How can we make a players life more important than his gear?

[erocean 21]

I GOT IT! Implement taking a dump as part of the game.... "must be alive for so long before you can take a dump" then add a counter to your screen, longer you live the more dumps you can take.

 

The amount of shits given on this idea... could be record breaking!

Edited December 19, 2013 by erocean

[Jamz 253]

I like your idea of more zombie dense areas.

 

In terms of learning the map and having knowledge and experience, the problem with this, is that you can learn everything there is to know about the game in just a few days of playing. Not to mention spending a little time on the wiki and you could learn everything there is to know without ever playing the game. This does not add importance of life to the player. A reason to live.

 

I'm looking for ideas that would give players a reason to live beyond their gear.

 

Apologies, I think I misunderstood your OP.

 

One way used by most MMO type games to attach worth to a players character is to introduce a stats system. If a players kills/zombie kills/time survived (in played hours)/players healed etc was recorded and then wiped with each characters death, then that might give players a reason to persist. The problem here is that some of the examples I gave are arguably meaningless, so what was recorded as statistics would have to be carefully considered.

 

There could also be a way for other players to see or be shown a players stats outside of the game, perhaps.

Edited December 19, 2013 by Jamz

[mercules 1290]

This is a video game.  Therefore no life will ever be greater than gear.  It's the nature of video games.  There will always be that understanding that, well I can always respawn and try again.  That's why people will risk going for axe kills on someone with a rifle.

 

And that's the way it should be.  This is still a video game afterall, not real life where death is everlasting.

 

Weird in games that have a penalty for death I find I don't purposefully pick poorly matched fights not in my favor. I must be doing something wrong. :rolleyes:

 

if there ever was a zombie apoc i hope i find her..........

 

Why? You will want to cut that long hair off as it is a detriment in a close combat fight. She is way too skinny lacking fat reserves so you will be giving her more of the food just to help her survive. Thirdly, everyone knows that in a horror situation people who have sex are the next ones to die.  :P

[knawx 175]

how would a beard or braid make your life more valuable, mainly because if somebody is stealing anything from you, high % they will kill you once they get what they want. and making killing even more prevalent to keep others from getting said beard or braid

 

Sometimes small things like this become a trophy or visual representation of your hard work. It may not be enough for everyone to care more about staying alive, but I think it would for some.

When a humanity system is implemented you may see a lot less KOS. Especially from heroes. They may just rob you and leave you alone. You might say that robbing someone is not very heroic, but in a world like DayZ, even heroes need to survive, and robbing someone is much better than killing them. (Speaking for heroes of course)

[mercules 1290]

I GOT IT! Implement taking a dumb as part of the game.... "must be alive for so long before you can take a dumb" then add a counter to your screen, longer you live the more dumps you can take.

 

The amount of shits given on this idea... could be record breaking!

 

Your statement is definitely taking a "dumb".

[erocean 21]

LOL, whoops.... at work on the phone at the same time :D. Also if people can't tell.... yes I was joking.

Edited December 19, 2013 by erocean

[dgeesio 1034]

skyrim type skill learnings

 

rope tying or whatever thing is to do that you need to add alot to the game to make it worth levelling up the skill.

 

thing is once you start levelling you also are adding a kind of grinding so it has to be balanced well. which is hard.

 

the end game is dayz weakest point. once youve got all you can get then what do you do ? do you die just to start a fresh this kinda makes surviving in the first place pointless.

 

 

some type of cooperations or missions could work but rewards and " something " needs to be rewarded or something from doing the missions which makes it worth doing. something that invloves all on server would make a big difference.

 

maybe a big horde is attacking certain areas and need stopping. if you help out detroying them you get whatever bounty for doing so. one eg.

 

 

maybe one bandit is singled out for capture with a big reward bigger if brought in alive. this could bring all kinds of fun into play.

Edited December 19, 2013 by dgeesio

[Luthor Chickenfeet 29]

how would a beard or braid make your life more valuable, mainly because if somebody is stealing anything from you, high % they will kill you once they get what they want. and making killing even more prevalent to keep others from getting said beard or braid

 

To be honest, it would probably make you more of a target. 

 

BIG BEARD = Long Time Survivor = Lot's of Gear 

[knawx 175]

To be honest, it would probably make you more of a target. 

 

BIG BEARD = Long Time Survivor = Lot's of Gear 

 

That's the point. It would become like a trophy. A long time survivor doesn't get to this point without being smart, cunning, and a little lucky. He would do what he could to protect this beard. In the even he was outnumbered and surrounded by 2 or 3 players, he may be willing to cooperate with their demands because he doesn't want to lose this status of "badass with a beard".

The reason the players don't just kill him would have to have something to do with the eventual humanity system in the future.

 

This of course is just one simple idea of how to bring value to a players life beyond his gear. I am wanting to hear other's ideas so keep them coming!

