Companion animals (endgame mechanic)

[whothe 60]

Hi everybody,

Although there are different topics about related themes, I couldn't find any posts about this particular mechanic I  want to talk about. Anyway I will provide relevant links at the end of this post. If I have overlooked something important, please merge my post with the existing content.

 

What I am suggesting is an endgame mechanic. Pleas keep this in mind while reading. If you are not sure what "endgame" means here a link for an example: http://www.wowwiki.com/End-game

 

 

 

Companion animals

Over the course of this post I want to take a look on three different animals. Those are horses, hawks/hunting birds and dogs.

 

The human civilization has a long history of using tamed animals for certain tasks as hunting, transport, searching and many more. So it seemed only logical to me that, when modern society collapses, people would fall back to older and more reliable methods.

 

As an endgame mechanic neither of those animals should be easy to obtain nor should it be possible to have multiple companions(to keep the value). As supposedly nobody would enjoy companion animals interfering  in every situation. On the other hand taming an animal is hard work in real life, which I would love to see reflected in the game. However I have tried to balance playability and realism, so don´t expect a taming simulator.

 

Considering all this I would expect a tamed animal to require a good deal of time and a advanced set of equipment.

 

Horses

As it has been quite a while since the outbreak horses should only occur in free roaming herds. To catch a wild horse the player would need to slowly get closer to the horse of his desire. Fast movements or loud noises could scare the animal away. The first required item would be a rope, used as a lasso. Thank for the new physic engine this could make up for a fun but difficult throwing game. After successfully catching the horse, it would be added as a element of the character profile.

 

From this point the horse would spawn and despawn with the player. The horse now displays in the inventory and has different values assigned. The two factors the player has to bother with are "thirst" and "trust". Food can be supplied by the animal itself, as it has done before being tamed. It  still can be fed by the player to gain trust. Water on the other hand is bound to the location, which is now dictated by the player. Trust can be achieved by feeding or healing the animal and will be lost by attacking or not caring for the animal.

 

Now the player needs to gain trust before he tries to ride the horse. If he attempts to ride the horse before he has enough trust, he will be thrown off with the chance of a broken leg. A failed attempt to ride should also decrease the "trust" value. To expand the difficulty a rideable horse could also require horse tack.

 

After the first successful mount the player needs an ash stick, a rope and a carrot/fruit to move the horse. In this state its only possible to ride in a moderate speed and weapons should not be accessible.

As the player has gained enough trust, he can ride the horse without limitations. The horse then can provide way higher speed and endurance than humans and shouldn't even need a command to pass over fences and small obstacles. The player now can shoot while riding and put small bags on the horse.

 

Still horses will panic under attack and might even throw the player of to run away. If on their own, horses will avoid zombies and run away from possible threads.

 

 

Hawks/ Hunting birds

Birds need to be cached in a trap.  There for the player should require items like wooden stick, a net and a rope as well as a bait (like raw meat). The trap needs to be monitored the hole time. As the bird is caught, the player should quickly get to the bird and retrieve the animal, as it will hurt himself more and more, trying to escape. At this point the player needs a burlap sack to put the bird in. The bird becomes now added to the inventory. The player then can place the bird into his backpack to calm it and gain trust. Whenever the bird is in the backpack, the player should not try to sprint, as it might make the bird feel uncomfortable and will lead to a loss of trust. While running the bird will neither increase nor decrees the trust value.  In this state the player should also search the bird for injuries from the catching process.

 

Now a special glove for birds is also required.  The bird needs to be fed, till he is ready for a flight on a rope with a harness, which also would need to be crafted. If tried to early this can also make the bird hurt himself. While on the harness the bird can fly in a small area around the player and sit on his glove. With the bird on the glove, players can only equip one-handed weapons. For going indoor the bird needs to be on the glove. In this phase the bird also shouldn´t be directly confronted with gunfire. If the player or a player near him is firing a gun the bird should be in the backpack.

 

Last but not least the bird needs to fly free for the first time. If this is successful the bird can unfold its full potential. If however the bird has not enough trust or is not used to gunfire the bird will fly away and be lost.

 

A fully trained bird will fly free and return on command, which should be a whistle all animals share as a command to come back.  The whistle only works on a certain distance and can also be heard by other players.

 

The bird could also have a small bell around his ankles, which could be noticeable over quit some distance, making it easier to determine where the bird is. The bird should have the ability to see everything on the ground in a big radius. To hide, players could go inside or stay under a tree. For detection the bird could use the shadowcash, which is also used to determine where rain falls. Using this method should require little memory, as its already implemented.

