Standalone aims and goals

[nyxe2k 12]

I'll start my topic by apologising if this has been addressed a ton of times, but I'm curious to see where this game is going.

This is my sole opinion and does not reflect all gamers, I understand this is early alpha.

What are the aims and goals of DayZ and how is it going to be developed?

I'd appreciate any links to anywhere that the developers talk to the community about their plans. I love DayZ, bought standalone to support it, but I'm worried that It might succumb to other games also in development in this genre.

I keep coming across a variety of concerns when seeing dev vids, playing the game, and looking at patchnotes etc.

I may have made some bad assumptions with these next questions but I'd appreciate if people can shed light for me, and possibly others seeking the same information:

• I played Arma 2 for a ton of time before DayZ, and it's great... however it's pretty clunky and as far as I'm aware its due to the engine?
• would it not be better to use Arma 3's engine?
• With the amount of money this game/mod has generated, It wouldn't surprise me if it has sold more copies of Arma2/standalone than the original game. Will this money be used to recruit more talent and improve the game or is it going to remain as a project amongst the current dev team?
• Can we expect a similar combat system to Arma 3 and other upcoming games in this genre?

My thoughts:

• It baffles me that the technology behind Arma 3 hasn't been implemented and a huge dev team assigned to the game.
• I think it comes down to a choice whether the devs want to keep the game for their own project or make something better at the cost of sharing development.

I always see the same debate of: "why is weapon switching so clunky?" and this gets the answer "priorities man". But I fail to see how the core combat/movement system doesn't take precedence over something like blood types, food eating/drinking animations, etc. It's my opinion that the core game is more important than fancy features, zombies hitting through walls, standing still whilst punching, cant move and eat, drink or switch weapon. 

If it was my game I'd be stuck with this decision... do I want to make the best game possible, or do I take on this project with a smaller team and possibly enjoy the process more (kinda like mine craft, which did turn out great, but imagine how much more content it would have if more people were on board (mods kinda negate this I guess)).

I also heard that combat/movement will never be changed, I hope this isn't the case as there's other games that have extremely fluid movement at the moment, and this has always been a priority for me in games especially in a PVP environment.

Sorry if it's "another one of these threads", didn't really have time to search around or structure this post properly but hopefully someone can help me shed light on questions people keep asking me about the mod.

 

[420jeppe 28]

Well I do believe rocket wants the animations to be fluid, I really do, but I can appreciate that it's not at the top of the priority list.

 

In my own experience, developing business-intelligence applications, I know that one can get stuck working on the database model for a year without fixing the lousy design, because without a solid foundation you're not going to end up with an excellent product.

[deebz1234 243]

im sure that mouse acceleration isnt helping, its making it very very difficult to operate. should have been in patch 1.
 

it is using arma 3 engine to a certain extent...unfortunately not enough of it.

 

they should have used arma 3 weapons and aiming and movement...very fluid and realistic.

[420jeppe 28]

They should look at ARMA 3, however, I almost think those controls are too complex for DayZ. I don't think the stance complexity suits DayZ which is a game that gets its complexity through the environment and setting rather than strict combat and game play.

[nyxe2k 12]

Yea, just can't wait for a game that combine fluidity of games like BF4 movement/combat/switching with the features/size of map of DayZ

[nickholder85@gmail.com 19]

Well I do believe rocket wants the animations to be fluid, I really do, but I can appreciate that it's not at the top of the priority list.

 

In my own experience, developing business-intelligence applications, I know that one can get stuck working on the database model for a year without fixing the lousy design, because without a solid foundation you're not going to end up with an excellent product.

 

Yep spot on. We are currently learning about BI in one of my modules at uni, and it's been drilled into us that getting a solid framework down first is top priority, the bells and whistles can come after. No point in trying to jazz up a crap foundation. This is what Dean has been talking about and I think this is why on the face of it, the alpha is basic from a players point of view, he's been getting that back-end system working right, the rest can come later.

[nyxe2k 12]

Found this after snooping around, there's probably everything I've questioned, I was just trying to find out about it.
Can see how my post might come across as malicious though.

http://forums.dayzgame.com/index.php?/topic/156129-confirmed-upcoming-features-for-dayz/
 

I'm just worried that the current engine isn't enough to support the kind of fluidity modern day fps games deliver.

To sum up my post:

most recent changes:
licking a battery now displays the battery's state properly

but I still have to stop running to take a drink from a zombie that no-clips through the wall. xD


 

Edited December 23, 2013 by nyxe2k

[Lukey2k 13]

 

most recent changes:

licking a battery now displays the battery's state properly

 

[Zogvarn 118]

I think the main problem OP is that you see the game as a FPS first and survival simulator second. When in truth it is the other way around. Given that it is a zombie apocalypse survival simulator first and fps second, quite a lot of the priorities make sense then. That and Rocket wants to make sure the back-end stuff is rock solid before messing with other things. The updates and recent changes we see are mostly easily fixed bugs or something really game breaking. 

