Fix for the Crossbow

[Zeromentor 169]

Okay, so here is my own spin on fixing the Crossbow.

First problem, and the hardest to fix, is the single-stack bolts.

The problem? For the damage, the bolts take up a lot of room which could be easily replaced by something more powerful with less reloading required per shot. The only thing it has going for it is the stealth aspect.

The fix: Simple, sort of.

The reloading animation is getting a change. As well as how stacks function for the crossbow. Instead of single 'bolts' they will be 'bolt stacks' or 'quivers' of 8 or so bolts. Maybe more, maybe less.

Make the crossbow a semi auto weapon, much like a Lee Enfield, but reduce the rounds per minute to how ever long it takes to reload it (For this, I haven't timed it, we'll say the reloading animation takes 3 seconds).

The simple fix- After each round fired, you have to wait 3 seconds before you can fire (semi-auto, remember that) again. During this time, the reload animation plays, making it look like the bolts are being loaded in (when in reality, the mechanic makes it where you are limited in the fire rate).

So now, ingame, you are limited in the fire rate to 1 round per 3 seconds, and the reloading animation plays while you wait for the next round. Bolts can stack, retain their poor damage, but no longer suck up all your inventory space.

Next problem, reclaiming lost bolts. I'm not sure how this works ingame, but it seems many bolts just hover mid-air after hitting a target, and many times my friends have lost sight of these bolts and have been unable to reclaim them. So, I'm going to pretend we have saved ammunition per magazine for this next part, and that each bolt recollected will stack until a 'Quiver Stack' has been refilled. If that is impossible, we can dump this idea altogether.

Each enemy that is killed with a crossbow bolt generates 1 bolt in thier lootable inventory. The bolt ingame, out of the inventory, disappears much the same as a bullet when it impacts a target. Better to have a bolt disappear than have it float in the air for all to see. It's not like people will miss that very much. The only problem here is that you could send three bolts at a target and only reclaim 1. Or fire as many as 16 at a player (God, I've had people go full auto with an AK at 300 meters, missing every round, so this isn't hard to imagine) and only reclaim one from their body.

I'm also one of those crazy players that think the crossbow needs to do more damage. Why? Because as it is now, you can fire at a zombie, hit them, and still need another round to kill them. Unless you start letting us stack bolts (see fix above to allow this) the damage stinks. Worse yet is using them against players. Sure they are silent, give off no muzzle flash, sound or smoke, but the bolts tend to lodge in the air and point STRAIGHT AT YOU!! They give away your position, and any person with an even basic understanding of direction can find you in a second.

So yeah, there's my thoughts to fix what I see as a broken weapon. If they crossbow is SUPPOSE to be like that, much like how the Makarov sucks, then I can understand that and leave the issue be. But please, give my idea some thought.

(NOTE: I don't know if the Arma engine allows for animations between firing, as I have never seen our characters use the bolts on certain rifles)

[Robert Shannon 27]

I have not had a problem with the crossbow.

[KnT47r 51]

Semi-auto/magazine fed/slow rounds per second = /signed

Reclaiming bolts = /signed

More damage = hesitant. They kill a zombie in one hit to the high torso/head. Increasing damage could make them imba against players. Though if you're close enough/good enough at range to hit a player with a crossbow before they gib you I think you deserve the kill lol

[Zeromentor 169]

2-stars and a lack of replies tells me the community doesn't care about the crossbow.

Oh well, I guess it'll be another weapon nearly no one uses.

[weld 26]

The crossbow is already the perfect balance of convenience and utility. Any more convenient and it would be overpowered for the type of drop it is.

[ghost_kage 5]

Recently I had to start a new character (my old one had been alive since the beginning of the mods release, but was killed due to the new updates...) and I've been using the crossbow. I love it. I think its perfect the way it is, my only, and only gripe is the ability to pickup arrows. Sometimes, I score a kill in the midsection of an infected, and then they fall ontop of the arrow, and now the arrow is gone. I think if you shoot a zombie with the arrow, it should be retreavable from their inventory like in Oblivion or Skyrim. Thats the only fix I think the crossbow needs.