Edited December 19, 2013 by Knawx

[cafepatron 5]

So what about our female players? Be careful with your replies...

The females hair could grow longer but to an extent of course. Just like the beard...grow to an extent...you don't want to walk around with 5ft of beard hanging off your face or a woman to walk around and have her hair dragging the ground haha.

[Schtick 0]

Just want to say I highly support some kind of skill tree.

Not asking to be a god mode druid that can hug a tree to get full hp and turn into a monkey to climb it and escape zombies.

Just basics that give me some small reason to give two shits if I die. And promote the funloving banditry that involves taking hostages, taking gear at gunpoint etc.

 

Like many have said before me. There's no way I'll ever let someone handcuff me, because I'd rather die than lose my stuff and remain alive in my current state.

In a survival game, that shouldn't be the case.

[Hosty 647]

Yes! 

 

Traits and Talents/Skills acquired from your experience would be nice, like in PZ.

 

And use books to learn more stuff.

[gregor (DayZ) 95]

I will to say, that based on a experience from some other games, i guess bigger problem is always - the game becomes steadily more boring. Especially, if you add to the long term players some different advantages. Most of them will lose interest.

Though the idea about giving to long term players a little DISADVANTAGE seems too seditious, there is some point. Therefore beards and braids can give for those players additional layer of game - more fears. Fears is a feelings that sells. OK, they might have possibilities to hide braid, or even cut away braid and beard, if they fear too much. But sometimes you need to fear. At least from game.

[knawx 175]

Yes! 

 

Traits and Talents/Skills acquired from your experience would be nice, like in PZ.

 

And use books to learn more stuff.

 

I really like the book idea. Any skills learned from reading books should be lost upon death.

[invisiduck 0]

skyrim type skill learnings

 

rope tying or whatever thing is to do that you need to add alot to the game to make it worth levelling up the skill.

 

thing is once you start levelling you also are adding a kind of grinding so it has to be balanced well. which is hard.

 

the end game is dayz weakest point. once youve got all you can get then what do you do ? do you die just to start a fresh this kinda makes surviving in the first place pointless.

 

 

some type of cooperations or missions could work but rewards and " something " needs to be rewarded or something from doing the missions which makes it worth doing. something that invloves all on server would make a big difference.

 

maybe a big horde is attacking certain areas and need stopping. if you help out detroying them you get whatever bounty for doing so. one eg.

 

 

maybe one bandit is singled out for capture with a big reward bigger if brought in alive. this could bring all kinds of fun into play.

I liked they way Skyrim slowly built upon your skills using books.

 

So when you picked up and read an archery based title you skill level would move up, but i would think it would work better along the lines of the quality of crafting rather than restricting that item to those who have read the book (More Durability, more powerful shot etc)

 

For example, you find a cooking book that means when you prepare a meal, it has more benefits towards hunger level and stamina recovery.

 

Or with future crafting in mind, may mean that once you have read a specific book, the explosive devices you make are more complex or more reliable.

 

Or with medical benfits, you might read a book on CPR, which then unlocks that option with that particular character so there a chance they can revive someone without Saline or Epinephrine.

 

Maybe even finding books on maintenance means you can repair with the right tools items with a higher degree of damage

 

Having a "Knowledge" for that character would mean even if you got mugged and everything stolen, there knowledge would be worth keeping them alive, or even be worth the team that was going to mug you could use your skills to benefit their team.

[Tek (DayZ) 95]

Weird in games that have a penalty for death I find I don't purposefully pick poorly matched fights not in my favor. I must be doing something wrong. :rolleyes:

 

 

I didn't say that people are just going to go rushing in yelling BANZAI!

 

I want to win, so even if I only have that axe, i'm going to do so in as best a position as possible.  But if I lose, well, I had everything to gain and nothing to lose.  So my life was meaningless while that gear I could have acquired was everything.  Even if i'm fully geared, i'm going to do what I can to give myself the best tactical advantage possible so that I don't die and lose my gear.  In a game where gear is hard to find, gear becomes more important than lives, so people will risk their gaming lives to acquire it, and do things to avoid situations to lose that gear.

 

I'm sort of an exception... I hate to lose.  Not because I don't want to lose my gear, but because I just hate losing.  I want to win... it's my competitive nature.  So if I lose my gear it doesn't bother me so much as the fact that I made a mistake somewhere in the fight to lose.  I can always find that gear again someday.  And for me, the moment I stopped worrying about my in-game characters life (outside of winning or losing firefights) and what gear I had acquired, was the day the game became so much more enjoyable.  But that's my experience.  Doesn't mean it works for everyone.

[Luthor Chickenfeet 29]

...He would do what he could to protect this beard....

 

F***ing...LOL!

 

There's the new DayZ Strapline!

 

:lol:  :thumbsup:

 

This needs implementing immediately!

