Changes to the reloading system

[OnionOfShame 138]

Hello survivors, I'd like to make some suggestions for changes to the reloading system in DayZ. I'm sure sone of this has been suggested elsewhere, but I have yet to see a thread dedicated to it.

1. Internal Magazines

Currently in DayZ, if you use a weapon with an internal magazine such as the SKS or MP-133, if you fire off part of the magazine it cannot be reloaded properly. For example if you take two shots with your MP-133 at zombies, there will be four rounds left before reloading is necessary. However you cannot simply place two more shells in, you have to empty the remaining shells and reload. I'm not sure why this is, as I have used several pump-action shotguns in my life and I have never found one that required reloading in this way. Probably just not implemented yet, but in my opinion this is essential.

2. Reloading Time

The time for various reloads should be adjusted where the number of rounds reloaded counts (i.e. MP-133, Repeater). The amount of shells reloaded in the animation should be representative of the actual amount of bullets reloaded. Chambered rounds (like putting a single round in that AK you have no mag for) shold be affected as well. This delay should also apply to the refilling of magazines...in real life the bullets wouldn't magically stack up perfectly in the mag when I decide I want them to.

3. Reload Hotkey

All weapons should be able to use the reload hotkey even without a magazine. This would only be balanced if the reload times are implemented as mentioned above. Weapons for which a magazine would not work at all (Longhorn, MP-133, Repeater, etc.) would simply reload normally. In magazine-fed weapons (AKs, M4, CR527, M1911, etc.), a single round will be chambered. Weapons that can use speedloaders or clips (Magnum, IZH-43, Mosin, SKS, Blaze 95, etc.) can reload via the button without the clip, but will take significantly longer to do so.

[ToySmokes 116]

1. Internal Magazines

Will be worked on.

2. Reloading Time

True, but thinks it is mentioned that it will be worked on too.

3. Reload Hotkey

No this should deffenatly not get implomented, and it probably won't either since the devs have stated this. They want you feel the struggle to find those god damn bullets in the bottom of your pocket in the middle of a fight between you and a raging zed. In reality you can simply press a button and automatically reload. You will have to remember wher you put the bullets and then find them.

[roguetrooper 201]

2. Reloading Time

The time for various reloads should be adjusted where the number of rounds reloaded counts (i.e. MP-133, Repeater). The amount of shells reloaded in the animation should be representative of the actual amount of bullets reloaded. Chambered rounds (like putting a single round in that AK you have no mag for) shold be affected as well. This delay should also apply to the refilling of magazines...in real life the bullets wouldn't magically stack up perfectly in the mag when I decide I want them to.

 

 

Indeed, the number of rounds should count in EVERY weapon. Even magazines, that can be put into the weapon within two seconds, have to be filled first. Filling a 30-round-magazine should definetely take longer than the one-second-drag-and-drop-method. Even the 8 rounds of a .45 ACP. You can hardly press them into the magazine while running/walking and the same time holding the gun (or anything else) in your hands.

[OnionOfShame 138]

No this should deffenatly not get implomented, and it probably won't either since the devs have stated this. They want you feel the struggle to find those god damn bullets in the bottom of your pocket in the middle of a fight between you and a raging zed. In reality you can simply press a button and automatically reload. You will have to remember wher you put the bullets and then find them.

Then shouldn't the entire concept of the reload button be removed? Realistically if you need to remember where you put your bullets then you would need to remember where you put your magazines as well.

Or as an alternative, hotkey reloading could work as I described above but can only be done with ammunition/magazines in your vest, as the vest would be designed for quick and easy access.

[ToySmokes 116]

Then shouldn't the entire concept of the reload button be removed?

Yes it should. That is what I've always wanted and I can only hope for the devs to want that too (which I think they do).

I think that's the idea for the future, to have no reload button at all. We will probably see some changes when the new inventory system (U.I) is replaced with the new one.

[Evil Minion 943]

I do not think there should be a dedicated reload button. Simply because reloading should not be considered a "special action" that requires a key on its own. However, reloading could work via the quick access bar: Use one of the slots for bullets or a magazine. Pressing the button while holding the right gun would trigger a reload action. Note that you should only access this specific item: if the pile of bullets is depleted you need to add a new one to the bar, magazines might get replaced by the one you took out of your gun at most, a stripper clip would be emptied and still occupy the slot.

No magic access to all of your magazines. No "special" reloading. More control over the type of magazine you want. And a nice reward for thoughtful inventory management without forcing people to open their inventory and using drag&drop all the time.

Edited May 6, 2015 by Evil Minion

[bauertschi 254]

...

No this should deffenatly not get implomented, and it probably won't either since the devs have stated this. They want you feel the struggle to find those god damn bullets in the bottom of your pocket in the middle of a fight between you and a raging zed. In reality you can simply press a button and automatically reload. You will have to remember wher you put the bullets and then find them.

 

I think it should get implemented and probably won't :). If they don't implement it, it will never be a struggle to get ammo out of the bottom of your bag, it's not like you have to empty it. It is more of a struggle with the inventory system. What I also hate coming into play here is that I cannot order my gear, like put the backpack up above shirt, pants, ... . I do not consider it good gameplay to go into the inventory system and start scrolling with the mouse simply because the ammo is at the bottom. That gets especially ... let's call it strange ... when you have stuff like boots that all of a sudden act as a container ... of a boonie hat with a fishing hook ... or ... you get the picture. The stuff is always somewhere else. Of course I can store ammo at the top and I do so, but even then the shirt is sometimes further up, sometimes further down. That does not simulate a struggle with your pockets or whatever, it simulates you not being able to remember where your nipples are and when you look for your chest pocket you start searching at the belly button... . I might sound quite hateful here, but I really dislike these little minigames. And can anyone tell me exactly why I can put a splint, a rag, or anything really on the hotkeys but not ammo?

