Why Being a Bandit is Good and Bad-are Heroes any better?

[applejaxc 2500]

I am a DayZ hero. I have earned the Hero skin both in-game on the "Official servers" and on several private hive servers. And gosh darn it, I'm pretty proud of that fact. I've revived, saved, and tranfused the dead, only for them to wake up and kill me. And it pisses me off-but I always get my skin back, and my gear.

I'm not trying to brag. As of the time of writing, there is a 1 hour, 8 minute (or is it 1 day 8 hours?) life span expectancy. I have lived on active servers, running in and out of Chernogorsk and Elektrovodsk with guns blazing, without getting hit by a player or zombie, several times a day.

Unlike most people, I played and beat the ArmA 2/OA campaigns on easy and the next-to-hardest setting (hardened?) before I'd heard of DayZ. I make my own missions (for my own use, not distribution) and my temporary folders are so full of unzipped .pbos for editing mods that I'm missing a good 4GB or so of my hard drive. I'm experienced in the vanilla game and DayZ.

I wasn't always a Hero. I started out like an a**hole bandit, just like everyone else. It was carefree, it was fun; the very first gun I found was a FN FAL given to me by a man who had just morphined my broken legs. He found two 7.62s in his back.

And five minutes later, when he respawned and looted what was left of his body, I found a grenade-primed and at my feet. Talk about embarrassing for a first kill, but also a teachable moment: A**hole's never prosper. I ruined that man's day-through terrible glitches I had deleted his M107 and 10 magazines of ammo from existence and something happened to his FN ammo (don't ask me what; I don't know).

I'm rambling, but this is coming to a point: Being a bandit ruins the game, but so does being a Hero.

Imagine these two scenarios:

Steve (a raging noob) signs into the game after buying CO and nerdgasming over FrankieOnPcIn1080p videos. He thinks, "I'm going to be a Rambo lone-wolf awesome awesomeness and kill all the zombies by myself! WEEEEEE!" He gets lucky and finds a makarov and a can of beans.

Then comes Apple Jaxc (a Hero). "Hey Steve, here's a Remington 870 shotgun and (15 slugs*3 packs) of ammo! Also, here's these sodas and a blood transfusion, have a nice day."

What went wrong there? Steve struck out on his own and instead in popped me, giving him free shizness without him putting any effort into the game. Even if the weapon isn't good, it makes his achievement of finding the makarov look like a crappy waste of the last 3 hours. I was nice or helping him, but I also impacted his ability to play the game. From thereonout, he'll expect more of that very same interaction, and that eliminates the tension and fear (the fun!) of the game; "Why should I give a dam if Apple Jaxc will just give me an AK next time I day anyway?"

Scenario 2:

Steve finds his makarov.

In comes ApleJacx (bandit): "HEY F**GOT, DIE!" *bang bang bang* Steve has been killed.

Now those last 3 hours were a complete waste of time; he has to completely restart! HOWEVER, our Bandit wannabe here has taught Steve the value of life and the dangers of DayZ; the game is now more tense, and more fun because he knows there are a**hole bandits ready to shoot him without warning.

Scenario 1, the game was ruined by removing the challenge.

Scenario 2, Steve rage quit for 2 hours, then came back eager for revenge.

I'm not trying to down play how Heroism can improve the game experience. When I first starting playing, this nice man gave me a blood transfusion after a nasty zombie fight and we rode his boat into Chernogorsk. He showed me how to sneak past zombies and where to look for loot. He became my mentor. We played at least 5 total hours together, and in the end, I had a Hero skin and new the path to greatness in DayZ, without being a bandit a**hole. I had a FN FAL and an ALICE day pack with a AS50 and a few mags of ammo for each gun, hunting supplies, full tool belt, NVGs...

