A Bushwacker's wishlist. Giant post of observations and things that would make DayZ awesome(er)!

[phisher34 12]

I just wanted to say Rocket that as one of first dozen or so DayZ Mod players, I am loving this direction with SA. Focusing on civilian survival, exploration, interaction, and the downtime in between has been a fulfilling experience -- and it looks like it will only get better. I am creating this (apologize for length) topic to share some ideas, tweaks, and real life experiences I have had and that I think would be beneficial. I would not be surprised if you haven't thought of all of this and more.

I am going to break this up a bit so it's easier to read. Starting with the backpacking experience.

Backpacks and access to gear.

Glad to see the introduction of larger civilian model packs. I know more packs will be added in the future but I just wanted to touch on some options for gameplay. Currently, when someone is looking for a backpack they are factoring in size and color. Since there is no way to impliment a comfort meter (nor should there be) I think this is sufficient. However, as I am sure you know, a larger backpack doesn't necessarily mean easier access to more gear. Because of this I think it would be great to see:

Readily available gear and "deep stored" gear inside of a backpack.

As I am sure you experienced with the recent trip to Everest. When you need to access something in the bottom of the bag, it is an ordeal. It leaves you vulnerable, and requires you to take off the backpack. Because of this, the stuff that sits at the bottom of the bag is usually limited to items that you would need at camp, or when you are resting for a lengthy period of time.

By separating the bag into quick access and long term storage, you are adding another element that players will need to consider when looking for a bag. A mountaineer backpack with a deep single pocket, is much more difficult to access than the hunter's ALICE pack that has separate pockets. I don't think anyone would ever want to actually put their backpack on the ground in-game, risk losing it all. But if it followed the similar "in-hand" mechanic that you currently have, I think this would be nice. By doing this, the way you pack your bag requires thought.

With the separation of easily accessible, and deep storage gear you could cater to peoples  play styles. Someone who uses a day bag, will have easy access to everything they need. The hoarder will be able to carry more items, but will have to stop and interact with their bag. It slows things down, which so far has only made the game better. There are hundreds of varieties of backpacks in the civilian and military market, it would be great too variety, instead of everyone looking for that holy grail backpack.

Different packs also make different noise. A person loaded up with a stuffed 7-day backpack will make a lot more noise then the guy running around with a day pack or messanger bag.  Theoretically, you can pack it so that nothing will jingle or jostle around, but in my experience more stuff = more noise.

With the new storage mechanic I think we can:

Incease storage in packs and on the person, or bring back the gear slot.

The smallest space an item can take up is 1 inventory block. Be it a pen, can of soda, piece of paper, flashlight... This doesn't make too much sense as I should never have to choose between a pen and a can of beans. A pen can easily clip onto a pocket, a pair of handcuff keys could fit anywhere, a can of food has much more weight and dimension. So by increasing the number of inventory slots, a pen can still take up 1 inventory block, and a can of beans would take up 3 or 4. The total space of the pack would also need to increase.  This will also have an impact on how a backpack is organized which compliments the first change. From all accounts, the number of items will be growing exponetially in the game so the space in packs should reflect that.

The other way to do this, is to bring back the gear slot. Where you can place items that don't really have any impact on weight or space. I think this is secondary, as if you remove all of your clothing, then where is this gear being stored? :blush:

Increase storage in MedPacks

If we don't want to increase the size of the backpacks, than I think the medpacks at minimum need a boost. A standard over the counter medpack that you would take backpacking or put in the trunk of you car can carry many rolls of bandages, pills, masks, lotions, disinfectants, needles... Currently, we are very limited in the amount of first-aid gear we can carry in a medpack. I understand how scarcity is a great feature in this game, and it should remain that way. Finding a fully loaded medpack should be near impossible. But being able to stock one up over time should be an option. Or at least have enough space in a medpack to allow for 1 of each type of first aid item.

 

 

Clothing and holsters.

It's obvious that weather and materials of clothing will play a factor in future versions of the game. I think this is a great idea. I know it will probably have to go through a lot of testing and experimentation. These were just some of the additions I thought might help.

Socks.

They are as equally as important as shoes. The material is also important. If you run around with soaking wet socks, you will be noisy and risk getting sick. This adds another lootable item that then needs to be factored into storage. If you have cotton socks with your athletic shoes and run around in the rain, you will be exposed to the elements. But a pair of wool socks with combat boots and your fine.

Rain Poncho's that cover the entire pack.

Not sure how doable this is in the engine. But a nice rain poncho that covers you and your pack would be helpful. To discourage people from just running around with one all the time, you can limit their access to gear until they take it off (just as if it was covering the entire pack). There are added benefits to masking your siloutte but also from keeping away exposure.

Concealed holsters.

Loved seeing the chest holster be introduced to the game. In addition to this, I think it would be great to see leg holsters, and maybe even some IWB (In the waistband) or ankle holsters. There is a ton of potential with those as you are now adding an element of concealment to the player. These are also way more common in a civilian market. So lets say you take me hostage, I drop all my gear, you inspect me but failed to check my clothing items. Hidden in my waistband or ankle is a 7 shot 9mm handgun.

