a Glimmer of hope after 2 month break

[xalienax 621]

Those of you who have been here for any amount of time probably will recognize me as being one of the more outspoken bitter cynics when it comes to dayZ Standalone, often posting wall-o-Text topics about all thats wrong and horrible in the world of game development. Well today for the first time in a few months i let the wife persuade me to get back on the SA for a bit and i have to say, I found a few things pleasently surprising.

 

1. FPS generally more steady.

Despite having a "high end" machine, when i left i would get Freeze-Frame stutters as zombies spawn in in large cities. Altho FPS is still massivley lower in large city then wilderness, it does feel over-All less choppy and jittery. I can deal will consistently low FPS in an area, but the old "stuttering" and massive changes up and down were very aggervating, especially if trying to use a mele weapon against a zombie. This now seems a non-issue (on my machine anyways)

 

2. Zombie pathing considerably better

they may not be fixed completely yet, but i was happy to see them using the door just like me rather then running full-tilt thru solid concrete. they have a long way to go before i can say im 'Happy' with them, but this is a massive improvement for gameplay quality already.

 

3. Weapon handling does feel more consistent.

This may be in part due to the better performance, cant really say for 100% sure, but it does feel as tho my rifle is going where im trying to point it more now. (it's quite possible that some of my issues previously were due to FPS drops not having my screen in "synch" with where my gun was actually aimed at time of firing.) further testing will be needed to confirm.

 

4. Effects toned down a bit?

again theres a huge array of factors that play inot a user's visual expereince (in-game settings, PC hardware, Monitor and its settings, etc) but i do feel as tho the excessive "bloom" in daytime has been tonned down just a hair, which is much less anoying on the eyes.

 

 

TL;DR

I remain skeptical of many gampleay decisions being made, but am delighted to see a few core issues have had significant improvement in a few short months.

[Death By Crowbar 1213]

They're still working on a lot of things, you should check the dev blogs. Personally I like chopping down random trees across roads and am still searching for some hand grenades so I can toss them at someone.

[gibonez 3633]

Yup we are finally getting tiny adjustments to the actual gameplay and the game feels alot better.

 

Id like to add the new slower movement speed that is a result of them changing the controls.

 

I love how you can no longer strafe side by side like a maniac when your weapon is raised.

 

There is still a long way to go before it feels completely fluid and realistic but the last thing they did helped.

[xalienax 621]

Yup we are finally getting tiny adjustments to the actual gameplay and the game feels alot better.

 

Id like to add the new slower movement speed that is a result of them changing the controls.

 

I love how you can no longer strafe side by side like a maniac when your weapon is raised.

 

There is still a long way to go before it feels completely fluid and realistic but the last thing they did helped.

Yeah. even tho im still highly critical of some choices they have made/continue to make, its nice to see at least a few of the major game-breakers have gotten much needed atention.

Edited July 15, 2014 by Sovetsky

[TheWizard14 372]

I actually didn't know we could chop down bushes and trees until this one day I was stalking some server hoping sniper dude with a LRS mosin. I saw him log out in a bush, so I snuck over there. Once I realized he was in the animation log out I started chopping his body but kept hitting the bush. Then the bush broke down and I was happy that I could hit him.

[BadAsh (DayZ) 1513]

I actually didn't know we could chop down bushes and trees until this one day I was stalking some server hoping sniper dude with a LRS mosin. I saw him log out in a bush, so I snuck over there. Once I realized he was in the animation log out I started chopping his body but kept hitting the bush. Then the bush broke down and I was happy that I could hit him.

 

You can chop down bushes if you use the "Chop kindling" option. Like with trees, just pressing left mouse on it while holding an axe does nothing.

[igor-vk 909]

Its still a long way before we can this a GAME. To us who play it every day, it goes soooo sloooow. Even more if you play dayz mod. But this game offers so much, and it will offer even more in future. Every update is one step away from deathmatch, that is now, towards surviving and exploring. Stamina system, tents, more zombies and zombies with AI will slow down game so much that all Call of Crap kiddies will get bored and stop playing. You wont be able to go from Berezino to NWAF to Elektro and back three times in one evening. 

[DeatHTaX 1217]

I came back to find that they basically have slightly upgraded zombies, added some guns and stuff, and oh, ghosters can kill you more easily than ever now that some genius decided to remove the log in sounds. Wonderful

 

 

edit: Oh I almost forgot the now-frequent crashing and the ridiculous load-in time I now have as opposed to a few months ago. silly me :P

Edited July 15, 2014 by DeatHTaX

[Lithium1056 45]

I think the biggest issue is people thinking they are paying 30$ for a full game, they just mash that I understand button and never read it. I'm not implying the OP is that way just generalizing the amount of griping I see. And yes after almost a year (average development cycle is around 2 years btw) I can go through videos and forum posts and see that improvements have been made. But I just feel like people expect this to be like Minecraft. Minecraft alpha was almost as good as final because it was simple this game irritates the piss out of me constantly. But I payed 30$ simply to be able to say "back in my day" when people who finally buy it in final gripe about some idiotic thing. Especially when they pay 60$+ for it. I understand how pissy things get these days but just think about how awesome it will be when it's done

[xalienax 621]

I think the biggest issue is people thinking they are paying 30$ for a full game, they just mash that I understand button and never read it. I'm not implying the OP is that way just generalizing the amount of griping I see. And yes after almost a year (average development cycle is around 2 years btw) I can go through videos and forum posts and see that improvements have been made. But I just feel like people expect this to be like Minecraft. Minecraft alpha was almost as good as final because it was simple this game irritates the piss out of me constantly. But I payed 30$ simply to be able to say "back in my day" when people who finally buy it in final gripe about some idiotic thing. Especially when they pay 60$+ for it. I understand how pissy things get these days but just think about how awesome it will be when it's done

Firstly, I've been in closed alpha's before. you know- back when you had to sign up for them and the point was to get a wide cross section of testers with different background and systems for bug and performance testing. After this and serveral other bad expereinces I will NEVER buy early-access again as I now hold an opinion that its a horrible concept. I would go so far as to say alpha testers are efectively voluenteers at best, and selling an unfinished product should be downright unlawful.

