Trucks - ideas and observations

[nl 986]

I finally had some time driving the trucks and I want to share some ideas about them.

Some suggestions are probably not feasible rendering / engine / server load wise but I will mention them anyway.

 

• Trucks could have unique keys in them. Of course they will sometimes be removed by other players but if they don't keep them in their inventory they should respawn after X time. A screwdriver or lockpick could be used to force the ignition if there is no key. The key should also be able to lock the cabin doors (!), again a screwdriver or lockpick should be able to open them.
• Make it possible to siphon gas from the fuel tank into a jerrycan, you would require a hose.
• Make the heater functional (it obviously has one because there are blow vents at the windows. The heater could be rudimentary, on or off. Possibly causing you to overheat but also able to dry and warm you when wet.
• Make the people carrier bed on the truck removable and swappable to other trucks (persistent item). Also, a people carrier version should have more item capacity since it has a bed, let's say double that of a truck without the people carrier. The extra capacity could be related to the number of people in the back. So some persons may not fit if there is no room in the second inventory, kinda like the way you now have to reserve slots for the battery and glowplug.
• As suggested here:(https://forums.dayzgame.com/index.php?/topic/228892-shipping-containers-as-movable-shelter-loot-storage-camp-walls/) make a winch for the trucks without a people carrier bed so shipping containers can be loaded and unloaded.
• Make the mirrors functional of at least give a way to look behind you in the truck.
• Obviously the fuel gauge in first person should work but I am sure that will be fixed.
• Create a rain effect on the windshield reducing visibility. At the same time make the wipers functional.
• Give a high beam option for the headlamps.
• There are two cradles at the back of the cabin, I assume these are for spare tires, would be nice if you could actually put spare wheels in them.

 

[S3V3N 1402]

 

• Make the mirrors functional of at least give a way to look behind you in the truck.

 

 

That's more of a performance issue than the other suggestions. The mirrors are broken for a reason. What you need to do in order to make mirrors work in games is actually render another view/camera of the game inside the mirror. Thus doubling render time, or at least increasing it by a lot, even though things in the background will probably be less detailed than in front. 

 

I remember that Origins mod had an option to siphon gas with a hose (that broke after some uses). It was very useful there, but I think it should work on car/tank wrecks, too. Unless they are completely burned/destroyed. You could also lock your car in Origins and make duplicates by melting cans. You could share/give them to other people. Thinking about it, Origins did a lot of things right, before Dayz SA even was playable. They had some nice ideas! 

 

Rain effects would be nice too, but first of all I'd like to not get cold anymore when I drive the truck and am inside the cabin. I also hate how it ruins trousers and boots when you hit something, though that may have been fixed by now.

 

Most importantly, I'd like to carry a jerry can on the outside of the truck. I'd like more places to attach stuff too, i.e. to hold a shovel, spare tires and jerry can. More sockets please, devs! You are right about the space for spares behind the cabin, and I think they will for sure add an option to put wheels in there. I don't see any place for a jerry can though.

 

The heater is a great idea. At the moment you only get cold and colder when driving a truck in wet state. It should be the opposite. I don't even think it needs a manual option for this. I'd just assume the heater is always on. Maybe some fan noises would help there. 

 

What annoys me most about the trucks is the different loudness between first and third person view. Even when I drive first person it is still too much noise from effects. I alwas turn them down to a minimum and sometimes forget to bring the volume back up again. Which made me miss footsteps and other sounds in the vicinity. However, Hicks said that's something they are working on changing in 0.59. I'm not sure if they are still going ahead with manual transition, but I don't think it is really necessary. I'm still not sure why they couldn't just license PhysX, like Arma III did, because the vehicle physics in Dayz are still a laugh and will probably always be unrealistic. 

[BCBasher 2465]

The mirrors kind of work in Arma 2, and do work in Arma 3, I think they're waiting on the new  renderer for implementation. I think I read something about reflections but I can't recall where, I doubt this new engine would be a regression on their part.

 

I read the post about loading a shipping container with a winch and like the idea in principle but that's a little easier said than done without one of these.

 

 

It can be done but it takes an earthen, metal, or wood ramp but then getting it off is another can of bullshit without a crane. I've never been allowed to try it but have a feeling the trick with chaining it to an immovable object and driving away would have some serious consequences for the container and truck.

 

Securing it on the a cab and chassis would also be a bit of a big deal, the steel on steel of the container and frame rails would seem secure on flat ground but any acceleration, turning, side hill, etc. would cause it to move, loose the load and possibly flip the truck. 

 

How about a V3S or Ural with one of these decks?

 

 

**edit**

 

@ S3V3N

 

About the sound diference between first and third person, whichever dev was showing off the new .59 vehicles in a video mentioned it was on the list and how annoying it was.  

Edited September 18, 2015 by BCBasher

[nl 986]

The mirrors kind of work in Arma 2, and do work in Arma 3, I think they're waiting on the new  renderer for implementation. I think I read something about reflections but I can't recall where, I doubt this new engine would be a regression on their part.

 

I read the post about loading a shipping container with a winch and like the idea in principle but that's a little easier said than done without one of these.

 

 

It can be done but it takes an earthen, metal, or wood ramp but then getting it off is another can of bullshit without a crane. I've never been allowed to try it but have a feeling the trick with chaining it to an immovable object and driving away would have some serious consequences for the container and truck.

 

Securing it on the a cab and chassis would also be a bit of a big deal, the steel on steel of the container and frame rails would seem secure on flat ground but any acceleration, turning, side hill, etc. would cause it to move, loose the load and possibly flip the truck. 

 

How about a V3S or Ural with one of these decks?

 

 

**edit**

 

@ S3V3N

 

About the sound diference between first and third person, whichever dev was showing off the new .59 vehicles in a video mentioned it was on the list and how annoying it was.  

Well considering it's a game just mimicking reality and not getting every detail right I personally would not mind if we all agree a winch would be enough to get the container on the truck, where it is magically locked in place :)

[BCBasher 2465]

Well considering it's a game just mimicking reality and not getting every detail right I personally would not mind if we all agree a winch would be enough to get the container on the truck, where it is magically locked in place :)

 

Sorry, bad habit of mine.

 

Used to work for a guy who would come up with "great" ideas like it were a video game and couldn't figure out why they didn't work IRL even if you explained it to him before hand.

Edited September 18, 2015 by BCBasher