Dynamic Objects (not Dynamic terrain)

[m.w. vindicator 880]

It has been awhile since I have posted a suggestion. I haven't had an original idea in awhile.

Here is the basic idea

Something that I think could add a nice touch to the environment of South Zagoria, Chernarus is the randomization of objects in the game world.

Your probably thinking, what do I mean?

If you used the Arma editor, you probably noticed that you can place objects like wrecks, crates, cars, and all sorts of other garbage. It is very easy to randomize these objects. All you have to do is place an object and then SYNCHRONIZE it to a marker. Then when you go into the game your object will either appear where you placed it on the map or at the marker you made. You can do this multiple times to increase randomization. Also you can change the probability of the object even being there in the first place.

How does this apply to DayZ though?

Well in the DayZ world, there are wrecks, garbage, and all sorts of other things littered about the world. What I am suggesting is that these objects be randomized. So a wreck in Chernogorsk when you played today might not be there when the server restarts next time. This will change the look of the environment and the randomization would be cool too.

Since loot will spawn in wrecks, and other garbage in SA, this will change where loot is spawning. A wreck that you found gear in on Server A might not be there on Server B. OR the wreck might not be there for the next restart.

What this suggestion is NOT

This will change up the game in a small way and I feel it will help. I am NOT asking for structures or the terrain to be random. Just small-medium sized objects.

Examples

Maybe sometimes the streets of Chernogorsk could be clogged with wrecks and other times the streets are barren.

Sometimes a military base would have bodies and wrecks everywhere and other times be deserted!

This would change gameplay, for the better I feel. Imagine going to the airfield to find it deserted after a successful evac. Then on a different server, finding tons of loot because the evac wasn't successful and lots of stuff was left behind.

TL;DR Randomization of the environment would refresh the world and change loot spawns in SA

EDIT 1 Conditional Probability (Thanks Joe_Mcentire)

I personally don't know how to do this in the editor, but I know you can sync multiple objects together so that they can all exist or none be there at all.

An example to clarify.

Lets say that you have a street somewhere in Chernarus that has random elements. You could have an ALPHA wreck like a bus or something. There could be a random probability that the bus will spawn. In the case the bus does spawn, other wrecks (lets call them beta wrecks) have a chance to spawn too.

If the Alpha wreck doesn't spawn, then the beta wrecks don't spawn. If the Alpha wreck does spawn, the the betas can too.

This applies to what I was saying about the airfield being deserted or chalked full of wrecks.

There could be an "Alpha" object at the airfield. The object could be a wreck or a body or whatever. If this Alpha spawns, then the betas would spawn and the airfield would be chalked full stuff with shit all over the place.

IF the alpha doesn't spawn, the the betas wouldn't spawn, and the airfield would be deserted.

I hope that made sense... :)

Edit 2

People have said that having the objects move around on the event of a server restart could mess things up and be immersion breaking.

So instead, each server could have it own random items. This wouldn't break immersion or cause problems with stuff moving

Edited March 15, 2013 by Vindicator

[m.w. vindicator 880]

Hope this thread gets going before it is buried by all the "AS50/M107/BANDITS!!!!1111!/AA12" bullshit S.S.D.D.

[willey.erd@oundleschool.org.uk 506]

I really like this idea - especially in the context of randomising vehicle wreck spawns so that people can't map out loot pathways every time they visit a certain city - I doubt it would even be that hard to code either with 6 or 7 potential spots for say 2 cars on every street.

On a side note I would also really like to see a load of car wrecks piled up on a road, that could spawn in different locations on the map - it would have a decent chance of spawning some loot but it would attract other scavengers.

[m.w. vindicator 880]

I really like this idea - especially in the context of randomising vehicle wreck spawns so that people can't map out loot pathways every time they visit a certain city - I doubt it would even be that hard to code either with 6 or 7 potential spots for say 2 cars on every street.

On a side note I would also really like to see a load of car wrecks piled up on a road, that could spawn in different locations on the map - it would have a decent chance of spawning some loot but it would attract other scavengers.

Exacltly! A small amount of randomization would go a long way!

[joe_mcentire 2074]

to your edit 1: conditional probability you may say P( A | B )

Edited March 14, 2013 by joe_mcentire

[m.w. vindicator 880]

to your edit 1: conditional probability you may say P( A | B )

That the word I was looking for :lol: . Thanks

Edit: Fixed OP!

Edited March 14, 2013 by Vindicator

[thehero 119]

I like it little things like that could keep the game fresh and exciting. And prevents you from getting that boring looting routine

[sausagekingofchicago 4711]

I love this. Adding a little unknown can go a long way in keeping environments feeling fresh. It'll make traveling by car more interesting as well.

:beans: :beans: :beans: :beans: :beans:

[leviski 2152]

Love the idea, however I think it would be better that each server has a randomized seeded wreck like you spoke of. I would hate cherno looking different each time i entered it. No ones going to move that stuff around. So im thinking give it a randomized look on each server kind of like a map seed.

Cherno's stuff moving around randomly wouldn't add very much realism.

[m.w. vindicator 880]

I love this. Adding a little unknown can go a long way in keeping environments feeling fresh. It'll make traveling by car more interesting as well.

