Rocket's plans on '''Red Faction style underground construction''

[Itsnotcrazyuntilchachacha 13]

Excerpt from Rocket's Q&A interview:

Q: If you had the ability to add one thing to the game, no limits, what would it be?

A: Underground construction using red-faction style damage mechanics for clearing out the subterranean world.

...the subterranean world.

Not like, dig your own 3sq feet base with a spade. More like Clearing out the subterranean world.

Well yes, as you may have deduced I'm bringing this to the table to be discussed by the community. As you ponder your reaction, note that 1st: Whilst many of us may agree in that Red Faction physics are kind of cool when it comes to buildings, Rocket's words sound rather like well, read the italics; 2nd: From his very words one catches up it's no little basement what this guy is talking about.

Q: Is any of the underground base idea going to be present in the standalone initially, or is this still ages off?

A: There will be "something" in the standalone, but it will only be the basic genesis of the idea. I need to ensure we have confidence in the direction of the project as a standalone before I can ask the mass commitment to such an ambitious feature.

All of my what.

[All of the quotes' italics and boldings added by me]

This thread is aimed towards providing input on this issue to the dev. team

Edited November 15, 2012 by Itsnotcrazyuntilchachacha

[Derpy_Hooves (DayZ) 4521]

I can see where he is coming from, being able to basically carve your underground fortress would be amazing, but a huge strain on the developers to make it happen, Red Faction was awesome but the whole blowing everything up was it's only selling point to me, if anything i think Rocket will put this down as a side "investment".

Get the game out with say a basic idea on his underground world and if it works who knows what he will put in the final build for the standalone

[Pennyworth (DayZ) 33]

Would love it if he uses a similar style of building as they do in starforge

[Allie (DayZ) 97]

I have made islands for Arma, and it is not possible to have underground terrain, you can use some tricks to make underground terrain, like making a mountain as an object, and then place that object on the island.

[rooneye 135]

I have made islands for Arma, and it is not possible to have underground terrain, you can use some tricks to make underground terrain, like making a mountain as an object, and then place that object on the island.

There's underground shit in Namalsk, no? I dont play it, but i think ive seen it.

And this is Rocket and the Dev team. They can do it. And I hope they do eventually. Would be sweet.

Edited November 15, 2012 by Rooneye

[Derpy_Hooves (DayZ) 4521]

I have made islands for Arma, and it is not possible to have underground terrain, you can use some tricks to make underground terrain, like making a mountain as an object, and then place that object on the island.

Yeah Namslak has underground bunkers, im currently implementing an underground section for my new map... if i can do it then the Dev team certainly can.

[BwobBwub 660]

Yeah Namslak has underground bunkers, im currently implementing an underground section for my new map... if i can do it then the Dev team certainly can.

off topic but what will your maps terrain be?

[Derpy_Hooves (DayZ) 4521]

off topic but what will your maps terrain be?

I was thinking of being sarcastic but then thought no....

Errr well basically it is a copy of Equestria, i took a map, scaled it, put it into the BI tools Visitor 3 application and started building up, so far im like 3% done with so much else to do....

I will be implementing sounds etc from the MLP show and so forth.... so yeah it's kinda treat to the Bronies out there!

[bfisher 561]

I think it's a dumb idea to be able to dig anything bigger than a one man foxhole. I mean do we really need Cherno criss-crossed with a network of Viet Cong style tunnels?

I would much rather be able to fortify structures against zombies and other players so they can be used as safe houses.

[BwobBwub 660]

I was thinking of being sarcastic but then thought no....

Errr well basically it is a copy of Equestria, i took a map, scaled it, put it into the BI tools Visitor 3 application and started building up, so far im like 3% done with so much else to do....

I will be implementing sounds etc from the MLP show and so forth.... so yeah it's kinda treat to the Bronies out there!

wish i never asked now...

[Derpy_Hooves (DayZ) 4521]

wish i never asked now...

Curiosity killed the cat.

