Starter Skins - Experienced Survivor and Noob Skin (mechanic explanation included!)

[mtuckner 46]

What do you guys think of having a noob skin for brand new players such as a regular civilian clothes, and an experienced survivor skin for players who have played for a while?

How it could work (open for adjustment):

Brand new players with less than 10 hours totally logged in game (via the hive) spawn with a random civilian clothing skin - such as t-shirt and jeans, plaid shirt and jeans, no hat, etc.

Players with more than 10 hours would spawn with the current survivor skin. This could also be adjusted to require more time, or less time. It could be triggered by some other factor that is hive trackable - such as having acquired at some point a military rifle, an alice pack or greater, looted a helo wreck (entered its spawn radius), entered northwest airfield, etc. The requirement could be derived from any number of qualifiers - maybe a 10 hour clock and having had to enter the northern third of the map.

I like the idea of a new player losing the inexperienced skin if they commit a murder also. They can skip the new player skin and become a the normal experienced spawn skin if they show a propensity for doing what it takes to survive anyways.

What mechanic does this accomplish:

This would allow people to be fairly certain that a freshly spawned player is inexperienced and probably needs more help. They also have different expectations of the mod and are less likely to shoot you with a makarov to take your gear - they are often more interested in linking up as they have not formed bonds with a group yet. Experienced players would be more willing to "give them a pass" since they don't know as much about the game. Also, other survivors that are inexperienced could feel more comfortable making contact with each other.

Experienced players often have a group they play with and therefor they are not interested in grouping with noobs or giving anybody a chance in order to receive help, because they don't need it. It is better to kill to grab some loot as you head north and protect yourself from the unknown. People can see the experienced survivor skin and assume they know the game mechanics, could be grouped up, probably heading north after a fresh spawn and are quite possibly a higher threat.

This would provide a new mechanic for recruitment and training for more player driven end game content. Experienced groups can head south in search of inexperienced survivors to grow their community by taking a noob under their wing - offering protection and guidance. This would make experienced groups want to give new players a chance and probably give a better early experience for brand new players also. I think it would satisfy both needs for higher end content, while leaving hard core survival pvp in tact - and at the same time providing a meta game for all near the coast.

Your forum responses:

Post what you think about the idea with a yea or nay and your rationalization. If you like the idea - what do you think should trigger the change from a new player survivor to an experienced survivor?

... and give me your beans!

Edited July 21, 2012 by SuperTuck

[Serpentice 0]

I like this idea. I also want to see some type of elite survivor skin maybe. Something you get after 1000 zombie kills? Or something you would clearly have to go out of your way to do in order to have the skin. I think it would be cool to have the skin look like some type of spec ops uniform.

[gunnyrolling 15]

Good Idea, although I think there should kind of a "Veteran" skin, for people who have played for a long time. Beans have been given.

[Texas Red 8]

I like this idea. I also want to see some type of elite survivor skin maybe. Something you get after 1000 zombie kills? Or something you would clearly have to go out of your way to do in order to have the skin. I think it would be cool to have the skin look like some type of spec ops uniform.

Possibly from looting all 3 helo-crashes. Or from retrieving a certain amount of military type loot. Or zombie kills, as you stated.

[bravelion96 0]

would there be a variant for bandits? obviously not for one or two kills as it could be self defense but maybe 5-10 then 20-25?

just to mark a player as likely trouble but with a way to redeem themselves like with the humanity

[mtuckner 46]

This is not a suggestion thread for a bandit skin. There are umpteen numbers of those threads. The topic is a variation on spawn skins for a totally new player to Day Z, and players who have been around the block. Please keep it on topic in order to make sure this particular idea gets a proper vetting (especially if you like the idea - if you off topic it the idea gets lost in other malarky).

[malphos101 71]

I can see how the forum topics would read after this was implemented:

"OMG Turn off nooby target skins!"

"Why cant bandits have skins? noobies do!"

"Can we have a skin for intermediate survivors?"

"Where is my 45 day survival skin?!?!?!"

[mtuckner 46]

I believe the forum is already polluted with those threads. What does that have to do with how the game might or might not benefit? If you are going to try to simply avoid a vocal minorities redundant posts by not implementing ideas in this alpha we will be left without innovation.

The only complaint you posted that I think might be a relevant concern is "turning off nooby target skins" but I don't believe they would signify that and I have elaborated on my reason why in my original post. The only way to find out the result would be to try the idea.

Edited July 21, 2012 by SuperTuck

[mtuckner 46]

Bump because drowned by loads of repeat suggestions.

[vision1776 42]

Im not a huge fan of rewarding players with new skins. I prefer an complete player customization of choices so that you can look how you want to look and add ghuillie suits as the only findable skin.

[mtuckner 46]

I think there is a differentiation to be made between rewarding new skins for acheivements vs creating an in game mechanic to simply identify the very new players.