Some feature ideas requesting feedback

[TractorFiend 58]

Yeah, these ideas are cool, although they will be of very limited use for most players. Also, potential "exploit" situations would need to be addressed (i.e. once a player lights a new fire, the old one goes out).

In addition, if I had logged out on the outskirts of a town, but now that location is jammed, and I select to log in at the edge of the radius, is there potential that I could be spawned directly IN a town? This would be undesirable.

I would say that these are good ideas with merit, but they should be implemented down the road, after more pertinent bugs are squashed, such as the zombie aggro.

Problem with this is, I tend to light two fires and stand between them at night to warm up, this would have a severe impact on that.

[FaxMonkey 10]

The use of these items is a risk vs reward. If you want to protect yourself against ghosting, then us it.

If you dont want to reveal your position dont use it.

It's basicly to protect when your position is already known and you want to hold ground.

If player who activated it loses connection it gets disabled.

If a friend of him loses connection he could deactivate it manually.

This idea/quote (and the proposed mechanic) essentially condones ghosting as a valid and acceptable gameplay tactic.

[Flatline 32]

The fireplace thinngs is awesome, Radio Towers a bit more so-so but worth trying. Fireplace safezone should be implemented right away.

[hgilbert@iswest.com 5]

Anders -

Would it be possible to include a random shift in position to people logging in? Say that you log in next to some deerstand at the end of the play session. You come back the next day and have been shifted 500 - 1000 m away from that location? I would hope that something like this could prevent people sliding into an adjacent server to gain position on someone that has just fired on them. Problems could ensue if your random spawn is out to sea or on a sheer slope or some such, but it would be nice to make it less convenient for people to reposition and fire on people who got the drop on them.

But then, it does make Alt-F4 ing out of a fight a nice way to put distance between yourself and your opponent. Hmm well so much for that. :)

[kyorikei 3]

Interesting idea. If this thing against ghosting is really doable I'm sure it deserves "field" testing.

To expand on the issue I think it's important to make it so player bases must have some sort of real gates or entrances so it's possible to enter the base if your assault was successful. It's no good if people just surround themselves with sandbags etc and use other servers as exit via ghosting and this radio tower thing as a close\open gate.

How to make people have real gates? Few ideas of my own. First introduce some kind of fence other than sandbags and the like which cannot be removed via regular tools. Make it so that only satchel charges and rocket launchers can damage and possible destroy them. But those things should be created only near each other or near the other placeable... gate. This gate should be large enough and with limits of where you can place it so you can't create it near some rock or other inaccessible terrain.

So fortress builders can make a camp with fairly good walls, a radio tower to protect themselves from ghosting. But it won't be total safe heaven as people can try to assault their hold and access it through at least one gate or try to blow up some of the walls if they have proper rare equipment.

[1234Darkmaster 3]

I like the idea. Though it would be gr8 if it could direct communicate with the player that setup the radio tower, if he has a radio which is in the game, and tell him that someone entered the radius of the camp. This way the person would be alerted and could rush back to the camp and catch them red handed! :)

Just saying, but it is taller than a forest tree?

[badsn 2]

I dont really like it. Can not tell why.

But my main Con would propably be that ist is not that important and other things should be implemented first.

[Turnipski 3]

I like the intent to add more building options, especially ones with such powerful effect.

However, adding new functionality to prevent an exploit is just a terrible, terrible idea and frankly I'm disheartened to see one of the Day Z Staff suggesting this. It is neither simple or elegant if it requires multiple items and changes peoples spawn locations. It also has no 'authenticity' which is one of the pillars of this game - since when have radio waves had the ability to teleport people?

Something simple and elegant is the idea that some others have suggested - make players logging in emit a beep to everyone within 100m and require 30s or so to become playable. This would discourage people from logging in to servers in dangerous locations i.e. places with nice loot. This would be SO easy to just implement.

How about starting with simple solutions first, and if they fail then you can try more exotic strategies that risk opening up new exploits?

[blueskin 5]

I dislike the idea of in game items fixing an metagaming exploit.

Having said that, I want to hear peoples opinion on two ideas:

1) logging out without a fire or tent does not save your location. - punishes new players until they find matches.

2) location is server specific. - stops ghosting and server hopping - encourages play on one server, thereby building communities.- would be a pain when server goes down.

[Stane (DayZ) 0]

Would help a lot to argue about this radio thing if next time the purpose of a feature would be mentioned in the initial post.

