Have we forgotten our roots?

[Jex 1104]

Do you expect the devs to completely abandon the idea they had in mind for their game, just based on what the community wants? The community's role is to help develop the game the devs had in mind, NOT to make a completely different game. The idea for the game was set in stone from the start. If people want a completely different game, they should go play something else.

 

This to an extent. I think there needs to be more effort in marketing this as a game where the focus should be surviving. The idea that the longer you can live being the aim of the game and not gearing up or pvp'ing. The survival element should be a challenge but also a fun part of the game that people can enjoy and get to grips with.

[Deathlove 2286]

This to an extent. I think there needs to be more effort in marketing this as a game where the focus should be surviving. The idea that the longer you can live being the aim of the game and not gearing up or pvp'ing. The survival element should be a challenge but also a fun part of the game that people can enjoy and get to grips with.

Yeah i want it to get to the point of where if you go outside unprepared it can draw huge consequences even for simple things like pvp.

[ColdAtrophy 1850]

New players to the genre love it though and they'd be the ones we should be asking to see if they feel the same way about the SA as we did about the MOD.

 

DayZ SA is the first and only zombie survival game I have ever played. I bought it in February or March of this year. I hit 1000 hours already. I don't understand the OP's statements about how overly complicated the SA is, but I have never played the mod. I am actually quite shocked to see someone have that kind of opinion. I want more medical items, more complexity, more mechanics and systems at play that I must learn and monitor. However, I can say this: I will never look at video games the same way again. DayZ has fundamentally and permanently altered me both as an aspiring designer and as an avid player. 

Edited October 26, 2015 by ColdAtrophy

[sneakydudes 278]

I don't agree at all . Standalone is so addicting because it pushes the envelope on realism , attention to detail, and complexity that other games don't . Do you remember how little buildings were enterable in the mod ? Do you remember how we didn't have a "hands up button" until standalone introduced it making encounters in the mod MUCH more shallow and unnecessarily deadly than they ever could be in stabdalone (believe it or not that proximity only voice system makes a difference, you actually yet to interact with some people instead of making friends in global chat )..

Remembering how great the mod was , is a sort of fickle thing to do because what made the mod so great was that it was something that noone had ever done before : open world full loot pvp zombie sandbox environment. Now that standalone and many other games are going down this path there are two points : the first is people expect great things , and naturally standalone is highest on that list because of all this content that the OP despises and all the attention to detail put into the game . The second is that people should be putting their memories into fruition because those that did play the mod remember it for being very clunky , very simple (which OP over praises as a good thing) and very unbalanced (ppl with thermal scoped .50 cal sniper rifles camping the coast because of overly populated gun and vehicle servers .

Long story short , if you want another slapped together shoddy mod quality game then keep the rose colored glasses on but if we wanna see something that is so in depth that we really feel like we're living in the apocalypse then believe in standalone and give it time because although it's taking its sweet as time we know for sure it's going to be the first of its kind in terms of content weighed with quality and attention to detail and that it will keep everyone entertained wether you're a zombie fan or not .

All in all I think people are all very passionate about standalone but everytime a delay comes up people freak out and look for the next thing to keep them from admitting they love SA, but I for one know that standalone is going to be my only zombie game I keep for the long haul ; Mostly because Ive played them all , looking at multiplayer pvp zombie survival games especially and I have to say dayz is the one with the best potential , graphics, content with quality, and especially content balance (compared to the mod and tons of unbalanced MMOs / multiplayer games this game is balanced pretty well ).

Huge story but works.

 

I cant agree fully, but i do agree you want some complex game to hold your time.

 

I really like SA, but it was before in .54 and .48. Will i like it the same when it goes to beta? unknown why we have a possible server of our own option so we can fix the pbo's again!!!! OMFG i said the PBO's

 

String me up, arma 3 all over hehe

 

@Synystr

Hey there fellow ontario man :)

[bfisher 561]

I'm not here to criticize the SA.  I recognize it's a WIP and they've done some really great things in terms of expanding the world and what you can do with your character.  I've personally taken a bit of a break from DayZ for a couple of reasons - playing some other games, don't want to get burned out before it gets good, no time with new small child and new job.

 

That said, like many people, I started with the Mod 3 years ago.  I discovered it on another message board I frequent that described it as a "hard core open world zombie sandbox game where people kill each other for a can of beans and average survival time is 15 minutes."  I found some YouTube clips of bandit clans cruising the coast road at night, picking up new spawns, driving them 20 minutes north and then forcing them to fight to the death for meat in a circle of road flares and campfires.  One weekend, my wife went home to her parents house, I bought ArmA 2, downloaded the Mod and was immediately hooked.