 

 

Technology and gadgets.
This is definitely a balance between what is practical and what is out of place.

Solar and heat powered generators.

I remember a long time ago this came up in regards to the DayZ mod. With the addition of batteries, we will need a way to charge them. I think something like the Goal Zero solar packs would be a great feature in order to recharge your batteries (rechargeable batteries being a new item). These packs would either require you to place them near your camp, or you can attach them to your pack as you hike at the cost of a diminished rate. I use these all the time and it would require a player to think about where they are placing them. They won't work well under forest canopy.

In addition to solar, I have also used these little campfire stoves with USB ports that basically use the heat generated by the stove to power a device. They work pretty great as well, and would require a player to have an open fire, so again, requiring the player to think.

GPS, NVG's, Hearing amplification.

Frankly, I don't see how GPS would work in an apocalypse so I say never introduce it. I almost want to say the same thing about NVG's as they are a fickle beast. But there are some civilian models that I have used that seem to work okay, nothing as good as the modern military uses however.

I would love to see hearing amplification added though. These are becoming more and more popular with both hunters and hikers. Basically a battery powered headphone that amplifies the sounds around you. Now you aren't going to hear people walking from a kilometer away, but you would be able to hear gunshots.
 

 

Permanent and Semi-Permanent housing.

Ability to lock a house.

This seems like the easiest to introduce, but the ability to lock a house would be really beneficial. It wouldn't be permanent, as a player could kick it in or shoot the deadbolt, but lets say I am hold up in a house. I can either deadbolt the door, or I have to find a padlock item to do it. When a player tries to open it, it will make a door jingling sound. This should also have the added benefit of making homes more than just places to loot. In a real situation, 90% of the population would be hold up in these homes, not just scavenging.

Tents, Lean-To's, Hammocks...

I am sure you know of all the varieties in tents, sleeping bags, shelters and on and on. Just saying that I think more variety in this will be beneficial. Tents, like packs, come in all shapes and sizes.

Besides storage, what makes a camp beneficial?

I was thinking how in the mod, the only real purpose for a tent was for increase storage. While this should remain the case, I think there needs to be added benefits to either an individual or group of peple who commit to a plot of land and calling it home. Maybe increased food and water benefits, recovery from sickness, places to repair weapons and gear.

 

 

 

Weapons

On the right track.

Not much to say here either as I know there are probably dozens of weapons planned on being introduced. I just wanted to say that I think you are on the right track by not adding in the exotic military weapons of ARMA.  A .50 cal sniper rifle is heavy, terrible to maintain, and extremely rare. I know the US is an oddity, but if you were to take an inventory of the guns that people own you would find that standard AR-15's, Handguns, Hunting Rifles and Shotguns probably make up 75%+  I would love to see a variety within these categories, even if the changes are mostly cosmetic. I know a lot of people would rather have a customized gun that they like, even if it doesn't do as much damage as the "best gun in the game".

Traps for hunting

With the addition of hunting being added in, I think small game traps would also be beneficial. Players again, would have to think about where they place them as other players could find them. But it wouldn't give your position away like gunshots do. Bait could also play a factor for increased success rates.

Tripwires and noisemakers.

Straightfoward idea. Piano wire + empty cans is all you need to create an improvsed alarm system. Set it up in the hallway of a house or between two trees leading to your camp.

Poison.

Shouldn't be too difficult to add a mechanic that allows you to put poisons into food that people scavenge. If they eat the food they get sick, eat half of it they vomit, if they continue to eat all of it they can die.  A player would have to inspect their food using the "inspect" action that is already in game. Maybe a line about the seal being broken is all you would need. Maybe 10% of the food people find already have broken seals so it's not guaranteed to be poisioned. If they want to eat it, they will have to prepare it by cooking it. Again, this requires players to slow down and think about what they are doing.

 

 

 

Squad and group features.

Identifiable clothing or patches.

I love that player id tags are removed the game, but a new system of identifying friends should be added. Without forcing people to wear clothing that they otherwise wouldnt wear, allow them to tear up a red shirt and wear a patch on their arm or as a scarf. I think this will go a long way in encouraging group play, and even friendliness amongst groups.

Ability to join a group in game.

I've debated this with my friends in game, as I am sure you have. But the ability to actually join a group might be nice. With that comes the added benefits of whatever you can think of. Maybe if there is a group leader within 2.5km of where you logged off (and they aren't in combat), you can return to your game by their side. Food or medical benefits if a group member helps you. You could take this as far as you can imagine so I don't want to go down the rabbit hole, but I think in the long run this has some of the most potential benefits for DayZ. But it's obviously a fine line as it could also be something that gets exploited or isn't realistic.

Ability to carry a dead body.