 

with that little tangent out of the way, most of the gripes that come up time and time again are largely design decisions Not simply features missing due to this game being in an alpha state. While we did all agree to the little pop up the people who come on every complaint thread and imediately accuse you of "whining" or just scream ALPHA!!!11!1 are downright idiotic. The purpose of an alpha SHOULD be for testing and development, and to recieve feedback from your testers. That includes negative feedback about perfofmance, bugs, and even gameplay elements that the tester sees as undesireable. Ultimately with any game like this the audience consists of many people with many different viewpoints, and it is important to take them all into account to produce a quality- while at the same time maintain enough vision to avoid becoming one of those crappy watered down titles that tried and failed to please everyone and anyone.

 

I tend to be a very cynical person, and have well-established views on what makes the core gameplay of dayZ from my time in the MOD. altho the SA may improve in little ways here and there, most of us (and certainly me personally) are not willing to see a MAJOR shift in gamplay styels from how it was in the mod. but even with my nature, i felt the need to atleast acknowledge that there has been improvements made. SA is a long way from anything that will be able to keep me logging on night after night for 5+hours sessions like the mod does tho.

[Lithium1056 45]

I wasn't trying to imply that every complaint should be answered with "alpha". Just that I've seen multiple items not just here that casual gamers do complain about while expressing so in a manner that this should be this way or that with out ever bothering to see if a fix is underway or bother actually contributing to the community.

Selling an unfinished product? Eh? I think the multiple warnings negate legality it's not like they held a gun to anyone's head. A legitimate complaint is legitimate, and hopefully helps the community. I apologize if I offended you in anyway as it wasn't my intent

[xalienax 621]

I wasn't trying to imply that every complaint should be answered with "alpha". Just that I've seen multiple items not just here that casual gamers do complain about while expressing so in a manner that this should be this way or that with out ever bothering to see if a fix is underway or bother actually contributing to the community.

Selling an unfinished product? Eh? I think the multiple warnings negate legality it's not like they held a gun to anyone's head. A legitimate complaint is legitimate, and hopefully helps the community. I apologize if I offended you in anyway as it wasn't my intent

No offense taken mate. My issue, with "early access" and "alpha" sales as that there is no hard and fast legal precedents for consumer recourse. Even within steam's own Early access program, as far as im aware there is no TOS or rules in place that specificly state how long a project can remain in "early access" state nor any established mandate for reimbursement in the event that the project gets canceled or released "as is" at a later date with still game-breaking issues.

 

in short, my gripe with the early access concept is it gives developers and publishers a free pass to charge for an un-finished project, then release it when ever they wish- in any state they wish (even if its still broken) and you as a consumer are basicly shafted. im not accusing dayZ secificly here, but there entire concept is easily abused by greedy publishers- im sure anyone with half a brain can see that.

[Lithium1056 45]

I agree, it worked with Minecraft because you actually got an honest to god game. Early Access sales presented what we have today including console releases and whatnot.

To be honest like I stated in another topic I'd honestly rather get "when it's done" as a response to "when will item x be done?" Than Q3 that suddenly becomes Q4 TbA etc. do I wish I had bought the mod? No if this sees te development it deserves I'll be happy. I'm actually happy for the most part now. Except for zombie no-clip that irritates the piss out of me.

[OrLoK 16186]

Hello there

 

A 2 month break, even with some important changes is still not a long time dev wise although it might be a long time for a "player".

 

I still dont think you can base what DAYZ *will* be on what we have now IMHO.so dont get too wound up in the macro although its good to discuss, dont assume anything thats in place now is "done".

 

Rgds

 

LoK

[gibonez 3633]

 

oh, ghosters can kill you more easily than ever now that some genius decided to remove the log in sounds. Wonderful

 

Yea that was a dumb change.

[randomspawn 215]

Yea that was a dumb change.

Agreed. I guess they considered it a bug, but for many, it was a feature, and a nice one at that. I understand that some think you it can destroy immersion, but someone magically appearing or disappearing also does the same thing. At least the sound let you know that magic was happening somewhere close.

[King Raptor 191]

I also came back from a two or three month break and the game has improved considerably. 

[ZomboWTF 527]

the sound when people logged in was actually a bug, but the ONE bug that actually made sense gameplay-wise was removed... xD

 

this is what keeps me from just camping in a house with a good view all day, which is what i really liked to do in the mod

additionally, people seem to be way harder to knock out with any rifle, which makes this completely pointless for me anyway...

 

i don't have particularly much fun playing dayz right now, the mod is way better atm,

but i like to play it because of the clothing system and the option to dress yourself like a big idiot or badass just as you desire^^