 

 

As the bird sees another player it stays over the player flying in small circles. This could be a deadly weapon when combined with a sniper rifle, but could turn against you, if you are facing an enemy who watches the sky carefully.

 

If the bird detects wildlife it will act like seeing a player. Small animals can be caught by the bird itself. If the player wants to go inside he can again call the bird to sit on his glove, leaving the player only with one-handed weapons  or decide to leave the bird outside, making the player vulnerable to hostile players who see the bird from a distance.

 

 

Dogs

Dogs should roam free but should occur mostly in the near distance to villages. Dogs should not attack players no matter what, as this would probably prove to be impossible to balance. If facing a player, dogs will growl and eventually start barking when the player is to close. Barking should alert zombies in a short range. To tame a dog the player should lure the dog into a save zone. There the player would need to place food on the ground and back of. If there is not enough distance between player and dog he will flee. Only when the dog trusts the player enough to eat from his hand(similar to "force feed"), the dog is ready to get his collar. With this and a rope the dog can be carried around in a close distance.

Again this disables players to use two handed weapons. As horses dogs can be told to stay on spot but run away when feared or under attack.

 

When fully trained dogs can deliver multiple information's about then surroundings. As their main sense is smelling  they should be able to smell players, zombies and animals over about hundred meter in wind direction.  They should also have a very good sense of hearing and a enhanced night vision.

 

 

On command they could track animals, warn against Zombies with a whimper and growl or bark in presence of a player depending on his distance to the dog. Still all this should deliver a more or less obvious sound to other players. If and  how dogs can attack zombies would probably need to be tried out in game, as it has a major impact on zombie balance.

 

Implementation

Here some general ideas how to approach some mechanics or additions I thought about in relation to the topic.

 

- Animal interaction (except calling) could be handled over the action wheel.

 

- Inventory as well as thirst and trust values should also be accessible over the action wheel.

 

- Players can examine their animals, resulting in a status message  like:"Your dog has a broken leg"

 

- All animals can be told to stay at one place, but will flee when scared. (You can call them back to the location)

 

- A player will lose his companion, if it is not close while despawning.

 

- Birds also could track animals/players as some actually can see ultraviolet.

 

- Dogs could search for equipped items in their smelling range.(might be OP)

 

- Alternatively to bells hawks could have painted rags around their ankles.

 

- Rags knotted  around a body part or at an animal could give good feedback for wind direction or strength if animated or dynamic.

 

- To make things harder, animals could require special medicine

 

- Information´s about taming could be included into readable books.

 

Links

Companion Dogs

http://forums.dayzgame.com/index.php?/topic/165084-companions-like-dogs/?hl=companions

 

Leathal creatures

http://forums.dayzgame.com/index.php?/topic/169840-lethal-creatures/?hl=%2Bhunting+%2Bbird#entry1726873

 

Tracking

http://forums.dayzgame.com/index.php?/topic/188207-tracking-the-grass-method/?hl=tracking

 

Horse (perfect vehicle)

http://forums.dayzgame.com/index.php?/topic/165450-horses-the-almost-perfect-vehicle/?hl=horse

 

Traps

http://forums.dayzgame.com/index.php?/topic/188851-setting-up-rat-traps-gave-me-an-idea/?hl=animals

 

Animal tracking

http://forums.dayzgame.com/index.php?/topic/175608-animal-tracking-funcitonsuggestion/?hl=animals

 

Useful books

http://forums.dayzgame.com/index.php?/topic/186316-useful-books/?hl=books

 

 

Ok, that are my thoughts.

Of course I know that an actual implementation is going to be difficult, but I would love to see something similar to this in the game.

I also read some were the devs had made a statement that such features are unlikely to make it into the game. (You might find the related post in the Links above)

 

But as there still is room for endgame mechanics I thought this might play well with the coming hunting feature and I just wanted to share my ideas.

I hope you had as much fun reading this book as I had creating it and I am looking forward to see many ideas for additions or improvements in the posts below.

 

Good evening.

[Guest]

I really like the idea that you made up there and looking forward that those animals get implented. I only wanted to say that Rocket 'promised' to add dogs into the standalone version of the game, so... I believe that atleast the dogs would be added anyway. (Maybe in the beta-version of the game, with cars and stuff.) Btw: Sorry for my bloody awful english.