Then one day, he was sneaking into Elektro. *Sniff* I was overwatch, and tried to tell him 2 bandits were entering the town from the south railroads. He was too far away, so I tried to scare them away... I pulled out a flare and chucked it as hard as I could-and it stuck to my friend. Hit him in the head and stuck there. Dead of night, and my friend lights up like the fourth of freaking July. I wanted to help him, I did, but all hell broke loose-a bus of 4 more bandits blazed into Elektro. The two other bandits opened fire. All the zombies, for 1 kilometer around, attacked. It was a massacre. A bloody massacre that took my mentor, my friend from me. He had taught me to kill, to survive, to strive; I had repaid him in ironic death. His Heroism changed me as a person, for better or worse. I knew what it meant to players to befriend them, supply them, show them around.

If it wasn't for him, I'd have quit DayZ. He met me after 3 bandit-related deaths, falling off a cliff, a satchel charge gone wrong, being hit by a car, and several zombie-related incidents. I wouldn't be writing this article now. Has any bandit ever made you want to play, for a reason better than petty revenge?

DayZ would be a really boring game without bandits, but exactly how much do they contribute to the game? Do they hurt your experience more than Heroes?

How many Heroes are Bandits in disguise?

[Food 309]

Well you didn't describe either a bandit or a hero.

Your definition of a hero just gives people stuff, but that first friendly interaction can save them from becoming a bandit, which a first interaction with a bandit could cause them to join the KoS playstyle

[-Gews- 7443]

I usually like bandits, until they open their mouths / open fire. I like the towels. I met a cool German one when I first started playing and we found ghillies and 50 cals and ambushed a convoy. Guess he just randomly decided to help some newspawn, God knows why.

I've met plenty of douche heroes, too.

I don't think hero/bandit means too much. Each personality is way too different for a three-skin choice-based system to accurately represent.

[Henryllex~ 407]

I think DayZ needs real heros, ones that dont give stuff away like crazy, just help people IF needed, because like you said, if you give away alot of stuff to a new guy, he will get attached to his gear, and when he dies, hes just gonna rage, and quit the game forever.

Also bandits are good at the game because, if we didnt have bandits, all our ammo would be wasted on zombies...

[applejaxc 2500]

Well you didn't describe either a bandit or a hero.

Your definition of a hero just gives people stuff, but that first friendly interaction can save them from becoming a bandit, which a first interaction with a bandit could cause them to join the KoS playstyle

I usually like bandits, until they open their mouths / open fire. I like the towels. I met a cool German one when I first started playing and we found ghillies and 50 cals and ambushed a convoy. Guess he just randomly decided to help some newspawn, God knows why.

I've met plenty of douche heroes, too.

I don't think hero/bandit means too much. Each personality is way too different for a three-skin choice-based system to accurately represent.

By "Bandit," I mean the 13 year old pricks that think they're uberh4x0rpro01337qikscoprs. Those disgusting little bastard children that grew up with MW2 and on (when CoD took a dive) or Gears of War, or were babysat by somesuchother needlessly violent and relatively plot less video game.

You don't NEED a AMR to fight a zombie for any reason. If you're shooting at humanoid targets that are unarmored, why the hell do you need a .50BMG or 12.7MM Russian anti-armor round? You just don't.

I shoot people with bandit skins, or ghillie+AMR on sight on principle of safety. I know that you can get a bandit skin for self-defense and not all snipers are jerks, but I don't take risks in DayZ. Too many bad experiences.

Not all bandits are what I have described. I've met pretty nice guys, the "Gentlemen Robbers." I used to ride Crew Chief in an abduction chopper on the 13370n10n sever (Yes, leet onion). We gave everyone a series of questions, and the top-3 winners all got a gun and some food, +a car, ghillie suit/NVGs, or LMG depending on how well the finished. Other times we'd trap 10 people in barb wire and throw in battle axes and make them fight for our amusement.

[applejaxc 2500]

Well you didn't describe either a bandit or a hero.

Your definition of a hero just gives people stuff, but that first friendly interaction can save them from becoming a bandit, which a first interaction with a bandit could cause them to join the KoS playstyle

I usually like bandits, until they open their mouths / open fire. I like the towels. I met a cool German one when I first started playing and we found ghillies and 50 cals and ambushed a convoy. Guess he just randomly decided to help some newspawn, God knows why.

I've met plenty of douche heroes, too.

