Its your story. Take responsibility for it.

[Waffenator 25]

DayZ's motto is "This is Day Z. This is your story"

I interpret this from a development point of view as there is a very high degree of customization and freedom as evidenced by choosing ARMA as the engine. Already, in Alpha we see severs that are highly customized, mods on top of an alpha mod...DayZ, is living up to its Motto.

Because of the customization element most people can find a server that caters to their tastes. There are even mods with no zombines, not to my taste, but that should not matter, what should matter is sticking to the motto...crushing the opinionated with the salty retort of..then play on a different server or customize your own to your tastes. For me, existing in a game environment where the haters can be shamed into being considered too incompetent, too lazy, to make progress when the opportunities rest before them is highly liberating....that is, there is even more potential to censure the whiney ass biatches then in games very well know for doing just that, such as EVE.

From a gameplay perspective if DayZ is to live up to being "your story" then it should be a robust and very open ended one. We are afforded some incredible opportunities and possibilities in this game. For example,

1. We have the ability to link maps via either public or eventually private hives...each map can eventually develop its own story-line .its own gear..its own "top tier" items. Think of each map as a module or building block in a nonlinear story.

2. The hive either public or private could connect all these maps, perhaps eventually letting gear beyond the backpack come with, or setting prerequisites of moving from one map to another with the same gear....such as having a certain vehicle or being at a certain location on the map, such as a port.

Thinking big, the hive could connect many maps representing key areas on the globe...where survivors have the ability to develop just as big as a "story" as they see fit. For example, getting a nuke plant back online, building an extensive base at the Eagle's nest, commandeering an LHD, or as a bounty hunter going after top ranked bandits.

The game could even develop a marketplace as even in the worst of times in modern history...e.g., the black death, the final days of WWII in Germany, and the Disco period...people were still able to buy and sell stuff. Overall, I think the possibility of reaching a larger vision in the game is what will attract more players and add another level of immersion.

In regards to weapons, under the above framework, then they should be based on what exists in a given geographic region modified based on the likely parties in conflict on the various maps with a touch of balance to make up for countries that have restricted their citizens from being prepared for a zombie apoc. As an aside, Guns and Ammo has their own zombie apoc section and gun makers have been capitalizing on the tacticool gun market...with some manufacturers putting rail systems and telescoping stocks on lever action guns, and selling custom bullets made for zombies. I think its all rather silly, but under the motto of "this is your story", if someone wants to be able to add an acog to a double barrel shotgun who the hell am I to tell them no?

Secondly, ammo availability and pack-ability is something I would like to see worked on, that is. Different types of ammo in the same caliber available (FMJ,JHP,Tracer,Frangible, and so on). The ability to carry rounds in boxes or storage within the back allowing it to be a bit more compact then magazines. For example, 100 pistol rounds and 40 or 50 rifle rounds for the same space as 1, 30 round magazine. With a crafting system it could even end up being possible to make the above containers, ammunition, and perhaps the guns as well akin to second life.

What I would really like to see is a combination of Iron Front and DayZ where there is an alternate history at the end of WWII...The German super-weapons got out of hand..and there is a zombie apoc starting at The Eagle's nest...with a shite ton of nazi zombies running around....

Am I going to be butthurt if any of these ideas are not realized...no, of course not, because at the end of the day its my responsibility to make the DayZ story my story. What I like about this community so far is there are only a small percentage of the people who complain without accepting responsibility for finding a solution to their complaint...as least compared to many AAA games out there. I hope we all keep that spirit...listen and learn from the veteran community members who rolled out with OFP...and continue to light the 4 corners of the globe with the standard of a different kind...the gamer, builder, crafter, scripter, moddeler...perhaps today's warrior poet.

[person915 345]

I think through many threads and discussions the community has decided what it means to have "This is your story." involved in the features.

Basically, can we have different pants, shirts, hats, gloves, boots, ect and still say, "This is your story."? Yes, yes we can. It does not make it like Far Cry, while it is a great franchise, you play as a character, though in an open world environment, or like Zelda, but completing quests in a main storyline. Also, it does not become like Fallout or Elder Scrolls, playing as a character you create but through scripted quests and such.

