My Good Suggestions List and discussion.

[Strategos (DayZ) 190]

Hmm ive got a point about possible random encounters in the wilderness.

Im not sure why mobs of Z's would be migrating like this ?

[Marknetic 0]

According to DayZ Wiki, losing gear in the sea isn't a bug.

"Swimming causes you to lose some or all of your inventory."

http://dayzwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Known_Bugs

[Krack 0]

+4385374689359

Love the things you emphasized in this, especially the Bad/Ugly sections, I hope Rocket considers some things from here.

[Strategos (DayZ) 190]

Thanks Krack appreciated.

I was thinking about this Mark, and realised it was probably a feature, thanks for highlighting it. I actually kind of like it now I think about it more :)

Added a few more suggestions to the list as well. I cant find the original non lethal weapons thread I'm guessing it might have been lost to the hack.

[RobbaN (DayZ) 0]

Good suggestions! big support :)

[bubbasmith 0]

We need more fixes ,not additions! Maybe a couple of retractions. And hey if you want to keep people getting this game ,you have to ease up a bit and make it more newbie friendly, not so hard core as it is. A lot of people are already saying ,"what" "your playing a game that you dont even have a gun to kill the zombies that are chasing you, What kind of fun is that,no thanks". Well i'm kind of starting to agree with them, searching around for an hour trying to find a weapon, just to get shot by other players that were lucky to already find one or had one before the update is kind of getting lame. I can just see all the newbies running down the street time after time being chased by 10 to 15 super zombies with star athlete speed getting killed 5 mins after they get in game. After 3 to 4 tries there burnt out on DayZ.

Fix these issues first to make the game enjoyable for the not so hard core group and equal for everyone. Then later you can add things to the game.

Oh and your comment about missing the point, not easier and reality game- that was lame too.

Reality, i'd be able to kill with my knife, push zombies away, set them on fire with flares,throw stones at them and knock them out and lock doors behind me without them coming thru walls.

[Strategos (DayZ) 190]

Interesting points Bubba, but as this is a SUGGESTIONS forum you can hardly expect not to find any threads about suggestion for new things eh ;)

Im sorry you find the game hard and unrealistic though.

You may also have noticed the bugs section of my post where I list some of the bugs Ive noticed and pointed out its an alpha build.

Alpha is the phase of a games development where ideas are tested out to see if people like them and if they work.

At times the game may not be to everyones liking. So you post your feedback and suggestions, discuss the mechanics, preferably in a respectful and level headed way. And things change, ideally for the better - but not always.

Beta is the phase that come after Alpha. In Beta less features are added and more bug fixes occur.

[Strategos (DayZ) 190]

Added a bunch of new bugs I've found in the latest build.

And a few new suggestions, all in the OP of course.

[-III 1]

+1 for number 15

I want to be able to shoot all these KOSers with non lethal rounds before they "decide" I'm a threat to their precious beans. Honestly I don't care what anyone else has on them, I'm just tired of being shot in the back and or face for hesitating to kill someone because that's how I choose to be.

[EvilNickolas 0]

We definitely need non-lethal options..

heres one of my suggestions too..

http://www.dayzmod.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=19035&pid=170696#pid170696

[Strategos (DayZ) 190]

I don't think binocs need adjusting, but the current system where hatchets and torches must replace primary and secondary weapons isn't ideal.

Edit: Added a few new suggestions and adjusted bug list.

[JerFeelgood 34]

We need more fixes ,not additions! Maybe a couple of retractions. And hey if you want to keep people getting this game ,you have to ease up a bit and make it more newbie friendly, not so hard core as it is. A lot of people are already saying ,"what" "your playing a game that you dont even have a gun to kill the zombies that are chasing you, What kind of fun is that,no thanks". Well i'm kind of starting to agree with them, searching around for an hour trying to find a weapon, just to get shot by other players that were lucky to already find one or had one before the update is kind of getting lame. I can just see all the newbies running down the street time after time being chased by 10 to 15 super zombies with star athlete speed getting killed 5 mins after they get in game. After 3 to 4 tries there burnt out on DayZ.

Fix these issues first to make the game enjoyable for the not so hard core group and equal for everyone. Then later you can add things to the game.

Oh and your comment about missing the point, not easier and reality game- that was lame too.

