Patch 1.5.7 and this being an Alpha and fucking zombie spawns

[xaphoo 1]

I posted in the other thread once, but I'll do so again here. Basically the number of zombies is fine, but three things should be changed to restore balance.

1. Make the zombies slower so that one has a chance of killing them at medium range.

2. Loosen up the aggro mechanics so that it's not "horde or nothing", so that a town can be cleared peacemeal.

3. Slow down the spawn timer so that areas can be actually cleared.

4. Ammo spawns should increase accordingly.

[Sapper317 1]

Maybe I am wrong here but that IS what DayZ is about right now and if you dont like it why not go play left4dead or some other zombie game instead of trying to force your ideal scenario of the game onto others.

The game is going to be however rocket wants in the end and if you dont like it then move along.

I have faith that no matter how punishing he makes this mod it is going to have a fairly large user base BECAUSE there is no other game out there as punishing as this for a zombie survival game.

Saying that "this is what DayZ is about" and that you should accept it as it is isn't the point. The mod is an alpha, and is a changing beast. Rocket is the creator and ultimately the direction of the game is up to him, but I don't know any developer that doesnt make games for the enjoyment of the player. If no feedback was necessary, then the mod wouldnt be open to the public. If a change is implemented that people dont like or is buggy, then it is expected that they come here and give feedback to improve upon the mod on its way to final (weither rocket decides to act on it or not is his perogative). Fantastic to all of you that have learned to cope with bugs and stacked odds, but the point is to build a better and more enjoyable mod through feedback and opinions.

[Ghost Jager 6]

I agree with what seems to be the consensus.

Zombies being plentiful: Awesome!

Zombies respawning rapidly and on top of you: Not so much.

I LOVE the idea of clearing a small village from it's entirety of zombified occupants or sneaking around them to gain what loot is there (Or in a big city, but I normally stay away from those.) but I hate having the zombies I just cleared pop back up almost immediately.

I also agree that there should be some tweaks to aggro and zombie speed/ intelligence.

Otherwise I think the update is great!

Oh and maybe some less panic attacks.... I panic enough on my own xD

[Captain Kirk (DayZ) 0]

The amount of zombies around is pretty interesting. My friend and I almost got stormed in a house in electro and I've never been in as much panic and I've rarely been as laggy. My fps dropped down to about 15 fps or something with 30-40 zombies all around us trying to get inside. I dont have a super computer but I do usually play without lag and I do hang around in the cherno and electro without significant fps drops.

It was exciting though. I would like to see this many zombies ingame if possible without too much performance issues.

[noisegrrrl 8]

Honestly I don't see what the fuzz is about. It's not that hard to avoid them and they finally present a challenge if you warn them of your presence.

It might have to be tweaked a bit though, they have the tendency to appear right before your eyes.

[Virgie 0]

i love it

im actually somewhat worried about zombies now, whereas before it was like just a pvp game where you didnt have to worry about zombies.

The only problems i notice are the glitching through walls and teleporting.

[kocrachon 2]

So I just want to say this as a current server host.

When I logged into the server after the update, I thought it was cool seeing all of these zombies all of a sudden. I was at the main air port, and there were 30 zombies. I had an AK and 3 magazines, so I killed them all. I started at the top of the control tower....

I get down to the bottom of the control tower, and all of a sudden all of the zombies had already re spawned. I ended up wasting all my ammo just to get AWAY from the air port. I walk down the road to a farm house. ONE BUILDING, in hopes of finding more ammo. There were TEN ZOMBIES... How the hell am I suppose to survive that? A new player who has only a pistol has no chance.

I can see why people who are well armed can find this fun having all these zombies. But when it comes to new players, this really hurts the game. Because it is now too hard for new players to try to figure out how to survive the food and water mechanic, when they are never able to make it into town to survive.

ArmA 2 already has a steep learning curve. Pile onto that the sudden influx of zombies, and you now have a bunch of people who don't want to play anymore. And seeing as if you look at Steam right now, and see that ArmA 2 is now the third best selling game on Steam, that tells you there are a LOT of noobs out there who are already uncomfortable learning the ArmA 2 system.

So, on that. Those who are saying "This large amount of zombies makes it more fun" I think you need to look at this from a noob point of view. This game is already unforgiving. The amount of bandits, the need for food and water, the untrusting environment. This game is already tense enough with out the need for there to have 1000 zombies.

The game needs to balance it so that new people who have never played can have a chance. And there needs to be a balance to where a lone wolf player CAN survive. That is the point, a sandbox game where any option is viable. To say "The new amount of zombies is cool because it forces you to work in a group" basically ruins the concept sandbox. And honestly, it makes being a bandit worthless because you CANNOT survive as a bandit, which will eventually make people want to stop being a bandit, which will then make this game less PVP and make it more boring.

