Hunger/Thirst and Contamination system

[legwiz 0]

As this is a survival game, I think making players be more careful about hunger/thirst would be great addition to the atmosphere of survival and paranoia, not knowing if you'll have what to eat/drink in the next moment. So, the drop should be, IMHO, decreased. Besides, this mod atm has no direct objective or goal, and I'm not moaning about it. As a sandbox, it's fun is on exploration of the many features and content, playing as a bandit, building cars and etc, but I think the need of constant search for food/drink would enrich the gameplay experience, and maybe make people work more cooperatively (or not).

I have some ideas, and I ask that please, if you disagree with it, just expose your arguments and let's have a healthy discussion, without all that hardcore or fanboysm crap.

I dunno what's the DayZ backstory or if it explains well how did the epidemic happen, but in my opinion, would be nice if we had to deal with some kind of radiation in Chernarus, just like in Chernobyl for instance (Chernogorsk?). In this case, some stuff could be more availed:

- Add a new icon in the HUD, a contamination meter. After exceeding X level, could work like sickness works atm. This level could be increased as you eat/drink.(and stay in some more infected area, like places with valuable loot, maybe)

- To lower this level, another medicine could be necessary, or the addition of this effect to an existing one.

- Allow the consumption of water in lakes without the canteen. (do you always need a glass when you want to drink water?)

- Allow the use of empty cans to collect water, in a smaller quantity however, maybe 1/3 of the water bottle. This would add a new use to them, rather than distraction objetcs only.

- Since you become a little more infected when you drink normal water, you could avoid this by boiling water in a campfire and make it pure, just like we do with raw meat.

- New item: oxygen mask maybe? :P

I know these ideas already exist in some post-apocalyptic games like Metro and Fallout, and DayZ don't need to copy them to be successful, but I think these mechanics could be a lot more availed in this awesome sandbox.

New ideas, suggestions, constructive criticism are welcome.

PS: And sorry for the english, not my native language, as you may realize.

[CriticalNerd 20]

Sorry but no. I think we have enough micromanagement allready. Adding more items and effects concerning food/thirst/etc would make the game tedious, and effectively a diet simulator.

[Thurstan 0]

Edit: -deleted-

grr, wrong threat, sorry