 

I do not think there should be a dedicated reload button. Simply because reloading should not be considered a "special action" that requires a key on its own. However, reloading could work via the quick access bar: Use one of the slots for bullets or a magazine. Pressing the button while holding the right gun would trigger a reload action. Note that you should only access this specific item: if the pile of bullets is depleted you need to add a new one to the bar, magazines might get replaced by the one you took out of your gun at most, a stripper clip would be emptied and still occupy the slot.

No magic access to all of your magazines. No "special" reloading. More control over the type of magazine you want. And a nice reward for thoughtful inventory management without forcing people to open their inventory and using drag&drop all the time.

 

A while ago there was the same discussion already on this forum, I was proposing a reload key with extremely slow reloading of single bullets. But I like your idea, too. Either way, reloading time with single bullets should take really long. Currently ppl leave sks stripper clips behind because of the space they take up ... they should be really quite worth picking up - if you play with an SKS that is.

 

Ppl want realism, fine ...

Irl you can reach into your pants pockets without obscuring your vision and loosing sight of your opponent. You can get the ammo out of there without averting your eyes (ingame going into the inventory). That will not work so great with the backpack...sooo why try to simulate that ingame?

 

New idea, not really thought through, but just spewed out there:

 - Allow hotkey useage only for items stored in accessable spaces, like hoodies, pants, etc. Force ppl to go into the inventory to acces stuff from the backpack.

 - Allow reloading of loose ammo (and or mags) directly or through reload button or hotkeys where they are stored

 

Also, when reloading single bullets, you should be able to cancel the action if neccessary, like dropping the remaining bullets on the floor. Or maybe it could work with your hand going to the pants, getting the bullet in, going back to your pants ... . If the reloading is cancelled that way to allow for immediate action, the bullets that were loaded should be in the gun or mag... .

 

Of course that could be taken to really far levels, like reloading while lying down going faster than when running, a 50% chance of dropping a bullet if reloading while running, ... whatever is wanted and depending on how far you want to take it.

 

You see, I really hate getting ripped out of the game by playing the inventory game inside the game :)

Edited May 6, 2015 by bautschi

[ToySmokes 116]

I think it should get implemented and probably won't :). If they don't implement it, it will never be a struggle to get ammo out of the bottom of your bag, it's not like you have to empty it. It is more of a struggle with the inventory system. What I also hate coming into play here is that I cannot order my gear, like put the backpack up above shirt, pants, ... . I do not consider it good gameplay to go into the inventory system and start scrolling with the mouse simply because the ammo is at the bottom. That gets especially ... let's call it strange ... when you have stuff like boots that all of a sudden act as a container ... of a boonie hat with a fishing hook ... or ... you get the picture. The stuff is always somewhere else. Of course I can store ammo at the top and I do so, but even then the shirt is sometimes further up, sometimes further down. That does not simulate a struggle with your pockets or whatever, it simulates you not being able to remember where your nipples are and when you look for your chest pocket you start searching at the belly button... . I might sound quite hateful here, but I really dislike these little minigames. And can anyone tell me exactly why I can put a splint, a rag, or anything really on the hotkeys but not ammo?

 

You do know though that they are working on a new inventory system...? I agree with you that the current system is not great, but we are soonish getting a new one

[bauertschi 254]

You do know though that they are working on a new inventory system...? I agree with you that the current system is not great, but we are soonish getting a new one

 

Yeah, but then still I would preffer a system that does not require you going into the szene-breaking, out of the game ripping inventory. When putting ammo on a hotkey, only allow the easily accessable pockets, even stuff like "the ammo is damaged" with options to take the next stack (if there is one in an easily accessable place) or sort out ammo (which could take some time and drop like 1 good bullet in your hand every second or so until you have enough) would be prefferable imo...thinking about the ever prominent mouse wheel there ;). Or maybe damaged ammo will take the same time as undamaged and simply be dropped instead of put in the gun... . Anything that does not require ripping you out if the game and leaves you responsive is better imo. You could even start sprinting away while doing something like sorting ammo and it stops until you stop running or whatever. The system of possible penalties could be extensive, all without getting ripped out of the immersion.

 

Yes, it could also make a lot of work to do stuff like that, but they are doing things like new char movement right now, stuff like that could get included there. Without knowing all the details, I think it would fall into stuff like allowing to interrupt eating or other animations when starting to run...probably somewhere in there ;)

Edited May 7, 2015 by bautschi

[Evil Minion 943]

I think the "inventory tetris" is a good thing as it adds depth and rewards people for using their brains and organizing their inventory. However, it should work as a preemptive element instead of forcing you into inventory management every time you want to do something. With the right tools and preparations you should not need to play drag&drop in the inventory screen all the time.

 

That's why my older suggestions were about having a reload key but with limited access to your inventory (e.g. only jacket/vest/pants). Though using the hotbar instead strikes me as a more elegant solution and removes the need for a reload button or constant clunky inventory management.

Edited May 7, 2015 by Evil Minion