Feedback on status of infectious diseases in DayZ

[Zeppa 562]

Interesting,

Few things come in mind.

One thing to make sort of skill, to become real doc ingame for people (exsample, skilled doc could do "check body" and determine what disease you have etc etc)

I know lots of people are agains any skills but something should be made to value the actual character, not just the gear... here is one good thing for that, and much more should be added for everyone to learn.

You could be able to find handbooks etc from hospitals that doctors use to check things and learn, not just only medical but other things too.

Second thing is with the vaccines, Im in belief that vaccines wont preserve very long without proper storage (tempature)?

We should get antiseptics, water purification tablets and other "shit" too :)

But I like, harder the better... keeps those kiddies away that want the easy way.

I just cooked a large bird using a probe thermometer to keep track of internal temperature. Way back when I worked grilling burgers, I had to check the internal temp multiple times a day to make sure it was "safe".

Reading this post got me thinking, will there be any way to check or measure food temp? Maybe a battery-powered probe thermometer like the one I have?

Also, battery powered things got me thinking - is there any plan to make battery powered things die over time? And in that vein, are there any plans to recharge batteries? I got one of these and although very slow (especially now that we're heading towards winter) it does work pretty well.

Or just over cook it, no need to probe anything ^^

Its not like Im going to make all al dente diner after shit came down.

Edited November 26, 2012 by Zeppa

[Zeppa 562]

1st time double posting...

Edited November 26, 2012 by Zeppa

[major.skrewup@gmail.com 177]

fill the cities with rats

and fill the rats with

dun

dun

dun

the plague

and fill the plague

with radioactive geckos

that breathe

bees

[disorder 344]

*Sniff*

He's got a runny nose, shoot him before he infects the whole group!

AIDS, you gotta have those too.

Don't forget STD's, I'm sure during the aftermath some of us are trying to repopulate!

Edited November 26, 2012 by disorder

[Penny Sue 77]

Here's a simple way to look at poisons and diseases I use in table top gaming.

Pathogens:

• Virus
  
• Bacteria
  
• Fungus
  
• Supernatural
  

Delivery Method:

• Contact (inhale, engulf, spit, etc)
  
• Injury (bite, sting, slash, pierce, inject, etc)
  
• Ingested / Digested (ate, drank, forced ingestion, etc)
  

Effects

• Damage
  
• Ability Drain
  
• Unconsciousness
  

[Penny Sue 77]

The main thing I ask is that you don't eschew the user interface on principle of this being a simulator. While I would love to have as little of an interface as possible, I feel that sometimes it is necessary. Such as for the sicknesses. A lot of sicknesses have pretty identical symptoms on paper, but there are actual differences in diagnosis based on descriptions of pain. A patient might describe a "burning" pain as opposed to a "sharp" pain, and get a completely different diagnosis. There should probably be a menu option to see "how you feel" and be given a description of how you feel about your body. After all, it's a video game, we can't ACTUALLY feel it. In real life, we would easily know when we're thirsty. The game shouldn't be made harder because it's NOT real life.

I was thinking a little bit about this too... how about a synopsis every time you log in or every day? I mean we don't actually do a lot of the natural things people have to do nor can we actually experience all of them; like pain as you point out.

So when you log in you get a quick synopsis of how your character is feeling since you last logged in. Something like...

- You've only peed once in the last 24 hours.

- Noticed your urine was darker with a red hue.

- Coughing sometimes produces a nasty tasting junk!

- There's a persistent, burning, pain in your chest and abdomen.

You'd read this and have to decide... am I sick or just dehydrated? If I'm sick than what is it? What kind of medicine should I seek? Maybe you're both dehydrated AND sick? Drink a bunch of liquids and drink more regularly. Then your synopsis changes...

- You've urinated 5 times in the last 24 hours.

- The urine looked relatively normal.

- Coughing sometimes produces a nasty tasting junk!

- There's a persistent, burning, pain in your chest and abdomen.

Hmmm... looks like you were dehydrated AND sick with some respiratory infection... Thankfully you're now hydrated but... still sick.

