Infected Animals: Meat

[jatobi (DayZ) 12]

Did a quick search for infected animals and showed nothing, if this was already suggested, so be it, ignore this and yeah.

Infected Animals

We know humans can be infected, but what about the animals? Let's say they can, yet don't display the same symptoms, side effects, and decay as a human does.

Let's say that when an animal comes in contact with the virus, it has a chance to become infected. When it becomes infected, the virus is transformed due to the genetics of the animal. Since this virus is mainly a "human" virus, it does not effect the animals the same way it does humans. The alteration of the virus within the animal makes the animal sick, sometimes deathly, and it can be transferred to humans through consumption.

As it stands right now, a person can go into the wild with the right tools and never bother with the towns/cities again. This leaves the "infected" threat mostly zero. Which leaves the only real threat "other players."

Rocket has stressed that this is about survival. This isn't about killing other players or the infected, it's about surviving. He has hinted that he would like to introduce environmental variables such as animals that attack you in the wilderness. This leads one to believe he wants some form of danger outside of the towns/cities, and into the safety of the wild.

With infected animals (any that you can gut for meat) you get a variable that isn't insanely dangerous, but isn't fool proof either. Adding to the survival aspect, forcing players sometimes to go into towns or cities in search for remedies.

Meat

When you kill and gut an animal, you get meat. You cook said meat in order to survive off the land out away from the danger in the safety of the woods.

The above states that animals contract the virus and alters it within their bodies to transform it into another type of virus, something that won't turn you into an infected person, but make you very ill, sometimes fatally.

That then directly translates into the meat you harvest off of the animal to also be infected.

Eating infected meat would result in what? Illness.

Consumption of Meat

When you consume a piece of cooked meat, you have a random chance to contract the virus the animal was carrying. What random chance is to be determined, but something not so uncommon that it never happens, but not something that you will constantly be sick either.

When you consume this random "infected" piece of meat, you get a random chance to contract this virus the animal had. Let's say, for the sake of an idea, there are 3 different versions you could contract.

1. Simple stomach virus, get sick and it passes over "x" minutes, get shakes like you have shock to simulate pain every so often, not constantly.
   
2. Okay, the simple stomach ache never went away, it's getting worse. Shaking constantly.
   
3. I'm going to die. Passing out randomly, blood loss (little, not so much you won't be able to go find help or get medicine), and constant shaking.
   

Remedies

As we already have painkillers, morphine, and antibiotics, we already have a means to get rid of the virus. As of right now, the only use for antibiotics are colds, or something along those lines.

Take painkillers to get rid of the shakes and calm your character down so you can get to safety, and get the next needed item, antibiotics.

Antibiotics take care of the symptoms completely, but any blood loss must be restored only with a blood bag. (Subject to change)

TLDR

Animals contract the same virus infected humans do. Due to the genetic makeup of the animals, the virus is twisted and transformed into a less lethal, non-zombie virus. It is capable of infecting players by consumption of meat at a random chance. The penalties of the virus when consumed are random as stated above to some degree of lethality.

It adds danger to the wilderness.

Forces players to stock up on medical supplies.

Forces players out of the wilderness at some degree to get said medical supplies.

[jatobi (DayZ) 12]

Figured more people would be into this lol.

[peliluola@gmail.com 28]

Fun idea, I've actually thought about this alot but never cared to post about it. Also the meat should go bad so you couldn't stock up on it.

[Figs 2]

Well, animals aren't normally affected by the same strand of a virus as us humies are. Maybe it should present as rabies and make aggro animals (esp. the boars)

[merrfack 90]

I could see rabies, or maybe under cooking meat. Other then that... its difficult enough to me to get matches, a hatchet, and a hunting knife. (Not in a particular order). So I do like the idea of just being able to eat it and be good to go. But I do see your point, and it is a good point.

[jatobi (DayZ) 12]

Well, animals aren't normally affected by the same strand of a virus as us humies are. Maybe it should present as rabies and make aggro animals (esp. the boars)

Ever heard of mad cow disease, or bird flu? =P

Animals can and have contracted viruses that negatively effect humans yet have little or no effect on the animal itself, search google, you'll find them. Please note that I am not saying that an animal can catch any virus out there and then transmit that virus to a human. Animals can be hosts for a number of things and never get harmed from it. Most times it mutates within the host and becomes something totally different, and while may not be fatal, cause some harm to another species when they consume the infected host.

If we are going to assume it's a virus that infects people, lets assume it's something like Solanum.

"Solanum is fatal to all living creatures, regardless of size, species, or ecosystem."

which means any animal could be a host. Though it will mutate and not be the exact same thing when it is consumed.

"Ingestion of infected flesh (provided the person has no open mouth sores) does not cause infection, but rather, permanent death. Infected flesh is found to be highly toxic."

Edited July 14, 2012 by jatobi

[jatobi (DayZ) 12]

keep discussing!

[jatobi (DayZ) 12]

You guys should start talking about this if you want something like this featured. I know there are a lot more people who want something along these lines.

