[SUGGESTION] Yarrr, mountaineering!

[Adelheid 9]

Happy New Year, fellow bandits and survivors, snipers and spotters, explorers and adventurers!

 

We all know DayZ is a lot about running. Running from the coast, running from zombles, running for friends, running for your life.

How about moving vertically? Currently, some space in the beautiful map of Chernarus is not exactly used. There are steep hills and towering mountains, rooftops and heights still unexplored. Yet already, gear like headtorches and ropes are already ingame. What's to add?

 

Think of this:

 

Ok, why?

 

There are several interesting ideas about going vertical:

• hide & be safe (read: feel safe),
• (counter)snipe,
• store stuff in hidden places,
• enjoy the view,
• build tent/storage/housing in remote places,

just to name a few. Shoot some ideas if you like!

 

Of course, all these could pose some unfair advantages. Still, think of the vulnerability you'd have to expose yourself to if you would like to enjoy one of these features. Favorable places are and would be well known and climbing your way up would require a lot of time and stamina - especially with a lot of gear. Also, getting back down might be another huge risk!

 

What about game mechanics?

 

Well, you shouldn't log out while hangin' round in Mount Moria - nor should you be able to lie down, else you prefer your personal Mount Doom. What if someone finds the rope one might have left? What if some uncourteous person sees you gaining height? Once your position is revealed, one could easily attract more attention than intended.

 

I know that serverhopping is a threat to this idea. Still, serverhopping is a threat to any idea of a survival game, isn't it? My suggestion does rely on a working approach on that issue, please bear that in mind.

 

How would that work?

 

Well, obviously you would need some gear. Lacking a rope might result in a great risk, having nails and a pike (I'm lacking vocabulary here, please excuse) would make things safer. Spikes would be an asset of course, too. Climbing while it was raining could result in quick death.

I don't know if the engine could make things work. I was thinking of something like basically constructing a sort of 'ladder', only visible as a rope that would be extended in small intervals, on and on - which of course is bound to each server, like a tent.

 

Also, implementing such options might offer some interesting possibilities on map design and end game: think of a very high mountain in the far north of the map, featuring a point of interest (for the CoD/BF-crowd: m!lit4ry l3wt, to friends of roleplay: a research facility with patient zero) that you could reach for great reward or demise - either via a trail that attracts other people or the steep route via climbing, with other risks than interaction.

Let me know what you guys think of that - I'm looking forward to an interesting discussion. Also, keep that italic sentence in mind concerning server-hopping - consider that climbing feature like the 3PP-thing: you might want to switch it on or off on your server, as you like.

 

Thanks for your attention!

 

"One does not simply climb in DayZ."

[libertine 351]

Good idea. The more stuff to do and the more niche desires filled the better as long as it fits the gameplay.

[Adelheid 9]

Good idea. The more stuff to do and the more niche desires filled the better as long as it fits the gameplay.

 

Exactly! I think that a lot of good suggestions in the community yearn for a wider range of interesting things to do - something that might also draw attention away from the eternal spawn-loot-shoot-cycle to a more flexible way of playing the game. This cycle is like a bottleneck, focussing all discourse to a pro/con-KoS topic.

[combatcomm1 234]

HAH!!! What do you think this is a cry-engine and euphoria physics powered game? You forget the developer is BI. Polished games aren't exactly their forte. 

This will never happen. (as much as I'd love to see it a reality)

 

The only way you are moving vertical in the ARMA engine is in a standing position, glitch floating up. 

Edited January 4, 2014 by VictorM

[Adelheid 9]

[...]

This will never happen. (as much as I'd love to see it a reality)

 

The only way you are moving vertical in the ARMA engine is in a standing position, glitch floating up. 

 

I wouldn't be so negative about it: Arma II did things like constructing houses and so on - so in my opinion, the idea of a tiny rope functioning like a ladder wasn't too absurd. Yet of course, I'm not a developer. Recently I read a thread mentioning possible bunkers and the like without a big workaround in mapconstruction.

Of course, taste is something difficult to argue about, but the contemporary products of BI kept me way longer attracted than stuff like BF or D3. This huge world is something I always dreamed about in games like Jedi Knight or Delta Force in the 90s! It's marvellous!

[combatcomm1 234]

I wouldn't be so negative about it: Arma II did things like constructing houses and so on - so in my opinion, the idea of a tiny rope functioning like a ladder wasn't too absurd. Yet of course, I'm not a developer. Recently I read a thread mentioning possible bunkers and the like without a big workaround in mapconstruction.

Of course, taste is something difficult to argue about, but the contemporary products of BI kept me way longer attracted than stuff like BF or D3. This huge world is something I always dreamed about in games like Jedi Knight or Delta Force in the 90s! It's marvellous!

 

 

Same, I am still here aint I? Despite my frustration. But I think that because I love the concept of the their sandbox engine I want to see it reach new heights and join the 21st century! Sooner than later ya know? I always wonder whether it's laziness at BI, lack of talent among animators, sounds designers, and physics designers, or the engine at the core. The graphics artist and level designers are top notch. 

Edited January 4, 2014 by VictorM

[Adelheid 9]

[..] or the engine at the core.

 

I would imagine the engine at the core being a good guess - like, there is only so much stuff possible without breaking the whole game. I would love to have an engine like the one Dead Island uses, just without zones but with one big map. Guess, we both have to stick around some more time for that to happen!  ;)

 

You've been to the army? What are your ideas on 'moving vertically'?

[combatcomm1 234]

I would imagine the engine at the core being a good guess - like, there is only so much stuff possible without breaking the whole game. I would love to have an engine like the one Dead Island uses, just without zones but with one big map. Guess, we both have to stick around some more time for that to happen!  ;)

 

You've been to the army? What are your ideas on 'moving vertically'?

 

Well shit, look at Just Cause 2. That map IS HUUUUUUGE and it features ragdoll, good animations, physics for vehicles, decent texture quality, ambient occlusion and the list goes on and much to do. I just feel like there has got to be a way.

 

I am in the Air Force, and have never actually rock climbed. I hike a lot in the mountains and have gone on marches through the same but never scaled a cliff. I have however repelled from a helicopter. That was fun. I think your idea is great.

 

The advantages - Many. The risk - Should be big. Risk = Reward. The possibility of falling. The reward is now you have your tent set up on the cliff face or away from anyone else who does not have the required equipment.

 

The more to do in this game the better. Like many have said, DayZ is FAR from a sandbox yet. A sandbox needs things for you to be able to do. 

[Adelheid 9]

The possibility of falling.

 

This. I haven't really found a good way of implementing that - there's no 'random'-function that just let's you slip in the face of a mountain - nor is there something like a 'omgwtfbbq'-action that let's you grab the next ledge in order to avoid certain death from repelling without a rope ;)

[tinroofer 23]

I like the idea, I really do, but I think it would have to be WAY down the road. 

 

You know, given that at the moment a ladder is as likely to kill you as a bandit :P

[DeceasedPath 21]

I'd love to see it, but BI doesn't have the best track record with solid engines.

[Adelheid 9]

I see your point; I'm obviously very enthusiastic about not dying by

• opening doors
• walking stairs
• stepping over a stone
• going prone on a hill

in 76 hours playtime since SA