Downed choppers too common? Thoughts? (PIC)

[phisher34 12]

It seems downed choppers are the new barracks.

There are usually 3 or 4 that spawn with each server restart, often in the same positions as earlier spawns.

Two survivors and a vehicle can load up with a dozen end game weapons (thermal sighted rifle, NV FAL, DMR, M107) in about an hour. Not to mention medical supplies and ammo.

To me this is starting to feel too easy and adding a huge influx of rare weapons into the world.

I know someone will argue that if it is too easy then to let other people get access to the choppers. However, that doesn't solve the problem of these items becoming too common, it makes it worse. I would rather destroy these weapons than letting them stockpile in a Ural or tent.

To go further, I feel we should get rid of NVG's and thermal sights all together. At minimum maybe have the NV FAL or the Rangefinder, but put in batteries. Modify the mission file so it is back to full-moon phases though. It's starting to get hard distinguishing this post-apocolyptic world from the regular fully-geared ARMA servers.

EDIT: So this isn't just a bitchfest, I think the idea of crashed choppers are great. But maybe have 1 crashed chopper per reset, maybe a couple burning humvees (much more possible places to spawn these)

[Castle (DayZ) 23]

The spawn locations are all over. A few unlucky spawns and it can take hours to find even one.

That being said there are still some barracks only guns (SVD for example) that don't make downed helicopters a true alternative to barracks looting.

[phisher34 12]

Our group has written down the spawn coordinates, and even if they are truly random, we can drive a full loop of these coordinates in under an hour. Sometimes even finding two (once three) choppers in the same spot.

[Beam17 0]

i never found one =(

[phisher34 12]

To clarify, it might not be that the spawns are coming from a pool of pre-established coordinates. But the parameters for allowing a chopper to spawn (X distance from town, ...)

is putting them reliably in a predictable location.

[Macenzie 79]

Must have been bad luck the other evening.

We loaded up in an off roader to find heli crashes. After some time driving around and finding none we got bored and started running people over on the coast. :p

[KWilt 157]

I don't see how they're too common if there are only three or four in each server.

They're a helluva lot easier to find if the spawns are predetermined, but they aren't common in that way.

Either way, if it does get to the point where we start marking down the exact locales for each of them, there aren't really any ways to break it. We could make loot respawn so follow ups wouldn't have to leave empty handed, but then that makes one of the best loot-spawns in the game exploitable. We could also just have the choppers disappear a lot quicker, but that really wouldn't make much of a difference since people would still be able to make circuits to each of them quite quickly still.

I'd rather not see them go, since I always get a small sense of satisfaction when I come across a chopper (which might possibly fade if they start appearing on the interactive maps online) and they're a great present for people who aren't always sticking to the roads and willing to go adventuring. But if they start to get tracked to a T, I'm not really sure what we'd be able to do.

[Oliva 2]

never found a single.

where do you find them the most?

north of nwaf?

I have seem a lot of open fields around. I already visited every single town in this game, but never found a vehicle or a chopper.

[RaaR (DayZ) 0]

Havn't found one in over 3 weeks

if anything the hackers are causing an influx of endgame weapons

[Castle (DayZ) 23]

never found a single.

where do you find them the most?

north of nwaf?

I have seem a lot of open fields around. I already visited every single town in this game' date=' but never found a vehicle or a chopper.

[/quote']

NWAF is probably the best place to find them. It has a very large amount of spawn locations both inside of it and southwest of it.

However they have spawn locations all over the map. I've seen them near the coast at Berezino, and all the way down near Staroye.

[phisher34 12]

They do spawn all over the map, always in larger fields near towns (not on the Airfields).

I think the problem is that our group did nothing special to map out where they spawn and other groups will catch on to it too.

If it was limited to 1 chopper per server that would be a better compromise. But as it is now we can get a group of 12 guys fully stocked in little less than an hour.

This means our tents now have multiples of all these guns. We've started just throwing them on to the ground so they despawn.

[KWilt 157]

To my knowledge there seems to be a high spawn percentage for the buggers near Stary. So if you're really ballsy and don't mind getting shot at, you could do a few laps around the outskirts and you might find yourself a flaming herald from the British Isles, packed to the brim with the fists of gods and eyes to match.

[phisher34 12]

Just look in the large fields around Stary/Vybor/Gorka. From time to time there they will spawn at a few points closer to Vishnoye or near Berezino but not nearly as often.

[lvg 1690]

I've been playing this mod for about 3 months now, never seen one

[phisher34 12]

Maybe it's server related, they weren't really fixed until last patch (been playing for 3 months as well).

The fact that some people haven't run into them doesn't counteract that they are spawning in predictable places. They are most often found in big fields in the middle to NW side of the map.

[Womb Raider 92]

Our group has written down the spawn coordinates' date=' and even if they are truly random, we can drive a full loop of these coordinates in under an hour. Sometimes even finding two (once three) choppers in the same spot.

[/quote']

Yeah, lets ruin the fun and randomness of Day Z, by having a list of where you can get some of the best weapons in the game, great idea!

[phisher34 12]

Our group has written down the spawn coordinates' date=' and even if they are truly random, we can drive a full loop of these coordinates in under an hour. Sometimes even finding two (once three) choppers in the same spot.

[/quote']

Yeah, lets ruin the fun and randomness of Day Z, by having a list of where you can get some of the best weapons in the game, great idea!

I think you are missing the point.

I want it to be random. We wrote the coordinate to see if they were random, and they aren't. Or the parameters are so strict for where they spawn that there are only a handful of places they can spawn.

If I shared the coordinates that would be the problem.

[ytman18@gmail.com 9]

I think they are too common.

Yes, yes, yes only three per reset... and beyond that you might get a crap loot spawn...

But come on? These are crashed SF helicopters... why do they keep falling from the sky?

I say ONE per server/restart is a PERFECT number.

[phisher34 12]

I think they are too common.

Yes' date=' yes, yes only three per reset... and beyond that you might get a crap loot spawn...

But come on? These are crashed SF helicopters... why do they keep falling from the sky?

I say ONE per server/restart is a PERFECT number.

[/quote']

I agree ^

1 Per restart.

It makes it more of challenge, and not quite worth the reward of risking a vehicle driving around looking for it.

[whocares 1]

And it should not always spawn right at the server start, but at a random time after it.

Probalby best make one spawn over the sea, let it fly to its "destination" and let it crash "live" - now imagine the run to the crash site by the people that heard/saw the crash, and the tension when you get closer.

Edit: might note in the few weeks that I play now I haven't seen one either yet...

[phisher34 12]

Doing the loop, found 3 downed choppers in same location. Posting pics soon.

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[KWilt 157]

Hey, Phisher, can you give me the numbers to the next lottery drawing? Y'know, with that unbelievable luck and all.

[phisher34 12]

That's what I am saying man, no luck involved, just the odds. If you know where they spawn its just a time investment.

:)

[jdz (DayZ) 238]

I don't think they're to common, what I think will be the demise of this game is people actually taking the coordinates and driving around looting them before anyone else.

Game needs more randomness, less good gear and more randomness.

[Castle (DayZ) 23]

They do spawn all over the map' date=' always in larger fields near towns (not on the Airfields).[/quote']

Wrong.

Wrong wrong. They have multiple spawn locations within the NWAF in the grass right next to the runway. That's only counting ones I've seen, I'm sure I have not seen all the spawn locations.