Here's a scenario that has played out more than once. A teammate gets KOS'd by a bandit in a town. Our group kills the bandit, but now our dead teammate has respawned at the coast and is running back to his body, praying it doesn't dissolve into the ground. The ability to drag that body (maybe quicker if on a stretcher) to a nearby building, for safekeeping (this is really morbid) would be nice. This would also allow you to setup traps or other mechanics by giving a player the ability to keep the body from dissappearing, maybe for just an hour or two.

 

 

 

The Map.

Chernarus has lost its edge even with the new additions.

I hate to say it, but the map just isn't exciting anymore for most the people I play with. Almost every town, hill, or mountain has been so thouroughly mapped that nowhere seems unfamiliar. I love the new additions in SA, but even those only took a day of exploring to map out and when all of the new material gets added in up north I fear that will be figured out quickly as well. I want to see you guys create a new map all on your own with DayZ in mind. Those train tracks up north how they cut through the trees and rock faces are gorgeous. But I know everything around it, and even when you finish updating this map, it will still be 80% of the old map. Keep in mind, so many of us have been playing this map long before DayZ.

That feeling of exploration, of not knowing where the next town might be, what is on the otherside of this mountain, or even where you spawned is something that DayZ thrives on. Above all else, it is this feeling of the unknown that makes DayZ unique.

More than any game mechanic, more than any player model or item, more than even the zombies. I feel the world in which we play is the most important. Please, please, please, reach out to the community, hire more artists, or make a contest out of it - but a new map, completely new, will add to this game like nothing else would.

Can the map be bigger?

When you think about DayZ long term. Specifically the idea of semi-permanent housing, squads of players, even player-made cities, you have to think about how much room we need to do this. When vehicles get added back in, it takes no time at all to cover the entire map. This probably wouldnt be as necessary if a new map was created, but right now, everything still feels small. Look at Tavianna for example, that map was gigantic, but even when player made cities and vehicles were added, it still felt small.

Jesus this was a lot of text. Just want to say that I love where this is going.

Thank you!

 

Edited December 22, 2013 by Phisher

[Guest]

Good read,

 

inb4alpha

 

Basically a lot of this has/is been considered and dealt with, time will telll dude :)

[weparo 613]

DAT ESSAY...

 

I really like most of your thoughts, especially the part of the backpacks (although this has been suggested already) exept for the part about chernarus! Chernarus is beautiful! Best map ever! I personally couldn't see DayZ anywhere else...

 

Also spawning on players is a big huge (!) no-no! And please keep the millitary weapons out! the m4 is already too much imho. Only civilian weapons please :)

[phisher34 12]

DAT ESSAY...

 

I really like most of your thoughts, especially the part of the backpacks (although this has been suggested already) exept for the part about chernarus! Chernarus is beautiful! Best map ever! I personally couldn't see DayZ anywhere else...

 

Also spawning on players is a big huge (!) no-no! And please keep the millitary weapons out! the m4 is already too much imho. Only civilian weapons please :)

 

I agree that anything squad related is playing with fire, there is a lot of potential there but a lot can go wrong too. The idea of spawning near a squad leader (who is within say 2.5km, and isn't in combat) could be very easily griefed, but I think ideas like that can lead down good paths if the mechanics are there to back it up.

 

Right with you in terms of the weapons. Civilian model AR-15's are very popular here in the states. Automatic M4's are strictly military.

 

Don't get me wrong about the map. I love it. But there just no more mystery left. The new content up north will be great, but I would just love to see that attention to detail and creativity applied to a whole new map with DayZ gameplay in mind.

Edited December 22, 2013 by Phisher

[weparo 613]

I agree that anything squad related is playing with fire, there is a lot of potential there but a lot can go wrong too. The idea of spawning near a squad leader (who is within say 2.5km, and isn't in combat) could be very easily griefed, but I think ideas like that can lead down good paths if the mechanics are there to back it up.

 

Right with you in terms of the weapons. Civilian model AR-15's are very popular here in the states. Automatic M4's are strictly military.

 

Don't get me wrong about the map. I love it. But there just no more mystery left. The new content up north will be great, but I would just love to see that attention to detail and creativity applied to a whole new map with DayZ gameplay in mind.

 

Sure, civy AR-15's are fine, no problem. I'd just hate to see everybody with a scar/g36... What might be introduced is that you 'll be able to spawn with a friend after both of you died, I think this is enough already. It just really sucks when you are engaging in a firefight and all the sudden 3 guys pop up...

[phisher34 12]

Sure, civy AR-15's are fine, no problem. I'd just hate to see everybody with a scar/g36... What might be introduced is that you 'll be able to spawn with a friend after both of you died, I think this is enough already. It just really sucks when you are engaging in a firefight and all the sudden 3 guys pop up...

 

Definitely, well that is why I said you wouldn't be able to spawn near them if they were in combat. Though there is no game mechanic that could determine that well I would imagine.

That's a great idea of spawning with a friend.

 

Mabe this is just a similar mechanic that allows teammates to  login together near their "camp" if they are within a km or 2. I use "camp" in quotations because I have no idea if that is just a tent, or something bigger.