Boot Camp

[savini 587]

For most of us this isn't an issue as we've played for awhile, or are veterans of the ArmA series. This isn't an idea for us though. It's for people who are new to the game.

 

I was in game the other day and ran across a new player. I stop and give him a few pointers, but I started thinking about the mod days. Back in mod I could give people a few tips, but I always suggested playing through the 'boot camp' missions to help them get acclimated to the controls.

 

ArmA has always had a bit of a learning curve, because there are many controls and controls with dual functions. The average gamer isn't used to the setup.

 

So I'm suggesting adding a new main menu option that functions like the 'boot camp' missions of ArmA 2.

 

When you open the 'boot camp' menu a list of scenarios pop up such as:

 

Movement - The basics of movement, sprinting, crouching, and so on.

 

Gear - A scenario in which you are taught how to access inventory and move items to or from you pack/clothes to the hotbar, or loading ammo, or interacting with food etc.

 

Weapons - Shooting range with a few weapons to allow for messing about with weapons, including how to set the range and such.

 

Vehicles - Have a few cars and aircraft to choose from that allow and teach the player how the vehicles function, and allow them to get used to the feel.

 

All of these scenarios would be single player of course, just how it was before.

 

An image of the ArmA 2: CO Boot Camp menu in case someone is wondering what I'm on about. Be warned it's a bit large.

 

Naturally this would all be in the future. I don't imagine this would be too difficult as it's still pretty much the same engine, but I'm not a developer so I don't really know.

 

I think it would be good for new or novice players to get a decent grasp of the game when they decide to set foot on the unforgiving soil of Chernarus.

 

Obligatory disclaimer: I am not currently aware of any plans or interviews that state a 'training' mode is coming. So if this has already been decided then...apologies and all that jazz.

[rustledmyjimmies 361]

I can see a use for this, but i'd rather just look through the keybinds and watch a couple of youtube videos to learn about the game than sit through a tutorial.

[savini 587]

I can see a use for this, but i'd rather just look through the keybinds and watch a couple of youtube videos to learn about the game than sit through a tutorial.

 

Fair enough.

 

I don't mean it would be a required tutorial or anything. It would be an extra menu option and one could choose to play through them if they wish. Totally optional.

[Nicko2580 398]

I'm on the fence about this.

I'm against most forms of hand-holding. If you got chucked into a survival situation, no magic tutorial mission is going to help you discover what you're supposed to do optional or not. 

The first time I played, I couldn't even figure out how to punch stuff and it resulted in one of the most hilarious situations I've had in the game so far; me running around screaming while being chased by Zeds that I had no idea how to hurt, until a fellow player helped me out and gave me a few tips on the controls. I'd much rather see this sort of thing continue, rather than adding any sort of tutorial.

Throw people in the deep end. It's far more rewarding when they do figure things out for themselves or have an interaction with a friendly player who helps them out.

Edited March 2, 2014 by Nicko2580

[Alcon (DayZ) 2]

Seems plausible but it might take away from that whole first experience you get when you first enter the game. I enjoyed that the very first time I entered DayZ I was lost and afraid. No idea what to do but just had to jump in and figure things out. Without that initial fear, you wouldn't have as much appreciation for what may or may not actually be out there while you're running around like a chicken with your head cut off.

[Duenan 226]

I see the merit but I disagree.

 

DayZ has pretty much always been about experiencing everything on the fly. The experience of being a new bambi in an unfamiliar game and then being helped by some random stranger if great.

 

It's what first happened to me in the mod and it was a great thing teaming up with someone and learning the game, basically being mentored.

 

Ofcourse the opposite can be a major turn off if you spawn and are new and are bandit or zombie food.

 

The game can get very discouraging very quickly but I think with all the DayZ wiki's and gameplay vids, there is enough press about DayZ now that new players are going to have a pretty good understanding of what they're getting into.

[AnyoneInCherno? 187]

hmmm... i just had an interesting thought about the boot camp missions. They could actually be more of a story than a tutorial, but they teach you the basics while still feeling like DayZ. WAIT I GOT IT GUYS I GOT IT:

 

             The Tutorials are set right after the infection hit. Driving tutorial could involve the early days of the infection and driving to get to the airport in time(NPC in passenger seat to "teach you"), Firearm tutorial could involve finding a dead officer in the Chaos(you spawn on same street you dont actually have to find him) and grabbing his weapons and ammo. This could also be a "looting" tutorial. This would continue to actually shooting a zombie in the head.

HERE COMES THE BIG TWIST!

           

            Moving ahead a lot, the final tutorial mission would be flying(if of course planes are implemented). It is now late infection, and a cessna has been repaired at the Northwest Airfield. Your NPC buddy who has been teaching you how to survive is with you in this final mission.You slowly learn the mechanics of the plane and all it's features as yo ufly towards the coast, back to civilization and out of this hellish country. You finnaly get towards the water when *CRACK* a gunshot sounds from below. suddenly it is as if a hail-fire of bullets are coming to you. The plane starts heading towards the water.....everything goes quiet....you take one last look at your friend before you hit the water, and he does the same. *Darkness*. Your eyes slowly open. Finally you realized you have washed up back on the beach. Your friend is dead and now you are here to stay. *cut to DayZ logo*

 

And that my dear friends is how you put in tutorial missions. Should i create a seperate thread for this idea?

