Let's up the Fear Factor

[combatcomm1 234]

Don't get me wrong, I have had some of the most heart-pounding and tense moments in this game. Due mostly to the fact of player interactions, whether it was the first time I took a life in a tense 3 way standoff or hiding in a shed wondering if a pair of bandit's flashlight cones would shine me out as I hid in a shed. But let's see how we can bring this to the next level. The game is already great in that the player interaction can be scary but the environment doesn't really add much.

 

Zombies -  I don't know if I am the only one but man do the zombie animations irk me. They are soo pathetic. They say they brought a new skeleton in and did all this mocap but these animations are downright childish. There is nothing scary about a slow gorilla man thumping his way towards me. I know it's alpha but I have done a lot of research looking through rockets posts on reddit, here, twitter devblogs and I am fairly sure these animations aren't place holders. 

 

Now if someone were to tell me that its an engine limitation, BI cant afford it or that they don't have the proper equipment then ok. I get it. These will do. This is the best we are going to get. But how is then that a group of modders working on ARMA 3 Breaking Point have been able to come up with this awesome animation that actually looks like someone who is infected with some sort of rabbies/rage man eating virus???? They surely do not have mocap studio or equipment? And yet the convulsive, spastic movements are ten times eerier than what we have now with the SA. And that is with the OLD skeleton from ARMA 2.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKA2ITBZjrA

 

I hope BI can do better than this because this is the number one killer of immersion for me right now. If anyone can shed light on if these are placeholders then please do. I need some consolation. 

 

Effective Fog - Seeing the silhouettes of a zombie horde coming over the hill crest and slowly appearing more and more clear through the fog would really add to the fear factor. 

 

Soundtrack - This one is obvious and the mod had some good tracks that really set the mood. I'd love to hear some of the fan favorites mixed in with some new stuff to keep it fresh. 

 

Atmospheric Night Lighting - Alpha, I have faith this will be worked in due time. 

 

Player, Zombie and Animal Interaction With Environment - Sounds for doors, gates, and garage doors. Sounds for when players, zombies and animals hit or touch chain linked fences, walls, sheet metal sheds etc.This will all add to the what/or who was that factor and make people freeze in fear. Was it a rabbit or a zombie that just touched the fence?

 

We already have sound for floors but I feel they are weak and aren't heard from realistic distances. Different sound files for different surfaces that truley add to the situational awareness of who may be coming up the stairs. 

 

How easy this is to do in this engine with BIs bad reputation in the sound department? I know they say they hired a new audio guy and that sound was important in the SA but will they make it as immerse as it can be. Sound is probably number one in immersing a player in survival horror game. Time will tell. 

 

Weather - I have to say I am very impressed with the weather and rain so far in the SA. This will only get better. What hopefully will improve though are the sounds. The sounds of rain hitting the roof of differing surfaces would be great while holding up in a house. Thunder sounds that are quick and unexpected are known to make people jump. Especially in this game where you could be shot at any moment and are waiting for that gunshot sound. 

 

Zombie Placement - I'd like to see some static zombies randomly place right behind doors and inside buildings. Imagine opening a door with the (hopefully) new creek sounds and right there in front of you is an aggro'd Zombie. 

 

Aggressive Wildlife - Camping out in the woods and getting gear out of your tent when you hear rustling in the bushes. Is it a zombie? A Player? You turn on the flashlight and creep towards the bush when suddenly a wild boar charges you. That'll do it. 

 

Anyone else have any ideas on how to add to the scariness of the game?

Edited December 28, 2013 by VictorM

[broguenz 333]

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Edited December 28, 2013 by RogueNZ

[csharp 47]

I remember the first time i tried DayZ on Namalsk. I was already a seasoned survivor who didn't get any scary factor of the default mod, but Namalks really got that going. Scary ass ambients; zombies roaming in forests etc. So i would say that ambient sounds and random zombies in forests would be the best way to up the fear factor.

 

I think the wind ambient combined with the child sounds did something in my head, maybe they added a feeling of loneliness or something. Anyway; those worked.

Edited December 28, 2013 by csharp

[combatcomm1 234]

Yeah, Namalsk was scary but I felt like the sounds were too canned. I would like to see sounds in the distance that are real and caused by something concrete like zombies, animals or players. The game already has sound for when your character walks through certain flora like reeds in the swamp and such. If they could apply sounds to people touching fences or sheet metal that would be awesome and add immersion. 

[Craux 81]

I remember when zombies were scary....


Then i grew up.


Lets face it we are all playing this game for the survival aspects and sandbox mode.

The only scarey zombies were the early resident evil ones. If I ever find a game that has that feel...I would cry.

[Stiptikspec 25]

I really, Really like the fog idea! Think how much atmosphere that would add as you see either a horde of zombies or a convoy of well armed bandits emerge from the fog like somekind of legion of the damned!

It could be integrated into the DayZ weather system which would be very cool to see, and could even affect body temperature. Aswell as this you may have solved being instantly shot in cherno on certain days! Snipers can't see through the fog giving the fresh spawns vital minutes of escape time.

[Bakercompany86 347]

These zombies could be scary.  But they'll need to drastically alter the AI (which it needs anyway) and add a lot more animations.  That way if you open a closet door, one could jump-scare you and initiate a QTE shakeoff like many zombie games have.  

 

But do players really want this?

