Character Value and Progression

[stophboy7 1]

Adding character progression in a game like Day Z is dangerous, particularly in the area of over-doing it.  I've seen suggestions ranging from a few random perks that characters begin with at spawn all the way to Elder Scrolls style skill points.  The danger here is twofold:

 

1. We don't want to take away from the game's current strengths (or potential strengths once it comes nearer to completion).  Gear progression is a huge strength, and adding too complicated a character progression system will decrease not only the importance of gear progression, but also the time developers will be able to spend on gear in general.  So the first rule is: not complicated, easy to implement.

 

2. If we under-do character talents, they become pointless.  Having a couple of random perks upon spawn is just that: A one and done roulette that really doesn't offer much in the long run, except perhaps a little easier time in certain situations.

 

Here is my suggestion:

 

Create (depending upon how many 'useable gear themes' are eventually added to the game) 6 - 10 proficiencies with perhaps 3 or 4 tiers.  For instance, one proficiency (when vehicles are added) could be mechanical.  All new players would start with the lowest tier in each proficiency except for the one that matches his or her 'pre-apocalypse job', which could be either maxed or close to it.  The proficiencies would act as modifiers for how efficient and successful a character is when using the gear associated with it.  A military proficiency would influence accuracy or weapon modification.  Mechanical proficiency would influence the ability to repair and upkeep vehicles and other machines.  These proficiencies would raise in tier when the character had attempted them many times, thus allowing characters to eventually max out all proficiencies.

 

This would add much value to character death, as well as give the game a greater sense of progression, and wouldn't be too hard to implement.

[Damnyourdeadman 1045]

 

Here is my suggestion:

 

Create (depending upon how many 'useable gear themes' are eventually added to the game) 6 - 10 proficiencies with perhaps 3 or 4 tiers.  For instance, one proficiency (when vehicles are added) could be mechanical.  All new players would start with the lowest tier in each proficiency except for the one that matches his or her 'pre-apocalypse job', which could be either maxed or close to it.  The proficiencies would act as modifiers for how efficient and successful a character is when using the gear associated with it.  A military proficiency would influence accuracy or weapon modification.  Mechanical proficiency would influence the ability to repair and upkeep vehicles and other machines.  These proficiencies would raise in tier when the character had attempted them many times, thus allowing characters to eventually max out all proficiencies.

 

This would add much value to character death, as well as give the game a greater sense of progression, and wouldn't be too hard to implement.

Hmmm...nah let's keep things as they are concerning the proficency levels.Also i propose this one,let's keep it realistic.

If our player wishes to mass-manufacture a certain item,(for example a rifle) he should have the machinery and the technology behind it to make it possible.I want a rifle,so i first need to smelt the metal into the rifle pieces,to do that i need equipment and machinery,i need to find the required equipment needed to smelt my weapon,or create from scratch or fix it if it is already broken.Let's make it hard so there are not many people that have achived that,so there is balance without having a crafting system ;)

What do you think?

[thomas28 31]

I think it should be something like, the first time you repair a car, you can only get it's for example Wheels upto 75% HP...And getting only 90% content from a can, when using a can opener, and maybe you would eventually be able to open can's without a can opener...

Maybe if you were "healthy" for long periods of time, you would become stronger, maximum strength = for example up to 20% more maximum HP, and up to 20% more maximum blood, better stamina/weight-carrying when a stamina/weight system is implemented, and a strong Character wouldn't get sick or infections, as easy.

But it Should only be small increases, and a maximum of 15% - 25% i think.

Edited January 16, 2014 by thomas28

[TYS 25]

Hmm there have been many threads on topics similar to this and they all mostly go against what Rocket and the 'mature community' want the game to be.

DayZ is an open-world, sandbox (a true sandbox) Survival Horror Game. It is not an MMO-RPG in the sense that you have that skill/perk/mastery/class grind feel. Players create their own story, and there should be an equal playing field in terms of base character skills. I and many others don't want it to feel like a super-gamey dumbed down Survival RPG. That is one of my fears. Also adding proficiencies isnt the best way to add intrinsic value to characters. There are more solid systems in the works that will eventually be implemented.

I might think on this and generate a different response. My two cents anyway..

Sobaka

TYS

[RUS_Starbuck 2]

As it stands now IMO, there really isn't any character progression. Except from hoarding loot, but once you die you start from the beginning with nothing. For this to be a "persistent" game as it is advertised, it needs to have something other than loot to be worth all the time that you end up putting into it.

 

DayZ is not an open world sandbox, because there isn't enough to do for it to be qualified as a sandbox. Take out the human interaction and play on an empty server... what is there to do in this sandbox that you cant do in Arma? You can hoard supplies, go into 0.0001% of buildings that actually have doors, and buy a vehicle. I'll just go play Arma III for that. The zombies don't really make it worthwhile and people have shoved it down people's throats that the zombies are not the point of the game. Why are they even it it? The Dev;s want DayZ to be a slow paced running simulator when it could be a truly persistent, changing, character-based world where you actually team up to fight the hoarde and rebuild human kind.

 

How about some kind of feature where you can build new looking buildings in cities once the infection is cleared so you REALLY feel like you're rebuilding humanity?

Naaah, the dev's don't want any features that make this game fun besides the adrenaline rush from being shot at because you don't want to loose your backpack full of useless crap.

Edited January 19, 2014 by RUS_Starbuck

[RUS_Starbuck 2]

Hmmm...nah let's keep things as they are concerning the proficency levels.Also i propose this one,let's keep it realistic.

If our player wishes to mass-manufacture a certain item,(for example a rifle) he should have the machinery and the technology behind it to make it possible.I want a rifle,so i first need to smelt the metal into the rifle pieces,to do that i need equipment and machinery,i need to find the required equipment needed to smelt my weapon,or create from scratch or fix it if it is already broken.Let's make it hard so there are not many people that have achived that,so there is balance without having a crafting system ;)

What do you think?

 

Sounds like if implemented it would take months of play time just to find the machinery or technology. Everything in DayZ sounds cool on paper but what little features that ARE in the stock game are so much less fun they they are tediously executed. Tedious! I think you're idea is excellent, but they cannot implement anything in a way that is fun or takes a reasonable amount of time to do :(

 

 

[...]

It is not an MMO-RPG in the sense that you have that skill/perk/mastery/class grind feel. Players create their own story, and there should be an equal playing field in terms of base character skills. I and many others don't want it to feel like a super-gamey dumbed down Survival RPG. That is one of my fears. Also adding proficiencies isnt the best way to add intrinsic value to characters. There are more solid systems in the works that will eventually be implemented.

I might think on this and generate a different response. My two cents anyway..

Sobaka

TYS

 

Feels like I grind in the game now, but don't get anything for it. Like I said, you loose your loot, there went your entire "progression". Why even save your items and locations when you logoff? You've already won the game if you have rifles and can mow down other players. I don't think people want to make this into a boring RPG where you grind, they just want something to do besides.... run. .... and hoard supplies.

Edited January 19, 2014 by RUS_Starbuck

[Teho 4]

I'd say having full water and 30k of energy gives my character value and is progression to "I'm thirsty"

[HarrisKevyn 14]

What If when you started a new character (I.E. Died and respawned), you were given a randomized backround profession? Farmer, Carpenter, Mechanic, Etc. Only in certain tasks would you be good at.
They already randomize blood types when you respawn, why not perks?

[thedogfoodyayho 295]

Why is this in the mod suggestions.....?