New Dev Blog Report: November 2012

[sausagekingofchicago 4711]

Rocket, not all of us sit with Reddit on Autorefresh or stalk your every spoken word with groupie-like obsession, so if you have a stated stance against microtransactions then I am more than happy to be ignorant in this case. Glad to hear it.

I was stalking Rockets posts when I saw this. :|

[McTwitchy 6]

Question 6 - I'm going to start with a direct requote of this, because I completely disagree with it. Not the over all idea of the statement - but because I'm in the Army, and I know rucking.

"6. Character progression: Any thoughts on character progression? Again I'm sorry if this has already been covered. I just know if I was rucking around at 4mph for a few months and I'm well fed..I'll be able to up my speed/distance/weight. If I'm not well fed.. well...it'll slow me down, I'll get the shakes, dehydrated, atrophy..lots of bad bad things."

Continued stressful rucks such as what we put our character through - each time I play, in general I'll end up moving 10 clicks or so - if I did this for several months, even with good broken in boots, and I was well fed, and was well slept, you would still tear your body down, your feet down, your joints. You wouldn't see stamina improvement from this type of thing. ;) I know.

To often me and my army buddies are playing... and (forum mods forgive the language) we can't help but say things such as this to each other over coms...

"Man - Bro, I can hear you breathin realllllll heavy with that 240B - I bet your sucking a bid ol' dick."

"Wow, it sure would be nice to be running this fast up hill with a freakin' car engine in my backpack man."

"Dude - why can't I fill my fkin' water up with rain water?" (Sorry - had to throw that one in there, not really related)

Google a medium ALICE pack on google, head out and start out slow - do you a 4 miler, 6 miler, 8 miler, then a 12 miler with at least 45LBs. Once you attempt you're 12 miler - time it. If you can't complete it in 2 hours and 30 mins ish time - your character in DayZ would already SMOKE the hell outta you IRL. Now once you wake up the next day - tell me how your legs feel, lemme know if your feet managed to stay dry and not rub, and lastly tell me that you've thinked you improved your over all physical ability.

The one thing I did like about ACE/ACRE is the weight system of the rucks and the ability to heat-cat.

I'm not trying to bash you at all for your post - I tried to be helpful, but just wanted to state that I fully disagree with any type of "my characters been alive longer, and thus is better." mentality to the game. If anything he should be able to catch sickness easier for having to live under harsh living conditions for a prolonged period of time.

Hope I was helpful.

I'm an Army dude as well brother.. I ruck for a lifestyle.. at times.. to be truthful. If I ruck consistently, but not at a forced ruck march 12 hours a day, I get better at it. It's called exercising. You can't balance buildup/maintain/rest periods in for a gameplay character. I appreciate your attempt at realism but this is just not possible. I'm not going to ruck 14 miles one day, and not play the game for the next 3 to give my character a break...I'm curious to see how you would implement character progression in the state of things that is DayZ.

I appreciate your feed back btw and by no means am I attacking your post, I'm just trying to explain mine.

[032125 (DayZ) 91]

I'm an Army dude as well brother.. I ruck for a lifestyle.. at times.. to be truthful. If I ruck consistently, but not at a forced ruck march 12 hours a day, I get better at it. It's called exercising. You can't balance buildup/maintain/rest periods in for a gameplay character. I appreciate your attempt at realism but this is just not possible. I'm not going to ruck 14 miles one day, and not play the game for the next 3 to give my character a break...I'm curious to see how you would implement character progression in the state of things that is DayZ.

I appreciate your feed back btw and by no means am I attacking your post, I'm just trying to explain mine.

Old ex-army here. I see what you're saying, and under ideal conditions you are correct that excersize made us stronger, though at a huge caloric cost. Isn't the caloric intake in basic something like 4000 calories a day? And yet I lost 35 lbs in three months ....

Also note that most of the soldiers that I knew got out with permanent mechanical injuries; bad backs, ruined knees, fucked up feet, compressed vertibrae, etc. At least two lost fingers, but not from excersize. All of those permanent injuries in spite of ongoing, free medical support.