Reality, i'd be able to kill with my knife, push zombies away, set them on fire with flares,throw stones at them and knock them out and lock doors behind me without them coming thru walls.

I'm pretty sure rocket said he never intended for the game to be enjoyable in the fun way, that there are plenty of FPS games out there for that already, that this was supposed to be an anti game.... perhaps it's because the game is *FUN* at the moment that it's attracting hordes of PvP gamers... Surely the devs should be striving to make the game less fun... but i digress....

[L0G!N (DayZ) 149]

I agree with all these points EXCEPT, for the one dealing with skills, there are a couple of area's where IRL skills just can't directly transfer over into the game. These are currently mainly: Hunting/gutting skills, Medical skills, Engineering skills (Certain construction skills may apply in the future); and adding a learning by doing system (with HIDDEN +1 points) would introduce a mid-game character progress that does not detract from anything in the DayZ experience. And in my views would actually add to it !

[Szap 14]

Some very nice Ideas there !

[kriecher 17]

Hey strategos,

i really like your point of view and totally agree! :)

Great conclusion of some of the best topics.

good job

[Strategos (DayZ) 190]

Thanks. I need to go through this and fix the links actually, thanks for reminding me!

[8thful 1]

This is such a great topic, OP really knows his stuff. I'm in complete agreement with just about every feature you mentioned. I'd like to support the original threads as well but many of the links were not working for me. So I will instead support this thread.

One suggestion I have in regards to ammo (and I was discussion this with another player) is a belt slot or vest slot where we can store primary weapon ammo. I am currently dissatisfied with the amount of slots primary ammo takes up in a bag (you don't really store ammo in a bag, you store it on a belt or a vest or pockets for easy access in terms of realism. Lets say you get a nice M4 with a silencer, you aren't going to pass up ammo when you come across it and yet the more ammo you take, the more you screw yourself in other areas. I would say the same thing for bolts (Quiver fix?). I would like to see new items such as a belt, or vest or quiver to improve ammo-storing for primary weapons. Not sure if others feel my slight frustration in that matter.

Edited August 3, 2012 by 8thful

[paradox. 12]

THE GOOD

Now there are some ideas that have been suggested that I really like and I think will make the game better. These things increase the human element, increase the realism and in some ways the difficulty. These haven't all be suggested by me, and some are apparently going in anyway but I thought I'd list them here as a counter point to my comments below.

1: Removing global chat (IN on good servers anyway). I'd also like to see whisper, talk and shout modes the latter two which would up the range of your voice but also risk alerting infected. Also more hand signals, someone also suggested a whistle which I quite liked. Direct chat needs to be very reliable and there need to be quick clear ways of signalling. Death comes fast in Dayz to help reduce KOS communication has to be unequivocally clear.

2: Radios. To allow long range communication, radios, walkie talkies. Here's a thread on it

http://dayzmod.com/f...ad.php?tid=3479

3: Exposure. Weather , warmth / cold survival elements. IN and improving with each patch by the looks of it.

4: Player journals. I love extra human element this will add. Id like them to just be something you can read on a corpse and not take with you. Here's the thread http://dayzmod.com/f...ge__hl__journal . Support this idea!

5: Occasional (VERY rare) zombie wanderers in the wilds. Not enough to make the wilderness stressful, just enough to make sure you couldn't feel totally safe. Or possibly the odd bear or wolf http://dayzmod.com/f...ars-and-wolfes/

6: Better hunting, wild animals that spook and are harder to kill. Also zombies killing animals. I'd like the feeling of a ravaged eco system you would get from seeing scared animals. And also seeing the Zs chasing down and eating livestock etc. That could at times also provide a valuable distraction...

http://dayzmod.com/f...re-challenging/

7: Possibly a more involved crafting cooking system. Foraging, cooking recipes. The hatchet is a start towards this sort of thing I think.

8: Daynight cycle 1.5 x speed. So you get more variety, might stop servers cheating and resetting server time. And allow players to experience both day and night if they can play only at certain times. Don't get me wrong I love night time!

I see this was also discussed here http://dayzmod.com/f...ad.php?tid=1418

However I read a post by Rocket that said that this isn't possible currently. An alternative I came up with is locking CD keys to a timezone : http://dayzmod.com/f...synced-to-time/

9: checking / refilling magazines. Please god! An inventory filled with clips with 2 bullets in is a killers! http://dayzmod.com/f...?tid=746����IN! Checking is in and at least some ammo types can be converted. A nice start.