This is not me blaming the devs, this is me saying that people who LIKE the over abundance of zombies needs to realize that there are a bunch of new players who we want to welcome into a friendly fun PVP environment, not make this an unforgiving game that is no fun for new comers.

[noisegrrrl 8]

The game needs to balance it so that new people who have never played can have a chance. And there needs to be a balance to where a lone wolf player CAN survive. That is the point' date=' a sandbox game where any option is viable. To say "The new amount of zombies is cool because it forces you to work in a group" basically ruins the concept sandbox. And honestly, it makes being a bandit worthless because you CANNOT survive as a bandit, which will eventually make people want to stop being a bandit, which will then make this game less PVP and make it more boring.

[/quote']

Have you considered not shooting your way out of situations? It works well most of the time.

[Undeadstab 0]

Performance, I think that reason alone is good enough to make a change it the future. I think the rate of zombies could've been bumped a little bit, but I personally don't like it being so high.

1. Being the FPS drop.

2. 200 zombies to 400.

[Bullet2hart 0]

I think you created a "bug" that will shape this games future.

All these people complaining about Zed counts now will ultimately complain soon in the future about "How there's not enough Zeds and that you should add more.

The "Realism" of zombies fast spawning in Accounts for not being able to have massive amounts of hordes on the screen at one time due to ARMA's restraints.

If there was a Zombie Apocolipse - do you really think running into a city for supplies would be accomplishable without attracted a horde of zombies, which you would then kill in some manner of way, that you could just walk out the way you came un-hinded? NO - By LORE Zombies are attracted to sound, and i ask all you ignorant people to go stand 500 metres away from any type of un-silenced weapon and tell me you don't hear the direction it's coming from or tell me you don't hear it.

Simples are the faster respawn rates and the sheer amount of Zeds makes up for what this game cannot accomplish due to the ARMA Engine.

Find a friend - i play with 8+ clan mates at some points - now i know not alot of people can put the time or effort into joining a clan - so join a community! Actually play this game like it should be played instead of pissing all over Rockets Email list about how it's getting "too hard" or "too unplayable" - This is the most playable I've found this Mod to date - we're having the most fun, because we're actually looking at the Zeds in a "Respectful manner" Before it was just run to that building - sit at the back and wait for em to come in then we sit here and loot this place for 30 minutes un-challenged unless another player came along, now with the aspect of theres going to be a constant threat of Zeds you have to watch your back - or have somebody watch it for you! IT ADDS ELEMENT! i fucking love it.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion though i suppose - and I'm just adding my side, look at the game how it SHOULD be and not how it WAS - Before it was just too damn easy.

Get an M240 and sit in the barracks at North Airfield and tell me that you didn't have fun with the constant stream of Zeds coming inside the doorway - with the little pauses of contact you could take your eyes away for enough time to check the loot in the building, then get the hell out of there alive hopefully. of course theres other ways of doing it but i just like a challenge.

Epic props for making this bug by accident (on purpose) ;)

[kocrachon 2]

Have you considered not shooting your way out of situations? It works well most of the time.

Middle of the day, in the center of the air field, surrounded. What was I suppose to do, crawl in hopes that non of them saw me in bright light day?

[el mariachi 10]

Please stop comparing this game to a non-existent real world zombie apocalypse scenario.

It is a video game.

It isn't as much the number of zombies that upsets me, its the consequences:

1. They cannot be evaded

2. They will never stop chasing you unless you kill them

3. They run fast and zig zag

4. They respawn before you can clear them all

5. They teleport into buildings

With lower zombie population, the above problems were bearable. Now they are not. Maybe if some or all of those points are fixed, it will make the increase in zombies tolerable.

[SixPackAbs 13]

Whatever man, The increased numbers are very fun. People are going to cry and whine because we live in the generation of the entitled gamer. It is unfortunate but you have to realize they are the vocal minority, Most of us are just enjoying the game and having fun with the hordes.

[kocrachon 2]

I think you created a "bug" that will shape this games future.

All these people complaining about Zed counts now will ultimately complain soon in the future about "How there's not enough Zeds and that you should add more.

The "Realism" of zombies fast spawning in Accounts for not being able to have massive amounts of hordes on the screen at one time due to ARMA's restraints.

Find a friend - i play with 8+ clan mates at some points - now i know not alot of people can put the time or effort into joining a clan - so join a community!

Get an M240 and sit in the barracks at North Airfield and tell me that you didn't have fun with the constant stream of Zeds coming inside the doorway

Problems with your argument...

1) You already explained one of my complaints. Its easy for those of you who are WELL EQUIPPED to enjoy the game. There are THOUSANDS of new people playing. Steam currently lists ArmA II as the 3rd top selling title currently.