Edited December 19, 2013 by Luthor Chickenfeet

[Deathlove 2283]

What i could SEE being implemented to make lives JUST as valuable as gear itself would be a device. Some kind of rare explosive trap device you activate it and type in some kind of code so only you can disarm it but basically when your in an area you think your going to encounter ppl if they just want to kill you for loot they have the HIGH chance of not only destroying the gear but the other player themselves or severely crippling and wounding them when the explosive goes off. I could see ALLOT of ppl wanting to avoid pvp just for gear in fear of running into a player like this.

[Luthor Chickenfeet 29]

eventually I am sure we will have tents, hidey holes and cars back. This is where you can/will store your extra gear, people can find your "storage" and steal it all yes... but thats the risk you take. Right now, none of that is in the game yet but I am sure will be coming back very soon.

 

Did that work cross-server?

 

I only played the Mod a few times early doors. 

[mercules 1290]

I didn't say that people are just going to go rushing in yelling BANZAI!

 

I want to win, so even if I only have that axe, i'm going to do so in as best a position as possible.  But if I lose, well, I had everything to gain and nothing to lose.  So my life was meaningless while that gear I could have acquired was everything.  Even if i'm fully geared, i'm going to do what I can to give myself the best tactical advantage possible so that I don't die and lose my gear.  In a game where gear is hard to find, gear becomes more important than lives, so people will risk their gaming lives to acquire it, and do things to avoid situations to lose that gear.

 

I'm sort of an exception... I hate to lose.  Not because I don't want to lose my gear, but because I just hate losing.  I want to win... it's my competitive nature.  So if I lose my gear it doesn't bother me so much as the fact that I made a mistake somewhere in the fight to lose.  I can always find that gear again someday.  And for me, the moment I stopped worrying about my in-game characters life (outside of winning or losing firefights) and what gear I had acquired, was the day the game became so much more enjoyable.  But that's my experience.  Doesn't mean it works for everyone.

 

Except sometimes your best move is not to play the game. In this case to not engage and simply get out of the area. Actually, most of the time that is your best move in this game... if you are concerned about your life at all. However, you life means nothing. Dying doesn't affect you at all, the only thing it does affect is your gear. So someone having better gear and you having nothings makes certain risky combats more attractive because you can just respawn and hopefully find a shovel fairly fast. So tying an advantage to staying alive for a while helps make not engaging in risky behaviours a more rewarding experience. 

[jesquik 75]

No skill system for an MMO has ever been better than the Ultima Online system. You gained skills over time, you picked some tag skills to begin with, and there was a total skill point max that you had so you couldn't specialize in everything. A brief explanation can be found here: http://www.uoguide.com/Skills

 

Having skills is the only thing that will really make you valuable to other players. Currently your equipment is your ability.

 

This topic makes me think of the scene in The Road when they run into those highwaymen gang members on the road after their truck breaks down and Garret Dillahunt (in the movie) goes to take a piss in the woods. They have a mechanic, but they don't have a doctor (or so they say). He offers them safe passage if the father can come and help his sick friend. Likely it is a ruse, but maybe they do have a sick person that needs help. Having skills adds to the atmosphere, which is still sorely lacking in this game.

 

I don't think that shooting ability should ever increase, that should be player skill alone, but stamina and skills that determine whether you do something successfully should definitely increase with use.

[westfield 0]

to keep KOS from happening you'd have to incorporate something somewhat unrealistic........

 

some type of "unprovoked" attack system would have to be implemented.....

 

If you make an unprovoked attack you suffer a type of PERMANENT "attribute" - permanent would mean your future characters also

 

The only way to get rid of the attribute would be to perform some type of "kind" gesture to a non bandit (or permanently attributed) type of person, this would go back to the attribute carrying across your future characters.   Having to perform the kindness act on someone non attributed would keep bandit type characters grouping together performing kind gestures on each other (that sounds odd).

 

The kindness act would have to be something difficult(not talking bandaging someone, something harder), but numerous times...not a one for one event 

 

the negative factor would have to be something game play crippling enough so that you wouldn't want to do it

[octarine 60]

I find it kind of amusing that the same people who cry that they want authenticity and realism are also against "farming skills". Isn't that what we do in real life?!?

[mercules 1290]

to keep KOS from happening you'd have to incorporate something somewhat unrealistic........

You are NEVER going to prevent it from happening. There will always be some asshat who will be willing to lose everything just to try and take someone else down. However, you can make it so he does have the consequence of losing everything. ;)

[westfield 0]

You are NEVER going to prevent it from happening. There will always be some asshat who will be willing to lose everything just to try and take someone else down. However, you can make it so he does have the consequence of losing everything. ;)

yes i know, the topic of the thread is how to make players lives more important than gear.

 

so you need to make taking a life (unprovoked)  ingame.....wait for it......game altering (to the point where someone who wants to play the game long term will think twice about doing it).

Edited December 19, 2013 by Westfield