Horses, the almost perfect "vehicle"

[AP_Norris 1018]

If they can be almost as good as red dead horses.

Assassins creed 3 horses after red dead redemption were even worse, dayZ doesn't need something big and dumb that looks like crap.

If it can be done right, then it shall be done.

That's why I voted half & half.

[jayleann 143]

As rocket said, helicopters should be possible but really difficult to use. This I think should also apply for horses. Don't let them be a car with flesh but a challenge. A horse which cannot become dull due to wrong use, is not a horse. And finally I think we speak about wild horses, since I don't know where trained horses could have survived.

Edited January 25, 2014 by jayleann

[fig0451 85]

It would be awesome if horses were somehow implemented, but dear god animating player directed movement properly in the Arma engine would be a nightmare.  You'd also have to implement features required to maintain the horse, keep it fed and hydrated, possibly treat its wounds, etc.

All that being said, it would be fucking amazing to ride into a town, shooting zombies with mosins and revolvers blazing :P

[gregor (DayZ) 95]

My humble opinion is, that before addition of horses, Cherno needs extra large piece of land mass, presumably on west. The mountainous, wooded, rough area, with the narrow mountain roads and trails. Area, where horses have preferences if compare with vehicles and if even walking on foot.

Then this big rough area would be as kind of hiding place for horses and riders. They needs it, to be capable  against more faster vehicles and in era of semi-automatic and full-automatic weapons. Because without this, would adding of horses be only a big slaughter fest, imho.
Logically, depend by devs, whom they want to attract more, having added horses,  fans of a slaughter or admirers of riding.

If to speak about tactical use of horses, then i see them as fast transport on rough area (as i described), for small gangs, who will make fast raids on any village and then  quickly retreat to safe mountains.

 

A rough picture about the proposed area.

 

[McBonkhead 83]

Absolutely.

 

[Awruk 216]

Humans are way more vulnerable to gunfire than horses, remove humans.

[ImmunePower 26]

I Did a post like this a couple days ago and the answer was generally the same. Yes, this would be awesome. 

[sh1pwr3k 0]

Like I said, they would only require water, because I imagine horses can eat grass and other plants.

There could be a scroll menu on the middle mouse wheel, graze, drink... That would be pretty nice if your horse had hunger/thirst meters. They could be wild stags/nags that you could tame, maybe using the rope thats already implemented as a lasso?

[sh1pwr3k 0]

It would be a very nice addition, at the very least if you get hungery you could kill your horse and eat it.

[Cullis 7]

People are talking about all kinds of different vehicles, but what I'd love to see are horses you can ride on and use for carrying heavy loads like engines for cars 'n shit. 

 

Horses 

1) are very uncommon in post-soviet countries, outside of places like Siberia where they are actually needed. 

2) catching them is pretty hard. Tethered horses would have ended up as zombie feed. 

3) due to their size are more vulnerable than humans to gunfire. Also, all the KOS griefer wannabees - they'd go after them like no tomorrow..

4) coding them and animating them would be a major hassle.

______________________________

All in all, unrealistic, impractical idea.

Edited February 1, 2014 by Cullis

[Trigger Hippy 176]

Your horse is thirsty

 

No thank you.

[phoboss 224]

Well as an answer to all the people who dont like the idea, rocket said during a Q&A Stream that they already have plans to implement horses. Or at least they would very much like to add them. 

[TedZ 424]

Horse Meat ---> 

[muddyraccoon 176]

I know our toons don't need to make potty breaks, and don't implement that.  Just assume they take care of all needs and urges whilst I'm logged off.  

 

But, for the horses, make them poo!  Force feed options would be disturbingly  hilarious, and they would make great fuel for camp fire!  Plus, you could stock pile a bunch in a wooden crate labeled "Horse Manure" so Biff could ram into it face first.  "Manure!  I hate Manure!"  Yeah Biff, most people do.  Way to be mainstream.  But seriously, continuation jokes are great.