The contrast between the "excersize" of a well funded and supported athelete (or soldier) and the work and strain of a survivor (refugee, etc) is massive. No bunk to sleep on, no sick call, no profiles. No mess hall. No doctors. Even minor mechanical injuries can take a lone survivor down that death helix, and with very little chance of R&R you'd never quite get the chance to recover from injuries.

Just my dumb opinion.

[McTwitchy 6]

Old ex-army here. I see what you're saying, and under ideal conditions you are correct that excersize made us stronger, though at a huge caloric cost. Isn't the caloric intake in basic something like 4000 calories a day? And yet I lost 35 lbs in three months ....

Also note that most of the soldiers that I knew got out with permanent mechanical injuries; bad backs, ruined knees, fucked up feet, compressed vertibrae, etc. At least two lost fingers, but not from excersize. All of those permanent injuries in spite of ongoing, free medical support.

The contrast between the "excersize" of a well funded and supported athelete (or soldier) and the work and strain of a survivor (refugee, etc) is massive. No bunk to sleep on, no sick call, no profiles. No mess hall. No doctors. Even minor mechanical injuries can take a lone survivor down that death helix, and with very little chance of R&R you'd never quite get the chance to recover from injuries.

Just my dumb opinion.

You are absolutely right. In this case everyone would have blisters and be unable to walk after about 20h of game play. This would mean every survivor would have a finite number of miles to walk until their character 'gave up'. This would, in my opinion destroy character progression. For a character to do the things you stated above would destroy replayability and enforce you to take a second look at your workout/suvivor method. IF I am rucking around, hunting, sleeping in a tent, scavanging and doing well.....I think I would have a respect for a 50lbs ruck to a degree that it wouldn't phase me as much as the layperson. I respect your strive for realism but adding blisters, swollen fingers(some know what I'm talking about), hunger, shakes, sleep depravation, missing your GF at home, needing a fix of BF3, and missing your favorite show of two and ahalf men would affect your character..then it kind of left the realm of a game hasn't it? This game is about immersion..lets pretend you are a deployed soldier that is physically fit and able to run more than a few miles with a bit of weight on his back. I wouldn't disagree to adding sports injuries to the mix at all, I think that would make things very interesting. "Sorry boss, can't go on to get fuel for our camp...got shin splints.." That in my mind would be 'effin awesome.

My thoughts were simply...I'm a dude...in the middle of the woods..I ruck around all day eating food and whatnot..eh, I'm better at rucking today then I was a month ago.

Edited December 1, 2012 by McTwitchy

[chaosmachine 0]

Excellent and exciting news. One question: Squad/Clan logos on clothes?

WOW

[Hosty 647]

VAC for dayz will only increase the amount of cheating

Actually, if you cheat in VAC you will get your whole account banned.

Who the fuck wants to lose hundreds of fucking dollars?

I don't.

[monkie 30]

Actually, if you cheat in VAC you will get your whole account banned.

Who the fuck wants to lose hundreds of fucking dollars?

I don't.

i'm sorry but that is not correct, unless steams own support site is wrong.

Note:

Excluding the games listed above, VAC bans will only apply to the game the cheat was detected in. For example, a VAC ban in Modern Warfare 2 will not affect Modern Warfare 3.

https://support.stea...php?p_faqid=370

[barrance 22]

Good lord, people worrying about consumer rights or whatever the hell else was involved with Steam really need to play less computer games. Like, in a serious way...fucking hell.

Everything from rocket there sounded brilliant. Best point raised since then I think is addressing the spawning of zombies. It is a real tension breaker when you slowly approach a town, to see packs of zombies emerge from the same spot 40 yards away. Suddenly any fear of other players melts away.

