Passive Classes

[Oakatsura 9]

The game already has a differential system of defining survivor from hero from bandit, what about adding onto that system with a Passive Character Progression system, not something as trivial as a experience system or its ilk, but maybe something like a actual "experience system"

Good examples,

Repairing a vehicle, as you repair it you become slightly faster at repairing / removing components, later you can get upto a point where it would take you a few seconds less than a normal person to remove / add / repair a part on a vehicle, or adds a special point / script / ability as a result. Vehicle Repair screen for a normal person trying to put a tire on a vehicle with a tire that is only minimally damaged (yellowish-green), he uses the tire to repair the vehicle to full strength on that tire by using a new tire, now a Mechanic he sees Replace Tire or Patch Tire. (Patch would require something like loot junk you can find around the world (As Dean Hall (Rocket) Stated in the Euro Expo 2012, he would like to add more inventory to the game, things that appear as junk to one person is another persons treasure)). A Patch would essentially require something as trivial as food, or paste, or something similiar and doesn't cost as much as a actual tire for when someone actually pops one off your vehicle. Now lets see a Master Mechanic (someone that has worked on cars a long time in game and hasn't been gun down as of yet.) A new player goes to replace a moderately damaged tire (Orangish-Yellow) with a new tire, a Normal Mechanic takes 1.5 seconds - 2.5 seconds less time to repair it than a new player would, the Master Mechanic gets in there and sees options like Replace Tire, Salvage Tire, or Repair Tire. Assuming he has Salvaged Tire parts (Salvaged Tire Parts take up 2 places rather than 6). he can ultimately replace the damaged tire with a nearly a new one, and takes almost no time doing it.

Now how about a Medic, we all help people in game, sometimes its helping them get patched up after a zombie attack, other time its putting a bullet between the eyes of a person that isn't going to make it to speed things up (Not a Medic), So lets say your a New player helping someone with a blood bag, the player has lost almost half his total blood from his health, the new player steps in and adds the blood bag, player is back to full blood, now lets have a Medic come in, he not only gives the player a blood bag in a second or two faster, but also bolsters the players health by treating for infections / diseases (minor), now lets have two players hurt on the battlefield, and one blood bag (This course is assuming the grouping system works in the standalone), a new player would have to choose which person to give the blood bag to, a medic would have an additional roll command as long as both players were within close proximity to him and each other called "Share Blood Bag" Half the blood bag would go to each player.

Things like this; other examples with minimal explanation,

Sharpshooter - Hitting more than 100 Headshots (zombies included) with any gun, the sway effect from crouched is reduced.

Sniper (Master) - Hitting more than 500 Headshots (zombies included) with any gun, the sway effect from standing is reduced.

Armsmen - Killing more than 250 (Zombies &/or players) with any gun, reload time reduced.

Soldier (Master) - Killing more than 500 (Zombies &/or players) with any gun, reload time reduced, jamming 25% less likely.

Student - Study or Collect samples from 100 (Zombies or Dead players) reduced chances of getting infected

Scientist (Master) - Collect sample from 500 (Zombies or Dead Players) reduced chances of others getting infected (25m)

As a passive system it wouldn't be fully recogonized until players have made the accomplishments, so it would stay almost hidden until they have accomplished the goals provided for them. Obviously there can be more implemented then one or two things as a Passive Classification, but I'm just setting the ground work.

Again just an Idea, but think about it, you do something a lot more than once and you get a whole heck of a lot better at it.

To prevent against Multiclassing, once you hit a class, it goes with the highest concurrent class you have accomplished until you raise beyond 25% of the maximum class points needed to go another class. (If that was over your head I'll explain)

Lets say your a Mechanic, repairing vehicle parts would generate points so that the passive class system works properly in the game, but these points would not be visible to a player in game, a replaced tire here 200 points, a fixed engine here 300 points, a removed tire here 0 points (so you cant just double, triple, quadruple up something), Essentially only replacing items with damage gains you points. (And yes you could gain points if you shoot a tire you already fixed with another new tire). So lets say you need 7,500 points to reach Mechanic (This is a example number), so now lets say your in the role of a Medic, you start generating points, a blood bag here, a epi pen there, a bandage and alcohol there, and you get to 7,500 points for a Medic (Example number), but you only have the mechanics abilities, to reach medic when your already a Mechanic, you need to reach 9,375 (+25% more points), and once you hit that number you become a medic / mechanic. Same thing goes for Mechanic to Master Mechanic, so essentially you can hit all master classes but you have to reach a 25% bonus requirement for each one. In hindesight though I would only maximize things to 2 Passive Classes (Master and Minor are sub-classes of each other) with the option of a third with Bandit / Hero / Survivor as the base class.

