Simple Incentive to Live

[yorkmorgan 191]

So it is true at the moment that if a bandit takes all your gear you couldn't give a toss whether they shot you or not (unless your far into the north or grouped up with friends, but in those cases the chances of being held up are pretty small anyway). Is this a problem? I think the success of this game lies in the heightened emotional response it evokes compared to other games, it can be terrifying, hilarious, joyful and everything in between, and it achieves this by getting you attached to your character, so if you start to not care about your character, as happens after many hours of playing, then there really is a problem. Many veterans of the game talk about the nostalgia of feeling invested in their characters, it would be good if the game could sustain this investment.

   

Now most people's 'solutions' involve skill trees, which could not be more inappropriate for this game, it works great in skyrim, but I don't want to be able to reach level 100 at opening canned beans with a screwdriver. The only way they could possibly work is if they were so subtle as to be practically undetectable.

 

Beards are a fun idea but not really appropriate for the ladies, and how would you distinguish a 10 day beard from a 20 day, a 50 day from a 100 day etc.

 

I believe that just displaying simple number, your average lifespan, next to your name, would both work at incentivising people and be fair, here's why:

 

1) In a survival game its the only number that should matter:

The game doesn't care how you survive! You could kill every player you see, you could make friends and help your fellow man, you could sit in trees all day eating berries, you can do whatever you want too and as long as its a successful survival strategy, you should be rewarded. This is why lots of players hate KOS whining, it works as a survival strategy, so don't knock it! The game should reflect the fact that survival is the only goal by making average lifespan the only stat.

 

2) I think that most players would care about their stat:

Us gamers tend to be competitive, and I would guess that the typical Dayz player is even more so than average. What I like about the game is that quick thinking, patience, knowledge and skill are much more useful than in your average online game and really do make a difference. I think that competitive players tend to appreciate this as well. Therefore I genuinely think that most players would try much harder to survive if they knew that others would be able to judge them by their average time survived, and if this was the only stat, as I think it should be, they would try even harder. 

 

What do you think?

   

 

[Wheunis 228]

Not sure about stats.

 

I could see it being something to work for.

On the other hand, i can also see it being abused to some extent. (Obviously the lone forest hippy eating nothing but berries and drinking deer unrine is gonna outlive everyone else...).

 

But it could (if done right) make something akin to achievements that so many people are asking for lately?

[slawterer (DayZ) 11]

This would be viable so long as it tracks actual playing time. The "Days survived" from the mod was such that if you last played your character 4 months ago, then you could still be a fresh spawn on the beach for all it cared, you'd have survived 4 months. If this is to be the competitive metric, then time spent hiding in a bush is fine, but time spent logged out and invulnerable is not...

[yorkmorgan 191]

This would be viable so long as it tracks actual playing time. The "Days survived" from the mod was such that if you last played your character 4 months ago, then you could still be a fresh spawn on the beach for all it cared, you'd have survived 4 months. If this is to be the competitive metric, then time spent hiding in a bush is fine, but time spent logged out and invulnerable is not...

Agree Completely.

[monolith1985 109]

i also agree completely, one time i logged into a server and it turns out i had played on it before, as it said i was alive for over 100 days.  It should be based on playing time only

 

i used to take more interest in my survival time than any other stat on the debug, my best was a mere 5 days (of playing each day for hours) then i died because the heli pilot had trouble taking off and crashed, any other death, i wouldnt of been annoyed, but setting my highest survival time and counting just to die i did feel a sense of loss for that character

 

now most private hives ive seen dont bother showing days survived, its all about how many people and zombies you kill, and knowing the exact amount of blood in your body so you know when to "self bloodbag" to make sure you dont fall lower than the pass out amount

[rickyriot 1009]

Not sure about anyone else, but having no loot respawn on the server is my primary reason not to get shot.

In terms of length of life indicator, wasn't it mooted that beards be used as an indicator. Can't remember if this was bullshit or genuinely an idea put forward.

[knar33 158]

I personally like the idea of very subtle "skill" progression. Something like a use-based skill system similar to the elder scrolls games and sandbox MMOs like the old Darkfall.

 

A few examples could include:

• As you run around your endurance increases slowly, allowing you to steady your aim faster after a jog
• Increased strength from being healthy and doing physical things, which could slightly increase damage done by melee weapons or allow you to carry very heavy things in your hands
• The more you repair vehicles, the better chance of success you have at a repair (if it is chance-based)
• Books that contain knowledge required for advanced vehicle repairs or advanced crafting schematics such as underground bases
• Building immunities to diseases after coming into contact with them and/or contracting them
• Overall better health by regularly taking vitamins and eating a healthy diet instead of eating cereal and soda

Personally I survive just to survive, I need no other incentive :)

Edited February 15, 2014 by Knar

[bad_mojo (DayZ) 1204]

So it is true at the moment that if a bandit takes all your gear you couldn't give a toss whether they shot you or not (unless your far into the north or grouped up with friends, but in those cases the chances of being held up are pretty small anyway). Is this a problem?

 

It might be true for you, but I still value my life even when I have nothing. I value my life seconds after spawning.

 

I view this "problem" of not valuing ones life, as your own personal problem. It has nothing to do with the game. I don't think we need to give incentive to not be suicidal.

 

People should value their life because it means they continue to live. Not for some stat, or some reward. I've lived some amazing lives that lasted less than an hour. I've also survived for weeks in boredom. It's not always about how long you live, it's about the life you live.

[Gerandar 212]

I dont care if my character has been alive for 2 years or 5 minutes, his life is worthless to me and his only use is killing other peoples worthless characters.