1.7.1 Problems: Minor

[masterjts 1]

1.7.1 is overall an improvement for the game but there are a few minor problems.

1) Flashlight: The flashlight needs to start in the player's hand. The first reason for this is that you can not pick up gear without the flashlight in your hand. The flashlight enables the aim reticule (even if it is hidden on a veteran server) which is used to highlight gear, doors and etc. The context menu wont come up without the aim reticule enabled and it wont be enabled without the flashlight in hand.

You said that you didnt want everyone drawing attention to themselves as noobs by running around with a flashlight in hand. Honestly, you are a noob if you DONT equip your flashlight immediately on spawn in since you cant even climb a ladder or open a door without it.

Personally I would rather you give everyone a pistol and one clip but if that is not going to happen at least move the flashlight to the player's hand. We had a few new players with us last night and after ragging them about poor timing (yesterday would have gotten to 10x the starting gear lol) we proceeded to explain the inventory. The first thing we learned was that a new player has no clue you can even open the backpack. Most thought the backpack slots were to the right of the backpack so they figured their backpack was empty. Secondly they had trouble figuring out how to use the backpack and get the gear out into their hand. Then once they finally caught on they all commented, "Why not just start the flashlight in my hand, this is overly complicated."

The current way the flashlight is stored is anti-new player. I have played arma since the original Operation flashpoint game was released and it took me about 10 minutes to figure out that I was never going to pick up gear with my flashlight in my backpack. If I had that much trouble just imagine how a new player feels as he cant even ask over the global channel anymore. He just wanders around the map in the dark and when he finds gear he cant figure out how to pick it up and then he does to zombies and never plays again.

2) Bandages: You need to give at least 2 of these. This is a very common item in game and in real life as you can just tear strips of clean cotton cloth to make them. By only giving one of these you are limiting player's abilities to HELP each other and cooperate. If you are in a group and someone is hurt and he does not have a bandage you let him die because you only have one and it is for your personal use. Not only is that unrealistic it is against the cooperative nature of what the patch was supposed to produce.

Personally I would give them 3 bandages each and call it a day. I hope this gets rebalanced in the next hotfix since this is a pretty major problem. You should never think it is a good idea to kill someone because they have one bandage and you have none... just because you have the only gun. Although it is funny to do so.

If you can, you should think about rewriting the bleed mechanic. You should not bleed to death in 5 minutes from a paper cut just because you dont have a bandage. Obviously that will take more work so just give us a few more bandages on spawn.

3) Spawn locations: The current spawn locations no longer work. They were initially placed with the idea of a starting weapon in mind. Since that is no longer the case you can no longer start players within aggro distance of a zombie.

I died about 10 times last night before I made it off the coast. 6 of those times I started within aggro distance of a zombie, 3 of those times I spawned in to a zombie already attacking me and the only time I escaped was the one time I spawned in and there were no zombies around. (they were probably off chasing the guy who spawned in right before me.)

This is a HUGE problem in my opinion. If you have no weapon on spawn you need to adjust the spawn locations to be further from zombie spawns. This is another must fix for the next hotfix in my opinion.

4) Food/Water: I am fine with not spawning with food but you should allow people to spawn with water or at least a means to get water. The water bar seems to go down faster than food for some reason. (or maybe it just seems that way?)

I would suggest spawning new players with an empty canteen at the least. That gives them a goal right off the bat that they can expand on as they go. (IE, I need to find a way to fill this canteen before I die of thirst.

Speaking of food and water. You should think about lowering the damage you take from being hungry/thirsty. As it stand you die in about 5 minutes once you become either hungry or thirsty. Since new players dont start with anything they are going to die fast. You also wont be able to check the death stats to see deaths by food/water because at least 99% of those people are going to chance going into a town when they get critical and will die to zombies.

Like I said above, I suggest starting players with at least a drink or an empty canteen.

Overall this new patch is a huge improvement but it has become even less new-player friendly to the point where it is impossible for new players to join without vast amounts of help. Luckily I am there to help all my friends to get in game but I am sure there are tons of people who have no one to help them and no means to get help other than posting on the forum and these (and most other) forums are NOT friendly to new players.

[Castle (DayZ) 23]

I have not once equipped the flashlight and have had no problem picking up gear or doing anything really.

I haven't had any problems spawning into zombies.

[Wüstenfuchs (DayZ) 105]

DayZ 1.7.1 Discussion - Others will be locked/deleted!