Hero/Bandit system made by the players

[phoboss 224]

So yeah, basically every second thread is about banditry and KoSing and how it needs to be "fixed". I made a thread about that here and I encourage you to read that first in order to understand where I'm coming from with this, and that this is not supposed to be any kind of mechanic that gets implemented and then just tells us who's friendly and who's a bandit. 
 
This is a system the players will have to use in order to "report" banditry to other players. I got the idea through some inspiration from forum user 1s1k-airborne and zedsdeadbaby.

 

The general idea behind all these hero/bandit system is that you get a visual queue if someone is one or the other. Maybe through a skin or a bandana or what ever. My problem with these solutions is, they have no tie to real life. You don't get a warning message if someone is about to rob you. So for me personally, those solutions are out of the question. But 1s1k-airbone said something about bandits in real life wearing masks of some sort to hide their identity. Well they do that to hide from the authorities, which obviously don't exist in chernarus. So it's more like the wild west. But back then, before the invention of photos or videos, they had something else, wanted posters. So here's my idea.

 

Let's say you witness a bandit robbing or killing someone. You have a pen and paper, so you draw a picture of him, depending on your distance to him, it gets more detail. Then you could use charcoal to make "copies" of your drawing and start hanging them up around chernarus. if another player comes across said poster, he "memorizes" the wanted person and can also copy it with charcoal or a pen. and he can tell other survivors about him. if anybody who saw one of the posters or heard about the bandit, comes close to the wanted bandit, he could start recognizing him. not like in a yes or no kind scenario. but more subtle. like "he seems familiar" or "you don't feel right about this guy". and depending on the quality of the drawing or the description you got, and the disctance you have to the player when you spot him, you recognize him fairly good or only vaguely. 

You could also warn others over a public radio frequency or via walkie talkie. 

 

Of course this would also work the other way around. You can give descriptions or drawings of friendly people aswell and other could recognize them and ask them for help.

 

Zedsdeadbaby dropped the idea of you being able to "mark" other players as bandits or heros, based on your experience with them. And I think this could be combined into one feature. So if you see a player kill another person, you can "mark" them as a bandit, make a drawing or tell others, and you would recognize them better the next time you saw them, because you saw them kill someone. (The "Mark" would of course only work for yourself, no one else could see it).

But I think if I saw someone murder another person, I'd recognize them the next time I saw them. 

 

Yeah thats the general outline of the idea. It's not totally finished yet, but it could add some interesting dynamic in the feature I believe. 

Edited January 16, 2014 by phoboss

[odin_lowe 3686]

Love the idea seriously. It would fit very well IMO.

[creature 1189]

What stops me from making wanted posters about you because I wasn't happy about a post you made on the forum? Or, because you didn't want to team up with me cuz I'm a fresh spawn?

 

Also, how many people see someone else get robbed or kos in game? Do they try and help? Not usually. 

 

Just one more point. I'd venture to guess that as of now, the number of "bandits" FAR outweighs the number of friendly survivors.

 

Just points to ponder.

 

I agree something is needed in some form to stop this from just being another FPS. I tend to lean more towards ideas to make a characters life valuable. Right now, it's just not.

[libertine 351]

This is ridiculous. When i see another player kill another player, i kill them on the spot. This isn't realistic at all.

 

Your claim that bandit/hero skins tell you who is friendly is false and misleading too. Its only an indicator.

 

The point of an indicator [arm band] for me is to make some sense out of the [currently] unrealistic amount killing and provide more chances for action.

 

The arm band could be said to be worn by mercenaries, paid to KOS anyone they see in an attempt to cleanse the land of [what is believed to be a] virus. The red arm band(with a cross on it to draw survivors in) would help identify you to the military and other mercenaries so you don't shoot each other. In return, the military won't kill them and will provide housing and food "after its all over". The survivors are with no arm band while the survivors that have played for awhile, killing only bandits have learned whats going on over time and wear a blue arm band. With this, now you bandits can join in on the fun of being KOS more often from an additional segment of the players. The additional fear is actually a good thing.

