A possible solution for communicating physiological needs

[Roshi (DayZ) 397]

This is my idea to get rid of the current text -based system for communicating your physiological needs without introducing immersion - breaking mechanics:

Your character in the inventory screen performs a series of animated actions to display their current state.

For example:

- When a little cold they might blow on their hands. As they become colder, they might hug themselves and shiver (and so on through different stages of hypothermia). Their skin colouration might also change as appropriate.

- when too hot they might tug at their collar, fan themselves, turn red, sweat, etc

- when sick they may clutch their stomach or dry wretch

- when hungry or thirsty they may mime eating or drinking

- if in pain they may clutch the injured part.

Open to further examples and criticisms of course (as long as constructive). I appreciate it's not a prefect system (but neither is democracy and the alternatives to that at just plain suck).

Edited October 27, 2014 by Roshi

[sachad 1016]

I like the idea... instead of the game telling you this stuff, it's now your body you have to listen to. In a figure of speech.

[JiJi (DayZ) 223]

We still need live information, not just from charac animation in inventory window.

Edited October 27, 2014 by JiJi

[sachad 1016]

Oh, I thought the idea was to have your actual character do these things... I should read better.

 

Anyways, let's do that.

[Roshi (DayZ) 397]

Oh, I thought the idea was to have your actual character do these things... I should read better.

 

Anyways, let's do that.

Yeah I thought about that but the problem is if you play on a 1st person only server (which I quite enjoy) then the system falls down. A possible alternative is to do both.

[BeefBacon 1185]

I still think I'd prefer icons over text. A water bottle or a water drop should appear in the corner if you're thirsty. It should stay for a few seconds and then fade. If ever your condition changes the corresponding icon should appear to inform you of the change rather than getting "I'm hungry" "I want to eat something" every 30 seconds.

 

The mod did something similar, I think, but those icons were persistent.

[Roshi (DayZ) 397]

We still need live information, not just from charac animation in inventory window.

Yeah - but as I said not a perfect suggestion - just aiming for an improvement on the current system. Open to other bright ideas on alternatives if you have one...

[sachad 1016]

Yeah I thought about that but the problem is if you play on a 1st person only server (which I quite enjoy) then the system falls down. A possible alternative is to do both.

 

All of thouse things could work in 1st person. 

[Roshi (DayZ) 397]

All of thouse things could work in 1st person. 

Could you flesh that out a bit?

[snwh 24]

I still think I'd prefer icons over text. A water bottle or a water drop should appear in the corner if you're thirsty. It should stay for a few seconds and then fade. If ever your condition changes the corresponding icon should appear to inform you of the change rather than getting "I'm hungry" "I want to eat something" every 30 seconds.

 

The mod did something similar, I think, but those icons were persistent.

 

Most people seem to want to reduce UI though it seems, which is probably why they don't have those icons in there. I suspect the status reports every thirty seconds are just placeholders until they come up with something that works well.

 

 

 

I kind of like this idea, but if they did those animations in game, it would have to be when your char is standing still, which means you wouldn't be told you're hungry or thirsty right when you're hungry or thirsty. You have the same problem in the inventory screen.

 

The having to check your shoes every thirty seconds thing going on in experimental actually taught me something. Having to open your inventory every thirty seconds to check your status is very immersion breaking. It probably wouldn't be very different with this system.

 

Perhaps if an audio went with it? But that could be just as annoying as the current 'I'm cold' messages, if your character goes "Buuur!" every minute, yah know?

 

I really don't know whats a good idea to fix it to be honest, I'll give it a bit of thought.

[Mor (DayZ) 57]

Your character in the inventory screen performs a series of animated actions to display their current state.

What if your character is both hot, dehydrated and hungry, which animation will show?

I think it would be cleaner and more informative if we use icons. I suggest that we replace the text notification with icons notification, that would show on persistent but hidden overlay (either expanding the current inventory section or a new one) Those icons will also show on screen for a brief period of time when major status change.