[finkone 320]

You are absolutely right. In this case everyone would have blisters and be unable to walk after about 20h of game play. This would mean every survivor would have a finite number of miles to walk until their character 'gave up'. This would, in my opinion destroy character progression. For a character to do the things you stated above would destroy replayability and enforce you to take a second look at your workout/suvivor method. IF I am rucking around, hunting, sleeping in a tent, scavanging and doing well.....I think I would have a respect for a 50lbs ruck to a degree that it wouldn't phase me as much as the layperson. I respect your strive for realism but adding blisters, swollen fingers(some know what I'm talking about), hunger, shakes, sleep depravation, missing your GF at home, needing a fix of BF3, and missing your favorite show of two and ahalf men would affect your character..then it kind of left the realm of a game hasn't it? This game is about immersion..lets pretend you are a deployed soldier that is physically fit and able to run more than a few miles with a bit of weight on his back. I wouldn't disagree to adding sports injuries to the mix at all, I think that would make things very interesting. "Sorry boss, can't go on to get fuel for our camp...got shin splints.." That in my mind would be 'effin awesome.

My thoughts were simply...I'm a dude...in the middle of the woods..I ruck around all day eating food and whatnot..eh, I'm better at rucking today then I was a month ago.

... But it wouldn't be, not in a survival situation... Hey Old TImer (032125) - I think I know what 3 months you are referring to in regards to a drastic weight drop. ;)

I'm not saying you'd have to give your character a exercise break, and not play the game - I'm simply saying that the game is enjoyable because it takes only a few bullets to kill a foe, because you've got to terrain feature reference, because there isn't perks that I have to pick for my character every month. I'm not saying "Rocket please make the best survivor simulator you can - I want to find boots and break them in." No man, I am however saying I don't want my old fart of a broken down character to be faster then a fresh young buck on the shore. I think it'd be a thrill to attempt breaking contact from a larger group that wants my items, and be a slower individual rather then a huge PT stud because during the end of the world I still managed to find time to fit in recreational workout plans over survival. It would even give them new guys a twist of being the more able predator physically if it was done vise-versa of what you are requesting to be honest. Besides - from some of the videos I've seen Rocket talking in, or posts... hes drop'd hints of possibly making it so OLDER characters are more susceptible to infections and things such as HEP C. (Note my last sentence is unconfirmed, and just popping out of my head from memory.)

My thoughts are - I'm a army guy, that was in the middle of a hilly ass place that just grows drugs, I rucked around all night, and ate food all day and whatnot, I'm extremely tired, broken down, and could use a break - over a month ago.

Edited December 1, 2012 by Reaper 3

[McTwitchy 6]

... But it wouldn't be, not in a survival situation... Hey Old TImer (032125) - I think I know what 3 months you are referring to in regards to a drastic weight drop. ;)

I'm not saying you'd have to give your character a exercise break, and not play the game - I'm simply saying that the game is enjoyable because it takes only a few bullets to kill a foe, because you've got to terrain feature reference, because there isn't perks that I have to pick for my character every month. I'm not saying "Rocket please make the best survivor simulator you can - I want to find boots and break them in." No man, I am however saying I don't want my old fart of a broken down character to be faster then a fresh young buck on the shore. I think it'd be a thrill to attempt breaking contact from a larger group that wants my items, and be a slower individual rather then a huge PT stud because during the end of the world I still managed to find time to fit in recreational workout plans over survival. It would even give them new guys a twist of being the more able predator physically if it was done vise-versa of what you are requesting to be honest. Besides - from some of the videos I've seen Rocket talking in, or posts... hes drop'd hints of possibly making it so OLDER characters are more susceptible to infections and things such as HEP C. (Note my last sentence is unconfirmed, and just popping out of my head from memory.)

My thoughts are - I'm a army guy, that was in the middle of a hilly ass place that just grows drugs, I rucked around all night, and ate food all day and whatnot, I'm extremely tired, broken down, and could use a break - over a month ago.

Yeah I understand..and btw I would absolutely hate using skill points for character progression. I just thought it'd be cool to have character progression or alteration in your case that would be transparent to the user. No points..I hate points.

