Survivors start as horrible shots (Weapon familiarization)

[Lukio (DayZ) 24]

Something that has bugged me a bit is that every survivor can just pick up any gun and handle it without difficulties.

Now I do not know about the survivor background (civilian / reporter / civil aid worker?) but it seems odd to me that basically no matter what kind of weapon you pick up you are able to handle it perfectly.

Shooting a pistol, rifle, automatic rifle or sniper weapon should need some kind of training. Just thinking about the walking dead episode where Shane teaches Andrea how to shoot with a pistol.

I'd like to suggest some kind of familiarization before you can make accurate shots.

Pistols / Side-arms:

20 shots

PDWs (Submachine guns):

60 shots

Rifles:

40 shots

Automatic rifles:

80 shots

Sniper rifles:

100 shots

From 1 - to X amount of shots there could be a linear learning curve that improves your aim. Basically at familiarization level 1 would be 0% chance to hit, with every shot you improve a little up to 100%.

Now many may say "OMG this will make the game even harder", well that's the point. On top of that I think its really weird to be able to pick up a gun like M16A1 and perfectly be able to handle it, shooting infected left and right.

For everyone who shot a gun, maybe you can chime in how much you think it would take to be skillful with the different weapon categories. I have only experience with the SIG 550 and it took a some practice to get good at hitting the target with it, not to mention handling the weapon itself.

The only thing that of course would make this suggestion invalid is if the stranded survivors have military background, yet imho even then shooting a high powered sniper rifle accurately needs lots of practice.

[Chiefmon 93]

I would be inclined to agree BUT, the average lifespan is under an hour. It's hard enough to survive as it is and making a weapon learning curve would allow the lucky players to snowball.

[rolfwar 5]

I don't like this idea.

Sniper ammo are already so rare,and you want me to waste 100 bullets before i can effectively use it!?! Let alone, the noise you'd make during this kind of practice.

Anyway,people who are new to the Arma engine and universe,and just bought the game to play Day Z do actually need some exercise before hitting something at long distance.

On the other hand,people who already owned arma are some kind of vets,and can handle a gun more or less.

I think this already divides people in "civilian survivors" and " ex soldiers" :) and that having to deal with the breath,shooting stance,wounded arms, panic attack due to hordes of zombies is already enough!! Trust me,i have see people unloading on me without hitting once!

[Miss_Nuts 9]

Just no. There's a huge learning curve in this game and not everyone is perfect as shooting, mowing or sniping from day 1. Aim this statement at console gamers and ask them if they are as good as handling a gun in this game compared to MGS on PS3 for instance (yes myself included). Im still really poor at handling a gun on a keyboard compared to a console but I'm adapting and learning as any noob should!

Moral of the story? Stop ranting about peoples skills that are better than your own. We all suffer learning curves IRL, so if one person is better at handling a gun without practice either IRL or in game, kudos to them. There should be no restrictions on learning curves. If you can't adapt and learn then kthxbye. This isn't an RPG.

[Specter911 2]

I do like the idea, but the numbers seem to be too high, we need to be reasonable with how the game is, or potentially will be.

I.E

Perhaps in the future melee weapons become abundant while guns become rarer.

Having a learning curve would be fun, but not so many bullets due to how long our characters live on average.

For Sniper rifle's that number is way too high due to how little sniper ammo there is, as well as how unlikely you would live that long.

Automatic Rifle, may be a little high, but over all it would need testing and longer life spans for our characters to test correctly.

[b.heijltjes@gmail.com 0]

Personally, I'm still hard at work to get some 'weapon familiarization' under my belt :P

I hope you don't intend to make the game itself purposely work against me as well?

[scoffield77@gmail.com 192]

go practice in the editor mate.

[Lukio (DayZ) 24]

I don't like this idea.

Sniper ammo are already so rare' date='and you want me to waste 100 bullets before i can effectively use it!?! Let alone, the noise you'd make during this kind of practice.

[/quote']

Ok the 100 bullets are really a lot, agreed. Instead of bullets it could also just be time using a certain type of weapon, that would work as well.

Anyway' date='people who are new to the Arma engine and universe,and just bought the game to play Day Z do actually need some exercise before hitting something at long distance.

On the other hand,people who already owned arma are some kind of vets,and can handle a gun more or less.[/quote']

Well the whole thing came to my mind as I find it weird how any survivor can pick up a gun and automatically shoot fine with it (assuming they are civilians and have no experience with firearms), its not about the players behind the character.

Moral of the story? Stop ranting about peoples skills that are better than your own. We all suffer learning curves IRL' date=' so if one person is better at handling a gun without practice either IRL or in game, kudos to them. There should be no restrictions on learning curves. If you can't adapt and learn then kthxbye. This isn't an RPG.

[/quote']

No one is ranting about people having more or less "skill". Also this mod has very many role playing elements, quite in depth actually.

Anyway if you've ever handled a weapon maybe you would understand why I think characters shouldn't be able to handle a weapon without flaws right from the get go & without any practice/experience with the weapon.

[Womb Raider 92]

Specializations, perks, skills or anything like that is never going to happen.

[DesertRose 8]

Arma II says NO!

[Specter911 2]

Personally' date=' I'm still hard at work to get some 'weapon familiarization' under my belt :P

I hope you don't intend to make the game itself purposely work against me as well?

[/quote']

Depends, are you also bad at trying to negotiate?

If so then you will accept this task to crawl from Point A to Point B.

Point A being this cozy house to Point B in the city on the street.

Also with a broken leg, and with me taking your back pack.

You will receive this gun and one bullet.

Actually I will take back the bullet.

You start now.

I mean if you need training, you need to try this mod, it is very useful.

http://www.armaholic.com/page.php?id=14616

[b.heijltjes@gmail.com 0]

Thanks for the tips ;) I'm not actually a completely terrible shot; but I do seem to get hit a lot without seeing who's shooting at me in ARMA II :D

Anyway it doesn't matter; I'll get better. I've been trying to practice in the editor but I always get distracted by being able to place and fly helicopters... I'm actually starting to be a decent pilot! Lol

Edit: Oh, I do have one question about that actually.. Does anyone know if it's possible to hover still with a heli while shooting at a somewhat downward angle? I'm given to understand that real attack helicopters can do this, but in ARMA it mostly gets me to accellerate towards my target.

[Captain Q 3]

How about we just suggest that the USS Khe Sahn sunk off of the Chernarussian coast, and all of the people onboard were trained in basic firearm usage, and depending on their mentality (the player at the keyboard) could otherwise handle himself with a gun.

In other words, let's not pose this limitation on everybody when the average life expectancy is under an hour.

[Miragenz 71]

Rather see some form of having to carry the weapon for x minutes rather then to have shot x rounds.

However im fine without either of those things

[Lukio (DayZ) 24]

In other words' date=' let's not pose this limitation on everybody when the average life expectancy is under an hour.

[/quote']

I wouldn't give that much on averages (not sure how much old data is included) - as soon as people find a hatchet or any kind of firearm they will easily survive longer than 1 hour. I guess suggestions that make the game harder to master aren't that popular :-D

[MillionGunman 0]

If newly-spawned players were terrible shots, the average life span would likely become longer, since fewer survivors would dare to shoot at players who might have a better mastery of firearms than they do.