[OrLoK 16185]

Hello there

Underground structures are possible with one of the later VBS2 builds I believe, but they are a far cry from a subterrainian environ,

Rgds

LoK

[Erizid 56]

Were not talking like Minecraft where the dirt is its own square and to dig you just hit it with a shovel. It feels like the only "simple" (I use simple as an extremely relative term) underground structures would be prefab layouts with modular rooms. To construct the next room you walk up to the closed door with the requisite parts and hit the menu option. Entrance would have to be dissociated from the actual building in-game. Finding the entrance (think the LOST hatch) would let you be ported inside and then you work from there. Perhaps if someone is inside, they could lock it from the inside. Then it would only be accessible if someone put a satchel charge on it. Then it would "unlock". It would be an interesting logout mechanic if you had to go to sleep on the bed to save your character, then someone raiding could kill you in your sleep.

The other option would to have the underground bunkers be static locations with groups of people taking up residence and bringing scrap metal and the like in order to "repair" the weapons lockers or something. This has pros and cons as well though. Pros would be the PvP they would generate. Ability for larger bases than would otherwise be possible. Cons would be things like Clans not being able to hide their base etc. They would have to have a guard online 24/7 to defend it since everyone knows where it is.

[Jamz 253]

I liked the ideas of this mod and always thought that would suit the mood of Dayz more than underground bases:

http://www.mmogames....andbox-preview/

But having said that, I'm sure I read that there would be multiple room construction, underground firefights would be good as long as the rooms were not too small... I found investigating the bunker (object all?) in Namalsk to be very tense but its mainly corridors so not much scope for finding cover.

Edited November 15, 2012 by Jamz

[Dreygar (DayZ) 178]

It feels like the only "simple" (I use simple as an extremely relative term) underground structures would be prefab layouts with modular rooms. To construct the next room you walk up to the closed door with the requisite parts and hit the menu option. Entrance would have to be dissociated from the actual building in-game. Finding the entrance (think the LOST hatch) would let you be ported inside and then you work from there.

This is what I think of when Rocket talks about underground building. I would have much rather seen a huge crafting skill set where a player would gather the resources, create the blueprint, and then the structure would be built/placed above ground wherever the player decided. (Think of the size of the structure being outlined overhead, move it around till you find a suitable place. It would be green if it was allowed, and red if it interfered with another object or simply not a buildable area)

[Dreygar (DayZ) 178]

I liked the ideas of this mod and always thought that would suit the mood of Dayz more than underground bases:

http://www.mmogames....andbox-preview/

But having said that, I'm sure I read that there would be multiple room construction, underground firefights would be good as long as the rooms were not too small... I found investigating the bunker (object all?) in Namalsk to be very tense but its mainly corridors so not much scope for finding cover.

I'm going to have to check out wasteland. Looks very interesting.

[Jamz 253]

I'm going to have to check out wasteland. Looks very interesting.

Thats what I thought, I like the resource gathering to keep the structures in good repair. Maybe the SA will feature a similar thing to keep people scaveging around the map, theres lots of places in Chernarus which there is presently no reason to visit.

[Dreygar (DayZ) 178]

Thats what I thought, I like the resource gathering to keep the structures in good repair. Maybe the SA will feature a similar thing to keep people scaveging around the map, theres lots of places in Chernarus which there is presently no reason to visit.

Rocket made mentioning that building above ground is too difficult/bad for performance but I don't see how that is true...

[Hetstaine 10852]

I'm going to have to check out wasteland. Looks very interesting.

Once the save 'feature' works it looks like it may be a cool thing.

[DemonGroover 8836]

I just hope these "structures" are realistic. Could a group of survivors really create an underground super city with scrap metal, wood and cloth?

Dig a hole, put some corregated iron over the top and there's your base.

If having bases means you can suddenly create an army of Terminator sentry robots then it may be going a bit too far.

[Dreygar (DayZ) 178]

I just hope these "structures" are realistic. Could a group of survivors really create an underground super city with scrap metal, wood and cloth?

Dig a hole, put some corregated iron over the top and there's your base.