 

The simplicity of the Mod felt more primal than the SA somehow.  When you were hungry, you had to eat.  When you were thirsty, you drank.  You broke your leg, you couldn't walk.  A trip to Cherno or Electro meant almost certain death at the hands of bandits or snipers, but you had to go there to get enough supplies to head north.  I recall my fear the first time I saw a helicopter hovering over the battlefield a mile away or saw a car driving towards me.  Zombies were a real threat, especially if you drew their attention with gunfire.  Or coming across the tell-tale buzzing flies that indicated a dead player (or players) was nearby, not knowing what killed them or how long ago.  Or finding a half dozen tents full of enough weapons to invade a small country (not knowing how far away the owners were).

 

The Mod was very much like The Walking Dead in MMO videogame form.  Sure, once you knew what you were doing, zombies were less of a threat than armed players...until you got complacent and screwed up and then all of a sudden they weren't.  Sure guns and ammo were plentiful, but you needed them for something other than griefing other players.  You actually felt like you could go insane from playing too long.

 

Anyhow, my hope is that is what the SA will eventually turn into, but more so.  We shall see.

[sneakydudes 278]

I haven't forgotten my roots. Im as white as a god damn polar bear.

 

But on topic i would say the Mod is still very fun to play its just for the Standalone the pieces have yet to fall into place. Im hopping once they do it will provide just as much hours as what the mod gives me currently with replay value.

 

I do really enjoy the realism they have been giving us with guns though with the Standalone. However im still waiting to see how this crafting system is going to play out beyond what we cant currently make in game.

 

Some kind of mutant zeds would be nice for increased danger like the Blood Drinkers in Namalsk.

Damn deathlove, the forums love you!!! 5000 posts your kicking it for the record. I am not even back to the forums, and you trippled me.

 

Hi ya, long time.

[Deathlove 2286]

Damn deathlove, the forums love you!!! 5000 posts your kicking it for the record. I am not even back to the forums, and you trippled me.

 

Hi ya, long time.

Lol well im really not going for a record. XD

[synystr 118]

Do you expect the devs to completely abandon the idea they had in mind for their game, just based on what the community wants? The community's role is to help develop the game the devs had in mind, NOT to make a completely different game. The idea for the game was set in stone from the start. If people want a completely different game, they should go play something else.

 

Hello there

 

You expected the devs to make a game specifically for you?

 

DAYZ was and always has been promoted as a niche game. I think you'll find most game devs make the game "they" want.

 

Rdgs

 

LoK

 

No, they don't need to make a game especially for me. They already did. It was the mod. That's what I've been trying to get across here. The devs had a massive audience in the mod, but now they are alienating people like me who wanted DayZ to feel like the DayZ I sunk... god knows how many hours into. 

 

I purchased the standalone, when it released... on my birthday... No kidding by the way... with the belief that I was going to get the same experience. But alas, it must not meant to be.

[synystr 118]

@Synystr

Hey there fellow ontario man :)

 

Hi :D Where ya from bud?

[Jock McScottish 216]

If you play the loner style, SA is much better IMO. Thanks to all the enterable buildings, its possible to hide, whereas in the Mod when you were spotted it was too easy to be hunted down. Nothing better than ducking into a building and watching your chaser through a window get the jitters as he/she wonders just what building you disappeared into, or if you are still running in the open! Had a fully geared guy following me once, and what a moment as I turned the tables watching him walking ahead looking for me after I had ducked into a house. Suddenly I had the drop on him as I sneaked out behind him, but let him go as I play to survive at all costs. Add to that finding the right gear to survive the elements and having to find something to open a tin of food? As someone who plays alone to survive, SA ticks all the boxes for me so far.

[DemonGroover 8836]

I think SA is coming along just fine and hopefully in a few more updates will surpass the mod in terms of zeds and vehicles.

And btw as an Aussie I remember most of my roots just fine.

[SniperV (DayZ) 43]

This to an extent. I think there needs to be more effort in marketing this as a game where the focus should be surviving. The idea that the longer you can live being the aim of the game and not gearing up or pvp'ing. The survival element should be a challenge but also a fun part of the game that people can enjoy and get to grips with.

 

I thought that one of the greatest things about DayZ was and still is: play it the way you like.