[shadowjack 254]

I also predict, instead of the ingame hat shop, Rocket and his brother are planing to sell ingame medical consulting for real money. Btw. what happens if you misdiagnose a common cold and eat all kinds of wrong antibiotics?

The body builds up a resistance and the antibiotics become less effective to possibly not work at all.

[ProfessorKoble 17]

Fish and Chips?

[xx_fr0st-w0lf_xx 53]

Interesting,

Few things come in mind.

One thing to make sort of skill, to become real doc ingame for people (exsample, skilled doc could do "check body" and determine what disease you have etc etc)

I know lots of people are agains any skills but something should be made to value the actual character, not just the gear... here is one good thing for that, and much more should be added for everyone to learn.

You could be able to find handbooks etc from hospitals that doctors use to check things and learn, not just only medical but other things too.

Second thing is with the vaccines, Im in belief that vaccines wont preserve very long without proper storage (tempature)?

We should get antiseptics, water purification tablets and other "shit" too :)

But I like, harder the better... keeps those kiddies away that want the easy way.

Or just over cook it, no need to probe anything ^^

Its not like Im going to make all al dente diner after shit came down.

That.

[terrvik 2409]

WAIT A MINUTE HERE! Isn't this going to make DayZ an educational game? Well then, it just lost my business!

[Rivy 32]

WAIT A MINUTE HERE! Isn't this going to make DayZ an educational game? Well then, it just lost my business!

Yeah who do they think they are trying to teach us stuff ! xD

[Brew78 27]

Interesting,

Few things come in mind.

One thing to make sort of skill, to become real doc ingame for people (exsample, skilled doc could do "check body" and determine what disease you have etc etc)

I know lots of people are agains any skills but something should be made to value the actual character, not just the gear... here is one good thing for that, and much more should be added for everyone to learn.

You could be able to find handbooks etc from hospitals that doctors use to check things and learn, not just only medical but other things too.

Second thing is with the vaccines, Im in belief that vaccines wont preserve very long without proper storage (tempature)?

We should get antiseptics, water purification tablets and other "shit" too :)

But I like, harder the better... keeps those kiddies away that want the easy way.

Or just over cook it, no need to probe anything ^^

Its not like Im going to make all al dente diner after shit came down.

You know, I was kind of thinking that myself. But.. given that he said you have the option of "how long to cook", I wasn't sure what sort of implementation that would be. Like... if you cook it too long, does it become charred and inedible? What sort of time scale is it:? Does every 10 seconds ingame represent 1 minute of real world cooking time?

I guess I'm just curious how the variable cooking time will be implemented.

[Guest]

This idea is very intriguing. Though it has the potential to add more diversity and challenge to the game, it could end up being game breaking, cumbersome, and the next best tool for a griefers arsenal.

First off, I'm going to say I don't like the idea of defecation, at all. It would only make sense to also add urination, masturbation, sneezing coughing spitting, etc, all natural actions. It wouldn't make sense to just add defecation at the exclusion of other natural actions just because it fits the whole disease idea. I understand that Arma is a military simulator series, and up until now it has been apparent that DayZ was a zombie apocalypse simulator. It now seems as if it's leaning towards just a real life simulator, or a medical simulator, with zombies. I think more time and effort should be put into improving the currently (sorry) terribly simple zombie AI before you start working on what appears to be vastly complex things like disease. That is just my two cents.

If you decide to go through with the whole disease idea, I think there should be more protective clothing, such as scarves, bandannas, medical masks/ gas masks, hazmat suits, anti-bacterial hand sanitizer/ soap etc, and ways to completely avoid disease.

[Shag 90]

cos you get hazmat suits in after the apocalypse...

there may be gas masks in military installations, but most of the diseases mentioned are blood and water transmitted.

and nobody will be having a poo meter where you have to evacuate your bowels every 10 hours, it will be simulated that heavily used areas will have more human waste and therefore have more potential for infection.

