House Fortification

[evilmuska 2]

One thing I've though would be a cool addition for this game, and something that you frequently see in zombie flicks, is the ability to barricade doors (and maybe windows) in buildings. This would prevent zombies and other players from opening a door. This barricade would, however, have a breaking point. With enough attacks on it, it would wear down and break, allowing entry. This way, players would obviously have to use some kind of weapon to destroy the barricade, thus making noise and potentially aggro'ing nearby zombies. So breaking and entering would be a calculated risk. It may also be cool to be able to have doors that you can lock, and potentially have keys for. The way this might work is that sure, you could shoot out a door's lock and enter, but then the lock on that door would not work, and there could also potentially be a new mechanic added to allow you to repair or replace broken locks. I just really like the idea of being able to fortify and hold up in a house or large building, but have it be at a cost to keep it secure, and also have it not be impenetrable.

I think these mechanics could definitely influence cooperation in the game. It could also create clan/territory wars on servers, and make for some very interesting encounters. Do you create a camp out in the middle of nowhere so your stuff is safe? Or do you establish a very strong home base in the town, servicing passer-bys, granting them food and/or protection from zombies/others, but for a price. Or, you know, you could just be a militant group of bandits hell-bent on controlling all of Cherno/Elektro. Any thoughts?

[Ramtex 1]

The barricading doors with planks idea is good, but not the locked doors with keys idea. Keys would need to take up inventory, and also create lots of situations where people get locked inside buildings with no way out other to make lots of noise.

[evilmuska 2]

I see your point. Maybe scrapping keys and simply working on a dead-bolt type locking system would be better. That way, you can always unlock it from the inside, but not the outside.

[zorisx 7]

I like this. Though houses in this game are way too small and need to be opened up more...feels like midgets are living in these places.

[Ramtex 1]

I'll be honest though, I don't know about you, but I don't tend to stay too long in buildings when I'm in town..

[evilmuska 2]

Well maybe that's what fortifying the windows would be for: reducing noise in the house so you don't have to worry quite as much about aggro'ing due to noise. Like I said, it would come at a price, the equipment used to do this wouldn't be easy to come by.

[Partypants Pete 7]

Except bitches would start doing exactly what they're doing now with c-wire and tank traps. Blocking off the high yield buildings and making anyone without a toolbox unable to get inside. It's always fun when you see a gun you want but your stupid character decides he can't be bothered to step over the wire.

[robosheriff 13]

zombies just go through doors so thats going to be a problem

[trickkynickk 2]

this is a good idea i support it

[Superior 9]

zombies just go through doors so thats going to be a problem

Common sense: it'd obviously have to get fixed.

[evilmuska 2]

Except bitches would start doing exactly what they're doing now with c-wire and tank traps. Blocking off the high yield buildings and making anyone without a toolbox unable to get inside. It's always fun when you see a gun you want but your stupid character decides he can't be bothered to step over the wire.

What I'm saying is they would be something like wooden barricades, like board and nails over the door. You'd be able to shoot it up/blow it up and get past it, but it wouldn't be just 2-3 shots, and also you'd be taking a serious risk at being heard by other players and/or zeds. Alternatively, if you DID have a toolbox, I think it would be fair you could use that to take it down discretely.

[FlashHawk4 44]

I think that this could be the reason that makes crowbars actually useful in-game. A semi-silent way to remove boards and stuff from doors, without permanently destroying the actual materials used to build the barricade. And yes, I think the next logical step after removing the clip-through-walls bug (yes people, it IS a bug, I don't understand why some people actually think zombies walking through walls is a game feature, but a few actually do), would be this.

+1. It would add the ability to make a more permanent home base, make safe houses and waystations, add another item to search for in game, add value to th crowbar, and generally encourage settling down, which is a prerequisite for socialesque (I maed a word lol) behavior. As one can see from the ancient Sumerians and whatnot.

[evilmuska 2]

I think that this could be the reason that makes crowbars actually useful in-game. A semi-silent way to remove boards and stuff from doors' date=' without permanently destroying the actual materials used to build the barricade.[/quote']

Very interesting thought. I like it.

The other melee weapons so far have alternate purposes, so why not the crow bar?

[Turnipski 3]

Wooden barricades would be so much fun! Would be cool if you could even stop zombies opening doors just by holding them closed but it would only last while you stood there, giving your friends a chance to search the building.

[Nem3sis 11]

Boarding:

Well for the boards, we already have the hatchet to get wood piles. Add a hacksaw to the game and you could cut up as much as you can carry.

I think the balance here would be each window taking several boards to cover it up. So its not so easy to create fortifications in the city; too time consuming, but if you pull it off its worth it.

