The starting "kit" bothers me.

[Alpha Cowboy 17]

Before I start I am NOT advocating for starting kits like we've seen on many private hives where you start with a full military kit ready to go to war.

However I think the starting kit needs some tweaks. While I understand starting with just a flashlight (because the only real thing to do in game is collect loot) it makes very little sense from a lore/immersion standpoint. Look at the game world, it looks like its been months since the outbreak, no one would have survived to this point with just a flashlight.

What I would suggest would be keeping the flashlight but adding wear to it and reducing the batteries charge, and adding a knife, a water bottle or can of soda, a box of matches, and possibly a partially eaten can of beans, all with wear and/or a low amount remaining.

The would be much closer to what at minimum would be required to have survived to this point without affecting the game to any noticeable extent.

[Flagella 69]

So I don't think you realized but the story was you woke up on the beach of a foreign country.

Didn't know you'd have a flashlight and stuff if you just woke up on a beach???

[Brofessional 9]

I think the implication is that you washed ashore after a shipwreck, hence everyone starts on the coast.

[UNDERWORLD 76]

Wait there's a story behind it? Been playing for like a year and a half and never knew that!

[Guest]

You appeared here after a shipwreck, as the ship began to call it was going down, you rushed out into the halls at night with the power out, your torch was all you could grab to help you navigate, A huge wave flipped the boat, and flung you into the ocean

 

fortunately you washed up onto this land with only a torchlight 

[Beck (DayZ) 1768]

The one break to this being the Novy Sobor spawn.

[Leo Balzac 190]

I don't even like the flashlight. Should start with zero gear. I mean, if you DID wash ashore after a shipwreck what would the odds be of keeping hold of your flashlight? I mean, a fleshlight maybe, but a regular old flashlight?! naw.

[Danny_Boooy 61]

There is no story. That is the point. You are the story in Dayz.

 

Start with no gear.

[SixGunLover 54]

Chance are that if you survive from the shipwreck at night.. that because of this flashlight. And now you want to know if the battery is still at full power by licking it. Everything make sense. ^^

[ninjacalypse 551]

However I think the starting kit needs some tweaks. While I understand starting with just a flashlight (because the only real thing to do in game is collect loot) it makes very little sense from a lore/immersion standpoint. Look at the game world, it looks like its been months since the outbreak, no one would have survived to this point with just a flashlight.

 

I would take the flashlight and battery too and replace them with...NOTHING!

 

[Mookzen 67]

How about some randomness in starting items ? Nothing too crazy that would enourage death-farming but at least like clothes.

[Danny_Boooy 61]

NO. Nothing. Is it really that hard to go and look for shit?

 

Also this whole shipwreck idea is silly. Imagine how many people spawn into one server everyday. That's a lot of wrecked ships. (Before you say we all come from one ship. We don't. Otherwise we'd all be friendly wouldn't we?)

[ninjacalypse 551]

NO. Nothing. Is it really that hard to go and look for shit?

 

Also this whole shipwreck idea is silly. Imagine how many people spawn into one server everyday. That's a lot of wrecked ships. (Before you say we all come from one ship. We don't. Otherwise we'd all be friendly wouldn't we?)

 

[Publik 404]

How about some randomness in starting items ? Nothing too crazy that would enourage death-farming but at least like clothes.

^ Some random mix of crap loot to start with. Sometimes it's a flashlight, sometimes a water bottle, sometimes a pocket knife.

[Rantanplan 18]

NO. Nothing. Is it really that hard to go and look for shit?

 

Also this whole shipwreck idea is silly. Imagine how many people spawn into one server everyday. That's a lot of wrecked ships. (Before you say we all come from one ship. We don't. Otherwise we'd all be friendly wouldn't we?)

Just because you were on the same prison ship as me doesn't make you my friend!  :rolleyes: 

[Mookzen 67]

To be honest, I would prefer us to spawn in pairs, completely naked, exhausted, starving, dehydrated and sick with explosive diarrhea, with a broken beer bottle as a weapon. At the bottom left it should say 'I suddenly feel a warm sensation in my pants and unadulterated  hatred for my fellow man'. 

Edited January 9, 2014 by Mookzen

[Alpha Cowboy 17]

Honestly I'd be more okay starting with an empty inventory and wet clothes than the flashlight.

And I'm not saying its hard to find loot, its quite the opposite in fact, which is why I think you should start with a bit more gear, it'll shave at most 5 minutes off of the hour it takes to go from fresh spawn to fully geared, but it will help new players, and it makes sense from a survival point of view.

Hell, why not just have us spawn in random army medical tents scattered throughout the wilderness (that don't spawn items) wearing nothing but a hospital gown and slippers, it'd even make more sense for when we die and respawn.

[Danny_Boooy 61]

A problem with random loot on spawn is that you'll eventually get people suiciding to spawn with the "best random gear". Much like suicide when unhappy with a spawn point. I just don't think it's really necessary. Spawning with nothing but wet clothes is a great idea. Would make finding clothes even more important.

[Arciere 10]

Honestly I'd be more okay starting with an empty inventory and wet clothes than the flashlight.

And I'm not saying its hard to find loot, its quite the opposite in fact, which is why I think you should start with a bit more gear, it'll shave at most 5 minutes off of the hour it takes to go from fresh spawn to fully geared, but it will help new players, and it makes sense from a survival point of view.

Hell, why not just have us spawn in random army medical tents scattered throughout the wilderness (that don't spawn items) wearing nothing but a hospital gown and slippers, it'd even make more sense for when we die and respawn.

 

I'm not sure that makes any more sense than ending up on the coast... How'd you get in the medical tent? Atleast spawning on the shore implies that you were shipwrecked. I'm not sure what spawning in a medical tent would mean at all. 

 

Also, you obviously don't play night servers so the flashlight is of no importance to you. But when you spawn in a night server and actually stay, the flashlight is a life saver. Do you have any idea how hard it is to see loot on the ground at night with no light?

[Hetstaine 10852]

You appeared here after a shipwreck, as the ship began to call it was going down, you rushed out into the halls at night with the power out, your torch was all you could grab to help you navigate, A huge wave flipped the boat, and flung you into the ocean

 

fortunately you washed up onto this land with only a torchlight 

 

 

The one break to this being the Novy Sobor spawn.

 

 

 It was a big wave.

[wild_man 4442]

for me best starter kit would be complete NOTHING :|

[Hetstaine 10852]

Yep.

[bfisher 561]

I'm a big believer in the game having no story beyond "you just washed up on shore with nothing, no idea as to how you got there or why".   It lets you fill in the rest yourself.  That's sort of the whole point to the game IMHO.  No end game.  No rescue.  No mystery to solve or cure to find.  Just stay alive as long as you can.

 

The only reason I would even justify the flashlight is simply you can't play on a night server without it.

Edited January 9, 2014 by bfisher

[reapers239 57]

i like the random start up idea, as long it is nothing too fancy even involving your starting clothing from the default choices, say you start with your shirt and shoes, or shoes and no clothing and so on 

Edited January 9, 2014 by reapers239

[bfisher 561]

I'm not really clear why you character wears a T shirt over an undershirt