Hydration/Hunger Modifyers (Carbs, Proteins, Energy Distribution)

[Tac0qvy 6]

I propose that foods and drinks be given temporary modifiers upon their consumption. Drinking a soda will hydrate you, for a time; but due to the intake of diuretics, you will experience an accelerated drop off in hydration over a period of time. Something similar would go for food. Proteins would take up much more space in your stomach and yield low calorie counts initially, however, they will increase your energy over a period of time as opposed to instantly. This could be a tiered system such as follows.

 

Sugar/simple carbs: instant energy

Complex carbs: energy dispensed over a short period of time

Lean proteins: energy dispensed over an intermediate time frame

Fatty proteins: energy dispensed over a long period of time

 

These tiers can also be used to alter the stomach space of the food. Fatty proteins will fill you up fast, but will not yield instant energy.

In regards to this, you can also utilize stomach space as another modifier. If you eat loads of fatty foods, then take off sprinting, you will likely vomit it all up and end up worse off. This can yield a much larger need for strategy in how players carry and search for food. It isn't simply about finding food, but how and when you use it.

[IkaikaKekai 1957]

Methinks this needs a bump.

 

Haven't said anything yet but very good idea.  They will need to tweak the systems I think but they are in place to be tweaked.  IE as it stands now if you're starving to death and eat a nice juicy steak they need to make it so you won't die before you start regenerating energy.

 

It'd also be nice if they add in a sort of 'body fat' system as well, say you're doing good and surviving for a long time, eat regularly and more calories than you burn you start to build up body fat, so that say something happens, your garden goes bad, you're hunting rifle breaks, no ammo, no animals, ect, you'll have a little more leeway before you start starving.

[Tac0qvy 6]

 

 

Haven't said anything yet but very good idea.  They will need to tweak the systems I think but they are in place to be tweaked.  IE as it stands now if you're starving to death and eat a nice juicy steak they need to make it so you won't die before you start regenerating energy.

I believe that it would be very easy to implement. There would just need to be some testing and balancing. It is similar to the way blood works. If you are hydrated and energized then you restore blood. There are several effects that are on the character that aren't displayed on the character screen.

For instance, you could have the effect "<protein/sugar/ect.>: + <whatever amount of hunger> for <whatever amount of time>" or

The increase would outweigh the gradual decline in hunger so that you wouldn't starve, however, if you are on the brink, it won't immediately energize you.

Quick energy like sugars on the other hand would distribute energy much more rapidly but for a shorter amount of time.

 

With this system, you would be reward instantly for finding sugar, but the use of proteins would be more of an-end game item. The players who have build up the ability to hunt for meat will be much more resilient than the scavengers who are forced to eat the "quick fix" canned goods. This also could be implemented into the blood system as it was in the mod. Eating proteins alleviate your hunger longer (the hunger increase will outweigh your gradual decline for a time, thus increasing how long you stay energized) as well as grant you a mild increase to blood production. Giving this advantage to meat will encourage players to hunt as opposed to raiding. The current state of the standalone gives me little incentive to hunt when I can just run into town and grab a bag of rice and some peaches. You are essentially rewarding those who learn to live off the land and that have adapted to the zombie apocalypse.

[Evil Minion 943]

I like it. This might solve some of the issues with food right now like the "bulimia effect" (survivors who found great quantities of food eat it all and vomit in between for more space inside their stomach) and gives different food items different roles within the game while also having more balance options (e.g. food for long term survival won't end up giving a formerly starving survivor the "healthy" state imediately).