I don’t know if this Radiostation should be implemented to prevent ghosting or support end game camp building, to prevent looting the item-spawn-points by server hopping, to support markets or clan wars with mark their territories...

People are talking about a lot of interesting ideas, but its so divers that its hart to make a point about the actual topic.

Radios are a cool thing and fit pretty good into the world but just to bring them in somehow because they cool and fit isn't the right way.

It should be the other way around, like:

“We want to support the late game and camp build for bigger groups. An idea we had is to use radiostations which prevent spawing of players in that area. What do you think? What other ways are there?”

Or

“We want to give the possibility to set up a Radiostation. What could it be good for?”

Something like that...

[joeyslucky22 638]

The use of these items is a risk vs reward. If you want to protect yourself against ghosting, then us it.

If you dont want to reveal your position dont use it.

It's basicly to protect when your position is already known and you want to hold ground.

If player who activated it loses connection it gets disabled.

If a friend of him loses connection he could deactivate it manually.

I had this thought mulling in my head for quite a while as well.

It would require quite a lot of work and time to set up but gives clans something to do (and everyone else something to infiltrate :))

not sure "jamming your spawn signal" would be the proper message... Maybe something like: "It's not safe here... Walk north / south / east / west?" and give the player an option where to spawn on the outskirt radius.

- Limit 1 radio tower assigned per player. Would hate to see map griefing by a single player / hacker.

- Should disconnecting disable a radio tower? I feel they should be turned on / off manually by anyone or until the generator powers off?

[WeedFoXx 7]

Nice Idea i think ....and u can addd a anti zed tower to free a town from the zeds or something :)

[Jack Dant 158]

The use of these items is a risk vs reward. If you want to protect yourself against ghosting, then us it.

If you dont want to reveal your position dont use it.

Ghosting is an exploit. You shouldn't have to expose yourself to extra risk to protect against an exploit. You should just fix the exploit.

Besides, acknowledging logins and logouts as part of the simulation just feels wrong.

[zipper 69]

I like the idea of a portable tower, but I don't really see why we have to trade anything off to prevent ghosting. Alt+f4ing is an exploit according to Rocket. Maybe at the very least the military areas should have 1 or two in place. These appear to be the biggest areas with server hopping problems anyways. It would at least remove that problem from those hot spots. Or perhaps place them on top of the control towers at the airfields. I think it should be constantly on, but you could even add a switch in the tower that could be player controlled.

I assume this is just a temporary thing. It's nice to know you are at least trying to come up with solutions for the problem, so thanks.

I'm also all for anything you guys are planning on implementing that aids with camp construction. Camo netting would be great, but if it is the same pattern as the tents, it would just make your camp stand out even more. I'm not sure which stands out more, the Ural, or a tent.

Any possibility of turning off unlimited sprint? That would probably aid camp construction more than anything else. Right now it is just too easy to get around the map.

Edited July 17, 2012 by Zipper -82ndAB-

[Jehangir 52]

Just an example and idea, no guarantees that this will be implemented.

While ghosting has indeed been a problem for some I'd like to address this in quite a simple and elegant behaviour.

Implementing a new type of object.

Portable radiotower (quite tall so it's visible and can be deactivated by other people)

Characteristics:

- Requires an active 'portable generator' to "power" the radiotower.

- Prevents "logins" inside a radius of the broadcast range of this radiotower.

- Broadcast range of jamming signal affects the length power draw.

* Players attempting to login within the broadcast radius will be told that there is currently an active radiotower broadcasting a jamming signal.

* Players is given choice to spawn to spawn at edge of the jamming signal.

Portable generator

- Requires fuel (can be refueled with jerry can)

- Powers a radiotower for up to 6h at minimum range, and 30 to 60min at maximum range .

Burning fireplaces works as before but with added function:

- Prevents login within 100 to 200m (radius to be balanced)

- Displays similar message to player attempting to login, player is given choice to spawn at edge of radius.

Secondly. I'd like to start supporting active communities basing out of different servers.

Especially those active by helping them setup camps / bases . This would mostly be cosmetic things, but could be such things as camo netting in forests and tents.

Pros / cons ?

This is a terrible idea. You are placing the onus of Alt+F4ing or ghosting on the victims of this practice, rather than penalizing people that engage in this practice.

If implemented, it means I have to effectively carry a radio tower everywhere and have it operations, thus making me a more visible target, and for what? So the ghosters can spawn automatically outside its radius and crawl in for the kill anyway?

Just implement the 30 second logout rule. It solves pretty much everything.