Edited January 16, 2014 by Thane

[phoboss 224]

What stops me from making wanted posters about you because I wasn't happy about a post you made on the forum? Or, because you didn't want to team up with me cuz I'm a fresh spawn?

 

Also, how many people see someone else get robbed or kos in game? Do they try and help? Not usually. 

 

Just one more point. I'd venture to guess that as of now, the number of "bandits" FAR outweighs the number of friendly survivors.

 

Just points to ponder.

 

I agree something is needed in some form to stop this from just being another FPS. I tend to lean more towards ideas to make a characters life valuable. Right now, it's just not.

Like I said, it's just a rough outline I threw out there for discussion. Not even sure something like this would be possible or useful. But maybe it inspires someone else. You never know.

[phoboss 224]

This is ridiculous. When i see another player kill another player, i kill them on the spot. This isn't realistic at all.

 

Your claim that bandit/hero skins tell you who is friendly is false and misleading too. Its only an indicator.

What if you have no weapon? It's certainly more realistic than hero/bandit skins or a humanity system. I was simply trying to come up with a solution that would fit the "player made" profile. Sorry if you don't agree. If you have a better idea or a way to improve the situation I'm all ears.

 

Some people...

Edited January 16, 2014 by phoboss

[Mdogg2005 447]

Do we really need another one of these threads?  Why not post this in one of the 1,000+ others on the same topic?

[elPropofolian 12]

Why not only colorfull names in the serverlist?

So every new player joining sees, oh there are bandits ... Oh there is a hero.

Not knowing where, not knowing who, not knowing why.

Just that there would be the real chance to come in contact with bad guys on one server and every new player can dicide for himherself whether to join or not.

[ZedsDeadBaby 2287]

This is ridiculous. When i see another player kill another player, i kill them on the spot.

 

What if you are unarmed? What if you're outnumbered three to one? What if you're observing through binoculars and the people are 1000m away? What if you just want to play a pacifist or "journalist" type and not kill other players regardless of how evil they are?

 

This isn't realistic at all.

 

 

That's clearly not a concern of yours if your alternative solution is magical colored arm bands that fly out of nowhere and tie themselves around our arms based on our actions in game.

 

Why not only colorfull names in the serverlist?

So every new player joining sees, oh there are bandits ... Oh there is a hero.

 

Because that's awful. Why should you have that information? So you can browse the server list until you find one full of Heroes and go about your business in peace and tranquility.

 

Eww.

 

 

Do we really need another one of these threads?  Why not post this in one of the 1,000+ others on the same topic?

 

What 1000+ other threads? Can you find another on this topic? I hang out in the Suggestions forum quite a bit and I've never seen another post suggesting wanted posters.

[libertine 351]

If you have a better idea or a way to improve the situation I'm all ears.

 

Yeah, i believe i do. Its an improvement for my playstyle, a survivor/vigalante, but perhaps not for many murderers who don't like the danger to being KOS'ed. The point of an indicator [arm band] for me is to make some sense out of the [currently] unrealistic amount killing and provide more chances for action. Quoting myself because im lazy: The arm band could be said to be worn by mercenaries, paid to KOS anyone they see in an attempt to cleanse the area of [what is believed to be a] virus. The red arm band(with a cross on it to draw survivors in) would help identify you to the military and other mercenaries so you don't shoot each other. In return, the military won't kill them and will provide housing and food "after its all over". The survivors are with no arm band while the survivors that have played for awhile, killing only bandits have learned whats going on over time and wear a blue arm band. With this, now you bandits can join in on the fun of being KOS more often from an additional segment of the players. The additional fear is actually a good thing.

 

With this you also don't have the good vs. evil attribute tacked on either. The mercenaries can roleplay someone who believes they are doing the right'ish thing. People playing realistically to gain immersion and don't shoot first, can more easily get some combat that isn't them being swiss cheese, if you play realistically safe, and avoid players, the combat is too few and far between.

[ZedsDeadBaby 2287]

Like the idea but I'm not sure about sketches. How about cameras?

