DayZ standalone suggestion: No escape from night. No time shifting and serverhopping. Permanent time offset.

[DZR_Mikhail 2424]

This feature is a part of a collection of features about "How to make DayZ harder"

The problem

Nothin actually to explain, the problem is foolishly simple:

• Night time is one of the hugest part in survival. Day and night survival is totally different.
  
• We can escape night by serverhopping
  
• Together with ability to easily escape identification and responsibility this "changing night to day cheat" practically cuts DayZ survival half of the size it must be.
  

Solution is obvious and pretty simple and effective.

Let's imagine it only on hardcore server difficulties Rocket mentioned (characters cannot hop servers from easy to harcore difficulty, new character is created instead)

Implementation

• When a server is registered officially in DayZ database the admin must choose his time offset in GMT.
  
• GMT offset can be changed only by DayZ administration, not by a server restart or config editing.
  
• Server's game time is devided into DAY and NIGHT TIME
  
  • NIGHT = 18:00 - 5:00, DAY = 5:00 - 18:00
    

  [*]Players have their own GAME TIME registered in the database.

  • once the new character is created at the server - server time becomes his time, the player's time
    
  • player's time goes on forward toghether with the initial server's time.
    
  • If you log off in NIGHT TIME a few minutes before 5:00, then after 5 minutes in offline you and server's time is changed to DAY TIME.
    
  • And vice versa, if you log off at bright DAY TIME just 5 minutes before sunset, you are marked NIGHT TIME after 5 minutes, as well as server going to NIGHT TIME.
    

  [*]Characters logged off in DAY TIME cannot join any server that has NIGHT TIME.

  [*]Characters logged off in NIGHT TIME cannot join any server that has DAY TIME.

  [*]Players cannot "rewind" the DAY TIME by hopping to a server with DAY TIME EARLIER than their own time

  [*]Players cannot "forward" the NIGHT TIME by hopping to a server with NIGHT TIME LATER than their own time

Result:

• Survival gets brutal with the inevitable night fall. You must get ready for this.
  
• Light sources and NVG will have immense value. Batteries for them will value more than ammo.
  
• You can only hop from NIGHT to NIGHT server.
  
• You can only hop from DAY to DAY server.
  
• You must survive the NIGHT TIME through to enter DAY TIME. No cheats. You can't skip night.
  
• You must survive the DAY TIME through to enter NIGHT TIME. No cheats. You can't rewind back to morning.
  

I need you to analyze this too and find bad logics. It can't be that simple. I must be missing something.

Edited October 29, 2012 by -=PA=-Mikhail

[Mandalore (DayZ) 76]

Nope.avi

What am I going to do if I have a friend who is in a different timezone? While I value anything that promotes the aspect of horror/danger I am not going to sacrifice the ability to play with friends for it.

I don't think there's much you can do other than "don't be a pussy".

[DZR_Mikhail 2424]

Ok. Rocket wants a buddy\group mechanics. We can allow players join any time zone servers where their buddies are.

Besides giving a very good drawback, are you trying to offend me by the way? What does this mean "don't be a pussy"? Edit your post or explain, please.

[A.Williams 17]

You should only be allowed on servers on one time zone

[dallas 5195]

Regular MMOs tie characters to a single server located in a specific timezone, but then again, MMO nights just dim the lights a little bit, while DayZ offers people living in light polluted cities a reality check with a 400.000 volt stun gun.

I've had similar thoughts, but I always reach a dead end, where I'm basically trying to force other players to adopt my own DayZ preferences. I think DayZ appeals broadly because, you can select servers who offers different difficulties. DayZ's unforgiving pitch black nights, no matter how real they are, is a real showstopper for some, while a few of us, really love having to play a completely different game after dark.

A major turn off has also been the uneven playing field. Earlier in DayZ's development, when time didn't synchronize correctly, some player would be virtually blind, while new player who joined or rejoined the server, would have hours of daylight left. As long as people can exploit gamma and brightness easily, where they basically have functional black/white night vision. Lastly lets also mention the rampant duping of thermals and NVGs. I haven't really used a night vision device since in 90s, but I'd love to see some outdated NVGs in Chernarus, with more visible noise or bigger grains.

[mr_chabowski@live.co.uk 2416]

I like the concept, I've pondered this myself, but there must be easier ways to implement such a feature.