2) Its ridiculous to focus this on communities and clans. Sure a clan of 8 people are going to do great, but it is unfair to force people to play when the game has been bragged about and advertised as a sandbox environment where you can work alone or together. Now you cant work alone, and it sucks. After I restarted my server earlier yesterday, my community members went to get lunch (pre 1.5.7). I went on to be a bandit, roaming alone and killing players to survive.

Now, my server hardly has any people to kill because people are coming and going frequently because they are getting killed. And when I do kill people, NON of them have supplies because they cant make it into town to get any. And seeing as its crazy to go alone, no one will. So basically this ruined the mechanic of being a bandit, unless you become bandits with other people, which, is stupid... a bandit should be able to work alone and be an outlaw. But since he cant make it into town, and now everyone is working in large groups, he is screwed. Because the minute anyone sees a bandit, they kill him. Everyone kills bandits... So now the bandit mechanic is lost.

3) Realism should NEVER EVER EVER trump fun.

[noisegrrrl 8]

Have you considered not shooting your way out of situations? It works well most of the time.

Middle of the day' date=' in the center of the air field, surrounded. What was I suppose to do, crawl in hopes that non of them saw me in bright light day?

[/quote']

Yes.

That's what I do. So far it worked well.

[Xyxyll 0]

The game is going to be however rocket wants in the end and if you dont like it then move along.

I have faith that no matter how punishing he makes this mod it is going to have a fairly large user base BECAUSE there is no other game out there as punishing as this for a zombie survival game.

You may be right that this is rocket's game, but it would be foolish to not make this game engaging and entertaining for the most number of players possible, as it has the potential to make rocket a lot of money. Negative criticism and bickering is actually good feedback. Everyone plays this game differently, whether it be solo, group, hunter, bandit, scavenger, etc., so all this "you're wrong because I don't have a problem with it" attitude accomplishes very little.

People may change their playtype a little based on new external factors in the game, but if you push them too hard, they'll jump ship quicker than I died to zombies last night on the beach. Game design is a very delicate balancing act.

Also, all this screaming about the 1.5.7 patch is not people ripping on the game. Clearly quite the opposite. People are emotionally attached to this game, for obvious reasons, and want to see it be the best it can be.

[Roshi (DayZ) 396]

Echoing other posts but... More zombies are great - making them the main threat in the game again. With tweaking around the spawning so they don't appear on top of you would help. Haven't played much as actually got scared again - like the first time I played. First time in with the new release lasted about two minutes - pitch black, heard what I first though was a dog or a wolf (had a moment of panick that you might have added zombie wolves), realised that you still had your head screwed on and it was just new zed sounds, heard them coming gradually closer, lost sphincter control, left the game and had a glass of calming milk whilst rocking in the corner.

The element of unpredictability adds a lot (i.e. Not knowing where you are going to run into a zed or twenty) but a zombie spawning on top of you is immersion breaking and even if you're playing stealthy you can be detected by a soawning zombie. Realise it's a bug but think this could mostly be a good move. Oh yeah and it really shows up the whiny adolescents playing this mod (the amount of people you have to tell to stop bitching in game and post it in the forum!)...

[Xyxyll 0]

Have you considered not shooting your way out of situations? It works well most of the time.

Middle of the day' date=' in the center of the air field, surrounded. What was I suppose to do, crawl in hopes that non of them saw me in bright light day?

[/quote']

Yes.

That's what I do. So far it worked well.

Not sure I would have made it across the street alive in the daytime (4h11m in): http://www.twitch.tv/xyxyll/b/318116336

My scariest moment so far!

[Bullet2hart 0]

Problems with your argument...

1) You already explained one of my complaints. Its easy for those of you who are WELL EQUIPPED to enjoy the game. There are THOUSANDS of new people playing. Steam currently lists ArmA II as the 3rd top selling title currently.

2) Its ridiculous to focus this on communities and clans. Sure a clan of 8 people are going to do great' date=' but it is unfair to force people to play when the game has been bragged about and advertised as a sandbox environment where you can work alone or together. Now you cant work alone, and it sucks. After I restarted my server earlier yesterday, my community members went to get lunch (pre 1.5.7). I went on to be a bandit, roaming alone and killing players to survive.

Now, my server hardly has any people to kill because people are coming and going frequently because they are getting killed. And when I do kill people, NON of them have supplies because they cant make it into town to get any. And seeing as its crazy to go alone, no one will. So basically this ruined the mechanic of being a bandit, unless you become bandits with other people, which, is stupid... a bandit should be able to work alone and be an outlaw. But since he cant make it into town, and now everyone is working in large groups, he is screwed. Because the minute anyone sees a bandit, they kill him. Everyone kills bandits... So now the bandit mechanic is lost.