[BlessedHeretic 1]

I like this idea, we could combine 5 bolts into a quiver and still have individual bolts be usable without it due to the ability to load different ammo types. Quivers could offer a faster reload time and the benefit of being 5 bolts in 1 slot, while the single shot 1 inventory bolts would function as they currently do.

I agree the crossbow needs a slight damage buff to atleast get 1 shot kills on zeds (just enough, not much more.)

and i believe the whole "bolt hit person is spawned in inventory" idea would work wonders, hell even if you only manage to loot a single bolt from a player the simple fact you killed him and got 1 back is a bonus.

[Viperus 3]

Crossbow arrows need to take 2x1 slot (theres some MG ammo cart that does that, so I know its possible) and we should be able to stack 6-12 arrows.

Maybe rocket should make quivers that allow arrow stacking?

[ahyokata 15]

I personally love the crossbow, aside from the sights (or lack there of). I wish it was more feasible as a weapon but due to its glaring limitations, it leaves room for improvement. Stackable bolts/ proper sights aside, the only way i have been successful with this "gun" is when Crosshairs are enabled.

I did a silent raid on Stary with it and truly appreciate its potential. And I read (but not tested) that if you kill a zed and have trouble finding your bolt, you can use the "hide body" to get your bolt back because it apparently drops the bolt at the place in which the zombie/player died.

[dang (DayZ) 2]

Our group usually has two guys with crossbows for taking out zeds that get too close (we have no SD weapons). These guys rarely miss and more often than not, they retrieve their bolts. Its slow going though, so i support the semi-auto/3 stack bolt idea - would make it easier to just forget about the bolt and move on.

I have also been a victim of a crossbow attack on our overwatch position... While 3 of us were all prone in the treeline, some guy (think he server hopped to get behind us) appeared behind us and 1-shot killed two of us. He was point blank range so no prob with that but still, i dont think they need to do more damage.

[vision1776 42]

All the cross bow needs is a quiver where it can hold more bolts. That's it. The oother problem I see with it is the glitchyness in picking up bolts from dead bodies and that ammo takes way too much space. In real life you would be carrying a quiver on your back or something.\ that can hold around 15 bolts. Introduce that into the game and I might think about picking up a crossbow. Until then forget it. I rather carry 30 round magazines instead of a single bolt.

[Zeromentor 169]

Bump, as many people tend to post threads about the crossbow, and never use the search function. I'm bumping this in the hopes of them seeing this thread and adding their own ideas to the already ongoing discussions on MANY threads that are no longer at the top of the forum.

Oh, and I like to see my threads riding on the first page. So sue me.

[Burt_Reynolds 15]

I think each cross bow should hold up to 5 bolts. like a clip. Most of the cross bows out there have a quiver built in. If this idea has been posted already consider it a +1

[DemonGroover 8836]

The crossbow has been redesigned in SA

[*Exile* Sami 188]

I like the idea, i cant wait to use Crossbows in standalone ^_^ Maybe stealth will actually exist! Instead of people running around with m249's mowing people down. (Which is also very fun!)

[Guest]

As supreme overlord of the crossbow community, I have to say...

You a damn fool! The crossbow is fine, just prioritize

[bofs@bredband.net 0]

Deleted

Edited January 1, 2017 by bofs@bredband.net

[NonovUrbizniz (DayZ) 137]

Quiver's are a MUST IMO. 8 per item slot. 1866 can do it....

A separate suggestion which I think might already be in w/o them saying so, if you retrieve a bolt from a zombie it should then infect a player you shoot it with. If you are bleeding when you grab it you should get infected...

I really like the idea of the zombie plague being more of a factor in the game. Would love some sort of crazy cross over thing where if you get infected you actually turn into a zombie and have to eat brains or die slowly... but I know that would kill the experience for a lot of people and be terribly difficult to build into the game.

[Michaelvoodoo25 3120]

They are also working on this:

https://github.com/R4Z0R49/DayZMod/pull/36