10: Less predictable loot locations. The loot zoning is ok. But having the best loot spawn in the same place in the same building every time is too predictable for my liking. Possibly less predictable vehicle locations as well to prevent out of game maps plotting the spawns.

11: Repairable refuel able emergency generators. I wasn't sure about this idea but think it could work. I'd prefer to see smaller generators rather than full power stations myself so that teams could light up small areas. Could tie in with the radios idea as well. Here's the thread. hhttp://dayzmod.com/f...enerators-v-33/

12: Remove radar from helicopters. To stop people being able to hoover up all the vehicles as soon as they have a chopper. DONE!

13: Camo netting. I'm sure this had been suggested before. But some camo webbing to hide vehicles would be fantastic!

14: Traps (already on the way apparently). Beartraps are sposed to be in but I haven't seen one yet.

15: Non lethal weapons. Something to incapacitate people and rob them without killing them. Tranq darts etc would be nice. One shot = slower movement blurry vision etc. Two shots = slow down until you pass out. The gun could be a slow loading one shot weapon so there is no one hit kill mechanic introduced with these weapons. More options for people is a good thing.

16: Shooting people damaging equipment. Discussion thread here http://dayzmod.com/f...d.php?tid=11265

17: Throwing anim quicker or not stop you moving. Smoke grenades for instance are a life saver, or should be right now you stand and get mauled before you can get the smoke away.

18: Curious Z's. Loud sounds outside their agro range draw zeds to wander roughly in that direction. So a grenade blast in the distance, a sniper shot a car. If not close enough to draw direct agro causes them to gravitate. See no 21 for an extension of this.

19: Sprains. Small falls instead of shattering your legs cause sprains that stop you running but not walking. Painkillers cure the sprain. Zombies can be more likely to do this than break your legs as well. (1.72. will reduce zombie legs breaks which is a nice start).

20: This ground mist on occasion for added spookiness. http://dayzmod.com/f...d.php?tid=12092 looks very atmospheric.

21: Zombies spawning much further from players. Might be possible with 1.7.2 optimisations. http://dayzmod.com/f...ns-and-zombies/

22: Less ammo , military weapons. Combined with fixing the ammo bug (below). I still think the good weapons should be in the game just much much rarer. Along with ammo in general. I like the thrill of finding something good. But as it stands it's way too easy to find military hardware. Remove military spawns from all civilian places. Lower the spawn rates in all others including deerstands. Primary source should be crashed choppers I think, but even then much rarer. This has been suggested in many places and is an important step to making Dayz less KOS and more about survival.

http://dayzmod.com/f...tality-of-dayz/

THE BAD

Ok instead of repeating myself in lots of different places I thought I'd just write my thoughts on Gameplay etc in one place, then you can all tear it to shreds lol.

1st: The first thing that makes Dayz great is the human element. The interactions that occur between players. These interactions are defined by fear, mistrust and uncertainty.

2nd : The second thing that makes Dayz great is the realism, and the difficulty. Everything is difficult in this game. This makes the reward all the greater.

People keep suggesting mechanics, like Safe Zones. Spawn on friends. Factions. No friendly fire. Easier Vehicles, more powerful Makarov, building safe houses,etc. No no! Missing the point! DONT MAKE IT EASIER!

Sometimes the game can be frustrating but making it easier, making these things more convenient will kill what makes the game so compelling. When I've achieved something I hate dying, but when I re-spawn I learn from my mistakes and am driven to not make them again.

People also keep suggesting skill systems. But I don't think acquiring skills as a game mechanic is the way to go in Dayz. It's what you find and what YOU do with it. You can approach problems in the game in a real world way, you can navigate without a compass. And the more you play the better you get. You are developing the skills yourself. Its frustrating enough losing all the gear you've found without losing the ability to do things within the game.

I also often see a desire for human NPCs. But WE are the survivors :)

People keep suggesting sanity meters etc. Another thing this game really doesn't need. I don't need my character to shake any more or the screen to blur (happens enough when i'm hurt and cold) , or hallucinations. When the game scares me i'm scared! Probably more so than any other game I've ever played. I've been scared by rabbits, by my own shadow, by bushes, by other players even occasionally by zombies :P Artificially trying to tell me that im scared just isn't necessary.