[finkone 320]

Yea from what I've heard in the videos with Q&A from the crowd - he planed to add some type of system where players over time grow facial hair, start to grey - but off the top of my head this is the only real thing I've heard, the video is a few months old now, and things can change very rapidly from a goals related scheme of things at this point of development. I'm not bashing you at all bro I support ideas, and more original character progression over time so not everyone is running around in a blue baseball cap even if they are on day 60 of surviving. Kinda excited for the new clothing system that will be implemented over time - You'll find me in the Cherno Clothing Shop doing my XMAS shopping for myself if all goes well this year. Can't wait to log onto Steam and see "DayZ Standalone Alpha!" - I'd buy the damn thing for 60 bucks US money, I've already gotten way more then 60 dollars worth of entertainment out of this bad-ass mod.

I just hope they don't remove any of the ballistics - such as each weapon having a real MOA, the audio crack of the round breaking the sonic by your ears, then hearing the shot ring out 1.3 seconds later giving you a general idea of distance and direction - it just gets me hard man...lmfao.

I would like to see a over all list generated at some point by Mr. Rocket to detail what they've removed functions wise from the old engine to the new standalone version - (bash if you want guys saying its not a new engine, in my eyes it is.). What I love most about the Arma II engine is some of the audio - bombs sound like bombs, and guns sound like guns - and they behave well - Unlike that cartoon ass game called WarZ. ;)

Edited December 1, 2012 by Reaper 3

[babyfell 28]

will the female have other clothes? and can change clothes too? thats all i want to know.

[Illuzion 0]

@Rocket

I've read about of a bunch of the changes you plan to make. New features aside, it seems like a bunch of existing features are receiving some polishing up and in some cases, complete overhauls. For an example, much of the medical system is receiving a complete overhaul. My question comes from a key feature I haven't heard much about but has been talked about on the forum by myself and many others.

Currently, you can die rather quickly from dehydration and or starvation. Have you put any thought to making it a bit more realistic, or authentic as you put it?

My idea would be that the player goes through different stages before death. The overall process of dying would be extended and the player would see cues on the screen instead of having the icons, which I know you plan to take out. For an example the player would experience dizzyness, decreased energy (not being able to sprint as much for an example), hallucinations (audible and or visual) and random unconsciousness (all in order) before they finally bite the dust. Thoughts?

I second this question. The current way hunger and thirst works is quite irritating.

[tsandrey 379]

Actually, if you cheat in VAC you will get your whole account banned.

Who the fuck wants to lose hundreds of fucking dollars?

I don't.

That's not true. I think they removed that...

VAC sucks... The only good thing about VAC is that it almost never causes updating problems and doesn't cause problems!

[$able 257]

That's not true. I think they removed that...

VAC sucks... The only good thing about VAC is that it almost never causes updating problems and doesn't cause problems!

And even if it banned the whole account (which it doesn't), the cheaters will simply use DayZ-only accounts and create new ones once banned. Anyone believing that those that want to cheat will stop because they have to pay $15 every few weeks (that's how fast VAC usually is) needs to think again. Before cd-key theft was prevalent a few months ago they didn't care about having to buy the game again either.

[hulkingunicorn 20]

Good lord, people worrying about consumer rights or whatever the hell else was involved with Steam really need to play less computer games. Like, in a serious way...fucking hell.

Everything from rocket there sounded brilliant.[...]

Steam was chosen because they could ease development of the game, not because it's a beacon of light for consumer rights. While I've not yet been deterred from buying games using Steam, I don't like to be faced with the choice of accepting whatever new EULA/SSA they roll out or forfeit my entire Steam library.

Perhaps parts of those agreements would be ripped to shreds in court, perhaps not. I don't see a reason to beat down those who object against having the terms of an agreement constantly changed by the other party with no real recourse.

People worrying about other people's opinions or crusades on the internet need to do less yoga.

[Kazioo 15]

will the female have other clothes? and can change clothes too? thats all i want to know.

Same items for both genders:

http://www.reddit.com/r/dayz/comments/13xtw5/boots_and_weatherterrain_for_standalone/c78b2gj?context=3

[boneboys 7988]

I'll have to change my name from a simple Alice_Packs to Alice_Packswihtlegs....