[sinkatze 52]

Love the idea, however the markers shouldn't be anything like icons or something that visually marks them. The idea of popping up a message saying "This guy looks like the one from the poster" on the bottom of the screen or something, seems like a better idea.

 

The only thing is that the killer would probably be taking those posters down lol. But at least it would get bandits another thing to do :P

[phoboss 224]

Like the idea but I'm not sure about sketches. How about cameras?

Also a very good idea, because from a realism point of view, not everyone is going to be a sketchartist ;) Problem would be printing or copying the pictures. And also for a good picture you'd need to be really close. maybe use a zoom lense... hmmm.... :)

 

 

Love the idea, however the markers shouldn't be anything like icons or something that visually marks them. The idea of popping up a message saying "This guy looks like the one from the poster" on the bottom of the screen or something, seems like a better idea.

 

The only thing is that the killer would probably be taking those posters down lol. But at least it would get bandits another thing to do  :P

Taking them down would be intended. It's a sandbox after all. And yeah of course you would not get a "marker" in the traditional sense. We'd have to come up with a better way. Maybe you feel or hear your heartrate go up. Since rocket doesn't liek HUDs.

Edited January 17, 2014 by phoboss

[AP_Norris 1018]

You need to look at the permanent name thread.

If this could be done and you have someway of getting a name as you would a face in your mind you could identify bandits and throw their name up everywhere.

You could stick lists of untrustworthy people spotted killing new spawns in supermarkets and firestations.

If we also had a smaller closed community like you might see on private hive whitelisted servers that would work wonders against banditry.

It would be like seeing people you knew before the apocalypse.

[mike miller 14]

Go check out the ArmA3 Mode "Wasteland" which has a similar gameplay as DayZ, but you can choose between 3 Parties. imo a very nice appraoch with existing arma features. 

• Bluefor
• Opfor
• Independent

As Bluefor you are not allowed to teamkill any other Bluefor. Same as Opfor vs. Opfor. Its basically Bluefor vs. Opfor mixed up by Independents that can do whatever they like and thats nice for lonewolfs who like to survive inbetween the "banditwar".

To identify Bluefor from Opfor there's icons above the PC's.

In generall the Wasteland mod has some nice features like being able to tow a vehicles when damaged or a monetary system where you can buy and sell stuff at NPC's shops. Only thing missing compared to DayZ are the Zombies...

 

Till DayZ gets some more functionality i stick to Wasteland with more or less organized teamplay and the option to be a lonewolf and hide from the two big parties or sabotage them...

Edited January 17, 2014 by Spearsbeers

[phoboss 224]

Wasteland also exists for Arma2 and in a much better state than the Arma 3 version. But like it was mentioned before, rocket doesn't like the HUD idea very much and wants to avoid it whenever possible. Thus he will not just slap a marker on players if you mark them friendly or hostile. 

[Jaybopper 49]

I don't argue with a player's ability to actually do this in game.. the more things you can do the better, right?

 

Personally I don't think there is a need for this functionality.. at least not for the purpose described. I already have the capacity in game to tell other players things e.g. warn them about bandits and describe bandits.
I suppose what I really have a problem with here is the idea that you would be able to "tag" a player for future cues such as 

 

"he seems familiar" or "you don't feel right about this guy"

 

You cannot separate the player's memory from the character's memory. You shit all over immersion.
If I, the player, recognise a bandit then I feel uneasy. I don't need or want to be reminded or cued to feeling this by my character.

[phoboss 224]

I don't argue with a player's ability to actually do this in game.. the more things you can do the better, right?

 

Personally I don't think there is a need for this functionality.. at least not for the purpose described. I already have the capacity in game to tell other players things e.g. warn them about bandits and describe bandits.

I suppose what I really have a problem with here is the idea that you would be able to "tag" a player for future cues such as 

 

 

You cannot separate the player's memory from the character's memory. You shit all over immersion.

If I, the player, recognise a bandit then I feel uneasy. I don't need or want to be reminded or cued to feeling this by my character.

That is true, BUT in real life people don't all look somewhat the same. You'd recognize someone over quite some distance simply by their face. In DayZ this isn't possible because faces are way to hard to distinguish.