 

PS.: I really would appreciate if dogs could attack players anyway. Offcourse a dog should be easily to kill (headshoot and stuff.) but for example: You run around. You see a dog. The dog is owned by another player. The dog growls. You keep moving in his near. The dog gets 'angry'. You keep annoying him. The dog attacks. Dogs that are not owned by players should not attack players nor zombies. You can't command an dog that is owned by you to attack another player. I also would like realistic hit-models to those animals. Like when the dog gets hit by his leg: He hobbels. Also like wimpering or even 'yelling' when he gets shot. Like: You running around and suddenly you hear a gunshot and an dog, wimpering his last breath out. And you know: Someone just shot my dog! *Wine.*

 

+ Maybe it would also be great if those animals could have a infected version of themself. Like zombie-dogs. Like those from DayZ-Epoch, although I never got attacked by one.

Edited May 3, 2014 by Guest

[odin_lowe 3686]

Fantastic ideas! Amazing artwork. Really like those!! In a February devblog Dean talked about non-hostile animals being "tamable" such as horses and dogs. Maybe we'll see something between what you suggest and what they have in mind. Anyway, great work on you post!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:  

 

:beans:

[n1kko 326]

This is the most brilliant post.  The amount of detail, and the artwork.  I would love to see these implemented into the game.

Fantastic idea my good sir.

 

 

Edit: My 69th post..... heh heh

Edited May 3, 2014 by aimbot.eXe

[Red_Leader 2]

This is an amazing idea, I love it. Is there a way to promote this so a dev or mod can see it?

[Scott61 93]

Excellent ideas,I would like to see horse especially for travel more then vehicles to be honest

A dog as a companion with a Bird of Prey .... what more could you ask for

 

Be cool,that's for sure!

[agouti 105]

I think dogs should be able to attack people, with packs being an option, if you can have more than one "pet" at a given time.

[UnarmedCiv 54]

I want a pet pig.  I hear they are great at finding truffles in the woods.  oh boy oh boy.. selling tasty truffles for an M4. 

[AlphaDogMeat . 493]

 

That is all.

[fractal.design 7]

Really love the hawk idea. Having a spotting bird would be so cool.

I do think what you've outlined so overly complex and though realistic, might not be as fun.

[nexyo 3]

Horses would be really nice to make you move fast , carry some bags on the side , and it's always nice to have a real friend with you :) ( this should spawn : http://www.dailyequine.com/horsesaddleshop/rockwell-ranch-high-horse-saddle.jpg / http://www.localriding.com/image-files/bridle-double-2.jpg  in those barns : http://i.imgur.com/ii2Vz.jpg?1 )

 

About the dogs , it would just be for having a friend ( wich is a good point ) .

[Otis.Driftwood 204]

Really love the hawk idea. Having a spotting bird would be so cool.

I do think what you've outlined so overly complex and though realistic, might not be as fun.

 

I already suggested that a while ago and everyone agreed that this would be too much since you need to train a bird for years and years....

[irishroy 1347]

Give him dat beans!

 

 

Dogs as companions will come, pretty sure.

But Horses and Birds, dayum. pretty good suggestion.

[nexventor 429]

And you lose them when you die? As long as that is the case I love the idea.

[trev186 389]

Great idea. I can just imagine how buggy their AI would be at first...imagine trying to be stealthy and your dog just runs out to the center of clearing to eat some rotten food ;)

[barnabus 1708]

Ok here's my thing, a little over six months ago I lost my best dog in RL.  I was at work and she busted out of the house, was hit by a car and died 7 hours later from bruised lungs.  Tough little dog, she clung to life as long as she could in the vet hospital.  She was on pain killers and in an O2 cabinet to help her breathing.  It was not enough.  Broke my heart, I wasn't this miserable when my father passed and I am still having grief issues with it.  My wife and I cannot have children so she was like a daughter, she was also the first dog we had together. 

 

15000+ years of human/dog coevolution is not lost on me, dogs were the first of the domesticated animals.   It has even been said by some anthropologists that without dogs it is unlikely that humans could have had civilization.  Dogs were equal partners in hunter/gatherer bands and are why some of these bands survived and did not go extinct.

 

That all said, I would go absolutely berserk if I saw anyone being cruel or torturing virtual animals in game.  I like the idea that dogs cannot attack players and I would like that to see that as reciprocal, meaning players cannot attack dogs either.  Definitely dogs would also HAVE TO BE OFF LIMITS as a food item too. I would also like dogs to be unable to attack other dogs to prevent players from participating in dog fights. 

 

I don't care really what players do to each other, not one little bit, but I can see how some of these douchebags will do anything they think is amusing.  Abusing dogs, even virtual ones, is not remotely amusing, it is sick.  Imagine that on YouTube, I can see some sick turd posting vids of abusing dogs in DayZ on YouTube.  I cannot emphasis enough how stupid and daft and ignorant that would be.