As for the explanation of German superweapons and ect.... Honestly, you wake up one a beach with painkillers, a bandage, and a backpack. Chances are, you have no idea what happened to you last night. Or many nights, for that matter. This apocalypse doesn't need a reason and doesn't need justification. All we know is what's now, and that's what keeps us engaged.

BUT

Would I like to see hidden documents and newspapers that if you searched for it, you could learn? Yes. The only problem is, people go posting and now everyone knows. In my opinion the solution is to create multiple instances where multiple factors contributed to this apocalypse so no one can really distinguish what fired first and all that guff.

In that way, you have created your character's story. To learn the truth.

Then of course, I'd love to have things in the game no one knows anything about. Put berries and seemingly useless items and you can (with a few accidents and experiments) develop a way to seal doors with a jel-like substance. Now I do not actually think sealing doors with jelly is cool, but some equivalent, as the effect is not the point. It is creating or having the possibility to create but in a real open form, as you take it on, pursue, and complete it yourself, and the effects ripple.

For instance, say you got killed without writing down the recipe and someone found these strange potions? Who even knows what they do? How did they get them? Quest.

As for some of your ideas like ammo and inventory, and WWII...

I always found that games I play did not meet the standards I wanted them to. So, I did what any sensible person would do. I stopped complaining on the forums (I do not believe you are complaining at all, though) and I started to learn Java.

Basically, I want to take my favorite games or game styles, and put them into my own vision, but of course make them so it isn't a travesty of a game, i.e. WarZ to DayZ.

Sure, I have some ideas myself, when someone on Steam doesn't greenlight a game called The Intruder which was one of my most prominent and proud thoughts that would help me with AI programming, and would call it the same thing minus "The", but hey, what are you going to do? Walt Disney was right about those "Thought Bots" or whoever actually came up with the idea that something was stealing their thoughts. Seriously, no. It was just very scary and strange coincidence that ended in a disappointed loss for me when no battle took place.

I like hardcore games. I like games that you can mold your own story, except when there needs to be a story told. I like games that give you a challenge, and show you something new, and show that "made with love" touch.

So I had an idea for something that hasn't much been done yet, and that was zombie survival in an time era c. Black Plague, or WWI ect. I don't think anyone had done that yet or well, and I think I have the mindset to make it work. Now I just need the skill.

Sir, please stop stealing my thoughts and posting them on the forums. Just kidding, really just keep DayZ the way it is, because that's what works. You put too many game changers in and it doesn't work, like some of the latest Final Fantasy games. So add dogs and all that, but don't add super-robatic mechs that you can find in Cherno, if you get the analogy.

Of course, your idea might just work if the game "isn't DayZ" which is what I'm aiming for. Also, about your ammo idea, that sounds good (though I was a bit confused, I'd need a table or visuals to totally understand); from what I gather you want it like FarCry where you need holsters and pouches to hold everything, but it also slows you down, which to me is excellent and a good idea, since it isn't changing the game as far as implementing Transformers because no one saw that coming. More so, I see now editing, that you want it to be like using ammo boxes and the like to put in inventory, which I think if combined with storage on person factors could be a really cool feature. DayZ likes inventory to be clunky and difficult. This is more of expanding on and idea than making a new one altogether.

And so I'll probably edit this later once I see some embarassing grammar mistake, syntax error, new idea, or explaining and old one so it actually makes sense. Basically, all content in this post and resulting is subject to change.

Edited January 2, 2013 by Neko-san

[bad_mojo (DayZ) 1204]

What will you think if the standalone doesn't allow modding?

[Waffenator 25]

What will you think if the standalone doesn't allow modding?

That would be a sharp left turn in my opinion. Would wait and see to make comments on such an occurrence. How about you`?

[bad_mojo (DayZ) 1204]

I wouldn't be surprised.

Rocket has hinted at this in the past. But, things are changing all the time. Who knows what he thinks now.

Thing is with so much mod'ability, it opens the door for exploitation. Hacking and private hive settings do have a huge affect on the community & integrity of the game.

I'm an advocate for locking down DayZ, at least until it has been developed further.