Surely underground structures are a mistake.

[scaramoosh 162]

I hear the world instance and I panic, is it going to become like EQ2 where you have so many different instances that you barely see players in the world? The world is big enough as it is so why can't we make bases in the actual world? Barbwire is a really bad example because it becomes a griefing mechanic but surely it's not hard to say you cannot build in this area. From every thing Dean is saying with these structures it sounds like the game is going the wrong way to where I want it to go. I for one hate Capital ships in EVE Online, I feel like they ruined 0.0 and I quit the game since it became Capital ships online.

The game has so many issues atm why focus on something like this? For one focus your efforts on fixing the zombies, animating them properly and stop them from what looks like they're warping around. Why not add more content into the game world, more tools and have basic building mechanics like putting up wall segments to create little player villages which can be destroyed or you can fight for them. Why increase the game world into instances? It's just a bad idea, now it's open and seamless and it means everyone is out in the world, why not give us content there. Otherwise it just becomes EQ2 where everyone is building in their instance and not spending time in the world.

I would just like to see so many things fixed before thinking about this, I mean since the last patch I cannot even play....

[Lou_Drew 10]

Because the world is set up in a such a way that all a douchebag needs to know is where your "base" is in the main-map, then get there on a different server and server hop in - completely eliminating the entire point, of having such a base.

Tell me how you would fix server hopping, and then you will have an argument.

[Dancingg 27]

I don't think you realize the limitations of this mod at this stage. This stage, being alpha. Arma 3 will unlock much more potential. With the new major patch it'll take awhile for the servers to become stable. Just wait a bit, then enjoy the game. If you don't like it. Play Arma2 and the many mods/campaigns you can download for it.

[Ejaculacid 19]

I don't think you realize the limitations of this mod at this stage. This stage, being alpha. Arma 3 will unlock much more potential. With the new major patch it'll take awhile for the servers to become stable. Just wait a bit, then enjoy the game. If you don't like it. Play Arma2 and the many mods/campaigns you can download for it.

hahaha, pity to the guy who wants to keep it on this engine. This mod has outgrown the engine

[Alexey Zemanov 6]

Well, i understood rocket that he want's to instantiate because so the server load can be spread over those instances.

However, underground structures really seem like the wrong direction for this. Don't get me wrong ... i like tunnels and trolls ... but there are other possibilities as well.

[Stridsbulten 9]

Because the world is set up in a such a way that all a douchebag needs to know is where your "base" is in the main-map, then get there on a different server and server hop in - completely eliminating the entire point, of having such a base.

Tell me how you would fix server hopping, and then you will have an argument.

There are several ways to fix it, it all depends on what the code allows. Two suggestions:

1. No spawning in or out within a certain radius of deployable items (tents, barb wire etc). Exception could be made for owner and people on his Friends list (if there was such a thing).

2. No spawning in or out of buildings, period. Only buildings can be fortified to become camps / bases.

It still wouldnt solve the issue of people wrecking it all when the owner is asleep, though that might be a good thing. Could encourage people to team up across timezones to defend a camp or whatever.

[ZedsDeadBaby 2287]

I assume the ability to construct underground bases would be limited and require the efforts of many players, similar to the construction of a vehicle but far more complex and requiring more materials. Provided these materials are properly limited, and the resulting bases are destructible and decay after a time without being "used" (similar to vehicles), then I don't see servers becoming over-populated with them.

As for their purpose, I believe it is to give players a more concealable, persistent base alternative compared to just stuffing tents into pine trees and hoping for the best. Structures would be fine, but larger structures are too visible from distance and vulnerable to ordnance like grenades, attack from helicopters, etc. I mean, this is precisely why people invented underground bunkers in the first place so it makes sense that their purpose is mirrored in DayZ.

Edited July 14, 2012 by ZedsDeadBaby

[Katana67 2907]

I think underground instances will suffice for this engine, but I'd really like to see above ground settlements.

Hell, some of the smaller towns could already work as such... if there was a mechanic for permanently clearing them of zombies after a while, and fortifying them via foraging for construction materials and building walls.

Perhaps we'll have to wait until ARMA III or standalone.

[moeller.37@wright.edu 6]

Underground bases is a stupid idea. Attempting to fix server hopping is a good idea.

[gizm0 96]

There are several ways to fix it, it all depends on what the code allows. Two suggestions:

1. No spawning in or out within a certain radius of deployable items (tents, barb wire etc). Exception could be made for owner and people on his Friends list (if there was such a thing).

2. No spawning in or out of buildings, period. Only buildings can be fortified to become camps / bases.

It still wouldnt solve the issue of people wrecking it all when the owner is asleep, though that might be a good thing. Could encourage people to team up across timezones to defend a camp or whatever.

However your number one could be used for ghosting like purposes depending on the range.

[FrancoNapalm 2]

This is only 1 idea Rocket wants to add into DayZ, i don't know why people are moaning about fix this fix that of course he is going to fix all the in game content etc.. what you have to realize is its going to take a lot of time for Rocket to sort the issues out, he hopes to bring out a stand alone game by the end of the year which is even pretty quick for my liking let alone anyone else.

[moriak 35]

I also don't like the idea of introducing instances to an open-world sandbox game

but let's just wait and see what rocket comes up with, we have very little information at the moment to start judging

Edited July 14, 2012 by moriak

[chrismgtis 55]

Underground bases are hardly possible with the Arma 2 engine. I'll believe it when I see it. Otherwise, it's just a dream.

[Redrick (DayZ) 72]

I guess I'm a little behind, but where has rocket said anything about underground structurers?