 

Flame and troll me all you want, I won't respond to it and will just put you on my ignore list.

 

 

[TrampledByTurtles 78]

Love the idea. Couldn't loose a companion after less than 10 minutes with one, though. Only downside...

[TrampledByTurtles 78]

Ok here's my thing, a little over six months ago I lost my best dog in RL.  I was at work and she busted out of the house, was hit by a car and died 7 hours later from bruised lungs.  Tough little dog, she clung to life as long as she could in the vet hospital.  She was on pain killers and in an O2 cabinet to help her breathing.  It was not enough.  Broke my heart, I wasn't this miserable when my father passed and I am still having grief issues with it.  My wife and I cannot have children so she was like a daughter, she was also the first dog we had together. 

 

15000+ years of human/dog coevolution is not lost on me, dogs were the first of the domesticated animals.   It has even been said by some anthropologists that without dogs it is unlikely that humans could have had civilization.  Dogs were equal partners in hunter/gatherer bands and are why some of these bands survived and did not go extinct.

 

That all said, I would go absolutely berserk if I saw anyone being cruel or torturing virtual animals in game.  I like the idea that dogs cannot attack players and I would like that to see that as reciprocal, meaning players cannot attack dogs either.  Definitely dogs would also HAVE TO BE OFF LIMITS as a food item too. I would also like dogs to be unable to attack other dogs to prevent players from participating in dog fights. 

 

I don't care really what players do to each other, not one little bit, but I can see how some of these douchebags will do anything they think is amusing.  Abusing dogs, even virtual ones, is not remotely amusing, it is sick.  Imagine that on YouTube, I can see some sick turd posting vids of abusing dogs in DayZ on YouTube.  I cannot emphasis enough how stupid and daft and ignorant that would be.

 

Flame and troll me all you want, I won't respond to it and will just put you on my ignore list.

 Yes. That is the only way I'll have companions in DayZ, especially dogs.

[liquidcactus 719]

 

I would also like dogs to be unable to attack other dogs to prevent players from participating in dog fights. 

 

 

How would you feel about random packs of savage dogs scavenging in a town that would attack players, therefore you have to defend yourself ? because I think its a great idea but fair enough with the no dog fights idea that has malicious intent on entertainments behalf, that is a bit crazy in a virtual world as well as RL

[barnabus 1708]

How would you feel about random packs of savage dogs scavenging in a town that would attack players, therefore you have to defend yourself ? because I think its a great idea but fair enough with the no dog fights idea that has malicious intent on entertainments behalf, that is a bit crazy in a virtual world as well as RL

TBH I don't even like killing the wolves in Rust. The sound effect gets me...

[Lady Kyrah 1110]

Nice suggestions, now here are a few of mines to complete this and prevent it from being too much like a player mount feature:

 

-Animals may be hurt and/or wounded the same way players can be, broken bones for instance.

-You may use medical equipment designed for humans (drugs) but it may very well have adverse effects (i don't have the details but some drugs do NOT work on a horse for instance).

-Animals come with random desirable and undesirable traits that determinate their obedience, agility/clumsyness, and so on. You may find yourself with a dog that may be very disobedient and cannot be commanded properly, yet will still perceive strangers and hostiles around you. Bottom, line, there has to be a chance that your new animal friend will NOT become what you want him to be.

[barnabus 1708]

Nice suggestions, now here are a few of mines to complete this and prevent it from being too much like a player mount feature:

-Animals may be hurt and/or wounded the same way players can be, broken bones for instance.

.

The only reason I disagree with this is as I have stated before. Some sick bastards will use that as an opportunity to do heinous things to virtual animals and post it on YouTube. That could bring some serious negative blow back. So far the game is under the radar, better to keep it that way rather get the rep that some other games already have.

I like the idea of your animal being it's own being. Gives them a personality. Some of my best dogs were disobedient as all hell. still loved me and still, did pretty much what I told them to do, but sometimes, revenge poop and revenge pee are best served cold. Miss that feisty little harbor dog. Sigh...

Edited May 9, 2014 by Barnabus

[INoEmo 29]

Nice idea, but maybe it's to much on the servers.  Could the servers handle a lot (everyone would want one) of these flying/running around and the AI and all that?

[Lady Kyrah 1110]

Arma had farm animals and dogs before, so far i havent seen anyone whine when they get killed.

 

And you can be as heyneous as you want against pixel characters, they dont exist.

[barnabus 1708]

Arma had farm animals and dogs before, so far i havent seen anyone whine when they get killed.

 

And you can be as heyneous as you want against pixel characters, they dont exist.

Oh, going straight for the troll, welcome to ignore