Optional Handicaps (Note OPTIONAL)

[FlashHawk4 44]

Not all men are created equal. And not all men stay the same through their lives. One thing I've thought about in a survival situation like this is,

What about the things that other people forget, that you need/crave to survive?

If you're a diabetic, you'll need your insulin or other medication.

If you're a chronic smoker, a zombie apocalypse probably isn't the best time to try quitting.

If you have a mental disorder, this apocalypse is going to get a WHOLE lot more fun if you don't find more medication.

A lot of you have been complaining about how easy it is to get past the "life threshold", as I've begun to call it. Can of beans, bottle of Pepsi, and you're set for the rest of the evening. Canteen, hunting knife, hatchet, matches...you can now technically stay out in the wilderness for as long as you feel like doing so, as we've already pointed out.

If you feel like it's getting too easy, I think it would be nice to be able to throw something like this in so you have another thing to scavenge for, raid for, or trade for. Even though 99% of the population has no use for it whatsoever, it's a documented fact that one of the top ten most valuable items immediately after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans was insulin. Just because some people need it. Really, REALLY need it.

I know some people don't want to have to deal with this kind of hindrance. And I say they don't have to. Maybe the devs can throw in something to balance it out. Maybe not. From what I understand, Day Z is all about playing this game in a unique, personalized way. Why not make a few choices to make your plight different then everyone else's?

[DemonGroover 8836]

People are dependent on a lot of things, not just life saving. Things like nicotine, alcohol etc.

At some point if you pop too many pills your body will crave them - though i am not too sure that the majority of players ever live that long. Morphine though, i am pretty sure that is addictive if you take it all the time.

[FlashHawk4 44]

My point exactly. I think that if we implement things other than food and water that certain people crave, then we'd perhaps be closer to civilizing, and at least making some variety in the game. If you're a smoker, your game will be different because you want cigarettes. And yes, morphine is addictive over long periods of time. But we won't have to worry about that as of now, since morphine = panacea.

[LeOverlord 150]

I agree with this post, I named my character Paranoid Schizophrenic... And basically what I do is, if I'm ever around other players I start having conversations with myself, the same goes if there is side chat... Maybe this is more enjoyable for me but this is an RPG and I like to play it as one...

[FlashHawk4 44]

Nice one. Reminds me of my high school acting days, we did One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and I played Scanlon the paranoid schizophrenic bomb maker.

That's why I mentioned schizophrenics. Wouldn't that just be the greatest zombie movie ever, through the eyes of a paranoid schizophrenic?

[Deviant (DayZ) 43]

I like the "Fallout" addiction idea.

However, adding a handicap doesn't make a lot of sense, I don't see anyone doing it for any real purpose other than just trying it out.

[DevilDog (DayZ) 455]

I am not sure how you could (game mechanics wise) pull off mental disorders.

The other stuff you could though. It would be cool if each bad thing you gave your character gave you a bonus in return. Oh man you got diabetes? Well it's ok because you are a great athlete and run much faster than others. Addicted to cigarettes? It's ok because you don't need food as much.

I actually think it would be cool, if this were a deeper game with more RPG elements, to give everyone some kind of bad habit or addiction or dependency related thing. Cigarettes, alcohol, chewing tobacco, diabetes, hypoglycemia, scared of the dark, can't swim, contacts/glasses, asthma ect.

[zHDFXz 1]

i see your point make it as real as possible

like having people with disorders will require alot more responsibility and if you dont have that all heck brakes loose,like if you pop to many pills stated as what demon said there will be consequences because u will become addicted

[FlashHawk4 44]

I am not sure how you could (game mechanics wise) pull off mental disorders.

The other stuff you could though. It would be cool if each bad thing you gave your character gave you a bonus in return. Oh man you got diabetes? Well it's ok because you are a great athlete and run much faster than others. Addicted to cigarettes? It's ok because you don't need food as much.

I actually think it would be cool' date=' if this were a deeper game with more RPG elements, to give everyone some kind of bad habit or addiction or dependency related thing. Cigarettes, alcohol, chewing tobacco, diabetes, hypoglycemia, scared of the dark, can't swim, contacts/glasses, asthma ect.

[/quote']

Precisely. But of course, I knew that if I mentioned the concept of POSITIVE benefits, the community would start screaming and whining and shouting "NO CLASSES! NO CLASSES! NO CLASSES!", before chasing me out of town with torches and pitchforks.

But now that someone else said that....yeah.