[sachad 1016]

Could you flesh that out a bit?

 

Certainly. Coughing from a cold is self-explanatory, you'll hear your guy cough and maybe raise his hand to cover his mouth. Rubbing hands/sides, clutching your stomach or gripping wounds are all animations that could be used for 1st person.

 

All except hunger/thirst could be put into animations for the character.

[Roshi (DayZ) 397]

Certainly this approach wouldn't need to be at the exclusion of others. For example, if you break your arm - your character could vocalise (as long as it's not the old Czech voice acted "f*ck it hurts" message from the mod!) and your character could then grasp their arm (either in game, in inventory screen or both).

 

I kinda thought this system might work as a good overview of your state - you go into the inventory to do something else and your character shows you whats going on. Hopefully, as things progress in development and the environmental effects are balanced, things won't change too rapidly requiring you to check every 30 seconds (unless you got immersed in water for example and started bleeding heat).

 

As an addendum, when you fire up the game, these animations could play in the main menu screen along with the other random things that your character does. This would remind you of some of your current priorities as you get ready for your game session - "Oh yeah, I need to get some kai (food)".

 

I think ultimately a combination of animations, audio and visual cues might be the best way forward.

[Roshi (DayZ) 397]

What if your character is both hot, dehydrated and hungry, which animation will show?

 

A sequence would show.

[Roshi (DayZ) 397]

Certainly. Coughing from a cold is self-explanatory, you'll hear your guy cough and maybe raise his hand to cover his mouth. Rubbing hands/sides, clutching your stomach or gripping wounds are all animations that could be used for 1st person.

 

All except hunger/thirst could be put into animations for the character.

Yeah - I just think that it would be less effective/clear as in 1st person it is difficult to see the whole animation (as you only view part of your body at any one time) - unless there was some kind of automatic dragging of your visual field to the site of the animation (e.g. rubbing your belly) you might miss it. 

 

Could be wrong - would like to see it in action.

[sachad 1016]

Yeah - I just think that it would be less effective/clear as in 1st person it is difficult to see the whole animation (as you only view part of your body at any one time) - unless there was some kind of automatic dragging of your visual field to the site of the animation (e.g. rubbing your belly) you might miss it. 

 

Could be wrong - would like to see it in action.

 

Well, imagine doing all these things yourself... you'd actually see yourself performing the animations, wouldn't you?

[Rags! 1966]

Opening up your inventory is far more immersion breaking than having a little text at the bottom of the screen that says "Bitch, I need a corndog."

[Roshi (DayZ) 397]

Sure but you have a wider field of view, stereoscopic vision, and interoception (i.e. you feel the movement as well as your the internal physiological state). I just wonder that it might look strange in game. As I said I'd like to see how it looked.

[rybec 339]

I still think I'd prefer icons over text. A water bottle or a water drop should appear in the corner if you're thirsty. It should stay for a few seconds and then fade. If ever your condition changes the corresponding icon should appear to inform you of the change rather than getting "I'm hungry" "I want to eat something" every 30 seconds.

 

The mod did something similar, I think, but those icons were persistent.

You are warming up

You are cooling down

You are warming up

You are cooling down

You are warming up

You are cooling down

You are warming up

You are cooling down

You are warming up

You are cooling down

You are warming up

You are cooling down

 

It would be nice to have a small icon with a fire or so when you're hot and a snowflake when you're cold.

[pilgrim* 3514]

Your character in the inventory screen performs a series of animated actions to display their current state.

For example:

- When a little cold they might blow on their hands. As they become colder, they might hug themselves and shiver (and so on through different stages of hypothermia). Their skin colouration might also change as appropriate.

- when too hot they might tug at their collar, fan themselves, turn red, sweat, etc

- when sick they may clutch their stomach or dry wretch

- when hungry or thirsty they may mime eating or drinking

- if in pain they may clutch the injured part.