[barrance 22]

Steam was chosen because they could ease development of the game, not because it's a beacon of light for consumer rights. While I've not yet been deterred from buying games using Steam, I don't like to be faced with the choice of accepting whatever new EULA/SSA they roll out or forfeit my entire Steam library.

I dunno really, for sure I can see that. But I dunno, how many computer games (and specifically steam games?) do people own?? Only computer games ive ever played is counterstrike and dayz. Oh, and I totally picked up the commander keen collection when it got released on steam. MEGA nostalgia trip. I guess others dont have the same misgivings as me, but ive seen people talk about hundreds to thousands of pounds worth of games on their steam account. Find it deeply disturbing! Sunshines awesome!

I guess each to their own, but if it concerned me to that degree, i know id want some kind of intervention!

[distx 18]

Nice update ... but I'm little sad about:

"While the graphics may look the same (for now)" ... I was hoping for improved effects,lights ... graphics in general. Hopefully after the release will get some of those updated.

Graphics doesnt make the game, but a updated sure is appreciated.

[illicit (DayZ) 4]

i would like to correct one misconception you seem to have, people do not lose their steam account if caught using cheats, only the use of the games using the engine they cheated in, nothing changes compared to now, i read that people who get banned by the current anti-cheat used by dayz can just buy another CD key, people that cheat in steam can make a new account and repurchase the game, also because VAC does not ban instantly a cheater can keep griefing for "days or weeks", to quote online sources, before VAC actually kicks in, this to me seems like a considerable downgrade compared to the current situation where if someone is caught by the dayz anti-cheat they are instantly banned.

You lack understanding on how hacks and anti cheat work and why there is a delay in VAC bans.

VAC detects cheats in multiple ways, but the delay bans you are talking about is the signature scan part of VAC. This is basically the same as how virus scanners work in that they are looking for a signature or behaviour on your PC that flags you are using a cheat.

The delayed bans are only for NEW cheats and the idea behind the delay is awesome, not a bad thing like you make out.

Basically most hacks these days are paid hacks that you can buy (while there is still private ones kicking around). Because of this, the hacks are constantly being updated to get around anti cheat as they make money from this. So the hack writers are constantly changing their hacks so they aren't detected by VAC, and the VAC guys are constantly updating VAC so they detect them. VAC when they detect a new variant, wait a number of weeks, so they can BAN the most amount of people possible. If they started banning on day one of the hack,the guys writing the hacks alert their users and in some cases automatically stop them from loading and then only a small amount of people actually get caught. So I shouldn't need to spell it out to you any more why VAC delay bans for new hacks.

VAC is actually the best anti-cheat out there. Is it perfect? No, but if you think punkbusters or BE are better then you are seriously misinformed.

Edited December 2, 2012 by illicit

[sunnz 24]

Animations are being cleaned up to feel more responsive. This means trimming some transitions, so that you get quicker feedback from pressing the key to action (removing he “clunkiness” or “sluggishness”)

THANK YOU SO MUCH, this was my biggest problem with dayz, even bigger than the zombies. It ruined the game and caused many of my deaths and was a constant nuisance, it's fine for arma, not dayz.

Plus the clothing and weapon degradation ( please add it, no high powered weapons like m107....) would be incredible!!!

[grndctrl 28]

Actually, if you cheat in VAC you will get your whole account banned.

Who the fuck wants to lose hundreds of fucking dollars?

I don't.

Wrong , my friend hacked with DoD , and everything that had to do with DoD like counter strike and other related games , was banned , but not other games like sims 3 for example

[soapmak3r 677]

will the female have other clothes? and can change clothes too? thats all i want to know.

I just had the thought that it would be completely awesome if it was like Dead Rising 2 and you could dress up in old ladies dresses and women's clothing...that was always hilarious...

Imagine if you were entering a city to loot it and you saw some dude running around in a flowery bonnet and dress! Too freaking funny...

[vacalouca 86]

Women players should wear dresses, maybe give this option to male players, people can have erotic fantasies with zombies and dresses :rolleyes:

Or maybe bandits can kidnap players and force them to wear dresses and run by elektro lol