Please Lower Zed's aggro range

[dekanon 1]

The aggro range for zeds is kinda far. These guys aggro from a farther distance than I think is normal. Even in crouched stance it is pretty far. Considering some dont have eyes, the mechanic in place can be frustrating to new guys just tryin to get started. I truely believe if you reduce the aggro range, players will have a better experience with the game. The whole game mod is great. Its just the aggro range that seems not to fit with the rest of the world.

[Corac 9]

I think the zombies are fine how they are. maybe a little more tweaking to make them more of a threat would be nice.

[Dreygar (DayZ) 178]

I think the zombie AI needs to be tweaked in general, I like the "some zombies may not have eyes" idea and would limit them on seeing completely but have to rely on their own senses...

What I really dislike about your post is "make it easier so people can enjoy it more" ... The game is supposed to be frustrating to new players because you are being introduced to a game concept that is unlike any other game. This game sets you up for failure where as most other games are very linear and set up for success. There is a learning curve involved, it makes you think.

[dekanon 1]

When dayZ goes standalone, the money people behind production are gonna want new players. I'm just observing, as a new player, that when this puppy goes main line, lots of "newbs" will get frustrated from the get go mainly because of the huge and unpredictable aggro range of Zed's at the present. I'm not the only one who thinks this. there is a poll on this forum and the majority of votes agree with toning down the aggro range.

[Dreygar (DayZ) 178]

I have yet to experience a zombie agro me from some unrealistic range. I think it might be somehow possible for some servers to tone-down agro... because I have literally circled zombies on some servers and they weren't even interested in attacking me. (The legend of [bdb) is the aforementioned server. What would you estimate is a far distance?

You do realize that those little eye and ear meters shows how attractive you are being to a zombie, and that if you're within sight (and I think 10-15 meters is a reasonable distance) then you will attract them.

[Dreygar (DayZ) 178]

The premise of the game encourages people to try and try again... so I also don't think the hardness of the game will turn people off. The only thing that has so far turned people off is hacking and lack of content/boredom.

[dallas 5195]

I always take the most covered route into a town, both to conceal myself from zombies, but also from players. It's worth the extra time to flank an village and select the safest entrance route into it, the same route will also provide cover, if you have to escape bandits.

Edited November 12, 2012 by Dallas

[shadowjack 254]

When dayZ goes standalone, the money people behind production are gonna want new players. I'm just observing, as a new player, that when this puppy goes main line, lots of "newbs" will get frustrated from the get go mainly because of the huge and unpredictable aggro range of Zed's at the present. I'm not the only one who thinks this. there is a poll on this forum and the majority of votes agree with toning down the aggro range.

If the Zed's frustrate players chances are they wont last long anyway. If one is observant, and even mildly resourceful it doesn't take long to learn Zed behavior. They are not hard to ditch or elude if they do agro so really it isn't a big deal for the type of gamer DayZ is aimed at. Really the do need to be made more dangerous.

You may be right about the money people in the long run. I expect the game will be dumbed down at some point. Rocket is on record as saying he will walk rather be forced from his vision. His mod has made a ton of cash for BI with no risk so hopefully they have given him a long leash to run with. For me i would rather see the game die than have it dumbed down for the mainstream gamer like the "other"Z seems bent on doing.

[Snake122591 9]

It's a survival game. In reality if a zombie were to sniff/hear/see you if they can still see that is depending on what fiction you are going on. Then it is completely reasonable that zombies can see you from quite a range. Since you don't behave like a normal zombie by crouching/scent it would make sense for them to detect you easily since you are alive and not a rotting corpse (depending on the type of infection) I have no problem with the zombie aggro range because although there will be times that you will sneak out of a town and you are running for the hill there would be a single zombie or hopper chasing after you. Not exactly the hardest thing to avoid since it is only one. But when coming across a town where there may be bandits/surivors it adds a bit more threat to the game since if you trail a horde of zombies you are making yourself an easy target to an advanced player of the game.

[Sutinen 635]

The hearing on grass and other softer terrains was tweaked last patch, which is a huge improvement to 1.7.2 patch.

But still, the hearing on roads is bugged.. If you run, crouch-run or sprint on a road, the zombies will hear you from 80 meters, which can't be right.

Otherwise it's fine, I can sneak while crouched again. No need to crawl around anymore.

[mr_chabowski@live.co.uk 2416]

Hopefully, with standalone, having more suitable animations will make it so the zombies' cone of view can turn with their heads again.

I know it was tested before and didn't work well, but where there's a will there's a way. :thumbsup:

If they don't fidget like the Flash on crack they won't have a 360^o detection area. I just don't like it how they can be looking at you, but their body is turned away, so they won't see you.