[ImageCtrl 719]

I think more time and effort should be put into improving the currently (sorry) terribly simple zombie AI before you start working on what appears to be vastly complex things like disease. That is just my two cents.

If you decide to go through with the whole disease idea, I think there should be more protective clothing, such as scarves, bandannas, medical masks/ gas masks, hazmat suits, anti-bacterial hand sanitizer/ soap etc, and ways to completely avoid disease.

The complex soldier AI from Arma will be already replaced with a simple Z AI in the SA.

Clothing was one of the complex complicated things they worked in SA. Both no quote, but both toled by rocked in his own (better) words.

Edited November 27, 2012 by NoCheats

[Guest]

cos you get hazmat suits in after the apocalypse...

there may be gas masks in military installations, but most of the diseases mentioned are blood and water transmitted.

and nobody will be having a poo meter where you have to evacuate your bowels every 10 hours, it will be simulated that heavily used areas will have more human waste and therefore have more potential for infection.

Well they better fix the whole squirting blood out of your body if it's spread that way.

Oh, I thought the player would actually have to pull down his pants and defecate wherever he pleases. Also, I don't see how that is a problem unless you're in a sewer system.

The complex soldier AI from Arma will be already replaced with a simple Z AI in the SA.

Clothing was one of the complex complicated things they worked in SA. Both no quote, but both toled by rocked in his own (better) words.

Sounds good, although I don't quite understand what SA is.

[ImageCtrl 719]

SA... DayZ Stand Alone

[m.w. vindicator 880]

Exactly, most of the diseases are survivable if enough fluid is consumed, and the symptoms are also very common between them all. There will be small differences, and there is not a great deal of ingame help about what you actually have. Researching the diseases on the internet will be the best solution, hopefully finding antibiotics and then making a best guess at which antibiotics to use.

We're also considering how disease is introduced into the world, we may introduce it into one area and then track it's spread, providing some potentially interesting data on psychology and the spread of disease.

Researching the diseases on the internet????

I would much rather prefer an in-game item such as a medical field guide or a "Diseases for dummies " Book. This would add to the immersion.

[m.w. vindicator 880]

Based on my systems tests so far, Cholera is going to be a major, major killer. An outbreak of Cholera on a server could well trigger a huge number of deaths. If you find a cache with a Cholera vaccine, you will be able to make yourself a very rich person.

This makes me so happy!!!

Do I have a problem?

[joebob 117]

I'm with Seddrik on this one. I've been a Medic for a long time in the game and would like to see the role of a medic increased but I don't want to have to download Greys Anatomy to my Ipad in order to enjoy Day Z. Perhaps we could add things like a stethoscope BP Cuff and actual thermometer and then, from the results, get an idea of what the disease is and what the possible treatment might be. Let's not get so involved in this that we have to build a freaking lab with a functional MRI and blood testing unit. Make it more involved but make it more in line with the duties and capabilities of a field medic. It's a game ... it's supposed to be FUN.

And please ... no pooping in the Day Z sandbox ... {shudder}

[wolfstriked 143]

Oh man I hope Rocket doesn't just add in a stethoscope to diagnose with.Reminds me of the morphine to counter a broken leg idea.That said I wonder how we will diagnose since many of the said diseases are similar.Differences being in stool color,jaundice,varying urine colors,red marks on body etc.Will we be looking at our poo after we defecate to diagnose?

[mr_chabowski@live.co.uk 2416]

To whom it may concern,

Games and fun are not necessarily mutually inclusive. Overcoming challenges is more rewarding than "

fun

". DayZ is geared towards this notion.

If solving a medical dilemma becomes a meta-game, then it makes players more involved. Texts assisting diagnosis will surely be available in-game, but

the work shouldn't be done for you

.

If you really can't cope with the idea of a game that actually poses a challenge. I suggest you go see a doctor, ask about getting some ointment for the chip on your shoulder.