[Statik (DayZ) 2695]

The part that made my initial DayZ experience so amazing, is the idea that I had no idea what to do. Every person on earth understands basic movement (i.e. WASD), and can grasp the controls easily enough.

 

Any tutorial just takes away from the idea of "what do I do?"

[savini 587]

I hear what you guys are saying and I totally get where you're coming from.

 

However, I'd have to say that we all know how to throw a punch. By that I mean, swinging your fists is something that doesn't need to be taught. It's the most basic and rudimentary means of self defense that we all understand fairly quickly. To be dropped in and not know how to swing your fists around makes it a bit frustrating after the fourth or fifth death. That goes for any game.

 

The 'boot camp' scenarios would encompass only the very basics of controls, and again, it would be totally optional and separate from online play.

 

Even if a new player bought the game and played through each training scenario, they would only know how to interact with the world. So when they finally take the plunge they will still be totally lost and confused. Dropped on the beach with no weapons and no idea of where to go or what to do. The only difference being they know how to pick up and use an item and throw a punch if need be.

 

Who knows if people would use it, but what I'm suggesting is giving new players an optional method to learn the fundamentals of the control scheme. As I said before, to us...we understand the controls and have a good grip on what we're doing. However the control scheme for this engine isn't as basic as ...any other military based game. Hence why OFP, ArmA, ArmA 2, and ArmA 3 all have an optional set of "boot camp" missions (called 'showcase' in ArmA 3). There are no separate training missions for other military games, because the basic controls are all the same, and re-explained in that first campaign mission. Day Z is a bit more complicated, and we're used to that...but your average gamer isn't.

 

I want to reiterate the point that these would be basic controls, and not explaining anything about what to do or where to go or what to expect.

 

Don't get me wrong, I understand where you guys are coming from. I'm just trying to approach this from a different stand point.

[savini 587]

hmmm... i just had an interesting thought about the boot camp missions. They could actually be more of a story than a tutorial, but they teach you the basics while still feeling like DayZ. WAIT I GOT IT GUYS I GOT IT:

 

             The Tutorials are set right after the infection hit. Driving tutorial could involve the early days of the infection and driving to get to the airport in time(NPC in passenger seat to "teach you"), Firearm tutorial could involve finding a dead officer in the Chaos(you spawn on same street you dont actually have to find him) and grabbing his weapons and ammo. This could also be a "looting" tutorial. This would continue to actually shooting a zombie in the head.

HERE COMES THE BIG TWIST!

           

            Moving ahead a lot, the final tutorial mission would be flying(if of course planes are implemented). It is now late infection, and a cessna has been repaired at the Northwest Airfield. Your NPC buddy who has been teaching you how to survive is with you in this final mission.You slowly learn the mechanics of the plane and all it's features as yo ufly towards the coast, back to civilization and out of this hellish country. You finnaly get towards the water when *CRACK* a gunshot sounds from below. suddenly it is as if a hail-fire of bullets are coming to you. The plane starts heading towards the water.....everything goes quiet....you take one last look at your friend before you hit the water, and he does the same. *Darkness*. Your eyes slowly open. Finally you realized you have washed up back on the beach. Your friend is dead and now you are here to stay. *cut to DayZ logo*

 

And that my dear friends is how you put in tutorial missions. Should i create a seperate thread for this idea?

 

The story bit wouldn't be necessary, but I don't see a problem with it.

 

However I was thinking more along the lines of single missions in which each one has a specific thing to teach the player.

 

I suppose weaving a narrative within would make it more interesting.

[srgntpepper 85]

I think this is a good idea, can't tell you how many times I've told bleeding fresh spawns to tear their shirts into rags.  I think this should be implemented near the release of the game though, so they can make the boot camp after they've added in all their features and items.

[AnyoneInCherno? 187]

The story bit wouldn't be necessary, but I don't see a problem with it.

 

However I was thinking more along the lines of single missions in which each one has a specific thing to teach the player.

 

I suppose weaving a narrative within would make it more interesting.

They would just be single missions. Each WOULD just teach one thing, but have a reason for teaching it.

[daisho 74]

I'm on the fence about this.

I'm against most forms of hand-holding. If you got chucked into a survival situation, no magic tutorial mission is going to help you discover what you're supposed to do optional or not. 

The first time I played, I couldn't even figure out how to punch stuff and it resulted in one of the most hilarious situations I've had in the game so far; me running around screaming while being chased by Zeds that I had no idea how to hurt, until a fellow player helped me out and gave me a few tips on the controls. I'd much rather see this sort of thing continue, rather than adding any sort of tutorial.

Throw people in the deep end. It's far more rewarding when they do figure things out for themselves or have an interaction with a friendly player who helps them out.

 

I'm a new player and was somewhat confused at the start but I actually like the idea of improving with every mission and learning new things every time, instead of just getting flooded with information I will forget again pretty soon as it's just too much info and most of it most likely is not relevant yet.

 

I today found a mosin and a box of bullets and was trying some time to arm the weapon what did not work out, I was experimenting a bit and at last learned that I have to take the bullets out of box to actually make them fit into the weapon. I felt like I learned something and improved my gameplay...and that's imho way more fun than removing the box automatically when loading the bullets or playing a tutorial for it.

Edited March 3, 2014 by daisho