On the flip side, attacking a fort would require you to remove several boards before you enter. not a simple click and its open.

And what about nails? should we have some that are like the toolbox(can only board if you have it) or consumable box of nails(would contain multiples) and require a hammer? Im liking option 2 here.

Doors:

As for door bolts, this would be nice. could be broken by default and a replacement wouldnt be too common. As for the key thing, I dont know that one person would want to stay in the fort for hours waiting for friends to return. Talk about boring. Have one key to one lock (comes with the replacement).

If the person dies with the key, it has to be recovered. If bandit somehow recovers, they could have access to your stuff.

Misc:

I think climbing in open windows would need to be added. after removing boards, could climb in then.

The deadbolt and key would be given a randomly generated # on both as to identify a matching set. Option to lock/unlock or identify would be on door. -- maybe be able to nickname it as well, but that might be too much.

Chests- After all the fortifying is done, I'd like something to put stuff into without worrying it will despawn on me. Would be storage like our backpacks, but when picked up would take 6 items slots (require it to be empty?)

[evilmuska 2]

Would be cool if you could even stop zombies opening doors just by holding them closed but it would only last while you stood there' date=' giving your friends a chance to search the building.

[/quote']

Yes! The standing-in-front-of-the-door idea was one I was considering bringing up as well, but didn't know how well received it would be.

[FlashHawk4 44]

Would be cool if you could even stop zombies opening doors just by holding them closed but it would only last while you stood there' date=' giving your friends a chance to search the building.

[/quote']

Yes! The standing-in-front-of-the-door idea was one I was considering bringing up as well, but didn't know how well received it would be.

+1 for that too. On the condition that after a while, the obligatory "zombie hand crashes through door right next to your character's head" thing happens. You can't hold out forever.

[evilmuska 2]

+1 for that too. On the condition that after a while' date=' the obligatory "zombie hand crashes through door right next to your character's head" thing happens. You can't hold out forever.

[/quote']

Yeah, I think it should have a similar (or shorter) life than when it's fortified. So say, for example, that a fortified door lasts 2 minutes before breaking down, the unfortified door would last about 30 seconds of consistent attacks.

[Mikeloeven (DayZ) 10]

another thing i noticed is the zombies unusual ability to open doors. if you slam a door in a zombies face i do believe it should be the L4d2 approach where the zombie has to bash down the door before it can get inside. additionally this will give the player time to find a dark corner and go prone the zombie can have some sort of search ai allowing it to briefly scan the house than leave if it cant locate the hidden player.

[FlashHawk4 44]

another thing i noticed is the zombies unusual ability to open doors. if you slam a door in a zombies face i do believe it should be the L4d2 approach where the zombie has to bash down the door before it can get inside. additionally this will give the player time to find a dark corner and go prone the zombie can have some sort of search ai allowing it to briefly scan the house than leave if it cant locate the hidden player.

If you watch closely, you can see a few traces of ArmA NPC AI in the zombies, like what you just mentioned, and how they also react to nonlethal hits. They might yell and hoot all zombie-like, but if you shoot them with a Makarov or something, they sometimes make the human "oompf" or "aaagh" sounds.

But yes, I think they'll work on that in the future. It is an alpha, after all.

[Womb Raider 92]

Is that even feasible in Arma's engine?

[FlashHawk4 44]

Is that even feasible in Arma's engine?

They made wire fences and hedgehogs work, didn't they? It's sort of similar. And it could just be an action for zombies to tear at the boards, with a set timer for completion like when we put on a bandage or whatever.

[evilmuska 2]

It would just need to have the engine refuse or not respond to the request to open the door when the barricade is in place, have a timer or health bar pinned to it, and also have a barricade model on or in front of the door.

So basically: IF - THEN - ELSE

[PlutoniumPlague 0]

+1 to the thread...kudos to the guy who mentioned using the crowbars...I was thinking the same thing on page 1 but you beat me to it :(

And yes, as a prerequisite to implementation the zombie clipping glitch would need to be fixed.

I don't think Arma's engine supports moving through windows like what we're suggesting but I fully support the barricading of doors in order to make strongholds.

In order to stop people from....hmm....I mean discourage people from spamming this it would have to be a finite system so finding boxes of nails in industrial buildings could allow you to barricade 2-3 doors...this way you can't just go off in the woods, find a bunch of wood, and start barricading every doorway in Elektro...because you know SOMEONE would try...

[Psyra 0]

"Hey, there's a zombie outside! Oh, now there's more of them!"

"Sorry? I can't hear you over the sound of me pounding nails into this doorframe!" :D