[ZiGGYiPoP 3]

I there would be soo much potential what horses could bring. You've got the obvious transport, but the slower speed compared to cars, but quieter than cars. If you're creating bikes then horses slightly faster than bikes. But like it was said above, the caring aspect to it like you will have to care for your car as dean stated in his most recent dev blog;

but not feed it metallic parts obviously ;3
Also find horse riding gear like saddle which may enhance speed slightly or storage on the horse. Maybe being able to 'save' it in a certain place by tie-ing it to objects so stays after restarts - downside other people can untie and take it. But if barrier building is brought into the game then you can keep it in your own lil' base or something?
Also killing if you're hungry as said above to implement the hunting/cooking that will be introduced(:
Maybe falling off and getting shot off will work well with the ragdoll that will be introduced into the future?

Also someone mentioned above if it will be supported, i dont know much about the engine at all but im sure its possible to add what you want into it as long as its created properly? O.o I dont know but arma 3 supports dinosaur mods ;P 

(granted its not perfect ;D )

Anyways its something id love to see in the game to add to the authenticity of the game and it will neutralize the 'Walking Simulator' slightly with benefits but also at a cost of the time for horse equipment hunts and caring as well as noise. Dayz SA is quite a quiet game when you think about it so hearing a horse neighing in the distance aswell as hooves on the road making a loud enough noise to be heard a bit of a distance. Juuuuuuuust a suggestion ;D

[pojo2k8 18]

I saw the mention in the dev blog of bicycles as first vehicle. Instead, I would love to see the first vehicle is a horse that you could find some % of the time in a field or in a barn.  Imagine using the rope to catch a horse a la Red Dead Redemption out in a field. Once caught, you'd have to find a saddle, reins, horse blanket, optional saddle bags in farm houses or barns.  Or ride it bareback at your own peril.   You get fast transport with limited capacity in the saddle bags, but you'd have to worry about food (pick up at barns in the hay piles, or let it graze), water, health (bandage a horse), noise attracting zombies, small % of getting tossed when the horse is injured.  Animal models for hunting are currently under construction, so this sounds like it would be a nice complement.   

[Statik (DayZ) 2695]

They can't just whip something like this up and implement it.

 

They would have to make models for the horses, and code them, etc, etc, all from scratch.

[creature 1189]

I'll stick with bikes, thanks. Much harder for someone to shoot a bike, than a horse. Imagine all the dead horses lying around Chernarus. Sickening.

[TedZ 424]

I'll stick with bikes, thanks. Much harder for someone to shoot a bike, than a horse. Imagine all the dead horses lying around Chernarus. Sickening.

Fleas....

Alot..

OF

 

Fleas and Flys

[f4stunter 0]

They can't just whip something like this up and implement it.

 

They would have to make models for the horses, and code them, etc, etc, all from scratch.

 

I didn't see him say it had to happen right this instance.

 

 

I'll stick with bikes, thanks. Much harder for someone to shoot a bike, than a horse. Imagine all the dead horses lying around Chernarus. Sickening.

 

True but it would be awesome.  Zombies could be feeding on dead horses. 

 

I think its a cool idea and would really add to realism, though like Statik stated it would require a lot of programming time.

[bioned 36]

i really dont care about which vehicles that are added

 

heck i'm fine with tricycle as long as its optimized and doesnt add another handful of bugs

[Ubernaut 297]

OP, maybe you should read this. Adding horses is seriously heavy work, from a design perspective.

 

http://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2010/05/28/red-dead-redemptions-horses-were-a-huge-hurdle-for-rockstar/

[Statik (DayZ) 2695]

I didn't see him say it had to happen right this instance.

 

 

 

True but it would be awesome.  Zombies could be feeding on dead horses. 

 

I think its a cool idea and would really add to realism, though like Statik stated it would require a lot of programming time.

Well comparing everyone wants vehicles ASAP, it would take much longer.

[IronCross 78]

This is pretty dumb. Bicycles are a fuck ton more common than horses. And easier to maintain (your bike doesnt eat)

[LegitOldSchool 261]

I totally agree and also would like to have horses. Going around on a horse with a cowboy hat, having to care for another living creature, this would make DayZ epic.

Edited February 28, 2014 by EchoZeero