The noise on roads is a bit excessive, but without it I think you would be very unlikely to ever get detected.

What really sucks is pulling a stealthy roadie run through a field and hitting a bit of "hard dirt" which instantly gets you aggro'd. <_<

[Michaelvoodoo25 3120]

Zombies should be the biggest threat in the game, how they stand now is as a hindrance. make them more intelligent towards other stimuli and IMO the balance will be set!

[Dreygar (DayZ) 178]

Zombies should be the biggest threat in the game, how they stand now is as a hindrance. make them more intelligent towards other stimuli and IMO the balance will be set!

The zombies are not the primary focus of the game. I think they will be cleaned up and acting right, and then that would be that. The real threat of the game is the survivor/player interaction. Zombies are just the topping on the cake.

[dallas 5195]

Rocket has hinted that the standalone will upset your tummy.

According to Max Brooks more people would trample eachother to death, die from exposure and dehydration or shitting and puking themselves to death, before they get their faces eaten off.

[jan_f_w 23]

Not sure where you play but if you are on a private HIVE the zombie level can be modified from 0.1 to 0.99; your server may have a high setting.

[Dreygar (DayZ) 178]

Rocket has hinted that the standalone will upset your tummy.

According to Max Brooks more people would trample eachother to death, die from exposure and dehydration or shitting and puking themselves to death, before they get their faces eaten off.

Yay for diarrhea stained trousers.

[Bribase 251]

While I find the aggro range playable I do think that the Zeds' behaviour should be changed a little. While I understand that coding the zeds to have human level eyesight their ability to detect friend from foe is superhuman. Why not code the zeds that spot you from long range to slowly investigate your position, mid ranged zeds to advance at intermediate speed and zeds that spot you close up to be fully aggroed?

If anything this adds to the tension more if you ramp up the view distance but lower the range of actual aggro; instead of a binary level of aggroed/not aggroed, zeds could give up your location just by moving slowly to your position if you stay there for too long. Imagine trying to detect players on the lootless side of NWAF before you explore the area. You may have just arrived but the zeds around the hangars seem to be "flocking" to an area that should have nothing to attract them to it. The hiding player needs to withdraw and change position or shoot the zeds as they slowly advance, giving up his position.

[challe 7]

The zombies are not the primary focus of the game. I think they will be cleaned up and acting right, and then that would be that. The real threat of the game is the survivor/player interaction. Zombies are just the topping on the cake.

I was hoping that it would not be just another FPS, if it´s not going to be more of a zombie surviving game i can go back to BF3 or HALO4.

[challe 7]

While I find the aggro range playable I do think that the Zeds' behaviour should be changed a little. While I understand that coding the zeds to have human level eyesight their ability to detect friend from foe is superhuman. Why not code the zeds that spot you from long range to slowly investigate your position, mid ranged zeds to advance at intermediate speed and zeds that spot you close up to be fully aggroed?

If anything this adds to the tension more if you ramp up the view distance but lower the range of actual aggro; instead of a binary level of aggroed/not aggroed, zeds could give up your location just by moving slowly to your position if you stay there for too long. Imagine trying to detect players on the lootless side of NWAF before you explore the area. You may have just arrived but the zeds around the hangars seem to be "flocking" to an area that should have nothing to attract them to it. The hiding player needs to withdraw and change position or shoot the zeds as they slowly advance, giving up his position.

A nice thing would if you can clear an area of zombies, and they can´t spawn there. but they would propably come walking towards that area in a while but inside that area you could be safe if you have a spotter looking for walkers coming your way.

would be nice with maybe a walking horde of zombies, you wouldn´t be safe anywhere when you see loads of zombies coming at ya..

[niotna 2]

Zed's are irregular... sometimes one doesn't attack me at all; sometimes, one comes running from great distance, in a way, that I think: How could he possibly react on me?

I know, because of the loud cry and starting to run from a very far distance...

No idea why that sometimes is...

Also, some ZED's seem to see/hear you lot better, once they spotted you once. Even when outrun long distance, changed to crouch, or even dropped, and barely can't be heard, they come right at you.

Then, others, can stand next to you, and do nothing.

Any good youtube on: "How to deal with ZED on DAYZ"?

[Michaelvoodoo25 3120]

When the SA has more Zeds in then the mod normal, worrying about aggro range will seem like a distant memory.

When on E&E exercises you are on high alert mode all the time and not just worrying about distances from threats, you don't always know how alert the hunter force is, so you don't take risks by running around in open fields!

The fact you have caused aggro means you were seen, which is a players own fault.

Edited November 14, 2012 by Michaelvoodoo25