I don't think hero/bandit means too much. Each personality is way too different for a three-skin choice-based system to accurately represent.

By "Bandit," I mean the 13 year old pricks that think they're uberh4x0rpro01337qikscoprs. Those disgusting little bastard children that grew up with MW2 and on (when CoD took a dive) or Gears of War, or were babysat by somesuchother needlessly violent and relatively plot less video game.

You don't NEED a AMR to fight a zombie for any reason. If you're shooting at humanoid targets that are unarmored, why the hell do you need a .50BMG or 12.7MM Russian anti-armor round? You just don't.

I shoot people with bandit skins, or ghillie+AMR on sight on principle of safety. I know that you can get a bandit skin for self-defense and not all snipers are jerks, but I don't take risks in DayZ. Too many bad experiences.

Not all bandits are what I have described. I've met pretty nice guys, the "Gentlemen Robbers." I used to ride Crew Chief in an abduction chopper on the 13370n10n sever (Yes, leet onion). We gave everyone a series of questions, and the top-3 winners all got a gun and some food, +a car, ghillie suit/NVGs, or LMG depending on how well the finished. Other times we'd trap 10 people in barb wire and throw in battle axes and make them fight for our amusement.

[Henryllex~ 407]

By "Bandit," I mean the 13 year old pricks that think they're uberh4x0rpro01337qikscoprs.

-Long Text regarding gentleman bandits-

I get your point, but not every 13 year old is a prick :) (Not offended BTW)

Edited March 10, 2013 by Henryllex~

[-Gews- 7443]

By "Bandit," I mean the 13 year old pricks that think they're uberh4x0rpro01337qikscoprs. Those disgusting little bastard children that grew up with MW2 and on (when CoD took a dive) or Gears of War, or were babysat by somesuchother needlessly violent and relatively plot less video game.

You don't NEED a AMR to fight a zombie for any reason. If you're shooting at humanoid targets that are unarmored, why the hell do you need a .50BMG or 12.7MM Russian anti-armor round? You just don't.

I shoot people with bandit skins, or ghillie+AMR on sight on principle of safety. I know that you can get a bandit skin for self-defense and not all snipers are jerks, but I don't take risks in DayZ. Too many bad experiences.

On the other hand, it's helpful to have an AMR for PvP purposes, even self-defence. I agree though, only the Ghandis of DayZ wouldn't take out a ghillie with an AS50 given the opportunity, and I dislike coast snipers.

By the way, too many Dashie avatars in one thread! :lol:

[Henryllex~ 407]

I agree though, only the Ghandis of DayZ wouldn't take out a ghillie with an AS50 given the opportunity, and I dislike coast snipers.

Believe me, nobody is gonna take his chances with an AS50 pro 1337 coastal guillie sniper, shoot em down.

[applejaxc 2500]

I think DayZ needs real heros, ones that dont give stuff away like crazy, just help people IF needed, because like you said, if you give away alot of stuff to a new guy, he will get attached to his gear, and when he dies, hes just gonna rage, and quit the game forever.

Also bandits are good at the game because, if we didnt have bandits, all our ammo would be wasted on zombies...

I don't want bandits to leave the game.

And this is how I operate as a Hero:

I see Steve coming out of the market in Cherno. I scan him for a gun, and if I'm close enough, a sidearm. I watch him walk through town. If I see a bandit, I kill the bandit or him and run into a building/hide so he doesn't see me. If he runs instead of going for the bandit's gear, I give him supplies if I catch up to him. If he starts shooting crazy or murders a player in cold blood while I am stalking, he gets a broken leg for his troubles. If he's a belligerent buttwipe and wantonly murders 2+ people or causes disarray, points a gun at me, or fails to respond to communications, he dies.

If he doesn't manage to piss me off, I come behind Steve and say something like, "Hey buddy, I'm right behind you don't turn around. Yes, you in the *describe their situation/gear so they know who I'm talking to*, hold alt and look at me. I'm on your right side (I don't like the left *shrug*). If you point your gun at me, I'm going to kill you, okay? I shot *bandit* for you. When we get past these zombies, I'm going to -blood transfusion gear, ride to the next city, or something like that if I can-."