 

Moreover I would focus on the "fun" part. Obviously different people enjoy different things, but I'd really like the survival to be properly rewarding. I don't want to be forced into survival. I'm ok with the idea that we spawn hungry, without gear and we immidiately have to go and  look for some basic items and food, but I don't think that getting from that to the point where our character is healthy and happy should be a massive challenge.

 

There are some ways to make hunting, farming or fishing more interesting. I would definitely be more interested in farming if I could grow potatoes and then turn them into vodka, that can't be obtained in any other way.

Hunting - I see quite some potential in leather crafting. What if we could craft clothing and backpacks with biggest capacity from leather? Just an alternative for people that don't want to rush into military zones to grab good clothing and backpacks.

[Rags! 1966]

My roots are Halo.

 

DayZ needs more aliens. 

[sneakydudes 278]

Hi :D Where ya from bud?

London you know that growing city with only 384k and looks like 500k

 but still put the signs up saying 384k lol

[Kirby12352 67]

London you know that growing city with only 384k and looks like 500k

 but still put the signs up saying 384k lol

 

 

I live about two hours from you. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

 

 

I thought that one of the greatest things about DayZ was and still is: play it the way you like.

 

Moreover I would focus on the "fun" part. Obviously different people enjoy different things, but I'd really like the survival to be properly rewarding. I don't want to be forced into survival. I'm ok with the idea that we spawn hungry, without gear and we immidiately have to go and  look for some basic items and food, but I don't think that getting from that to the point where our character is healthy and happy should be a massive challenge.

 

There are some ways to make hunting, farming or fishing more interesting. I would definitely be more interested in farming if I could grow potatoes and then turn them into vodka, that can't be obtained in any other way.

Hunting - I see quite some potential in leather crafting. What if we could craft clothing and backpacks with biggest capacity from leather? Just an alternative for people that don't want to rush into military zones to grab good clothing and backpacks.

 

 

The thing is, if survival isn't much of a challenge and is just "fun", then everyone just kills each other because there's nothing else to do. Currently we have a survival system that's very easy, which is why everyone's running around gunning each other down for no reason.

Edited October 27, 2015 by Kirby12352

[☣BioHaze☣ 7337]

My roots are Halo.

 

DayZ needs more aliens. 

 

 

As I explained to ColdAtrophy recently..... to my generation, Halo is the video game equivalent of herpes and was a big part of the beginning of the AAA shit storm we see today.

 

That being said, I've always secretly wanted a very tiny random chance for alien abduction in DayZ.

 

My roots are Biohazard JPN March 1996.

 

So yeah, SURVIVAL HORROR.  *gasp*

[synystr 118]

London you know that growing city with only 384k and looks like 500k

 but still put the signs up saying 384k lol

 

I'm in Hamilton! You know, the city that had the NDP candidate that didn't know what Auschwitz was and called the fence posts "phallic". Haha 

[synystr 118]

As I explained to ColdAtrophy recently..... to my generation, Halo is the video game equivalent of herpes and was a big part of the beginning of the AAA shit storm we see today.

 

That being said, I've always secretly wanted a very tiny random chance for alien abduction in DayZ.

 

My roots are Biohazard JPN March 1996.

 

So yeah, SURVIVAL HORROR.  *gasp*

 

Probably never played Halo 1 - 3. Shame. Of course, I expect you to say you have because there is no way I could ever know if you have or not... but Halo had a great universe and story before it went to 343 studios. 

[☣BioHaze☣ 7337]

Probably never played Halo 1 - 3. Shame. Of course, I expect you to say you have because there is no way I could ever know if you have or not... but Halo had a great universe and story before it went to 343 studios. 

 

Well, I saw the massive popularity of FPS games as the beginning of the end for big budget creative titles.

 

My friend ColdAtrophy has helped me understand the difference between original Halo's and the worst of the FPS's.

 

Admittedly, it's probably a fair bit better than choosing to CoD....

[SniperV (DayZ) 43]

The thing is, if survival isn't much of a challenge and is just "fun", then everyone just kills each other because there's nothing else to do. Currently we have a survival system that's very easy, which is why everyone's running around gunning each other down for no reason.

 

Or maybe they just like PvP?

[Kirby12352 67]

Or maybe they just like PvP?

 

 

It's not meant to be a PvP focused game. From my understanding, it's supposed to be a survival game with PvP sprinkled in. If they made DayZ less hardcore to the point where loot is even more easy to come by and such, at that point you really might as well just go play Arma or CoD.

[VIPEREYE1 17]

I like the standalone and the new features. You know what we really need? A new map to play on, Chernarus is getting old, and IMO no matter how many features they add, it still feels like the same old game. Im not sure if you all agree but an additional map would make things fresh again, make things feel new and exciting maybe even nostalgic.