Finally, speaking from a realism standpoint, how is this "realistic"?

[jesquik 75]

Just an example and idea, no guarantees that this will be implemented.

While ghosting has indeed been a problem for some I'd like to address this in quite a simple and elegant behaviour.

Implementing a new type of object.

Portable radiotower (quite tall so it's visible and can be deactivated by other people)

Characteristics:

- Requires an active 'portable generator' to "power" the radiotower.

- Prevents "logins" inside a radius of the broadcast range of this radiotower.

- Broadcast range of jamming signal affects the length power draw.

* Players attempting to login within the broadcast radius will be told that there is currently an active radiotower broadcasting a jamming signal.

* Players is given choice to spawn to spawn at edge of the jamming signal.

Portable generator

- Requires fuel (can be refueled with jerry can)

- Powers a radiotower for up to 6h at minimum range, and 30 to 60min at maximum range .

Burning fireplaces works as before but with added function:

- Prevents login within 100 to 200m (radius to be balanced)

- Displays similar message to player attempting to login, player is given choice to spawn at edge of radius.

Secondly. I'd like to start supporting active communities basing out of different servers.

Especially those active by helping them setup camps / bases . This would mostly be cosmetic things, but could be such things as camo netting in forests and tents.

Pros / cons ?

While I like the idea of portable powered equipment and making progress towards creating bases and other ideas, this seems like a convoluted way to avoid server hopping. Once you have put in more than two or three hours with a character it should be temporarily locked to a server. Want to change servers? Wait until tomorrow. Server shutdown or restart? Let people change servers.

I also see the idea backfiring depending on how large the radius is. A player that spawns not expecting to look for a camp may be clued in that a camp is near. It would not take very long to locate it once you know it is nearby.

[jesquik 75]

This is a terrible idea. You are placing the onus of Alt+F4ing or ghosting on the victims of this practice, rather than penalizing people that engage in this practice.

If implemented, it means I have to effectively carry a radio tower everywhere and have it operations, thus making me a more visible target, and for what? So the ghosters can spawn automatically outside its radius and crawl in for the kill anyway?

Just implement the 30 second logout rule. It solves pretty much everything.

Finally, speaking from a realism standpoint, how is this "realistic"?

I think you're completely correct, and that this seems to be a solution to ghosting. I do not agree with the 30 second timer fixing most of the problems. You also should not be able to logout AT ALL if you have shock. I also think that 60 seconds is more in line with how time flows in DayZ - faster than you think, especially when you are engaging a patient player.

I honestly would prefer that the logout timer would increase if bullets were being fired in your direction.

Example: Start at 30 seconds. If a weapon is used near you add +10 seconds (100m would be good to avoid snipers keeping people from logging in buildings they have no hope of hitting).

This would make escaping an engagement nearly impossible and it would add stress to the situation as you watch your logout timer going up instead of down leading players to abort the disconnect and deal with the situation!

[jesquik 75]

Nice Idea i think ....and u can addd a anti zed tower to free a town from the zeds or something :)

Now that is the way to do it! Add anti zed towers that players can setup so that they can liberate towns! With that in place you could make Cherno a party zone!

[zipper 69]

Ander, is there any chance we can get a response as to why the staff feels there needs to be a fair trade off to combat ghosting? If it is something that is merely a current coding problem I think a lot of people would be understanding. I think pretty much the entire community is waiting for a solution to the Alt+F4ing problem, and I'm pretty sure I speak for the majority when I say I was a bit surprised at needing to balance a mechanic that we thought was going to be removed from the game. Is there any specific reasoning for this?

[shagohad 124]

i actually found a portable generator.....

[HerrEilig 2]

This is so weird...

First off, you need to find those Items. Then you need to carry them with you (and the jerrycan alone takes 3 slots) so if you have to engage in a firefight, you just ignore your enemies for the time requiered to set up you equipment, reveal your position and basically get shot in an instant. So, it would definitly counter hosting by the mere fact that you just need to shoot in the general direction of the suddenly burning fire or ridiculous radio tower.

If used to protect your camp from guys who randomly log in on it's location it basically tell's them it is there and guides them by the light of the fire or the sound of a generator. The only situation I would find it usefull would be if I intended to tke control of one of the major cities by blocking all entrances with barbed wire and prevent people from logging in with one of these devices.

[evulclown@gmail.com 191]

Only a matter of time until the next hacker script which places campfire places at 30m intervals all over an entire map at the click of a button followed by the old "tactical nuke" rendering the server unlogable.