I rarely give real firearms to people. I don't mind giving out G17s or Makarovs, because they both suck like baby mammals. I don't mind lending binoculars/other gear if I can lend it. Some soda or a bit of cooked meat, maybe.

But I don't fully kit someone. They usually get 1 service, then I'm off to help the next person.

There are TWO instances where this failed to happen.

1: I met this woman in Cherno named Delirarus (or something dinosaur-like). She sounded like she was at least 50, and recently quit smoking. She told me she was looking for her son in Keltrovdsk (there's a city north-west of Elektro with a name like that, I think). She had a revolver and a remington. I met cowboy grandma. It made my day.

Delirarus and I killed 2 bandits that were hiding in one of the 2-story buildings in Cherno and split the gear 50-50. I had a truck hidden in the bushes out of town. We ran for the truck and I drove her north of Elektro, and told her she was free to take anything she wanted from my truck. We met her son (I don't remember his name), and he was similarly pretty cool. We discussed the Zombie Survival Guide (Max Brooks, great book!) for a while when someone in side chat was screaming, "OH MY GOD WTF YOU HAXXR OH MY GOD." We decided to investigate the north-west airfield...

So I drive the UAZ onto the strip to draw fire. I drew plenty of AS50 rounds to the back tires, and finally one through the windshield that knocked me unconscious (how the hell I lived I'll never know). This beautiful man bailed out, pulled me out of the car, bandaged me, packed me into the back seat, and jumped back in. His mother jumped into the driver's seat and drove us out of there. Turns out she had taken a round as well, but I got the last bandage. Her last words were, "Take care of my son" before she fell out of the car and died.

This is just a video game, but it made me cry. I gave the son all my stuff, and now he and Cowboy Grandma own it. :)

The other time was I felt really bad for this guy who had a broken leg and nothing but a fire axe. Nothing special.

[applejaxc 2500]

I get your point, but not every 13 year old is a prick :) (Not offended BTW)

I'm 15. I started playing DayZ not long ago. I'm good at Call of Duty (though I prefer ArmA and Battlefield for FPS and RPGs in general). I'm not ashamed. I even rage during BLOPS2 (PATCH THE FREAKING SMGS YOU STUPID DEV A*SFACES). When I say that 13 year olds are colloquially pricks, I am myself being a prick. :)

[Henryllex~ 407]

I don't want bandits to leave the game.

And this is how I operate as a Hero:

-Uber large dramatic post-

Lol that story is so epic, definitely gonna hold up somebody called dinosaur like or Cowboy grandma. And i operate exactly like that, is the only way to survive as a hero, you give primary = Backstabbing if they can.

Edited March 10, 2013 by Henryllex~

[Henryllex~ 407]

I'm 15. I started playing DayZ not long ago. I'm good at Call of Duty (though I prefer ArmA and Battlefield for FPS and RPGs in general). I'm not ashamed. I even rage during BLOPS2 (PATCH THE FREAKING SMGS YOU STUPID DEV A*SFACES). When I say that 13 year olds are colloquially pricks, I am myself being a prick. :)

True Story bro, dont blame yourself for blaming in COD, cod is like the 1st case of anger in the entire world, i am so freaking bad in BLOPS, but in BF i own, even in dayz sometimes, when we arent obviously being fired by 3 as50+2 m14 lol, Also

*Imagine that AWW YEAH image is here because the freaking image doesnt work for me*

60 post like a baus

Edited March 10, 2013 by Henryllex~

[applejaxc 2500]

Number of Times Achieved Hero: 12 (5 times public servers!)

Number of Bandit Kills: 74 (34 in Cherno, 24 in Elektro)

Current Gear:

Primaries: Fn FAL AS50 I have a full toolkit (knife, axe, et al)

Ammo: 120 50 I have a pick up truck and camp site

Suppressed? No No I record for youtube as Apple Jaxc (FishTacoSupreme)

Awesome? Yes Yes I hunt/kill Bandits for fun

I die just like the rest of you, but it's rare!