[Jaybopper 49]

We recognise them by gear though. Besides, most people wear masks anyway so the ability to make your character remember them would be a bit OP, wouldn't it? Since they (the bandit) could change their entire outfit and your character would still remember them..

If you said ok well lets just allow the character to draw said mask if the bandit is wearing a mask. Well that's fairly pointless as 100 different people could be wearing the same mask..

[kikiwrx 0]

How about offering bandits or hero's something that makes it worth their while to wear that can be seen as a notification of others?  It's hard to come up with an idea that sticks to realism (as mentioned, I'm not a fan of the colorful name stuff or anything that allows you to tell who is/isn't friendly just by seeing them from far away or just knowing when certain names log that you should/shouldn't stick around.

 

Certain weapons could be a good one? Acts as the same weapon (fire rate, accuracy, whatever) but looks different or unique to a bandit/hero? I'm just spit-balling ideas here but something that doesn't provoke a bandit to dress colorful and crazy, or vice versa, a hero who has a shiny badge. A little more subtle.

[phoboss 224]

How about offering bandits or hero's something that makes it worth their while to wear that can be seen as a notification of others?  It's hard to come up with an idea that sticks to realism (as mentioned, I'm not a fan of the colorful name stuff or anything that allows you to tell who is/isn't friendly just by seeing them from far away or just knowing when certain names log that you should/shouldn't stick around.

 

Certain weapons could be a good one? Acts as the same weapon (fire rate, accuracy, whatever) but looks different or unique to a bandit/hero? I'm just spit-balling ideas here but something that doesn't provoke a bandit to dress colorful and crazy, or vice versa, a hero who has a shiny badge. A little more subtle.

Well the initial problems would remain. 

1. You could still identify a certain playstyle by looking at someone. 

2. It favors one side more than the other. 

 

That's just something that rocket wants to avoid. 

[Trigger Hippy 176]

Zedsdeadbaby dropped the idea of you being able to "mark" other players as bandits or heros, based on your experience with them. And I think this could be combined into one feature. So if you see a player kill another person, you can "mark" them as a bandit, make a drawing or tell others, and you would recognize them better the next time you saw them, because you saw them kill someone. (The "Mark" would of course only work for yourself, no one else could see it).

But I think if I saw someone murder another person, I'd recognize them the next time I saw them.

 

I like that idea...It makes up for the fact that there's no true facial-recognition. Lots of people have the same face, so it'd be good to help distinguish them. It should only work from close-range though; you can't sit a mile away recognising people you don't like and sniping them.

[phoboss 224]

I like that idea...It makes up for the fact that there's no true facial-recognition. Lots of people have the same face, so it'd be good to help distinguish them. It should only work from close-range though; you can't sit a mile away recognising people you don't like and sniping them.

Yeah sure absolutely! It's not supposed to be a marker you can see from a mile away. It's just like you said, there, to compensate for the fact that you can't distinguish two people the same way you could in real life. 

[Kenny Kyle 138]

i think the funny thing on dayz is... there is no indicator.

you must train your sense and your view for players.

everybody shoots you.

there are not just heroes and bandits. i have also notice psycho killers and explorers 

 

my favorite playstile is "rescue hero" on the coast.with orange raincoat(like kenny :D),a lot of foot and medical stuff to help the freshspawns and protect them from bandits and zombitches

but they attacking me XD

please dont hit the kenny coat.;) im friendly.( most people dont understand me because my mic is so quiet XD that fits)

[phoboss 224]

i think the funny thing on dayz is... there is no indicator.

you must train your sense and your view for players.

everybody shoots you.

there are not just heroes and bandits. i have also notice psycho killers and explorers 

 

my favorite playstile is "rescue hero" on the coast.with orange raincoat(like kenny :D),a lot of foot and medical stuff to help the freshspawns and protect them from bandits and zombitches

but they attacking me XD

please dont hit the kenny coat. ;) im friendly.( most people dont understand me because my mic is so quiet XD that fits)

Yes but in contrary to real life, you can't really distinguish faces, stature and such in game.