Bush tracking

[tickle_me_jesus 37]

So, I was thinking how to give the whole PvP dimension more depth. Suppose it was possible to implement in this game some way of tracking down players through so called combat tracking techniques.

Combat tracking is the art of being able to follow and hunt down a man by following its path and signs left behind.

Of course such techniques could only be used if every player would leave behind some signs where he walked (footprints, broken twigs, flat grass).

Although these mentioned signs would probably be impossible to implement within a game engine, yet maybe there are other things that are possible and would create on one hand a challenge for everyone that like tracking down player(s) living and hiding in the woods and on the other hand everyone playing should be wary of not leaving trackable signs.

[Dreganius (DayZ) 55]

I like this idea, but it would have to be very difficult unless you knew exactly what you were looking for, and still be somewhat easy to be thrown off.

There would also need to be the option of covering your tracks or somesuch mechanic, otherwise it would be a little too easy for bandits to just hunt down fresh meat.

[matt.gilmurray@gmail.com 46]

An interesting idea but it makes it so nowhere is safe from bandits now vehicle tracking I'm all for that idea.

[Nyarhra 0]

Yes indeed a good idea also like the idea of being able to cover your tracks +1

[Redshift 58]

I like the concept. But leaving behind a visible trail that is persistent for every player all the time would increase server demands by a lot.

[tickle_me_jesus 37]

I like the concept. But leaving behind a visible trail that is persistent for every player all the time would increase server demands by a lot.

This was also my first and biggest hesitation about the idea. Luckily there are people on these forums that are far more creative then myself.So maybe the idea of bush tracking is a good one, but how could such thing be implemented in a realistic way within the game engine?

[wolfstriked 143]

Love the idea and a good way to make this work is to add in skillZZ to the mod.Maybe after acertain amount of time you are giving a choice of skill to choose from.

Better ability to control weapon sway

Better endurance

better medical experience

Tracking

[Redshift 58]

Two ideas off the top of my head:

1: Most simple approach. You "use" tracking. If there are players near you it gives you an approximate direction to that player.

I am not a huge fan of this because it would be fairly unrealistic, and hugely exploitable. But it is the simplest and least server intensive approach I could come up with.

2: Again "use" tracking. If someone has walked in your general area (say 20m) within the past 5min then you get a slightly glowy trail that follows their movement. It is brighter the faster they were moving, and more faint (toward invisible) if they are walking. Rain and other weather effects could mess this up also.

I like this one. The trail could be easier or harder to follow based on how you move. So a paranoid player can always move slowly (even in the forest) to ensure they are not being tracked, but someone sprinting full out would be fairly easy to follow. This of course would be wonky with crawling players, because someone who is crawling moves slowly but IRL would make the most obvious trail to follow, so a crouch walk would be the hardest to follow.

Would you make this an ability anyone can use all the time, or tie it to an item like a "tracking kit"?

[matt.gilmurray@gmail.com 46]

Two ideas off the top of my head:

1: Most simple approach. You "use" tracking. If there are players near you it gives you an approximate direction to that player.

I am not a huge fan of this because it would be fairly unrealistic' date=' and hugely exploitable. But it is the simplest and least server intensive approach I could come up with.

2: Again "use" tracking. If someone has walked in your general area (say 20m) within the past 5min then you get a slightly glowy trail that follows their movement. It is brighter the faster they were moving, and more faint (toward invisible) if they are walking. Rain and other weather effects could mess this up also.

I like this one. The trail could be easier or harder to follow based on how you move. So a paranoid player can always move slowly (even in the forest) to ensure they are not being tracked, but someone sprinting full out would be fairly easy to follow. This of course would be wonky with crawling players, because someone who is crawling moves slowly but IRL would make the most obvious trail to follow, so a crouch walk would be the hardest to follow.

Would you make this an ability anyone can use all the time, or tie it to an item like a "tracking kit"?

[/quote']

The "Use Tracking" would probably be less exploitable if you then had to wait like 15 mins.

[Redshift 58]

I said that Option 1 was exploitable not really in regard to spaming its use. But more because you as a player could do nothing to reduce your "footprint" as it were. Plus it could be used as a counter-ambush mechanic. Say someone is tracking you (i.e. behind you, following you where you would never have had any reason or opportunity to see their trail), you use tracking and magically know they are behind you. Option 2 would do away with that possibility.

And as clarification option 2 would not point you straight at the person, it would just show you the path of their movement. So someone doubling back, or making figure 8's could still confuse a tracker by mixing and muddling their trail.

[scoffield77@gmail.com 192]

5 stars... there's been tracking post before

but idc as long as the idea gets out there ;)

[alexander_q 6]

A good start would be:

-Eating canned food leaves an empty tin can behind. You're free to pick it up and take it with you if you wish.

-Weapons leave bullet casings.

-Eating meat leaves scraps.

-Vehicles leave tire tracks.

-Dead animals and fireplaces are slower to despawn.

[BL1P 252]

Good idea..

The game already places tyre tracks and foot prints in the ground when you walk or drive.

Grass is flattened by players and vehicles as well but comes back up quite quickly.

Just depends on your gfx settings if they show or not. If i remember right.

Im sure they could be tweaked to show more and stay longer.

Adding a cover your tracks option would be great aswell.

+1 for this