 

That message should be posted on the door of all the churches and all the police stations in cherno:

 

At the top it should say in big letters 

 

                    - WARNING -

 

- they might hug themselves and shiver

- their skin colouration might also change

- when too hot they might tug at their collar, fan themselves, turn red, sweat

- they may clutch their stomach or dry wretch

- when hungry or thirsty they may mime eating or drinking

- if in pain they may clutch the injured part.

 

        and at the bottom it should say

 

If YOU See Anyone Do Any of These Things

                  - SHOOT THEM -

Edited October 28, 2014 by pilgrim

[Mor (DayZ) 57]

I think ultimately a combination of animations, audio and visual cues might be the best way forward.

Yes and no. A combination of animations, audio and visual cues would be a great way to provide extra feedback in an immersive way. However, it can not be considered a viable replacements to the current text based system in terms of functionality.

Such cues are best used to indicate status effects, which are shown in the inventory (e.g. dehydrated), while the message provide info on changes to you (e.g. I am warming up) I am not sure which cue works for that.. (You don't need to wipe your brow to know that the surrounding feels warmer)

To replace the text messages, such animation can't be limited to the inventory, but show in realtime. This will require a HUGE amount of work, since all cues need to be viable for both 1st/3rd POV. (and I doubt that you can come up with a distinct/informative system)

All the above cues take time to play. Even if you spam them at considerably decreased rate compared to messages (making them less informative), those animation will soon become very repetitive and annoying. Furthermore they can't be played when you do something else, like aiming and probably running in 3rd person.(so no real-time feedback)

 

What if your character is both hot, dehydrated and hungry, which animation will show?

A sequence would show.

To keep accurate you'd need to spam me with a sequence of animations. I strongly prefer the current status indicators, then silly animation loops in the inventory of me wiping my brow, my noose or rubbing my tummy. Same goes for 1st/3rd POV, a sequence will be like this weapon jittering animation bug. Edited October 28, 2014 by Mor

[vnratc 1]

good idea)!

[UltimateGentleman 355]

1- When a little cold they might blow on their hands. As they become colder, they might hug themselves and shiver (and so on through different stages of hypothermia). Their skin colouration might also change as appropriate.

2- when too hot they might tug at their collar, fan themselves, turn red, sweat, etc

3- when sick they may clutch their stomach or dry wretch

4- when hungry or thirsty they may mime eating or drinking

5- if in pain they may clutch the injured part.

1 Coldness could just be conveyed through the shaking of hands in first or third person.

2 How would you see they were sweating? I think that should just be conveyed with heavy breathing and a lack of stamina, perhaps even damp clothes.

3 Could just have their stomachs making odd noises.

4 Stomach growling.

5 Pain enough to warrant that should just limit movement if your character is limping, sore leg of course.

 

I think it'd be better for these things to be as your playing not in the inventory screen were the text based system to be scrapped.

 

The only issues really for status messages would be how are healthy, hydrated and energized shown? I guess for healthy your skin could be colourful, otherwise dull.

Hydrated...maybe when you drink enough liquid to get hydrated your character could let out a satisfied "ahh..."

Perhaps the same for energized.

[Nesuma (DayZ) 108]

I actually don't think that they should make neither icons nor chat-notifications (which is obvious). I want to make it more like a real feeling, and how do people express their feelings since ever? Right. Colors.
I think it would be possible, useful and also feeling "realistic" to show your status over different colors at the edge of your screen. They would only appear if something is bad, I mean you don't feel that you're not hungry or that your body has the perfect temperature. You only feel "anomalies".
Maybe the colors could be set personally, I took them like this because if I would have to describe feelings with colors I'd say them like that. (Also obviously influenced by what they show)
I arranged wetness, the temperatures, pain and bleeding left and right because they're mostly happening at your skin while hunger, thirst and sickness happen inside of your body.