:beans: :beans: :beans: :beans: :beans:

This and seasons would make Chernarus fun for years. But this is 100x cheaper to implement time and money wise.

Hell, I could do this in a few hours. The arma editor is pretty easy to use.

[m.w. vindicator 880]

Love the idea, however I think it would be better that each server has a randomized seeded wreck like you spoke of. I would hate cherno looking different each time i entered it. No ones going to move that stuff around. So im thinking give it a randomized look on each server kind of like a map seed.

Cherno's stuff moving around randomly wouldn't add very much realism.

I thought of this too. I wondered if it would break authenticity. But then I thought, IRL people sleep and the server doesn't restart.

I feel it wouldn't be to immersion breaking for the benefit.

The pros outweigh the cons in my opinion.

[m.w. vindicator 880]

I like it little things like that could keep the game fresh and exciting. And prevents you from getting that boring looting routine

certainly! :lol:

[jona (DayZ) 61]

Seasons would be awsome! Also maybe different loot spawns for each season like winter have specialized winter clothing to keep you warm and winter camos for clothing,tents and weapons.

[m.w. vindicator 880]

Seasons would be awsome! Also maybe different loot spawns for each season like winter have specialized winter clothing to keep you warm and winter camos for clothing,tents and weapons.

Here is my thread on that!

http://dayzmod.com/forum/index.php?/topic/110186-how-seasons-would-help-dayz-game/

[shadowjack 254]

I thought of this too. I wondered if it would break authenticity. But then I thought, IRL people sleep and the server doesn't restart.

I feel it wouldn't be to immersion breaking for the benefit.

The pros outweigh the cons in my opinion.

Agree that it wouldn't be immersion breaking at all. Taking something predictable and making it random is only going to add to immersion in my book. The small loss of authenticity is a worthy trade. GREAT IDEA.

[colekern 1364]

Nice idea. This could be expanded to buildings, too.

[m.w. vindicator 880]

Agree that it wouldn't be immersion breaking at all. Taking something predictable and making it random is only going to add to immersion in my book. The small loss of authenticity is a worthy trade. GREAT IDEA.

Glad you agree. Driving should be dangerous and each journey should be different.

Imagine the surprise of finding a massive wreck on the road from Elecktrozavodsk to Novy Sobor!

[m.w. vindicator 880]

Nice idea. This could be expanded to buildings, too.

I'm not sure that would work.

Edited March 15, 2013 by Vindicator

[Hetstaine 10852]

I am a bit split on this one, its a cool idea but i would find it strange if there is some big pile up /mess /dead bodies etc in one street/area/field , nek minute server restart and it disappears or turns from a burnt out bus to a pile of cars. To me that is immersion breaking. Also..what if i decide i want my tent to be behind a wrecked car in a field or a pile of garbage somwhere..server restart and tent is in the open. What if i logged out up near a pile of rubbish, log in and i am trapped under a pile of cars ?

Sorry, just picking at it a bit :) If stuff like that is going to change i would like it to because a pile of people got together and made their own roadblock with a pile of cars and rubbish, not a scripted event. That way when something changes you will have a holy shit moment.

[m.w. vindicator 880]

I am a bit split on this one, its a cool idea but i would find it strange if there is some big pile up /mess /dead bodies etc in one street/area/field , nek minute server restart and it disappears or turns from a burnt out bus to a pile of cars. To me that is immersion breaking. Also..what if i decide i want my tent to be behind a wrecked car in a field or a pile of garbage somwhere..server restart and tent is in the open. What if i logged out up near a pile of rubbish, log in and i am trapped under a pile of cars ?

Sorry, just picking at it a bit :) If stuff like that is going to change i would like it to because a pile of people got together and made their own roadblock with a pile of cars and rubbish, not a scripted event. That way when something changes you will have a holy shit moment.

Yeah I see what you mean. Maybe instead of on restart, It would be based on the server. Every server would have the objects in random locations. This way you wouldn't get any surprises on a restart.

The idea of moving junk around as a player didn't really occur to me. That would be cool!

[SpeechMan 7]

I was thinking about something similar the other day. However I got stuck wiht an issue and couldn't find a solution:

What happens when someone logs off in one of the spots that these wrecks appear and when he logs in he finds himself stuck inside the wreck?

[Hetstaine 10852]

dun dun dunnnnn !

stop skimming :emptycan:

;)

[Crusader- 26]

brilliant idea, would keep it fresh.... but there are those little issues that hetstaine pointed out.

this would be immersion breaking for me personally, it would also keep urban firefights interesting.

[m.w. vindicator 880]

I was thinking about something similar the other day. However I got stuck wiht an issue and couldn't find a solution:

What happens when someone logs off in one of the spots that these wrecks appear and when he logs in he finds himself stuck inside the wreck?

I figured people would just have to log out in the woods. Don't log out in a city or on a road! :) maybe the player would be spawned in the nearest area where there are no obstructions.

[m.w. vindicator 880]

brilliant idea, would keep it fresh.... but there are those little issues that hetstaine pointed out.

this would be immersion breaking for me personally, it would also keep urban firefights interesting.

But is the break in immersion worth it? That is the question.