Speak up!

[lllewqer 4]

Do not get me wrong guys, I totally like the idea, but as a side-note if you contracted a virus and got sick because of the virus, you would need antivirals, not antibiotics, so I have been told.

[jatobi (DayZ) 12]

Do not get me wrong guys, I totally like the idea, but as a side-note if you contracted a virus and got sick because of the virus, you would need antivirals, not antibiotics, so I have been told.

Yes, you do need antiviral medications to fight virus infections.

However, being that antibiotics are already in game, we can look over the whole antibiotics/antivirals for sake of simplicity.

Unless the devs want to create a new item and make them antiviral, which would be awesome :).

[jatobi (DayZ) 12]

Bumping for discussion.

[Bat (DayZ) 230]

you know us humans are ... animals, right ? But you're right when you say anything can happen : indeed viruses are extremely varied and we can't predict how they will propagate, affect different species or not, etc. So pretty much everything can be imagined. (IMO Infected dogs would be extremely cool and fun, and would not break immersion that much.)

[jatobi (DayZ) 12]

Don't bring back the nightmares I had from a certain Resident Evil hallway.

[Donnerwurm 2]

zombie boars, dogs (model and animations exst) etc. would be nice. but i think they need to be very rare. this would keep the feeling of safety in forests and also reflect the present danger. meeting them would be very intense by keeping them rare. otherwise they would be annoying or a source of frustration, because you seek for safety or teaking a breath by going into the forest.

i don't like your idea of randomly getting an infection by eating meat. well, if you eat one of those zombie dogs attacking you, then i would agree that it's your fault and you should get infected :)

[bonedripper 8]

Did a quick search for infected animals and showed nothing, if this was already suggested, so be it, ignore this and yeah.

Infected Animals

We know humans can be infected, but what about the animals? Let's say they can, yet don't display the same symptoms, side effects, and decay as a human does.

Let's say that when an animal comes in contact with the virus, it has a chance to become infected. When it becomes infected, the virus is transformed due to the genetics of the animal. Since this virus is mainly a "human" virus, it does not effect the animals the same way it does humans. The alteration of the virus within the animal makes the animal sick, sometimes deathly, and it can be transferred to humans through consumption.

As it stands right now, a person can go into the wild with the right tools and never bother with the towns/cities again. This leaves the "infected" threat mostly zero. Which leaves the only real threat "other players."

Rocket has stressed that this is about survival. This isn't about killing other players or the infected, it's about surviving. He has hinted that he would like to introduce environmental variables such as animals that attack you in the wilderness. This leads one to believe he wants some form of danger outside of the towns/cities, and into the safety of the wild.

With infected animals (any that you can gut for meat) you get a variable that isn't insanely dangerous, but isn't fool proof either. Adding to the survival aspect, forcing players sometimes to go into towns or cities in search for remedies.

Meat

When you kill and gut an animal, you get meat. You cook said meat in order to survive off the land out away from the danger in the safety of the woods.

The above states that animals contract the virus and alters it within their bodies to transform it into another type of virus, something that won't turn you into an infected person, but make you very ill, sometimes fatally.

That then directly translates into the meat you harvest off of the animal to also be infected.

Eating infected meat would result in what? Illness.

Consumption of Meat

When you consume a piece of cooked meat, you have a random chance to contract the virus the animal was carrying. What random chance is to be determined, but something not so uncommon that it never happens, but not something that you will constantly be sick either.

When you consume this random "infected" piece of meat, you get a random chance to contract this virus the animal had. Let's say, for the sake of an idea, there are 3 different versions you could contract.

1. Simple stomach virus, get sick and it passes over "x" minutes, get shakes like you have shock to simulate pain every so often, not constantly.
   
2. Okay, the simple stomach ache never went away, it's getting worse. Shaking constantly.
   
3. I'm going to die. Passing out randomly, blood loss (little, not so much you won't be able to go find help or get medicine), and constant shaking.
   

Remedies

As we already have painkillers, morphine, and antibiotics, we already have a means to get rid of the virus. As of right now, the only use for antibiotics are colds, or something along those lines.

Take painkillers to get rid of the shakes and calm your character down so you can get to safety, and get the next needed item, antibiotics.

Antibiotics take care of the symptoms completely, but any blood loss must be restored only with a blood bag. (Subject to change)

TLDR

Animals contract the same virus infected humans do. Due to the genetic makeup of the animals, the virus is twisted and transformed into a less lethal, non-zombie virus. It is capable of infecting players by consumption of meat at a random chance. The penalties of the virus when consumed are random as stated above to some degree of lethality.

It adds danger to the wilderness.

Forces players to stock up on medical supplies.

Forces players out of the wilderness at some degree to get said medical supplies.

Nice idea but .... as the antibiotics are found so HARD don't you think all newbies will kinda.. die very fast? For us is easy because we know the game but for a newbie it will be hard as hell! Maybe if the antibiotics spawning rate would be higher then .. i mean there must be a balance right?