Is this really Survival-Horror?

Zul (DayZ) · July 16, 2012

ALPHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

bonx · July 19, 2012

I agree with OP. I have come to the mod believing the game would be more intellectually challenging, like making me facing difficult decisions in the management of resources and so on.

It is just a FPS (with a huge map, yes). After three missions, Zombies are not a threat anymore (do you know you can lose them by running around a house? rofl), finding food and water is not a challenge and the best way to scavenge items is to loot the backpack of players you have just killed.

Maybe the mod is still in a preliminary development phase and that it will adjust the balance to focus on horror survival. I still hope.

ZlobaRUS54 · July 13, 2012

1) The average survival time currently stands at 49 minutes (this does not include quick respawns). Some special forces elites.

2) It's not possible in this game to hit a target at 600m with a sniper rifle w/o doing some research on zeroing/mildots. Lot's of people have these tables printed out. And this must be customized for each FOV and resolution. If you get killed from 1km away please appreciate the skill it took to get the kill.

3) if you watch youtube videos or play a lot you will see that most ppl are terrible shots and have nonexisting situational awareness, stand in the open too long, etc. The 49 min surival time can only be explained by that most ppl they encounter suck as badly.

4) No to artificial nerfing of you aiming/skills, then artificial leveling up. rocket says NO to any kind of xp system.

5) You do get better as you play mjore but not through some artificial leveling system, but through actual interaction with the world.

As far a survival/horror theme, I agree that horror element is lacking but survival is fine in a Battle Royale kind of way. Hell, actually today my 10 day veteran nearly got stuck in the wildrness w/o antibiotics and heat pack (guess they are not useless inv trash afterall!) as my temp dropped to 29c in the morning rain and I had to make a quick fire next

to a road hoping I won't get capped while my temp slowly rose.

athrins · June 10, 2012

Very good post. But why did you have to ruin it with this?:

Firstly, I suggest remaking all the walking zombies into classic 'Romeros.' This means they only walk, they are extremely resistant to physical damage (aside from damage to the head), and they are extremely hard to lose once they know you are there. Fast zombies may be preserved as rare zombie dogs, but by-and-large ought not to exist. Certain zombies may also be 'ranked,' possessing increased health and strength, wearing armor, and/or having special abilities or attacks.

That's like... your opinion... man. Rocket doesn't want magical zombies in DayZ. He wants infected humans and he plans on getting his brother involved (at least I interpreted it so from his latest interview) to help him out with the more scientific details of the disease so that he can increase the diversity of the zeds, refine their behavior and properties.

You can't tell me Romero's zombies are more horrifying than 28 Days Later infected who sprints towards you with the intention of ripping you to fucking pieces and disregards their own pains. Which one do you wish to startle the least? Which one induces more panic and fear into the lonely survivor entrenched in some alleyway surrounded by these things?

Regardless the subjective answer, it's like saying "to increase the surviving aspect of this game, fanta cans needs to replace the pepsi cans". Come on now. Work with what we have.

tarquinbb · July 19, 2012

i couldn't disagree more with the OP...

can you name a 'survival' game which does 'survival' better than dayz? because i certainly cannot. of course, it's more about surviving hostile players than the zombies.

and what is 'horror'? because the paranoia, anxiety and tension caused by encounters with other survivors is far more stirring than any horror game that i can recall.

i can't think of any game which makes you 'feel' as much as dayz, the anxiety is gripping. i feel like all of the suggestions in the OP would take away the anxiety and it wouldn't be the same game.

Are the zombies actually dangerous to anyone beyond noobs?

if you're alone and careless - yes... getting knocked unconscious at 8000 blood and you will probably die to 1-2 zombies before you wake up. not to mention they have a small chance to break your legs, which eventually means you'll have to risk encountering hostile players during your hospital raid.