Secondaries: M9 SD Road Flare

Ammo: 45 10

Suppressed? Yes Kind of?

Awesome? No Yes!

Equipment: NVGx1/Sodax2/Cooked Meatx3/ Medical: Bloodbagsx2/Bandagesx3

Backpack: Coyote Patrol Pack (26 slots!) Sniper rifle, food, trap kits, satchel charges, ammo

How do I reduce that to 3 lines of text for a signature? :(

[applejaxc 2500]

True Story bro, dont blame yourself for blaming in COD, cod is like the 1st case of anger in the entire world, i am so freaking bad in BLOPS, but in BF i own, even in dayz sometimes, when we arent obviously being fired by 3 as50+2 m14 lol, Also

*Imagine that AWW YEAH image is here because the freaking image doesnt work for me*

60 post like a baus

You want to see some badass DayZ gameplay? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVjfb4eziFg I killed about 12 people in 16 minutes. Stupid bandits >.>

[N0 R3M0RS3 63]

You want to see some badass DayZ gameplay? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVjfb4eziFg I killed about 12 people in 16 minutes. Stupid bandits >.>

Good job man, i myself am a bandit but not one of them KoS kiddies you have described. i became a friendly bandit killing coast snipers killing bambi's. i team with unarmed bambi's finding them guns and supplies till their well enough to survive on their own. anyone i see armed is dead though.

[applejaxc 2500]

Good job man, i myself am a bandit but not one of them KoS kiddies you have described. i became a friendly bandit killing coast snipers killing bambi's. i team with unarmed bambi's finding them guns and supplies till their well enough to survive on their own. anyone i see armed is dead though.

I only "KoS" people with the bandit head wrap, or if they have a ghillie suit and a sniper rifle.

I wish zombies weren't a continuing spawning thing, and I'm really glad that DayZ standalone is going to spawn each zombie at server start so there's a finite version per restart; a team of snipers clearing out the edge of Elektro followed by some M4SDs or something to mop up the zombies inside buildings would be amazing.

[Shiki Nanaya 9]

I only "KoS" people with the bandit head wrap, or if they have a ghillie suit and a sniper rifle.

I wish zombies weren't a continuing spawning thing, and I'm really glad that DayZ standalone is going to spawn each zombie at server start so there's a finite version per restart; a team of snipers clearing out the edge of Elektro followed by some M4SDs or something to mop up the zombies inside buildings would be amazing.

My only complaint and i think it should be put in standalone if they still keep the Hero/Bandit system, make three versions of the gillie suit. One for neutral, one for bandit, one for hero, and make it so that we can tell the difference between the three somehow.

Edited March 11, 2013 by Shiki Nanaya

[applejaxc 2500]

My only complaint and i think it should be put in standalone if they still keep the Hero/Bandit system, make three versions of the gillie suit. One for neutral, one for bandit, one for hero, and make it so that we can tell the difference between the three somehow.

Are you saying lootable clothes should changed colors based on what faction you're in? IE, 100% of the hoodies automatically turn red for bandits or blue for heroes, and all pants are tan for bandits but jeans for heroes? Something like that?

I don't like idea for 2 reasons:

1: It breaks the fourth wall. I want the new challenge of telling friends from foes.

2: It makes machinimamating impossible. What if you want 4 very distinct characters for a cinematic DayZ series? The tough guy in all black, the farmer in a plaid shirt and jeans, et cetera? If everything is color coated, individuality is impossible.

[Shiki Nanaya 9]

^ Well i was speaking only for "special clothing" like the Gillie suit. In standalone its already been shown they are going to have lots of 'regular clothing' and that can be the same for all I care ; however, if it's something special like a "Bullet proof vest" of some kind then I would like some sort of heads up.

So basically.

Shirts,pants,hoodies -> stay the same color regardless of your alignment

Hoodies, camo-suits -> the design changes based on the alignment for instance maybe the gillie suit is a darker-toned grass for bandits and lighter-toned for hero's. something along those lines OR just the patterns on the gillie suit change.

Edited March 11, 2013 by Shiki Nanaya