[darkonex 1]

I say focus first on fixing the retarded animation of the zombies, like was stated above they seem to warp and slide around and honestly they run too fast imo.

[moriak 35]

I guess I'm a little behind, but where has rocket said anything about underground structurers?

he mentioned it somewhere in this Q&A - http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-07-09-watch-dean-rocket-halls-huge-rezzed-q-and-a-for-dayz

[kiladyn 6]

I think above ground with maybe tunnels connecting the buildings could be fine, but I agree that other things should be fixed first. Honestly I cant wait for it to be standalone.

[hulkingunicorn 20]

hahaha, pity to the guy who wants to keep it on this engine. This mod has outgrown the engine

Perhaps the mod is outgrowing being a mod for ArmA 2, but it's hardly outgrown the engine.

[Alex (DayZ) 8]

Need a nice new engine for this game.

[Zdudeski 10]

I am all for the underground construction as long as a few things are clear ...

1. Cave ins are a reality , without proper equipment and or maintenance you can trap yourself inside of your own tunnel/base this will of course make the task of creating an underground base that much more difficult and threatening .

2. Excavating a tunnel/base needs to be laborious and require plenty of time and supplies.

(Examples : Shovels , Pickaxes , support beams to prevent collapse (optional) , Oxygen tanks and masks to prevent suffocation after collapse (optional), Extra Food & Water for the diggers who should experience a stamina loss and need water and food faster , Lights (candles , flashlights, glowsticks ) to see where you are digging farther in the ground you go .

3. These bases or tunnels should not be separated from the world and players and even infected above ground, whether another player stalks you to your underground base or simply stumbles across a hatch in the wild the player should be able to interact with your hatch , I'm all for camouflaging your hatch with leaves and sticks and shit but another random player should be able to enter your hatch after maybe breaking a lock or just going in if its unlocked .

--- With these 3 thoughts i think that underground construction would be great ! Your base wouldn't be completely cut off from the world , it would be a challenge in the first place to construct it with the dangers of collapse and required supplies and effort . ---

An interesting scenario :::

While scavenging for food and water with your buddy you find a couple shovels in a barn , both of you quickly grab the shovel and head to a secluded forest nearby , you start digging , 20 minutes pass and you've made a small cave , you use this cave over the next few days to stash your precious food , water and other supplies . After you gather plenty of supplies to live off of for a while you two begin digging again , deeper and deeper darker and darker , you and your buddy have made some real progress into this tunnel , you pull out your flashlight to provide light for your friend who is digging away at the wall of dirt , an hour passes and you are starting to carve out a room , the beggining of your awsome base , suddenly you hear dirt and rock falling , your tunnel is collapsing , the outside light is completely gone and your flashlight is flickering , batteries are low , both of you start to panic , all this work , all this time , your friend frantically begins digging out the collapsed entrance to no avail , 10 minutes pass as you try to come up with an idea to escape , the light dims , then is gone , in the pitch black all you can hear is the escalating breaths you and your buddy are making , 5 minutes pass , you are breathing sporadically , wheezing and coughing , you hear a couple thumps as both your characters fall to the ground , wheezing and coughing , YOU ARE DEAD pops up on your screen , you have effectively suffocated yourself ............. a week later another team of excavators dig through your once awsome tunnel astonishingly finding 2 corpses and a dead flashlight , they can only guess at the horrible scenario you and your buddy where in , this new team will not make the same mistakes however , their tunnel is lined with support beams and lanterns , as well as multiple entrances and routes , the new team has Oxygen tanks with masks and plenty of batteries and matches for their light source .

[cfnz 15]

Let's try this before it's condemned as a bad idea. If it doesn't work out or results in unintended player behaviour then rethink the idea and/or it's implementation. I'm under the impression this is the entire point of the alpha version.

[Sir Diealot 46]

I for one am hugely pro-underground construction, because I am (at least for the time being) a hermit. And I would love a place that's actually concealable, or mainly the entrance, obviously. I mean like under a tree, 'glue' some leaves, branches and whatnot on the 'hatch' or 'door' and whatever else. But this shouldn't require multiple people to do. Yes, it should take a shitload of time and effort for one person to do, but it should be doable. Having said all this, I also think that this (UG-construction) shouldn't be even near the top on the to-do list. There's a lot of 'little' things that need to be added rather than this.

Peace.

SD.

[Thasik 79]

Out of all of Rocket's ideas, I honestly found this absurd, yes. Even if the standalone gets around to it, it still seems like it's just unfit for a zombie apocalypse sim.

Granted, I have no idea how else you would practically have bases that transition from server to server. Take it or leave it I suppose.

Edited August 19, 2012 by Thasik

[RECphantom 31]

Rocket has already said that he is addressing the bugs first before adding any substantial content. We won't be expecting these "instances" with the release because he is focusing on the hacking/exploiting/graphical glitches/out of date map for the stand-alone first.

In my opinion, an above ground system would be funner and more interactive to the community as a whole, as well as being more authentic. But i am glad he is thinking of these ideas now, it will give him plenty of time to reflect on it and gather feedback from the community before making the final decision.

[AryanBoogeyman 185]

Too early to tell to be honest. Interesting idea but needs to be fleshed out.

I too flinch at the idea of instances within an "open" world but let's see how this plays out.

I would lean towards the ability to clear and barricade existing structures before trying to implement something like this. In all reality it would take a hell of a long time to manually dig out anything close to resembling an underground base, whereas it would take comparatively little time and effort to barricade an existing structure.

Seeing as this mod is headed down a hugely popular avenue I venture to say that it should cater to gamers that don't have the real life time to devote to full on neck-beard activities like building an underground fortress.

Just my two cents.