Logoff mechanics in modern MMOs, and DayZ

[Gobbins 2]

Log off is always a delicate part of game balance, since on one end you do not want the player to be punished for attending to a RL emergency; on the other hand you do not want people to use log off as a get out of jail free card.

For example, in the pvp centric, high death penalty mmo eve-online, the log off mechanics are still being tweaked 9 years in and can still be exploited to get out of the heat.

I think with this anti-game of yours, you have a unique chance to experiment with how players react to really harsh log off mechanics. These changes would simply risk driving away too many players to be acceptable in a regular MMO.

As it stands right now, panic alt+f4 will save you from a zombie horde 100% of the time, and save you from other players too as long as you have taken no pvp damage. Most importantly it allows you to escape when cornered, which I believe is a very important issue.

It affects immersion greatly and gameplay as well.

I wonder how the game would be like if your character remained persistant for a certain time after logging out no matter what. This would encourage finding safe spots to log out or players protecting each other as they quit the game. I think it would be a powerful boost to immersion and all in all interesting from an experimental point of view: has this ever really been done in any other game?

[SamStrife 1]

Like you said, EVE Online has had these issues for 9 years, during which time they've made millions of dollars to be able to invest back into the game. If they can't crack it, I don't think anyone can.

I would like people who drop out to be punished reasonably and fairly but speaking as someone whose net can hiccough from time to time, I don't ever want to feel unfairly punished for something that is out of my control.

Just because the game is "hardcore" doesn't mean you should actively trying to push away newcomers with mechanics like that.

It's the same for all online gaming and I fear it's an impossible solution to solve without upsetting someone.

[Gobbins 2]

Huge part of this mods success is that it is not afraid to upset the player.

The point of my post is that dayz has the unique chance to run an experiment no other game would ever dare running.

[miniboss (DayZ) 7]

there are enough onehit weapons to kill players with.

if they quit before you kill them, oh well, mybe next time.

we all know its lame, but everyone has done it before.

if you say you havent, youre probably lying. :)

i know i have, altho i know it blows.

but my equipment is worth more to me than the ego of some random guy at his pc at the other side of the world, whos trying to kill me just for fun.

[SamStrife 1]

The Mod not being afraid of upsetting people is through harsh game play, not broken mechanics.

Surely you want this mod to be technically as great as possible, whilst maintaining it's super harsh nature through the game play?

[mannemessemaker@gmail.com 0]

we all know its lame' date=' but everyone has done it before.

if you say you havent, youre probably lying. :)

[/quote']

That's just BS :rolleyes:

I've never even considered using a disconnect tactic to get out of some shitty situation. Getting in tight spots or loosing all your stuff is all part of the mod. Ah well, I'll never understand exploiters/cheaters in general. The challenge and frustration of a game is usually half the fun!

[super pretendo 2]

We should use the term "logoffski"

I don't see how the player's character remaining in the world for 5-10 seconds after logout will realistically hurt anybody innocent. If they have an emergency and die in 5 seconds after, I am sure their emergency is more important than their video game, so that's not a problem.

[gator (DayZ) 22]

Somewhere between 15 and 30 seconds should do

[ElGandarko 0]

I somewhat agree with Gobbins here. There should be a penalty for disconnecting, though maybe not every time. If a player were able to do a "soft" disconnect, say, stay still for 5-10 seconds, then they can log off. Though, if they just drop out, their player is left on the server for X amount of time.

This X amount of time could depend on whether the player has been shot recently, or has alerted any zombies recently; so as to make it fairer on a player who happens to suffer a disconnect.

Again, not a perfect system, but every system will have its flaws.

[SamStrife 1]

Yes, keeping the player logged on and "killable" for between 15 and 30 seconds should be sufficient. I don't know how viable it is though, considering the limitations of Arma's engine.

[Gobbins 2]

For the record this isnt a post about people dodging pvp with the logoffski.

The focus is the effect of logoffski on immersion, no just pvp but also the cheap trick of relogging yourself out of a huge trail of zombie trapping you in

[gator (DayZ) 22]

For zombies, I guess you could record any activated zombies in the char database and respawn that amount of activated zombies when the player spawns, similar to recording what weapons you have.

[Spiff (DayZ) 0]

Wouldn't making it so if you log off while you're bleeding you automatically die work?

While it wouldn't stop everyone from logging off and "getting away" it would stop most people who have been shot or hit by a zombie. It's also something that seems easier to implement.

[Bobbechk 0]

I agree with Gobbins

Loggofski is gay

[pyrokinetiq 1]

If someone is bleeding and they log off, shouldn't they bleed while logged off anyway?

[griffinz 2816]

Anyone who justifies quick-exits by saying "everyone does it, or theyre lying" are only justifying it in their own heads.

There are many people out there who won't quick-exit. I know, because I've shot at them.

If you say "everyone does it" you are 100% wrong, and you are just part of the problem.

[lNTRUDER 0]

Yes' date=' keeping the player logged on and "killable" for between 15 and 30 seconds should be sufficient. I don't know how viable it is though, considering the limitations of Arma's engine.

[/quote']

I'm no expert but I'd say that most engines would have a problem with this.

[talk2nguyen@gmail.com 0]

Just make it that you need to wait 10 secs and any mouse clicks cancels you from logging off. There are people who alt f4 though so I am not sure how to handle that. Also people with bad networks need to be considered if we are going to punish people. I think how it is right now is okay.... spawned unconscious.

[lt gunner 4]

Had 3 people disconnect on me today. Achmed and his buddy Dante on US4, have done this a few times in the past few days, as I have come face to face with them a few times now. Everytime they disconnect and reconnect if they were wounded. All that badass gear, but they cant fight for crap. Clockbike also pulled an epic server hop to get away from us earlier today.

We need servers that can have their own database, to prevent server hopping, and more ways to prevent disconnects.