There, there's the idea, have at it.

[Disastrical 12]

That actually sounds like a very neat and constructed idea, but I'd be afraid the developers and Dean would find the system too complicated and doesn't give every player the standing 'equal chance' of each other and from each other. It seems like it strays from the basic platform and basis of the game too far.

[Oakatsura 9]

That actually sounds like a very neat and constructed idea, but I'd be afraid the developers and Dean would find the system too complicated and doesn't give every player the standing 'equal chance' of each other and from each other. It seems like it strays from the basic platform and basis of the game too far.

Mostly its an equation based system, its rather simple to code in and use, I have the code work worked out for it for when I start work on "A-Invasion" Since its mostly a system of scores and ratios. As for game mechanics, it fits pretty decently I think, your a survivor when you start, but the longer you survive the better you get at things, If I was to survive a zombie apocalypse you'd damn better bet I'd be getting better at setting traps, implementing security, reinforcing vehicles, and shooting things on sight.

Its doesn't have to have the benefits I list, but It would allow more of a invisible bonus the player either is or isn't fully aware of when they enter the game or as they play.

This system can also be used as a Random Spawn Mechanic, everyone has a past, whether they were a mechanic, a engineer, a postman, a Team leader, something, that is essentially benefitial to themselves or others if they group with others.

I can see the benefit of someone saying in like a Radio-Chat - Hello, this is Ravenyellow5, I am a surviving mechanic in Kamenka, I'm wounded and need help," depending on what people need and how they operate this could be a better grouping dynamic system for the game, other than Hey I'm Ravenyellow5 Im a survive in Kamenka... which usually leads to mass murder and a lot of death.

[DrunkPunk 159]

I don't like the idea of any sort of stat progression in this game, and I'm pretty sure it lacks any such system intentionally. It's nice to finally have a game that measures success based on skill rather than who has better stats. Sure, weapons play into it a bit, but that largely still depends on skill. For example, I've taken out a chopper gunner with a makarov before. Probably wouldn't have been possible if he had some sort of passive skill that helped steady his aim. But back to the point, the level playing field is one of my favorite things about this game and I do hope it stays that way.

[abzence 0]

I agree with DrunkPunk that this might cause some unbalance. But there is also some benefits to it.

It will make you feel more invested in your character, asuming you will lose all your stats when you die, just like you lose your equipment.

The skill progression obiously have to be faster than other games. But still balanced.

You will be less likely to engage in senseless combat if you've been alive 20+ hours and have started to gain some small perks. You will not risk losing that for some stupid trolling.

But there will of course always be trolls who doesn't stay alive longer than 20 mins who doesn't care if they die or not.

[ochie (DayZ) 1]

That actually sounds like a very neat and constructed idea, but I'd be afraid the developers and Dean would find the system too complicated and doesn't give every player the standing 'equal chance' of each other and from each other. It seems like it strays from the basic platform and basis of the game too far.

I disagree. If you are in the game long enough to have repaired a vehicle did you not just gain a skill or become more proficient? From when I started in the IT field I sucked at cisco IOS (command line) now I am kinda awesome as I did it over and over. Why would this realism not want to be ported to a ultra realistic game? Its not sarcasm simply noting you claim complexity when you yourself are not the backend programmer. That said we should not take an assumption and attack said assumptions with more assumptions.

I like the idea. I would HATE it if it was like WoW and a craft skill. However, it be great if maybe after giving so many blood transfusions you could then give yourself one. Also repairing a chopper took less scrap metal. There are a lot of directions this could go. However...we do not want to get attached to our characters as we will eventually loose them.

-Dan

Edited October 30, 2012 by ochie

[abzence 0]

However...we do not want to get attached to our characters as we will eventually loose them.

I think that's the whole point of this game. You SHOULD get attached to your character.

This will make you think twice before doing something. You will always need to calculate if the risk is worth it. Just like real life.

Most games are just like "Meh, whatever. If I die I just respawn again. Nothing lost, nothing gained."

Of course the perks can not be so good and so hard to achieve that you will feel like killing yourself when your character dies. But it should sting.

[xx_fr0st-w0lf_xx 53]

mechanic, medic and classes like that sure no problem, the second you begin to alter weapon stats forget about it