of the time. I've summed up my suggestions into three main points, as follows.

1 - The flashlight should be a one-handed weapon, and should be weildable alongside any other secondary weapon. After all, it's not exactly a big feat to hold a gun in one hand a torch in the other. If this were applied in game, the flashlight would become much more realistic, and much, much more useful. Though some may argue it would be 'overpowered', and in a certain light it would be, however it would add to the game's realism. For example, you're trudging through the woods, it's getting dark. You use the last of your DMR ammo on a bandit you find, and just to stay cautious you make sure that you have your side arm ready. After a short time you can no longer see clearly, and decide it's flashlight time, so you pull out your handgun and flashlight in separate hands, and the ability to use a weapon and have illumination is now at your fingertips.

2 - Batteries batteries batteries! You should be able to find batteries in such places that they would be in reality, such as supermarkets, homes, hospitals, etc. By Right clicking on your flashlight and clicking 'check battery level', the remaining battery level and time would be displayed. Let's say each battery would last 4 hours, and the flashlight would contain two, so on average you should expect around 8 hours of battery life. This part isn't really up to me but that seems fair enough, as you wouldn't be using the flashlight in excess (to that extent, usually), and 8 hours in-game is a fair while longer than the average life expectancy.

3 - Light drainage - I'm not sure if the topic title makes too much sense, but what I'm suggesting is when your flashlight is under 1 hour battery (or something of the like), it would slowly begin getting darker, flickering and jamming (semi-dying) until the batteries are out of energy. As an example the indie horror game Slender (now Slender: The Eight Pages) uses such effects to add to the fear factor, it would be a great addition to DayZ.

Anyway, I'm going with my better judgement and leave this one to democracy, please voice your opinion in the poll and let me know what your thoughts are on this topic! I personally think it would just improve DayZ ever so slightly, and many small updates like this would help the dev team perfect DayZ.

Thanks!

Edited October 27, 2012 by Solitude

[boneboys 7988]

Nice post and thanks for taking the time to think about things that might improve the DayZ experiment.

Personally I want the flashlight to be a melee weapon !

Just to let you know that most suggestions have been suggested many times in the past.

http://dayzmod.com/forum/index.php?/topic/20404-combining-flashlights-with-weapons/#entry204414

http://dayzmod.com/forum/index.php?/topic/20072-batteries-for-nvgs-thermal-nvg-optics-flashlights-etc/#entry200491

[morgan32 403]

This is a great suggestion and should definitely be looked into.

[Dr.Duff 211]

I like the idea of batteries, these should be implemented for NVGs and Range Finders, also I think we should be able to combine the military flashlight with primaires, like the Remi' 870 for example.

[morgan32 403]

Holding both a flashlight and a secondary weapon should lover the accuracy a little.

[Solitude 42]

I think we should be able to combine the military flashlight with primaires, like the Remi' 870 for example.

I agree! It could be that you could find 'duct tape' or something of the like and use it to tape the Military Flashlight to the weapon. That would be epic!

[dragonkatol 135]

Yeah, this would be very helpful in night-time lovers like me. It would add so much depth to night time. I imagine myself hiding from a horde when suddenly my lights flickered, I'll ask myself if i should i run while i still have a light or conserve the battery and throw a flare while i wait for the safest time to gtfo. i love the idea everything about it. Beans for you!

[morgan32 403]

Should either remove NVGs, make them really rare, make them use a lot of battery or make them less effective, would make night-time a blast with flashlights.

[Solitude 42]

Should either remove NVGs, make them really rare, make them use a lot of battery or make them less effective, would make night-time a blast with flashlights.

I'd go with using up a heap of battery. While I'm no expert I'd say it's a decent gamble to say that a pair of NVG's would chew through 2 D-size batteries in under 3 hours.