If having bases means you can suddenly create an army of Terminator sentry robots then it may be going a bit too far.

I'm just trying to keep an open mind. I'm sure there is going to be a limit on how large you can actually make it, but it's probably only use would be to store items. You might be able to "tap" into the ground water to give you a source of water or something like that. Like I said, trying to keep an open mind but I am still really disappointed in no above ground structures.

[Pennyworth (DayZ) 33]

I'm just trying to keep an open mind. I'm sure there is going to be a limit on how large you can actually make it, but it's probably only use would be to store items. You might be able to "tap" into the ground water to give you a source of water or something like that. Like I said, trying to keep an open mind but I am still really disappointed in no above ground structures.

The reason for no ground structures is blatantly obvious. What do people currently do with barbed wire tank traps and sand bags? Drop them all over the place and totally clog the roads/cities/any cool area that may be promising for a base. Now combine that with a server that runs at max people 24/7 and you have so much fucking debris/player made bases/structures all over that map totally taking away from the world.

Only way I can see them doing above ground is if it disappears a week after being placed to prevent "spamming" But then why would i dedicate all my time to constructing a base to have it go poof a week later?

Also Rocket said so himself in an earlier post that it would take a team of players weeks to carve out a proper base and only to risk some other group of players taking your home.

[Dreygar (DayZ) 178]

The reason for no ground structures is blatantly obvious. What do people currently do with barbed wire tank traps and sand bags? Drop them all over the place and totally clog the roads/cities/any cool area that may be promising for a base. Now combine that with a server that runs at max people 24/7 and you have so much fucking debris/player made bases/structures all over that map totally taking away from the world.

Only way I can see them doing above ground is if it disappears a week after being placed to prevent "spamming" But then why would i dedicate all my time to constructing a base to have it go poof a week later?

Also Rocket said so himself in an earlier post that it would take a team of players weeks to carve out a proper base and only to risk some other group of players taking your home.

To me it is not obvious and barbed wire, sandbags, and tank traps are hardly something I consider "base building". I've mentioned this before only because it is the best example of how player structures work... is Starwars Galaxies (made in 2003). That did exactly what I said, and it also enabled you to build entire cities. You had to pay for them using ingame credits to be maintained or else they would disappear, granted. This enabled players who built stuff and then stopped playing the game, their stuff would then disappear. Though since we don't use credits the game already does something similar with tents. That they disappear if not used within like 7 days upon owners death.

To combat "spamming" of dropping random structures, for one I imagine a large structure would be very resource heavy. So I doubt someone is going to collect all those resources just to drop it in a town, which brings me to my next point. In the game mentioned above you couldn't build within a certain range of a town. People would also be abe to destroy buildings in DayZ.

The larger your group, the more resources you can gather and you might be able to build quite the base with walls surrounding your compound and everything..

Edited November 16, 2012 by Dreygar

[Dreygar (DayZ) 178]

Also Rocket said so himself in an earlier post that it would take a team of players weeks to carve out a proper base and only to risk some other group of players taking your home.

Unless Rocket is going to make it so only you and those you allow can enter your underground bunker, this same thing will apply. Though if that is the case you can make it so you and only those you allow to enter your player made structure. I mean, nothing is yours in this game anyway. That vehicle you're trying to hide, or that tent that has all the valuables you've collected over your days. Course someone can threaten your home but that is why you defend it, or if someone is already occupying it... That is why you fight to take it back. Least player killing will actually mean something.

Edited November 16, 2012 by Dreygar

[bfisher 561]

I liked the ideas of this mod and always thought that would suit the mood of Dayz more than underground bases:

http://www.mmogames....andbox-preview/

But having said that, I'm sure I read that there would be multiple room construction, underground firefights would be good as long as the rooms were not too small... I found investigating the bunker (object all?) in Namalsk to be very tense but its mainly corridors so not much scope for finding cover.

Building an above ground base out of stuff you find makes sense. Building a below ground bunker complex only makes sense if you also find and fix a working backhoe, cement mixer and a bunch of teamsters to build it for you.