Take the private hives we have now, if there were certain servers where you had a separate "hardcore" character the day/night cycle could be synchronised and constant for all those servers.

Short of anchoring players to certain servers there's no guarantee.

I recall Rocket mentioning a revamp of the night-time lighting, so the darkness won't be entirely pitch-black. Maybe just slightly darker than "Hollywood" darkness. (dim and blue)

If this does get implemented I think players would be more inclined to stick with their "home" server, even while it's dark.

[Zeppa 562]

Also what happens when server has people with differend "logout" times?

someones night ends earlyer than others?

Someone day ends earlyer than others?

This makes it unbalanced, so its not so simple.

Edited October 29, 2012 by Zeppa

[DZR_Mikhail 2424]

Zeppa, I thought, once you log in you have a new timestamp. So, one server - one time for all players on it. The time just gets updated I guess.

But, yes, this is all not so simple. But the problem persists. Night is awesome in DayZ, we need it back. Something must be done... I hope somebody has a better idea.

[ZomboWTF 527]

not really a problem, i love night servers, and some people just cant play at night because its so damn dark

also, this would divide the whole game into two communitys

[indominator 95]

only if nights are not as dark, all servers here in brazil follow strict brazilian time, so at night all are dark and nighty stuff, but i dont want to play a blind man all the time, so i would set my gmt to europe, even if i had to play with a 170 ping(i am accostumed to), so this could have drawbacks.

I will only accept this if the night is fixed, its IMO too dark, and we need the possibilty for more light sources

[BAHADIR 124]

Nope.avi

I laughed on the floor on this,

You sir, you take all my beans.

Hope your life cursed by Mountain Dews,

And lets hope none of the patches going to fix this...

Edited October 29, 2012 by BAHADIR

[ri_pou@yahoo.com 26]

I prefer playing in the dark and look for night time servers when I play.

[Mos1ey 6301]

only if nights are not as dark, all servers here in brazil follow strict brazilian time, so at night all are dark and nighty stuff, but i dont want to play a blind man all the time, so i would set my gmt to europe, even if i had to play with a 170 ping(i am accostumed to), so this could have drawbacks.

I will only accept this if the night is fixed, its IMO too dark, and we need the possibilty for more light sources

When I first started playing pretty much every server was on it's local timezone. It used to be either play in the dark or with a huge ping at night time and TBH I thought that was much better.

Why not just make all servers use their local timezone?

[E-Z 25]

Tl:DR

just make it a 5 hour cycle costant between every server. that way it slowly rotates between day and night over the real days , say you play at 5pm every day. everytime you log in, it will be a slightly different time, forcing you to play night or day sometimes. unless you constantly change your play times to suit day

[fuenke 10]

I have to admit, I don't really get your concept. Not sure if I'm just dumb or your explanation is inconsistent and leaves out important information.

But understanding your concept wouldn't help anything in convincing me that it is a good one.

Players are getting raped out there. Bambies running around with there flashlights on, believing this is a possibility to play the game at nights. The advantage that NVG's (not to mention thermal optics) give a player over everybody who hasen't got that stuff is just too damn high! So playing without it at nights is no option. Instead of night time being a spooky & intense experience it is just the normal game with a green annoying layer.

- take out NVG's and thermal optics

- make nights brighter

- better flashlight / weapon compatibility

Edited October 29, 2012 by Fuenke

[P2J2 8]

I'm not sure that forcing characters to be locked into a specific timezone is the best answer. I think giving server admins the ability to set those types of parameters (through difficulty settings or whatever) would be a better option and help cater to the entire community. Veteran players have gotten used to it and enjoy the challenge of having to deal with the pitch black conditions whereas newer players get frustrated by it and just switch servers.

I've been reading a couple discussions about whether night-time is too dark or not and tend to agree that it doesn't need to be as dark as it is as often as it is. I get it, there's no light pollution anymore and it can be extremely dark in the woods even with a moon. That shouldn't make you completely blind though. There have been too many times where I could see things 100m away decently but couldn't make out the doorway to a building I was standing right next to. It could use some adjusting.