Edited July 20, 2012 by itputsthelotion

[starwarsfan@gmx.de 450]

Not a big fan of the radio tower/anti-spawn thingy, I see loads of potential for abuse of such devices. But I'd like to see some kind of stationary radio transmitter that you can set up in your camp for 'long range communication'.

[3rdparty 229]

I love any idea striding towards groups organizing permafixtures/bases. The idea of this item inacting a "safe-zone" for the camp is pretty cool, but i see a couple of problems with it.

Friendly groups/players, will wanna log in/out inside that radius.

Players logging in will essentially be given a unfair advantage in knowing the camp is there. (i know the noise and size of the thing will be a dead give away anyway, but itd be nice to know there wasnt this extra con before a player even entered the game.

Groups using the radius as an exploit like previously mentioned, i.e spawning players in the sea, or placing them in such a way that theres only a few guaranteed spawn point they can aim their weapons at.

If there was someway to "approve" certain players to be able to log within the radius, remove any warning that a camp is nearby and instead just spawn them at the radius (tis the risk ye should take if your server hopping and not staying on the same one XD). Doesnt matter anyway, surely the noise of the generator should be a big enough give away when they log in.

[Cinc 3]

I kind of thought through this, and i came up with 2 scenarios. First ill describe what will will be the initial ideas of the group, and then how it'll end.

1- A large group of bandits, seizing control of one of these radio towers, seizes control of the NW airfield. These people, shockingly, appear to have actual intelligence and instead of server hopping, plan to kill the server hoppers, who will practically be a mobile barrack.

2- A large group of people get together in cherno. They quickly get there hands on a tower and a ton of barbed wire, and swiftly block off the whole city. Once the jammer signal is up, they swiftly surround the entire city, and deploy both roaming guards and snipers. The plan is simple, not to seize control of cherno, but to protect it. Anyone who wants to enter the town will be allowed to, but will be warned that if they try and shoot anyone, the group that controls the place (a.k.a. a police force) will immediately take them down.

now then, for how these various plans work.

1- The bandits rapidly find the flaws in there plans. Rather then the server hoppers choosing to try and fight, they simply go to another server. That, and another flaw. Unlike the bandits usual prey, these server hoppers are not only pre-warned, but heavily armed. The sniper swiftly meet the snipers, the hunter become the hunted, the killer goes "WTF, HAX!!!! STUPID GAME".

In short, i dont think attempted exploits will work very well. Of course, if you can force your opponent to spawn in the middle of an open field, things will be much diffrent. So i suggest a small modification, either we be showed a small map of the immediate area and get to choose were we spawn, or we be auto placed at not just the edge of the jamming area, but be spawned in relative cover, like a forested area.

2- Of course, the plan dosent work all that well. Multiple people, using sniper rifles, take down any one they can see in the city. Bandits, pretending to be friends, infiltrate the city. And begin a massacre. But over time, that amount of snipers, bandits, and really anyone who would even think of causing trouble drops massively. Why? Well, the reasons simple, those guys arent getting there loot back, while there dead enemies usually are. think this through, if you snipe from the outskirts, your eventually going to get counter sniped, no matter how hard you try and hide. And just snipe from the outside, and you never manage to get past all that dead guys friends to get at his loot. Killing those guys is pointless, and even the dumbest of people quickly learn it. Meanwhile, the bandits still infiltrate the city. They still kill and shoot all others. but suddenly, a new situation arises. The clan that is controlling the city, upon hearing the shots, will instantly rush to the area. If you have multiple people through out the city, it shouldnt be to difficuly to catch that guy before he strikes again. And he, as usual, dosent make it away with his loot. Eventually, all the fighting settles down, as people learn to except the fact that they'll need a small army to manage to kill in here and make it back out.

And of course, they then get the army. But thats just part of the fun, right?

In short, if i can simply choose to head to another server, i can easily avoid a trap. Or better yet, ambush the ambusher. I can foresee alot of good coming out of this, and a ton of bad. But i think most people will either learn how to aviod the exploiters, or will easily learn how to stop them. Overall, this will probaly end fairly well. Of course, im sure i missed something, theres surely some way this can go horribly wrong, and im not being sarcastic. But please, if your going to respond to my ideas, dont be sarcastic either. just point out whats wrong, and how it can go wrong, and im sure either myself or someone else could come up with a way to fix it, easy or not.

Edited July 20, 2012 by Cinc