[FrigginTommyNoble 61]

I never played the mod, so I don't have that experience to compare SA with. As a relative "outsider," I feel like BI is on the right track. I want a rich array of post-apocalyptic concerns to manage. I want a hardcore experience that doesn't hold my hand. I want social interactions that are sometimes hilarious, sometimes fulfilling, sometimes gut-wrenching, etc. Feedback is essential in this stage, to help guide BI in making the game we're expecting. I expect the survival elements of the game to keep growing in depth and importance. Having an updated UI and a HUD as described in dev posts will go a long way to making these systems fit in a more fluid and visceral way.

 

Thing is, I see a fair bit of foot-stomping in this thread (moreso in others). It seems many people just can't relate to the reality of making a game, or any bit of working software for that matter. After 13 years of programming I'm still blown away by how seemingly simple features take much longer and are much more complex and subtle than I originally imagined, even in my own area of expertise. It's one thing to get your code "most of the way there." But the devil's in the details, and the last 20% takes 80% of the time.

 

The first time I made a prototype in Unity (DayZ clone), I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly I could get something that looked kind of like a game. Then reality set in. The reality is, it takes metric poop-tons of hacking, de-hacking, fiddling, and straight-up brow-beating to go from "ridiculous but almost game-like" to "sort of what I was thinking about but still way off."

 

The solution to this inherent complexity can only be approached through iteration. Iteration has a tendency to gib schedules in the face. This is the way of the alpha. BI is iterating, and they're doing it on a grand stage. This is a harrowing experience, for both BI and us. Sometimes they have to back-track. Sometimes they have to pull zeds for a minute because it's the lesser of evils. Sometimes a build blows our minds. Sometimes heinous bugs make to to stable. It's all a part of the flow.

 

I forgot what we were originally talking about but those are words I just said.

Edited October 30, 2015 by FrigginTommyNoble

[Jex 1104]

I thought that one of the greatest things about DayZ was and still is: play it the way you like.

 

Moreover I would focus on the "fun" part. Obviously different people enjoy different things, but I'd really like the survival to be properly rewarding. I don't want to be forced into survival. I'm ok with the idea that we spawn hungry, without gear and we immidiately have to go and  look for some basic items and food, but I don't think that getting from that to the point where our character is healthy and happy should be a massive challenge.

 

There are some ways to make hunting, farming or fishing more interesting. I would definitely be more interested in farming if I could grow potatoes and then turn them into vodka, that can't be obtained in any other way.

Hunting - I see quite some potential in leather crafting. What if we could craft clothing and backpacks with biggest capacity from leather? Just an alternative for people that don't want to rush into military zones to grab good clothing and backpacks.

 

No game ever made lets anyone play the game the way they like. No game will be made that will allow this either.

 

You are always stuck playing in the confines of a game. You can play chess "the way you like" as long as the way you like follows the rules.

 

DayZ is a survival game. It's not a game where you get to do whatever you want otherwise it would be marketed as such and even then, you can't stick your dick up a cows arse.

 

The game is survival and that is what it is. That's the game and within the confines of a "survival" game, you can play how you like only as far as the code will allow you to.

 

So I think we need to stop saying we can play games however we like because there is no game that allows that and it gives a wrong impression. Minecraft comes close to playing how you like, but you can't stick your dick up a....

 

So DayZ is a game about surviving a zombie apocalypse. So the focus of the game, i.e. the objective, should all be about surviving and there should be enough tools and challenge in the game that is fun and makes us feel like we're trying to survive.

 

If people start complaining that they're having to spend too much time on "surviving", I don't really know what to tell them. Maybe ask why are they playing a survival game then.

 

I also believe the MOD is still available so why don't they play that?

 

If the devs can make an authentic survival game and move away from the MOD so they're distinct experiences the outcome could be really good.

[KenoSkir88 181]

No game ever made lets anyone play the game the way they like. No game will be made that will allow this either.

 

You are always stuck playing in the confines of a game. You can play chess "the way you like" as long as the way you like follows the rules.

 

DayZ is a survival game. It's not a game where you get to do whatever you want otherwise it would be marketed as such and even then, you can't stick your dick up a cows arse.

 

I've heard developers refer to DayZ as a "Sandbox" game several times, definition being a game where you can choose how to play and set your own goals in a broader sense than the average game. Of course no game allows you to play "any way you want" but we have to make certain concessions on the basis of context don't we  :P  Think it's pretty clear that's what he was saying anyway.