 

Just give the game time and the combat will get ironed out. It is just that right now there are more important things to work on.

[nyxe2k 12]

I appreciate what you're saying, but surely movement and zombie attacks / shooting zombies is the core aswell. If not more-so than battery licking etc

but yea either way, I just wanted to find out if they're planning to change combat in the future or not, I heard they are planning on leaving it exactly how it is. Hopefully a bad rumour.

Edited December 23, 2013 by nyxe2k

[Zogvarn 118]

I appreciate what you're saying, but surely movement and zombie attacks / shooting zombies is the core aswell. If not more-so than battery licking etc

but yea either way, I just wanted to find out if they're planning to change combat in the future or not, I heard they are planning on leaving it exactly how it is. Hopefully a bad rumour.

Battery licking to check and report the state of the battery should have been a simple code fix just asking the database for the info. Doing a revamp of the movement system and finalizing/correcting the zombie code/pathing is not as simple. Rocket and team seem to be concentrated on making sure the back-end server and database architecture are working good. And that's as they should be. The past week has put a HUGE strain on what they came up with. We are alpha testing the game for them remember that. This isn't some "open beta" release type bullshit.

Edited December 23, 2013 by Zogvarn

[nyxe2k 12]

Yea I just want to know where its going, i understand it will take time :) but ty

[liu.hy89@gmail.com 2]

I have to say, ARMA II / DayZ has the clunkiest controls in the industry. It's not even that my character feels like he has weight, it just feels like half the time he won't move the way I want him to. I never feel as if I'm in full control of the body in this game, it's something I've gotten use to from playing so much DayZ mod + Arma II itself. I would love to see the day come when the movement feels as smooth as every other shooter out there, but I feel like that won't ever be the case. 

[Zogvarn 118]

http://forums.dayzgame.com/index.php?/topic/156129-confirmed-upcoming-features-for-dayz/

 

There rocket list upcoming development stuff. Hope it helps some of your curiosity :)

[nyxe2k 12]

 

I have to say, ARMA II / DayZ has the clunkiest controls in the industry. It's not even that my character feels like he has weight, it just feels like half the time he won't move the way I want him to. I never feel as if I'm in full control of the body in this game, it's something I've gotten use to from playing so much DayZ mod + Arma II itself. I would love to see the day come when the movement feels as smooth as every other shooter out there, but I feel like that won't ever be the case. 

This is exactly my concern. You just don't feel like you have as much control as other games. it could have a thousand features and I'd still not feel fully comfortable. I feel like purchasing alpha was investing in this game, and as an investor Im hoping I get a good return instead of purchasing another game in the future that tailors to this need.

Someone stated we shouldn't compare it to FPS's since its a survival game, but I know atleast 2 other zombie survival games that are currently in alpha what already have fluidity of movement and shooting in them, but not the sheer size/feature list of DayZ.

That being said, I love the changes so far. Theyre all welcome. It's just knowing that the game will be fluid in the future which is the biggest seller to me and my friends, and whether they want to purchase the game or not (not that they should be particularly bothered about more sales).

[BurritoBandit 24]

 

 

This is exactly my concern. You just don't feel like you have as much control as other games. it could have a thousand features and I'd still not feel fully comfortable. I feel like purchasing alpha was investing in this game, and as an investor Im hoping I get a good return instead of purchasing another game in the future that tailors to this need.

Someone stated we shouldn't compare it to FPS's since its a survival game, but I know atleast 2 other zombie survival games that are currently in alpha what already have fluidity of movement and shooting in them, but not the sheer size/feature list of DayZ.

That being said, I love the changes so far. Theyre all welcome. It's just knowing that the game will be fluid in the future which is the biggest seller to me and my friends, and whether they want to purchase the game or not (not that they should be particularly bothered about more sales).

 

I'm pretty sure that things like fluidity will be fixed in the future, but it is not a priority. I understand where you are coming from in that it is a 'core' mechanic, but mechanics come after architecture, which is a main concern at this point along with things like hacking. On to the battery tester point; fixing the battery testing feature probably took a few minutes. Fixing things like character movement and fluidity will take much longer. Maybe it's simply because I've loved ArmA for what seems like ever that I don't mind it, but movement right now should not be a main concern, except for some bugs. As for where the SA is headed, I believe someone already posted a link to a post from Rocket stating where he wants to SA to go. Anything that hasn't been posted by the Dev Team is an assumption.

[nyxe2k 12]

I guess everyone has their different  views. I always saw usability to be more important than features. but you could argue for either point