[logan23 118]

I'm with Seddrik on this one. I've been a Medic for a long time in the game and would like to see the role of a medic increased but I don't want to have to download Greys Anatomy to my Ipad in order to enjoy Day Z. Perhaps we could add things like a stethoscope BP Cuff and actual thermometer and then, from the results, get an idea of what the disease is and what the possible treatment might be. Let's not get so involved in this that we have to build a freaking lab with a functional MRI and blood testing unit. Make it more involved but make it more in line with the duties and capabilities of a field medic. It's a game ... it's supposed to be FUN.

And please ... no pooping in the Day Z sandbox ... {shudder}

I understand you want the game "Fun" but.....

"Fun" is subjective.....one player's fun is another player's butt-hurt or simple boring play-style...

To tackle this we should look at the movie industry.

Movies are broken into different genera, which helps the viewer to determine what kind of experience they will be having or if the movie is not for them.

Some people love dramas that are deep and wordy while other people want romantic comedies, and so on.

Most people like players have multiple types of movies/games they enjoy and will watch a movie that is not in their norm for viewing if it's something different that might catch their eye or a friend says you must see this; it's not like the rest of the movies in the typical genera.

The "Fun" movies are usually seen as the hollywood blockbusters which are targeted to a large diverse audience but in doing so, many of these movies lose any chance of going heavy in one or more direction, which would make it edgy. This is why the typical blockbuster movie is fun but usually not emotionally moving like others, which are targeted to a smaller audience base.

The rise of the Indie Films changed things since these indie films brought something that many studios for big budgets didn't want to touch, taking chances and breaking traditional models.

DayZ if it was a movie would be an Indie Film.

DayZ breaks the mold in so many ways which many game designers are looking at it to see what it works since it goes against everything that is taught. Perma-death, harsh and unforgiving environment, the ability not to win or have a win button in the game are just a few of the features that define DayZ as a game in its own genera or in some ways a new one.

Back to answering the quote-

When you go to watch a true tense horror film, you do not expect it to make you laugh and smile. The movie's purpose is to scare the viewer and make them feel as if they are constantly at the edge of their seat, thinking what is going to happen next.

Movies like: Seven, Lincoln, Unforgiven, Seven pounds, Schindler's List, Memento, Life is Beautiful, and many more...

These movies are not the "fun" movies, but they are emotional and very powerful in their message, and they do a great job presenting it to the viewer.

DayZ, like these movies above is not the typical "fun" of their media in the casual/ blockbuster sense. DayZ is a powerful game that sends a message and gives the player's an experience which as we have seen in the DayZ mod alone has led to over a million players. The movies I listed above as well as DayZ is edgy, and they are not meant for all people, but if you give it a chance, you will be surprised how it can move you.

DayZ will never be the typical "fun" because its type of "fun" is having players at the edge of their seats wondering if entering that town might lead to a needed can of beans or a weapon, but also it could lead to death by a Zed or a bullet. That uncertainty is what makes DayZ "Fun" and it is what makes it special.

I'm looking forward to the Standalone and the future of DayZ.

It has been great to see it evolve and grow to a future Standalone.

[Rivy 32]

But nobody will ever "research" anything (not even opening wikipedia). We will just check the DayZ wiki. That kind of makes it pointless.

^edit: regarding the post above: I sometimes play games to have fun and other times I have fun because I'm immersed in a game, be it scary or whatever. Having to check wikipedia to know how to cure something, to me, breaks that immersion a lot, which makes the whole thing a lot less enjoyable. I'd rather have some text books ingame that you can pick up and read (even if they have text taken from wikipedia xD).

On the other hand, I feel that pooping is like sleeping, an activity that could be immersive if everything ingame was in real time (eating and drinking and fatigue too), but that can't be properly implemented because we can't spend 24 hours a day in DayZ.

Edited November 28, 2012 by Rivy

[logan23 118]

I wonder if we will see any disease come from the Infected being present.

I'm talking about if the Infected's virus altered or mutated with any existing viruses or has there been any new sickness come from a mutated strain of the Infected virus which doesn't turn you since your immune but are there other strains that can still cause issues with the player, vision, etc?