THE UGLY (bugs)

Obviously there are plenty of bugs / issues in the game,

pistols not holstering,

losing gear in the sea - FEATURE not bug :)

Backpacks eating gear.

Zombies coming through walls / doors. (Coming Soon!)

Zombies following you literally forever even when you get miles from them. (FIXED)

Zombies hearing / seeing you through walls (FIXED)

Player names showing up through buildings etc so you can see where people are on non hardcore mode.

Bleeding icon out not obvious enough.

Logging out cheat. (5 second logout timer added then removed for technical reasons, and coming back again soon ?).

Tents not placeable / nearly impossible but not quite. (FIXED!)

Tents / vehicles losing stored loot on server restarts. (DEF NOT FIXED!) But id rather this than duplication.

Swapping guns on floor losing dropped gun.

Crawling up stairs killing you or breaking your legs.

HACKING - getting incredibly common. (FIXED apparently! or not....)

Vehicles biting you. Sometimes when you stand close to one it suddenly hurts you, even breaks your bones.

Slight slopes and objects making you stand up!

Rearming at vehicles/ tents can delete your primary weapon!

Tent pitching can end in many tents appearing.

Zombies still attacking through walls.

No storage total display for tents / vehicles.

Regenerating Ammo! (Fix on the way).

Temp Duplication! My major gripe atm.

But this game is in ALPHA if I was developing that game I would be well aware of these problem already and planning to fix them so I'm sure Rocket is.

+1

[Strategos (DayZ) 190]

Thanks again. Links fixed. Couldn't find all the original threads but most of them.

[nev2k 16]

well i liked your suggestions very well, may you could have a look at the player codex:

http://dayzmod.com/f...0-player-codex/

Those are some "rules" a player should/could follow, as long as the game is in it's alpha stage,

as well as there are some rules to make the social interactions more intresting and realistic.

I'd also add a mechanic which somehow makes playing as a survivor who don't kill on sight more intresting, like a better morality give's you some bonuses(minimal), for instance making the zeds less fast aggroed, so you can loot easier.

I'd also make all servers veteran by default, so you have to estimate ranges and can't find a player by swaying the mouse over an area.

fell free to add those points :D and please add a link to my thread :D

Edited August 5, 2012 by <BH>nev

[Strategos (DayZ) 190]

I like your Codex, but of course the joy of sandbox is that you can do what you like, and the sorrow of people in general is that if there is a mechanic they will use it. Then of course anyone using your codex will be at a massive disadvantage. In an ideal world everyone would play "honestly" but the world is far from ideal!

In the end most of the problems just need ot be fixed. I made a post about standardising servers. http://dayzmod.com/f...dardise-things/

The game needs to apply the right pressures to players without forcing them down a specific path. Rocket understands this very well and im confident that the process we are going through will result in a game that results in something approaching your idealised version of player behaviours. It's hard to see the long term results of design decisions with this many people, look at the whole bandit skin issue!

I'm also anti anything that makes the game easier, I believe it needs to be harder so that players are more focused on surviving, which also highlights the advantages of teaming up. Again it's all about pressures. We currently have a situation where there is simply too much good loot in the game and survival is much too easy.

Rather than saying to people "dont make a camp" I say fix tents so they work as originally intended and make loot and ammo rarer, especially the high end stuff.

There's a debate about this stuff going on right now here http://dayzmod.com/f...months-of-play/ - I dont agree with all his points but it's an interesting thread. EDIT - apologies I see you came from there :)

Edited August 5, 2012 by Strategos

[Mammas_Boy 7]

Could Strat be on the way to writing the Day Z Bible?

[Strategos (DayZ) 190]

Convert to the church of Strategos ? Nah I don't think religion has any place post apocalypse eh ;)

But we could certainly do with a bit more reason and rational thought around here.

[Senection 6]

1, yes

2, yes

3 yes

4,yes

5 no

6 no

7 yes

8 no

9 yes

10 no

11 no

fuck this

thats bullshit

[Strategos (DayZ) 190]

lol interesting contribution , I particularly like your concise and informed discussion.

Still over 50% approval up to point 11 ;)