 

Right now Zombies are just a nuisance and no threat at all.  I know they plan on fixing this and adding many many more zombies.  That will help. The AI is awful right now, but it's alpha and we know for a fact they're going to improve it.  But if they want them to be a serious threat, it's going to take work.  Implementing the roaming hordes will definitely help.  An added "oh shit" mechanic like that will greatly increase the fear factor.  Especially if you're not aware of a nearby horde, and you squeeze off that round towards a player trying to score a kill, only to have the horde fast on your heels and you have to haul ass outta town :)

 

 

Whenever I see another player, even at distance, my heart rate increases dramatically.  If I see one nearby, I definitely feel the panic.

[combatcomm1 234]

What do you guys think of the Breaking Point animations in the video? (tried to embed the video but its not working). I feel like those are deffinately a step in the right direction and I wonder why on earth a modding group could do this and the DayZ devs decided on gorilla man. Can anyone shed light? Im not an expert on mocap and implementing animations in game. 

 

It all just seems so lazy. Or do they just not have the skill set? 

[wigbig 17]

Remove thirdperson perspective, it doesn't add any immersion to the game and if anything it detracts from it. If you want to see your character just press the inventory button.

 

In a game that is aiming for in-depth realistic survival, it seems silly that you should be able to see behind walls and around corners with thirdperson.

 

Posted in this topic because I think only having first person available would increase tension in certain situations, and would generally result in players being more careful when moving around urban areas.

Edited December 28, 2013 by Wigbig

[Lukis (DayZ) 11]

DayZ never been scary...

[combatcomm1 234]

DayZ never been scary...

Doesn't mean it cant be. Team just has to implement it. 

[semipr0 402]

This game needs them jumpscares so the Pewdiepies will play it. Yes precious...yesssssss.

 

I mean Lewis is terribad at DayZ precious and his commentary is horrible, oh my yes precious. And Frankie gets paid too much to do other things these days and Jack is bored with DayZ precious so we needs the Pewdiepies....yes we does.

 

Now in all seriousness...all you need to be scared in DayZ is to know you're being hunted but not be sure where the hunter is. And if you don't already play with that level of paranoia, then no amount of animated zombie nonsense is going to make you any more scared.

[xX_fr0st-w0lf_Xx (DayZ) 343]

Million things to add/fix before some scary ambient sounds

[Ineedscoffee 464]

Actually, I want the scene from Lost to be added in. The birds suddenly stop chirping, and fly away. You hear grass rustle, then out of nowhere, a polar bear comes at ya doin about thirty.

That'll squeeze some fear out.....

[semipr0 402]

Actually, I want the scene from Lost to be added in. The birds suddenly stop chirping, and fly away. You hear grass rustle, then out of nowhere, a polar bear comes at ya doin about thirty.

That'll squeeze some fear out.....

 

Little far south for polar bears. Kodiaks maybe. Browns definitely. Also bears don't tend to be predators on that level unless driven by other extremities but for a games sake I definitely like that idea a lot more than zombies doing the booga-booga-booga routine cause seriously its just not scary any more. Random hostile encounters with dangerous wildlife though? Yeah that might be something new and interesting and cause me to shart myself at least the first time it happened to me.

Edited December 28, 2013 by semipr0

[Ineedscoffee 464]

Being a born and raised Alaskan, spruce hen will scare the hell out of anyone in the woods. Complete silence, followed by something the size of a fat duck snapping twigs and flapping above ya.

[semipr0 402]

Being a born and raised Alaskan, spruce hen will scare the hell out of anyone in the woods. Complete silence, followed by something the size of a fat duck snapping twigs and flapping above ya.

 

True enough but most people haven't lived in that kind of outdoors. I haven't been much further north than Anchorage but I was raised in the Olympic Mountains in WA myself and spent a lot of time out in the forest growing up and I still get out there on occasion.

 

Nothings more unnerving than a boar in a dark camp though I'd say, they sound a lot heavier than they look.

[Ineedscoffee 464]

South central Alaska, glennallen here lol.mwe get all the fun stuff. Including moose walking in our post office parking lot. Yay northern exposure.....

[combatcomm1 234]

Yah, animals in the wild would definitely do it. Proper sound effects for the aggressive and non aggressive animals scurrying about in the dark woods. I'll add that to my "Wish List"

[Ineedscoffee 464]

Heh, anyone who lives north will appreciate this. When you shine a torch out into the woods, the light reflects off of every animals eyes. Even rabbits. Panning your light around and catching a pair of eyes staring at you will ice your veins.

Grew up using an outhouse, sometimes at night, it was better to just turn the light off.

[Stiptikspec 25]

Heh, anyone who lives north will appreciate this. When you shine a torch out into the woods, the light reflects off of every animals eyes. Even rabbits. Panning your light around and catching a pair of eyes staring at you will ice your veins.

Grew up using an outhouse, sometimes at night, it was better to just turn the light off.

 

I would like to see that, i think it may be possible because the mapping on glasses has been achieved. I would love to shine my torch into the trees, do a couple of sweeps and then finally notice a pair of eyes (or just one eye!) staring back and then more and more and then a horde comes out attracted to the light.

[semipr0 402]

Heh, anyone who lives north will appreciate this. When you shine a torch out into the woods, the light reflects off of every animals eyes. Even rabbits. Panning your light around and catching a pair of eyes staring at you will ice your veins.

Grew up using an outhouse, sometimes at night, it was better to just turn the light off.

 

Hah this....definitely. I remember this stuff. We used to have to get our water from a fresh water well out away from the cabin where we lived because our ground water had sea water in it due to our proximity to the Straits of Juan De Fuca. Going out there at night with a flashlight used to freak me the hell out cause of all the shit I'd catch looking back at me sometimes.'

 

Light reflections off eyes in the brush would be good but to have to render that many wild animals at a time might be a problem...though rabbits are apparently being rendered client side right now so...perhaps its a possibility cause client sided stuff doesn't put a huge load on the server.