3) Realism should NEVER EVER EVER trump fun.

[/quote']

r1, I've been well equipped and I've been poorly equipped - both in 1.5.7. I can tell you now that there is no difference on how well equipped you are - Actually being better equipped is harder because you have a close understanding that if you die you lose ALOT of hours work, This mod at it's current stage is a trial and error type of game (Whats one of those?) It's a blast from the past where you couldn't actually save every corner you turn! yeah it actually made you re-do alot of things over and over again until you refined it!

r2,It's not rediculous to imply this game as Clan / Group only, this is a millitary simulation game where the focus of it since Operation Flashpoint Cold War Crisis (Yes i said it) was to play in groups and sometimes (In Acceptable/Exceptional circumstances) you could "Lone-Wolf" it on certain parts, but ultimately you had to have allies.

r3, For a game based off Lore content - "Fantasy Realism" should always be taken into account which i hope you agree on - Small tweeks at this early of a stage is extremely risky and pricey to what comes next.

[in_Bloom 0]

One problem I think is how the zombies react, me and a friend were crouching at a long distance away from a small town with out sniper rifles, I take the shot on one of the zombies and pretty much the entire town came sprinting at us...

Now I don't know if they heard us or if they noticed their zombie mate drop dead on the floor and started coming at us but if it was the second reason consider changing the zombies aggro behaviour

[SixPackAbs 13]

The sniper is one of the loudest weapon of the game, zombies run to it from far away.

[Bullet2hart 0]

One problem I think is how the zombies react' date=' me and a friend were crouching at a long distance away from a small town with out sniper rifles, I take the shot on one of the zombies and pretty much the entire town came sprinting at us...

Now I don't know if they heard us or if they noticed their zombie mate drop dead on the floor and started coming at us but if it was the second reason consider changing the zombies aggro behaviour

[/quote']

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunshot

Urban areas typically exhibit diurnal noise patterns where background noise is higher during the daytime and lower at night, where the noise floor directly correlated to urban activity (e.g., automobile traffic, airplane traffic, construction, and so on). During the day, when the noise floor is higher, a typical handgun muzzle blast may propagate as much as a mile. During the night, when the noise floor is lower, a typical handgun muzzle blast may propagate as much as 2 miles.

And since there are no Urban noises from noise pollution in Day Z (traffic/construction) it sounds about right that the 1st reason was that do'er.

[Trinity (DayZ) 0]

It is quite an interesting experiment, more just seeing if getting killed by bandits and zombies levels itself out. You now have to make sure you don't start a horde when you fire off a round at a bandit, or else.

[SensenmanN (DayZ) 5]

I know I'm late to the party, but I just wanted to throw in my 2 cents.

The new zombie roaming mechanic is the shit. It makes them so much more dangerous.

The new increased zombie count is pretty awesome. Before you had to take zombies serious, but they weren't really a threat unless you were low HP. Now, you have to be very careful and make sure you only agro a few zombies at a time. Running into the middle of town and shooting your gun won't end well for you. You have to actually spend time and effort to clear even the smallest town. This brings me to my complaint.

"Zombie respawn rates are to damn high!" I love the danger and having to be careful and tactful when clearing towns. I just hate that zombies respawn before I can even loot. I see a small town as a prize I fight a horde of zombies for. I spend a decent amount of time tactfully clearing a town, sweeping from one end to the other. The problem is that before I can loot much of anything, zombies respawn. Whats worse is they seem to respawn all at once, as in 1 large roaming pack of 10 respawns at the same time, rather than one to two every minute or so. This creates a shitty situation where you are suddenly being swarmed by 10 zombies that popped up right near you with no warning.

Basically, I like the increased volume of zombies and the fact that they roam / patrol around towns. It makes the game much more challenging. What I don't like is that after I waste 2-3 clips of ammo clearing the area, I don't have any time to loot.

I'm not bitching, though I do think it needs tweaking. I don't want the devs to think I'm angry, I just wanted to voice my opinion. If we want to force people to get in, kill, loot fast, and gtfo, then we should lower the total zombie numbers so it doesn't take 2-3 clips and 10 minutes to clear a town. Or you could slow down the respawn rate, and keep the slow methodical / tactical way of clearing a town, and just let people actually have time to reap the reward of their hard work.

Also, as it stands now, it's incredibly hard to lone wolf. You take big risks, and usually a good bit of damage trying to clear a town by yourself, with enough speed to actually be able to loot. If the devs want to force people into playing together, that's their prerogative, but if they want to leave lone-wolfing in the game, some tweaks are needed IMO.

[Digital Dave 0]

So do we have to manually update this? or is it worked into the servers?