Don't get me wrong, I love playing at night. The moon makes it tolerable. I use flares, chem-lights and the flashlight (which is a joke and I hope gets seriously tweaked) but hate having to adjust gamma and brightness in order to see anything at all without those. It would be nice to have more lighting tools in general, like headlamps and weapon attachments with the tactical red lens option on all of them. They're not at all uncommon irl so why should they be in game. The way it is now, it seems like I come across legit NVG's more often than military flashlights. Who know's, maybe I've just been lucky but it just doesn't seem right as-is.

[lobo1845 9]

I think going back to locking server locations to the time zone is the way to go. I haven't seen a night server in weeks, as painful as stumbling through pitch black is it certainly ramps up the game and gives some much needed variety.

Unfortunatley every hacker and his friend will have NVG's and thermals, not to mention hacks to see where you are anyway, while everyone else will have limited vision, some of whom will hold flares while running up and down the coast.

[DZR_Mikhail 2424]

My idea may be inconsistent and even failing, but the problem I described is consistent. There must be a way to get night back in game.

Preventing server restarts to reset time is the best decision so far, partial but good.

Those of you who have hackers as the argument, please, don't make me laugh, seriously. If you belive hackers will be that powerful as to dupe and create items... Well, let this suggestions forum deleted and closed forever! Why even bother thinking, inventing, being creative and suggesting anything at all if hacker will spoil everything!? Tell it to Rocket, suggest cancelling DayZ project because hacker will ruin it.

Gosh... are you really serious?

Again, this feature is more of an outlining of a problem of neglecting night as a huge survival part in DayZ. I came to think about it with you, together.

Edited October 29, 2012 by -=PA=-Mikhail

[Sutinen 635]

I'm not sure if I like it or not, because it has it's downsides as well. It would require shitloads of servers and would make joining a server you want almost impossible.

What I like about it is that it really makes surviving a lot harder and more realistic.

Edited October 29, 2012 by Sutinen

[Mandalore (DayZ) 76]

Ok. Rocket wants a buddy\group mechanics. We can allow players join any time zone servers where their buddies are.

Besides giving a very good drawback, are you trying to offend me by the way? What does this mean "don't be a pussy"? Edit your post or explain, please.

No, I mean that the devs can't do anything to make sure people don't abuse this particular mechanic other than telling them not to be pussies (by switching servers when it gets dark)

As in, the player who does that, is a pussy.

I'm with you on the idea but if that makes me unable to play with my friends then it's not something I would like.

[DZR_Mikhail 2424]

Oh, sorry sir. Got it wrong. English is not my native, so I sometimes get too paranoid :blink:

[Mirth (DayZ) 1]

Hmmmmmmmm... no.

Personally - I log out during night time. Find a 'non-night' server or just stop playing DayZ. Night time sucks. I can't see jack squat, and sure as hell would not be running around during the apocalypes in pitch black conditions when I can't see my hand in front of my face.

I'd be taking shelter 'somewhere' for the duration. Comfortable or not. Stumbling around in pitch black conditions, even with a flash light??? You're just asking to get killed or seriously injured. Only the desperate or foolish would do something like that, so I can't even bring myself to do it in a simulation. It just isn't fun.

[Penny Sue 77]

The only time I can game is really early or really late... 4 AM to 8 AM and 10 PM till 1 AM. So basically you're forcing me to always play in the dark. I just won't play it if that's what it comes to.

I do play at night sometimes and it's kinda fun but no where near as fun as playing in the day light. The zombies are freak'n retarded at night. Your ONLY concern at night are other players and specifically those with equipment to see in the dark.

During the day the playing field is more level because that night vision crap isn't as much of an advantage. Also zombies are more of a threat during the day because their aggro range is much wider.

[Mirth (DayZ) 1]

Also - on topic: I believe Rocket said the 'new' version of Day Z will be run via MMO style. There will be no server hopping.

At present: Many of the games functions are handled client side, that will change with the stand alone.

That being said; who knows how day/night cycles will be handled?

[Siberian (DayZ) 527]

ur failing to take into account some players (myself inc.) simply dont like playing in full dark..

i find it boring, and uninteresting visualy..

if the game forced me to play throu day/night cycles, i'd either have to stop playing until day rolled around again or simply stop playing all together..

surely thats not what ur after is it ??? force those that dont enjoy nitetime to leave or suffer ???

if so, then GL getting that idea past the mass's